Mark, tell people that there are two cards that they should get when visiting Netherlands: the ov-chipkaart for transport and the museum kaart for museums. Unlike systems in larger countries, these cards can be used *ALL OVER NETHERLANDS*! We visited museums and used the transport all over the place, and got tremendous value out of these cards.
Sorry, did you say... #1 Mistaking a coffeeshop for a Café #2 Only coming for the Red Light District #3 Only staying in Amsterdam #4 Thinking there are weekend deals to be had #5 Having too much luggage for the stairs #6 Not pre-booking tickets to the Anne Frank House #7 Expecting to have only Dutch culture #8 Trying to eat only Dutch food #9 Taking Ubers & taxis instead of public transport #10 Walking in the Bike lanes #11 Not knowing the Bike riding rules #12 Riding your bike on the Tram tracks #13 Trying to take pictures of women in the Red Light District #14 Thinking it is easy to get that I AMSTERDAM picture #15 Not knowing the Tram door etiquette #16 Not waiting for seafood to cool down ? Oh okay, noted. Thanks.
Walking in the bike lanes is a good one to avoid. He's said time and time again if you get injured no one will feel sorry for ya. Neither will I, but on the flipside, if you get hit by a bicycle, I'M WALKING INTO THE BIKE LANE TO SAVE YOU - I should not, but I'm just that kind of guy, sorrynotsorry, but in that case, I'm walking in the bike lane and will make my presence known. so I myself don't get hit, and you don't get hit again and again. and so-on..\ This is the 10th time I've watched this video.. Can't have too much awareness
@@Stevo_TH-cam Here in Seattle there is fentanyl, a real drug, then everything else. America is addicted to sugar, caffeine, and beer. We worry too much about weed.
My big "mistakes tourits make" is, not asking locals about stuff. We are more than happy to help and explain stuff. (well, most of us.) Personally I love telling tourists about my city (in my case the Hague) and country. Don't buy expensive travel guides written by non-dutch people.
@@frankreynolds9418 You are right. People in Amsterdam complain about to much tourists. Visit Other cities in the country and have a much better experience.
@@remcowiegmink875 Absolute, I'm living in Dordrecht and we are very proud of our beautiful historic center. And we are very well willing to help tourists to tell where to go (at least the most of us).
@@davidvilchez2209 Well, there always might be people who don't speak English very well. Remember, our language is Dutch, not English, so we all have to think before we speak and we might not always know the correct words. Mostly elder people didn't learn English (or just a few years at highschool). Thereby, we have a lot of people living here who aren't Dutch but Polish, German, Turkish etc. who probably never had English in their schoolsystem. And you might run into another tourist... Best to do when asking someone who don't speak English, is just ask someone else.
Going to visit "De Bollenvelden" and trying to take selfies/pictures in the middle of the fields... Those fields aren't there for the tourists, the owners are farmers who have to earn their complete salary for the year of those fields (by selling the flowers and the bulbs). Walking into these fields for that "one nice picture" is literally destroying their income for the rest of the year. And you are not the only one who tries, thousands of visitors are trying to get in each field ever year... And placing signs doesn't work so there are farmers now-a-days who are fencing the fields...
Sitting in front of the fields is ok though, just don't touch the flowers. Also if you're there at the right time of year "de Keukenhof" might be open and they have tons of different flowers to take pictures with
If you ever find yourself as pedestrian on a bicycle lane by accident, do not try to evade cyclists. They are practiced in those situations and will evade you. Making a sudden movement is a guaranteed collision. Just move to the nearest curb when there are no cyclists directly heading towards you.
When I visited the Netherlands I had very little time there so I was only able to visit Amsterdam. Next time I definitely want to explore more of the Netherlands
Small time possession of other drugs is decriminalized though. So if you get caught with one pill, less than half a gram of anything, no biggie. Might be a problem if you try to get into a club though, so you still have to be discreet about it.
Try to explain this the same way to Japanese where even if you mention a word like marihuana or that you had experience with it they would look at you with big eyes and many of them will consider you as addicted junkie ;D
Don't litter! I hate seeing tourists just dropping their crap on the ground where they walk. Be civil and put it in the many bins you see along the way.
I was in Netherlands in 2019. First few days I was only in Amsterdam, enjoying its rapid touristic life and variety of entertainment. I like this city, Amsterdam connected with my sweet and warm memories. Then I went to Hague. My god, I was mesmerized by its still and quite life. I was walking for all day in this city, went to Scheveningen beach, walked among simple life districts without any political buildings. Hope one day I will be here again.
i go to the netherlands every month, i cant get enough, from amsterdam to Arcen to eindhoven to rotterdam, its all absolutely amazing I love the netherlands from Norway‼️
Big mistake tourists make: Looking and acting like a tourist. Amsterdam has a huge pickpocketing and purse stealing problem. And the thieves are very good at picking out the tourists, which is what they prey on. Be alert at all times and don't fall for any tricks. Best thing, dress normally and act normally to decrease your chances of getting pickpocketed.
How do we 'dress normally' and 'act normally' when we have no idea what normal is? Tourists are easy to ID because we DON'T know all the ins and outs of local culture. What's normal look like and how can we pretend to it?
Ik heb er nog een, I have another one: English. One of the most common mistakes is that we don't appreciate it if you try to speak some Dutch. We do! And, to put it even stronger: a lot of people are getting very annoyed with the fact that Amsterdam (especially the city centre) is being taken over by the use of English. Now, everyone understands that it is the first (and initial) language of the internet, of tourism, and of communication between tourists, expats, and locals. But just like with other countries that you visit, try to be a bit more open to the fact that we do have our own language. Learn a few words, sentences, etc.. Don't take it for granted that everything is in English or that everyone speaks English. (Thanks!!!😘) And to show you that Dutch really isn't that difficult, here are a few fun facts: -English, Dutch and Frisian (spoken in the north of the country) are very closely related so we have a lot of words in common, even if they look a bit different. -General sound rules: English: th, ol/al, gh, y Dutch: d, k, ou, ch, g That = dat This/these = deze Think = denk (denken = the verb/infinitive) Old = oud Cold = koud Salt = zout Eight = acht Light = licht Night = nacht Way = weg Say = zeg (zeggen = the verb) May = mag (mogen = the verb) General rules about word order: -A sentence with 1 verb has that verb in the 2nd position of the sentence. -A sentence with 2 or more verbs has these extra verbs at the end of the sentence. -Time Before Place *ik ga altijd naar Amsterdam I go always to Amsterdam (instead of: I always go to Amsterdam) *ik kan in de zomer naar Amsterdam gaan I can in the summer to Amsterdam go (instead of: I can go to Amsterdam in the summer) General rules about time: -present = continuous = future! -past tense: basically 1 (= present perfect) *ik eet morgen een appel = I eat an apple tomorrow = I am eating an apple tomorrow =I will eat an apple tomorrow = I will be eating an apple tomorrow... *ik heb een appel gegeten I have an apple eaten (instead of: I have eaten an apple) *Ik heb in 2007 een appel gegeten I have in 2007 an apple eaten (instead of : I ate an apple in 2007) (who says Dutch is difficult and English easy!??? 😉)
I went to a restaurant in Amsterdam last month called a Ctaste where you are served your full course meal in pitch black room by blind servers ....it was a transformational experience and I will never forget it!
Kimberly Howells OMG! I just looked this place up and it looks awesome! I’m going to be in Amsterdam in a few weeks for 9hrs and was looking for cool things to do.
@@MrGrifft yep😊it’s an intense experience.....pitch black .!!!! Absolutely no light! I was the only one in my group that had to have the blind waiter take me out to the lobby so I could see light again for a few minutes I actually cried . Then after that I was brought back in and I was able to finish meal 🥘
An interesting mistake I made was that when I arrived at the Amsterdam airport Schiphol in September 2019, instead of finding the train to get to Amsterdam Centraal which was close to my hostel, I ended up taking a taxi to the hostel. It costed about $74. While I really was trying to get to the hostel ASAP, I will make sure to take the train next time.
If it cost €74, you were likely not riding with an official taxi either and were definitely scammed. As a local I can say that a ride from the airport into the city center should cost no more than about €35. Still expensive, the train is €5.70 for a ticket from the airport to Amsterdam Centraal station.
@@spacebanana1 Ze mogen best komen, als het er maar niet zoveel worden als in Amsterdam. En ze komen meestal alleen als het mooi weer is; laat in Nederland meer dan de helft van het jaar de stad voor ons zelf ;-)
Great video. As an Amsterdam resident for many years, my number one ‘don’t do’ would be don’t treat the city center of Amsterdam like it’s a big theme park. Lots of people actually live there and respecting that makes it even more beautiful. Also as mentioned in the video, visit other cities such as Leiden of Utrecht!
I spent 2 days in Amsterdam after a Viking River Cruise. We really loved the city! I made sure to order my Anne Frank and Van Gogh museum tickets 2 months in advance on line. We also went to Utrecht to visit the train museum. It was such an incredible city! And for the most part, everyone was very nice and helpful. We road the trams and the train out of Central Station and it was very easy getting around. There even was an app that you could download that helped with times/locations of the trams. I think the biggest mistake would be to not do your research in advance and think you can "wing it."
You can also store your luggage at central station! Which is cool if you need to be out of your accommodation early but your flight is later, it means you can get around easier and see more museum (most museums do not allow bags inside)
I’ll never forget when I went to Amsterdam a guy INSISTING he could pay for his coffee in USD (and that they where valid EVERYWHERE), and the waiter trying to explain that no, they only excepted Gilders (I think it was before Euros)...
First- I just want to say thank you for your comment on our Franklin Video. Greatly appreciated and glad you enjoyed it, We saved you a beef rib. 😂. Glad you and Dutchified shared some cool tips We're looking into adding Amsterdam to our full-time travel schedule. Those buildings and the museums look incredible and LOVE the architecture. Great video and thank you and Dutch for taking us along and giving us some great tips.
@@cazek445 Klopt en dat is ook nog steeds strafbaar en niet legaal. In het kort houdt het gedoogbeleid in dat het voorhanden hebben van softdrugs weliswaar strafbaar is, maar dat dit feit onder bepaalde voorwaarden niet strafrechtelijk wordt vervolgd
One of the neatest museums we saw - was the Costume Museum in Amsterdam. Had no idea there were so many different kinds of traditional dress based on where you lived. Highly recommend it.
I am visiting Asterdam right now - one tip : If you see the bench in the front of the house and the doors - don't sit on it. The bench belongs to the people who live there and it's not for a public use. Locals who live there don't appreciate it, even though they are used to on it, because it's the kind of the situation where you are intruding someone's house/living room.
And coming from a local with just such a bench: if you MUST sit on it, please don't smoke a joint. We find ourselves permanently stoned in our kitchen. Which is not so good for our two little ones.....
Absolutely love Amsterdam! Thank u, Mark Wolters, for all of your informational videos! Wouldn’t have seen half the things we did if it wasn’t for your videos. Love seeing a guy traveling the world and taking care of his family. Much respect and love, keep doing your thing!!
Many tourists come to Amsterdam to experience Kings Day, on April 27th. Basically the whole city center turns into an orange clad madhouse party. Some tourists (fewer each year) come to Amsterdam for Queens day, April 30th, because they're using information from prior to 2013, when the queen abdicated, and the day was changed to the current kings birthday. When April 27th is on a Sunday, Kings day moves to the preceding Saturday.
I learned from a local on a food tour last week that the Cafe de blaffende wis located at Westerstraat 118 in the Jordan area annually post a big satire of the royals on their façade. One year one of the royals got their head photoshopped onto Miley Cyrus riding the wrecking ball. Seems like a place not to miss! 😂
It's 2022, and I'm sure a lot has changed tourist wise since the Pandemic. I live here in the Netherlands, though, and just want to say that you've done a good job of describing a few things 'not to do' when visiting Amsterdam. Hopefully it's helpful to add that baggage storage at the train station is in back - meaning heading for the ferries - and this you can do as well if visiting for a short time. A quick rundown is that the Jordaan district just west of the station is a lovely more relaxed family-oriented area with cafes as well. There's also a cute mouse museum for the kids - not real mice but miniatures in storybook form. The east of Amsterdam is where the lovely university UvA is located ... also the Artis, the animal zoo. But what I like most, because I am an expat, are the expat comedy clubs, such as Boom Chicago, an English speaking comedy club that is often interactive and great fun. Also, remember that not everyone here is on 'tourist mode'. Please look out for and respect the cyclists, keeping clear of them, as many are on a time schedule going to and from work. Otherwise, have a great time.
Went to Amsterdam one month ago. Visited Harleem by train as well. And took bicycle ride to Lisse to see tulip fields and Noordwijk for sea. Loved it. ❤️
One of the best places to visit in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam is the Keukenhof Gardens which is open during springtime, it's a stunning display of tulips and other flowers and makes for some gorgeous photos.
Tip: Don't buy cheese in these cheese shops for tourists. There are very great cheese shops in Amsterdam where you get better cheeses for lower prices and the staff in these shops know their business. If you go to the 9 little streets the Kaaskamer is a great shop and try matured or old farmer's Gouda.
Not to mention, find a thriftshop somewhere further away from the city (Naarden has one directly next to a busstop) and stock up on original Dutch stuff. I'm telling you, the delft's blue vases (whether real or not, that's always unsure) and clogs and flags and godknowswhat are all between 1 and 5 euro's in those shops outside the cities and you can find things with Dutch text on them, old original biscuit-boxes or stuff with the royals on it, for about 1 euro per biscuit-box. And the costumers (pick someone below 70 for maximum results) will happily explain to you what it says on the box. If it's not a difficult-to-translate wordpun.
When using public transport, buy an OV-chipcard in advance (at the ticket selling points outside bus, tram, metro, train); you can top them so you use them as a prepaid-card. These prepaid-cards are a lot cheaper way of traveling as by buying a ticket on board. Don't forget to check out with your card. As it's prepaid, when you check in there is a reservation made on your card (€4,- in bus/tram/metro or €20,- in trains), when you check out the reservation minus the price of your trip is returned. When you forget to check out you will lose the complete reservation. When you regular forget to check out your card might even get blocked.
It took me ages to realise you have to check in and out of trams. For a while public transport was really expensive, as I didn't realise you pay by distance travelled.
This was such a great video to film. Really enjoyed meeting the peeps. Today we’re renting a boat to explore the canals from the water. Small free tip for your viewers. Rent a boat and explore the canals on your own...no license required.
Where can you rent a boat from? Would like to do that this time instead of a regular tour and be able to take my time. Do they do it by the hour or how does that work?
@@davidvilchez2209 There are several renting companies. Best google for "rent a boat in Amsterdam". Most companies are renting per hour or blocks of hours (morning/afternoon/evening or the whole day). Be sure the price is all-in (including gas, insurance etc.) and the mandatory life-vests and fire-extinguisher are there. Before renting / making a reservation, do some comparison to make sure you are getting what you want. The boats they are renting off are so called "sloepen", open boats for 4-10 people with a small motor and no inner room (like kitchen, toilet etc.)
If you are coming from elsewhere in europe with your car, I have very good advice. Park in the RAI Amsterdam Parking lot and get the P+R discount because parking inner city is hard and expensive. All you do is park there and take the rest of the way with the metro. Scan the metro pass on your way out of the parking garage and it will only cost you 1€ per day.
Fun fact: In a previous video you talked about the herring Rotterdam style, and herring Amsterdam style. They used to get the herring from Zeeland (in the south), and when it arrived in Rotterdam bij horse carriages, it already needed some onions because obviously there were no cooling trucks. But you could stil eat it in one piece though. When the herring arrived in Amsterdam, the herring absolutely needed onions and you needed to chop it into small pieces with pickles in between, because decomposition of the "fresh" fish had already begon.
Great video... wondering at 3:20 minute view of the canal and building would you know where the location was the photo was taken? Thank you for sharing.. Going to Amsterdam in a month. Cheers
It's a bit farther away into the country, but I'd definitely recommend people visit the Open Air Museum in Arnhem to see some historic Dutch buildings. It also has a great Zoo nearby (Burgers' Zoo).
Don't rent a bike in Amsterdam! I never complain about tourists, but it's really frustrating (and unsafe) when tourists don't know how to navigate it that way. It can be pretty hectic ... It's also really hard to park your bike, it's honestly a struggle to find a good place. Safe yourself the frustration of not finding a proper spot or it getting stolen. Amsterdam is small and you'll see much beauty when walking through it!
@@AnnaSchokker I'm in amsterdam quite often and i would never consider getting a bike out, you can clearly see this is the locals main use of transport, going to work picking up children from school etc. I think some people have just a high level of ignorance, and what annoys me as a tourist is other tourists not showing respect to whichever city it is prague, amsterdam etc. I enjoy going to 'dutch' areas in amsterdam and interacting with locals. Why do irish and english people go to another country to go to similar bars? Sigh.
Annn Niemm - this Australian is grateful to hear this. I am not as agile as I used to be and is much prefer to walk or catch public transport. Very happy to hear this is the best option. Thank you for the advice.
Yes, Amsterdam is too hectic to cycle for tourist. And the traffic gets more "aggressive" over the years is my experience. Most Amsterdammers ride there bikes on a daily basis since they where 3 years old. So don't expect when your not used to this it's safe for you to do.
5 ปีที่แล้ว
I cycled from Amsterdam to Berlin, but then again I'm a cyclist, not a person on a bike haha. Big difference for sure. So many dumbass tourists stood in the bike lanes too
Check out the Reichsmuseum and Rembrandt's "Night Watch" painting. Also, peanut sauce or salad dressing for your french fries. Asking for ketchup immediately identifies you as American.
Food: we are NOT known for our warm dishes for that I recommend Germany, Italy, France and Greece. But for bread and cheese you ought to give it a chance!
good morning I know that video is 3 years ago but by chance could you help us , me and my husband find accommodation that does not cost so much, we live in Italy but prices in Holland are too high, and private bathroom is luxury as I guess 🙈 Thank you
Drugs are not legal; cannabis is tolerated, that's all. And indeed: STAY OFF THE BIKE LINES AS A PEDESTRIAN!!! By all means, try to remember that you are in a country where everyone cycles so there's loads and loads of bike traffic. I live in Amsterdam and it's really really REALLY tiring to have to dodge all these inattentive tourists.
On my last trip to Amsterdam I got a little lost trying to find our guesthouse. So I asked a local for help but began with "excuse me, do you speak English?" To which he replied, "of course I do" and I felt like a dolt. :/
Big mistake in The Netherlands is to think drugs are legal. DRUGS ARE NOT LEGAL in The Netherlands. You are allowed to buy a small amount in a coffeeshop for personal use. You are allowed to use it in the coffeeshop (officially it is even forbidden to take it home). You are not allowed to use it in public places (like parks, squares, canalsides etc. - there were a lot of problems with addicts in the past). When you are stopped by a police-officer and they find drugs on you, you get a warning the first time or a fine (or even jail-time) by repetition; you have to turn it over. The allowance is only for so called "soft drugs" (cannabis). The others are called "hard drugs" (i.e. cocaine, crystal meth, XTC, GHB, heroin etc.); those are always illegal and you will get fined (or jailed) if you have them - even in small amounts.
FYI: You can definately smoke in a park and not have to worry about it. I was smoking up in Vondelpark last year, 2 cops walked right past me and didnt' bat an eye about it. Even said good morning and hello and they walked right passed me. They really don't care, but you have to be some what respectable about it and don't do it around kids or families.
@@davidvilchez2209 You were lucky. By law it is forbidden in public places to use drugs. But when you don't make any troubles or trashing the site they might let you. Note there are many places which look very nice to sit and use drugs but were in the past places with lot of troubles with drug- and alcohol-addicts. So the police is very keen to kick out everybody who's using any drugs or alcohol in those places (as the same of the residents living nearby).
im heading to Amsterdam this weekend for the frist time and i love watching your channel its ready helping me and i love reading all the comments i really hope i dont make to much mistakes and ill really respect all the points people put out in there comments i love new cultures thanks again all
It’s drugs, by that logic we can suddenly also claim cocaïne isn’t a drugs just because someone thinks so. Cannabis is a drugs just like your paracetamol or nicotine end of the story
Public Transport: In major cities the tram is best. Whatever transport you choose, you may benefit from 1-day or 3-day public transport passes (good for buses and trams). Also an NS Rail pass for trains (inquire about this at the info desk with the yellow & blue "NS" signs. These are easily found near the train escalators leading down to the platforms -- nearest the entrance/exit at Schiphol Airport. NOTE: Schiphol Airport currently (october 2022) with major problems. Research this in advance!!!
The Netherlands is a fantastic experience and don't limit your experiences to partying like a rock star all the time. A cool buzz while going shopping and strolling, eating, and visiting the museums is amazing.
One big mistake people make is to think drugs are legal. You can buy softdrugs at coffeeshops. It is illegal to deal in the streets and harddrugs are illegal too.
Thanks for the tips. I will be traveling through Amsterdam this week. I will be having a short layover on the 12th, on my way to Prague. On my return flight, on the 17th, I will have an overnight layover. Are there any suggestions for places to see, while I’m there for one night?
If you're looking for Ann Frank house tickets check the morning of the day you want to go. They release A certain amount of tickets everyday so if you check early you should be able to get some. Also they don't like it when you film in the coffee shops especially when you are ordering. Bulldog which is the most famous coffee shop is very big I'm not using your cameras. If you have to use a public bathroom always make sure you have some coins because you have to pay to use them!
Was recently researching prices for a trip to Amsterdam, and the prices for a 3 star hotel in a more central spot were on par with the swankiest 5 star hotel in here in Norway, the Grand Hotel in Oslo.
I’m staying in a 3 star hotel near the train stationwhich looks like a tiny dorm room for €300 per night. The only 4 star hotels available were near the airport.
I've found a 3 star by the station. Before I stayed in overamstell it thought I'd try being more central. Also the ClinkNoord is a really nice hostel. If I was going on my own next time I would defo stay at the clink
I haven't met anyone yet that would go to Amsterdam “only” for the Red Light District. I don't think anyone needs to be a genius to realize that the city has much more to offer. But what do I know?
If you have some spare time head to the city of Maastricht (2,5hrs away by train). It’s a beautiful old Roman city and looks and feels totally different.
Amsterdam hotels are expensive..its the same as you go to nyc and want a hotel in the city..its far more smarter to get a hotel nearby as public transport is pretty good..when i went to nyc i just took a good and reasonable cheap hotel in newark and just took train and subway to explore nyc.......other nice tourist attractions in the netherlands-> kinderdijk( windmills) zaanse schans( near amsterdam couple of windmills and see how cheese is made).... Palace t loo in apeldoorn is beautiful( dont know if its open but if its a must if it is)
Thanks for the videos. I will be going to Amsterdam first week of Oct. my first international trip. Hope to be able to explore a little and keep the info you’ve given to keep me out of trouble 😁
@@woltersworld hey mark nice vid! Would we have a good time in hostels if we stay in cities like harlem(not in the center of amesterdam) or would it be less enjoyable
@@Paul_C thx a lot! But for me as a young traveller would i enjoy the time and meet other travellers as well in harlem or are most of young travellers go to amesterdam directly? *not into the red light district*
I’ve been staying luckily with my boyfriend and his family for over 2 months now so here are some tips I found. 1.) get an ov chip card for bus/train 2.) most shops do not accept Visa. 3.) Be aware of bikes! 4.) stay to the right mostly when walking And 5.) book attractions at least a few days before :)
It's been awhile since I've been there the first time was in the mid 70's and the second time was around 2006. 2006 I stayed with friends for 6 month's I had blast until I had to leave. One day I'll be back to visit again.😌👍
So I’m Dutch and I go to uni in Amsterdam and I have to say the thing that I ABSOLUTELY hate what tourists do is the thing with the tram doors. Oh. My. God. How difficult is it to read the signs? It actually causes delays which really sucks... Also walking on the cycling lanes (like you mentioned) is a big no-no (and I would discourage tourists from cycling altogether) but what also really annoys me is when groups of people all walk next to each other on the sidewalk. They usually walk so slowly, refuse to step aside a bit when asked, and they make it difficult for other people to pass them. But generally the attitude of most tourists in Amsterdam makes me dislike them.
Came home from Amsterdam yesterday. I love riding my bike here at home and had plans to do so in Amsterdam too. I changed my mind when I got there and realised the tempo, specific bike lanes, specific red light signals… Maybe some other time! 😁
Here some tips for your Amsterdam visit: Stay in west, de pijp, or east for a more local feel Best canals are not in Amsterdam: Leiden Google maps can give good directions where to bike if you click the bike option Amsterdam is by far the best place to go clubbing if you're into house/techno/disco Everything central station and Dam square is a tourist trap. Visit Chinatown on the Zeedijk for Asian food. If you want a hotel in the city but also near a station. Find one around Lelylaan station. Very quick connections to Leidseplein and Schiphol Airport
I don’t know if it’ll make sense but another recommendation from my point of view is “Don’t drink too much or get wasted cuz you won’t be able to enjoy the beautiful city at the next day with hangover”🍻 🍺 🍹 🍷 🥱😴 If you are fine and resist getting drunk and walking the following day then Congrats!!! Amsterdam is one of my fave cities and I’d love to go back in the future.
True story, I bought one joint from a legit coffee shop and took about 4 tokes off it, walked a block on the sidewalk, passed out and fell against a shop window - yes I created quite a scene I guess. When I woke up and this nice shop proprietor had gotten me a chair to sit in and gave me a huge glass of orange juice which definitely helped - something about the sugar in my system. However, I was pretty much shot the rest of the day. Made it back to the hotel and stayed in and slept the remainder of the day. Day wasted. That's the strongest smoke I've ever ever ever had. Be careful.
Lol..I had smoked for about 10 years when I went. Grabbed a couple 8ths of different strains and rolled up a joint with papers they had to use. Guy looked at me like I was crazy and said I must be a heavyweight since I didn’t mix it with tobacco. Ended up chilling with him and a half dozen people for a few hours just smoking and talking about Amsterdam and where I was from in the US. Getting back to the hotel was a bit challenging, as I had only been there for one day and didn’t know the tram routes, so I probably took a really long route to get back…lol Was still a blast. Looking forward to going back
Hello thank you for video. We are thinking of visiting Amsterdam in September for 3 weeks. Is some rain? how many days? Also, can you still see Tulips in September? Thank you!
Low 70s and it rained often but not for long periods of time, but was not particularly sunny. It was comfortable to wear jeans with a t shirt or a sweatshirt.
I really do not recommend people going on biking tours/groups. When I see these going around, it seems really hectic and stressful. It is really not a good way to see the city IMO as you would have to pay so much attention staying with the group. Also, I wish tourists would not only watch out when it comes to walking in the bike lane, but walking in general. Going to and from work is really frustrating as people will walk in the middle of the sidewalk very slowly. We get you want to see things, but we also want to get to work on time! We live here!
I agree. If you want to ride a bike in Amsterdam, take the ferry across the Ij (it's free) and ride there - it is much calmer and easier to maneuver. I tell my friends, even the good bikers, not to ride in central Amsterdam.
THIS. I'm a bicycle commuter in the US but I'm in no way confident enough to ride in Amsterdam. I rode in den Haag, but only because I was with my Dutch friend and he knew where we were going and told me the rules of the road.
5 ปีที่แล้ว
@@elsawaters97 I cycled a lot in Amsterdam and had no issues. If somebody is a cyclist, it's not an issue. If somebody rides a bike sometimes, then it's an issue. Big difference between the two things.
you missed a lot of mistakes...if you rent a car parking is horrible, got towed the first hour I was downtown by the albert cupyt market. no parking between dinner hours! 375 euros to get car back with no phone number to call. What a nightmare.
John Phantom all the furniture was removed, just removes the feeling of a family having hid there, looks just like a normal house with a secret entrance.
Your welcome! Please be aware the "Bollenvelden" (where the flowers like the tulips grow) and The Keukenhof are only there in spring. The flowers in the fields are roughly there between half march and half may (just 2 months) so the best time to visit is in april. The Keukenhof (keukenhof.nl/nl/) is only opened between 21st march and the 10th may.
That's a very good idea but you should go in spring. I don't know exactly the right month but it must be march-april. I am dutch but l am living in italy for more than 30 years.
General caution: the actual flower fields are a "look, don't touch" situation. Especially the ones next to the roads are owned by farmers who grow the flowers to sell them. So please stay on the road to admire them, don't go in between the flowers themselves.
if you take a train outside of amsterdam to like utrecht. Make sure you scan your ticket before you get onto the trains at the little stands. They look like poles. It They can be easy to miss and there is nothing stopping you from just walking onto the train without scanning, i have heard that people who will check your tickets can be merciless. Also know which part of the train is first class and not usually the non first class are the less comfy looking seats.
Wolter nice video's ! Definitely true the ' hete bitterballen' haha even dutch people forget this a lot times. I am from Amsterdam and its very good you make a video about this. I have to say Wolter when i saw you eating the fish i really think you have Dutch roots! :) You look very dutch to me, maybe your ancesters came from Holland. Also another tip, wear comfertable walking shoes ( but this tip goes for everywhere in the world) But especially when walking around Damsquere with the small stones, best idea to wear a pair of sneakers , also as a woman especially when you plan to see much on a day. Just walk around and take you time, but have comfertable clothes. And i would say best time to visit is autumn october or spring like the months april/ may. All months are good to visit though, every month has it nice benefits and low season especially.
#5 - The Stairs! 😂😂 #8 - Dutch food The *_cheese_* in the Netherlands is something I would highly recommend. As a cheese lover I seek out local varieties when I travel and there are loads of cheese shops in Amsterdam (5:25) indeed but I opted to get my cheese fix at some wine or beer bars. Gouda, Edam, Limburger, etc...mmm, mmm. A cheese plate is the perfect bar snack (or lunch) if you get tired of bitterballen. 👍
Well there's 2 kinds, there's tourist cheese shops, wich actually suck big time thet have only a limited stock at horrible prices, or go to an actual cheese store (often not at the city center) or markets, where the selection ia better, fresher and cheaper. Same if you wabt to bring back tulip bulbs. If you buy m at a tourist shop, you get like 10 low quality bulbs, where you'd get like 50 high quality bulbs at a garden center or market for the same price.
4 ปีที่แล้ว
There are cheese shops, how is awesome is that? I also like all the fish dishes Dutch have. Since I don't get to eat much fish but I love it, this is truly appreciated.
Another common mistake is not booking your lodging early enough. For various reasons good lodging gets taken up much earlier in Amsterdam than some other European cities.
Find your hotel/hostel/airbnb BEFORE you visit the coffeeshop (it's significantly more challenging afterward).
😂😂😂😂 hahahaha
🤣
Hahahahaha
Best
True that. You can find yourself the middle of nowhere :D
Mark, tell people that there are two cards that they should get when visiting Netherlands: the ov-chipkaart for transport and the museum kaart for museums. Unlike systems in larger countries, these cards can be used *ALL OVER NETHERLANDS*! We visited museums and used the transport all over the place, and got tremendous value out of these cards.
Thank you
Thank you so much!
I am completely stoned now it was my first time i dont know how to describe it
Hi! Thank you. Where can I get those cards from?
Thank you
Sorry, did you say...
#1 Mistaking a coffeeshop for a Café
#2 Only coming for the Red Light District
#3 Only staying in Amsterdam
#4 Thinking there are weekend deals to be had
#5 Having too much luggage for the stairs
#6 Not pre-booking tickets to the Anne Frank House
#7 Expecting to have only Dutch culture
#8 Trying to eat only Dutch food
#9 Taking Ubers & taxis instead of public transport
#10 Walking in the Bike lanes
#11 Not knowing the Bike riding rules
#12 Riding your bike on the Tram tracks
#13 Trying to take pictures of women in the Red Light District
#14 Thinking it is easy to get that I AMSTERDAM picture
#15 Not knowing the Tram door etiquette
#16 Not waiting for seafood to cool down
?
Oh okay, noted. Thanks.
Thank you 😊
Thank you 😊
Thank you. They started calling weed 'drugs' and I instantly looked for this comment so I could leave.
Walking in the bike lanes is a good one to avoid. He's said time and time again if you get injured no one will feel sorry for ya.
Neither will I, but on the flipside, if you get hit by a bicycle, I'M WALKING INTO THE BIKE LANE TO SAVE YOU - I should not, but I'm just that kind of guy, sorrynotsorry, but in that case, I'm walking in the bike lane and will make my presence known. so I myself don't get hit, and you don't get hit again and again. and so-on..\
This is the 10th time I've watched this video.. Can't have too much awareness
@@Stevo_TH-cam Here in Seattle there is fentanyl, a real drug, then everything else. America is addicted to sugar, caffeine, and beer. We worry too much about weed.
My big "mistakes tourits make" is, not asking locals about stuff. We are more than happy to help and explain stuff. (well, most of us.) Personally I love telling tourists about my city (in my case the Hague) and country. Don't buy expensive travel guides written by non-dutch people.
I've spent a fair amount of time in Amsterdam over the years and that city is not known for having friendly locals.
@@frankreynolds9418 You are right. People in Amsterdam complain about to much tourists. Visit Other cities in the country and have a much better experience.
@@remcowiegmink875 Absolute, I'm living in Dordrecht and we are very proud of our beautiful historic center. And we are very well willing to help tourists to tell where to go (at least the most of us).
The problem with asking locals in other places I've found this week is they speak some english, but not as well as the people in Amsterdam do
@@davidvilchez2209 Well, there always might be people who don't speak English very well. Remember, our language is Dutch, not English, so we all have to think before we speak and we might not always know the correct words.
Mostly elder people didn't learn English (or just a few years at highschool). Thereby, we have a lot of people living here who aren't Dutch but Polish, German, Turkish etc. who probably never had English in their schoolsystem. And you might run into another tourist... Best to do when asking someone who don't speak English, is just ask someone else.
Going to visit "De Bollenvelden" and trying to take selfies/pictures in the middle of the fields... Those fields aren't there for the tourists, the owners are farmers who have to earn their complete salary for the year of those fields (by selling the flowers and the bulbs). Walking into these fields for that "one nice picture" is literally destroying their income for the rest of the year. And you are not the only one who tries, thousands of visitors are trying to get in each field ever year... And placing signs doesn't work so there are farmers now-a-days who are fencing the fields...
Sitting in front of the fields is ok though, just don't touch the flowers. Also if you're there at the right time of year "de Keukenhof" might be open and they have tons of different flowers to take pictures with
If you ever find yourself as pedestrian on a bicycle lane by accident, do not try to evade cyclists. They are practiced in those situations and will evade you. Making a sudden movement is a guaranteed collision. Just move to the nearest curb when there are no cyclists directly heading towards you.
Thank you! Great advice!
@@codex4046 more concretely, start by walking on the sidewalk or you’ll be getting the Netherlands experience 🚲💨
Mistake 1: only go to Amsterdam, When you go to the Netherlands
So true
When I visited the Netherlands I had very little time there so I was only able to visit Amsterdam. Next time I definitely want to explore more of the Netherlands
Try Zaandam and Zaanse Schans
THIS. Utrecht, Delft, den Haag, Den Bosch, Rotterdam, Haarlem.... They're all so interesting and beautiful!
SpookyDarling Don’t forget Nijmegen! The oldest city in the Netherlands.
First mistake about this video is that i hear the man say that drugs are legal. Very wrong as DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL!! Soft drugs are tolarated however
Small time possession of other drugs is decriminalized though. So if you get caught with one pill, less than half a gram of anything, no biggie. Might be a problem if you try to get into a club though, so you still have to be discreet about it.
policy, but as soon as you leave the coffee shop you are punishable and your drugs are taken away but you are not prosecuted ...
sir please search it up
Try to explain this the same way to Japanese where even if you mention a word like marihuana or that you had experience with it they would look at you with big eyes and many of them will consider you as addicted junkie ;D
Exactly! I was screaming at my laptop, no drugs are legal here! Should I even watch the rest of the video if it starts like this?
Don't litter! I hate seeing tourists just dropping their crap on the ground where they walk. Be civil and put it in the many bins you see along the way.
that is an international human pastime these days.sad but true people suck all over Gaia.
Coffeeshops sell Cannabis not Drugs. By saying drugs you imply a variety of substances.
420AMSTERDAM they sell shrooms too
@@thewindwaker They do not. Smart Shops Magic truffles,shrooms have been baned for several years
@@420amsterdam truffles mever were banned...
@@x47-r1b Never said they were. I said they are not sold in Coffeeshops only Smart Shops
420AMSTERDAM where do I find truffles
I was in Netherlands in 2019. First few days I was only in Amsterdam, enjoying its rapid touristic life and variety of entertainment. I like this city, Amsterdam connected with my sweet and warm memories. Then I went to Hague. My god, I was mesmerized by its still and quite life. I was walking for all day in this city, went to Scheveningen beach, walked among simple life districts without any political buildings. Hope one day I will be here again.
i go to the netherlands every month, i cant get enough, from amsterdam to Arcen to eindhoven to rotterdam, its all absolutely amazing
I love the netherlands
from Norway‼️
Do really like Scheveningen? I find it really ugly.
Big mistake tourists make: Looking and acting like a tourist. Amsterdam has a huge pickpocketing and purse stealing problem. And the thieves are very good at picking out the tourists, which is what they prey on. Be alert at all times and don't fall for any tricks. Best thing, dress normally and act normally to decrease your chances of getting pickpocketed.
Once, I saw someone getting robbed while they were on a bike.
How do we 'dress normally' and 'act normally' when we have no idea what normal is? Tourists are easy to ID because we DON'T know all the ins and outs of local culture. What's normal look like and how can we pretend to it?
Ik heb er nog een, I have another one: English.
One of the most common mistakes is that we don't appreciate it if you try to speak some Dutch. We do!
And, to put it even stronger: a lot of people are getting very annoyed with the fact that Amsterdam (especially the city centre) is being taken over by the use of English. Now, everyone understands that it is the first (and initial) language of the internet, of tourism, and of communication between tourists, expats, and locals. But just like with other countries that you visit, try to be a bit more open to the fact that we do have our own language. Learn a few words, sentences, etc.. Don't take it for granted that everything is in English or that everyone speaks English.
(Thanks!!!😘)
And to show you that Dutch really isn't that difficult, here are a few fun facts:
-English, Dutch and Frisian (spoken in the north of the country) are very closely related so we have a lot of words in common, even if they look a bit different.
-General sound rules:
English: th, ol/al, gh, y
Dutch: d, k, ou, ch, g
That = dat
This/these = deze
Think = denk (denken = the verb/infinitive)
Old = oud
Cold = koud
Salt = zout
Eight = acht
Light = licht
Night = nacht
Way = weg
Say = zeg (zeggen = the verb)
May = mag (mogen = the verb)
General rules about word order:
-A sentence with 1 verb has that verb in the 2nd position of the sentence.
-A sentence with 2 or more verbs has these extra verbs at the end of the sentence.
-Time Before Place
*ik ga altijd naar Amsterdam
I go always to Amsterdam (instead of: I always go to Amsterdam)
*ik kan in de zomer naar Amsterdam gaan
I can in the summer to Amsterdam go
(instead of: I can go to Amsterdam in the summer)
General rules about time:
-present = continuous = future!
-past tense: basically 1 (= present perfect)
*ik eet morgen een appel = I eat an apple tomorrow = I am eating an apple tomorrow =I will eat an apple tomorrow = I will be eating an apple tomorrow...
*ik heb een appel gegeten
I have an apple eaten
(instead of: I have eaten an apple)
*Ik heb in 2007 een appel gegeten
I have in 2007 an apple eaten
(instead of : I ate an apple in 2007)
(who says Dutch is difficult and English easy!??? 😉)
As someone who is in love with languages, this is the most beautiful and useful comment I've ever seen
Thanks 😂
@@XelenaX-wg2jr graag gedaan! (pleased done), with pleasure/you're welcome :)
Isn't dutch in the middle between german and english?
True, went to a taco shop in Utrecht, ordered in Dutch 'cause I am Dutch, lady behind the counter looked at me like I was speaking Chinese
@@pablol5472 it is. Relatively easy grammar like English, vocabulary more like German.
I went to a restaurant in Amsterdam last month called a Ctaste where you are served your full course meal in pitch black room by blind servers ....it was a transformational experience and I will never forget it!
Kimberly Howells OMG! I just looked this place up and it looks awesome! I’m going to be in Amsterdam in a few weeks for 9hrs and was looking for cool things to do.
I can just imagine dropping my fork and knocking my glass over repeatedly.
@@MrGrifft yep😊it’s an intense experience.....pitch black .!!!! Absolutely no light! I was the only one in my group that had to have the blind waiter take me out to the lobby so I could see light again for a few minutes I actually cried . Then after that I was brought back in and I was able to finish meal 🥘
It seems like a good tip not to smoke before going in there.
An interesting mistake I made was that when I arrived at the Amsterdam airport Schiphol in September 2019, instead of finding the train to get to Amsterdam Centraal which was close to my hostel, I ended up taking a taxi to the hostel. It costed about $74. While I really was trying to get to the hostel ASAP, I will make sure to take the train next time.
If it cost €74, you were likely not riding with an official taxi either and were definitely scammed. As a local I can say that a ride from the airport into the city center should cost no more than about €35. Still expensive, the train is €5.70 for a ticket from the airport to Amsterdam Centraal station.
Train every 15 mins into Amstrdam centrum from the airport
@@MrGoldie1976 There's one about every 3 to 9 minutes.
""Utrecht has less tourists & more local fun." I hope you guys do understand the correlation.
So does Dordrecht. And the best part of it... We will share the fun with tourists if you come over.
B. Enjoyed the train trips to Utrecht, as well as to other cities. A must if you visit Amsterdam. go on the train.... Awesome.
@@gilles111 Alsjeblieft niet, laat ze weg blijven uit onze mooie stad!
@@spacebanana1 Ze mogen best komen, als het er maar niet zoveel worden als in Amsterdam. En ze komen meestal alleen als het mooi weer is; laat in Nederland meer dan de helft van het jaar de stad voor ons zelf ;-)
Ranjha dat is het leven get used to it bro. people visit your country just like a lot more people visit mine. be easy man
Great video. As an Amsterdam resident for many years, my number one ‘don’t do’ would be don’t treat the city center of Amsterdam like it’s a big theme park. Lots of people actually live there and respecting that makes it even more beautiful.
Also as mentioned in the video, visit other cities such as Leiden of Utrecht!
Hello. We are coming at Easter. Is it city going to be more crowded on Friday or Saturday or Sunday? Thank you
I spent 2 days in Amsterdam after a Viking River Cruise. We really loved the city! I made sure to order my Anne Frank and Van Gogh museum tickets 2 months in advance on line. We also went to Utrecht to visit the train museum. It was such an incredible city! And for the most part, everyone was very nice and helpful. We road the trams and the train out of Central Station and it was very easy getting around. There even was an app that you could download that helped with times/locations of the trams. I think the biggest mistake would be to not do your research in advance and think you can "wing it."
You can also store your luggage at central station! Which is cool if you need to be out of your accommodation early but your flight is later, it means you can get around easier and see more museum (most museums do not allow bags inside)
Thank you, very convenient
I fell in LOVE with Haarlem this summer. Such a beautiful and peaceful place
I've never been to Haarlem even though I live in the Netherlands
I agree
It is way better than Amsterdam yes and and less tourists
It's a pretty place. Just a short train ride over to Amsterdam.
We got the train out there from Amsterdam. It was lovely.
11:55 dutch people make this mistake still every time we eat bitterballen. Lol.
Or even worse with kaassoufle, containing hot molten cheese.
Double dare: pop the whole thing in your mouth at once!
And then we go hasfahahsfahashafa and cuss a little
Jude Fetterley bitterballen are the fucking best. The first thing I mis every time I’m in a foreign country are the bitterballen.
@@fdijkstra614 Sounds like the problem Americans have with Hot Pockets.
It’s so cool to see foreigners actually be interested in your country
I’ll never forget when I went to Amsterdam a guy INSISTING he could pay for his coffee in USD (and that they where valid EVERYWHERE), and the waiter trying to explain that no, they only excepted Gilders (I think it was before Euros)...
First- I just want to say thank you for your comment on our Franklin Video. Greatly appreciated and glad you enjoyed it, We saved you a beef rib. 😂. Glad you and Dutchified shared some cool tips We're looking into adding Amsterdam to our full-time travel schedule. Those buildings and the museums look incredible and LOVE the architecture. Great video and thank you and Dutch for taking us along and giving us some great tips.
Drugs are not legal in the Netherlands! They are tolerated but still not legal!
Depends what kind of drugs. Mistake #1 a coffeeshop for a cafe. Many coffeeshops nowadays are café s.
ze praten over weed
@@cazek445 Klopt en dat is ook nog steeds strafbaar en niet legaal. In het kort houdt het gedoogbeleid in dat het voorhanden hebben van softdrugs weliswaar strafbaar is, maar dat dit feit onder bepaalde voorwaarden niet strafrechtelijk wordt vervolgd
One of the neatest museums we saw - was the Costume Museum in Amsterdam. Had no idea there were so many different kinds of traditional dress based on where you lived. Highly recommend it.
I am visiting Asterdam right now - one tip : If you see the bench in the front of the house and the doors - don't sit on it. The bench belongs to the people who live there and it's not for a public use. Locals who live there don't appreciate it, even though they are used to on it, because it's the kind of the situation where you are intruding someone's house/living room.
And coming from a local with just such a bench: if you MUST sit on it, please don't smoke a joint. We find ourselves permanently stoned in our kitchen. Which is not so good for our two little ones.....
@@liselotteklein5011 =))))) is this HEAVEN??? bro, i cant even imagine how that is possible. you live in heaven bro. i am amazed by this
@@liselotteklein5011 if that thing happened to me i d be so thankfull i am high on free. bro, Holland is HEAVEN on earth.
Absolutely love Amsterdam! Thank u, Mark Wolters, for all of your informational videos! Wouldn’t have seen half the things we did if it wasn’t for your videos. Love seeing a guy traveling the world and taking care of his family. Much respect and love, keep doing your thing!!
Many tourists come to Amsterdam to experience Kings Day, on April 27th. Basically the whole city center turns into an orange clad madhouse party.
Some tourists (fewer each year) come to Amsterdam for Queens day, April 30th, because they're using information from prior to 2013, when the queen abdicated, and the day was changed to the current kings birthday. When April 27th is on a Sunday, Kings day moves to the preceding Saturday.
I learned from a local on a food tour last week that the Cafe de blaffende wis located at Westerstraat 118 in the Jordan area annually post a big satire of the royals on their façade. One year one of the royals got their head photoshopped onto Miley Cyrus riding the wrecking ball. Seems like a place not to miss! 😂
It's 2022, and I'm sure a lot has changed tourist wise since the Pandemic. I live here in the Netherlands, though, and just want to say that you've done a good job of describing a few things 'not to do' when visiting Amsterdam. Hopefully it's helpful to add that baggage storage at the train station is in back - meaning heading for the ferries - and this you can do as well if visiting for a short time. A quick rundown is that the Jordaan district just west of the station is a lovely more relaxed family-oriented area with cafes as well. There's also a cute mouse museum for the kids - not real mice but miniatures in storybook form. The east of Amsterdam is where the lovely university UvA is located ... also the Artis, the animal zoo. But what I like most, because I am an expat, are the expat comedy clubs, such as Boom Chicago, an English speaking comedy club that is often interactive and great fun.
Also, remember that not everyone here is on 'tourist mode'. Please look out for and respect the cyclists, keeping clear of them, as many are on a time schedule going to and from work. Otherwise, have a great time.
Went to Amsterdam one month ago. Visited Harleem by train as well. And took bicycle ride to Lisse to see tulip fields and Noordwijk for sea. Loved it. ❤️
One of the best places to visit in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam is the Keukenhof Gardens which is open during springtime, it's a stunning display of tulips and other flowers and makes for some gorgeous photos.
Tip: Don't buy cheese in these cheese shops for tourists. There are very great cheese shops in Amsterdam where you get better cheeses for lower prices and the staff in these shops know their business. If you go to the 9 little streets the Kaaskamer is a great shop and try matured or old farmer's Gouda.
Not to mention, find a thriftshop somewhere further away from the city (Naarden has one directly next to a busstop) and stock up on original Dutch stuff.
I'm telling you, the delft's blue vases (whether real or not, that's always unsure) and clogs and flags and godknowswhat are all between 1 and 5 euro's in those shops outside the cities and you can find things with Dutch text on them, old original biscuit-boxes or stuff with the royals on it, for about 1 euro per biscuit-box.
And the costumers (pick someone below 70 for maximum results) will happily explain to you what it says on the box. If it's not a difficult-to-translate wordpun.
When using public transport, buy an OV-chipcard in advance (at the ticket selling points outside bus, tram, metro, train); you can top them so you use them as a prepaid-card. These prepaid-cards are a lot cheaper way of traveling as by buying a ticket on board. Don't forget to check out with your card. As it's prepaid, when you check in there is a reservation made on your card (€4,- in bus/tram/metro or €20,- in trains), when you check out the reservation minus the price of your trip is returned. When you forget to check out you will lose the complete reservation. When you regular forget to check out your card might even get blocked.
It took me ages to realise you have to check in and out of trams. For a while public transport was really expensive, as I didn't realise you pay by distance travelled.
Ouch 😆
Oh wow good to know.
I love Amsterdam North and the view from the top of the A'dam building behind. Everyone should visit Amsterdam at least once !
This was such a great video to film. Really enjoyed meeting the peeps. Today we’re renting a boat to explore the canals from the water. Small free tip for your viewers. Rent a boat and explore the canals on your own...no license required.
Only watch out for the "rondvaartboten" they are like the regular biking Amsterdammer, not willing to go aside for a tourist ;-)
Where can you rent a boat from? Would like to do that this time instead of a regular tour and be able to take my time. Do they do it by the hour or how does that work?
@@davidvilchez2209 There are several renting companies. Best google for "rent a boat in Amsterdam". Most companies are renting per hour or blocks of hours (morning/afternoon/evening or the whole day). Be sure the price is all-in (including gas, insurance etc.) and the mandatory life-vests and fire-extinguisher are there.
Before renting / making a reservation, do some comparison to make sure you are getting what you want. The boats they are renting off are so called "sloepen", open boats for 4-10 people with a small motor and no inner room (like kitchen, toilet etc.)
If you are coming from elsewhere in europe with your car, I have very good advice.
Park in the RAI Amsterdam Parking lot and get the P+R discount because parking inner city is hard and expensive. All you do is park there and take the rest of the way with the metro. Scan the metro pass on your way out of the parking garage and it will only cost you 1€ per day.
Fun fact: In a previous video you talked about the herring Rotterdam style, and herring Amsterdam style. They used to get the herring from Zeeland (in the south), and when it arrived in Rotterdam bij horse carriages, it already needed some onions because obviously there were no cooling trucks. But you could stil eat it in one piece though. When the herring arrived in Amsterdam, the herring absolutely needed onions and you needed to chop it into small pieces with pickles in between, because decomposition of the "fresh" fish had already begon.
Enschede heeft alleen verrotte vis met mosterd saus
Mistake 1: Rent a bike
You need a few months to understand how the flow works. Just walk around and / or use public transport.
Just bicycle outside Amsterdam will do...
No, just rent a bike. It’s cool. The chaos is part of the fun
You can actually bike around Amsterdam . I did it right away by following the bike lanes. It was fun
STAY OUT OF THE BIKE LANES! Thank you.
Great video... wondering at 3:20 minute view of the canal and building would you know where the location was the photo was taken? Thank you for sharing.. Going to Amsterdam in a month. Cheers
It's a bit farther away into the country, but I'd definitely recommend people visit the Open Air Museum in Arnhem to see some historic Dutch buildings. It also has a great Zoo nearby (Burgers' Zoo).
@@MrLolThePlayer We liked both when we went there a couple of years ago. Also bike riding the Veluwe was fun.
About the tram door's: this is not the case in all city's, a good rule of thumb is, let people exit first before you enter.
I loved Amsterdam and the surrounding areas. It was such a lovely city.
Don't rent a bike in Amsterdam! I never complain about tourists, but it's really frustrating (and unsafe) when tourists don't know how to navigate it that way. It can be pretty hectic ...
It's also really hard to park your bike, it's honestly a struggle to find a good place. Safe yourself the frustration of not finding a proper spot or it getting stolen.
Amsterdam is small and you'll see much beauty when walking through it!
Like really though! And they are so slowww!!! I almost fall asleep each time I am forced to cycle behind them!!
@@AnnaSchokker I'm in amsterdam quite often and i would never consider getting a bike out, you can clearly see this is the locals main use of transport, going to work picking up children from school etc. I think some people have just a high level of ignorance, and what annoys me as a tourist is other tourists not showing respect to whichever city it is prague, amsterdam etc. I enjoy going to 'dutch' areas in amsterdam and interacting with locals. Why do irish and english people go to another country to go to similar bars? Sigh.
Annn Niemm - this Australian is grateful to hear this. I am not as agile as I used to be and is much prefer to walk or catch public transport. Very happy to hear this is the best option. Thank you for the advice.
Yes, Amsterdam is too hectic to cycle for tourist. And the traffic gets more "aggressive" over the years is my experience. Most Amsterdammers ride there bikes on a daily basis since they where 3 years old. So don't expect when your not used to this it's safe for you to do.
I cycled from Amsterdam to Berlin, but then again I'm a cyclist, not a person on a bike haha. Big difference for sure. So many dumbass tourists stood in the bike lanes too
Our class went to a beautiful limestone cave where people hid during ww2 when we went. Absolutely gorgeous and great to experience the history
Check out the Reichsmuseum and Rembrandt's "Night Watch" painting. Also, peanut sauce or salad dressing for your french fries. Asking for ketchup immediately identifies you as American.
Food: we are NOT known for our warm dishes for that I recommend Germany, Italy, France and Greece. But for bread and cheese you ought to give it a chance!
Very informative and concise video. Great energy coming from these two 😃
`The city council should pay you guys for this video. Great advice! Living in the city for 28 years now and couldnt have done a better job myself.
good morning I know that video is 3 years ago but by chance could you help us , me and my husband find accommodation that does not cost so much, we live in Italy but prices in Holland are too high, and private bathroom is luxury as I guess 🙈 Thank you
Drugs are not legal; cannabis is tolerated, that's all.
And indeed: STAY OFF THE BIKE LINES AS A PEDESTRIAN!!! By all means, try to remember that you are in a country where everyone cycles so there's loads and loads of bike traffic.
I live in Amsterdam and it's really really REALLY tiring to have to dodge all these inattentive tourists.
On my last trip to Amsterdam I got a little lost trying to find our guesthouse. So I asked a local for help but began with "excuse me, do you speak English?" To which he replied, "of course I do" and I felt like a dolt. :/
Big mistake in The Netherlands is to think drugs are legal. DRUGS ARE NOT LEGAL in The Netherlands. You are allowed to buy a small amount in a coffeeshop for personal use. You are allowed to use it in the coffeeshop (officially it is even forbidden to take it home). You are not allowed to use it in public places (like parks, squares, canalsides etc. - there were a lot of problems with addicts in the past). When you are stopped by a police-officer and they find drugs on you, you get a warning the first time or a fine (or even jail-time) by repetition; you have to turn it over.
The allowance is only for so called "soft drugs" (cannabis). The others are called "hard drugs" (i.e. cocaine, crystal meth, XTC, GHB, heroin etc.); those are always illegal and you will get fined (or jailed) if you have them - even in small amounts.
FYI: You can definately smoke in a park and not have to worry about it. I was smoking up in Vondelpark last year, 2 cops walked right past me and didnt' bat an eye about it. Even said good morning and hello and they walked right passed me. They really don't care, but you have to be some what respectable about it and don't do it around kids or families.
@@davidvilchez2209 You were lucky. By law it is forbidden in public places to use drugs. But when you don't make any troubles or trashing the site they might let you. Note there are many places which look very nice to sit and use drugs but were in the past places with lot of troubles with drug- and alcohol-addicts. So the police is very keen to kick out everybody who's using any drugs or alcohol in those places (as the same of the residents living nearby).
@@gilles111 Yeah I wasn't saying it is necessarily a good idea, but I've been a few times now and I've never had any issues with police.
I was in Amsterdam a couple of months ago, loved it. Did not got to red light district or any 'coffee' shops...but did find a great cookie store!!
I wished to go there one day. Thank you for the helpful tips my new friend.
You are very welcome
Amsterdam isn’t NICE!!! I live there so I know
@@theyeetgangohyeahyeah2053 nope.. wont work
im heading to Amsterdam this weekend for the frist time and i love watching your channel its ready helping me and i love reading all the comments i really hope i dont make to much mistakes and ill really respect all the points people put out in there comments i love new cultures thanks again all
I don’t consider cannabis to be “drugs”
It’s drugs, by that logic we can suddenly also claim cocaïne isn’t a drugs just because someone thinks so. Cannabis is a drugs just like your paracetamol or nicotine end of the story
I thought "drug" means dried herbs, which is exactly what store bought cannabis is
@@megamanx1291 cool story bro!
@@Sur-Ron There is nothing bad going on with cannabis though, but it’s a drug. Smoke away, I will do so too. But the facts need to be put on table.
Excellent info!!
I will be travelling to Netherlands in two weeks time, and I can say these tips are useful for my anxiety
Public Transport: In major cities the tram is best. Whatever transport you choose, you may benefit from 1-day or 3-day public transport passes (good for buses and trams). Also an NS Rail pass for trains (inquire about this at the info desk with the yellow & blue "NS" signs. These are easily found near the train escalators leading down to the platforms -- nearest the entrance/exit at Schiphol Airport. NOTE: Schiphol Airport currently (october 2022) with major problems. Research this in advance!!!
I'll be there on Wednesday and I agree, very calming. Maybe we'll bump into each other 😂
How was your trip ? Any suggestions? I’m heading there this week.
The Netherlands is a fantastic experience and don't limit your experiences to partying like a rock star all the time. A cool buzz while going shopping and strolling, eating, and visiting the museums is amazing.
One big mistake people make is to think drugs are legal. You can buy softdrugs at coffeeshops. It is illegal to deal in the streets and harddrugs are illegal too.
Thanks for the tips. I will be traveling through Amsterdam this week.
I will be having a short layover on the 12th, on my way to Prague.
On my return flight, on the 17th, I will have an overnight layover.
Are there any suggestions for places to see, while I’m there for one night?
Heyy I'll be there during that time! Safe travels!!
If you're looking for Ann Frank house tickets check the morning of the day you want to go. They release A certain amount of tickets everyday so if you check early you should be able to get some. Also they don't like it when you film in the coffee shops especially when you are ordering. Bulldog which is the most famous coffee shop is very big I'm not using your cameras. If you have to use a public bathroom always make sure you have some coins because you have to pay to use them!
thank you so much! i really wanted to go and then i waited one day too long to book tickets and suddenly all were gone!
Hello, is there anything interesting to be seen in Afsluitdijk? Where else can we see the dam system protecting rhe land from flooding? Thanks
Was recently researching prices for a trip to Amsterdam, and the prices for a 3 star hotel in a more central spot were on par with the swankiest 5 star hotel in here in Norway, the Grand Hotel in Oslo.
I’m staying in a 3 star hotel near the train stationwhich looks like a tiny dorm room for €300 per night. The only 4 star hotels available were near the airport.
It's an expensive city... On the plus side, you won't have to pay Norwegian prices for food 😉
I will be staying nearby haarlem and commute to Amsterdam...seriously, 20min commute on the train is nothing .
I've found a 3 star by the station. Before I stayed in overamstell it thought I'd try being more central.
Also the ClinkNoord is a really nice hostel. If I was going on my own next time I would defo stay at the clink
Thank you, so useful
I’m going December. Where is best to get tickets for Ann Frank house pleased?
I haven't met anyone yet that would go to Amsterdam “only” for the Red Light District. I don't think anyone needs to be a genius to realize that the city has much more to offer. But what do I know?
True, but many go just for weed and coffeeshops.
You haven't met anyone that admitted it, I think you'll find
@@simonh6371 lol true
This was an incredibly useful guide. Thanks for compiling!
Love your positive attitude wolter. Been a fan of the channel and will be for long!
If you have some spare time head to the city of Maastricht (2,5hrs away by train). It’s a beautiful old Roman city and looks and feels totally different.
Amsterdam hotels are expensive..its the same as you go to nyc and want a hotel in the city..its far more smarter to get a hotel nearby as public transport is pretty good..when i went to nyc i just took a good and reasonable cheap hotel in newark and just took train and subway to explore nyc.......other nice tourist attractions in the netherlands-> kinderdijk( windmills) zaanse schans( near amsterdam couple of windmills and see how cheese is made).... Palace t loo in apeldoorn is beautiful( dont know if its open but if its a must if it is)
Thanks for the videos. I will be going to Amsterdam first week of Oct. my first international trip. Hope to be able to explore a little and keep the info you’ve given to keep me out of trouble 😁
Glad we could help
@@woltersworld hey mark nice vid! Would we have a good time in hostels if we stay in cities like harlem(not in the center of amesterdam) or would it be less enjoyable
@@Paul_C thx a lot! But for me as a young traveller would i enjoy the time and meet other travellers as well in harlem or are most of young travellers go to amesterdam directly? *not into the red light district*
@@Paul_C wtf are you talking about? I dont understand lol
@@mreyas9513 can you help me
I started watching this channel before we went to Cancun now we are looking into Amsterdam and finding this made me happy. Lol
I'm glad :)
I’ve been staying luckily with my boyfriend and his family for over 2 months now so here are some tips I found.
1.) get an ov chip card for bus/train
2.) most shops do not accept Visa.
3.) Be aware of bikes!
4.) stay to the right mostly when walking
And 5.) book attractions at least a few days before :)
Any tips for the awaking festival?
No visa card accepted 😭😭😭 omg
@@HoneyViVi I know 😐 Most bigger shops do but cash is best
Do they accept mastercard? Or do you mean they don't accept any card payments and are cash only?
They do accept Mastercard I believe and also of course cash too :)
It's been awhile since I've been there the first time was in the mid 70's and the second time was around 2006. 2006 I stayed with friends for 6 month's I had blast until I had to leave. One day I'll be back to visit again.😌👍
So I’m Dutch and I go to uni in Amsterdam and I have to say the thing that I ABSOLUTELY hate what tourists do is the thing with the tram doors. Oh. My. God. How difficult is it to read the signs? It actually causes delays which really sucks... Also walking on the cycling lanes (like you mentioned) is a big no-no (and I would discourage tourists from cycling altogether) but what also really annoys me is when groups of people all walk next to each other on the sidewalk. They usually walk so slowly, refuse to step aside a bit when asked, and they make it difficult for other people to pass them. But generally the attitude of most tourists in Amsterdam makes me dislike them.
Came home from Amsterdam yesterday. I love riding my bike here at home and had plans to do so in Amsterdam too. I changed my mind when I got there and realised the tempo, specific bike lanes, specific red light signals… Maybe some other time! 😁
Where do you get the powdered sugar treats? Love your videos
Probably from a cafe shop
Here some tips for your Amsterdam visit:
Stay in west, de pijp, or east for a more local feel
Best canals are not in Amsterdam: Leiden
Google maps can give good directions where to bike if you click the bike option
Amsterdam is by far the best place to go clubbing if you're into house/techno/disco
Everything central station and Dam square is a tourist trap.
Visit Chinatown on the Zeedijk for Asian food.
If you want a hotel in the city but also near a station. Find one around Lelylaan station. Very quick connections to Leidseplein and Schiphol Airport
Super helpful. Thank you!
I think the whole country is a museum in itself🌈🙌
It is gorgeous
Haha although we're much more lively and changing than a museum. It's not like Cuba
I don’t know if it’ll make sense but another recommendation from my point of view is “Don’t drink too much or get wasted cuz you won’t be able to enjoy the beautiful city at the next day with hangover”🍻 🍺 🍹 🍷 🥱😴 If you are fine and resist getting drunk and walking the following day then Congrats!!! Amsterdam is one of my fave cities and I’d love to go back in the future.
I completely understand :)
True story, I bought one joint from a legit coffee shop and took about 4 tokes off it, walked a block on the sidewalk, passed out and fell against a shop window - yes I created quite a scene I guess. When I woke up and this nice shop proprietor had gotten me a chair to sit in and gave me a huge glass of orange juice which definitely helped - something about the sugar in my system. However, I was pretty much shot the rest of the day. Made it back to the hotel and stayed in and slept the remainder of the day. Day wasted. That's the strongest smoke I've ever ever ever had. Be careful.
Lol..I had smoked for about 10 years when I went. Grabbed a couple 8ths of different strains and rolled up a joint with papers they had to use.
Guy looked at me like I was crazy and said I must be a heavyweight since I didn’t mix it with tobacco.
Ended up chilling with him and a half dozen people for a few hours just smoking and talking about Amsterdam and where I was from in the US.
Getting back to the hotel was a bit challenging, as I had only been there for one day and didn’t know the tram routes, so I probably took a really long route to get back…lol
Was still a blast. Looking forward to going back
Hello thank you for video. We are thinking of visiting Amsterdam in September for 3 weeks. Is some rain? how many days? Also, can you still see Tulips in September? Thank you!
Perfect timing! I'll be there in a week!
Enjoy! :)
Ugh miss Amsterdam so much! Can't believe they moved a lot of the I Am Amsterdam signs.
Just got back from Amsterdam about a week ago. That city stole my heart... thanks for the wonderful tips throughout your videos Mark ! Love ♥️
It feels like home!
Definitely! I got there and felt like I’ve lived there my entire life! So welcoming and comfortable! Can’t wait to go back!
Dom Mitarotonda what was the weather like ?
Low 70s and it rained often but not for long periods of time, but was not particularly sunny. It was comfortable to wear jeans with a t shirt or a sweatshirt.
Great Video. Thank you for posting.
I really do not recommend people going on biking tours/groups. When I see these going around, it seems really hectic and stressful. It is really not a good way to see the city IMO as you would have to pay so much attention staying with the group.
Also, I wish tourists would not only watch out when it comes to walking in the bike lane, but walking in general. Going to and from work is really frustrating as people will walk in the middle of the sidewalk very slowly. We get you want to see things, but we also want to get to work on time! We live here!
I agree. If you want to ride a bike in Amsterdam, take the ferry across the Ij (it's free) and ride there - it is much calmer and easier to maneuver. I tell my friends, even the good bikers, not to ride in central Amsterdam.
THIS. I'm a bicycle commuter in the US but I'm in no way confident enough to ride in Amsterdam. I rode in den Haag, but only because I was with my Dutch friend and he knew where we were going and told me the rules of the road.
@@elsawaters97 I cycled a lot in Amsterdam and had no issues. If somebody is a cyclist, it's not an issue. If somebody rides a bike sometimes, then it's an issue. Big difference between the two things.
you missed a lot of mistakes...if you rent a car parking is horrible, got towed the first hour I was downtown by the albert cupyt market. no parking between dinner hours! 375 euros to get car back with no phone number to call. What a nightmare.
4:12 people get sad when they don't get to see Anne Frank house but believe me people who been in the Anne Frank house come out sad.
I came out underwhelmed
@@dannydorko7075 You've obviously never been locked up.
The Fozzy Bear Imagine how Anne felt.
@@Budha75 I think she felt "dead"
John Phantom all the furniture was removed, just removes the feeling of a family having hid there, looks just like a normal house with a secret entrance.
Thank you for sharing.
I want to go to the Netherlands to see the fields of beautiful flowers.
Your welcome! Please be aware the "Bollenvelden" (where the flowers like the tulips grow) and The Keukenhof are only there in spring. The flowers in the fields are roughly there between half march and half may (just 2 months) so the best time to visit is in april.
The Keukenhof (keukenhof.nl/nl/) is only opened between 21st march and the 10th may.
That's a very good idea but you should go in spring. I don't know exactly the right month but it must be march-april. I am dutch but l am living in italy for more than 30 years.
General caution: the actual flower fields are a "look, don't touch" situation. Especially the ones next to the roads are owned by farmers who grow the flowers to sell them. So please stay on the road to admire them, don't go in between the flowers themselves.
if you take a train outside of amsterdam to like utrecht. Make sure you scan your ticket before you get onto the trains at the little stands. They look like poles. It They can be easy to miss and there is nothing stopping you from just walking onto the train without scanning, i have heard that people who will check your tickets can be merciless. Also know which part of the train is first class and not usually the non first class are the less comfy looking seats.
Wolter nice video's ! Definitely true the ' hete bitterballen' haha even dutch people forget this a lot times. I am from Amsterdam and its very good you make a video about this. I have to say Wolter when i saw you eating the fish i really think you have Dutch roots! :) You look very dutch to me, maybe your ancesters came from Holland. Also another tip, wear comfertable walking shoes ( but this tip goes for everywhere in the world) But especially when walking around Damsquere with the small stones, best idea to wear a pair of sneakers , also as a woman especially when you plan to see much on a day. Just walk around and take you time, but have comfertable clothes. And i would say best time to visit is autumn october or spring like the months april/ may. All months are good to visit though, every month has it nice benefits and low season especially.
Thank you guys ❤
#5 - The Stairs! 😂😂
#8 - Dutch food
The *_cheese_* in the Netherlands is something I would highly recommend. As a cheese lover I seek out local varieties when I travel and there are loads of cheese shops in Amsterdam (5:25) indeed but I opted to get my cheese fix at some wine or beer bars. Gouda, Edam, Limburger, etc...mmm, mmm. A cheese plate is the perfect bar snack (or lunch) if you get tired of bitterballen. 👍
Great advice...fellow 'cheese lover' here 😉
@Janice Feny 🧀👍
Tosh T why not have both ? www.kwekkeboom.nl/assortiment/old-amsterdam-bitterballen/
Well there's 2 kinds, there's tourist cheese shops, wich actually suck big time thet have only a limited stock at horrible prices, or go to an actual cheese store (often not at the city center) or markets, where the selection ia better, fresher and cheaper. Same if you wabt to bring back tulip bulbs. If you buy m at a tourist shop, you get like 10 low quality bulbs, where you'd get like 50 high quality bulbs at a garden center or market for the same price.
There are cheese shops, how is awesome is that?
I also like all the fish dishes Dutch have. Since I don't get to eat much fish but I love it, this is truly appreciated.
Thanks for this video
Another common mistake is not booking your lodging early enough. For various reasons good lodging gets taken up much earlier in Amsterdam than some other European cities.