2 Days in Amazing Amsterdam

I spent two amazing days in Amsterdam on a free stopover while traveling to Kenya in March. A stopover is when you pause travel for one or more days to explore a new place on your way to your final destination. They are a great way to quickly and affordably see more of the world. Since my flight had a layover in Amsterdam anyway, I decided to make the most of it! Here’s a fun itinerary for a quick two day visit to the beautiful city.

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Day 1

Most flights from the U.S. will land in Amsterdam in the morning. Make the most of that day by resisting the urge to check into your hotel early and rest. Drop your luggage off at the hotel and head out to explore the city.

Floating Flower Market

Your first order of business is to get outside and wander along the canals. I simply walked from my hotel to the Floating Flower Market (Bloenmenmarkt). On the way, admire the architecture, bridges, and all of the houseboats tied up on the sides of the canal. The flower market stalls are on flat boats in the canal. You could buy all manner of seeds, bulbs and other gardening supplies there.

You can buy flowers or bulbs and bring them back to the U.S., but only if they have a sticker that reads, “Plant Protection Service of the United States and Canada,” the name of the flower, and the date of issuance. Please note that you must declare the flowers/bulbs at customs when you get back to the U.S. Also, since we are talking about a stopover, you might just want to window shop at the market unless you research the rules of the country you are going to next as well!

Begijnhof Courtyard

Next, walk over to the Beginjnhof Courtyard. This peaceful enclave dates from the 14th century and was a place where religious women lived and worked together and supported one another. The courtyard contains the oldest wooden house (Houten Huys) in the city as well as a church. Enjoy a moment of respite in this quiet environment before emerging into the busy city streets!

Dam Square

You are likely to be starving by now. Fortunately, we are very near Dam Square where you can find a lot of great restaurants and cafes. This is the main square in Amsterdam dating from the 13th century. It was created when a dam was built on the Amstel river to prevent flooding. Expect to find it crowded with people and pigeons! Grab a table at a sidewalk café to enjoy lunch, people watching, and a bit of a break!

Royal Palace

After lunch, head straight to the main focal point of Dam Square – the Royal Palace! It was built in the 17th century as the city’s town hall. The building is gorgeous with tons of marble, stone carvings, and fabulous paintings. It was transitioned into a palace in 1808 for King Louis Bonaparte (younger brother of Napoleon), and still contains the largest collection of Empire furniture in the world dating from his reign. The building is now an official reception palace. I spent hours walking around gawking at the stone carvings that decorated just about every surface!

Red Light District

The De Wallen area, or Red Light District, is an area in Amsterdam where one can learn more about Amsterdam’s approach to prostitution and drug use. The area is extremely safe but may not be suitable for all parties. I wanted to visit the Red Light District as it’s a “thing to see,” but was a little uncomfortable doing so on my own. So I booked a two hour walking tour of the district.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself in the Red Light District on my own by wandering around after my visit to the Royal Palace. It was late afternoon and not very active, but I got a sense of what it was and decided to skip my tour. I was exhausted! I’m sorry not to have a greater understanding of why the district exists, but I was happy to take a shower and lay flat in a bed for the first time in 48 hours!

Day 2

Get up early on your second day – we need the full day to make the most of our remaining time in Amsterdam!

Anne Frank House

Most of us read Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl in our youth, and I venture to say most of you were probably like me – anxious to find a happy ending when we finished. Unfortunately, there is not a happy ending to the story. To honor Anne’s legacy and to remember the horrors of World War II, I think visiting the place where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis for two years is a somber must-do when visiting Amsterdam.

The Anne Frank House has preserved the rooms where Anne and her family and four others hid. You can see the hidden door behind a bookcase and walk through the rooms where they lived. There’s an excellent audio guide available to help you understand what the family went through. Make sure you book tickets in advance on the website. They sell out quickly and it’s often impossible to purchase them at the door.

Canal Cruise

A canal cruise is a must-do during your two days in Amsterdam. There’s nothing quite like seeing the colorful buildings and houseboats of Amsterdam from the water. Your cruise guide will provide a wealth of information as you float by beautiful homes and under charming bridges.

Pancake Bakery

After the cruise, walk to the Pancake Bakery for lunch. You can make a reservation on their website, so make sure you have one! I would make it about an hour and a half after the canal cruise starts. I missed out on this experience because I didn’t have a reservation, but I’ve heard the Dutch pancakes are delicious. They are more like crepes than pancakes and come in both sweet and savory versions.

Afternoon Trip to Zaanse Schans

When I think of The Netherlands, I think of windmills and charming children wearing cute hats and wooden clogs which are illustrative of country life. So I feel like one must experience a bit of the Dutch country side during their two days in Amsterdam! The fastest and easiest way to do this is to visit Zaanse Schans in the town of Zaandam located about 20 minutes away from Amsterdam.

Zaanse Schans features windmills and wooden houses moved here to create a village reminiscent of the 18th century. It’s extremely charming and there’s a lot to do. You can tour historic windmills that still function today. There are a variety of museums to visit. You can also learn about native handicrafts. Highlights are visiting a clog workshop to see how the wooden shoes are made and a cheese shop to see how they make Gouda cheese and devour samples! There are walking paths, bike rentals, and boat tours. And you can purchase plenty of souvenirs in the shops.

I took a guided tour to Zaanse Schans. It was inexpensive and made it easy, which is good for those with jetlag! But it is super easy to do on your own, and I wish I would have done so to have more flexibility with my itinerary. It’s easy to get to via public transportation. Upon arrival, simply pay the small admissions fees (if applicable) for the the sites you want to see and enjoy the ambiance at your own pace.

St. Nicholas Basilica & Centraal Station

Before your side trip to Zaanse Schans, make sure to swing by St. Nicholas Basilica and Centraal Station. St. Nicholas Basilica is a operating Catholic church built in the 1880s and is usually open in the afternoons Monday-Saturday. It’s free to go inside and marvel at the beautiful baroque architecture and the stained glass central dome.

You also want to feast your eyes on the fantastic Centraal Station. If you take public transportation in the city, you are sure to pass through it. But even if you don’t, it’s worth seeing the outside and even going inside to take a peek at the neo-Renaissance architecture. The building was completed in 1889 and makes me wish we still constructed such opulent buildings for mundane things such as transportation!

But What About Tulips?

Unfortunately, my trip to Amsterdam was in early March. This was a few weeks too early for tulip season. The best time to go for tulips is late March through mid-May. If your trip falls during this period, definitely add a day to your stopover in Amsterdam to see the gorgeous flowers. I particularly like this tour that allows you to experience the Keukenhof Gardens, tour Lisse to see the glorious fields of flowers, and then the canal town of Delft famous for its pottery.

If adding a whole day is not possible, perhaps you can eliminate some other things on this itinerary and squeeze in this 6 hour tour combining tulip fields with windmills or this 5.5 hour tour to Keukenhof Gardens.

Accommodations & Transportation

I stayed in the Amsterdam Hyatt Regency for free using Chase Ultimate Reward points. This hotel was very nice and is located in the Plantage neighborhood. It’s within walking distance of everything except the airport! It was a bit off the beaten tourist track, but I enjoyed walking along the canals and experiencing the city. I walked everywhere except to and from the airport, when I took an Uber.

I seriously debated saving some points by staying at the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport and just taking public transportation or Ubers into the city on both of my touring days. In hindsight, I should have done this. Airport hotels are great for a brief stopover because you are starting and ending at the airport anyway, and you don’t have a lot of time to enjoy nice hotel amenities. If you opt for an airport hotel, make sure to study this guide for all the scoop on navigating public transportation in Amsterdam.

How would you spend two days in Amsterdam?

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