Amsterdam

By air

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

AMS to the canal ring: a taxi to the door in 25–40 minutes, or the train to Centraal in about 15–20 — the risk is not the ride but a canal-house hotel with a desk that closes and stairs you did not expect.

Typical fares

Schiphol to Centraal, train

About EUR5-6, 15-20 min

Tram or bus, single ride

EUR3-4

Passes

A day ticket on trams and buses pays off after about three rides; contactless fares are capped.

Late at night

Trams and buses thin out after midnight and night buses take over; taxis and ride-hailing run late.

Café Hoppe

A brown café on the Spui with sawdust floors, open since the 17th century: coffee or beer and a simple lunch; no reservations, so go outside peak hours.

Herring stall, Albert Cuyp Market

A fish stall selling raw soused herring (haring), the classic Dutch street snack: order it "Hollandse Nieuwe" in season (May-July) chopped with onion and pickle, and eat it standing — this is a snack stop, not a sit-down meal.

Stroopwafel stall, Albert Cuyp Market

A market stall making stroopwafels to order — two thin waffles pressed around warm caramel syrup: buy one hot off the press, eat it while it is warm and the syrup is soft, and treat the market stroll as the point, not just the snack.

Tempo Doeloe

A sit-down Indonesian restaurant known for rijsttafel (rice table), the Dutch-Indonesian way of sharing many small dishes: book ahead for dinner, and come hungry — a rijsttafel is built for two or more.

Vleminckx

A takeaway fries window off the Spui, open since 1887: order a cone of fries with a sauce, eat standing on the street — there is no seating, so this is a walking snack, not a meal stop.

De Pijp

Lively, cheaper nights near the Albert Cuyp market and a walk to the museums; more restaurants, fewer grand hotels.

Jordaan

First-timers: a hotel in the Jordaan or on the western canals, a short walk to the Anne Frank House; choose one with a lift and a 24h desk, not a steep canal house that locks at midnight.

Etiquette

• Bikes: Never walk or stand in a bike lane (usually red asphalt); look both ways even on a one-way street.
• Coffeeshops: Cannabis stays inside the licensed coffeeshop; do not smoke it on the street or mix it with alcohol.
• De Wallen: Do not photograph window workers; treat the area as a place people live and work, not a spectacle.
• Tipping: Not required; round up or leave 5-10% for good service.
• Directness: Dutch conversation is direct and can read as blunt to visitors; it is not meant as rude.

Red lines

• Anne Frank House and other memorials: keep voices low and follow the no-photo rules.
• Do not photograph workers in the red-light streets.
• Cannabis is tolerated only in licensed coffeeshops; do not smoke it on the street in the old centre.

Scams and watch-outs

• Unlicensed taxis at Schiphol or Centraal quoting a flat fare: use the official rank, a booked ride or the train.
• Ticket sellers outside the Anne Frank House and the Rijksmuseum: buy only on the official sites.
• Bike-rental or e-scooter deposits that are charged extra on return: photograph the bike and read the terms.