Amsterdam travel review & recommendations by bjkel

I think everyone knows what to expect when they book a trip to Amsterdam... Unfortunately, people do tend to spend the entire time there locked away in a smokey cafe or wandering around the red light district. However, there is plenty more to see in Amsterdam and the surrounding areas.

One thing you will quickly discover is that Dutch people are very laid back - Dont expect too much in the way of customer service!

We did not find much in the way of decent hostels while touring around the city. We had booked a room at Hostel Granada, but when we got there, they kept giving us keys to fully occupied rooms! After trying the 4th room (up and down 5 flights of stairs each time), we opted to forfiet our deposit and look for another place to stay. We ended up at Hans Brinker Hostel, which was cheap, but not the nicest place I have stayed... and a bit noisy.

We found a lot of nice restaurants on one neon-lit strip south of the main city area, and there are bars and cafe everywhere. We went to a nice little cafe call 'The Green Room' which had cruisy music and a funky purple atmosphere. The staff at most of the cafes are used to tourists, so if you are not a regular smoker, just ask and they will be happy to help you negotiate the menu. The most popular cafe (with tourists) is a huge building called 'The Grasshopper' on the fringe of the red-light district (you cant miss it...), but I found it too noisy and very expensive.

When in Amsterdam, be sure to try 'Bitterballs' (Bitterballen), which are available from most restaurants and cafes. There is also a really good pancake cafe next to the flower markets which cannot be missed! We spend a bit of time wandering around the outskirts of the touristy areas and found a few cool little bars frequented by locals, which we liked more than the dirty bars crammed with rowdy tourists.

The red-light district is worth a look, even if you are not planning to partake. Do not, for ANY reason,  take your camera out in the red-light district! the girls dont like it, the clientelle don't like it and you will more than likely get chucked into the nearest canal by one of the private security.  

If you need a day off from the bustle of Amsterdam, take a day trip to Haarlem, which is only about 45 mins on the train. Haarlem is a beautiful old dutch town with two amazing churches and a picturesque windmill. There is good shopping and you can ride a bike without having to dodge tourists.