Top 5 Places to Visit in Amsterdam

Welcome to Cassandra's list of Top 5 places to visit in Amsterdam!

1) Albert Cuyp Market

Looking for handcrafted jewelry, biking supplies, clothes on clearance, but more importantly: the OG stroopwafel makers, poffertjes (baby pancakes, a Dutch delicacy), and more fried fish and raw herring you could ever ask for? You’ve come to the right place. Albert Cuyp is an endless street market that is open every day of the week except Sunday. Look for stroopwafel stall with a red sign--this vendor’s recipe has been passed down in his family through generations! Nothing like a warm cookie in your hands. And it is way cheaper than other stroopwafel stores in city center!

2) Ij-Hallen

Europe’s biggest flea market. Indeed, with 750 stands, you are guaranteed to find anything and everything you need here in this universe of secondhand. Though you have to take a ferry to get here, this market housed in a cool industrial space will not fail to impress you. I’ve found treasures upon treasures here including Star Wars bobble heads, Studio Ghibli merch, and branded clothing for 1 euro!

3) Bloemenmarkt 

Step onto the world’s only floating flower market! Stall after stall offers a variety of flora, from succulents to dangling flowers to tulip bulbs. These vendors also offer plenty of keychains and other souvenirs, including wooden tulips. Don’t forget to check out a line of shops opposite the Bloemenmarkt, where every other shop sells cheese and offers free samples!

4) Rokin

This major street in Amsterdam is also one of the most beautiful spots in the city. The canal itself is often decorated with overhanging lights and is a beauty to behold by day or by night. The street is lined with both big and small stores and restaurants. There are plenty of side streets to get lost in too!

5) Vondelpark

This semester I had the privilege of riding my bike through Vondelpark every day to class. Vondelpark is Amsterdam’s most popular park, and I am constantly afraid I will cause a bike crash because I get easily distracted by the multitude of ADORABLE dogs who walk next to their owners without a leash. With beautiful lakes, gorgeous surrounding houses, and colorful foliage, Vondelpark offers a breath of respite from the city chaos.