Amsterdam

I explored Amsterdam solo. I had a lot of time to take in the scenery, the canals, the museums, and the historical sights. I also enjoyed the Amsterdam night life and cafes. To get from place to place, I took one of the canal boats. This was a great way to see the city and canals while transporting yourself to the next site. One morning, I wandered through a street market and tried a raw herring sandwich. I can’t say that I loved it, but I’m sure you get used to the strong taste.

View of the houses from the canal boat

The top view of a canal boat

Raw herring sandwich

View of houses along a canal

Everyone bikes around the city

Famous Amsterdam sign

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum is a must see in Amsterdam. The museum is set up to essentially show the works of Vincent Van Gogh chronologically through his life. You get to see the changes in his painting styles as he got my experience and as he became more mentally ill.

Rijksmuseum

This museum is huge! I didn’t spend nearly enough time walking through the exhibits. The museum has art and history from around the world, but also has a special focus on the Netherlands.

Anne Frank’s House

If you want to visit Anne Frank’s House, you should try to get tickets online in advance. I didn’t know this, so I waited in line for a few hours to get in. I got to the house before it opened to wait in line. The house is unsurprisingly small, but I felt I couldn’t visit Amsterdam without going through the house. It’s incredibly powerful to try to imagine Anne Frank in the space writing in her diary during the moments of the war.

Heineken Experience

As a lover of beer, I had to go through the Heineken Experience even though I was on my own. The brewery is very tourist friendly with the formal Heineken Experience tour. It reminded me of the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. Part of the brewery/experience was closed for renovations, so we were given a free, small Heineken glass. At the end of the tour, you get to have some beer in a green tasting room.

Red Light District

I didn’t actually spend time in the Red Light District. I just walked through the street one night after getting dinner.

Brouwerij ‘t IJ

This is a brewery located next to a windmill. They offer European style beers. When I visited, the place was very busy with people overflowing in their indoor and outdoor spaces. The beer tasted good and the atmosphere was excellent.