A very FLAT city
Amsterdam is a special city. I have been there a numerous times at different stages of my life and each time it would leave a different impression on me. When I was kid, I visited the city for the 1st time with my family during the winter, and my impression of the city was grey, cold and a bit depressing. Then in my teenage years, I experienced both the cultural and seedy side of the city on a weekend school trip. We traveled for 12+ hours via coaches and ferry, did all the sightseeing and museums visits during the day, then drank and 'smoked' continuously til dawn (no idea where we got the energy from)! Visiting the red-light district was eye-opening for me at the time, but I also found it rather seedy and filthy. Since then, almost every trip to Amsterdam involved drinking heavily, smoking in coffee houses and late night Febos (with different companions) until a few years ago.
Since my good friend moved to Amsterdam, I have been enjoying a rather different Amsterdam. No booze, no coffee shops... just visiting small art/ photography galleries, design shops and spending time in cafes rather than coffee shops. Suddenly, the old image of Amsterdam seems so far away, sure the seedy part still exists but it is no longer on my itinerary. With each visit, I am discovering something new and interesting, and I love the contrast between the old and new architecture. Unlike other major international cities, Amsterdam feels more like a town/ village, which probably explains why cycling and walking are the best ways to enjoy the city. Strolling along the canals is thoroughly enjoyable, provided you don't get run over by the cyclists of course.
Best time to visit: summer, late spring
My alternative sightseeing recommendations: Besides the major sights and museums, buy a copy of Timeout and check out the smaller galleries for interesting temporary photography and design exhibitions.
Take the tram and visit the newly developed docklands... there are some interesting shops and restaurants including the spacious Grand Café / Restaurant de Kompaszaal housed in a former passenger terminal.
Stadsarchief/ Amsterdam City Archive is the world's largest city archives and holds hundreds of historical documents, photos, books and prints related to Amsterdam. The museum is free and often organises temporary photography exhibitions. The building was built in the 1920s by architect, De Bazel, and it is very well preserved inside and out. Definitely worth a visit!
Another gem of the city is the wonderful Art deco/ gothic style Tuschinski Theatre. Built in 1921 by H.L. DeJong, this theatre was renovated a few years ago and is still being used! Absolutely amazing!
The lovely Hortus Botanical garden (since 1638!) is not very big but has many exotic plants, greenhouses and even a butterfly house. The cafe also serves some delicious pastries.
Shopping: Amsterdam is a great place if you are into antique and retro 50s/ 60s furniture. There are many interesting modern and antique furniture shops, as well as cool design shops/ galleries (many located around 9 streets district). My favourites are Droog Design and Frozen Fountain. The latter features many of the well-known Dutch designers' work, and a lot of their designs are surprisingly affordable!
Droog design shop
Hema is like a crossover between Woolworth and Muji, selling a range of goods including household products, clothing and food etc. I love their stationary, esp. their cards and wrapping paper, so fun and colourful!
Restaurants
Amsterdam is not a exactly a gourmet paradise, so forget Michelin starred restaurants, go for simple fares and you can't go too wrong (usually)! I have yet to experience an outstanding meal in Amsterdam (Supper Club came close though), there are some decent restaurants around but it's probably best to do a bit of research beforehand. There are many stylish places that have opened recently, but are they just style over substance? I guess I will need to try some out next time...
If you haven't been yet, then go to the original Supper club which opened in 1991. Yes, it's trendy and pretentious etc, but don't take it too seriously, just go there for the experience and cool decor. If you want a Supper club experience, then you might as well go to the original one! The decor of the bar/ club below is quite different, but probably a bit too packed & claustrophobic when it's busy.
Kushi Tei of Tokyo: located next to the Okura Hotel, this small yakitori Japanese place is much cheaper than the restaurant next door but serves very good yakitoris. It's unpretentious and efficient, and away from the touristy area.
Burger Meester
This cool and airy place serves different types of burgers and only uses organic meat. Go for the 3 mini-burgers of your choice and fresh juices. The burgers tasted really good, the meat was juicy and went well with the grilled vegetables. The only downside is the lack of French fries on the menu, it just doesn't feel right not to have fries with burgers!
Oriental City: Probably the best/ most authentic place for dim sum in town, not particularly great if you compare it with the dim sum places in London or Hong Kong, but not bad if you happen to crave for dim sum when you are in Amsterdam.
Kantjil & de Tijger
There are many Indonesian places in town and this one is particularly popular, probably because of its location. I am not a fan of Indonesian cuisine, so I can't say that I love their cooking. But this place is reasonably priced, serves huge portions and atmosphere is lively (and extremely busy), so it's not bad if you want to sample some decent Indonesian food without spending too much.
Wolvenstraat 23
A trendy and relaxing bar/ lounge/ restaurant located in the busy 9 streets district. Often showcases local talents (art or photography work on their walls), this place is friendly and not pretentious at all. Go for drinks or sample Asian dishes from their menu, the food is actually not bad.
For something fast:
Try one of the street vendors selling herrings, they are a bit like eating sashimi!
If you are craving for greasy late-night munchies after all the boozing, then Febo is probably your best bet. Fast food served in an 'automatiek' vending machines, which can be found in many parts of the city. Best item: Krokets!
An Art Nouveau building
Funky shop
Interesting shop display
street art
Rice table
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