My study abroad weekend in Amsterdam has been one of my favorite things I’ve done while I have been abroad. As a study abroad student in Rome I see lots of ancient history and eat tons of pasta and pizza! Amsterdam was a very different experience, filled with tons of things to see, do, and eat!
Main Attractions of Amsterdam
Art
I did this trip with a group of friends I am studying abroad with and we had so much fun. One of our favorite things that we did was go to some art museums. We went to the Van Gogh exhibition and the Moco Museum.
The Van Gogh exhibition was amazing! It truly was some of the most amazing art I have ever seen. The Moco Museum was more modern art. They had a lot of work from the famous anonymous artist, Banksy.
Other Attractions
We also saw the Royal Palace of Amsterdam and Vondelpark while we were there. The palace was beautiful! You have to buy tickets, but they weren’t too expensive and it comes with a free audio guide, definitely worth it.
Vondelpark was also beautiful. It is one of Amsterdam’s largest parks and it is a perfect place to stroll through and have a picnic if it is a nice day out. I also recommend renting some bikes and biking through it!
Fun Activities to do in Amsterdam
Boat Cruise
Along with all the beautiful sites to see, there are so many other fun things to do in Amsterdam! Another one of my favorite things I did on my weekend in Amsterdam was a night time boat cruise along the canal. We were lucky we had such an amazing tour guide who shared so much information about the history of Amsterdam as we admired the beautiful city at night.
Heineken Experience
If you are 18 or older, a fun thing to do with friends is the Heineken Experience. You must buy tickets ahead of time, but it is worth it.
You guide yourself along a tour of the history of Heineken beer, and the wonderful employees explain how the beer is made. Then you also get to see where it was made. At the end, you end up in the underground bar and can enjoy some Heineken beer.
Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank House was absolutely my favorite thing I experienced during my time in Amsterdam. The museum and audio guide does such a beautiful job of telling her story.
It was mind blowing, eye opening, and sad to see so much history in just one place. I absolutely recommend this, but you must book your tickets way ahead of time. It fills up fast.
The Food in Amsterdam!
If you’re a foody like I am you’re probably wondering about your options. Amsterdam has some amazing food! Something that is very popular is the fries! Many people argue over what place sells the best ones, but our favorite was Fabel Friet. It is a small place, but they have amazing sauces. My favorite combination was the spicy mayo with parmesan cheese. Highly recommend!
We also enjoyed some food from Chinatown, delicious açaí bowls from Rainbowls Amsterdam, and some churros that you can find everywhere. I got mine with a white chocolate drizzle! I hope you enjoy your weekend in Amsterdam!
By Summer Megnia
