Dreaming of Amsterdam: A Month in the Venice of the North

Why not? It checked all the boxes for our first 30-day international stay: effortless English, an airport 20 minutes from the center, and a size just right—big enough to stay entertained, small enough for Charlotte’s questionable sense of direction.

And don’t underestimate the power of nostalgia—as we fondly recall our separate youthful adventures, aimlessly searching for weed and wandering the Red Light District with college pals and sibs, pretending to be shocked by what we saw, while very much not looking away.

TSwizzle at Johan Cruijff ArenA

But let’s be honest, what sealed the deal was scoring tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.  Full disclosure here, not huge Swifties, but we love live music and who can pass up seeing TSwizzle in an arena where everyone is hyped, but also super polite, and you can get a stroopwafel with your beer?

A Vertical Airbnb 

We scored a charming duplex in Oud-West, just outside the central canal rings. One bedroom, a small deck overlooking a peaceful urban green space, and an office for Doug’s calls. The kitchen was modern and well-stocked—not that we cooked much.

The stairs, though? Not normal. More like ladders in disguise. We’re pretty sure the suitcases were laughing at us as we strategized how to get them up. Bump bump bump they went one step at a time, and if you’re wondering, yes we surfed those suckers down when we left.

Settling In: Planes and Coffee

We woke the first morning thinking we were on the runway at Schipol, with planes so loud, directly overhead.  We looked out the giant skylight and I’m pretty sure made eye contact with the pilot who gave us a thumbs up. It seems we will not be needing an alarm clock.  Almost as quickly as it started, the flight pattern shifted, S​​eemingly spreading the love across the central neighborhoods, but never lingering long enough to become truly bothersome.  

Now that we were awake, It was time to get down to business.  And by business we mean where can we get a decent cappuccino, oat, extra hot?  (honestly anywhere, there is a great coffee culture in Amsterdam and we had neither a fave nor any disasters), What will we construct Doug’s desk out of (usually some type of tower constructed of ottomans, books or boxes. Once, a clothes dryer)?  Where is the best workout?  And, now that we are Dutch, where do we get our bikes?

Near-Death by Bicycle 

It feels like the Dutch live life in the slow lane unless they are on their bikes and then get out of the way, stat.  We stepped outside, accidentally into the bike lane, and “ding, ding, WHOOSH” as the cyclist flew by nearly severing a toe.  Expecting some asshole athlete in training we look up to see it’s a grandma with her groceries on a single-speed bike.  Humbling.  This city gives new gravity to the phrase “head on a swivel.” 

These Dutch can do anything on their bikes.  Need a dishwasher delivered? Check. Need a lift? Hop on my crossbar! In all our days, we saw just one collision and it involved a rather tipsy teenager getting a full gravity check when his cheek hit the pavement.  And yes, we and several others encouraged him to walk the rest of the way home.

Swapfiets, with their iconic blue front wheel, was the perfect bike situation for us. For €29/month, we signed up, canceled immediately, and had bikes for our entire stay. Any issues? They fixed them—no hassle.

Sweating and Laundry Fails

As if they need more exercise, the fitness classes in Amsterdam are abundant and excellent.  We took classes at RoCycle, which were high energy and packed, no matter the time of day.  We also found a lovely pilates/yoga studio, Movements Yoga, in a dreamy space, and did some CrossFit at Vondelgym.  And we cycled everywhere, rain or shine. At the end of the month, it was clear it was the fittest we’ve been without trying, but that only lasted til we got to NYC.

Given our limited attire, post-workout was time to master the all-in-one washer/dryer, a marvel of modern inconvenience.  It promises to wash and dry your clothes in one go but what it actually does is hold your clothes hostage for seven hours while making passive-aggressive whirring noises and when it finally stops your clothes emerge a dingy shade of grey, no matter their original color, and damp enough to still qualify as wet. 

charming weeds

Exploring the City

With fresh, grey clothes, we set about exploring. Given the timezone, our weekday routine was to wake late (flight path permitting), get a workout in, explore, lunch, and then Doug would settle into his calls. Wandering, our breath would be snatched away by the beauty of this place.  The waterways, the tipsy buildings, the natural light giving everything a golden hue.  Even the weeds are charming.

The View From the Water

We don’t hate a guided tour and did two, via boat, which both provided engaging narratives.  One to help get us acquainted with the city and one when guests were in town, which was often, an added bonus of having chosen Amsterdam.  Voyage Canal Cruise was a favorite, with snacks and drinks served in real glasses (fancy).  Leemstar Amsterdam offers cruises in a very cool, classic, wooden Dutch boat, though it is best on a cool or rainy day as hot weather = sauna.

boating and Dr. Falafel

One afternoon we rented an electric boat from Mokumboot to charter our own course through the canals, a very fun, chill way to see the city from a different viewpoint. Not that we’re competitive but we did wonder why all the other boats were moving at a faster clip than us.  It all became clear when our wee vessel ran out of juice – in the middle of the canal.  

Mokumboot suggested we should, uh, return our dead boat to them for a replacement.  Sure! Just let us paddle this thing back real quick.

Pro tip: Book with Canal Motor Boats instead. And before you head out, grab a falafel from Dr. Falafel. The man is a genius.

More to Come

After a month of exploring, eating, and fully embracing Dutch life, we fell hard for Amsterdam. This city has more experiences, eats, and excursions than you can shake a clog at, so naturally, we wrote a whole separate post about it. Click here for all the details and our top recommendations.

We had a ball during our month in this Dutch wonderland, and while there were countless highlights, these are the ones that hooked us on this watery wonderland:

Amsterdam 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷 What Makes it Great

• Never needing to get in a car.
• De 9 Straatjes for a happy wander and Begijnhof for a quiet, oasis amid the bustle of the city
• De Kas for a glorious lunch and Night Kitchen for a cozy dinner
• Being fit without trying, but still the slowest bikers on the road
• Access out for us, access in for visitors
• Cruising ourselves on the canal 
• Dr Falafel, who is only open on the weekends
• Excellent, friendly service that you don’t have to tip for
• The abundance of museums
• RoCycle for kick-ass spinning
• Molenpad for a canal-side pint
• Life in the slow lane, with extra stops for cappuccinos 

Next stop, Nantucket!