Two days in Amsterdam: the best places to see and visit

I just returned from two days in Amsterdam and I already feel the urge to book a train ticket to this lovely city again! I love the crooked houses, the canals and bridges, the many trendy restaurants and the people! Last year I stayed for 3 days and explored the city by bike. That way I could reach more areas of Amsterdam that were less touristic. I got a taste of the real Amsterdam and I am hooked ever since! Luckily it only takes 75 minutes by train from Antwerp. So it was easy to return for two days in Amsterdam again to find beautiful photo spots and eat delicious food!

Two days in Amsterdam

What to see?

I could tell you to visit the Museum square with the Van Gogh Museum or the Rijksmuseum. If prostitution isn’t legal in your country, you’ll probably also be interested in visiting De Wallen (Amsterdam’s Red Light District). You could go to the Dam, the beating heart of the city and shop at the Kalverstraat. You could visit the Anne Frank House and the neighboring Westerkerk. But those are things you can find in every travel guide.
I prefer to wander around and look for more quiet areas. I love to search for beautiful places, gorgeous facades and interesting architecture… or to find great places to eat and enjoy a good meal among the locals. It’s all about experiencing a more authentic feeling of a city.
These are the places that I really loved exploring and photographing during my two days in Amsterdam:

Fascinating facades

• Damrak: The first interesting facades I encountered after walking from the train station to the hotel were the houses at Damrak. They all look different and of course; crooked! Damrak is also the place where a lot of boat tours start.
• Rokin: This busier area offers a lot of amusement in spotting the most crooked facades, but also very pretty ones! It’s a more crowded shopping area, but when you look up to the facades you forget about that quickly.
• Hotel De L’Europe: I really love the architecture of this hotel, especially at night when the building is lit.

Cute canals

• Kloveniersburgwal: This canal is a more quiet place in downtown Amsterdam with typical Dutch canal houses. I especially loved the view with the Zuiderkerk in the back. You can also find one of the narrowest houses of Amsterdam here at number 26.
• Reguliersgracht and the Seven Bridges: This is one of my favorite areas. It is a narrow canal surrounded by small crooked canal houses. Seven bridges span this canal. Also at night this is a cozy area to wander around and take photos. I couldn’t stop fantasizing about what these houses would look like on the inside.
• Leidsegracht: The houses decorating this canal look a bit more prestigious than the ones at the Reguliersgracht.

The impressive canal belt

The canal belt consists mainly of the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht and Herengracht. The Herengracht is famous for its more chic facades and the Prinsengracht for being home to the Anne Frank house and the Westerkerk (church). Walking along these canals will take you from quiet areas (from the Brouwersgracht to the Leliegracht and from the Amstel to the Reguliersgracht) to very busy areas (Nine Streets). You will never be disappointed wandering along these canals, since the facades are breathtaking and you can find some interesting boutiques, coffee bars and restaurants along the way!

Beautiful bridges

Amsterdam has a lot of canals, so also a lot of bridges! These are some of my favorites:

• Aluminiumbrug: This drawbridge spans the Kloveniersburgwal and is the first to feature a low-maintenance aluminium deck.
• Staalmeestersbrug: This bridge decorates the Groenburgwal canal, which lies parallel to the Kloveniersburgwal. The view from both sides of the bridge is beautiful. One side shows the Zuiderkerk (church) and on the other side you can spot the crooked houses of the Amstel.
• Blauwbrug: This is one of the bigger bridges in Amsterdam decorated with beautiful lanterns.
• Oranjebrug: a beautiful drawbridge at the Brouwersgracht

The old church

I don’t like the Red Light District much, but it does have some nice views like the Old Church.

Flower market

Not only can you buy tulips here, it is also a great photo spot!

Vondelpark

If you want to relax, this is a great place to be. You are also allowed to cycle through the park.

Amsterdam by night

Amsterdam has a big night life, but if you’re not into parties or bars, you can also just go for a walk after dinner. I really enjoyed seeing my favorite places by night!

Where to eat & drink?

The Breakfast Club

You can have breakfast all day at the Breakfast Club! Whether you like an English breakfast, Mexican huevos rancheros or pancakes New York style, they have it all. More healthy eaters can choose an avocado sandwich, a fruit bowl or granola. I visited their restaurant at the Wibautstraat when I stayed at the Volkshotel. There is a big terrace, which is perfect for a sunny breakfast during the Summertime. There are 4 Breakfast Clubs in Amsterdam. So I’m sure you’ll find at least one during your two days in Amsterdam!
The Breakfast Club – Wibautstraat 56 / Haarlemmerplein 31 / Bellamystraat 2-h / Gustav Mahlerplein 114

Ree7

This is the perfect place for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon treat! You can’t imagine the food they serve here! They have so many cakes, pies and other kinds of pastries! If you want something more savory you can have a healthy sandwich, soup or a salad. But I truly recommend the red velvet pancakes! They serve them with banana, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and white chocolate sauce! The best pancakes I ever had! But Ree7 is probably most famous for its freakshakes! I didn’t have one because I was already full with pancakes, but the Strawberry Dream Milkshake and the Halloween Freakshake looked simply yummy! Beside all the deliciousness, Ree7’s interior is also very trendy and cozy. It really feels “Hygge”, homey.
Ree7 – Reestraat 7

Pluk

If the waiting line is too long at Ree7, Pluk is a good alternative. At least if you’re in for a healthier option, since they are more into fresh juices and salads. But don’t worry, they also serve cakes and unicorn cupcakes! Pluk and Ree7 are from the same owner (The Dutch Company), which you can recognize by the same homey atmosphere. At Pluk you can also buy accessories to decorate your table at home.
Pluk – Reestraat 19

Lavinia Good Food

This superfood hotspot focusses on good healthy food and pays special attention to the environment. They use paper straws and all food is biological. Lavinia truly is a hidden gem, because you probably won’t walk through its street, the Kerkstraat, if you are not looking for this place. This makes Lavinia even more special. I was surrounded by locals, not a single tourist to see. I also loved its interior! A leather couch, a lot of wood, vintage furniture, different kinds of chairs and a very cool birdcage lamp make this place super trendy and cozy. I had the avocado sandwich with extra smoked salmon; so tasty!
Lavinia Good Food – Kerkstraat 176

La Margarita

I spotted this place’s terrace first at the Grimburgwal with a big sign saying La Margarita Mexican. Being hungry at the time, I decided to just go inside and try the place. I ordered the white fish ceviche from the “Specials” menu and it didn’t disappoint. Also the Fruit Margarita cocktail was very delicious!
La Margarita – Langebrugsteeg 6

Where to stay?

For my two days in Amsterdam I booked a simple budget hotel in downtown Amsterdam called Hotel Nes (book here). It is situated by the Kloveniersburgwal and the Amstel and perfect to start exploring. I had a single hotel room, which was small, but clean. The mattress of the bed was a little too soft for me though, since I like to sleep on a harder one. I also recommend to bring earplugs (I always do) because a lot of people go out to party and return during the night, making a lot of noise in the hallway.

During my previous 3 day visit I stayed at the Volkshotel (book here). It is a fantastic, more expensive hotel located in the Wibautstraat, near the Wibautpark. It may seem a bit far from downtown Amsterdam, but it is situated near a great neighborhood called De Pijp and the metro is right across the street. You can also rent a bike to be able to do more kilometers in a shorter time frame. The modern rooms of the hotel have fantastic views and the breakfast at the rooftop bar is excellent.

Booking.com

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I hope you enjoyed this article about my recommendations for Amsterdam! What are your favorite places in Amsterdam? Don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below! More information about the Netherlands here.
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