10 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO AMSTERDAM

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This guide for travel to Amsterdam, will help you organize a getaway to one of the healthiest and most beautiful cities in Europe.
In this multicultural city you will enjoy interesting museums, boat trips on canals and on foot, through the historic center, relaxing parks, old churches, beautiful 17th-century brick houses, flower markets and above all, a fantastic and tolerant atmosphere.
Also, if you have more days in the city, you can visit some of the wonders that are nearby such as Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken.

Based on the experience of our trip to Amsterdam in 5 days, we have made this list of what we think are the 10 essential tips for traveling to Amsterdam.We start!

1. What is the best time?

It is always a good time to travel to Amsterdam, although the best time is usually from April to October, when the temperature is more pleasant and there is less chance of rain.
Within these months, spring is undoubtedly the best time to visit the city and surroundings, as it is the moment of flowering of the immense fields of Dutch tulips although it is necessary to take into account that in this season and in summer, prices in Accommodation is usually in the clouds and it is important to book several months in advance.
In autumn the prices fall a little and in winter although the prices are lower, it is common to find gray and rainy days.

2. Entry requirements and travel insurance

To travel to Holland, being a country of the European Union, it is only necessary to carry the ID or passport, provided you are Spanish or from an EU country. If you are from another country you should check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands or your country, to see if you need a visa.
One of the best tips for traveling to Amsterdam and to avoid any setback related to health, is to always carry the European Health Card. This card covers most medical expenses, although there are cases such as repatriation that are only included if you have good travel insurance.
We always travel insured with Mondo, with whom we carry a totally adequate insurance to the needs that we will have on each trip.

Hiring your insurance here with Mondo, just for being a Street Travelers reader, you have a 5% discount.

3. How to get from Amsterdam airport to downtown?

Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, located 15 kilometers from the city, is one of the most modern and best connected in Europe.
From the airport, you have these options by public or private transport to get to the center:

Train: This service, operating 24 hours, links the airport with the Central Station located in the city center, in 20 minutes for just over 5 euros.
Bus: line 397 connects with the stops of the center of Leidseplein, Museumplein and Rijksmuseum, in about 30 minutes for 5 euros. At dawn the N97 line is available that will leave you at the Central Station.
Direct transfer to the hotel: It is the most comfortable option when you wait for a driver at the exit of the terminal and take you directly to your hotel in half an hour. You can book it here.
Cab: The price of a taxi to the center is around 45 euros.

Amsterdam Central Station

4. Where to sleep in Amsterdam?

To the travel to Amsterdam we must take into account the high price of accommodation, especially in the historic center and around the Singel Canal, the most demanded areas.
A good recommendation if you are going to be a few days in the city is to book a hotel several months in advance in the downtown area, located between Dam Square and the Central Station. If you have a hotel in this neighborhood you will save time on journeys by having all the places of interest nearby and being well connected by train to the airport and to the beautiful villages that are nearby.
We stayed at the Singel Hotel, located next to the Singel Canal and 200 meters from the central station, which in addition to a great location, has a 24-hour reception and a very complete breakfast.
Another good area to stay is around the other 3 canals that surround the city: Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht, where you will be close to several points of interest and with a wide range of cafes and restaurants.
Another option, if you want to feel like a local, is to look for a hotel in the charming Jordaan neighborhood, which is about 25 minutes walk from the center.

If you want to stay in another part of the city you can search here for the best hotels in Amsterdam at the best price.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods we recommend you check this post of where to stay in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam canals

5. How to get around the city?

To the travel to Amsterdam You have to be aware that it is one of the least polluted cities because a large majority of its inhabitants use the bicycle to get around.
To feel like a local you can rent a bike for about 10 euros a day and use its thousands of kilometers of bike lane to reach all points of interest in the city. A good option if this is your first time in the city is to book this fun bike tour of Amsterdam with a guide in Spanish.
Another of the most used and most comfortable means of transport in the city is the tram, which has 16 lines that connect all the attractions of the city with a high frequency of passage.
Buses are only recommended at dawn, when the tram service is not operational or if you do not want to spend a lot of money in a taxi.
The option of using the subway is only recommended when you visit the neighborhoods farthest from the center.
The price of the single ticket for the metro, tram and bus, is 3 euros, while the one-day ticket is 7.50 euros and the two-day ticket of 12.50 euros.

Rent a bike, one of the best tips for traveling to Amsterdam

6. Places to visit when traveling to Amsterdam

The historic center of the city concentrates many of Amsterdam's attractions such as the popular Dam Square, the old Oude Kerk church and the Red Light District, famous for its nightlife. In addition to seeing all these places, it is worth walking through the cobbled streets of downtown, full of historic buildings and with numerous coffee shops.
Leaving the center through the southern area you will reach Begijnhof, a 14th-century beguinage and one of our favorite corners of the city. Near Begijnhof, on the banks of the Singel canal, is the Flower Market or Bloemenmarkt full of stalls where you can buy the typical tulip bulbs.
The route continues through Leidseplein square with numerous street artists, until you reach the Museumplein area, where the two most important museums in the city are located: the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.

An interesting way to visit the Van Gogh Museum is to book this guided tour in Spanish with an art specialist or this guided tour in Spanish that also includes a cruise and a visit to the Rijksmuseum.

After visiting one or two museums you can relax by taking a walk through the Vondelpark and finish with this boat cruise on the famous canals of the city, known as the Venice of the North.
One of the places you cannot miss in the local Jordaan neighborhood is the Anne Frank House Museum, a building where Anna Frank's family lived hidden, during the Nazi occupation of World War II.
Another of the best tips for traveling to Amsterdam is to complete this list of the best things to do in Amsterdam and this one of the essential places to visit in Amsterdam.

7. Where to eat in the city?

Another reason for travel to Amsterdam It is to taste their delicious local dishes and cheeses, accompanied by a good mug of Dutch Heineken beer.
Some of the most famous dishes in the city are:

Bitterballen: fried meat dumplings served with mustard.
Patat: French fries accompanied by mayonnaise.
Haring maatjes: raw herring accompanied by pickles and onion. Broodje haring is the same dish but in sandwich format.
Stroopwafel: a typical sweet consisting of two layers of cookie and a layer of caramel in the middle.
Stamppot: mashed potatoes accompanied by vegetables and a sausage.
Kaas: Dutch cheeses such as Gouda and Edam, which are world famous. Other local cheeses that deserve to try are Boerenkaas, Maasdamme and Geitenkaas.
A good place to try and buy many varieties of cheese is the Henri Willig Cheese and More store, located in front of Amsterdam Central Station.

To try all these gastronomic delights you can go to the street stalls or to recommended restaurants such as the Stoop & Stoop Eetcafe, Martine's Table, De Reiger, Moeders, La Maschera Lillotatini, Cafe Bern and Cafe Piazza.
You can expand the information by reading this post about restaurants to eat in Amsterdam.

Dutch cheeses

8. Itineraries around Amsterdam

One of the best things to do before travel to Amsterdam It is to trace the itineraries well to see the main points of interest, making the most of the available time.
To mark the routes well it is important to know the full days you have in the city, we recommend between 2 and 3 days, and the place where you will stay.
It is necessary to think that the majority of routes can be done on foot or by bicycle, and only use the tram or the bus for more remote places, such as the Heineken Experience or the Sloten Mill.
A good option to know the history of the city and do not want to miss anything is to book this free tour of Amsterdam Free! and this guided tour of the Red Light District, both with a guide in Spanish.

Based on the experience of the days we spent in Amsterdam we have published these guides that will help you plan daily routes according to the time you have available.

Begijnhof

9. Tours and excursions

If you still have one or more days after completing all the visits to the city, we recommend you take one of the best excursions in Amsterdam.
These day trips will take you to know some of the wonders that are close to the city such as the villages of Volendam, Marken, Edam and Zaanse Schans, the tulip fields of Keukenhof or the cities of Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague.
The best option to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam is the train, while to visit the villages of Voldendam, Marken and Edam, the bus is better, leaving in both options from the Central Station.
Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague, are close to each other and an hour by train from Amsterdam Central Station. Trains leave every hour and you can move by train or bus between cities.
Before visiting Keukenhof, a famous park with more than 7 million tulips, you have to keep in mind that it is only open during the flowering of the flower, between April and May. You can reach the park from Amsterdam by taking the Keu-ken-hof Express bus that leaves from the Schip-hol airport and from the Lei-den Cen-traal train station.

A comfortable and interesting way to get to know all these places, learning its history thanks to the explanations of a guide in Spanish, is to book some of these excursions:

More tours and excursions in Amsterdam here

Zaanse Schans

10. More tips for traveling to Amsterdam

Other of the best tips for traveling to Amsterdam They are:

Have a drink or a coffee in one of the most popular coffee shops in the city such as Hunter's Café. Keep in mind that in these places although smoking hashish and marijuana is allowed, you can neither smoke nor drink alcohol.
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot. You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
If you visit the Red Light District at night, do not take any photo of the open windows, besides being prohibited, it is simply a matter of respect.
Watch before crossing the street. The bikes and trams make very little noise.
The plugs are the same type as the Spanish.
Check if it is profitable to buy the I Amsterdam City Card, which includes unlimited public transport and entrance to museums such as Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, canal cruise, etc ... This can be a very interesting option if you have several days and You want to do the activities that are included.
Upload for free to the viewpoints of the Central Library and the NEMO museum.
Get the Anna Frank Museum tickets well in advance from this official website, if you don't want to run out of tickets. You can complete the visit to the museum by booking this tour of Anne Frank through the Jewish quarter.
If you have more time you can complete this list of places to see in Holland essential and follow these tips to travel to Holland.

The Red Light District

Do you want to travel to Amsterdam?
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Book the best tours and excursions in Amsterdam in Spanish here
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5 best tours and excursions in Amsterdam
The best free tours in Amsterdam for free