You’re probably thinking, “I’m already in my overdraft, how is this article on Amsterdam going to win me over?” Well, challenge accepted. Here’s a little guide of tips and tricks to keeping that all important budget as low as possible, so you can enjoy that extra ocean night out this year.
Travelling
– When looking for flights, make sure to visit the Skyscanner website to compare bookings for a whole month. As it shows you the cheapest options and which airlines fly on certain days.
– There are plenty of cheap flights to Amsterdam from cities including Manchester, London and Liverpool.
– I would recommend looking at January 2018, with Easyjet offering flights on average of £75pp both ways.
– When arriving in Amsterdam there are plenty of ways to get to the city centre, however I would suggest the train. With it only costing €5pp I believe it is the cheapest option.
Travelling whilst in the city
The city centre of Amsterdam can be compared to a jigsaw piece in comparison to say, Paris which is the complete puzzle – it is tiny in comparison. There was therefore no need to use any public transport links whilst in the city as everything is in walking distance. Some of the cutest canal walks and boutique streets are for pedestrians only, however there is a tram in and around the city centre.
I’m sure there are plenty of breath-taking apartments to stay in and enjoy whilst visiting Amsterdam but if you’re spending more time in your hotel room than out exploring you’re doing it wrong!
Hotel ibis Amsterdam Centre – with the location of this hotel a minute, if that, walk from the train station, it is perfect. You are also close to the central square of the city and with an average price of £100 per night, I couldn’t recommend a better hotel to stay in. Check out this link to book.
Best places to visit whilst in the city
Even before I visited Amsterdam I idealised what seemed like endless beautiful canals lined with iconic towering buildings – probably from all the Instagram photos I’d seen! Walking these streets would honestly keep you entertained for days, but there are more time worthy places to be visiting.
ANNE FRANK
This. was. amazing. From learning about Anne Frank at school and falling in love with her diary, this was a must. The museum will not let you down. You can spend as much time as you wish once inside, so take your time and soak in the experience.
Definitely book tickets though, as people can queue for over two hours in the freezing cold! Tickets are only €9pp, visit the website below for more information.
http://www.annefrank.org/en/Museum/Practical-information/Online-ticket-sales/
A’DAM LOOKOUT
Located just the other side of the river and just behind the train station and the Ibis hotel, it is just a short free ferry ride away.
Your experience begins the moment you walk into the building. Even the lift was exciting which I know, is usually a very boring part. There’s a restaurant and bar to utilise whilst you take in the breathtaking views of what seems miles up. I could have taken the view in all day.
There are different packages to choose from when visiting the A’DAM LOOKOUT so make sure to look out for the best deals. Check out the link below for the package I used.
Shopping
Before visiting Amsterdam I didn’t think once about going shopping or the fact they would have shops worth visiting – I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Ranging from what must have been one of the largest Primarks in the world, to the cutest of boutiques right through to humorous Amsterdam style shops, there was something for everyone. I would be sure to check out the street Nieuwe Zijde Amsterdam for your typical high street stores and Centrum, Bethaniëndwarsstraat for the boutiques.
Best places to eat
With Amsterdam being an extremely cheap capital city compared to others that I have visited, such as Madrid and Paris, it was easy to find restaurants for a student budget. Here are a few that I visited on my visit:
BLUE AMSTERDAM
If you want to enjoy lunch with a stunning rooftop view then this is the place for you. The food was amazing and for the price it is definitely worth a visit. I had the lunch deal of a: small veggie soup, smoked salmon on toast, side salad, homemade drink, a hot drink and a cookie for only €18. Make sure to look out for the restaurant though as the lift for the restaurant is located in a shopping centre.
VINNIES –
This cafe is perfect for breakfast especially for people with different dietary requirements – gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian. It isn’t located on the central streets but is only a 5-10 minute walk from the centre of town. For fresh, healthy food I would definitely take a visit.
Check out the café at this address: Haarlemmerstraat 46 HS, 1013 ES Amsterdam, Netherlands
So I hope this article makes you want to stretch your overdraft a little more with a long weekend away in Amsterdam this Christmas or maybe even the beautiful city of Paris? You’ll have to wait till next time though for that style guide.
By Rachel Boulter