Amsterdam was the first place I have ever travelled alone. I was super anxious about it, but turns out, it is a great place to be a solo traveler.  There is tons to see and do, and passing the time is easy when you can sit at a cafe along the canal, and take in the gorgeous views everywhere you look.  It is at the top of my list of favorite vacation spots and I would love to go back again and explore with friends or family.

Accommodation

Singel Hotel
I had enough Open Table points to earn a free night in a hotel (yes that’s a thing!), so I chose the Singel Hotel.  It is conveniently located, a ten minutes walk from Amsterdam Central train station.  My room was a single and TINY, but it was nicely updated, the bed was super comfortable, and the view from the window overlooking the canal was perfection.  Breakfast was included in my rate and was a nice spread of eggs, breakfast meats, cheese, yogurt and pastries.  It was a little pricy if not using Open Table points, so unfortunately I couldn’t stay there my entire trip, but I thoroughly enjoyed the one night.  However, it would be much more affordable if you were splitting with someone.  Highly recommended.

Hotel Nadia
Because I was on a budget and hotels in Amsterdam are expensive, I had to find a different hotel to stay in the remaining nights.  I chose Hotel Nadia because it was rated high, for budget hotels.  It is also in a convenient location, a 5 minute walk from Ann Frank House.  It has an old, haunted house vibe, and can definitely use a face lift, but was clean and the staff were lovely.  A light breakfast was included daily, with a mix of pasteries, meats and cheeses.  If you have a larger budget, you may want to find something a little more updated, however Hotel Nadia is great for a person on budget.  It’s dark and old, but has a certain charm to it.

Getting Around

Getting to Amsterdam is easy, as it’s one of the biggest hubs in Europe for air travel.  It’s also very easily accessible via train, making it an easy stop when coming and going from elsewhere in the Netherlands and/or Europe.  Because I was coming from London, I took the Eurostar from St Pancras into Amsterdam Central Station, which was around $50, direct, and super easy.

The main method of transportation within Amsterdam is bike.  The locals are pros, and I would advise you to stay out of their way.  If you are an experienced cyclist, biking around the city may be the way to go.  If not, walking is a great alternative.  It’s a safer and easier way to take in the beautiful canal views and classic Dutch architecture.

Food and Drinks

Cannibale Royale
I was looking for a good burger in Amsterdam and my search led me to Cannibale Royale.  As a solo traveler it was nice because they had a bar to sit at, which was less intimidating than sitting alone at a table.  The burger was massive, delicious and moderately priced.  Paired with a glass of wine, it was a perfect dinner.

Foodhallen
The Foodhallen is a great spot for a low key, but fun night out.  There are tons of different food stalls, offering a variety of cuisines and drinks, and there was also live music.  It a fun way to try different foods and not have to commit to an entire meal at one restaurant.

t’Smalle
t’Smalle is a traditional Dutch pub/cafe, just around the corner from the Amsterdam Cheese Museum.  (A traditional Dutch pub has dark wood inside and is lit by candle light.)  The best part about it is the outdoor seating, directly on the canal.  Get there early to secure an outdoor table, to enjoy the sunshine; otherwise you’ll be waiting a while.

De Fles
De Fles is another canal side restaurant/cafe.  I stopped in on a sunny afternoon for some drinks, on my way to the museum quarter.  It was wonderful to sit in the sun, read my book and enjoy the canal views on a beautiful spring afternoon.

Café P96
Another canal side cafe with great outdoor seating.  The great part about this cafe’s outdoor seating is that it is on a boat, on the canal.  Take in the views, watch the other boats cruise by, and enjoy a cocktail in the sun.

Tales and Spirits
Tales and Spirits is a great cocktail bar, centrally located just off the Singel canal.   They also serve food, but I decided to stop in just for post dinner cocktails.  They have a creative menu and the presentation is on point.  I had The Girl Next Door and the From Whoo?, which both were tasty and strong.

General Tips

1 – Amsterdam uses the Euro.  I ended up trading in my Pounds at the currency exchange, which I typically don’t do because of the fees they charge.   Thankfully I found a no fee currency exchange (Pott Change) just off Dam Square.  Turns out having cash was not necessary because literally everywhere takes cards, but I always feel safer having a little bit of cash on me, just in case.  Our credit cards in the US are not yet tap to pay like they are in Europe.  A tip is to add your credit card to your phone for Apple Pay (or whatever your phone has) to be able to use contactless pay.  It really makes paying so easy.

2 – Prostitution is legal in Amsterdam.  The Red Light District is a very strange place, with woman standing in the windows, advertising themselves for business.  It appears that once the woman have a paying client, they pull the curtain and use the bed in the room for their services.  Seems crazy to me, but they are regulated, tax paying “solo business owners” who have just chosen a less conventional way to make a living.  They are not there to gawk at or take photos of, but wandering through the streets and observing the women at work is an interesting way to spend a part of the day.

3 – While wandering the streets, you will see many cafes AND coffee shops.  A cafe, as you might expect, is a restaurant where you may have a bite to eat, a cup of coffee, or cocktail.  A coffee shop, on the other hand, is where you can purchase marijuana.  Fun fact, smoking pot is actually NOT legal in Amsterdam like everyone thinks it is, but the police have just decided to look the other way.  In fact, no one has been arrested for marijuana since 1975.  You can buy pot to smoke, but also but edibles, in the form of space cookies/cakes.  I also saw a few gummies around in some of the stores, but wasn’t sure what was real and/or how potent they were.  I didn’t partake this trip, because I didn’t think a solo high would be as much fun, but next time I go back with other people I’ll have to try it out, because…when in Rome.

4 – Some other random/fun facts I learned along the way about the Netherlands:

-The Dutch are some of the tallest people in the world, with average height being 6’1″ and 5’8″, for men and women respectively.
-The phrase “going Dutch” (i.e. people paying for themselves), comes from the stereotype that Dutch people are greedy.
-The canals are only about 3 meters deep.  And the Dutch say they are actually one meter of mud, one meter of water and one meter of bikes.  In fact, around 32,000 bikes are recovered from the canals each year!

Amsterdam is one of the best places I have had the pleasure of visiting.  It is one of the most picturesque cities in Europe.  It’s affordable, easy to navigate and offers tons to see and do.  Particularly in the spring, with the tulips in full bloom.  I can’t imagine anyone not having a great time.  And if for some reason you aren’t having enough fun, popping into a coffee shop for a space cake is sure to help.