Neighbouring country trips from Amsterdam

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I did a lot of driving to neighbouring countries from Amsterdam. Most were longer trips, but some were just day trips across the border, mostly to Belgium and Germany. Here is a description of those days out.


Antwerp, Belgium (Sep 2022)

We did a day trip once from Amsterdam to the city of Antwerp, as it just a 2 hour drive one way. And though nothing extraordinary, it was definitely a good day out of Amsterdam. The drive to Antwerp was mostly through highways. We encountered fog on the way which was surprising, given the rest of the day was so sunny. And the roads deteriorated as soon as we got to Belgium, with lot more potholes, though they had a higher speed limit 😂.

Antwerp city centre

Once in Antwerp, we mostly did what we do on any trip to Belgium. Walk and eat. We walked around the city centre. The streets were all cobbled and looked charming, the houses were all built in the Flemish style, similar to Dutch houses but a bit different. We passed by a few diamond district streets, checked out the cathedral and the city hall. Then we stopped to have waffles at Waffle House. We bought some chocolates from Pierre Marcolini and I finished most of mine while my friends were still purchasing theirs 😂.

Old library

We walked through a few church squares and sat at one for a bit where someone was playing music in the sun. I think this was the highlight of the day for me, what European towns represent for me. We walked into a very old library where book restorations were going on, and observed what they were doing. We then walked towards the river Scheldt and saw the ruins of an old fort, the Steen castle, which was impressed. We then stopped at Quinten Matsijs, a 450 year old cafe.

Rubens' House

Our last stop of the day was Rubens' House which has been converted into a museum now. He is one of my favourite painters. But somehow the paintings in his home were less impressive than I expected. Maybe because all his paintings are decorating churches and museums around Europe 😀. Interestingly, the one painting I liked and photographed at his home was a Bruegel. Ha!

It was a very sunny day that day plus the Antwerp marathon was going on. So there were more crowds than usual. Overall, we didn't find a lot to do there, so after walking around a bit, eating some more fries and waffles, we were ready to come back.

The city does have an impressive history though. It was an important port in the middle ages before its importance fell. Also the visit made us realise that even though close, Belgians are very different from the Dutch. Their language, Flemish, is similar to Dutch but not the same. There aren't as many bikes as in the Netherlands. The Belgians are shorter, friendlier, more relaxed, and dress and eat better. It was definitely quite surprising to see so much of a difference within a two hour drive.


Bruges, Belgium (Dec 2022, Sep 2023, August 2024)

Bruges is a city which had been on my list of places to travel, for a long time. And I finally managed to visit it from Amsterdam, not once but thrice 😂. The first time in peak winter, the second time in fall and the third time in peak summer. Every time, I found the city to be so dazzlingly beautiful, just like a painting. Also every time, after a day, I did not know what else to do there 😂. All we could do is walk the same streets, admire the same buildings, and eat the same waffles, fries and chocolates. And that’s it! Still it always felt like a nice day out.

On our first trip to Bruges, in winter 2022, we passed by the beautiful islands of Zeeland which are large islands on the west coast of the Netherlands. They are quite green, full of forests, and refreshing to drive through. After we left the Netherlands, in Belgium, as usual the road quality dropped. But the beauty around increased.

There were a lot of fall colours everywhere, yellows and oranges. We took some detours and drove through rural roads in Belgium, loving the vibe. There were many villages on that route, with green fields in between. The village houses were picturesque, with pastel walls and orange roofs. We first stopped at a random cafe on the way, and then had a meal at a restaurant called Biestro d’Pleintje in the village of Maldegem. It was fun to stop at such a small place somewhere. The rest of the drive was lined with yellow and orange trees. And hills! Something we don’t realise how much we miss in the Netherlands!

Bruges winter sunset

When we reached Bruges, it was already night, even at 4pm. But the city looked magnificent at night. At sunset, all the differently coloured houses cast colourful reflections in the many canals in the city. And at night, the lights casting shadows on the trees and the water created many beautiful images. As it was winter time, we first walked around the Bruges Christmas market. Then had dinner at Oud Handbogenhof which was quite a big letdown. After that, we went to La Trappiste for drinks which was in an underground cave. The rest of the evening, we just walked around town looking at its wonderful sights. 

Bruges winter sunset

I really liked the city, it was so charming. Apparently Bruges had been a very rich city in the past, with a deep and old history, and a city of importance in the middle ages. And then it had been suddenly abandoned when the port silted up. So it is almost fully preserved as its slow urbanisation and modernisation never happened. And that is the reason it looks so surreal even now, like a perfectly preserved medieval town. Walking its streets is so much fun, with the old orange brick houses, narrow streets and many churches, separated by picturesque canals everywhere.

Oostende waterfront

On that trip, we had booked rooms at the last minute (while driving to Bruges!). So we had got the last available room in town, in the seaside town of Oostende. After the evening out, we had to drive to the sea, about 30 mins away, to our Hotel Leopold. The town felt quite different, quite modern. In the morning, we walked out to the seafront for a bit, just to get a look. But it was so cold and windy, we didn't last long.

Bruges canals

We then drove back to Bruges and walked around in town. It felt like a dream - all the canals and canal houses. I just wanted to walk around in this dream, just like that. I have done that on every trip to Bruges, but still feel I haven't seen all its hidden spots. It's just so damn beautiful! As the sun set, the day became very windy and chilly quickly, so we soon left for Amsterdam.

Bruges canals

On my next trip to Bruges in summer, the city felt quite different. There was more greenery around, and a lot more people and energy. The streets looked so cute, cobbled roads with blossoming flowers everywhere. Every building around was old, all orange and colourful. There were so many parks, all green. And churches and old buildings and squares full of people sitting outside and chatting away. On this trip too, we just walked and walked, by the canals, the central square, the markets and so on. We ate at the Waffle House, the same waffle chain from Antwerp. And then explored all the shops for chocolates. And laces, they were lovely. But the weather was so hot, we had to take breaks during the day to rest.

Concert in the square

As it was summer, there was a concert going on in the main square (and the next day too), which was lovely to sit at. Then we went for a short walk around, checking out the local fish market, churches, city hall, bridges over the canals and so on.

Bruges at night

There was this spot we saw which was just heavenly, both at night and in the day (I painted it later and I think it’s one of my best paintings). It felt heavenly to be in Bruges in summer, walking around. As I said, I just wanted to walk and walk there. The next morning though, some of the places did not look as great 😂. After a few hours, we did not know what to do, and so left soon.

Bruges canals

I visited Bruges a third time in summer 2024 and did the same - walk around all its streets, enjoying the stunning-ness of the place. It was as picture perfect as ever, a place which hasn’t changed for centuries. Here are some photographs from all my trips to the city.

Bruges winter sunset

Bruges at night

Bruges canals

Bruges canals

Bruges canals

Bruges canals

Bruges canals

Bruges canals

Bruges canals

Overall every time I visit Belgium, I feel I am visiting a poorer cousin of the Netherlands. They earn less in terms of per capita and have less infrastructure, but the country feels happier, friendlier, warmer, and better fed and dressed than the Netherlands.






Ghent, Belgium (August 2024)

Ghent city hall

Ghent is a town quite near Bruges (just 40 mins away) and very similar to it though a bit smaller. It has the same Flemish architecture and many canals adding to its graceful beauty. I have visited Ghent twice before, but as it’s so close to Amsterdam, I visited it again in August 2024 for a few hours. It was a lot of fun to walk its streets, eat waffles and french fries and just admire its beauty. I have always found Ghent not to have a lot to do for a long stay, but for a few hours stop, it never fails to deliver as a great day out.

Ghent is a gorgeous city, sharing a few pics below.

Ghent canals

Ghent castle

Ghent city centre

Ghent

Ghent

Christmas markets at Essen, Germany (Nov 2022)

Burg Vondern castle

In winter 2022, we drove one day to Essen, a nearby town in Germany, famous for its Christmas markets. There were some fall colours on the way which were pretty. On the way, we stopped at two places. Once was the castle of Burg Dinslaken, and the second was Burg Vondern. They were both quite small actually but cute in a way, though neither was something to write home about. The villages around were also quite boring but had nice decorations and Christmas festivity all around.

Essen Christmas market

Essen was a huge modern city which did not feel like the typical christmas market place initially. And there were four separate markets. We went to the main one and walked around all evening. There were loads of small shops everywhere, and huge lighted animals decorating the market. We tried langos for the first time at the market. To be honest though, I wasn’t impressed. Generally by Christmas markets and specifically with the Essen one either.

For me, the highlight on the trip of course was the autobahn - it was my first time driving there. I touched 200 kmph+ then 😃. Also the difference in roads from the Netherlands was quite stark. Netherlands generally has 3+ lane highways, less traffic and is all lit up along the highways. Also Netherlands has habitation all along the roads. Germany on the other hand had just 2 lanes and worse quality roads. But still you can drive faster there 😁. That was interesting.


All these city visits were quite a change from Amsterdam, and always fun. Writing these blogs, I am just asking myself why I didn't do more of them 😃.


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National parks and trails near Amsterdam

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To be honest, the Netherlands isn’t a natural hiking destination, as it’s known to be one of the flattest countries in the world. Still credit to the Dutch, they have created many options for people to still go and have some sort of hiking (more like walking) experiences within the country. So these places offer the opportunity to walk around in nature, sometimes over small hills, sometimes on sand dunes, sometimes through forests, and sometimes through grasslands.

Most of the walks I did were in the dunes, these huge sand features mostly distributed along the Netherlands coast. They were never too high, a bit sandy and mostly had a lot of shrub type of vegetation. And in between, there would be a lot of waterbodies - small ponds, lakes, rivulets and so on (Everywhere in the Netherlands, there is water somehow!). These walks quite often were windy as they were near the sea, but still quite refreshing. Always ‘uitwaaien’. Other than that, I did some walks in the Veluwe forest area. 

Overall the infrastructure in the Netherlands supports these activities very well. There is public transport to get to all these places. It's possible to get a train at multiple spots on a trail, in case you want to cut short your walk. There are bicycles at many of these stations, to rent and explore. And there are restaurants, cafes and any other facilities that one would need. All of it makes it so much more convenient to go out and explore nature, knowing that you will be taken care of. 

Below are a few of such excursions that I went on.


Bison trail (13 kms, Oct 2021)

The Bison trail lies to the north of Amsterdam, starting in the town of Zandvoort and ending in Bloemendaal. On the trail, you can spot the European bison, roaming around freely in the forests. We took a train till Zandvoort and then walked on the trail. Overall, it was well marked.

On the Bison trail

The landscape was mostly dunes, with some trees and some shrubs here and there but mostly it was dry. There were also some waterbodies on the way. We had heard you can sometimes spot huge bison herds here. We only managed to spot one bison, from far away, while it was moving from an open space into the forest. As we continued the walk, we did spot a few highland cows just sitting and enjoying the day. We also spotted a few fairy rings of mushrooms while on the walk.

We walked to a lake and to an observation point above it to spot some bisons (there are a few of these raised places around), but we had no luck still. So we just headed back to Overveen station, had coffee at a café right next to the station while waiting for our train, and then were back by late afternoon. It's surprising that most of my Dutch friends hadn't even heard of this place. But maybe not that surprising as it wasn’t really an outstanding experience. Still it was a nice short day out, a place to go out for a walk in fall.


Bergen aan Zee (11 kms, Apr 2024)

Highland cow on way to Bergen

This was one of those cases of us being Dutch, where just because it was sunny (though still extremely cold), we set out for a walk from the beach, Bergen aan Zee. The walk was mostly over the dunes, with the usual dry shrub vegetation, some sandy dunes and many water bodies in between. When we finished the walk, we had lunch in the sun at one of the restaurants on the promenade. It was fun. And on the drive back, we stopped at some tulip fields on the way (I didn't even know there were tulip fields in the North too). Overall, the walk was ok, just a good way to be out in nature.


Castricum (12 kms, Jan 2024)

Castricum

One winter morning, we decided to do some Netherlands tourist-ing 😊. We found a random town to visit which was near the sea, so we could walk through the dunes till the beach. So we drove to the town of Castricum, a sweet little place and then did a long 12 kms walk along the dunes. There was some greenery and a lot of water bodies around among the dunes. We couldn't see the sea though. And as it was windy (though sunny) we quickly turned around and came back to town. We had a nice cosy lunch at one of the few restaurants in town and were really impressed with how friendly all the people were. Much better than Amsterdam. (Now that I have discovered the Dutch word ‘uitwaaien’, I feel this was another example of that only).


Meijendel trail near Wassenaar (15 kms, Aug 2024)

One summer afternoon, a group of us friends decided to explore a different part of the Netherlands. The Wassenaar area. We decided to go for a walk in the dunes, and then spend our day at the beach. When we drove to the starting point in Wassenaar, we were blown away by the stunning houses we passed by - it was clearly an extremely rich part of the country.

Wassenaar dunes

For our walk, we walked through some dunes next to the sea. It was a long trail (about 8 kms one way) in the hot sun. And the last part of the walk was on the beach, the Wassenaarse Slag beach. Also once on the beach, we realised that this was a nudist beach, something we hadn't experienced in the Netherlands yet. Anyways we ignored it. And had a long lazy lunch on the promenade. It was just so much fun, though a bit too hot. After that, we somehow found the energy to walk all the way back to our car. It had been a very nice day out, one of the tropical-feel days we had in the Netherlands.


Schoorl (14 kms, March 2022; June 2022, July 2022)

Schoorl trail

Somehow, I turned up at the small village of Schoorl north of Amsterdam three times in a year! There isn’t a lot to do there but still somehow 😊. The visit I remember the most though was when we went for a walk there, in the spring of 2022. We did a long walk starting from the city, through the dunes, all the way till the sea. It was a nice fresh walk of about 14 kms, going up and down the dunes, crossing some water bodies, lakes and small ponds. We also crossed an area where in the snow, the locals sledge down a hill (it may have been artificially created, am not sure).

When we got to the sea, we were expecting some of the seaside restaurants to be open but not many were. We found one though which was a bit of a walk. At least we were able to have a quick warm snack and get our energy back as it had gotten extremely windy by that time. And then we walked all the way back to town.

Again, it was nothing outstanding to write home about, but a nice walk nonetheless. The other two times I visited the town was for company off-sites, but we barely stepped out of our hotel then other than for a walk to a nearby river. So I don’t remember much from those visits.


Veluwe area (5 trips)

The Veluwe National Park is quite a favourite park locally, and is mentioned by everyone looking for a quick adventure nearby. It is one of the biggest forested areas of the Netherlands and many people stay there overnight when visiting. It is split into the Veluwezoom part and the Hoge Veluwe part. Both are wide expanses of hills covered in forests and shrubs, famous for turning purple with heather flowers, in August.

As it was a 2 hour drive from Amsterdam, we ended up mostly doing day trips there. And I think I visited the park at least 5 times, if not more. Twice we hiked in the Veluwezoom part (and ended up on the same trail both times!). Once we did a hike in the Hoge Veluwe part which requires an entry ticket to enter, and houses the famous Kroller-Muller museum. And on two other occasions I went for a long walk in the park with a colleague who lived nearby, to the Lake Vuursche area and once in the Veluwe forest park, both neighbouring the National Park.


Veluwezoom National Park (8 kms, September 2021; 10 kms, July 2022)

We visited the park twice, once in fall to see fall colours on the trees and once in summer. Both times, we ended up hiking in the same area though😊. We walked around the Postbank which is the highest point in the park at 90m. We walked for about 10 kms both times, and mostly walked up and down the hills and the forests.

Veluewzoom Park

On the trail in fall, we saw some purple covered hills. As well as wild horses just running across the moors. We also saw a sheep herding school where dogs were being trained to herd sheep, with the trainer and dog running around, and the sheep running even faster. There were some fall colours in the park, though not as much as I had expected. We saw more fall colours on the drive there and back, than in the park itself.

In the summer walk, we walked through the same moors and then through a fern forest which was a very bright green. And where we got lost for a while. We again passed by some wild horses running after each other and playing around. We also ran into an old couple who showed us how to pluck local blackberries. We picked a few and then ate them for the rest of the walk. There are also a few nice restaurants there to stop and have a bite.

To be honest, I wasn’t really impressed by the park, though it’s a nice place in nature to go to nearby. Maybe if we stay there, the experience may be different. But for now, I wasn’t as impressed.


Hoge Veluwe National Park (June 2022)

The Hoge Veluwe is the paid part of the Veluwe National Park and is quite famous for the Kroller-Muller museum located inside. It houses hundreds of paintings owned by the Kroller-Muller family, which they later turned into a museum. We first walked through the sculptures outside as it was a sunny day. Then we went in to see the paintings and loved it! My favourites were the cubist ones, the pointillism ones and some of the Van Goghs there.

After the museum, there wasn’t enough time for a hike. So we walked around a bit, found a lake and sat around it in the sun. Somehow it felt like the Hoge was flatter than the Veluwezoom, and had less hikes. I loved the museum inside, that was worth it. The rest of the park, not so much.


Veluwe forest park (9 kms, April 2024) 

Veluwe forest park

In spring 2024, I did another walk in the Veluwe area but outside of the National Park zone. We walked through green paths, surrounded with forests but mostly through flatlands. There was also a lot of water on the trail and lush greenery all around. It was quite a refreshing walk. 





Lage Vuursche (14 kms, Jan 2024)

On the Lage Vuursche trail

As another example of ‘uitwaaien’, I met a colleague for a walk in nature near Lage Vuursche. This walk is neighbouring the park and is considered part of the same area. We walked through the park across multiple trails. The routes were all covered by huge trees. And we saw loads of people cycling there. We took a wrong turn and ended up walking a lot longer than expected. But at the end, we were rewarded with a very cosy lunch at the teahouse, surrounded by nature. It had a warm rustic feeling to it and offered a very warm cosy meal after the long cold walk.


Tri country hike near Aachen (12 kms, Aug 2024)

One summer day, we went for the tri country hike in the south of the Netherlands. It is called so because the hike takes you through three countries - the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. It starts from a spot near Vaals town. The town by itself was so pretty when we drove through. Also, since we had driven from Amsterdam and it was already lunch time by the time we reached, we ate a hearty meal of golgappas in the greenery before starting the hike.

The start of the trail was very busy with crowds. It was definitely a popular place. Right at the beginning, there was a marker on the ground where the three countries' borders came together. And one could just jump around the marker and enter the three countries (technically). After this exciting experience, we started our hike.

Tri-country hike

We did a part of the trail, about 12 kms. It was mostly through forests on small hills (yes some parts of the Netherlands do have them!). All around there was so much greenery and freshness. On the way, we crossed some farms with farm animals, and some bungalows including a tea shop selling local produce. At times we could see the town of Aachen faraway in the valley. And we also encountered many old people just out for an evening walk from the nearby cities. All through the hike, we encountered markers stating which country we were in - the Netherlands, Germany or Belgium. And we did switch between the countries a lot.

Aachen from the restaurant

Overall it was a fun hike, not too strenuous but definitely more than the walks we did in the Netherlands. And since it was a warm day, it was quite enjoyable. At the end of the hike, we stopped at a restaurant in the Netherlands with a view of Aachen, a town in Germany. We had hot chocolate while enjoying this view. And then we had the long drive back home. Overall the trail was nice but just the feeling of crossing in and out of multiple countries was the highlight here.


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Activities in and around Amsterdam

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There is something very active about the air in the Netherlands which makes it exciting. Everyone is doing something all the time - running or biking or going to the beach or doing watersports or skating on ice or swimming in the lake or rowing or just having a good time. All this energy all around makes you want to be active too, all the time.

During my four years of living in the country, I engaged in my fair share of these activities too. There were loads, am sharing a few of them with you.


Aalsmeer swimming (July 2022, June 2024) 

Aalsmeer is a residential area around a lake near Amsterdam, about a 30 minute drive away. I visited the lake a few times, the first time to meet friends at the lakeside restaurant. That is when we saw people swimming and enjoying watersports in the lake. So we turned up again in summer to swim in the lake. It was fun to be in the water and on the beach, with the sun above. The area around is quite nice too, with some stunning houses and loads of green spaces around. 


Amsterdam Boating (Summer 2022, 2023, 2024)

Amsterdam from the canals

When I moved to Amsterdam, I stayed in an apartment next to the Amstel river. And the first day itself (a sunny June day), I saw people leisurely boating in the Amstel. All day! It impressed me so much that I wanted to do the same too, very soon and very frequently. I wasn’t able to do that in 2021, but every year thereafter, I ensured that twice every summer, I got a chance to float aimlessly in the many canals around. And I loved the experience each and every time. (Apparently boating in Amsterdam canals has been rated one of the best activities to do globally by Tripadvisor. And I can totally vouch for it!) 

So every summer, whenever there was a hot weekend day coming up, I would try to plan a boat ride in town. We would book a self-driven boat (from boaty.com, the cheapest boat rental in town) and float around for a few hours in the water, with a good stock of food and conversation on the boat keeping us company.

Boating with the swans

We would either choose a route through the canal district or around the north of Amsterdam or towards Ouderkerk. And we would just drift aimlessly for the next three hours, observing all the happenings around, but not stopping for anything (just other boats or the swans in the water). Eating, drinking, chatting and just enjoying a nice time with friends. And when the water is warm, jumping into the water and swimming too. 

We always drove the boat ourselves, with everyone trying to be the driver. The navigation is tough at first, but then gets easier. As long as you try to not go too fast. The turns in the canals also require a bit of experimentation, especially when trying to avoid the big tourist boats which are in high numbers during the touristy season. We would sometimes hit other boats. Or drop things into the canal. But it’s all fine. As everyone else on the canal is also very chill. And no one minds a few hits here and there.

View from the canals

And every time I was in the boat, I would get a different perspective of the city, it looks very different from down in the canals. The beauty of Amsterdam is in full glory from down there, and it's an experience I can go for anytime. (I do sometimes wish I had bought my own boat, so I didn't need to book one, but as all my Dutch colleagues advised me not to do it, I didn’t) 

Boating in the canals is one of the most relaxing activities to do in Amsterdam (when the weather is good of course). It’s almost like being in slow heaven. To anyone visiting Amsterdam, I would recommend this as a must-do activity. And would suggest renting your own boat rather than joining one of the organised tours – it’s so much more fun and relaxed. And it lets you see a very different side of the city this way, the way you want to.


Amsterdam Concertgebouw free concerts (Oct 2024 - Nov 2024)

After four years of living in Amsterdam, very late I discovered that the Concertgebouw (the largest concert hall in Amsterdam) holds free concerts every Wednesday afternoon from 12-1230. So every Thursday for my last two months in Amsterdam, I booked the free tickets for the free performance the following Wednesday. And since it was just a 20 minute walk from my place, I would just step out for 2 hours, to be transported to a different world of classical music.

Quartet at Concertgebouw

I attended (just) seven concerts during this time and each one was amazing. I watched two quartet performances (a Motus Quartet and a Dutch String Quartet); one day there was a Soprano singing; two days there were children performing on the piano, violin and trumpet; and one day there was a performance by two musicians on a violin and then on the piano. My favourite though was the orchestra performance by the Codarts World Music Orchestra. They were a group of some 15-20 musicians, sitting in a semi-circle and were playing Turkish instruments. For 30 minutes they played Arabic music and we did not want them to stop. I think it might be because of some of the uncommon instruments they were using, like the 'tar'. The music had an unbelievable melody to it. Their performance was just other-worldly. Listening to them felt like meditation, and we were lost many times during those 30 minutes. I get goosebumps even now when I think about the music I heard then. That performance was something, really.

Painting the soprano

I think what I really liked about these concerts was the artistic audience that would turn up there every Wednesday. Many times there were people in the audience who would be sketching the musicians while on stage. The whole experience was great. And the performances were quite a great way for me to get introduced to classical music. I wish I had known about these concerts before, I would definitely have turned up a lot more.


Amsterdam Light Festival (Jan 2024) 

Every year, Amsterdam celebrates the Amsterdam Light Festival in winter. As part of the event many light installations are set up at various spots in the Centrum. And one can walk and see those all lit up at night or take a boat on the canals which take you along all the installations. So in 2024, some of us went on a boat tour along the canals, where the guides talked about the art installations as well as guided around town. It was quite cold, but still fun. The installations that year weren't that impressive, but the night tour with the guides giving interesting tidbits about the town, and being able to look inside all the grand canal houses (as they were all lighted up) was definitely a lot of fun. 


Amsterdam Pride Parade (Aug 2024)

I had heard a lot about the Amsterdam Pride Parade but somehow was never in town when it happened. But in 2024, I got a chance to experience what it was about and I was mindblown. I had not expected it to be so much fun!

The Amsterdam Parade happens on boats in the canals (of course) and one can choose to go to any of the locations on the boat route to be able to see the parade. So we went early to the canal district in Jordaan, picked a comfortable place with a good view next to the canal to sit and observe what was going on. And what a show it was. Even though I was there only for a couple of hours, I had a ball of a time enjoying the festivities.

Amsterdam Pride

The whole area was full of people, even before us. Everyone was in colourful clothes, funny costumes and a gay mood, just enjoying a nice day out. Everyone was laughing, dancing, drinking and just having fun. And then the flotillas started arriving in the canal. There were boats and boats filled with people in crazy colourful costumes, dancing and singing. There was music, there was dancing, there was shouting, there were performers. And just a lot of gaiety around. There was just an electric vibe all around, so happy and lively. We had a great time and I now understand what people meant when they said that the Parade is a fun event, not just for the LGBT participants but for everyone who turns up. A definite recommendation, for anyone looking for a nice day out in Amsterdam in August.


Amsterdam Tulip Day (Jan 2024)

Every year in the month of January, Amsterdam hosts Tulip Day. Sometimes at the Dam Square, sometimes at the Rijksmuseum. It’s a day when 100s of Dutch farmers bring their tulips for a show in Amsterdam. And anyone can go and take a few of those tulips home, for free (at least that’s what Insta said!).

Tulip Day

In January 2024, I decided to check it out. What a shock I was in for though! Tulip Day was at Rijksmuseum that year and the place was filled with thousands of people. The queues to enter the tulip garden and pick the tulips were at least 2-3 hours long. So we just walked around, admired the tulips from afar, and then walked away, not even thinking of standing in line for so long, just to get a bouquet for free. It was nice to visit it once though, if nothing else, than to see the craziness around.


Amsterdam Walks (Dec 2023, Aug 2024, Nov 2024)

I had lived in Amsterdam for several years, and walked its streets regularly. But somehow I never did a touristy walk around town. And so before leaving, I decided to do at least one such walk. I researched a bit about some off-the-beaten-track places to visit, created my own walking map and then walked around. Of course it took me five separate days to finish that walk - there was just so much to explore and I wanted to do it in a non-hurried manner - but boy did I find some hidden gems, and see Amsterdam in a new light.

Amsterdam walking tour Google map (the Begijnhof and the 9 Straatjes are not added given the 10 stop limit)

I made a route on google maps, and then every time we would start from one point and walk to the next. And on the way, we would stop and explore other places if we found something more exciting. During these walks, I realised that most of these places I had walked past many times in the past without even realising or noticing them! And I think this was the value of taking the time to do something - you actually notice things, you see them.

Sevencountries houses

We started our walk for the first time (in Dec 2023) with the Zevenlandenhuizen (Seven Countries Houses), near Vondelpark. They were a row of neighbouring houses, all constructed in different European architecture styles. From Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Netherlands and England. When you observe them, you see the different styles, though it’s very easy to walk past them without even realising they exist.

We then walked to the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, a lovely street with unique antique shops and galleries. I definitely had passed that street hundreds of times, if not more. But this time I noticed it, walking into a few of the shops, checking out the art and antiques there, and enjoying it. We spent so much time on this street that it was the end of our first walk on the route 😂.

The second time, in spring 2024, we started our walk at the Begijnhof, a housing society where Catholic women used to live and work in the olden days. The homes all around are quite pretty, plus there was a cute little park in the centre of the houses. And there were a few Catholic chapels inside the society too. Even though this place was in Centrum, it was so quiet, like an oasis within the chaos that is central Amsterdam.

Mother of God
Syrian church

Our next stop were the tiny houses that had been created and attached to a wall in Westerstraat, to denote the missing numbers on the street. Sadly, those small houses had been removed at some point in the last few years. While walking towards our next stop, we were walking past a Syrian church - Mother of God Church of the Syrian Orthodox - and something inside called to us. We walked in and I must say it is one of the calmest churches I have ever visited. The church had beautifully painted roofs and walls, and there was cosy lighting everywhere. There was a service going on at that time. And there was something in the lighting, the paintings, the music, the whole ambience, something so soulful, so spiritual that we just stayed there for a while. Somehow, I loved it.

Singel 7

Our next stop was a house on Singel 7, known as the one-metre house, one of the narrowest in Amsterdam. It actually felt so sad to look at this house. It was well located, right on the canal but so narrow so as to save on taxes. We then walked through the Oersoep tunnel, which is a painted walkway on the shopping street of Nieuwendijk, with mosaics of aquatic animals on the roof. It was just so bright, and so pretty though people walking through it just ignored it and didn’t even look up.

Oersop tunnel

And the last stop of the day was the De Waag, once a city gate, museum, fire station and now a restaurant on the Nieuwmarkt square. It is at quite an active location and always full of people. By then, we had already had a long day and so decided to finish for the day, planning to pick up the walk sometime later in summer.

Cuyperspassage

In August 2024, I picked up the walk again and we started with the Trippenhuis, which is one of the widest canal houses in Amsterdam. And right opposite it is one of the narrowest, apparently of the coachman of the Trippenhuis brothers. Then we walked through the Cuyperspassage near the Centraal Station. It is a road tunnel decorated with Delft tiles showing different maritime scenes. It is such a charming tunnel but no one notices the surroundings while cycling through it (In fact I had cycled through it a few times and never bothered to stop).

Oudemanhuispoort

Our next halt was definitely a hidden gem, the Oudemanhuispoort. It is a covered indoor street where thousands of books are sold. It was just so quaint, so hidden. It had closed down for the day when we went, though I told myself I will come again when it’s open. It hasn't happened yet, maybe some day. And then I finally saw the underground cycle park under Centraal Station that I had heard about so much, but never been to. And I was impressed. The Netherlands sure is impressive, building a huge underground parking for cycles under the Station to ease public transport. Very visionary and impressive.

View from Nemo museum

Our last stop of the day was the roof top restaurant on top of Nemo Science museum, with a birds eye view of Amsterdam. It’s another of my favourite spots in Amsterdam, so open and so relaxed. And the sunsets there are quite stunning. And with this view is I ended my third try at finishing my Amsterdam walk.

My fourth part of the walk was limited to exploring one area, the famous 9 Straatjes (streets) of Jordaan. They are a network of 9 parallel streets, full of small eclectic boutique shops. Selling clothes, jewellery, furniture and anything else that’s unique and quaint. The streets were beautiful, but too crowded. Also as shopping isn’t for me, I didn't stay there long. Though I still walked into some shops, and found some things I enjoyed, like photographs taken by a famous Amsterdam photographer - Arden. I also got a bit sentimental when I saw them, as I was soon going to be leaving the city.

BrouwerIJ cafe

And barely a week before leaving the city, I finally finished the remaining part of my walk. I started with the Oba, a huge library building in Noord, with a stunning rooftop restaurant and terrace with a magnificent view of the city. I felt that I should have come there earlier sometime for sure. And the last stop of the day was the original brewery of BrouwerIJ with a nearby windmill and two cafes still run by the owners right next to it, serving Belgian style tasting beers (the actual brewery has already moved out of town). At night, that whole area was twinkling, and it was tough to accept that I would soon be saying goodbye to this gorgeous jewel of a city, Amsterdam.

I would recommend anyone visiting Amsterdam to definitely walk around and see these (plus many more) hidden gems which I discovered over the four years there. There is no dearth of these in town.


Living in Amsterdam

There are many other activities you can do In Amsterdam. Below are some other things I did, in addition to the ones listed above

• Walking around in Centrum and the Canal district - these areas are just stunning to explore. And I never tired of walking there, in summer with all the colourful flowers, and in winter with all the fallen leaves. In fall with the oranges and yellows around and in spring with all the new leaves coming out. This city is stunning all year round! 
• Eating at the various rooftop restaurants with views of the city. Or at the hundreds of terraces (eating in the open by the canals). In winter or in summer, they are always open. Also try out the Foodhallen in West and Zuid when you want to eat indoors in a lively environment
• Another gem I discovered much later was to look for small restaurants in the villages around Amsterdam, and just drive there. They were so picturesque, located along a canal or a farm, serving tasty food and easier to get to compared to going to Centrum (with a car of course)
• Cycling around the city, it’s so therapeutic. You can cycle anywhere and discover new things every day
• Swimming in the canals or Amstel river (or SUP-ing or skating when the ice freezes over). There are many spots for these activities, though of course the swimming happens mostly in summer
• Exploring the countless museums in town
• Attending the many festivals in summer (every park has a few), exploring all the art fairs and art galleries in town
• Checking out the Sinterklaas celebrations before Christmas, as well as events celebrating festivals of other cultures (I was a regular at the Holi celebrations, Garba events, Durga Pooja and Diwali events, mostly around Amstelveen)
• Visiting the day spas around

King’s Day celebrations (April 2022, 2023, 2024)

King’s Day is the annual celebration of the Dutch King’s birthday which is celebrated across the Netherlands. It is a national holiday and many events are planned around it – concerts the night before, flea markets and roadside parties on the day. 

King's Day flea markets

The flea market is quite popular especially among the kids, as on that day they get to sell their old stuff. According to tradition, on King’s Day, anyone can sell any of their old stuff. And so specific areas are earmarked for these markets. Kids (and even adults) go to those areas a few days earlier and mark out their spaces for The Day. And on the day, everyone is outside on the streets trying to buy or sell stuff. For the children, it’s a good chance to earn some extra pocket money. And for the adults, a good way to clear out their houses (and buy more stuff to take their space 😆.

King's Day crowds

All the cities and villages in the country host their own full day events, with stalls and music and dancing. And Amsterdam hosts the biggest of those parties. There are crowds everywhere in town, on the roads, and rest on boats in the canals. All the boats get blocked very soon. There are outdoor markets and parties everywhere. At the pubs, on the streets, in restaurants and homes.

People can put speakers in their windows and have music playing all day. And they do. And people in the streets stop there and dance. As much and as long as they want. Amsterdam turns orange that day. Everyone is dressed in bright orange, wearing anything (or everything) they have in that colour, as an ode to the King’s house, the House of Orange. Everyone is out there, having a nice time. It's just a full-on national party all day, and it's amazing to just be a part of it.

King's Day crowds

I celebrated three King’s Days in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam. And all of them were different for me, as I did different things. The first time we walked all around town for a few hours just enjoying the music and festive mood everywhere. The busiest areas in Amsterdam were around the canals of Jordaan, which are quite popular with locals and tourists alike. It was just crazy there! It was so full of people that at one point we got stuck in the crowds, and barely moved 3 meters in 30 minutes! It was a bit scary actually and I was wondering what would happen in case of a stampede! (I never went to Jordaan again on King’s Day). So after escaping this Jordaan crowd, we just went to an outdoor party on the Rokin, and danced all evening at the same place, not moving at all (to avoid the crowds).

The next year, I spent the King’s Day outside the Onder de Ooievaar where we danced away the whole evening. It was a place suggested by the locals and so was not that crowded as the previous year. And we chose to just stay at one spot, to avoid running into any crowds anywhere. And interestingly, the day finishes by 8 pm! By then everyone is too tired to do anything else, so everyone heads home, and the municipality starts cleaning up the same evening. And by the next morning there is no sign of what happened there the night before.

Selling on King's Day

The last year, I had a completely different experience. For one, I set up my own little shop to sell some of my paintings to the crowds. It was fun to be out, and I did sell a few too (which I had never expected). And in the afternoon, we went out in my neighbourhood, Oud Zuid to see how King's Day is celebrated there. We saw very different kinds of parties happening - less touristy, and more local. That’s when I realised the experience of King’s Day varies a lot based on where you spend the day.

This day is quite unique to the Netherlands, I have never seen anything like this anywhere else. To be honest, I was not impressed initially with this holiday as I don’t think a lot really happens – it's just a big party for the whole country. But it still somehow turns out to be fun 😊. Every year!


Keukenhof Gardens and tulip season (Spring 2022, 2023, 2024)

Keukenhof Gardens

I love the tulip season. It’s fabulous. In 2022 (and then again in 2023), we visited the Keukenhof Gardens which are these huge flower gardens situated near the town of Lisse. They are known as the Garden of Europe and every year during spring, these gardens open to the public, showcasing hundreds of different types of flowers - tulips, hyacinths, orchids and so on. They have beautifully landscaped gardens with hundreds of flower beds (and apparently 7 million tulips) in all possible colours. It’s just a spectacular display of colours and a breathtaking experience to walk along the riot of colours everywhere.

Orchids show

In addition to all the tulip gardens everywhere, Keukenhof gardens also have four indoor pavilions where specific flower varieties are displayed. And these displays change every month. Once, we saw a fascinating display of hundreds of orchids. Once there were some exotic and unique types of tulip plants there. Once there were hundreds of varieties of lilies on display. The sheer variety seen there is incomparable. The whole garden has been curated so well, you can easily have a delightful day out among all the colours. And there are many other activities to do in the park. You can climb a windmill. You can even take a boat which takes one through the nearby polders through the tulip fields. It's just lovely to be at the gardens, and you never want to leave. Both times, I enjoyed the experience totally.

Tulip fields around Keukenhof

All around the gardens, the whole Lisse area is full of thousands of tulip fields, in different colours – yellow, orange, red, deep purple, pink and many mixes in between. The fields are a pleasure to drive through and stop at. Field after field of colourful tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, with water canals in between and windmills at the edges. I visited the Lisse tulips fields some 9-10 times in the spring of 2022, 2023 and 2024. Sometimes I would cycle there. And sometimes when I would be driving back from office in the Hague or Rotterdam, I would just take a detour and drive through the fields. Being there with colour all around was just so exciting, so uplifting. I also once went there in a saree for a photoshoot. It was just so much fun. Going to the tulip fields was definitely one of my favourite activities in spring, I loved it!

Tulip fields

Tulip fields

Keukenhof castle (Nov 2021)

Keukenhof castle

We went to the Keukenhof castle on a short day trip during the winter lockdown of 2021. It’s a small castle in Lisse, near the Keukenhof gardens itself. When we went there, the castle was already closed but the gardens around it were open. To be honest, it did not really look like a castle, more like a big house, with some gorgeous fields nearby. The gardens were pretty though and the LAM museum interesting. I would say this place is skippable, except it's free. So if you just want to go somewhere picturesque for a day out, it’s not a bad option.


Naardenmeer ice skating (Jan 2024)

I had heard a lot about how Amsterdam canals freeze in winters and one can then skate on them. Due to global warming, the number of years this happens has reduced. In 2021 the canals had frozen but I hadn’t moved to the Netherlands yet. So all I could do was listen to all my colleagues talk about it, in every single Zoom meeting! So this was an experience I really wanted to get a chance to feel for myself.

I got my chance in Jan 2024, when for a day, some lakes around Amsterdam froze! And I heard about it somehow (there are specific whatsapp groups in the Netherlands where this information is shared realtime). So I grabbed the opportunity, scrambled to find a place to rent skates from and was off to skate at a naturally frozen waterbody. To this specific lake called Naardenmeer, near Naarden, 

Frozen Naardenmeer

When I reached, I could see streams of people heading towards the lake, and many coming back. I was just crossing my fingers that it wouldn't start melting before I reached it. And then I got the chance to skate on a frozen lake, for the first time in my life! It was a huge lake, with dried vegetation all around. And I went round and round in circles. Oh my god, the joy of flying on the water, with a cold breeze on your face. I cannot explain the high I got being there that cold freezing winter morning. There were so many people around, parents getting their children to experience this, old people reminiscing of the time this was more common and so on. Apparently it used to be a community event, for when the weather was bad.

The people there were experts, so I kept asking them if the lake is safe to skate. And when I was skating, it felt like I could hear the sound of cracks at one end. I still braved it for a few hours. During the breaks, I chatted with the others and learnt about how the experts skate, what tools they carry to get them out of the water in case they fall in, and so on. I also saw some of those expert skaters going off with their tools, skating on the smaller streams nearby, frozen but more at risk to melt.

It was such a great experience I had and I am grateful the lakes froze at least once before I left. (The canals and lakes froze again in Jan 2026, but I wasn't as jealous as I would have been if I hadn't got this chance to skate in nature). Also interestingly, in summer 2024, I went on a long bike ride around Amsterdam, and I passed by this lake. The surroundings felt familiar and I felt I had been here before! The whole ambience was etched in my mind. Though it looked so different in summer, lush green and bright. When I came back home, I checked and realised that was the same lake, Naardenmeer that I had skated in winter. 

Vinkeveen swimming (Sep 2023, June 2024) 

I had seen a reel about Vinkeveen on instagram, so decided to visit it. And I liked it so much, I visited the place a second time too. Vinkeveen has a huge lake, where homes have been built on narrow strips of lands jutting into the lake. Each house has an outlet to the lake and the place looked amazing in the reels, especially from above. When we went there though, we realised it was tough to find access to the water as the waterfront was all private and accessible only via homes. And there were no walking paths along the water. 

Vinkeveen lake

So we drove around a bit till we found one public access to the lake (on Island 4). And there it was full of people. They were swimming and diving, enjoying a day out in the sun. We had no idea we could swim here, so had not come prepared and so couldn’t swim. It felt like a big miss. So we just sat on the banks, enjoying the sun. The sunset looked gorgeous too. 

In the end we did have a nice day there, though we never got to see the views I saw on the reel. While driving back from there, we were quite impressed with the palacious houses everywhere. Only later I found out that it is an area where the rich live, similar to Wassenaar, Bloemendaal and Aalsmeer. 

That summer in 2023, I had marked Vinkeveen as a place to visit again for a swim in summer. And I did the next year. The lake was full of activity that sunny day. With people all around swimming, diving, picnicking and just enjoying a summer day. We swam in the waters and just chilled by the lake. We had such a fabulous day out, so near home and so easy to access. And this is what I love so much about the Netherlands. The Dutch have found ways to create so many activity options with the limited resources they have. If there is a lake, they just create facilities there so that people can swim! I love that!


Beaches around Amsterdam

The Netherlands has a long coastline, and it is lined with beaches. Or let’s just say, some sand 😊. To be honest, these beaches aren’t what you would expect when someone says – ‘I am going to the beach’, but they are definitely better than not having them 😉. They are basically long stretches of sand next to the sea, where you can go and spend a day reading a book on the beach if it's not a very windy day. Or walk on the beach or spend time at the restaurants (which line all the promenades) and have a nice leisurely meal. Quite often it’s windy, and the restaurants provide protection from it. Either way, you rarely go into the water as it’s too cold (of course, the Dutch do because they don't feel the cold 😂). All the beaches look quite similar, so there is not a lot of difference between them. Still they are nice to go to.

I have visited a few beaches nearby, mostly on sunny days, and I would say, they are a nice break from city life for sure. Also their proximity to Amsterdam is a definite plus, you can be there within 30 minutes to an hours drive, and it almost feels like you are on holiday. I went into the water only once though, when we drove to the Zeeland Islands in the south-west of the Netherlands. There are a few other beaches I visited, like Bergen aan Zee, Enkhuizen beach, Texel, Wassenarse Slag and in the Zeeland Islands. You can read about them in this article and this article.  


Bloemendaal aan Zee (May 2023)

Bloemendaal beach

Bloemendaal is a beach close to the other famous Zaandvoort beach, and the locals say it's less crowded than that. Either way, both are very close to Amsterdam, around 30 mins in low traffic. We went there one summer afternoon, and the parking situation did not show that. Still it was a very nice long sandy beach, and we had a nice day out, sleeping in the sun when the wind let us. The water also felt clearer than normal and we walked in the water for a while.


Hoek van Holland beach (Dec 2023)

One winter evening, while in the Hague, I decided on a whim to visit a beach, the Hoek van Holland Strand. Its location is interestingly placed, at the hook of the entry for all boats to Rotterdam port. It was a bit of a drive to get there, and the approach wasn't impressive, as you drive by the port on one side and the beach on the other. But once there, it looked impressive.

Hoek van Holland beach

The beach was huge and long. And the promenade was lined with restaurants, big and small. They were all open even in the winter, though empty at that time. Apparently people still come to the restaurants on the beach in winter, though in the evenings after work. And there were so many seagulls and birds around. It felt like the people crowds had been replaced by the bird crowds.

Gezellig cafe

Even though it was too cold, I went for a walk along the beach. It was quite a long walk and would be more fun in the summer. But there was only as much I could be out in biting cold. So I stopped for a hot chocolate at one of the cosy restaurants and soon left. Still I had enjoyed the day. There is definitely something in being out on a beach on a windy day, something that clears the mind. It even has a name in Dutch 😂, it's known as uitwaaien. Which refers to spending time in the windy dunes or beaches, as a way of wind therapy. I did not know the word then, but it looks like that’s what I was unknowingly doing. 

IJmuiden beach (September 2022)

IJmuiden beach

We ended up at the IJmuiden beach by mistake as Zandvoort beach was closed due to the F1 race that weekend. And the entry to the beach was not too inviting, as you need to drive past a few industries to get there. But once there, I actually liked it. It was quite an open space, with not too many people. And the water was warm enough, the beach clean enough to get into the water. It was blissful to be there in summer.

The beach is located right next to the IJ Canal which links the sea to Amsterdam. And this is the canal all the big ships use to get to Amsterdam. It was in some way calming to see all the large ships and cruise liners move through this canal, slowly.


Noordwijk beach (August 2022)

Noordwijk beach

The Noordwijk beach is slightly north of the resort of Scheveningen, and was a nice place to spend an afternoon. It has some nice beach clubs to just sit and enjoy the sun. But the smell of seaweeds was not that helpful.


Scheveningen (June 2022)

Scheveningen is a very popular seaside resort of the Netherlands, very close to the Hague. It has also been the muse for many Dutch painters. When we visited the beach, it was a really hot day. So it felt like a “real” beach place. We first walked into town, it was a nice cute little village with its own history. It also had loads of beach houses, huge hotels and so on all along the beach. Clearly it was popular.

Then we walked along the promenade, which was lined with beach bars and clubs. And the atmosphere was totally festive – it almost felt tropical to be there. We had lunch at a beachside restaurant and then went to lie on the sand for a while. The beach was full of people, and the water with kite surfers. You can easily see that this was definitely a happening and popular beach in the area. There was a music festival happening in the evening, for which people started coming in. All in all, I loved the vibe. Though surprisingly I never went back there over the next 3 years. Maybe because it was too crowded?


Zaandvoort (September 2021, April 2022, July 2023)

Zaandvoort beach

This was one of the first beaches I drove to, in fact the same weekend as I got my car. And I must say, it was beyond my expectations. I hadn't expected much from a beach in the Netherlands. Zaandvoort seemed like quite a popular place, even in fall as it's just a 30 mins drive from Amsterdam. The beach was the usual but it was lined with loads of nice places to eat next to the sea. I couldn’t get into the water as it was too cold and windy, but I did spend a nice sunny day enjoying the sun and sound of the water. And then visited the beach again twice in summer, when it felt more inviting. To eat there or sit on the sand.


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