Amsterdam journey | Viexplore

24 hours in Amsterdam

Europe

Lim Nguyen

Since our original plan of a two-day holiday in Amsterdam could not happen because of external reasons, we decided to still come to the city and take the challenge: try to see as much as possible for only one day. Well, 24 hours in Amsterdam, why not? We came up with a plan and here’s how we managed to make our journey in the Dutch capital useful in only 24 hours. If you are planning a trip to Amsterdam (not during tulip season) and have a very tight amount of time as we did, take a look at our itinerary:

7h30 – 10h30: Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schan is the famous windmill village just outside of Amsterdam and one of the most unique destinations in The Netherland so be prepared that it will be full of tourists. Therefore we chose to come here in the early morning and this was also our first stop in this 24-hour itinerary. After a good breakfast including croissant and hot chocolate in a pretty cafe, we took the train from the central station to Zaanse Schan. The train departed at half past 7 and arrived only 40 minutes later. We finally got to see the famous windmills and they were huge. In Zaanse Schan you can also rent a bike and ride around the village, which is also an experience not to miss out. We spent about an hour and a half here in Zaanse Schan before getting on the train and go back to central Amsterdam.

11h30 – 13h00: Rijksmuseum

After having lunch, we visited Rijksmuseum. If you are a fan of European museums like us, Rijksmuseum must be on your list. Although the entry ticket is quite expensive (17.5 Euro and no student discount), trust me, it’s totally worth it. Rijksmuseum is the most popular museum in Amsterdam one of the most impressive in Europe. Besides the ancient artifacts from different movements, there is also a stunning gallery giving you a chance to create some incredible snapshots here.

You may also want to book online tickets first to avoid waiting in the long line. Want to know another reason why Rijksmuseum is such a visited place? Well because the iconic I AMSTERDAM letters that any visitors want a photo with are placed right in front of the museum.

13h00 – 15h00: Dam Square

I have learned that Dam square is the spot where Amsterdam was first built and formed from. The name Amsterdam today came from the word Dam and the Amstel river flowing across the city. From the central station, it took us 10 minutes to walk to the square, through the main road named Damrak. Along this road, you will see many restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. If you are planning on buying some souvenirs, here’s a small tip for you, the closer you get to the square, the more reasonable the prices are.

Dam square always attracts a large number of attention from tourists because of its frequent events and art performances from street performers, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the city. I and my friends I just sat there and enjoyed the rhythm of Amsterdam's life, which was fun to do.

15h00 – 17h30: Central Canal

The small bridges crossing the canals stretching along the city are perhaps the most attractive thing I find in Amsterdam. We lined up to buy some chips then walked along the beautiful canals and came across some hidden alleys too. If you like you can get on a boat that runs around the city to slowly enjoy the beauty of Amsterdam in a different way. I am sure that will be unforgettable.

17h30 – 21h30: Dinner and Enjoy Amsterdam Nightlife

One interesting thing I noticed is that there are so many Thai restaurants in the city center, and we chose one of them for our dinner in Amsterdam. It’s a multicultural city, so I hope having Thai food here is not something so strange. The restaurant where we ate was the famous Thaise Snackbar Bird restaurant which has been opening for nearly 40 years, and of course, there was a long line outside of it. Although the space was quite small but the food, at a reasonable price did not disappoint us.

For the rest of our time in the city, we went for cocktails and watch the city by night, then come across the Red Light district, an special part reflecting the unique nightlife culture differentiating Amsterdam from the rest of the world.

And that was our 24 hours in Amsterdam. We hope you will have a wonderful time if you ever come to this lovely city and don’t forget to share your stories with Viexplore!

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LIM NGUYEN

Editor

Xin chao, I am Viexplore's editor. I like to visit new destinations around the world and explore the combination of fashion and travel. I am really interested in introducing Vietnamese fashion brands through my travel photos and journeys with Viexplore.

Follow me on Instagram: @_limm.inf