We’ve all seen the pictures. Or rather the picture. Be it a group of ‘lads’, a cutesy couple, or the hen party- they’ve all had their photo taken on a bridge, canal in the background, bicycles dotted around the scene. That’s right, these days everybody’s been to Amsterdam. But for that remaining percentage, you must wonder… is it overrated? I travelled to the city for the second time just last week, and let me tell you, it does not let down…
The unique buzz of the city however hit me as soon as we stepped off the night train
Despite my instant adoration of the city upon my first visit, a year or so down the line I began to doubt how ‘great’ it really was. The aforementioned tourist pictures on Instagram were becoming repetitive, aggravating almost. When my boyfriend surprised me with a Valentine’s getaway to ‘the dam’, I was of course thrilled, but deep down, slightly dubious. The unique buzz of the city however hit me as soon as we stepped off the night train. There’s an undeniable atmosphere once you enter the narrow winding streets, an air of mischief; you’re caught in a bubble of people who are all high on life (and maybe other substances). It’s easy to get lost in the maze of alleyways and every corner there’s red lit windows, pastel kooky shops, casual truffle stores and never-ending canals. You truly don’t have to do anything at all to enjoy your time in the city- simply getting a feel of the place is enough. However if you do like to plan, there’s more to the city than the infamous ‘ice-bar’ or the sex museum. Anne Frank’s house, the Van Gough museum, vintage street markets, the Stedelijk Museum, the striking Dutch windmills are just a few of many attractions. Before you plan on skimming past Amsterdam as a ‘typical’ tourist destination and looking elsewhere, I urge you to go, and inevitably fall in love with this one-of-a-kind city.