Amsterdam

Amsterdam City Guide

. August 10, 2015 .

Now most of you know last month I jetted off to beautiful Amsterdam with Fashion Chick last month for Amsterdam Fashion Week. My best friend then came out to meet me for an extra few day's holiday so I was lucky enough to spend a whole week roaming around the canal lined streets, sipping on Heineken and consuming far too many stroop waffles. So of course I had plenty of time to visit and re-visit some lovely places, and though it's taken me for-e-v-e-r to get this post together, I'm so excited to share with you all of my favourite spots that you absolutely must visit. It's a pretty hefty one so; have a scroll through, get some inspiration and save it to your book marks bar for your next trip to Amsterdam, I promise I'll have swayed you by the end of the feature.

S H O P


My absolute favourite place for shopping in Amsterdam was The 9 Streets. It's exactly what it says on the tin, 9 canal streets in the Jordaan lined with so many beautiful boutiques and shops. From vintage clothing to authentic Dutch design to the coolest beauty stores, these pretty streets will have all you need for a perfect afternoon of shopping in Amsterdam, in fact I spent a whole day roaming from shop to shop here. Here's a few of my favourites from the photos above, details listed below.

Marie Stella Marie - Keizersgracht 357, 1016 EJ Amsterdam
Beadies - Huidenstraat 6, 1016 ES Amsterdam
Love Stories - Herengracht 296, 1016 BX Amsterdam
The Darling - Runstraat 4, 1016 GK Amsterdam 
Aruba Aloe Pop Up - Gustav Mahlerlaan 84, 1082ME Amsterdam

S T A Y 

Best for groups - Air Bnb

During the first stint of my trip the babes at Fashion Chick arranged for the bloggers to stay in this awesome apartment for Amsterdam Fashion Week. The beautiful, open duplex apartment embodied the typical character of the houses in Amsterdam. Huge windows and teeny staircases (did you know everything goes in and out through the window when you move in Amsterdam?!) with a fresh modern interior details. This place has plenty of room for four people and maybe even more, so it's a great choice if you're travelling to the 'dam with a group of friends or your family. It even has a wonderful large dining table in the kitchen, which became a great little spot for us to gather and do our blog admin in the mornings! Whilst browsing through Air Bnb I also found this apartment that would be great if you're travelling as a couple, and if you're on a budget this cute little apartment is also lovely. Both are in the old workers district of Jordaan, where our apartment was, and it realy is a lovely little neighbourhood filled with cute shops, markets and a café on every other corner. (Photos c/o airbnb)




Now unfortunately I didn't have the chance to actually stay in The Hoxton Hotel, but did pop in for dinner on my last night and was completely mesmerised by it's wonderful quirks and stunning interiors. It had only just opened the week I was there, which was hard to believe when taking in the buzzing atmosphere in the restaurant and lounge. I learned on our canal trip that this used to be the Mayor's house back in the 17th century which is pretty cool, and now the Hoxton has transformed the 5 canal houses into 111 rooms spread across 5 floors. Book a room here (photos c/o The Hoxton Hotel).

Herengracht 255, 1016BJ Amsterdam



Now I bet you've never been to a hotel that's actually located actually on the water, right? I stayed here for 3 nights with my best friend Milly, she flew out to meet me after my few days with Fashion Chick as part of my belated 21st birthday celebrations! This brand new modern-design pop-up hotel sits on Westerdoksijk just north of my favourite Jordaan neighbourhood, and only a short 10 minute walk from the station. It's cool industrial style mixed with Dutch design classics by Lensvelt and Moooi makes for a super-modern slick interior. The rooms are cosy but still echoed the cool design from the restaurant and lobby downstairs, what I loved about this place was the attention to detail. From the geometric blankets on the bed to the cute wooden trays that our breakfast was served on. Definitely a cool place to stay as a couple or with your bestie, check out the latest deals and prices here and visit before the pop-up hotel gets shipped off to Rio, Brail!

Westerdoksdijk 38, 1013 BH Amsterdam, Netherlands

E A T


The Press Room is a gorgeous little spot situated in the ultra-cool Ink Hotel. Milly and I went there on our last day, fuelling up before our flight home. It's cool food and cocktail menu will have something for everyone. I went for a simple salad and Mills went for the ravioli, which is just as heavenly as it looks (I couldn't resist a nibble). Whilst the plush interior is full of blue and gold hues was super inviting, it was so sunny in Amsterdam that day (a rarity in the 'dam!) so we perched in their courtyard (see above) which made for a lovely little sun trap. Definitely one if you like modern decor!

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 67, 1012 RE Amsterdam


Best for Brunch - De Sneeker Pan & Ree7

These two were a couple of great little cafés I stumbled upon that both house excellent brunch & lunch menus. De Sneeker Pan (left) sits on Kerkstraat just in the south of central Amsterdam. Milly and I stopped in here just before our bike tour (see further down) for some energy food before we set off. I kid you not, the best damn capresé salad I've ever eaten. Ever. Very cutely done out with tables & chairs outside too, a truly lovely little spot with great service and excellent food.

Kerkstraat 48Amsterdam

Ree7 (right) is located in the aforementioned 9 Streets, so a great little spot to re-fuel whilst your shopping. Holly and I went here when we had some free time during then afternoon on our first day with Fashion Chick. We'd spent the morning exploring and lunchtime at Sachi Shoes (see the post here), so by the afternoon we were both absolutely famished and more than enjoyed devouring our food. I went for the Moroccan Tuna Salad sandwich with harissa and chickpeas - delightful.

Reestraat 7, 1016 DM Amsterdam




Now this place was pretty special. I've mentioned it above as a great place to stay, but the new Hoxton Hotel is also home to an incredible restaurant. I had to stop myself going a little insta-crazy with the insanely beautiful interiors, the attention to detail was amazing and it made for a wonderful place to spend our last evening. Here is where I had my favourite meal of the trip - Lamb cutlets with a pea pureé whilst Milly went for their signature Macoroni & Cheese. Both meals were mouth-wateringly delicious. We washed them down with a bottle of Picpoul de Pinet, before migrating to the sumptuous brown leather couch you can see above to finish the night with a couple of espresso martinis (so good they're worth popping in for alone). A special place with an energetic atmosphere and wonderful service, honestly a must!

Herengracht 255, 1016BJ Amsterdam

E X T R A  M U S T  S E E'S 

Mike's Bike Tours - Kerkstraat 134, 1017 GP Amsterdam
Recommended by a local and a whole lot of fun. The tour guides are knowledgeable and hilarious at the same time, the bikes are super comfy and easy to ride and we learned a lot with a load of laughs along the way.


Stedelijk Museum - Museumplien 10, 1071 DJ Amsterdam 
If you're into contemporary and modern art you will absolutely love this place. Could have easily spent hours than I did getting lost here. We visited during The Oasis of Matisse exhibition which was incredible and still on for a while longer! It's also next to the Van Gogh museum and I Am Amsterdam letters, a great way to spend a rainy afternoon!


Blomenmarkt - Singel, Amsterdam
The flower market is one of the most famous in Amsterdam. Here, along the canal, you can stock up on tulip bulbs of every colour and type (if only my suitcase wasn't already over weight!) and pick up a bunch of gorgeous fresh flowers for your room. 


Now most of you know last month I jetted off to beautiful Amsterdam with Fashion Chick last month for Amsterdam Fashion Week. My best friend then came out to meet me for an extra few day's holiday so I was lucky enough to spend a whole week roaming around the canal lined streets, sipping on Heineken and consuming far too many stroop waffles. So of course I had plenty of time to visit and re-visit some lovely places, and though it's taken me for-e-v-e-r to get this post together, I'm so excited to share with you all of my favourite spots that you absolutely must visit. It's a pretty hefty one so; have a scroll through, get some inspiration and save it to your book marks bar for your next trip to Amsterdam, I promise I'll have swayed you by the end of the feature.

S H O P


My absolute favourite place for shopping in Amsterdam was The 9 Streets. It's exactly what it says on the tin, 9 canal streets in the Jordaan lined with so many beautiful boutiques and shops. From vintage clothing to authentic Dutch design to the coolest beauty stores, these pretty streets will have all you need for a perfect afternoon of shopping in Amsterdam, in fact I spent a whole day roaming from shop to shop here. Here's a few of my favourites from the photos above, details listed below.

Marie Stella Marie - Keizersgracht 357, 1016 EJ Amsterdam
Beadies - Huidenstraat 6, 1016 ES Amsterdam
Love Stories - Herengracht 296, 1016 BX Amsterdam
The Darling - Runstraat 4, 1016 GK Amsterdam 
Aruba Aloe Pop Up - Gustav Mahlerlaan 84, 1082ME Amsterdam

S T A Y 

Best for groups - Air Bnb

During the first stint of my trip the babes at Fashion Chick arranged for the bloggers to stay in this awesome apartment for Amsterdam Fashion Week. The beautiful, open duplex apartment embodied the typical character of the houses in Amsterdam. Huge windows and teeny staircases (did you know everything goes in and out through the window when you move in Amsterdam?!) with a fresh modern interior details. This place has plenty of room for four people and maybe even more, so it's a great choice if you're travelling to the 'dam with a group of friends or your family. It even has a wonderful large dining table in the kitchen, which became a great little spot for us to gather and do our blog admin in the mornings! Whilst browsing through Air Bnb I also found this apartment that would be great if you're travelling as a couple, and if you're on a budget this cute little apartment is also lovely. Both are in the old workers district of Jordaan, where our apartment was, and it realy is a lovely little neighbourhood filled with cute shops, markets and a café on every other corner. (Photos c/o airbnb)




Now unfortunately I didn't have the chance to actually stay in The Hoxton Hotel, but did pop in for dinner on my last night and was completely mesmerised by it's wonderful quirks and stunning interiors. It had only just opened the week I was there, which was hard to believe when taking in the buzzing atmosphere in the restaurant and lounge. I learned on our canal trip that this used to be the Mayor's house back in the 17th century which is pretty cool, and now the Hoxton has transformed the 5 canal houses into 111 rooms spread across 5 floors. Book a room here (photos c/o The Hoxton Hotel).

Herengracht 255, 1016BJ Amsterdam



Now I bet you've never been to a hotel that's actually located actually on the water, right? I stayed here for 3 nights with my best friend Milly, she flew out to meet me after my few days with Fashion Chick as part of my belated 21st birthday celebrations! This brand new modern-design pop-up hotel sits on Westerdoksijk just north of my favourite Jordaan neighbourhood, and only a short 10 minute walk from the station. It's cool industrial style mixed with Dutch design classics by Lensvelt and Moooi makes for a super-modern slick interior. The rooms are cosy but still echoed the cool design from the restaurant and lobby downstairs, what I loved about this place was the attention to detail. From the geometric blankets on the bed to the cute wooden trays that our breakfast was served on. Definitely a cool place to stay as a couple or with your bestie, check out the latest deals and prices here and visit before the pop-up hotel gets shipped off to Rio, Brail!

Westerdoksdijk 38, 1013 BH Amsterdam, Netherlands

E A T


The Press Room is a gorgeous little spot situated in the ultra-cool Ink Hotel. Milly and I went there on our last day, fuelling up before our flight home. It's cool food and cocktail menu will have something for everyone. I went for a simple salad and Mills went for the ravioli, which is just as heavenly as it looks (I couldn't resist a nibble). Whilst the plush interior is full of blue and gold hues was super inviting, it was so sunny in Amsterdam that day (a rarity in the 'dam!) so we perched in their courtyard (see above) which made for a lovely little sun trap. Definitely one if you like modern decor!

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 67, 1012 RE Amsterdam


Best for Brunch - De Sneeker Pan & Ree7

These two were a couple of great little cafés I stumbled upon that both house excellent brunch & lunch menus. De Sneeker Pan (left) sits on Kerkstraat just in the south of central Amsterdam. Milly and I stopped in here just before our bike tour (see further down) for some energy food before we set off. I kid you not, the best damn capresé salad I've ever eaten. Ever. Very cutely done out with tables & chairs outside too, a truly lovely little spot with great service and excellent food.

Kerkstraat 48Amsterdam

Ree7 (right) is located in the aforementioned 9 Streets, so a great little spot to re-fuel whilst your shopping. Holly and I went here when we had some free time during then afternoon on our first day with Fashion Chick. We'd spent the morning exploring and lunchtime at Sachi Shoes (see the post here), so by the afternoon we were both absolutely famished and more than enjoyed devouring our food. I went for the Moroccan Tuna Salad sandwich with harissa and chickpeas - delightful.

Reestraat 7, 1016 DM Amsterdam




Now this place was pretty special. I've mentioned it above as a great place to stay, but the new Hoxton Hotel is also home to an incredible restaurant. I had to stop myself going a little insta-crazy with the insanely beautiful interiors, the attention to detail was amazing and it made for a wonderful place to spend our last evening. Here is where I had my favourite meal of the trip - Lamb cutlets with a pea pureé whilst Milly went for their signature Macoroni & Cheese. Both meals were mouth-wateringly delicious. We washed them down with a bottle of Picpoul de Pinet, before migrating to the sumptuous brown leather couch you can see above to finish the night with a couple of espresso martinis (so good they're worth popping in for alone). A special place with an energetic atmosphere and wonderful service, honestly a must!

Herengracht 255, 1016BJ Amsterdam

E X T R A  M U S T  S E E'S 

Mike's Bike Tours - Kerkstraat 134, 1017 GP Amsterdam
Recommended by a local and a whole lot of fun. The tour guides are knowledgeable and hilarious at the same time, the bikes are super comfy and easy to ride and we learned a lot with a load of laughs along the way.


Stedelijk Museum - Museumplien 10, 1071 DJ Amsterdam 
If you're into contemporary and modern art you will absolutely love this place. Could have easily spent hours than I did getting lost here. We visited during The Oasis of Matisse exhibition which was incredible and still on for a while longer! It's also next to the Van Gogh museum and I Am Amsterdam letters, a great way to spend a rainy afternoon!


Blomenmarkt - Singel, Amsterdam
The flower market is one of the most famous in Amsterdam. Here, along the canal, you can stock up on tulip bulbs of every colour and type (if only my suitcase wasn't already over weight!) and pick up a bunch of gorgeous fresh flowers for your room. 

9 comments

  1. i'm wanting to visit amsterdam in a few months so definitely saving this post, lovely photos!

    Rachel // Style Soup

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rachel! You will love it, definitely make sure you check out these places! xx

      Delete
  2. This is such an incredible post! Definitely bookmarking it for a future (hopefully) trip to Amsterdam! x

    ellie etc | a personal style & lifestyle blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ellie, glad you liked it! You have to visit - it's just amazing x

      Delete
  3. I had so much fun in Amsterdam but didn't visit half of these places so they are great inspiration for next time! xx

    www.lurchhoundloves.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the best isn't it! I can't wait to go back. xx

      Delete
  4. These hotels look INSANE! I love Amsterdam, I'll heading back over in December - definitely checking these out!

    www.thefashionrubiks.blogspot.co.uk xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Soph you HAVE to! The Good Hotel was so fun and The Hoxton especially looked amazing xx

      Delete
  5. Amsterdam is absolutely stunning and your pictures are incredible!

    Charlotte / Styleaked

    ReplyDelete

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