The Beautiful Canals in Amsterdam

I am in love with Amsterdam! I used to say that about Paris but when I saw the beauty of Amsterdam last year, I have been in awe.

I have always dreamt of visiting The Netherlands even when I was a young kid. I think I was only 5 years old when I made my bucket list of places to visit. Of course, that piece of paper where all this "wanderlust" nature started has been long gone, in my heart and soul, I know what they are.

Visiting Amsterdam last year for my birthday was something I have only dreamt about. So, you can imagine my amazement when I actually saw the canals in the beautiful city of Amsterdam in person. My friend and I were both awe-struck, to say the least. All we could utter was, "so pretty!" And yes they are!

Do you know why The Netherlands has plenty of canals? The country is below sea level. They need a robust irrigation system to divert the water out of the country through the canals to prevent flooding. The canals have been around since 17th century.  In Amsterdam, the canals reaches more than a hundred kilometres when combined and they are now used as ways to travel.

A view of the flower market in Amstel

This is near the Amsterdam Central Station

One of the beautiful canals in Amsterdam

This is near Hotel The Bird where we stayed in Amstel. 

Experience The Blooming Amsterdam In A Limited Budget

People with a love for traveling keep seeking opportunities to travel in different places. When the spring is around, and you are low on your budget; the best place to go for is Amsterdam. There are plenty of reasons why to go to Amsterdam specifically in spring.

One of the main reasons is to see the Amsterdam city blooming with beautiful tulips. The tulips look very captivating, and you cannot miss this beauty and the charm they provide to the city. The tulips are the sign of emerging of spring, typically in the month of March.

Where Should You Go?

The place not to be missed, when you are visiting Amsterdam in the springs is Keukenhof Gardens.

Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof or ‘kitchen garden’ is known as the Garden of Europe. It is one of the largest flower gardens in the world. The park has more than 800 varieties of tulips, with more than 7 million bulbs in bloom in the spring.

The entry charge in this garden is €16 per adult. This is very reasonable as you can happily spend the whole day in the garden with your loved ones. The park is usually opened from 24 March to 16 May, from 8 am to 7:30 pm.

Various Activities To Do

Boat trips: Experiencing the exquisite beauty of the Keukenhof Gardens can be peacefully done by Boat rides. You can relax and enjoy the quiet of the garden while witnessing the blooming bulbs of tulips. The boat trip lasts for 45 minutes and costs €8 per adult, which is quite cheap.

Cycling: Bicycle is the best way to explore the area yourself. You can fall in love with the garden while riding the cycle. You may make a choice of the distance as per your preference, which can be from 5 km to 35 km.

Guided tours: If you want to know more about the type of flowers and learn all about the garden, guided tour is a must for you. And guess what? It is completely free of charge.

Restaurants: The garden is full of pavilions, stalls, and eateries to fill your stomach without losing much money. You can go for Juliana Pavilion, Beatrix Pavilion, Poffertjes house, Wilhelmina Pavilion, etc. to taste the yummy bites.

Accommodation: You can always find cheap apartments to rent in Amsterdam. Also, there are hotels nearby the park like Vakantiepark Koningshof, Rijnsburg, Camping De Zuidduinen, Katwijk Aan Zee, etc. to reside with your family.

Events to visit in the spring: There are many events taking place in Amsterdam in the season of spring. In this garden, you can enjoy food and flower festival, which is in the month of April. You can visit Keukenhof Flower market and flower parade here.

Shanty Choirs Festival is a party even to enjoy. Romance at Keukenhof is the classical musical event, which is carried out among the tulips. Family weekend is especially for families and children.

Conclusion

So, make sure you visit Keukenhof Gardens in the season of spring to experience the blooming tulips with reasonable price. You can create a lot of memories with your loved ones here.

What To Do in Amsterdam's Dam Square Area

Amsterdam is a beautiful city in the Netherlands. It is filled with winding canals, beautiful and tiny houses, lined up in cobble-stoned alleys and streets. Seeing Amsterdam for the first time is a wonderful experience and I want more.

My friend and I stayed in the Amstel area where it is walking distance to the flower market, the Amsterdam Central Station, food outlets and convenient stores like the famous Albert Heijn and the Dam Square.

Dam square is a big open space attraction in Amsterdam. Plenty of tourists and locals flock the area to pass by, people-watch, shop, dine, and simply take photo shoots since it is the same place where the Royal Palace is, the New Church, Madame Tussauds, the Magna Plaza, and the National Monument which is just across the street.

Dine

There are plenty of food outlets near Dam Square and you will not miss one at all. Simply stroll near the area and you will find plenty of restaurants and fast food chains you are familiar to. You can also try out their small food chains along the road and enjoy the nibbles while walking around Dam Square.

The Vlaamse Frites food outlet was along the stretch of Damrak. I liked that I was served by a very gracious and elderly man. He even gave me extra fries! Now, that is super customer service! And not to mention, the fries were awesome and best eaten with various sauces. I chose the cheddar cheese!

Sights

As I have mentioned earlier, Dam Square is home to famous edifices. It is frequented by millions of visitors each year and even locals enjoy these sights.

National Monument

This monument was constructed to honour the victims of World War II.

New Church

Nieuwe Kerk as it is called by the Dutch is a 15th century gothic building which held prominent weddings and even Royal coronations in the past. It now holds art exhibitions. It is a church that is not used for any church services but only as an exhibition place.

It is also a burial site for famous people like the playwright Joost van den Vondel.

Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis)

The palace may not look very grandiose but once you see the inside, it has opulence written all over it. Unfortunately, my friend and I did not see the inside of this magnificent palace. So, I checked the internet for a nice photo to share here (Photo credit: pinterest.com). 

Interiors of the Royal Palace

Shop

Dam Square is teeming with big, small and other trendy shops frequented by both locals and visitors. Bijenkorf, Magna Plaza and Albert Heijn are the ones nearest to this place.

This is me and my friend near the Bijenkorf.

Nearby Attractions

Here are some attractions near Dam Square.  And no, I did not enter the museum!

Hotel The Bird in Amsterdam Review

The Hotel The Bird is a newly refurbished building in the heart of Amstel area, just a mere 15 minutes walk from the Amsterdam Central Station. It is a nice little hotel near food outlets, groceries, the Bloom Market and Dam Square, Rembrandtplein and Delft Experience. It is also very near  the headquarters of my favourite hotel booking site in the world - Booking.com.

My friend and I booked a twin room for 4 nights. It is not a very big room but enough to accommodate the two of us who are fairly "small." We loved the room and the hotel as a whole for the reason that we got a good location, it's not noisy, the beds are super comfortable and the Front Desk staff named Evie was so nice and helpful to us. We felt really special and welcome in the hotel.

What I like:
The location was superb! It is located in Amstel, very near the Flower Market, the Delft Experience, Dam Square, Rembrandtplein, National Opera, Amsterdam Central Station and many more tourists attractions within walking distance.  The hotel is very near groceries (Albert Heijn To Go), fast food, tram way and has a good view of the canal.

The bed is super comfortable. It is just the right firmness for a good rest especially after a long day of walking. It is new too as most of the stuff inside the room are.

The rain shower head! I like the shower head a lot because I can fully wash my hair without having to use tiny handheld showers. Also, the water temperature is well regulated. It's easy to set the temperature setting for the hot water or if you prefer to shower with lukewarm water.

The bathroom is clean and the fixtures are brand new. The shampoo/body wash and liquid soap are in big, squeezable containers so there's no worry of running out of them. Even if, you can always buy your bath paraphernalia in the grocery just adjacent the hotel. There's also a hairdryer!

The big flat screen TV. I am not sure how big it is. I am not good at that but I know it's big. There are available English channels too so I had time to watch before going to bed.

The lighting is great. I didn't find the room dark as there are plenty of lighting options to choose if you want a dim or bright room. There's also a big window so during the day, you can keep the curtains on the side to get natural light in.

The hotel is actually refurbished. It smells new, the lobby is clean and well decorated and lit.

The Front Desk agent named Evie is so nice and friendly. She spoke really good English and had given us tips and free map to use if we wanted to explore Amsterdam on foot. She was there every morning and at night, we would see another agent (a male) and I have missed to get his name. Both of them are very courteous. This is one of the reasons why I may find myself booking in this hotel again soon.

The whole time we were there, our rooms were cleaned and the towels replaced. On the last day of our stay, we just informed the housekeeping staff not to clean the room anymore since we were leaving the next day.

The wi-fi connection is free and available in the hotel premises.


Here are more pictures of the hotel:

Most of the hotels in Amsterdam do not have lifts (elevators). I am pleasantly surprised that this small hotel has. It was a big help especially if you have a luggage to carry.

What I don't like:
NOTHING to like in this hotel. I like this hotel a lot!

Price:
Booked a total of 4 nights and 5 days for €440++ via Booking.com. Rates were getting high around Amsterdam and I booked this hotel around last quarter of 2014.

Meal option:
There's no meal option attached to our rate. I don't think they offer room service. I am not sure though.

Nearby attractions:
Dam Square
Flower Market
Rembrandtplein
National Opera
Amsterdam Dungeon
Ice Bar
Hermitage
Amsterdam Museum
the canals

My recommendation: 5 of 5

I am really satisfied with my stay in this small hotel. It may not be 5-stars in quality and value but the feeling of being special in their property is enough to make it stand out. I like the courteous staff, the warm welcome, the fast check-in and out and of course, the location of this property. I highly recommend this hotel to families, business travellers, solo travellers and small groups.

The hotel has 15 rooms.  Hotel The Bird is located at Amstel 30, 1017AB, Amsterdam, Netherland.


Search for hotels and rates here:   Booking.com

Disclosure:
This hotel review is my personal review. I have paid for this stay and in no way sponsored by the property nor Booking.com. I love to book via Booking.com because I always find a very competitive rate or great deals when compared to other booking sites. My opinion is 100% mine and may vary from yours.

Review - ibis budget Hotel Amsterdam at Badhoevedorp

This is the first time I have ever booked a hotel near the airport and also the first time to be in Netherlands after many years of planning, cancelling, planning and finally really going. I am very happy with this decision to book a night's stay near the airport as my friend and I were first timers in Netherlands and we didn't know the place yet. Arriving at night is also one of the great factors I have considered when I chose this hotel at Badhoevedorp area just few kilometres away from the Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport.

As usual, I always book my hotels at Booking.com and I get good rates because of their "secret deals" offered to subscribers. I am glad I have booked in advance because hotels in Netherlands are fully booked now until summer.

The ibis budget Hotel Amsterdam is a very nice and cozy hotel just near the airport. It is part of the ibis/Accor hotels chain. Here are my feedback about this quaint hotel but good enough to satisfy a comfortable stay.

The hotel offers 200 budget rooms, all equipped with flat TV, phone, and toilet/shower and free wi-fi all throughout the building. It also has wheelchair access for those with disability.



What I like:
The fast check in and check out. It didn't take us more than 5 minutes to be checked in. Check out was super breeze! I just had to inform the staff I was checking out because my friend and I already paid the stay upon check in.

The staff are all friendly, from the shuttle bus driver, to the check-in/out staff, to the housekeeping staff. Everyone was willing to give us a hand in carrying our luggages down the fire exit staircase when the power went off in the whole of Amsterdam last 27 March. Even the lady concierge staff offered to assist me with my luggage while I was going down the stairs. I declined because I didn't want to inconvenience her since I could manage but the fact that she didn't only ask me, she also asked the others going down the staircase that time. The other staff offered to help other guests too with their luggages. Also, they were all friendly and offered help when needed. I just felt so special in that place.

The bed! Oh the bed is ultra comfortable! It's not too soft nor hard for my back. I had a good night's sleep. I requested a twin bed but my friend and I were given 1 big double with a single bunk bed on top. Actually, a family with 2 kids or 3 adults can stay in the room.

The shower area is clean.

The apple green wall! Yes, I liked the colour a lot because it's soothing and relaxing for me. It may seem to be odd for some but I find it nice.

The location. It is just a mere 7-10 minutes drive from the airport.

There is a free shuttle bus that picks up guests from the Amsterdam Schiphol airport to and from and it runs every 15-20 minutes. There is a timetable in the bus stop designated for ibis budget/ibis Hotel guests just across Sheraton. There is also a timetable in the hotel lobby.

There is a free wifi. Since our room is only at the 2nd floor, we didn't have any issue on the connection. It was fast and okay.

We paid for a buffet breakfast for only €7 each. I am not sure if that is cheap by European standard but the breakfast consists of several choices of freshly baked breads, cereals, yogurts, cold cuts, sausages, coffee/tea/juices and cheese, spreads and butter.

The big flat TV affixed on the wall so it didn't obstruct anything.

Has access for wheelchair

Has vending machine in the lobby if you need a late night snack and drink.

Pets are allowed.

What I don't like:
The toilet. Well, this is the first time I have seen a toilet that is separated from the shower area in the bathroom. I found it very unsanitary to use the toilet with just the tissue to use and no water hose to clean myself up afterwards. I literally have to get up and move to the shower room with a frosted glass door to fully wash myself or use the sink outside, near the bed. Hmmm, I don't know why the set up was like that. The hotel could have just made 1 small cubicle and placed the toilet side by side the shower area with the wash basin inside too. Just thought the set up was so weird and very unsanitary. The shower room's door does not have a lock.

(no lock in the shower area and the door is just a frosted glass...not much coverage)

The lighting was not as bright as the other hotels I have been to. The lights in the room were sufficient but not bright.

The windows can be opened which I find not good for security reasons. It was good to open the window probably during summer because I didn't notice if there was any air condition unit in the room. So, it must be okay to have a window that opens during summer.

There's no closet which makes sense because the room is not very big.

The shower area does not have any hook where you can hang your towel.


Room type:
Standard room with 1 double bed and bunk bed

Meal option:
None but you can avail of the €7 buffet breakfast

Price:
€49 (excluding taxes) per room per night from Booking.com

Nearby attraction:
Haarlem
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam City Centre (approx 8 kms. from the hotel)

My recommendation: 4 out of 5

I find this hotel a good one to stay for shorter period of time because it's clean, quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. It offers free shuttle from and to the airport which can save you money. I like how nice and friendly the staff were and I felt really welcomed in this property.

I do recommend this to families, business travellers, solo travellers and even for couples. It is also great for those who cannot leave their fur babies behind as they accept pets. I actually saw a cute dog being walked at the parking area by one of the guests of the hotel. I didn't realise then that they allow pets in the hotel.

ibis budget Hotel Amsterdam is located at Schipholweg 1851171 PK - Badhoevedorp, Netherlands.


If you wish to book this property, please check availability and the very competitive rates (subject to change without prior notice) offered in Booking.com. Also, don't forget to ask about their pet policy before you book as it may change.


Search for hotels and rates here:   Booking.com

Disclosure:
This hotel review is my personal review. I have paid for this stay and in no way sponsored by the property nor Booking.com. I love to book via Booking.com because I always find a very competitive rate or great deals when compared to other booking sites. My opinion is 100% mine and may vary from yours.

Amsterdam Tours

When my family and I go for trips abroad, we tend to skip booking for tours and discover the places of interest ourselves. It's more fun that way and you'll never know what other interesting finds you'll have along the way.

This time, I am traveling with my buddy and since we are two ladies who are traveling to Amsterdam for the first time, it is a wise decision to use the services of a tour operator.

I booked our Amsterdam and Brussels tour in two tour operators that I trust: Viator and City Discovery.

I have done booking with Viator in the past for my mom's airport shuttle service in Bangkok and I asked my mom about the service. Viator did not disappoint at all in terms of customer service and punctuality. So, I decided to try them again and this time, for our tours in Amsterdam. I used City Discovery for our Brussels tour because they have a very good programme for the full-day tour in Brussels with a side trip to Antwerp too. At least, the Antwerp trip was a very pleasant addition to our already packed itinerary.

I will post the reviews when we're all done and will also tell you about the rates of each tours I have booked so the next time you visit Amsterdam, you know where to avail land arrangements in terms of tours, cruises, etc.

My buddy and I really saved hard for this trip to happen and we're just few days away from actually setting our feet in Amsterdam. I have always dreamt of seeing those magnificent windmills, the dikes, the fields of beautiful tulips (which happens to be my favourite flower!), the lovely architecture around Netherlands and of course, those canals that also make Amsterdam very famous.

Well, I hope it's already 26 March because that mean's we're off to Netherlands! It's going to be one busy vacation in terms of touring the places of interest there. No shopping for me because Amsterdam is an expensive place to visit. I'd stick to buying few souvenirs and cheese. As long as we have tours, photo ops in famous places and a relaxing time in the hotel of our choice then I'm happy.

Schengen Visa Is Here!

Oh, hello Amsterdam! Yes! I have received my passport today and have been given 90-days validity in my Schengen Visa. Ok, it's not what I have hoped for but hey, it's my first time to apply as the principal applicant and I'm not complaining. I'm just used to being with my hubby when we apply for our Schengen Visa and here it is, my very own.

I'm so excited now! I just feel like waiting for 26 March and take off to Amsterdam with my close buddy. I am so eager to pack up and do our itinerary for real. I haven't heard from my buddy yet if she received her passport already. I hope she got approved too as we applied together. I am sure she will as we travel as a party.

Well, we'll be planning our tours now. Hopefully, we'll have the chance to see other places near Netherlands. Most of them are just few hours of train ride and we'll be back in a jiffy. Let's see but for now, Keukenhof Gardens, here we come!

Waiting For Visa

Waiting in anticipation of whether we got approved for a multi-entry visa for Schengen states or not is the hardest part of applying for visa. I am used to filling out forms as I always do it for my family. However, my husband was always the principal applicant. This is the first time I have applied on my own and I hope I get a long duration of multiple-entry visa.

The excitement is already palpable. I am not even thinking of my birthday anymore. I am just too engrossed with the Amsterdam trip and so eager to book for the tours before we ran out of slots due to the high season and demand. Remember, this is spring and Europe is a go-to place for spring due to the nice weather, lovely gardens and festivities.

Few more days and we will come to know. I just pray it's a YES!

Super Excited For Netherlands Trip

Well, my friend and I finally applied yesterday for our Schengen Visa at the Netherlands Consulate in Dubai.  The way there was a long, long via train ride (almost an hour just one way!) but I must say, it was all worth it.

My friend and I were asked questions on where we've been, how many Schengen Visas we have had in the past, why we were visiting Amsterdam and for how long. It was a very nice lady who processed our paperwork and we paid only 260 Dirhams including the courier service charge of 15 Dhs. It is a lot cheaper to apply directly to the country of your first entry point or where you are staying the longest when you apply for Schengen. If we have availed the services of the VFS Global (they're like an authorised agent/broker accepting applications for various members of the Schengen States), we would have paid almost twice as much because of the processing fee.

So, we're just waiting for our passports and hopefully we get approved and be given multiple entry as I plan to go back in June with my daughter when she spends summer here in Dubai.

It's been a while since we last visited Europe and this is my first time to apply as a principal applicant. I usually get my visas from other countries through my husband as the main applicant because he has higher salary than mine. :) So, I was a bit nervous because I wasn't sure if I had enough money in my bank account or if my salary is too low to be considered. Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed because it seems like the consul officer knew we are travellers. She was pleasantly surprised to see so many visas stamped on my passport and to my delight, she was paying attention to which countries they were issued I'm just glad I love to travel and hopefully, they give us multiple entry with long duration so we can always visit even for short breaks over the weekend. That will be very exciting!

Also, we mentioned it is our birthday gift to ourselves as my friend and I celebrate our birthdays a day apart (I on 15 March and she on 16 March). I hope they give us the approved visa with multiple entry and a longer duration of expiry as our birthday gifts. :)

Dreaming Of A Euro Tour Next Year

I planned 2 years ago and it fizzled. I planned last year but we went to Japan instead. I am planning again for 2015 and hopefully, barring any circumstances and not changing our minds for the last minute, we will go to Europe.

I plan to take my mom and mother-in-law in our annual family vacation and the dates are still tentative until my daughter settles in college and give me her vacation slots. Until then, we can formalize the whole thing.

So, where are we going this time? Well, I have been dreaming of seeing the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands. We haven't been to Netherlands yet so that is a must. Another thing, the oldies haven't been to Europe yet so it will be nice to tour them in Milan, Rome, Florence, Venice and Tuscany. I am also adding 2 nights in Paris just for them to see the Eiffel Tower and other famous places to see there.

I hope that my daughter's vacation from school will be at least 3 weeks so we can spend longer vacation in Italy unlike last 2008 where everything was swift. We didn't have the chance to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa nor visit Venice while the latter was already near Milan.

I am scouting for cheap train fares as well for a group since there are 5 of us travelling. So far, Thalys rail passes is the one I can bank on. I'll just check if I can find something similar but cheaper which will take us from Amsterdam to Gare Du Nord in Paris in less than 4 hours. That will still give us enough time to visit the many places in Paris which we missed to see the first time we were there like the Montparnasse Tower, the Sacre Coeur and the Versailles. Ah, Paris... I can't wait to set my foot in that place again!

Well, all these are tentative and given my family's track record in changing destinations in a snap is making me a bit worried. I have already set my mind and heart to visit all those places I have mentioned above with the oldies and I don't want them to miss the opportunity.

We'll probably visit the other parts of Europe next time like the Christmas Markets in Germany or in Vienna and Prague. There are so many places to see and there's plenty of time. Meanwhile, I am keen to do the Italy-Netherlands-France trio. I can squeeze Belgium too if time permits and if the oldies are not too tired to do train switching and bus-hopping. We'll see.

Euro Tour 2015! I am looking forward to that!

Going To Europe In November? Why Not!

I am not sure what's happening to me but I have been obsessing about the Christmas Markets in Europe for some time. We have been delaying another trip to Europe for some time now because going to the US was more convenient. However, I really miss going to the beautiful cities of Europe. I just want to check another item in my bucket list. It's something that motivates me to work harder and then enjoy life.

Christmas Markets regularly open at the end of the week of November and open until the days leading to Christmas. I have been discussing this with my dear hubby and our daughter would second the motion. We are just waiting for the hubby's nod so I can finally plan the whole trip.

I am eyeing Warsaw first then will head to Prague and move on to Vienna and back to Dubai. That is one of the option. The other option is a daring and a more cold one. We'll head up north in Stockholm, move to Copenhagen then visit Amsterdam and back to Dubai.  It won't be a long vacation, just 7 days but the whole objective of the trip is to soak in the Holiday spirit of the Christmas Markets around Europe.

Oh, I can't wait! I hope hubby will consider. For a change, I am not keen to visit the US this winter time. It'll be nice to experience the winter of Europe. I am looking forward to that!

(Photo credit: yahoo images)

Amsterdam’s Top 3 High-End Eateries

Photo credit: tanamatales.com but I added text

Amsterdam is one of the best places to take a weekend break, not only because of the liberal and relaxed nature of the Dutch people, but mainly due to the fact that there’s so much to see and do! From cafés and canals to amazing architecture and exciting culture, Amsterdam is a must-visit city this summer, and as the capital of Holland, it certainly lives up to its reputation.

Offering mesmerising beauty, world-renowned coffee shops, art galleries, live music, street acts, bicycles and so much more, there’s never been a better time to visit Amsterdam. One of the best things about the city is the amazing food, and there are vibrant and diverse restaurants, pubs and bars around every corner.

Considering the size of the city, Amsterdam packs one hell of a punch, and because it attracts millions of tourists, the food industry has to be on its best game all year round. Let’s take a look at some of the best high-end restaurants in Amsterdam.

1.     La Oliva

If you like wine, stunning décor, Basque-style tapas, and generally a great night, then La Oliva is the place for you. This fantastic restaurant can be found in Egelantiersstraat in the heart of the city, and with main meals costing around 20 euros, you certainly get a lot for your money here. One of this restaurant’s special dishes is something called pintxos, a selection of bread-based delights with various toppings and flavours.

If you’re looking for something a little more filling, then there is a full European menu on offer, including succulent steak, homemade chips, great pies and a variety of pasta dishes. Furthermore, the wine list is also extensive, meaning you can simply come to La Oliva for a quiet drink.

2.     Beddington’s

Named after the head chef and owner, British-born Jean Beddington, this restaurant is a joy to behold. After opening her first restaurant in 1983 in Amsterdam city centre, Jean used her worldly experience – including influences from her time in Japan, England and other parts of Europe – to create Beddington’s.

As one of the most creative and stylish digs in Amsterdam, this restaurant can be found hidden down a quiet side road, away from all the hustle and bustle of the tourist hubs of the city. If you’re looking for signature dishes to try out, then the sweet potato mash is the one for you – with the spuds freshly grown in Jean’s own private plot.

Due to its clientele, which are mostly business types, prices are a little steep, however well worth it. Overspending on your accommodation is also much wiser than overspending on your travel and you can effectively control your flight spend by using an online flight comparison website. Cheapflights is a good place to start.

3.     De Kas

De Kas – or ‘the greenhouse’ – is a local favourite in Amsterdam. Not only is the entire restaurant housed inside a specially made greenhouse, but the food is some of the best in the city. One of the best things about De Kas is where it gets its produce. The restaurant is actually split into two parts – one half for growing vegetables and fruit for sides and desert, and the other is where people are seated! If the food you order isn’t grown here, then it’s sourced from local farms with high quality cattle.