Those who read my reports might not be surprised that I often spend just one day in a big city. Yes, I know, you can’t really get to know a place in such a short time, but life is short. 🙂
This time Amsterdam was part of a tour, which I visited on a summer day (June 30, 2022). The day before I was in Brussels, and the day before that in Bruges. I traveled home late in the evening by bus from the Dutch capital, but also ‘popped into’ Prague for half a day.
So, on a Thursday morning, I arrived from the Belgian capital by the Thalys express train. There are many trains daily between the two cities. It takes two hours to travel, and the ticket was just 29 euros when booked in advance.
The train arrived at Central Station, from where it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the immediate downtown.
Before that, I took a ferry across the canal to the opposite side, as the boats operating between the two sides are free. Needless to say, there are a lot of cyclists everywhere.
You can actually explore the downtown in just one day. The distance between Central Station and the Rijksmuseum is 2.5 km. And along the way, you can encounter many sights.
If you want a beautiful view, go to the NEMO Science Museum. There’s a free panoramic terrace on the top with benches and loungers. There’s also a café, a great place for coffee.
Once you start walking, after a while you’ll be immersed in walking along the canals. It’s actually quite fun to wander aimlessly, each street has its own feel.
I also visited the Albert Cuypmarkt, the local main market. On both sides of a long street, there are numerous vendors, food stalls, everything you can find here.
The ‘local City Park’ is Vondelpark. As the weather was nice, there were a lot of people walking, cycling, picnicking. It’s worth coming here to enjoy the fresh air and time.
For many, Amsterdam’s red-light district comes to mind. Of course, I walked through it during the day as well. There’s surely more life in the evening, during the day a couple of ladies were sitting behind the windows, and the crowd doesn’t swarm this street at that time.
Obviously, there’s much more to Amsterdam, as I didn’t visit Anne Frank’s house, the Rijksmuseum, or the Van Gogh Museum. However, the Dutch lifestyle and the relaxed way of life really appealed to me, it’s a pleasant capital. I definitely recommend it to anyone considering a trip here!
