One of our writers visited the Netherlands for the first time recently on an active Amsterdam adventure. Find out how they got on in this city of culture, partying and outdoor activities below. Spoiler alert the city offers far more than your mum probably thinks!
Are you craving culture and want to soak up the vibrant ambiance of a buzzing city? Yet also wanting to spend time outdoors and to get involved in adventurous activities? Deciding on whether to embark on a city break or an active holiday often presents a dilemma. But what if you don’t need to compromise, if your travel goals can be met by combining the two?
City of Culture, Partying & Activities
When afforded a few child-free days in early Spring, this was our predicament. The thought of fine foods, great architecture and world class culture got me excitedly craving a city break. But I’m aware the fast-paced city buzz can quickly leave me drained and yearning immersion in the rejuvenating outdoors.
Amsterdam, with more bikes than people and more canals than Venice, is the perfect place for those with an adventurous spirit to explore. Initially, avoiding the endless stream of bicycles felt like a new type of adventure sport in itself. Tackling this bike gauntlet after visiting one of Amsterdam’s many specialist ‘cafes’, can be done by those seeking additional thrill and danger!
Luckily, we quickly became adept at dodging the onslaught and embraced the adventure of what this city has to offer. Walking the labyrinthine city streets we discovered hidden gems, vibrant nightlife and bustling markets. Amsterdam certainly has a buzz and it is a great city to explore on foot.
We stayed at the lovely four star JL No76, a boutique hotel in the museum district. It’s near the heart of the city whilst being in a quiet, peaceful, tree-lined neighbourhood. With helpful staff and good-sized rooms, complete with Jacuzzi bath, this was the perfect place to rest and recuperate.
The hotel breakfast was good and plentiful. But if you did want to venture out, Little Collins in De Pjip is a gem of a place, offering fabulous food, with great vegetarian options and a laid-back vibe.
iAmsterdam Card
The I amsterdam City Card is a fantastic purchase to ensure you make the most of what the city has to offer. Whether it’s day pass, or one which covers the length of your active Amsterdam adventure, the card gives access to 70 different museums and top attractions.
Getting up close to Amsterdam’s many art masters and treasured works therefore couldn’t be easier. With so many attractions so easily accessible we decided to explore some of the cities more obscure delights.
Culture
This included the awesome Micropia, which allows you to get up close and interactive with microorganism that usually lurk beyond the naked eye. We also went to the ARTIS – Groote Museum (natural history), the Eye Film Museum and the Hortus Botanicus an arboretum with different climatic sections.
We failed to get into the Rijksmuseum – Amsterdam’s biggest museum – as you need to book a slot. Overall we only touched a fraction of what the card afforded us culturally, leaving plenty of scope for a return visit.
Transport
The I amsterdam Card also permits you to use public transport throughout the city, to take a canal cruise and rent a bike. Boarding the Love Canal Cruises, we were able to kick back, face in the sun and enjoy the peaceful interconnecting waterways with its latticework of beautiful bridges. You can also explore in a kayak, canoe or SUP – seeing Amsterdam from the water is a must.
Hiring bikes for the day gave us real freedom to create our own adventure. Amsterdam is surprisingly small and on bikes we were able to get active and navigate the city perimeter with ease. We rode between various parks and along the main waterfront and some back streets.
Our explorative zeal was rewarded when we stumbled upon a vibrant, food and music festival in the city’s outskirts. Hanging out with partying locals, we felt like we’d found the real Amsterdam.
Active Amsterdam Adventure
With its canals and cycle friendly paths, Amsterdam is a city where it’s easy to get active and to flit between the many parks and outdoor areas. Amsterdam’s bike friendly reputation is not only confined to the city, there’s a multitude of cycle paths drawing you further afield.
There are dedicated cycle routes leading out of the city which are easy and safe to navigate even if cycling is not your thing. You can take a ride through forests and alongside canals to historic windmills or across beautiful sand dunes to an expansive coastline with beautiful North Sea beaches.
With fine Spring weather, the beach beckoned. Zandvoort, is a small resort a few hours’s ride from Amsterdam, that’s well worth the exertion. Passing through the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park via Haarlem’s historic centre is perfect for those wishing to escape the city.
To reward your efforts Mango’s Beachbar is the perfect spot on the beach, to rest tired limbs on large comfy sofas. And, if like us, you spend longer indulging on their extensive tapas and cocktail list than intended, there are regular trains straight back to Amsterdam, where you can carry on the party.
But if you are still craving more activities the coast boasts plenty of opportunities. In addition to glorious sun, there was strong wind whipping off the coast at Zandvoort.
Unsurprising, this had been capitalised on, with various companies offering windsurfing and kiteboarding lessons. Surf and paddle boards can also be hired at various locations making this area a real mecca for watersports.
Active City Break in Amsterdam
There’s no doubt that our active Amsterdam adventure delivered what we hoped for, an exciting top-notch city break with plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and be active. With a little imagination any city can become a playground, and even in early spring there is a dedicated outdoor lifestyle in the Netherlands that is less prevalent in British cities.
Throw in a bike and a zeal for adventure, it can easily be turned into an activity holiday too. The beauty of exercising means you can even mitigate some of those other indulgences a city break espouses, particularly somewhere like Amsterdam where partying is part of the fun.
An activity holiday and a city break are certainly not exclusive. In fact, by combing the two, you have symbiotic elements of a perfect break away.
We hope you found this review of our active Amsterdam adventure interesting and it inspires you to enjoy the city in a different way. For more ideas check out these adventure holidays worldwide.
