5 Things NOT To Do in Amsterdam




  1. Do not rent a car.

    Amsterdam has a robust and easy to navigate mass transit system.  The GVB transit system offers metro trains, buses, and trams.  Purchase a ticket based on the number of days you will be in the area.  For example, a 3-day ticket is 21 euros and is valid for unlimited travel on all routes for 72 hours from your first check in.

    Follow the maps located near each stop, and you’ll be able to navigate to within a couple blocks of your destination. Apple and Google maps include the mass transit routes as well.


  2. Do not stop in the bike lanes.

    Amsterdam has approximately 2 bikes per capita.  With approximately 900,000 residents, that is a lot of bicycles!  The infrastructure is designed to give bike riders their own path on almost every street.  So, you will find sidewalk, bike lane, car lane (and often tram tracks as well) in each direction of traffic flow. 

    The bike lanes are additionally marked with red pavement.  And…bicycles have the right of way, not pedestrians.  So, stay alert, keep your head on a swivel, and don’t stop in the bike lane.


  3. Do not miss out on Dutch pancakes.

    Amsterdam isn’t what I would call a foodie capital of the world.  There are a few things they are known for in Amsterdam:  frites, stroopwafel, bitterballen, kaasstengels, and Gouda to name a few.  The top of the list for me was the dutch pancake.  I was expecting the puffy pancake with the tall sides in a cast-iron skillet known to me as the Dutch baby.

    The real Dutch pancake is about the size of a medium pizza and thin – somewhere just beyond a crepe on its way to an American pancake.  Served plain, savory, or sweet and served for breakfast, lunch, and maybe even dinner, you can find them all over the city.


  4. Don’t try to keep track of all the beautiful canals.

    When you first arrive by metro, you’ll be greeted by the River IJ (pronounced “eye”) at Amsterdam Centraal.  Pushing deeper into the city, you’ll find the intricate canal network which, quite literally, keeps the city from sinking!  As you walk around this part of Amsterdam, at almost every turn you will find a bridge over a beautiful canal. 

    Embrace it, and take pictures of them all.

      Pretty soon, you’ll be saying to your travel companions, “oh look! Another beautiful canal”.  Your camera roll will thank you later.


  5. Don’t miss the Anne Frank House and the Van Gough Museums.

    Plan ahead and stay aware of when tickets initially go on sale for your dates.  If you arrive in Amsterdam without a ticket, you will likely miss out

    Anne Frank House tickets: 

    Every Tuesday, the Anne Frank House releases tickets for the following 6 weeks and tickets are 16 euros for an adult ticket.  A 30-minute introductory program is an additional 7 euros, and well worth it!  The Van Gough museum tickets can be purchased online at any time, but likely sell out anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks in advance.  There are many other museums in the city where tickets are easier to get within a few days of your visit, and all are fantastic.  But if Anne Frank and Van Gough are on your must-do list (and they should be!), mark your calendars and purchase in advance.







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My love of travel started at a young age.  Family road trips across the country and vacations in Hawaii is where it all began.  After starting a family, we traveled frequently to the beach, Disney, and many places near and far.  My husband and I also traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe.In early 2023 I left my corporate accounting career, which allowed me to focus on my tra...  Read More >>>

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