4 Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting Amsterdam

1. Missing Out on the Museums 

Amsterdam is home to tons of incredible museums but something to know is that, even though tourist season is winding down, reservations were still booked up weeks in advance as of early October. Reservations to see the Anne Frank House were in particularly high demand so if it’s on your list, be on the lookout for tickets 2-3 weeks before your trip. The Van Gogh museum’s tickets book up quicker for the weekend so if you’re looking for a Saturday or Sunday look about a week in advance.

Budget tip: The average museum ticket in Amsterdam is around €20 so it can add up if you’re trying to see it all. If you’re 18 or under, you can visit the Rijksmuseum (national art and history museum) or Stedelijk Museum (modern art), for free! 

Student discounts available for Amsterdam museums with an ID:  

• The Van Gogh Museum €10 (only available Monday-Friday)

• Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam €6.50

• The Nemo Science Museum €8.75

• Stedelijk Museum €10 

• STRAAT Museum (street art) €12.50

3. Skipping the Canal Tour 

When I was preparing for my trip, a lot of travel blogs told me to skip a canal tour since they were just a tourist trap but this ended up being one of my favorite things we did. It was a great way to see Amsterdam from a new perspective while getting to rest our feet for a little bit. While the larger tours are a little more affordable, they looked way less engaging and we definitely saw a few people napping on those boats. For just a few more euros we found a tour with a smaller group and unlimited drinks. I found our tour on viator and I highly recommend looking through their website, they had tons of options for every budget (I saw tours ranging from €8-€75)  with everything from tours that serve you a pizza dinner to ones that feed you Dutch cheese and wine as well as ones that were more focused on the history or ones led by comedians. The narrow streets of Amsterdam are beautiful to look at but they make it a city that's incompatible with a traditional bus tour so I would highly recommend a boat tour to see it all while learning about the city. 

Cheese

The Netherlands is well known for its cheese and a great way to waste 30 minutes and get a free snack is to wander around the many cheese stores and try their samples. It also makes for a great late-night snack if you choose to take some home. It is deeply ingrained in the culture of the Netherlands, and all the unique flavors from all the regions are represented in Amsterdam. There’s a cheese shop on every corner so you’ll never be more than a few steps away from your fix. 

Chocolate 

There’s some scientific reason that their chocolate tastes better which I don’t understand (something about raising the pH?) but I know it works. If you wake up early enough I swear the cobblestone streets smell like chocolate from all the bakeries preparing their pain au chocolat for the day. Amsterdam is also home to Tony’s Chocoloney’s superstore where you can customize your own chocolate bar with toppings. They also have free samples if you need a little something sweet after eating all that free cheese.   

Dutch Frites

I will never pass up an opportunity to eat fries and call it a cultural experience but these thick, freshly cut fries slathered with sauces and other toppings are a religious experience. Often, they'll be handed to you in a paper cone so you can eat your fries on the go and enjoy them while they're still hot. I got mine at Fabel Friet and they were everything I needed but there are tons of options all around the city, I also saw Frietboutique and Vleminckx very high up on a few “Best Dutch Frites” lists.

Stroopwafels

I only knew these as the complimentary snack that United Airlines handed out in 2018 but before they were there, they originated in the Netherlands around the 17th century. If you haven’t had one, they’re thin waffle cookies with syrup between them which makes them very sweet and chewy. In the city, they dress them up a little more with sauces and toppings and go great with a cup of tea or coffee. There's a bit of discourse on where the best place to find them is, but the two most talked about places near the city center are Rudi's Original and van Wonderen.   

Apple Pie

Autumn never officially starts until I get my first piece of apple pie, while I never pictured that happening in Amsterdam, I am very delighted that it did. I was told that Winkel 43 was the go to place but apparently every other visitor to Amsterdam was told the same thing. This little diner has a line spilling into the street at all times. We settled for apple pie breakfast (highly recommended) but even at 10 am on a Monday we still had to wait 20 minutes so plan accordingly. Dutch apple pie swaps a typical pie crust for cubed apples surrounded by a coffee cake-esque batter with a crispy brown sugar crust and served with freshly whipped cream on top. It's the perfect dessert to accompany watching the trees lining the canals turn to their Autumnal colors.