Adventures In Amsterdam!
There is something eternally appealing about spilling out of bed three hours before your Amsterdam flight, top and tailing your packing, enjoying breakfast and then taking a gentle 15-minute taxi ride to airport check-ins, leaving plenty of time for a leisurely coffee ahead of take off!
That was the unspoken KLM promise when I decided to ‘fly local’ for my three-night stay in one of the Netherlands’ most visited cities, opting for Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) and, for once, deciding to pass on the ‘doortoplane’ drop off service to Manchester Airport.
And, to be fair, whilst the door-to-door minibus option is excellent – I must be one of its best customers – there is no substitute for gaining time and reducing stress if circumstances – and destination – permit.
There’s value greater than saving money when your airport of choice is just minutes from home and you only have to be there two hours before your flight.
So, fuelled by coffee – courtesy of LBA’s Camdenfoodco (I did baulk at £3.75+ a cup!), we quickly cleared customs and began our seamless 75-minutes flight to Amsterdam, or Mokum as many Amsterdammers still nickname the city after the Yiddish word for ‘safe place’, so called because it was considered a safe haven for European Jews during the Holocaust.
“Where is the ‘I Amsterdam’ office?” I asked a security guard at Schiphol Airport. We needed to collect our 72-hour City Cards.
He looked puzzled but, after a thoughtful moment, smiled and replied in word-perfect English, putting my foreign language skills to shame.
“You will need to take the sprinter train to Amsterdam Central station,” he said. “You will find the place you are looking for there.”
Less than 25 minutes later and just £11.50 (€13.40) lighter for two one-way tickets, we were standing inside the I Amsterdam office collecting our city cards.
It had been more than 20 years since I was last in the city of canals and tulips but, seemingly, I had few memories of this popular weekend break destination other than it had a wonderful, integrated transport system.
Minutes later, and not even having left the main station, we had descended an escalator and, using our ‘all transport’ city cards, were on metro 52 for the three stops to De Pijp station and our 10-minute onward walk to the Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam hotel at Hobbemakade 50, our home for the next three nights.
The I amsterdam City Card has been the city’s official ‘tourist passport’ since 1966, granting free access to more than 70 museums and attractions, citywide public transport and certain canal cruises.
We had picked up a guide with our ‘passes’ which included a comprehensive list of those ‘free of charge’ places to visit, along with details of non-chargeable transport options and a raft of discounted attractions.
“Don’t lose it,” warned the lady who issued our cards at Central Station, “we don’t replace. Guard them with your life!”
“Very nice,” said Mrs H. We were in our second-floor room overlooking a local canal which ran alongside a footpath, cycle path and road: we would need our wits about us. It might have been more than 20 years since I had last been in Amsterdam, but I’d never forgotten being knocked to the ground by a cyclist.
My fault but, nevertheless, the incident had made a big impression! Cycle lanes require the same caution as roads and cars in this city!
Avani Hotels & Resorts is the upscale lifestyle brand of Minor Hotels, and its 163-room 1960’s inspired Amsterdam property is housed in a refurbished mid-century building in the heart of the museum district where it caters for both business and leisure travellers.
Inspired by Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum of modern and contemporary art and design, it blends avant-garde and traditional perspectives to create modern, inviting interiors.
Brick, a prominent material in Amsterdam, adds a touch of the city’s architectural identity to the gleaming glass façade.
We’d arrived intentionally early at the Avani by 10.30am (the Netherlands is one hour ahead of the UK), taking advantage of KLM’s early 6.20am UK departure so that we could maximise our first day.
“We can’t check in until 3pm,” said Mrs H, “so let’s dump our bags and head on to the Van Gogh Museum, it’s only a 10-minute walk. We could also go for a stroll in Vondelpark which is nearby. It’s meant to be beautiful.”
The Van Gogh Museum is located in Museumplein, a large, central square and park that houses not only several major cultural institutions, but serves as a major recreation and picnic area.
It is a beautiful building, just 10-minutes from our hotel, with an equally impressive interior.
It is also home to hundreds of paintings and drawings from one of Holland’s most famous sons.
One of the most iconic artists of all time, Van Gogh’s expressive, colourful work, was produced in a mere decade (1880- 1890), influencing generations of artists. Here, you can see it all!
Nearby the Dutch national museum – The Rijksmuseum – is home to a further 8,000 masterpieces, including work by Vermeer, Hals and Rembrandt including his famous ‘the Night Watch’!
“Gosh, 5 hours has gone in a blink,” said Mrs H. We were taking a gentle stroke around Vondelpark following our museum marathon.
In 1864 a group of citizens led by Cristiaan Pieter Van Eeghen, decided to create a park for riding and strolling and appointed the architect Jan David Zocher to design it.
The first part of the New Park, as it was originally called, was completed and opened to the public later that same year.
A statue of the 17th century poet and playwright, Joost van den Vondel was erected in the park two years later and, soon after, ‘Vondelpark’ was born.
“Come on, we’d better get checked in then we can stroll out to the Red Light district and have a peak.”
The tourism office tends not to promote the city’s Red Light connections, in the same way that Thai tourism also distances itself from the shenanigans of Bangkok’s Patpong district.
However, raise the subject and you might be told that the more acceptable face of this inescapable facet of Amsterdam life is the Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution.
The oldest profession in the world
Here you can discover fascinating secrets of the Red Light District and the world's oldest profession. You can even rent an audio guide and hear about 'Inga's Secrets': 12 real life stories from Amsterdam's most famous lady of the night!
But, be it night or day, Amsterdam, as well as being known as Mokum (‘safe place’) it might also be called Museum City such is its plethora of fascinating drop ins!
There’s the Cheese Museum, the Cow Museum, the Houseboat Museum, the Amsterdam Pipe Museum, the Diamond Museum……and so the list goes on.
All fascinating interludes that only cost a euro or two – many free with your I Amsterdam City Card.
Cheese Please Louise!
And if, in your quest for facts, you build up an appetite there’s nowhere better to drop in for a spot of canalside lunch than Café de Jaren at Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22.
Canalside dining at Cafe de Jaren
The original buildings on this spot were built around 1664 and Rembrandt Van Rijn was believed to have lived there from 1635-1637.
However, since 1990 it has been a place for vittles and beverages!
And, if the need to relax persists after lunch, then enjoying a 60-75 minute canal cruise is the ultimate way to not only digest the day’s culinary offerings, but to continue sightseeing while resting!
Amsterdam's ubiquitous canal network permeates every corner of the city, providing access to everything from the flower market to the 1880 Krijtberg Church....
....built in the Gothic revival style to deliver an all-encompassing art form that glorifies the emancipation of the Dutch Catholics, from the 17th century legal restrictions imposed on them in protestant Amsterdam.
Nearby sits another mainstay of the city’s tourist industry: Anne Frank’s House.
This was the place where perhaps, one of the world’s most famous 'Jewish' diarists was discovered in hiding by the Nazis.
On her thirteenth birthday, just before they went into hiding, Anne had been presented with a diary and, for two years, wrote about events in the Secret Annex, as well as her feelings and thoughts.
In addition, she wrote short stories, started a novel and copied passages from the books she read into her Book of Beautiful Sentences. Writing helped her pass the time.
However, once discovered, Anne was transported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where the teenager subsequently died.
More than half a century on Anne Frank's Diary has been translated into more than 75 languages.
Admission is NOT covered by the I Amsterdam City Card, a ruling that also applies to the Van Gogh Museum, however, it is well worth a visit if only to understand the magnitude of what happened.
One of the most poignant memories of the house are the words of Anne's father, Otto.
"We cannot change what happened anymore. The only thing we can do is learn from the past and to realise what discrimination and persecution of innocent people means."
It had been a wonderful, harrowing, exciting, action packed three days, concluded, strangely, in an equally exciting manner.
“If we get back to Schiphol in plenty of time,” said Mrs H, “at least we’ll get to enjoy KLM’s business lounge.”
And that’s just what we did, spending a good two hours in the splendid surrounds of this spacious, food filled, drink rich emporium where, despite a 45-minute delay, we were able to relax and, had we so wished, even had a shower.
Our final enjoyment? Not quite.
During the flight home we got to sample the contents of one of Marcel Wanders’ specially designed food boxes courtesy of Business Class and, once landed back at Leeds Bradford Airport, we had cleared customs and were back home, all within a tad over 45 minutes. The perfect Amsterdam adventure!
Practical Information
Avani: www.avanihotels.com/en/museum-quarter-amsterdam
Standard Double Rooms at Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel start at £165 per night including breakfast.
KLM: www.klm.co.uk
I Amsterdam Card: www.iamsterdame.com/citycard
Anne Frank Museum: www.annefrank.org
Café de Jaren: www.cafedejaren.nl
Van Gogh Museum: www.vangoghmuseum.nl
Rijksmuseum: www.rijksmuseum.nl
Museum of Prostitution: www.redlightsecrets.com
About Authour
A lifelong journalist and storyteller, Phil has dedicated his career to uncovering the human side of travel. His work combines integrity, humour, and a deep understanding of Yorkshire’s unique spirit.
