Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of those cities that is always easy to return to, but it is also a city with much more history behind its pretty image. It began as a settlement around a dam on the Amstel River in the 13th century, and a 1275 toll privilege is usually treated as its first written record. In the 17th century, during the Dutch Golden Age, Amsterdam grew into one of Europe’s great trading and port cities, and its famous canal ring was designed as a major urban expansion rather than just something decorative. That is part of what makes the city so interesting today: the canals are beautiful, of course, but they also come from trade, planning, and water management. The canal ring is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it still shapes the character of the city more than anything else. Amsterdam is also the capital of the Netherlands, even though the Dutch government and parliament are based in The Hague.

When you are staying in Rotterdam, Amsterdam is also very doable for a weekend or even as a day trip. People commute between the two cities every day, so going there just for walking, coffee, and food feels completely natural. I came for the weekend, so this time I stayed one night. We did not come mainly for museums, even though we usually visit one or two on most trips. This visit was much more about walking around, enjoying the canals and neighbourhoods, stopping for coffee, and eating well along the way.

Zoku Amsterdam

For the night, we stayed at Zoku Amsterdam, which suited this kind of trip really well. It is in Amsterdam’s eastern canal district, close to Weesperplein and within walking distance of the city centre. What made it stand out for me was that it felt practical and stylish at the same time, and the breakfast was definitely worth it. Zoku’s Living Kitchen serves a buffet-style breakfast with pastries, breads, fruit, yoghurt, granola, cheeses, juices, unlimited coffee and tea, plus dishes like eggs your way or vegan avocado toast, all with skyline views from the top floor

Five Ways Coffee Roasters

One personal obsession of mine on any trip is trying to find the best coffee shop in town, so Amsterdam was perfect for that. Five Ways Coffee Roasters was one of the stops that made sense immediately. It is an Amsterdam specialty roaster, and one of the things that stands out is that they roast to order, which is part of why the coffee has such a strong reputation among people who care about freshness. Their own channels also make clear that the brand works with two locations and that the East location is the one with brunch, so it is not just a quick coffee bar but also a place people go for a fuller café stop.

Dak Coffee Roasters

Dak Coffee Roasters is the kind of place people remember because it takes coffee very seriously. Dak is an Amsterdam-based specialty roaster founded by two Canadians from Montreal, and the brand is known for focusing on distinctive coffees rather than playing it safe. Their own description emphasizes unique coffees and careful roasting, which is really what makes them stand out: you go there because there are usually several interesting options rather than just one standard house coffee. That range is a big part of why specialty coffee people seek it out.

Luuk’s Coffee Noordermarkt

Luuk’s Coffee Noordermarkt fits Amsterdam very well because it feels tied to everyday city life rather than tourism alone. Luuk’s describes itself as an Amsterdam specialty coffee brand built around “everyday drinking,” roasting its own coffee and serving it daily in its cafés. The Noordermarkt location is in the Jordaan on Westerstraat, close to the market area, and their own wording about warm service and consistent brews explains why it works so well as a neighbourhood stop. It is the kind of place people return to regularly, not just once for a photo

Vondelpark

Vondelpark is one of the classic places to walk in Amsterdam, but it also has real historical weight. The park opened in 1865, was created during the city’s 19th-century expansion, and has been a national monument since 1996. It is still Amsterdam’s most famous city park, so even a simple walk there feels like stepping into one of the city’s most established public spaces rather than just passing through another green area.

Bariq – Greek Food & Wines

Bariq was our only real dinner in Amsterdam, so it mattered more than a random stop would have. The restaurant presents itself as a Mediterranean food and wine bar on Overtoom, with brunch, tapas, and dinner, which helps explain why it attracts both casual visitors and people looking for a longer evening meal. Even though the name you gave me was “Greek Food & Wines,” what seems to make it appealing is that it is broader than a single-dish place: it is built around a full sit-down experience with wine and shared plates, which makes it a good choice when you only have one dinner in the city.

Hans Egstorf

Hans Egstorf is not just a random sweet stop. It is one of the city’s historic bakery names and is especially known for stroopwafels, the Dutch syrup waffle biscuit that many visitors specifically look for in Amsterdam. On its own site, Hans Egstorf says it has defined its stroopwafel standard since 1898, baking them fresh in Amsterdam according to its original recipe. That long history is exactly why it draws attention: it is not only about getting something sweet, but about trying a place tied to a classic Amsterdam treat.

Fabel Friet Runstraat

Fabel Friet on Runstraat is one of those places that becomes popular because it focuses on one thing and does it with precision. The company says it makes “real fresh Dutch fries” rather than French or Flemish fries, and that it uses Agria potatoes from Dutch soil that were specifically developed for fries. That kind of product-first approach is probably a big part of why people line up for it: the place has built a reputation around fries as the main event, not as a side order. The Runstraat branch is in the Nine Streets area, which also gives it a naturally busy location.

Banketbakkerij Het Koekemannetje

Het Koekemannetje is another place that makes sense once you know a little more about it. The bakery says its story began long before the shop itself, when David and Alain used to bake cookies together, and that they turned the idea into a real store in late 2019 in Amsterdam’s Nine Streets. The shop also stresses that its cookies are handmade and baked fresh every day in-store. That combination of a very specific product, fresh baking, and a strong location in one of Amsterdam’s most walked-through neighbourhoods helps explain why it has become such a popular stop.

The feeling of the trip

What I liked about this Amsterdam visit was that it really did not need a heavy plan. Normally we add one or two museums to a trip, but this weekend was more about the city’s atmosphere than a checklist. Staying one night at Zoku, walking through Vondelpark, chasing good coffee, and making small food stops along the way felt like a very Amsterdam way to spend a weekend. And honestly, for this kind of trip, that was enough.