Written by Mark Neville
Amsterdam is more than just canals and “coffee shops.” With their super-friendly, laid back community, incredible food and history, and their high quality of life, Amsterdam is becoming a major attraction for American expats looking for a European getaway.
But what should you do first upon your arrival? We’ve compiled a list of the few absolute musts that should be at the top of your agenda.
Need help making the move? We can help move your household items to Amsterdam so all you’ll have to worry about are getting your feet into a pair of clogs.
Top 5 Things to Do When You Move to Amsterdam:
Get a Bicycle:
Amsterdam is one of the world’s greatest biking cities. Having a bike opens up the city; not only making it easier, faster, and cheaper to get around but it also functions as a great tour. With all sorts of different bike paths, you’ll be able to give yourself your own bicycling tour of your new city.
Museum Tour:
Amsterdam is renowned for having some of the best museums in the world and some of the best artists in the world. First and foremost you’ll have to check out the Rijksmuseum, then the Van Gogh museum, then follow that up with the Rembrandt House Museum. On a more somber but equally important note, you’ll have to visit the Anne Frank house and see the famous/infamous attic.
Tour the Canals:
Other than its “coffee shops,” Amsterdam is best known for its canals. Amsterdam can go toe to toe with Venice in a gondola-off any day. Even though it might seem a bit “touristy” remember that you are still technically a tourist…and why not get the “touristy” stuff out of the way early.
Eat!:
This item is very simple: taste the local cuisine of the Netherlands. From delectable pastries to sausages and cheeses to their vast ends of the various minority cultures that have settled in Amsterdam, their cuisine is one of adventure.
Coffee Shops:
You simply have to finish Amsterdam’s notorious coffee shops at least once (if only to see what all the fuss is about). Returning home to America and telling your friends you never visited a coffee shop would be like coming back from Paris and saying you never saw the Eiffel Tower.
