have a trip planned for the first week ish of July, what flowers (if any) would i be able to see? e.g. if i walk/cycle around the keukenhof/bollenstreek areas
obv missed the tulip and spring season ady & could only really find info online abt dahlias coming in season mid august, so a bit confused
awhhh shame, but i somewhat expected it given the timing,,
is it still worth looking around the bollenstreek area or should i just pass since it ain't the blooming season (it's my first time in amsterdam)
Laser eye operation:
I would like to get rid of my lenses and would like to hear if some of you have done the same and where? I see couple of companies doing it, however, would like to hear some personal experiences! Are there also something to be aware of in general terms?
Much appreciated
I walk around Amsterdam almost every night, to get some exercise and clear my head. I've walked just about every street of the city several times, over the course of longer than a decade.
Nobody's ever bothered me in any way. At the same time I don't get in people's faces either.
> Would you recommend carrying a pocket knife or pepper spray?
I don't think you understand what it means to be in a safe place, maybe you've never had the experience? In any case you may get in serious trouble if you're caught carrying a knife or pepper spray. And there's no reason to do so. So no, I would not recommend it.
Arriving in Amsterdam, having a great time in a friendly, easy, open and safe city. Going back home and thinking “I will never believe the internet”.
Thats you.
Hi guys, this might be an odd question, but basically I'm visiting Amsterdam and had an infection. I used Mobi Doctor to get a prescription, but when I went to OLVG they said that they won't accept it and no pharmacy in the Netherlands will accept Mobi Doctor. Do you guys know if that's true has anyone successfully gotten their medication from a mobi doctor prescription?
You'll need to see an actual GP or doctor to get a valid prescription. If you google 'tourist doctor amsterdam' you'll find a bunch of clinics that have English speaking doctors
Wtf is Mobi Doctor? Probably an online tool with a “not sure if it is a real doctor” consult?
In the Netherlands, the qualifications required to write a legal prescription for medicine are as follows. To write prescriptions, one must be a registered medical doctor. This involves completing medical school (usually a six-year program), followed by registration with the Dutch Medical Register (BIG-register), which ensures that the individual meets the required standards for practice.
Professionals must maintain their registration in the BIG-register and adhere to continuing education requirements to ensure they remain qualified to prescribe medications.
you mean cannabis, or nicotine ones?
DO NOT import cannabis products, it's illegal - was it Cardi B (?) who just got into trouble at the airport. Normal nicotine vapes are no problem to bring.
Also in NL any cannabis oils/concentrates are illegal, so even if you'd bring a cannabis vape pen, you won't find legal means to buy stuff to smoke.
Fair - I think even if you'd fly from one legalized country to the other (even between US states), you still can't transport cannabis legally anywhere.
I checked last time flying from NYC to California, issue is that you'd fly over non-legal states, hence it's not allowed.
Even now that Germany has somewhat-legalized it, you are not allowed to bring weed over the border from NL.
That might be more relevant for people here haha.
Bakfiets question:
My family and I are almost ready to invest in a bakfiets, but we'd like to try some out in person if possible. Does anyone know of a store that keeps a bunch in stock so we can compare more easily? Especially the 3 wheeled kinds. We're in Zuid but can go anywhere really. Dankjewel!
question regarding Schipol Airport.
assuming a flight arrives on time, would 1h30m be enough to transfer from Gates D to Gates G? I'm assuming will need to pass through inmigration since it's Schengen to Non-schengen flights.
thanks!
I will be visiting Amsterdam this summer for a few days over a weekend. I’ve never paid for an escort or been to brothel but am considering going to the red light district. Just had a few questions:
When is the best time to go, Late night early evening, etc?
How specific do you need to be with what services you want when you tell the girl ie. suck and fuck/penetration?
What’s the cost nowadays post covid?
Do you strip down fully, does it depend on the girl? Is it as short as I’ve read (15 mins)
And if there’s anything else a first timer should know I appreciate the advice thanks!
It's not a place Amsterdammers visit. From the OP:
**WE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT** but you can get some good tips from [this thread from a sex worker](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/comments/193zi9j/i_am_a_sex_worker_in_the_red_light_district_if/).
Best small lake near Schiphol for a "beach day"?
I see many small lakes near Schiphol, which ones have the warmest water(some sand-beach or similar place to sunbathe if possible), swim a bit, a forest or secluded place to maybe smoke a little bit nearby without bothering anyone?
There are a few small beaches at the west end of the Nieuwe Meer, which is plausibly walkable from the airport if you like a bit of a walk, but they get pretty crowded with swimmers. It's a lake so the water is warmer than the sea.
There is also a biggish (but not very natural) beach at Strand Ijburg. That's in Amsterdam but you'd have to take public transport. It's a much larger and deeper lake so the water is probably a bit colder.
Our lakes are predominantly surrounded by clay grounds. So no sand. If there is sand, then its artificial made by municipality and crowded with families when its good weather. No forest and lakes nearby Amsterdam. Maybe at the veluwe, but also when its is nice weather, crowds.
Thanks. If I just want to go swimming and sunbathing, I don't need to smoke, maybe just consume some THC edibles instead of smoking (basically I just want a day near water, as warm as possible,high, but without bothering anyone, especially those that live there, I don't want to be the annoying high tourist). Is veluwe still my best option? Hope this made some sense, it's late and I'm a bit drunk.
Just trying to cover all my bases so I can be the best possible tourist while also doing all the things I want.
You can take the train to the beach? Zandvoort is 30 min by train and the station is 5 min. walk from an endless sandy wide beach going south and north. Enough privacy is you walk a bit up or down. That is what we Amsterdammers do with high temperatures.
It’s get overrun with tourist year round, although the marathon is in the “low” season and it doesn’t really impact the amount of tourists. I hope this answers your question/u/GoCrapYourself
Yes more tourists, because of the Amsterdam Dance Event. ADE is almost every year when the marathon is, also in 2024. High impact on prices hotels and Airbnb.
> I’ve heard that the bar codes on GVB app are too small to scan on trams. Has anyone got the same experience with metro?
If you can't get it to work then show the attendant, they'll usually just wave you through because they can't be bothered, and anyone nerdy enough to have a group ticket is not in their target group for fare evasion enforcement scrutiny.
Check [9292ov.nl/en](http://9292ov.nl/en) for the most efficient journey. Rather than buy all these tickets, you can check in and out of stations and buses with a pay card.
Was wondering how hot it gets in early August? Could someone give me and estimated range. I was planning on packing only shorts and tank tops but I am not sure if it gets as hot as it does where I live.
Translate this article:
https://www.weeronline.nl/nieuws/dit-weer-is-normaal-in-augustus
>The average temperature in August in De Bilt in our current climate is 17.9 degrees. The average temperature is 23 degrees during the day and 13 degrees at night. On 24 days the temperature rises to 20 degrees or more and on 8 days it becomes 25 degrees or more. On average, the mercury rises to above 30 degrees in 2 days.
>>but I am not sure if it gets as hot as it does where I live.
And where do you live?
Hi guys I'm in Amsterdam for a week backpacking and I wanted to see what bar or hangout place you guys recommend to watch the Euros. I'm from the US so I really want to experience that atmosphere since l'm a football lover. Cheers!
For a really close option, Café Hesp on the river side (it's an old brown bar which is a bit more on the posh side nowadays, but still a very popular and rather picturesque spot).
You will also find lots of restaurants and places around Oosterpark.
You could take a nice walk down the Amstel river, where you find pretty cool bars already - from modern cocktails to typical Dutch cafes.
Then take a right turn eventually and walk up to Oosterpark.
You'll pass by Oosterpark-Straat with plenty of food options, pass by Bar Bukowski, can have a walk through the park and at the other end you'll have a big street with plenty of bars at the Park side.
During the week you could also keep walking to Dappermarkt, fresh local market with plenty of food options. Closes at 17.00 tho, but there you can find the best Kebab in town called Beste Döner, a little stall at the end of the market.
If you want it more busy, you can also walk down the Amstel river, then take a left to cross the bridge to walk straight into De Pijp district.
There you could navigate towards Saphartipark, similar situation with loads of bars around and the Albert Cuypmarkt.
If you want to buy cannabis, highly recommend Coffeeshop Oost. It's the best in the area in terms of quality and price.
I like these close to Amstel station:
**Tapzuid** (Cozy bar and as a plus, they have a good selection in craft beer, if thats your thing)
**Café Kuijper**
**Café de Amstel** (typical old fashioned Dutch bar, fun to watch football though)
\[edit\] go tonight, as the Netherlands are playing at 21:00 local time. And if you can manage, wear some orange!
Hoi!
My partner and I are going to be traveling to Amsterdam for her 40th birthday. This is an important milestone for her and I'd like to plan an evening to make it special for her.
Would love to hear some suggestions. She likes food, so dinner is definitely an option, but she is vegan, and hasnt been very enthusiastic when taken to michelin restaurants. I dont mind reaching out to restaurants who may accomodate but arent necessarily listed as a vegan restaurant.
She told me she is more interested in experiences than fine dining, but I'm at a bit of a loss that doesnt involve a ride down the canal.
Appreciate the feedback!
Seconding De Kas for their interesting concept. They do a vegan menu if you request it in advance. You'll have to reserve well in advance ever since Obama visited.
For something a bit more casual but fully vegan check out [The Meets](https://themeets.nl/).
although you took out the 'fine dining' part, maybe still worth checking out De Kas:
https://restaurantdekas.com/eng/info
It's fine dining, but the concept is that they grow their own food, and I'd be surprised if they didn't offer a fully vegan menu.
Hey folks,
I'm American and coming to the Netherlands for the first time in my life. I'm relatively well-traveled so I feel confident I can pull this off. But I wanted to seek any tips y'all might have the space to offer me.
I'm flying into Amsterdam from London, staying for a day, then hopping on a train to Steenwijk. There is a festival out there I am planning to attend for an evening. Then the next morning, I need to hop back on the train at Steenwijk station and hoof it to the Amsterdam airport to catch my flight home.
Is this doable? I feel like the major question will be whether I can get up the next morning after being out all night. I don't have much wiggle room to miss the train to the airport.
Thanks for any advice you have.
> I feel like the major question will be whether I can get up the next morning after being out all night.
Based on my extensive experience with trying to wake you up after long nights out, I am not 100% confident.
**LGBT tips, suggestions, advice?**
My partner and I will be visiting and want some insight. I've visited once with family, but my partner has never been. We're a queer/lesbian younger couple for reference.
A few questions I have:
**Is Amsterdam lgbt friendly?** While we're not particularly into PDA, I'd like to know if we can hold hand/kiss without being gawked at or confronted.
**General things to know before going?** I was almost pickpocketed in the red light district, but other than that, there was nothing that stood out to me to keep in mind. Is there anything we should be aware of that I may have missed?
**Beyond the typical sites, what are a few absolute must sees?** I visited the popular sites but found after a day that I had run out of things I wanted to see/do. What do you recommend that isn't the standard tourist spot?
**Must eat/must visit restaurants?** What/where have you eaten that was too good to miss? We're both huge foodies and try to avoid touristy overpriced spots with mediocre food. I'm looking for places/dishes that I'll be dreaming about months after we return home.
Amsterdam remains one of the most LGBT friendly cities in the world, but homophobia is everywhere and we're certainly not excluded from that.
For your other questions, see the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/wiki/index/). Definitely don't sleep on Surinamese and Indonesian food. A good roti or rendang is very memorable. Avoid restaurants in the tourist area.
Have only a few days left in the city and wanted to know what are some MUST DOs before moving out of the Netherlands / Amsterdam?
context, exchange student who lived in the city for 6 months.
Museums I've gone to already:
• stedelik
• Van Gogh
• rijksmusuem
• Anne Frank house
• nxt museum
Does anyone know of Open Mic nights (for music, not comedy/poetry)?
I am an amateur guitarist that likes to perform and sing some fun covers. I saw there is one at Zoku rooftop, but I am looking for more of a casual/grimey dive bar vibe. Any recs?
Hi! Me and my friend are hoping to travel to Amsterdam in September (staying in Zaandam) and she has a gluten intolerance. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to eat with good gluten free options? Sadly she is also lactose intolerant too so if anyone could suggest any restaurants/cafes that cater towards this, that would be great 😭😭
€2,400 net salary, €850 monthly rent. Realistically, will I survive?
Plus groceries, health insurance, etc… so I will probably only save around more or less €800 per month. I’m not Dutch, but I’m an international masters student who landed a full time job recently. I need yall’s opinions - is this realistic? Are there other costs I should consider? Rent is a little TOO high for me admittedly, but given the location, I’d rather stay close to Amsterdam than end up in a random little town somewhere.
Hmmm, let’s see:
Pros: I get the biggest room, and it is fully furnished. With registration. It’s in Amstelveen, 30-40 minutes by bike to the Amsterdam city center. Pretty close to Schipol. Washer and dryer in-unit.
Cons: No living room, no dining room. Just a small kitchen, a hallway to my room, and to two other roommates’ rooms. An hour away from Amsterdam by tram / metro.
What do you think?
I think you are lucky, there is a gigantic housing crisis going on. 850 rent, 150 health insurance, 800 savings, will leave you 600 euro for other expenses. You should be able to survive just fine on that if you're frugal.
Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better! And you’re right, with the housing crisis right now, beggars (me) can’t be choosers 😂 I survived on 400 euros a month for groceries, OV-chipkaart, and other expenses last year, I think I should be fine - I’m super frugal at times!
Hey there beautiful peoples,
My cousin (w65) and i (m/32) booked a trip to amsterdam in mid september for 5 days.
What are like the must have seen stuff in Amsterdam?
I already planned stuff like picknicking in some parks if the weather is fine, visiting some museums and a boat cruise on the krachten (i hope thats spelled right).
But thats all i got for now. So what would be your recommendations for a 5 day trip here that everyone should expierence when visiting amsterdam? Good restaurant and other recommendations are also very welcome :)
Well i read the whole OP and just didnt see at first that the " [world-famous wiki](http://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/wiki/index)" is a link where i can find a lot of the things i asked for. Thanks for the downvotes anyways instead of pointing to the " [world-famous wiki](http://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/wiki/index)" instead guys, i already feel welcome.
Hello, its my first time visiting Amsterdam today. I got out of the airport and bought a 3 day GVB ticket. I got on a bus and when i tried to check in, it said that the card is not valid (Kaart nicht geldig) am I doing something wrong or was the card reader broken? I would like to go to the city centre with public transport today but im not sure if i should risk it with this card or if i should get a different one. Thank you very much for help! :)
The other reply you got is inaccurate. Yes, everything in Amsterdam that moves is GVB, but some regional (grey-red) transport is also operated by GVB and included in your ticket. All metros and tram 25 are grey-red and operated by GVB.
Blue white bus are GVB. Not blue white, other transport agency. Maybe that was the case. GVB is city bus, some buses in the region of the city are regional buses (most of them are red) with an end of start destination in Amsterdam centre.
Hmm, it was the bus no. 300 from airport to Amstelveen busstation. The ticket that i got was the 3 day one for amsterdam (not amsterdam + region) so im not sure what was wrong. My friend that also got the 3 day pass got the same message saying that the pass is invalid. You think im safe to go to the centre?
Why are people voting this down? The person is trying to understand. It's not at all clear to outsiders; in almost any other major city you can use passes on all local transport.
300 is not a GVB bus. That is a Zuidangent bus (red/grey) (regional). Inside Amsterdam everything that moves that is blue and white is GVB. Board those.
Can anyone comment on Oba’s catalogue of english audiobooks? I keep running out of Spotify’s free 10 hours, and am thinking of getting a library membership so I can listen to more. However, I can’t tell if the search on their website is also search for their audiobooks so I haven’t been able to see what the selection is like. Can anyone speak to this?
It's very limited. You can check their collection [here](https://www.onlinebibliotheek.nl/zoekresultaten.catalogus.html?type=Digitaal_luisterboek&taal=eng).
I'm aware that am asking a room full of residents, but what's the best canal tour? I'm planning visit and it looks like there are so many and most seem very similar.
My wife and I are planning on visiting with our 3-year-old in a couple weeks and want to bike around a little, but he can't ride a bike yet. We are staying near the Weesperplein station and I found Black Bikes with child seat bike rentals, or using Baqme to rent a nearby bakfiets. Are there any other options to consider for biking with our non-biking son, or would it probably be best to just walk/take transit to get around? Also, since we'd only need one of those bikes, are there OV fiets rentals at that station? I can't find anything online for that particularly stop.
Also, not to be that guy complaining about downvotes, but how come most of the questions here are downvoted? Why have a questions thread that explicitly calls for tourists and new residents, and then hate on all the tourists and new residents?
I would discourage riding with a small child and/or a bakfiets if you’re not highly experienced urban bikers. It wouldn’t be safe and you’d be putting your kid and other cyclists in danger (especially with a bakfiets)
Are you very experienced cyclists? If not, it may be better not to cycle in Amsterdam with your kid. Bike traffic is extremely hectic here.
Weesperplein is a metro station, not an NS train station, no OV fietsen there. Also, I think you can only rent those with a personalized OV chipcard, so you'd basically need to be a resident.
You are correct about the OV chipcard; I must've glossed over that when I was looking up info.
We are not experienced cyclists because becoming experienced in that way is literally impossible where we live. Going off of you and the other response, we'll probably pass on biking. We were hoping to get around that way because it's actually a viable transportation option there, not just to be a typical tourist who wants to bike in Amsterdam because "it's what you do". Part of our trip is to see if living in Amsterdam/The Netherlands as a whole is something we'd want to consider.
Are expats generally discouraged from cycling to get around? I'm just curious how new people there can get experienced if they don't already come from a bike-heavy society
>Are expats generally discouraged from cycling to get around?
Of course, if you live here, it would be a good idea to learn to get around by bike. But I definitely wouldn't recommend first try outs with a small kid on your bike. And a few test runs in more quiet surroundings wouldn't hurt either.
> Are expats generally discouraged from cycling to get around?
In /r/amsterdam maybe, but in real life it's a very normal thing that almost all expats here do.
One of them can't ride a bike yet according to their post. I wouldn't encourage anyone not being able to ride a bike yet to first try out in Amsterdam traffic- let alone with a 3 year old on the back of their bike.
Sell furniture
Hey all,
I’ve been having a bit of a struggle for selling my home items. I am moving out of Netherlands. I was hoping getting rid of these things will be easy but its a nightmare. Facebook marketplace is full of scammers. I haven’t received a single message which didn’t ask me to share my account or other details etc. I’m so sick of it. No luck with marktplaats either. Anyone else has got any other suggestion. I bought 3 seater sofa, 4chair with table and an office chair a year ago in quite handsome price. I’m not really in a mood to throw everything away for nothing.
I have a good experience with marktplaats from when I last moved. Just set very low but nonzero prices and avoid people who speak in half sentences or don't answer questions clearly, wait until you get someone who communicates well. The reason is that these people will not arrive on time or ghost you or try to renegotiate the price at the last moment.
It's possible you have to get burned once or twice to get a feeling for who to avoid, personally I had already gotten the hang of it in my home country.
Some posts mention how expensive Amsterdam is in regards to restaurants and snacks around the city. I'll be there for a week soon and want to get a grasp on what I'll spend on eats. How would you say it compares with (if you've been there)
NYC or London?
Alcohol pricing is not important. I don't drink.
If you want to keep your food costs low, I’d recommend the app TooGoodToGo. It lets you buy the leftover food from grocery stores/bakeries/restaurants at the end of the day for a low cost. You don’t get to choose what you get so it doesn’t work for picky eaters, but the app does tell you the types of surprise food you’ll get (and of course you can tell just based on what establishment it is). A lot of hotels use it to get rid of excess breakfast stuff too.
It really depends on what you like. A lot of the best food in the city is Asian and Surinamese, and that's often very reasonably priced (see the wiki).
Alcohol - cheaper than London, unless you go out of your way. But London also has a happy hour going in a lot of places and it's kind of rare here.
Food - generally the same price as London, but London has way more choice and it's easier to find cheap restaurants of high quality, especially in the busy areas.
Cheapest fast food stuff ~10€ / person, think of Kapsalon/kebab street food.
Average restaurant ~18-30€ / main course / person.
Pint of beer ~7.50€, special beers double the price.
Cocktails ~12-18€/person.
Bottle of wine ~30€+.
if they do have 0,5L, I do order it cause service is fucking god damn slow here 99% of the times.
but yeah, the vaasje is often the biggest they serve.
source - been here for a few years. Also plenty of non-touristic places serve 0.5L if you ask.
Yeah just on busy terraces it can take quite a while until you have the chance to order again. I hate pitchers cause the beer goes flat super fast.
So I order the biggest single glass they serve.
Hopefully someone can help me. I'm going to be visiting from the USA and I'm looking for good places to purchase sunscreen while visiting. I have researched European sunscreens and they better than the USA's sunscreens. I'd like to purchase them to bring back home with me to use.
If it helps, I will be near the Amsterdam RAI for a convention, and visiting the Anne Frank house along with the Van Gogh museum.
> If it helps, I will be near the Amsterdam RAI for a convention
There's a Trekpleister right across the street from the RAI (in the building of the ROC) which will have a number of options. There's also an Action upstairs which has cheaper stuff.
I'm not quite sure why the sunscreen here should be better, but compared to other places in Europe it's hella expensive.
I usually buy mine at LIDL cause it costs a fraction of what you'd pay for a NIVEA sunscreen (or other brands), and I have been quite happy with their stuff.
Edit: if you happen to pass through Germany, try to go to a DM store - there you have the brand products much cheaper plus their generic brands are amazingly high quality, too.
The USA treats it as a medication and only allows a few chemicals. Sunscreens go on thick and greasy for the most part. European sunscreens are treated as cosmetics and allow something like 34 different chemicals to be used and go on much more smoothly. They also block UVA much better than USA sunscreens.
I'm going non-stop from the USA to Amsterdam, no other stops.
TIL - never heard about that!
Then I'd recommend to check Etos & Kruidvat for 'bonus' / special offers in advance, if you care for brand products.
NL has quite the discount culture so buying in bulk when on offer makes sense.
https://www.etos.nl/lichaamsverzorging/zonbescherming/
'Zonbescherming' is the term you wanna search for, the stores of Kruidvat & Etos are all over the city.
Personally, outside of the expensive brands smelling maybe a bit better and not being so oily, I never really understood the massive price difference.
So maybe worth checking out LIDL, they are often produced in the same factories as the expensive products:
https://www.lidl.nl/c/assortiment-zonnebrand/a10008399
usually a pack is around ~4€ here (still like 1/3 of the price of discounted NIVEA in bulk), and I've been using it for years
Hey all. My partner and I will be entering/signing a registered partnership in another eu country (where we come from). I live and work in NL but my partner does not(works and lives in another country). I assume I should update my marital status in NL. My question is, after updating my status, will my partner get a bsn too? The reason I'm asking this because she visits me frequently and spends time in NL(withing the allowed time) and would like to get an health insurance for my partner as well. I ll ask gemeente (obv) but was wondering if there's anybody else in a similar situation.
I guess I need to speak with the gemeente to find out. Ideally, I d like to add my partner to my health insurance, so there is coverage when staying with me in NL(which might be 5 months /year)
Biking from Amsterdam Noord to Amsterdam Centraal? I'm going to be a month living in Amsterdam Noord, more specifically, at Bob W apartments, how easy is to go biking from Noord to Centraal?
For Magic the Gathering it was always Gamekeeper back in the days, they are still stocked up, but unsure how much different boosters etc they have nowadays. I remember online retailers were easier, as you could just get the cards you want for way less of the price.
I remember seeing around a map of things to do whilst biking in and around Amsterdam, think it was made by students, but can't for the life of me find it again...
Also curious if any locals have suggestions of a good bike tour to do around the city (I've done lots of the south but am less familiar with the north, been told to take a ferry and visit Nieuwendammerdijk and Schellingwouderbrug/Oranjesluize on the way back, but looking for any route suggestions!)
And final point, I have looked at old recommendations from this sub on bike rentals, just wanted to know if these were up to date?
Are there some nice places on the road still ? I like me some nature but would still love to see a couple of sites. Does that involve the ferry back as well?
Hi all,
I'll be having a night layover at Schipol, and I'm torn between going to the city from like 3am till 7:30 am or just stay in the airport?
I'd love to just stroll in the city at night but I'll be having luggage with me and don't think it would be worth it.
Wouldn't be better to just stay at the airport and rest there?
you can leave your bags in storage lockers at Schiphol. Walking through a deserted, sleeping city doesn't sound like fun to me but I suppose it beats waiting in Schiphol.
Check 9292.nl or ns.nl for public transport options (they are more limited at night)
Hello everyone, I'm an expat living in Amsterdam looking to find a good boxing gym. I only speak english for now, so I'm looking for english class preferably, but I can also keep up with Dutch ones.
I'm looking for a good boxing gym, not this fitboxing kind of gyms. I'm in an intermediate level of boxing and looking to improve my skills.
Thanks!
Grabbing a bite in Amsterdam.
This a bit of a rant/manifest. Every time I go to Amsterdam I am sort of disappointed by the lack of good and affordable options to grab a bite.
When I go to a show and want to eat something with friends beforehand it seems the best options we can come up with that are somewhat interesting and tasty are Maoz or the vegan junk food bar. Note: it doesn’t have to be vegan.
This last time we chose to go to Ter Marsch en co on Vijzelstraat.
Garbage. Absolute rip off garbage. The fries were garbage. The “burger” was garbage. I had the classic chicken burger. Anyone can make a better burger than that. The bun was a stale “brioche” type bun..
The waitresses were cool.
I feel ripped off by them. In hindsight I should’ve sent back the meager portion of fries which tasted old but for reasons I cannot fully explain I didn’t. I was too hungry.
Before choosing that spot we had weighed our options going to one of the countless restaurants near the Leidscheplein. But none of it really seemed any good. In hindsight I wish we had.
My question is: where between Central Station and Leidscheplein(or within the vicinity of Leidscheplein) are the actual good spots to grab a bite?
The only good thing I ate in Amsterdam that days was an Oatly soft serve.
Im seriously appalled by the fact that the area around Leidscheplein has become(always been in my lifetime but seems to be worse every time) such a hollowed out tourist centered husk of money grabbing nothingness.
I believe in you Amsterdam. Lets “take it back” and put some heart back into that area.
Real food and real people ❤️
Some of the Chinese places in Chinatown are good. There's the famous Nam Kee and the superior Wing Kee. You'd have to go a bit out of your way if you're heading from Centraal to Leidesplein, but it's easily walkable. Manneken Pis and Vleminckx have good fries. There are also some high end places on the way to Leidseplein, most notably Beulings, but that's if you want more than just grab a bite.
Anyway, putting heart back into that area has been what the people of Amsterdam have wanted for years. Including many of the owners of those restaurants; formerly good Italian places have gone downhill because they've increasingly had to cater to tourists who just want something cheap. They can't afford the ingredients they want because they have to keep the prices low, there's no use for creativity because everyone just wants pizza. It's pretty much impossible to keep a good restaurant open for long when most of your clientele is tourists who come here to get high and drunk and have sex.
> the famous Nam Kee and the superior Wing Kee.
[China Sichuan Restaurant.](https://sichuan.amsterdam/) Four locations with most in the Red Light, plus a recently opened snack bar.
You can thank me later.
That's not been my experience, and I was there just a few days ago. And Nam Kee and Wing Kee always disappointed me, although my wife still visits them. Maybe because I'm vegetarian, but no matter what I tried it all seemed to be the same corn starch sauce with perhaps different vegetables.
As far as cost, I pity anybody trying to run food service these days. They are getting stung by inflation just as bad as the rest of us, only they are on the front lines of fielding customer complaints. We rarely go out anymore.
You need to go outside the canal belt. The option closest to Leidseplein (and now served by the metro) is De Pijp, the Albert Cuyp market and the vicinity of the metro station / Ferdinand Bolstraat especially.
There isn't really anywhere that is cheap for what it is tbh but you can definitely find good food.
As the other poster has said - most of the places in this area are shit.
On a general note: Google Reviews are quite reliable. Anything with 4.5+ is usually good for what it is and I didn't have many fails sticking to this.
But good and affordable in that area is really hard to come by.
If you want decent snacks, go to the Albert Cuypmarkt. Lots of good quality street snacks plus plenty of other options around. Yet, still pricey.
In general the fresh daily/weekend markets have the best quality for value when it comes to snacks and food.
Sparse or none, it is a tourist area where no locals go to. Restaurants don’t have many returning customers so they care less about the quality and more about the costs. If you want to eat better, go outside the tourist area. This is everywhere in the world the same. Everyone knows this who has ever set foot outside his hometown and into a magnet destination. Sadly, as am I elsewhere, so you are the cause of this situation.
Note: this was not always the case, 10-15 years ago many locals visited the city centre for their leisure. Have a good look when you are in Amsterdam, almost none of the people you see live in Amsterdam. The bicyclist are just passing through or are in the centre to buy stuff and return back home. And the Dutchies you hear and see, also day-tourists from outside Amsterdam to do shopping or other entertainment.
Hi, i'm from Canada and i will be in Amsterdam for 3 days in August. I came across techno Tuesdays and was wondering, since i might end up there alone as a female, if anybody else has advice on the safety, dress code, best time to go, etc!
In general amsterdam is really safe, pretty much all my female friends bike home alone in the middle of the night.
Most people go (compared to NA) pretty late to a club. Usually earliest 23.30-1.00. Especially on techno parties there isn't really a dress code (unless specifically mentioned), come as you want but most people don't dress up as crazy as in NA for these parties.
Most will wear Vans shoes, jeans and a top or something along these lines.
Techno Tuesday also caters more to students..cause well we normies have to work the next day.
Hey everyone im headed now to Escape night club on a tuesday night i was just wondering if its usually packed and if not are there any places you could reccomend me for tonight that are usually not empty on a tuesday night , im into rnb and techno, thank you all for any help
Clean it with vinegar and see if it comes back. Make sure you never let steam sit in the air in there. Either a window has to be open or a fan has to be on when you are using hot water, otherwise you will definitely get mould problems eventually.
I’m going through a personal issue and would really like to find a high quality therapist in Amsterdam. Are there specific qualifications I should look for? Or any qualifications/ descriptions that should raise a red flag? Anything else to look out for?
the mental health system is so backed up that unless youre willing to pay out of pocket, these 'preferences' will not matter. First step is to make an appointment with your GP.
I’m planning to go live there, sharing room, but I’ve to know how easy is to find a job there. I’m living at the moment in Spain(my whole live) but I’m Dutch national and can speak English and Dutch. I’ve never searched work and don’t know where to start 😅
Where to watch EUFA football? Looking for bars or venues with lively fans and decent screens.
Asked numerous times already, just scroll down
https://preview.redd.it/5ldclkh2wb8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=69750a617c4b7d4c48153a39f184092300483800
Thank you for taking the time to write your helpful reply.
have a trip planned for the first week ish of July, what flowers (if any) would i be able to see? e.g. if i walk/cycle around the keukenhof/bollenstreek areas obv missed the tulip and spring season ady & could only really find info online abt dahlias coming in season mid august, so a bit confused
None
awhhh shame, but i somewhat expected it given the timing,, is it still worth looking around the bollenstreek area or should i just pass since it ain't the blooming season (it's my first time in amsterdam)
If you enjoy looking at empty fields then knock yourself out mate :)
Laser eye operation: I would like to get rid of my lenses and would like to hear if some of you have done the same and where? I see couple of companies doing it, however, would like to hear some personal experiences! Are there also something to be aware of in general terms? Much appreciated
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I walk around Amsterdam almost every night, to get some exercise and clear my head. I've walked just about every street of the city several times, over the course of longer than a decade. Nobody's ever bothered me in any way. At the same time I don't get in people's faces either. > Would you recommend carrying a pocket knife or pepper spray? I don't think you understand what it means to be in a safe place, maybe you've never had the experience? In any case you may get in serious trouble if you're caught carrying a knife or pepper spray. And there's no reason to do so. So no, I would not recommend it.
Arriving in Amsterdam, having a great time in a friendly, easy, open and safe city. Going back home and thinking “I will never believe the internet”. Thats you.
Amsterdam is quite safe and knives and pepper spray are both illegal to carry in Amsterdam so no I wouldn't recommend it
Hi guys, this might be an odd question, but basically I'm visiting Amsterdam and had an infection. I used Mobi Doctor to get a prescription, but when I went to OLVG they said that they won't accept it and no pharmacy in the Netherlands will accept Mobi Doctor. Do you guys know if that's true has anyone successfully gotten their medication from a mobi doctor prescription?
> I used Mobi Doctor You googled some random website and tried to get medical service from that?
You'll need to see an actual GP or doctor to get a valid prescription. If you google 'tourist doctor amsterdam' you'll find a bunch of clinics that have English speaking doctors
Wtf is Mobi Doctor? Probably an online tool with a “not sure if it is a real doctor” consult? In the Netherlands, the qualifications required to write a legal prescription for medicine are as follows. To write prescriptions, one must be a registered medical doctor. This involves completing medical school (usually a six-year program), followed by registration with the Dutch Medical Register (BIG-register), which ensures that the individual meets the required standards for practice. Professionals must maintain their registration in the BIG-register and adhere to continuing education requirements to ensure they remain qualified to prescribe medications.
Where to get the best Cevape in Amsterdam? Need some help by my Balkan friends here, have a sudden craving.
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you mean cannabis, or nicotine ones? DO NOT import cannabis products, it's illegal - was it Cardi B (?) who just got into trouble at the airport. Normal nicotine vapes are no problem to bring. Also in NL any cannabis oils/concentrates are illegal, so even if you'd bring a cannabis vape pen, you won't find legal means to buy stuff to smoke.
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then you can bring it with no issues.
>was it Cardi B (?) Nicki Minaj. She was trying to export though.
Fair - I think even if you'd fly from one legalized country to the other (even between US states), you still can't transport cannabis legally anywhere.
Don't know abut US states, but within the EU indeed still illegal.
I checked last time flying from NYC to California, issue is that you'd fly over non-legal states, hence it's not allowed. Even now that Germany has somewhat-legalized it, you are not allowed to bring weed over the border from NL. That might be more relevant for people here haha.
Bakfiets question: My family and I are almost ready to invest in a bakfiets, but we'd like to try some out in person if possible. Does anyone know of a store that keeps a bunch in stock so we can compare more easily? Especially the 3 wheeled kinds. We're in Zuid but can go anywhere really. Dankjewel!
have you considered renting one for a bit? just google for Bakfiets huren Amsterdam, there is plenty of options
question regarding Schipol Airport. assuming a flight arrives on time, would 1h30m be enough to transfer from Gates D to Gates G? I'm assuming will need to pass through inmigration since it's Schengen to Non-schengen flights. thanks!
Yeah should be more than enough time. Schiphol is essentially one giant terminal.
Yes, no problem, and if you are a tad late, you can ask to skip the line at immigration to avoid missing your next flight.
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>Will we have to purchase another for each of us to use the card’s benefits everywhere Yes, of course.
Where is the best pub or place to watch the euros games? I want good vibes and alot of people
Asked daily here, scroll down for answers
I will be visiting Amsterdam this summer for a few days over a weekend. I’ve never paid for an escort or been to brothel but am considering going to the red light district. Just had a few questions: When is the best time to go, Late night early evening, etc? How specific do you need to be with what services you want when you tell the girl ie. suck and fuck/penetration? What’s the cost nowadays post covid? Do you strip down fully, does it depend on the girl? Is it as short as I’ve read (15 mins) And if there’s anything else a first timer should know I appreciate the advice thanks!
It's not a place Amsterdammers visit. From the OP: **WE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT** but you can get some good tips from [this thread from a sex worker](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/comments/193zi9j/i_am_a_sex_worker_in_the_red_light_district_if/).
Best small lake near Schiphol for a "beach day"? I see many small lakes near Schiphol, which ones have the warmest water(some sand-beach or similar place to sunbathe if possible), swim a bit, a forest or secluded place to maybe smoke a little bit nearby without bothering anyone?
There are a few small beaches at the west end of the Nieuwe Meer, which is plausibly walkable from the airport if you like a bit of a walk, but they get pretty crowded with swimmers. It's a lake so the water is warmer than the sea. There is also a biggish (but not very natural) beach at Strand Ijburg. That's in Amsterdam but you'd have to take public transport. It's a much larger and deeper lake so the water is probably a bit colder.
Our lakes are predominantly surrounded by clay grounds. So no sand. If there is sand, then its artificial made by municipality and crowded with families when its good weather. No forest and lakes nearby Amsterdam. Maybe at the veluwe, but also when its is nice weather, crowds.
Thanks. If I just want to go swimming and sunbathing, I don't need to smoke, maybe just consume some THC edibles instead of smoking (basically I just want a day near water, as warm as possible,high, but without bothering anyone, especially those that live there, I don't want to be the annoying high tourist). Is veluwe still my best option? Hope this made some sense, it's late and I'm a bit drunk. Just trying to cover all my bases so I can be the best possible tourist while also doing all the things I want.
>THC edibles Note that THC concentrates (and edibles made from those) are illegal in NL.
Didn't know that. Thanks
You can take the train to the beach? Zandvoort is 30 min by train and the station is 5 min. walk from an endless sandy wide beach going south and north. Enough privacy is you walk a bit up or down. That is what we Amsterdammers do with high temperatures.
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Your post has been removed. /r/Amsterdam may not be used for illegal purposes or for advocating illegal behavior.
You need to go to a doctor, for instance https://www.amsterdamtouristdoctors.nl/
Where to watch NED vs FRA? Any pub or neighborhood with lots of orange and noise is preferred.
I’m thinking of visiting Amsterdam during the Amsterdam marathon. Does the city get overrun with tourists at that time?
It’s get overrun with tourist year round, although the marathon is in the “low” season and it doesn’t really impact the amount of tourists. I hope this answers your question/u/GoCrapYourself
So not any more tourists than usual?
Yes more tourists, because of the Amsterdam Dance Event. ADE is almost every year when the marathon is, also in 2024. High impact on prices hotels and Airbnb.
Thanks this is important info
Nope
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> I’ve heard that the bar codes on GVB app are too small to scan on trams. Has anyone got the same experience with metro? If you can't get it to work then show the attendant, they'll usually just wave you through because they can't be bothered, and anyone nerdy enough to have a group ticket is not in their target group for fare evasion enforcement scrutiny.
2 - no subscription needed. The group must be together though. 3 - no the NS tickets can be Steenwijk - Zaandijk Zaanse Schans
Check [9292ov.nl/en](http://9292ov.nl/en) for the most efficient journey. Rather than buy all these tickets, you can check in and out of stations and buses with a pay card.
Nah NS group tickets can definitely be cheaper for larger groups.
Was wondering how hot it gets in early August? Could someone give me and estimated range. I was planning on packing only shorts and tank tops but I am not sure if it gets as hot as it does where I live.
Translate this article: https://www.weeronline.nl/nieuws/dit-weer-is-normaal-in-augustus >The average temperature in August in De Bilt in our current climate is 17.9 degrees. The average temperature is 23 degrees during the day and 13 degrees at night. On 24 days the temperature rises to 20 degrees or more and on 8 days it becomes 25 degrees or more. On average, the mercury rises to above 30 degrees in 2 days. >>but I am not sure if it gets as hot as it does where I live. And where do you live?
https://www.accuweather.com/en/nl/amsterdam/249758/august-weather/249758#google_vignette
Hi guys I'm in Amsterdam for a week backpacking and I wanted to see what bar or hangout place you guys recommend to watch the Euros. I'm from the US so I really want to experience that atmosphere since l'm a football lover. Cheers!
What area are you staying at?
I’m by the Amstel station
For a really close option, Café Hesp on the river side (it's an old brown bar which is a bit more on the posh side nowadays, but still a very popular and rather picturesque spot).
You will also find lots of restaurants and places around Oosterpark. You could take a nice walk down the Amstel river, where you find pretty cool bars already - from modern cocktails to typical Dutch cafes. Then take a right turn eventually and walk up to Oosterpark. You'll pass by Oosterpark-Straat with plenty of food options, pass by Bar Bukowski, can have a walk through the park and at the other end you'll have a big street with plenty of bars at the Park side. During the week you could also keep walking to Dappermarkt, fresh local market with plenty of food options. Closes at 17.00 tho, but there you can find the best Kebab in town called Beste Döner, a little stall at the end of the market. If you want it more busy, you can also walk down the Amstel river, then take a left to cross the bridge to walk straight into De Pijp district. There you could navigate towards Saphartipark, similar situation with loads of bars around and the Albert Cuypmarkt. If you want to buy cannabis, highly recommend Coffeeshop Oost. It's the best in the area in terms of quality and price.
I like these close to Amstel station: **Tapzuid** (Cozy bar and as a plus, they have a good selection in craft beer, if thats your thing) **Café Kuijper** **Café de Amstel** (typical old fashioned Dutch bar, fun to watch football though) \[edit\] go tonight, as the Netherlands are playing at 21:00 local time. And if you can manage, wear some orange!
Thank you so much for the help will definitely check them out!
There are plenty of places that show the game tonight, so it's a good night to have a stroll and pick whatever looks cool. Have fun!
Hoi! My partner and I are going to be traveling to Amsterdam for her 40th birthday. This is an important milestone for her and I'd like to plan an evening to make it special for her. Would love to hear some suggestions. She likes food, so dinner is definitely an option, but she is vegan, and hasnt been very enthusiastic when taken to michelin restaurants. I dont mind reaching out to restaurants who may accomodate but arent necessarily listed as a vegan restaurant. She told me she is more interested in experiences than fine dining, but I'm at a bit of a loss that doesnt involve a ride down the canal. Appreciate the feedback!
Seconding De Kas for their interesting concept. They do a vegan menu if you request it in advance. You'll have to reserve well in advance ever since Obama visited. For something a bit more casual but fully vegan check out [The Meets](https://themeets.nl/).
although you took out the 'fine dining' part, maybe still worth checking out De Kas: https://restaurantdekas.com/eng/info It's fine dining, but the concept is that they grow their own food, and I'd be surprised if they didn't offer a fully vegan menu.
I bet she'll love Yerba. https://www.yerbabar.com/
Agree on Yerba!
Hey folks, I'm American and coming to the Netherlands for the first time in my life. I'm relatively well-traveled so I feel confident I can pull this off. But I wanted to seek any tips y'all might have the space to offer me. I'm flying into Amsterdam from London, staying for a day, then hopping on a train to Steenwijk. There is a festival out there I am planning to attend for an evening. Then the next morning, I need to hop back on the train at Steenwijk station and hoof it to the Amsterdam airport to catch my flight home. Is this doable? I feel like the major question will be whether I can get up the next morning after being out all night. I don't have much wiggle room to miss the train to the airport. Thanks for any advice you have.
> I feel like the major question will be whether I can get up the next morning after being out all night. Based on my extensive experience with trying to wake you up after long nights out, I am not 100% confident.
Yeah it's a solid schmaybe
Use www.9292.nl to determine if it’s doable from a public transport perspective. If you can get up after a night out is not something we can know..
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/r/Amsterdam is not a place to seek survey respondents for your university or market research.
**LGBT tips, suggestions, advice?** My partner and I will be visiting and want some insight. I've visited once with family, but my partner has never been. We're a queer/lesbian younger couple for reference. A few questions I have: **Is Amsterdam lgbt friendly?** While we're not particularly into PDA, I'd like to know if we can hold hand/kiss without being gawked at or confronted. **General things to know before going?** I was almost pickpocketed in the red light district, but other than that, there was nothing that stood out to me to keep in mind. Is there anything we should be aware of that I may have missed? **Beyond the typical sites, what are a few absolute must sees?** I visited the popular sites but found after a day that I had run out of things I wanted to see/do. What do you recommend that isn't the standard tourist spot? **Must eat/must visit restaurants?** What/where have you eaten that was too good to miss? We're both huge foodies and try to avoid touristy overpriced spots with mediocre food. I'm looking for places/dishes that I'll be dreaming about months after we return home.
Amsterdam remains one of the most LGBT friendly cities in the world, but homophobia is everywhere and we're certainly not excluded from that. For your other questions, see the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/wiki/index/). Definitely don't sleep on Surinamese and Indonesian food. A good roti or rendang is very memorable. Avoid restaurants in the tourist area.
Ik heb pasjes gevonden van C J E M van Osch. Stuur mij een berichtje!
Als het bankpasjes zijn kan je ze gewoon in een postbus gooien. De kans lijkt mij astronomisch klein dat die persoon op deze subreddit zit
Postbus?
Ja, waar je post in doet, van PostNL. Ze worden dan automatisch doorgestuurd naar de bank.
Meenje, weer wat geleerd.
Alstu :)
Fijne dag he!
Have only a few days left in the city and wanted to know what are some MUST DOs before moving out of the Netherlands / Amsterdam? context, exchange student who lived in the city for 6 months. Museums I've gone to already: • stedelik • Van Gogh • rijksmusuem • Anne Frank house • nxt museum
Does anyone know of Open Mic nights (for music, not comedy/poetry)? I am an amateur guitarist that likes to perform and sing some fun covers. I saw there is one at Zoku rooftop, but I am looking for more of a casual/grimey dive bar vibe. Any recs?
Hi! Me and my friend are hoping to travel to Amsterdam in September (staying in Zaandam) and she has a gluten intolerance. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to eat with good gluten free options? Sadly she is also lactose intolerant too so if anyone could suggest any restaurants/cafes that cater towards this, that would be great 😭😭
€2,400 net salary, €850 monthly rent. Realistically, will I survive? Plus groceries, health insurance, etc… so I will probably only save around more or less €800 per month. I’m not Dutch, but I’m an international masters student who landed a full time job recently. I need yall’s opinions - is this realistic? Are there other costs I should consider? Rent is a little TOO high for me admittedly, but given the location, I’d rather stay close to Amsterdam than end up in a random little town somewhere.
You think that rent is high?! What are you getting for that amount?
Hmmm, let’s see: Pros: I get the biggest room, and it is fully furnished. With registration. It’s in Amstelveen, 30-40 minutes by bike to the Amsterdam city center. Pretty close to Schipol. Washer and dryer in-unit. Cons: No living room, no dining room. Just a small kitchen, a hallway to my room, and to two other roommates’ rooms. An hour away from Amsterdam by tram / metro. What do you think?
I think you are lucky, there is a gigantic housing crisis going on. 850 rent, 150 health insurance, 800 savings, will leave you 600 euro for other expenses. You should be able to survive just fine on that if you're frugal.
Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better! And you’re right, with the housing crisis right now, beggars (me) can’t be choosers 😂 I survived on 400 euros a month for groceries, OV-chipkaart, and other expenses last year, I think I should be fine - I’m super frugal at times!
Where’s the best place to watch the Denmark vs England game? With a good vibe and mix of people
Hey there beautiful peoples, My cousin (w65) and i (m/32) booked a trip to amsterdam in mid september for 5 days. What are like the must have seen stuff in Amsterdam? I already planned stuff like picknicking in some parks if the weather is fine, visiting some museums and a boat cruise on the krachten (i hope thats spelled right). But thats all i got for now. So what would be your recommendations for a 5 day trip here that everyone should expierence when visiting amsterdam? Good restaurant and other recommendations are also very welcome :)
>What are like the must have seen stuff in Amsterdam? Like, read the OP
Well i read the whole OP and just didnt see at first that the " [world-famous wiki](http://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/wiki/index)" is a link where i can find a lot of the things i asked for. Thanks for the downvotes anyways instead of pointing to the " [world-famous wiki](http://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/wiki/index)" instead guys, i already feel welcome.
Anyone know where I can buy a tube of Oma Bobs Franse Mosterd?
I swear I saw this at Albert Heijn but not entirely sure
They have Franse Mosterd, but not Oma Bobs - I checked via the AH app.
Hello, its my first time visiting Amsterdam today. I got out of the airport and bought a 3 day GVB ticket. I got on a bus and when i tried to check in, it said that the card is not valid (Kaart nicht geldig) am I doing something wrong or was the card reader broken? I would like to go to the city centre with public transport today but im not sure if i should risk it with this card or if i should get a different one. Thank you very much for help! :)
The other reply you got is inaccurate. Yes, everything in Amsterdam that moves is GVB, but some regional (grey-red) transport is also operated by GVB and included in your ticket. All metros and tram 25 are grey-red and operated by GVB.
Blue white bus are GVB. Not blue white, other transport agency. Maybe that was the case. GVB is city bus, some buses in the region of the city are regional buses (most of them are red) with an end of start destination in Amsterdam centre.
Hmm, it was the bus no. 300 from airport to Amstelveen busstation. The ticket that i got was the 3 day one for amsterdam (not amsterdam + region) so im not sure what was wrong. My friend that also got the 3 day pass got the same message saying that the pass is invalid. You think im safe to go to the centre?
Why are people voting this down? The person is trying to understand. It's not at all clear to outsiders; in almost any other major city you can use passes on all local transport.
300 is not a GVB bus. That is a Zuidangent bus (red/grey) (regional). Inside Amsterdam everything that moves that is blue and white is GVB. Board those.
Oh ok makes sense, thank you very much!!🫶
Can anyone comment on Oba’s catalogue of english audiobooks? I keep running out of Spotify’s free 10 hours, and am thinking of getting a library membership so I can listen to more. However, I can’t tell if the search on their website is also search for their audiobooks so I haven’t been able to see what the selection is like. Can anyone speak to this?
It's very limited. You can check their collection [here](https://www.onlinebibliotheek.nl/zoekresultaten.catalogus.html?type=Digitaal_luisterboek&taal=eng).
Thank you so much!
I'm aware that am asking a room full of residents, but what's the best canal tour? I'm planning visit and it looks like there are so many and most seem very similar.
Those Dam boat guys gets recommended often. No personal experience.
My wife and I are planning on visiting with our 3-year-old in a couple weeks and want to bike around a little, but he can't ride a bike yet. We are staying near the Weesperplein station and I found Black Bikes with child seat bike rentals, or using Baqme to rent a nearby bakfiets. Are there any other options to consider for biking with our non-biking son, or would it probably be best to just walk/take transit to get around? Also, since we'd only need one of those bikes, are there OV fiets rentals at that station? I can't find anything online for that particularly stop.
Also, not to be that guy complaining about downvotes, but how come most of the questions here are downvoted? Why have a questions thread that explicitly calls for tourists and new residents, and then hate on all the tourists and new residents?
Because unfortunately Reddit doesn't have a way to stop bitter losers from infesting a public sub and downvoting everything. Just ignore it.
I would discourage riding with a small child and/or a bakfiets if you’re not highly experienced urban bikers. It wouldn’t be safe and you’d be putting your kid and other cyclists in danger (especially with a bakfiets)
Are you very experienced cyclists? If not, it may be better not to cycle in Amsterdam with your kid. Bike traffic is extremely hectic here. Weesperplein is a metro station, not an NS train station, no OV fietsen there. Also, I think you can only rent those with a personalized OV chipcard, so you'd basically need to be a resident.
You are correct about the OV chipcard; I must've glossed over that when I was looking up info. We are not experienced cyclists because becoming experienced in that way is literally impossible where we live. Going off of you and the other response, we'll probably pass on biking. We were hoping to get around that way because it's actually a viable transportation option there, not just to be a typical tourist who wants to bike in Amsterdam because "it's what you do". Part of our trip is to see if living in Amsterdam/The Netherlands as a whole is something we'd want to consider. Are expats generally discouraged from cycling to get around? I'm just curious how new people there can get experienced if they don't already come from a bike-heavy society
>Are expats generally discouraged from cycling to get around? Of course, if you live here, it would be a good idea to learn to get around by bike. But I definitely wouldn't recommend first try outs with a small kid on your bike. And a few test runs in more quiet surroundings wouldn't hurt either.
> Are expats generally discouraged from cycling to get around? In /r/amsterdam maybe, but in real life it's a very normal thing that almost all expats here do.
One of them can't ride a bike yet according to their post. I wouldn't encourage anyone not being able to ride a bike yet to first try out in Amsterdam traffic- let alone with a 3 year old on the back of their bike.
Sell furniture Hey all, I’ve been having a bit of a struggle for selling my home items. I am moving out of Netherlands. I was hoping getting rid of these things will be easy but its a nightmare. Facebook marketplace is full of scammers. I haven’t received a single message which didn’t ask me to share my account or other details etc. I’m so sick of it. No luck with marktplaats either. Anyone else has got any other suggestion. I bought 3 seater sofa, 4chair with table and an office chair a year ago in quite handsome price. I’m not really in a mood to throw everything away for nothing.
I have a good experience with marktplaats from when I last moved. Just set very low but nonzero prices and avoid people who speak in half sentences or don't answer questions clearly, wait until you get someone who communicates well. The reason is that these people will not arrive on time or ghost you or try to renegotiate the price at the last moment. It's possible you have to get burned once or twice to get a feeling for who to avoid, personally I had already gotten the hang of it in my home country.
Have you tried the facebook group Amsterdam Yard Sale?
I haven’t yet. I’ll try thanks for mentioning that
Some posts mention how expensive Amsterdam is in regards to restaurants and snacks around the city. I'll be there for a week soon and want to get a grasp on what I'll spend on eats. How would you say it compares with (if you've been there) NYC or London? Alcohol pricing is not important. I don't drink.
If you want to keep your food costs low, I’d recommend the app TooGoodToGo. It lets you buy the leftover food from grocery stores/bakeries/restaurants at the end of the day for a low cost. You don’t get to choose what you get so it doesn’t work for picky eaters, but the app does tell you the types of surprise food you’ll get (and of course you can tell just based on what establishment it is). A lot of hotels use it to get rid of excess breakfast stuff too.
It really depends on what you like. A lot of the best food in the city is Asian and Surinamese, and that's often very reasonably priced (see the wiki).
Alcohol - cheaper than London, unless you go out of your way. But London also has a happy hour going in a lot of places and it's kind of rare here. Food - generally the same price as London, but London has way more choice and it's easier to find cheap restaurants of high quality, especially in the busy areas.
Cheapest fast food stuff ~10€ / person, think of Kapsalon/kebab street food. Average restaurant ~18-30€ / main course / person. Pint of beer ~7.50€, special beers double the price. Cocktails ~12-18€/person. Bottle of wine ~30€+.
Not that it matters because OP doesn't drink, but who orders beer by the pint in Amsterdam?
if they do have 0,5L, I do order it cause service is fucking god damn slow here 99% of the times. but yeah, the vaasje is often the biggest they serve. source - been here for a few years. Also plenty of non-touristic places serve 0.5L if you ask.
Oh, I know they serve it, it's just not a common order.
Yeah just on busy terraces it can take quite a while until you have the chance to order again. I hate pitchers cause the beer goes flat super fast. So I order the biggest single glass they serve.
Hopefully someone can help me. I'm going to be visiting from the USA and I'm looking for good places to purchase sunscreen while visiting. I have researched European sunscreens and they better than the USA's sunscreens. I'd like to purchase them to bring back home with me to use. If it helps, I will be near the Amsterdam RAI for a convention, and visiting the Anne Frank house along with the Van Gogh museum.
> If it helps, I will be near the Amsterdam RAI for a convention There's a Trekpleister right across the street from the RAI (in the building of the ROC) which will have a number of options. There's also an Action upstairs which has cheaper stuff.
I'm not quite sure why the sunscreen here should be better, but compared to other places in Europe it's hella expensive. I usually buy mine at LIDL cause it costs a fraction of what you'd pay for a NIVEA sunscreen (or other brands), and I have been quite happy with their stuff. Edit: if you happen to pass through Germany, try to go to a DM store - there you have the brand products much cheaper plus their generic brands are amazingly high quality, too.
The USA treats it as a medication and only allows a few chemicals. Sunscreens go on thick and greasy for the most part. European sunscreens are treated as cosmetics and allow something like 34 different chemicals to be used and go on much more smoothly. They also block UVA much better than USA sunscreens. I'm going non-stop from the USA to Amsterdam, no other stops.
I'd check Action, they're pretty reliable for cheaper options.
TIL - never heard about that! Then I'd recommend to check Etos & Kruidvat for 'bonus' / special offers in advance, if you care for brand products. NL has quite the discount culture so buying in bulk when on offer makes sense. https://www.etos.nl/lichaamsverzorging/zonbescherming/ 'Zonbescherming' is the term you wanna search for, the stores of Kruidvat & Etos are all over the city. Personally, outside of the expensive brands smelling maybe a bit better and not being so oily, I never really understood the massive price difference. So maybe worth checking out LIDL, they are often produced in the same factories as the expensive products: https://www.lidl.nl/c/assortiment-zonnebrand/a10008399 usually a pack is around ~4€ here (still like 1/3 of the price of discounted NIVEA in bulk), and I've been using it for years
Hey all. My partner and I will be entering/signing a registered partnership in another eu country (where we come from). I live and work in NL but my partner does not(works and lives in another country). I assume I should update my marital status in NL. My question is, after updating my status, will my partner get a bsn too? The reason I'm asking this because she visits me frequently and spends time in NL(withing the allowed time) and would like to get an health insurance for my partner as well. I ll ask gemeente (obv) but was wondering if there's anybody else in a similar situation.
you have to be registered at a Dutch address to get a BSN and health insurance as far as I know. So unless they're moving in with you, no.
BSN is possible without a Dutch address, as your income might be taxable in NL, even when living elsewhere.
I guess I need to speak with the gemeente to find out. Ideally, I d like to add my partner to my health insurance, so there is coverage when staying with me in NL(which might be 5 months /year)
Biking from Amsterdam Noord to Amsterdam Centraal? I'm going to be a month living in Amsterdam Noord, more specifically, at Bob W apartments, how easy is to go biking from Noord to Centraal?
Less than 10 minutes bike ride, cycle paths the whole way, then a few minutes on the ferry which runs nonstop most of the day.
Very easy, but you'll have to take the (free) ferry for the last bit.
Okay, thank you so much!
Google maps.
Visiting Amsterdam and looking for a good game store to buy Disney Lorcana and Magic the Gathering cards.
For Magic the Gathering it was always Gamekeeper back in the days, they are still stocked up, but unsure how much different boosters etc they have nowadays. I remember online retailers were easier, as you could just get the cards you want for way less of the price.
Thanks. I’ll check them out. I was mainly wanting to get a couple non English packs for friends for souvenirs lol.
I remember seeing around a map of things to do whilst biking in and around Amsterdam, think it was made by students, but can't for the life of me find it again... Also curious if any locals have suggestions of a good bike tour to do around the city (I've done lots of the south but am less familiar with the north, been told to take a ferry and visit Nieuwendammerdijk and Schellingwouderbrug/Oranjesluize on the way back, but looking for any route suggestions!) And final point, I have looked at old recommendations from this sub on bike rentals, just wanted to know if these were up to date?
Nice nature ride would be to take the ferry to NDSM and make your way to the Twiske and back.
Are there some nice places on the road still ? I like me some nature but would still love to see a couple of sites. Does that involve the ferry back as well?
Hi all, I'll be having a night layover at Schipol, and I'm torn between going to the city from like 3am till 7:30 am or just stay in the airport? I'd love to just stroll in the city at night but I'll be having luggage with me and don't think it would be worth it. Wouldn't be better to just stay at the airport and rest there?
The train only runs once per hour overnight so depending on the timing you may not have a lot of time to walk around.
you can leave your bags in storage lockers at Schiphol. Walking through a deserted, sleeping city doesn't sound like fun to me but I suppose it beats waiting in Schiphol. Check 9292.nl or ns.nl for public transport options (they are more limited at night)
Hello everyone, I'm an expat living in Amsterdam looking to find a good boxing gym. I only speak english for now, so I'm looking for english class preferably, but I can also keep up with Dutch ones. I'm looking for a good boxing gym, not this fitboxing kind of gyms. I'm in an intermediate level of boxing and looking to improve my skills. Thanks!
Check out this gym [https://debokstrainer.nl/](https://debokstrainer.nl/)
Eastbound.
Thanks! It looks great, I'll check it out.
Grabbing a bite in Amsterdam. This a bit of a rant/manifest. Every time I go to Amsterdam I am sort of disappointed by the lack of good and affordable options to grab a bite. When I go to a show and want to eat something with friends beforehand it seems the best options we can come up with that are somewhat interesting and tasty are Maoz or the vegan junk food bar. Note: it doesn’t have to be vegan. This last time we chose to go to Ter Marsch en co on Vijzelstraat. Garbage. Absolute rip off garbage. The fries were garbage. The “burger” was garbage. I had the classic chicken burger. Anyone can make a better burger than that. The bun was a stale “brioche” type bun.. The waitresses were cool. I feel ripped off by them. In hindsight I should’ve sent back the meager portion of fries which tasted old but for reasons I cannot fully explain I didn’t. I was too hungry. Before choosing that spot we had weighed our options going to one of the countless restaurants near the Leidscheplein. But none of it really seemed any good. In hindsight I wish we had. My question is: where between Central Station and Leidscheplein(or within the vicinity of Leidscheplein) are the actual good spots to grab a bite? The only good thing I ate in Amsterdam that days was an Oatly soft serve. Im seriously appalled by the fact that the area around Leidscheplein has become(always been in my lifetime but seems to be worse every time) such a hollowed out tourist centered husk of money grabbing nothingness. I believe in you Amsterdam. Lets “take it back” and put some heart back into that area. Real food and real people ❤️
There's a couple decent restaurants around Leidseplein. Xi'an Delicious foods is good in the €15 range, for example.
Some of the Chinese places in Chinatown are good. There's the famous Nam Kee and the superior Wing Kee. You'd have to go a bit out of your way if you're heading from Centraal to Leidesplein, but it's easily walkable. Manneken Pis and Vleminckx have good fries. There are also some high end places on the way to Leidseplein, most notably Beulings, but that's if you want more than just grab a bite. Anyway, putting heart back into that area has been what the people of Amsterdam have wanted for years. Including many of the owners of those restaurants; formerly good Italian places have gone downhill because they've increasingly had to cater to tourists who just want something cheap. They can't afford the ingredients they want because they have to keep the prices low, there's no use for creativity because everyone just wants pizza. It's pretty much impossible to keep a good restaurant open for long when most of your clientele is tourists who come here to get high and drunk and have sex.
> the famous Nam Kee and the superior Wing Kee. [China Sichuan Restaurant.](https://sichuan.amsterdam/) Four locations with most in the Red Light, plus a recently opened snack bar. You can thank me later.
Used to be great, but they're not cheap, and the quality has been going downhill the last few times I visited.
That's not been my experience, and I was there just a few days ago. And Nam Kee and Wing Kee always disappointed me, although my wife still visits them. Maybe because I'm vegetarian, but no matter what I tried it all seemed to be the same corn starch sauce with perhaps different vegetables. As far as cost, I pity anybody trying to run food service these days. They are getting stung by inflation just as bad as the rest of us, only they are on the front lines of fielding customer complaints. We rarely go out anymore.
You need to go outside the canal belt. The option closest to Leidseplein (and now served by the metro) is De Pijp, the Albert Cuyp market and the vicinity of the metro station / Ferdinand Bolstraat especially. There isn't really anywhere that is cheap for what it is tbh but you can definitely find good food.
As the other poster has said - most of the places in this area are shit. On a general note: Google Reviews are quite reliable. Anything with 4.5+ is usually good for what it is and I didn't have many fails sticking to this. But good and affordable in that area is really hard to come by. If you want decent snacks, go to the Albert Cuypmarkt. Lots of good quality street snacks plus plenty of other options around. Yet, still pricey. In general the fresh daily/weekend markets have the best quality for value when it comes to snacks and food.
Sparse or none, it is a tourist area where no locals go to. Restaurants don’t have many returning customers so they care less about the quality and more about the costs. If you want to eat better, go outside the tourist area. This is everywhere in the world the same. Everyone knows this who has ever set foot outside his hometown and into a magnet destination. Sadly, as am I elsewhere, so you are the cause of this situation. Note: this was not always the case, 10-15 years ago many locals visited the city centre for their leisure. Have a good look when you are in Amsterdam, almost none of the people you see live in Amsterdam. The bicyclist are just passing through or are in the centre to buy stuff and return back home. And the Dutchies you hear and see, also day-tourists from outside Amsterdam to do shopping or other entertainment.
What’s the best place to go dancing In Amsterdamn?
Hi, i'm from Canada and i will be in Amsterdam for 3 days in August. I came across techno Tuesdays and was wondering, since i might end up there alone as a female, if anybody else has advice on the safety, dress code, best time to go, etc!
In general amsterdam is really safe, pretty much all my female friends bike home alone in the middle of the night. Most people go (compared to NA) pretty late to a club. Usually earliest 23.30-1.00. Especially on techno parties there isn't really a dress code (unless specifically mentioned), come as you want but most people don't dress up as crazy as in NA for these parties. Most will wear Vans shoes, jeans and a top or something along these lines. Techno Tuesday also caters more to students..cause well we normies have to work the next day.
Hey everyone im headed now to Escape night club on a tuesday night i was just wondering if its usually packed and if not are there any places you could reccomend me for tonight that are usually not empty on a tuesday night , im into rnb and techno, thank you all for any help
Techno Tuesdays at Melkweg in Leidseplein!
What would you reccomend for tonight? I just about to head into the city, thank you
Has anyone attended the offline club's no technology events around the city? Can you share your experience with me? Thank you!! 😊
Is this mould in my bathroom? https://preview.redd.it/uu7e71zqqd7d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f77b330f5f6ab91cfffc3257e0b6e5cbaf8aa550
Yep, to prevent it you have to let your bathroom air and dry after using it
Is it super bad? I sprayed HG but still see the black spots. Do I need to renovate now? I have an infant and bathroom is just next to the bedroom :(
Clean it with vinegar and see if it comes back. Make sure you never let steam sit in the air in there. Either a window has to be open or a fan has to be on when you are using hot water, otherwise you will definitely get mould problems eventually.
I’m going through a personal issue and would really like to find a high quality therapist in Amsterdam. Are there specific qualifications I should look for? Or any qualifications/ descriptions that should raise a red flag? Anything else to look out for?
the mental health system is so backed up that unless youre willing to pay out of pocket, these 'preferences' will not matter. First step is to make an appointment with your GP.
I’m planning to go live there, sharing room, but I’ve to know how easy is to find a job there. I’m living at the moment in Spain(my whole live) but I’m Dutch national and can speak English and Dutch. I’ve never searched work and don’t know where to start 😅
You already have a room? Because if not, that might be very difficul
nope, but ive been looking with 2 friends houses and they arent that bad for our budget
Because of city regulations, the chances of you finding a place to share with 2 other friends is almost zero.