How To “Do It All” With Two Days in Amsterdam

As most of you know I’ve spent the last fifteen weeks traveling around Europe—I checked off my twelfth and final country of the semester with a trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands. I’ve seen many study abroad students save this trip as their “final hoorah” for obvious reasons—the nightlife scene here is incredible however, my friends and I found ourselves in the city for just under 48 hours, having a rather mellow time.

Of all the traveling I did in Europe, I have to say, Amsterdam ranked lowest on my “must-see” list. Perhaps it sounds naive to admit but prior to coming to Amsterdam, I had no idea that there was so much…. weed! It turns out that’s what the city is known for with cafes and dispensaries lining the streets. Unfortunately, that’s never really been my seen.

In case you’re in the same boat as me, but are still wanting to explore the beauty and uniqueness of this “crooked city”, this travel guide is for you! Sharing some fun museums, the cutest hotel, and some of my favorite places to shop in Amsterdam with you today. Oh, and of course some outfits for you to recreate. For reference, we visited in early December and temperatures were barely breaking the 30s so packing warm is a must.

Let’s hop right on in!

Transportation

As most of you know I’ve spent the semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy which turned out to be an incredible “central” location for most of our weekend travels. Flights to Amsterdam can range anywhere from $40-$300 one way. I recommend looking at Wizz Air, Ryan Air, and Swiss Airlines several weeks in advance to get the best prices.

Upon arriving at the Amsterdam airport there is a train station right outside that takes you directly into the city for just a few dollars. It’s incredibly easy to navigate, however, Uber’s also an option here if you prefer something more seamless. Once you’re in the heart of the city, everything is walkable. Be alert though, there are more bicyclists here than anywhere else in the world and they almost wiped me out on several different occasions, lol.

Where To Stay

We stayed at the cutest hotel on the outskirts of the action, Room Mate Aitana. I actually discovered this property on Tik Tok and fell in love with its vibrant walls and fun decor. Each room is slightly different and it’s located just a mile from the train station which was perfect for us. Additionally, this property is located right along a canal which means the views are absolutely priceless.

I stayed in one of their Superior Queen rooms with a full view of the water. There were floor-to-ceiling windows along two of the walls which allowed for the most incredible natural light and insane views of the sunset. While I was dying to see the city, this was the kind of room that made you want to curl up and just stare out the window all day long, haha.

As you can see my room was bright red and maroon with a fun geometric pattern along the walls. I had a comfy queen bed and lots of space to unpack my things between the wardrobe, seating area, and desk! Because my room was on the corner, there was also a longer “hallway” leading into the room giving me even more room to spread out.

The bathroom was spotless with a huge walk-in shower, the perfect amount of counter space, and fresh white linens swapped out daily.

And as comfy as this room was, one of my favorite things about staying at the Room Mate was their breakfast. This was probably the largest hotel buffet breakfast I’ve ever been to—you could get an omelet made however you like. They had all kinds of breakfast meat, every type of pastry you could imagine, an entire greek station, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, and more. Needless to say, I stocked up big time both mornings!

We were less than two miles from the Central Train Station and about ten minutes to the heart of the shopping, cafes, and restaurants. It ended up being the perfect location for a short and sweet weekend trip. I’m SO happy I found this on Tik Tok! If you’re interested in booking this property, click here for availability and best rates.

Things To Do

Like I said, a huge part of visiting Amsterdam is checking out their different dispensaries and cafes. Cannabis is legal here so you’ll find people smoking joints on literally every street corner. If you’re interested in checking out some of these places, head over to The Bulldog and go from there. This entire street is lined with this type of cafe.

However, we spent most of our days exploring other parts of the city: a few museums, lots of local artisans, and tons of super cute boutiques!

Canal Boat Tour

Even in the dead of winter, going on a boat tour through the canals is a must. While this is a great way to cool down in the summer time, it’s actually a great way to warm up in the wintertime. They keep the boats covered and heated this time of year. They have all kinds of boat tours— booze cruises, cheese tastings, Christmas lights, and more. There are tons of companies to choose from right outside of The Sex Museum.

We grabbed a bottle of cheap wine from the grocery store, paid $15 for a ticket, and hopped on the closest one. The tour lasts about an hour and a half, taking you through several different channels throughout the city. There is guided audio that goes along with sharing the history of Amsterdam and all of the facts behind the crooked houses and big windows.

Truthfully I was shocked at how entertaining it was and was even happier to warm up for a bit! I think this is a must-do activity regardless of what time of year you’re visiting.

Anne Frank House

My roommates were dying to go to the Anne Frank House. I didn’t realize that this was going to be more like a museum—parts of the house have been completely renovated and are set up with projectors sharing old photos and words from the Franks. Other parts of the house are original to the 1940s and you’re able to see where Anne and her family were in hiding. They give you a headset when you first arrive and you queue up different informational bits as you move from room to room, discussing what you’re seeing.

At the end, Anne’s original diaries are on display for you to view. It’s definitely an emotionally heavy activity but it’s one I’m so glad we went. Definitely a piece of history worth making time for— from start to finish it only takes about an hour.

Sex Museum

The Sex Museum was actually recommended to us by a few fellow blog friends and I have to say, it was quite the experience lol. As you know, sex work is also legal in Amsterdam so naturally, it’s a huge part of the “culture” here. This museum walks you through the different decades explaining different lingerie trends, the rise of prostitution, an exhibit of Marilyn Monroe, and more.

It’s definitely *disturbing* and very vulgar but it was also very informative to hear more about the Red Light District and how it came to be. It was $10 to enter and there is no time limit so you can wander around for however long you’d like.

De 9 Strrtjes

This cluster of streets is known for its amazing shopping! There are all kinds of local artisans and adorable boutiques here— I wasn’t expecting so many boho designs and funky home decor. Each place we went into gave me more and more of an Urban Outfitters / Anthropologie vibe. I was a huge fan!

They also have a lot of stationery stores here. If you’re a postcard collector like me, you’ll love all of the fun ones here. Just head in this general direction and you’ll be more in the “Tik Tok expectation” area of Amsterdam rather than the “reality” area that was full of neon signs, mushroom shirts, and edibles haha.

Red Light District

Of course, you have to take a stroll through the Red Light District. If you’re unfamiliar with what the Red Light District is:

“The red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found.”

While we obviously weren’t participating in any of the action, it’s still a huge piece of history that feels like a must-see.

Where To Eat

We ate such large breakfasts at our all-you-can-eat hotel buffett that I only ended up eating one meal a day while in the city. To be honest, I was a little bummed about this as I am a huge foodie. Trying the local’s favorites is one of my favorite parts of visiting a new country so I would have loved to explore more of the eats!

Van Wonderen Stroopwaffles

One of my favorite content creators SarCar came to Amsterdam and recommended this iconic waffle place so naturally, we had to go. These are the perfect mid-day sweet treat. They are incredibly overpriced small waffles dipped in a chocolatey hazelnut spread and topped with your choice of cookies, brownies, sprinkles, etc. It was incredible with a line definitely worth the wait!

✈ Menu // Directions

Restaurant Tenun

We found this adorable cafe all cozy and decked out for the holidays amidst one of our shopping streets. We popped in and all ordered their club sandwich with turkey, arugula, bacon, brie, and spread. It came with fries too! I was a bit bummed with this, hoping that it would come with a bit more flavor. I’m also typically a hot sandwich girl so part of this was my own fault!

✈ Menu // Directions

The Black Dog

We popped into this pub for dinner and it was lively as all get out due to the World Cup being on. While I’m not a soccer girl, it was really cool getting to see how different countries celebrate these wins! We got a mix of nachos, wings, and quesadillas, just your typical bar food. The chili that came with had the perfect bit of spice. Every worker here was high out of their mind and so friendly, lol. They also have tons of boardgames to play before and after you eat which I really enjoyed—it gave the place a very inviting vibe which I always enjoy.

✈ Menu // Directions

Things To Pack

Not sure what to pack for your trip to Amsterdam this winter? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered and have put together a full outfit guide complete with photo ideas, outfit inspiration, and links to shop. I hate to say it but it gets cold here so you’re going to want to bundle up. Here are a few things I don’t recommend traveling without.

• Warm Puffer Jacket: Bring your warmest puffer jacket or something longer that will cover up your tush. You’re almost always along a channel of water so as you can imagine, it gets quite chilly! We bundled up.
• Lots of Layers: You’ll need layers on layers on layers here. I started in a long sleeve, then threw on a thin sweater, then popped another chunky knit over that. Oh, and this is a leggings under your pants type of place… at least when we visited it really was that cold.
• Beanie: I’m a sucker for a cute beanie. Not only because they keep my third-day greasy hair from showing but because they make all the difference in keeping you warm!
• Scarf: I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it a million more, you need a scarf during every weekend trip in Europe. They are the easiest way to bundle up and they make every outfit 10x cuter.
• Gloves: I forgot to bring gloves on this trip and boy was that a rookie mistake. I walked my booty right to the nearest Mango and purchased a pair on our first day!
• Comfy Walking Shoes: I said Amsterdam was walkable not that it was small, lol. We walked almost ten miles on both of our days here so comfy walking shoes are a must. I wore two pairs of socks for warmth with my Steve Madden Hutch boots and they were the perfect option! Some of my comfiest walking boots by far.

Watch The Week

Want to see our weekend in Amsterdam on camera? Be sure to check out my travel vlog for all of the fun + a full view of our super cute hotel room! I’ve been sharing new travel vlogs every single week to my channel so if you’re not subscribed be sure to hit that button and join the fam.

Our trip to Amsterdam was short and sweet and yet I found that forty-eight hours was really all I needed in this quaint city! As I said this was the last of my study abroad trips and while I am so very sad to see them go, I can’t wait to be back in the United States and traveling locally again. Stay tuned for more fun and more trips coming soon.

With love, McKenz

Latest Post: What to Wear In Amsterdam This Winter
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