it's a nice mix of stores in Jordaan. Minus one star for the over-taking of some of our favorite…read moreplaces by "tik-tok" followers. There are lines over the bridges waiting to get bubble tea or fries. The locals can no longer go to this place thanks to this ridiculous lemen behavior. But other than that, it's like a mall but outside. Be careful of the rude cyclist trying to run you over if you step in the way. Most likely these aren't typical Dutch cyclists but tourists or expats themselves being arrogant.

With only a limited time in Amsterdam (alas) before our river cruise would depart, walking the 9…read moreStreets neighborhood was a must. We took a taxi to the Anne Frank house and walked the few blocks to a starting point. It was a chilly, rainy November day but we had umbrellas, rain gear and determination! The neighborhoods are utterly charming, canals throughout, bordered by colorful houses, skinny sidewalks with bikes and cars squeezed in somehow. It so reminded us of Venice! Everything is so photogenic it's easy to burn through your phone's storage here! Shops and restaurants abound throughout. Would've loved to have more time to check them out but my wife did find some beautiful scarves in one. Walking the 9 Streets has been described as one of the great walks of Europe. A must see when in Amsterdam!

Loved checking out this farmer's market on a dreary Saturday a couple weekends ago in Amsterdam!…read more Located in the Jordaan neighborhood, this market has a history of being located in this public square since 1623, when it was renamed after the newly built Noorderkerk, a church which still stands today. Its prior name was Prisenmarkt (named after Prinsengracht (Prince canal)). The earliest version of the market sold everything from pottery, textiles, household items, second-hand goods and pigeons. There's a detailed accounting of this market's history on their website. The current iteration of the market consists of 1) a farmer's market with many local and artisanal producers of farm produce, meats and dairy, baked goods, etc. and 2) a "general goods" market which consists of stands selling housewares, art, vintage clothing and accessories, antiques, textiles and household furnishings, and more. The former is held on Saturdays 9-4pm, the latter on Saturdays same time as the farmers market and Mondays 9-2pm. From where I was walking around, it looked like about three dozen vendors with stands of varied sizes gathered here to sell on a Saturday morning. I also arrived around 9:30am, so there were still vendors setting up too. What a bustling atmosphere and certainly lots of locals doing some weekend food shopping--saw plenty of veggies, fruit, bread, placed directly in bicycle crates (on the front or back of this popular transportation method Amsterdam is well-known for) and biked away. So many yummy looking items! It made me wish I had a kitchen there so I could buy and prepare food from this market. For more info: https://www.noordermarkt-amsterdam.nl/en/home-en and https://www.instagram.com/noordermarkt_amsterdam/

The Noordermarkt on Mondays only is when there are vintage sellers and not just clothes..... had a…read moregood selection of vendors and we did well finding kitschy resale items to fill our suitcases. And everything reasonably priced. Bring cash and your carry bags - some take cards but not many. There are clothes - and food stalls as well. Worth visiting if vintage kitsch is your bag

Rembrandt Square is named after the artist Rembrandt van Rijn who lived nearby. In the square,…read morethere are two statues -- one of Rembrandt and one of an astronaut called "The Thinker" by artist Joseph Klibansk. "The Thinker" is so-called as the figure is sitting in the same position as Rodin's famous sculpture. There are several hotels, restaurants, and shops around Rembrandt Square, and we went to the nearby restaurant, Cafe Kuyl, twice -- once for drinks, and once for dinner. Rembrandt Square is a popular destination, although I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. But if nearby, definitely check it out. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands]

Rembrandt van Rijn owned a house nearby from 1639 to 1656. There were early markets & the Butter…read moreMarket was here. In the early twentieth century, this square became a center of nightlife drawing artists, young people & laborers. Hotels, cafés & entertainment venues opened around the square. Rembrandt's statue is in the middle of the square.

Roppongi is a popular neighborhood in Tokyo, with many nightclubs and loved by tourists and…read moreJapanese girls searching for foreign men. It is also a cute shop at the Rozengracht in Amsterdam. I've been to both actually, but today I will tell you about the shop in Amsterdam, because that information will probably be more of use to you since Tokyo is not exactly around the corner :) Roppongi is a nice place for Japan-lovers. They sell all kinds of fun stuff and a bit of food as well. The shop is colorful because of the prints on the walls and the paper lanterns hanging through the shop. The lanterns are funny, their mostly shaped like fish and very colorful and festive. You can buy them here as well. The other stuff they sell are books, clothing, bento boxes, Japanese foods, kitchen supplies for making sushi, tea pots, accessories, traditional sandals en much more. ' Prices aren't cheap but then again, there are not that many places where you can find these things. Maybe in Chinatown, but this is a nice shop and its fun to have a look around when in the neighborhood.

From the owner: Roppongi is een winkel waarin Japan centraal staat. Mooie spullen en lekker eten! Bento…read more(lunchboxen), boeken, tijdschriften, levensmiddelen, sake, groene thee en heel veel leuke cadeau-artikelen!

I have been on canal, river, and archipelago tours all over the world, and without a doubt,…read moreAmsterdam is THE place to do a canal boat tour, or just walk along the promenades and see the canals for free as they are literally EVERYWHERE! A friend and I visited Amsterdam right on the cusp of tulip season, so the water and foliage weren't completely in bloom yet - and even then, the beauty of the canals shone through. You won't need to seek out the canals or the canal cruises or tours because they are just on every corner and in every cranny of Amsterdam. Canals canals canals! No complaints here, as I'm from the triple landlocked US state of Nebraska, so seeing a city made up of canals, tributaries, and water was a sight to behold. I can't say that I "recommend" the canals, because you can't escape them anywhere you go in Amsterdam, but I will just say to experience them in one way or another (a paid cruise or a free stroll!)

This is it. THIS is…read morewhat you came all the way to Amsterdam to see. Not the Anne Frank house. Not the Rijksmuseum. Not the Red Light District. Not the Vondelpark, not the Royal Palace. You came to see the city's canals, and they're just as fantastic as you've always thought! I probably took 200 photos of Amsterdam's canals in only a few days. They're so pretty and peaceful, and it's fun just to meander alongside the locals on bicycles while sticking with a water view. If you want to spend the perfect day in the city, just walk the canals until you get tired. Amsterdam's canals are pretty in a different way than Venice, Italy or Bruges, Belgium. They have a distinct personality that's all their own. And personality goes a long way.

One of my favorite interactions in Amsterdam was the unexpected ~2 hour conversation I had with the…read moreshopkeeper at Innerspace. Deep, diverse, and authentic. She was unbelievably knowledgeable about the shop's product, too. While we chatted, I watched her steer dozens of tourists in the right direction depending on what they were looking for and their experience level. Friendly, informative, and funny too!

This place has everything one could possibly wish and dream of when visiting Amsterdam, B) ... the…read moreowner/ staff are both knowledgeable and very helpful. Thanks for making my birthday special!!!

This is a neighborhood or "buurt" in Amsterdam. It is an exciting and vibrant place. It's super fun…read morewith lots of great restaurants and shops. A new metro stop here changes everything. They also stopped parking on many streets here so that makes it even nicer. It's not a 4 or 5 star neighborhood in Amsterdam, but anyone living there is fortunate indeed.

De Pijp is considered by many to be Amsterdam's Latin Quarter. It's a bit like Greenwich Village /…read morethe East Village in New York City, with a bohemian vibe that's beloved and inhabited by creative types. It's every bit as lively as its American counterpart, too. This neighborhood isn't overly touristy, so check it out to see how real Dutch residents live. That's not to say there aren't shops selling junky tchotchkes (the Heineken Brewery is here, after all), but there's a quirky mix of the multicultural, from the food, bars, and cafes that line the streets. The prettiest part of the area are the landscaped gardens at Sarphatipark (free). Spend some time lingering around and take slow, meandering strolls so you can adequately wander the neighborhood streets. There are delightful surprises around every corner if you just slow down and enjoy. Most important tip for those who love to eat: De Pijp is also home to the foodie fun zone known as the Albert Cuypmarkt street market. Go here for street food. It's good and cheap.

I honestly cannot believe this "location" is still on here. I'm not trying to be "woke" but it…read morereally doesn't make sense. There are a few Asian and Chinese restaurants in this area but they are mixed with other venues and shops. It seems somewhat degrading to me. I do admit I have a few Chinese close friends.

Just like in every major city, you'll find a Chinatown in Amsterdam. The area has a variety of…read moreChinese restaurants and shops. If you are a Chinese food lover, visit here.

I saw an apartment for rent just a hop, skip away from the Mercatorplein square, and was super…read moretempted to put in an offer as there are two very well situated tram and bus stops just around the corner from each other. But I disliked the apartment at it was extremely dark inside, and being on the ground floor, just felt weird about having curtains open! So I'm not a resident near this square, just an occasional visitor when transportation needs demand it! It's a pretty big square with some benches to sit on. But it's not very pretty surroundings to be honest. The Square is situated in the middle of an urban jungle, and I think if they'd a raised garden bed in the middle of the square, it would be lovely to have some greenery! There's also a small Saturday market (till around 4ish) where you can find decent produce. Very much a local Square, and it's rare to see a tourist here, as not much to see/ do. Yelp 40/ 2019

We chose this windmill at Zaanse Schans to visit inside and learn about the inner workings, and…read morethen climb up the steep stairs to see the view from the upper deck. It's super loud down inside because the gears are turning and there's a steady pounding sound of wood-on-wood, so I could only stay down theme for at most 20 minutes, but that's plenty of time to see the little exhibits. Apparently this windmill was used to grind and pulverize minerals and materials to produce chalk and also different pigments for paint. I liked the display that showed a whole cabinet full of a rainbow of colors as examples of pigment created by the windmill, called "the cat" ironically since I still had not seen a single one in Amsterdam (or Zaanse Schans for that matter). Gorgeous panoramic view from the upper viewing deck. We were lucky to have sunny clear weather yesterday as it was quite breezy up there.

At Zaans Secans, there are moving windmills and this one you can get inside and also climb to the…read moreupper side. It was very interested in to get inside and see the system how it works. Climbing the upper(it was very steep and narrow!) and going outside, the view was great. There is a store to sell some souvenirs and hot coco that made us warm. Actually they have an adult coco-with rum!- and it was soooooo good!!! When you visit Zaans Secans, highly recommend to try this place.