Cities

Do you also feel so rushed when you go on a city trip? That you want to see everything in one day and leave with the feeling that you missed something? When I read the many articles online about what you can do in Amsterdam, some have listed as many as 100 things. Very nice, but one I'm not going to be able to remember all of them and two, I really wonder if you should see them all. That's why I don't have an overview of hundreds of things, eateries and other hip places you must have been in Amsterdam, but just the most important must-sees. That you feel like you've been able to discover the city at your own pace and still haven't missed anything! Just the most important things you must have seen in Amsterdam! My visit to Amsterdam always starts at Central Station. Do you want to take the car? Don't, parking fees are really high, plus it's not very nice to drive in the city. You can park your car in a suburb, for example at the VU or RAI and from here take the subway to Central Station. This is often much cheaper. So from Central Station you walk in the direction of Dam Square. Here you pass the Damrak and the Beursgebouw. If you walk down the street you'll come to Dam Square where you'll find the Royal Palace and the National Monument that is always shown on TV during the commemoration of the people who died during the war. Next to the Palace is the Nieuwe Kerk, where you can regularly see various exhibitions of local artists. Within fifteen minutes you'll be able to cross off some of the sights from your list. More sights in Amsterdam We continue the route in the direction of the Kalverstraat. Here it is time to shop and stroll. Just have a look at the stores at your own pace. You've already seen some sights, haven't you? Are you at the end of the Kalverstraat? Then you have arrived at the famous Munttoren. From here we go for a walk along the famous canals. The best way to do that is at the Munttoren turn right over the Singel until you get to the Starbucks on the Koningsplein. Now we are going to go canal-hop. From the Koningsplein go straight ahead on the Leidsestraat until you get to the Leidseplein. Also a famous place in the city with several restaurants and bars. Now it's only a short distance to the Vondelpark. Here you don't have to go all the way through of course but it's nice to have seen it. When you are there you can go a bit further if you want and still have energy for it. Then we go to PC Hooftstraat, which all the luxury shops, and the Museumplein, with the famous museums of the city. These are located near the Vondelpark. Follow the Van Baerlestraat and you'll get there. Do you have any energy left? Then you can also walk from here to the Albert Cuyp, which is a famous market. You can do this by walking from the Museumplein to the east, across the canal. Now it's time to walk back along a few more sights. We walk back to the Prinsengracht to the north, back to the station. Not only have you seen all the expensive canal houses here, you also pass the famous 9 Streets, the Anne Frank house and the Westerkerk. Still, aren't that a lot of things to do? That's right, they are still a lot of sights, but you can choose which one you do or don't do. For example, the Anne Frank house is located behind the Palace on Dam Square, so if you don't want to walk any further you could at least visit this historic building. Along the way you will come across so many stores and places of interest that you don't realize how much you are actually walking. You won't feel your feet until you are back on the train (or in the hotel). Don't feel like walking? Then you can also take the tram, tram 5 runs along a large part of the route so you can get on and off when you run out of energy. You can also use it on the way back and get off at the Rozengracht. Then you walk the last part via the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank house to Dam Square and back to the train station. When you walk you'll come across several food and drinks along the way. Imagine what you're hungry for and walk somewhere inside. What I do myself, if I think a restaurant looks good, I quickly check Tripadvisor to see what the reviews are. I think the most touristic thing you can eat in Amsterdam are perhaps the pancakes, which Dutch people typically eat for lunch of diner.

Cities

Amsterdam: the things you should at least have seen in this city!

Maastricht: the most important must-sees!