Travel in December has become a tradition for us a few years ago. Despite the cold and the rain, the magic of the holiday season makes traveling special and turns all cities even more beautiful.
In Portugal, December 1st and 8th are holidays, so we always travel on these dates.
For this year (2017) we chose Amsterdam, a city that was already in our bucket list for some time.
Before describing all the wonders of this city I have to admit that I was a bit discouraged by the lack of Christmas atmosphere I encountered. In recent years, at this time, I have traveled through Germany, France and Belgium and it was WONDERFUL!
Before describing all the wonders of this city I have to admit that I was a bit discouraged by the lack of Christmas atmosphere I encountered. In recent years, at this time, I have traveled through Germany, France and Belgium and it was WONDERFUL!
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Museumplein |
In Amsterdam the streets were illuminated, I found the ice rink in "Museum Square" (Museumplein), and the light festival was already taking place, but I missed the Christmas Magic and the lovely Christmas markets I have already found in other European cities. But we traveled early in the month so, maybe with the approach of Christmas day the city will become more and more magical.
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Dam |
Transportation
We flew from Porto to Amsterdam (Schiphol), with Vueling, on a Thursday evening. The transfer from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station is quite simple and fast. It can be quickly made by train in just 20 minutes.At the airport you can find automatic ticket purchasing machines but also an information desk.
We chose to buy for 26€ the "Amsterdam Travel Ticket", valid for 3 days after the first check-in. So, this ticket is valid from the moment you check in for the first time until 04:00 AM on the morning after the final day that it is valid. This ticket allows you to use the train, 15 tram lines, 4 metro lines and 5 ferry routes. With this ticket you can reach all the main attractions on city centre and it includes unlimited travel to and from Schiphol Airport.
All tickets have to be validated at the entrance and exit, on machines that are easily identified. The ticket also comes with an handy map, where you can find all the places of interest and all the different transport lines near them.
There are different types of tickets, with more or less days, only including Amsterdam or also the surrounding regions. At the airport, consult the information desk and choose the best option for you. For example, if you are planning to spend a few days in Amsterdam, why not see what surrounds the capital? With 2 and 3 day Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket, it's easy to see what lies beyond the city center. You can visit Zaanse Schans and step back in time to the old Dutch world of windmills and chocolate, or if your trip is in the spring you can visit the tulip fields of the Keukenhof. You can see here my post about Zaanse Schans.
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Amsterdam Travel Ticket valid for 3 days - 26€ per person |
The tickets prices are:
Type / days | Amsterdam | Amsterdam & Region |
---|---|---|
1 day
|
16 €
|
18,5 €
|
2 days
|
21 €
| 26 € |
3 days
|
26 €
|
33,5 €
|
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Leidseplein |
Main Attractions
Here you can find a brief description of the main places to visit. The remaining points of interest are marked on the map:1. Heineken Experience: Beer is the most popular drink in the Netherlands, just like at my home so, my visit to the Heineken Experience was inevitable. This museum is super interactive, dynamic and filled with new technologies. In the end, you get to know the whole manufacturing process and you have the opportunity to taste 2 glasses of the best that Heineken has to offer: BEER! (Admission: 16€, using a discount of 2€ via Booking.com)
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Heineken Experience |
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Heineken Experience |
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Pancakes Amsterdam |
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Bloemenmarkt |
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Vondel Park 3 Restaurant |
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Vondelpark |
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Rikjsmuseum |
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Red Light District |
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The Waterhole |
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Bulldog Havri |
To sum up,
Amsterdam has many more attractions and points of interest, some of them highlighted on the map above. Fell free to use the comments section below to ask any questions you have about these places or about restaurants and hotels. In another post I will talk about our trip to Zaanse Schans, a typical Dutch village, very close to Amsterdam, with beautiful mills and tasty delicacies. When in doubt, travel to Amsterdam, get lost in the streets and canals and be careful to not get hit by any bicycle :)
Grace
Great post! I'm feeling in Amsterdam again... Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThanks : )
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