On my way home from a quick trip to Italy, I was lucky to have an overnight layover in the best possible city: Amsterdam. The city is so beautiful during the day and becomes lively and adventurous at night. With this drastic change and a huge number of things to do, you will have no excuse to be bored during your layover!
Visit a Museum
If you are fortunate to arrive early enough to visit a museum, I encourage you to do so! Amsterdam is full of museums: 75 to be exact! The options range from art museums featuring two of my favorite artists, Rembrandt and Van Gogh, to Holocaust Memorial and even an aquarium. The Ann Frank House is also in Amsterdam. Major museums close in the early evenings, around 5-6 pm, so I was unable to visit a major museum due to a flight delay. However, there are a number of small, fun museums throughout the Red Light district open late, dedicated to the history of torture devices, Red Light prostitution, and even, ahem, a sex museum. As I said, you will never be bored in Amsterdam!
Grab Some Incredible Food
The city center of Amsterdam is overflowing with incredible restaurants, where you can satisfy any food craving from authentic Italian, Dutch, or Chinese establishments. During my visit, I found a sushi restaurant tucked away near the Red Light district. It was incredibly fresh, authentic, and reasonably priced! I encourage you to explore the city center for restaurants that may be hidden from crowds of tourists for the best bang for your buck.
Visit the Red Light District
No trip to Amsterdam would be complete without a stroll down the famous Red Light District. Whether or not you plan to engage with various activities that occur in the area, you should definitely see the famous district. Amsterdam is famous for its legalization of prostitution and cannabis, and many tourists take advantage of this during their visit.
Things to Remember in the Red Light District
Although I cannot, and will not, encourage you to participate in prostitution or drug use in the district, I can give you some advice to keep safe and not be that tourist.
1. Do not take pictures of the prostitutes without permission.
The prostitutes along the district are human beings, and should not be treated as sexual objects. By taking pictures, or standing in front of their windows staring, you are essentially stealing money from them and their business. Even if you do not understand their business, please treat them kindly and keep walking. Tourists caught taking photos without permission may be doused with a water hose!
2. Only buy packaged edibles/drugs.
If you do decide to try an edible or other legal drugs in Amsterdam, only pay for one that is packaged and sealed. There are multiple stores around the district that sell every type of edible you can imagine that is sealed and packaged like any other treat you would find at a supermarket or airport. Even if they may be more expensive, only purchase treats that you know are safe.
3. Pace yourself.
If you do not typically engage in drug use at home, and choose to try it in Amsterdam, pace yourself. You do not know how your body will react to it, and edibles especially take a very long time to kick in, especially if you’ve eaten food recently. Take it slow, and prevent putting yourself in a dangerous situation by becoming too intoxicated to make your way back to your hotel on your own.
Amsterdam, Amsterdam
Amsterdam can be an incredibly fun place to explore and safely engage in behaviors that are typically illegal in other places. However, you want to remember to be a decent person while visiting and pace yourself to keep yourself safe. The city is also full of incredible food, museums, and a beautiful series of canals to explore if you choose not to participate in the “typical” Amsterdam experience.
Whatever you decide to do during your quick trip to Amsterdam, remember to stay safe, and have fun!
Stumble Safari does not encourage behavior engaging with prostitution or drugs. This article was intended to educate and promote safe behavior while visiting Amsterdam.
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