When I traveled to the Dusseldorf, Germany in April for the marathon (see race recap), my boyfriend and I flew in and out of Amsterdam. We were there for about 24 hours. Here were the highlights!
Anne Frank House
This was the first thing we did and it was worth it. We got there in the late afternoon, around 5pm. The line was pretty short, 30 minutes, maybe? Now you can reserve timed tickets online, but that wasn’t an option when I was there.
When you enter, they give you a book with a maps and information for each room. You then work your way through the house, bottom to top. The house still has the original pictures Anne pasted on her wall, as well as her original diaries, and taped interviews with her father. I don’t have words for how moving it was. Such an important reminder of what can happen when hatred goes unchecked. I would absolutely put this on the top of any list to see in Amsterdam.
Stroopwafel
OMG- sooo good! Stroopwafel is two very thin baked waffles (or a baked waffle split in two) with a caramel-like sauce in between the layers. Like a waffle sandwich. Right by the Anne Frank House was a small shop that sells fresh stroopwafel. My boyfriend, J, and I each got one fresh stroopwafel and coffee to each in the square. It was a bit chilly, but totally worth it!
Canals
Amsterdam is known for its canals. I will never forget the evening spent walking along the canals. We looked at houses, in shops and restaurants. It’s very peaceful perfect for conversation. If we had more time, I would have loved to take a boat ride through the canals as well.
Rijksmuseum
J picked the Rijksmuseum over the Van Gogh museum for our morning outing. This museum not only has historic architecture, but houses everything from swords and model ships to modern art. I loved the Delft pottery, the Irises and the Swan paintings.
I wish I could have spent more time in Amsterdam, but the highlights were well worth the time I spent there!