Netherlands Home Page
About My Trip to the Netherlands
Amsterdam exceeded expectations! My flight into Schiphol Airport was cheap and the airport itself was efficient. I stayed at the CitizenM Hotel near the airport, perfect for my early morning departure. The room, while small, was modern and comfortable, and self-check-in made arrival a breeze.
Exploring Amsterdam was a blast. I walked the charming canals, rented a bike to experience the city like a local, and even enjoyed a relaxing canal cruise. The canals were definitely a highlight. I spent hours following them on foot and hopped on a canal cruise for a different perspective. The Museum Quarter was another must-see. I reached it by canal boat and explored the relaxed area, including the famous Van Gogh Museum.
On a completely unexpected note, I witnessed a bit of history on my second day! While walking past the Royal Palace, I saw a ton of security and learned the President of Argentina was on a state visit. I stuck around and saw him alongside King Willem-Alexander lay a wreath at the National Monument. An amazing way to end a fantastic trip filled with budget-friendly travel, beautiful canals, art, museums, and a touch of unexpected history!
Netherlands Pages by Map
Netherlands
Disclaimer: At Buzzin’ Around the World, we do our best to offer the most factual information that was available to us at the time of posting based on our research. If you believe something on our site is incorrect or misleading, please email us.
We follow all local, national, and international laws and ordinances based on our best interpretation at the time of posting. If you are a representative of an organization that believes one of your ordinances has been violated, please know it was not intentional. To have content removed, please email us.
Finally, under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
We use affiliate links to help pay for fees associated with our website. When you book a service (i.e. flight, hotel, tour) or purchase a product through any of our links, we may/will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Buzzinaroundtheworld.com may be compensated for reviews posted on this website. We always review each product truthfully.
Buzzin’ Around the World uses our individual travel experiences to write our content. All photos and content are original. Buzzin’ Around the World sometimes uses AI to generate titles, summaries, or descriptions of our original work.
For more information, please click HERE to visit our private policy page. We can be reached at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com.
My room at CitizenM was modern and comfortable, although a little on the small side. It seems like the rooms are designed for solo travelers. Overall, I had a great experience at CitizenM. It’s a perfect place to stay if you want a comfortable bed close to the airport.
Ibis Hotel Amsterdam Central is located right next to Amsterdam Central Station. The location was perfect because I could easily walk to most of the top tourist attractions in Amsterdam from the hotel. My room was basic but comfortable and had a queen-sized bed and a waterfall-style rain shower.
I didn’t spend much time in my room because I only had 48 hours in Amsterdam and wanted to see as much as possible. Overall, the Ibis Hotel Amsterdam Central is a good option for tourists who want to be close to the train station.
I explored Amsterdam by walking, riding a street trolley, cycling, and even taking a canal cruise!
Walking is the best way to experience the canals. A good map is helpful though, since the canals are always turning. Amsterdam is very bike-friendly and many people get around by bike. I also enjoyed a relaxing canal cruise to see the sights from the water.
I visited Amsterdam and the canals were my favorite part of the city. The canals are a network of navigable waterways that give the city its charm.
I took a train to Amsterdam Central Station and got my first glimpse of the canals as soon as I stepped out. The canals are all unique and some are lined with narrow streets, parked cars, and bridges. There are also people riding bikes along the canals.
I spent hours exploring the canals by following them on foot. In order to see the canals from a different perspective, I also took a hop-on/hop off boat tour. The tour allowed me to see the buildings lining the canals. The boat made a stop at the ferry terminal, which has an observation deck with excellent views. Another way to see the canals is by taking a dinner cruise.
I visited Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter. It is located on the outskirts of the city and I easily reached it by canal boat. The area is a great place to walk around and relax.
Two of the main attractions are the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. I went to the Van Gogh Museum and saw many interesting works of art, including self-portraits, the Yellow House, the Potato Eaters, and Sunflowers. The Rijksmuseum is famous for its Rembrandt paintings, but I did not have enough time to visit it. I did enjoy posing in front of the giant “I Am Amsterdam” sign in front of it, but unfortunately, it has been removed.
Within walking distance of the Museum Quarter is the Vondelpark, a giant public park. The park was in full bloom when I visited, and it was a great place to relax. Even if you are not interested in museums and art, the Museum Quarter is worth a visit to the park.
On my second day in Amsterdam, I was walking past the beautiful Royal Palace on Dam Square when I saw a lot of security. I learned from a friendly police officer that the President of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, was on a state visit and about to leave in a motorcade. Intrigued, I decided to wait and see what would happen.
A few minutes later, out came President Macri alongside King Willem-Alexander himself! They walked together to the National Monument where they laid a wreath to honor fallen soldiers. It was a pretty cool thing to witness by chance while exploring Amsterdam.