It’s time for another travel guide, this time: autumn in Amsterdam. It’s certainly a city that suits this cosy, transitional season, as the temperature starts to dip and the leaves on the trees change from green to yellow ochre and rust. Maybe it’s something about the russet tones reflected in the swirling waters of the canals, the low winter light that makes the waterways look like an artist’s impression, or the old street lamps lit up at night.
Perhaps it’s also the glimpses into warm, inviting, candlelit interiors of the canal houses; the Dutch being slightly more averse to curtains and window coverings than the more prudish British – perfect for house snooping! On our trip my friend and I learnt about the Dutch word ‘gezellig‘ (pronounced heh-SELL-ick). Think of it like the Danish ‘hygge‘; we just don’t seem to have the same phrase in English. It describes a feeling of cosiness and comfort, but it also goes beyond that to mean time spent together with loved ones. Dinner at a candlelit restaurant is gezellig, as is catching up with a friend over a coffee. A cosy living room can also be described as gezellige, so can an old fashioned little boutique shop. Amsterdam is full of gezellig moments, from traditional brown cafés and bustling coffee shops, to cute neighbourhood restaurants and charming walkways festooned with fairy lights.
I had been to Amsterdam a few times before and I always enjoy coming back. I think that’s because it feels so liveable; just like Copenhagen, I can easily imagine living in the city. It’s a charming place full of history but it’s also forward thinking and cosmopolitan with a thriving food scene and a hotspot for contemporary design and architecture.
Amsterdam itself is small and manageable for a long weekend away – you can easily walk everywhere, in fact I think it’s the best way to see the city and it’s narrow waterways. We clocked up 20km a day and packed a lot in. I recommend getting an I amsterdam City Card, it’s a pre-paid pass and discount card that covers travel on the tram and canal, as well as access to all the best museums. There’s different cards for 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours, and it’s worth the savings.
We also went to Amsterdam by Eurostar. It takes about 4-5 hours and you can get some great deals in their sales. Not only is it a much nicer, smoother journey, taking you right into the heart of Amsterdam to the Central Station without the need for connections or any waiting around, it’s also a tiny bit kinder on the planet than air travel.
So without further ado, here’s my guide to autumn in Amsterdam, taking in the best cultural highlights, boutique shops and hip eateries.
Things to do
The cultural highlights of Amsterdam, from modern art galleries and must-see museums to hidden historic gems and quiet pockets of greenery.
– Rijksmuseum (images below), Museumstraat 1 – the museum of the Netherlands, dedicated to Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages to the present day. Renovated in 2013 after a 10-year transformation by Spanish architecture firm Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos, you begin your journey in two converted inner courtyards flooded with natural light. Walk through the Gallery of Honour and take in Dutch masterpieces such as Vermeer’s Milkmaid and Rembrandt’s the Night Watch, and don’t miss the Cuypers Library, the biggest and oldest art history library in the Netherlands.
– Van Gogh Museum, Museumplein 6 – an art museum dedicated to The Netherlands’ most famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. We were a little bit disappointed with the museum experience and the way his work was displayed, but it’s well worth a visit to see his most famous, big ticket paintings.
– Stedelijk Museum, Museumplein 10 – a museum for contemporary art and design. The 2012 extension, designed by Benthem Crouwel Architects, is colloquially known as ‘The Bathtub’.
– Anne Frank House, Westermarkt 20 – a house and museum on the Prinsengracht canal dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. A very moving tour through the Secret Annex where two families hid from Nazi persecution for two years during World War II. It’s recommended to book tickets in advance.
– Rembrandt House Museum, Jodenbreestraat 4 – a historic house and art museum where the famous Dutch painter Rembrandt lived and worked for 17 years in the 17th century. At certain times in the day they do demonstrations to show how Rembrandt prepared his paint.
– Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic Museum), Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38 – a hidden gem of a place right in the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Climb the stairs and on the top three floors of an old canal house, you’ll find a (very pink) Catholic church that was built in the attic during the 1660s.
– Huis Marseille, Keizersgracht 401 – a photography museum housed in housed in two picturesque 17th century canal houses. It is alone worth visiting for the outdoor courtyard hidden away at the back of the building (see the last photo in the section below).
– Hortus Botanicus, Plantage Middenlaan 2a – one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, which includes a large hothouse incorporating three different tropical climates (I’ll have a separate blog post on this soon). Don’t forget to stop by the cafe.
We also really enjoyed doing a boat tour of Amsterdam’s canals. It’s a great way to get a different perspective of the city’s traditional canal houses and learn more about the history of the old city centre. We used the Circle Line – you can choose from a 1.5 hour cruise or hop on and off along the route.
Eating and drinking
Food lovers will eat and drink well in Amsterdam with a wealth of culinary options, from healthy vegan cafes and trendy coffee shops to cosy neighbourhood restaurants and hipster bars.
Coffee
– Toki, Binnen Dommersstraat 15 – Toki translates as local hangout; it’s cool, hip and busy with young hipsters. Excellent coffee, Insta-worthy terrazzo counters and window seats perfect for people watching.
– Idéfix, Bloemgracht 99 – we stumbled across this tiny cafe and co-working space one day. Apparently it’s become known for the little cinnamon chocolates that come with every coffee – it’s a hidden secret where they’re from and how they’re made.
– Winkel 43, Noordermarkt 43 – a cosy traditional cafe renowned for its famous apple pie. Expect queues.
– Vinnies, Haarlemmerstraat 46 – a lovely small cafe serving breakfast, organic food, coffee and sandwiches.
Lunch/Dinner/Drinks
– Lavinia Good Food, Kerkstraat 176 – a charming cafe serving healthy, mostly vegan, food in an eclectic interior.
– SOIL, Bilderdijkstraat 141 – a cafe focusing on sustainable, healthy and plant-centric dishes. Try their homemade kimchi.
– SLA, various locations – a light, contemporary cafe serving organic, plant-based bowl food. Create your own bowl from the salad bar.
– Droog, Staalstraat 7-A – a cool, design-led cafe on the top floor of this concept store. Try the open sandwiches.
– nNea pizza, Bilderdijkstraat 92 – we couldn’t get into this neighbourhood pizzeria but heard good things about their Neapolitan pizzas.
– Foodhallen and Kanarie Club, Bellamyplein 51– two lively food markets in Amsterdam’s hip Oud-West neighbourhood. There’s lots of stalls to choose from, but we’d recommend Fento kitchen for healthy Mexican. Try their sweet potato nachos.
– Buffet van Odette, Prinsengracht 598 – I had such a lovely dinner here I’m tempted to say this is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. Big statement but it was so lovely and cosy and intimate with simple, classic dishes and natural wines. Make sure to have the freshly made madeleines for dessert.
– The Hoxton, Herengracht 255 – A cool hang out for cocktails (and an ace place to stay!). Don’t miss the vintage photo booth on the mezzanine floor above the bar. They sometimes have live jazz on Sunday evenings.
Also on our list but we didn’t get to:
– 4850
– Bar Spek
– Bar Ramona
– Bar Parry
Shopping
Explore the charming, fashionable boutiques of De 9 Straatjes (the 9 streets), but venture further afield to the trendy areas of de Pijp, Jordaan and Amsterdam Oud-West for vintage shops and design-led concept stores.
– TIME & STYLE, Marnixstraat 148 – four storeys of contemporary homeware and designer furniture.
– Marie-Stella-Maris, Keizersgracht 357HS – sustainable Dutch beauty brand with a social mission. With every item sold, they donate to water projects all over the world.
– Sukha Amsterdam (image of ceramics below), Haarlemmerstraat 110 – a beautiful interior and lifestyle shop selling handmade, sustainably produced items, mostly created by local designers. Ceramics heaven!
– De Weldaad Authentic Interior (image of chair below), Noordermarkt 35 – a treasure trove of vintage homeware.
– Penny Lane vintage, Eerste van der Helststraat 11C – vintage fashion shop in the trendy de Pijp area.
– Indianaweg 10, Eerste Jan Steenstraat 81HS – I discovered this vintage clothes shop run by two sisters on Instagram the day after we got back but wish I had known about them sooner. You can also find them on Etsy.
– We Are Labels, various locations – on-trend fashion with the slogan ‘Only great minds can afford simple style’.
– Hutspot, Rozengracht 204-21 – two floors of contemporary women’s and men’s fashion, alongside design books and simple homeware.
– Tony’s Chocolonely, Oudebrugsteeg 15 – chocolate heaven; pick up a bar or two of this 100% slave-free chocolate to take home.
– Misc store, De Clercqstraat 130 – a beautiful selection of stationery, utilitarian everyday objects and charming gifts.
– Wildernis, Bilderdijkstraat 165F – an urban jungle for the green fingered out there.
So those are my top picks for autumn in Amsterdam, or indeed any time of year. Amsterdam’s one of those cities that just looks beautiful in every season. There really is so much to see in the city and there were lots of things we missed, but it’s always nice to have something to come back for. It’s also lovely to have a few favourite places you can keep coming back to with every visit. That’s my favourite way to explore a city, like a local.
Amsterdam, you have a special place in my heart and I can’t to return soon!
Have you been to Amsterdam or are you planning a trip soon? Do you have any favourite places of your own?
