The perfect 48 hours in Amsterdam by Natasja Noorlander – Part One

A local journey by Natasja, Maītre-Sommelier at Restaurant Vinkeles

48 hours in Amsterdam is way too short to explore all beauty the city has to offer, but therefore people often return. For frequents, I would recommend splitting in up in half! Let’s start with my perfect first 24 hours in Amsterdam:

I’d start with a late breakfast, I’m just not a big morning person as I spend most days working at night. Hop on a bike and take the ferry to the North of Amsterdam, to the NDSM wharf, an upcoming and creative area. Wander around for a bit and take a break at IJver.

Then cycle back through the Jordaan, the lively neighborhood which is very close to where I live, and have a stop at Cafe Thijssen, or when the sun is out, a late lunch at the square of Restaurant Domenica is an absolute must! Continue your journey and cycle through the Rijksmuseum. I know it sounds touristy, but the audiotour will surprise you. Especially the stories about the actual museum itself, the building and how they’ve done the big renovation as it was closed for 10 years! Very impressive.

Allright so now you’ve earned a glass of wine! Across the street you’ll find wine bar Shiraz. Enthused of all options on their wine list? Go one of my favorite wine shops in town. It’s always nice to explore new wines, to have a taste and a chat with the shop owners. A nice ride through the Vondelpark brings you to Wijnhuis Amsterdam, they have great selection of elegant and pure wines, of which most organic.

After spending some time here, it’s time for dinner! Amsterdam has a great culinary scene and it’s really hard to make a choice here. Depending on my mood, I think Zoldering, Sinck or Café Parlotte deserve a spot in my ‘Perfect 48 Hours’.

End the day with a craft cocktail at my favorite cocktail bar: Bar Oldenhof. Or alternatively at Tales & Spirts.

Then onto the next 24 hours. Amsterdam is a city that is very close to my heart, but I am originally from Haarlem, a beautiful serene town just 30 minutes outside of the the city. Read about this gem in Part Two of my perfect 48 hours…