A Day Out In Amsterdam - On Foot

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cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
In a few weeks time I'll be taking my daughter to Amsterdam on a day trip, simply so that she can experience flying with me before an upcoming school trip (enrichment week, it certainly doesn't make me any richer...).
We will only have a few hours in Amsterdam, so I was thinking maybe a stroll down to the '9 Streets' area, apparently quite nice, pancakes and if it's not stupid busy the Anne Frank museum.
Interesting to know if anyone has any thoughts, or other places within walking distance and suitable for a creative 13 year old, no museums or galleries though.
 
Location
España
Oh dear!
I hate Amsterdam with a passion - especially on foot. ^_^ (Sorry, not helpful!)
The Ann Frank museum is always busy.

Check the internet for things that might be going on, but other cities may be nicer for a pedestrian experience and may not be too much further, timewise.

Rotterdam is less frantic (more space thanks to the Germans) with interesting modern architecture and the Markthal - a combined market with appartments- I find it very impressive and not far from the tilted cube appartments (sorry, I forget the proper name).

I recall Leiden as being especially pleasant to just wander around as well.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Avoid the Anne Frank museum. Take a boat trip along the canals instead, then sit in a café (away from the main squares where hoards of tourists loiter) and watch the world go by. Just wandering around the smaller canals in the centre is great fun too.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
I've spent a bit of time in Amsterdam but hadn't heard of the '9streets' even although I have enjoyed a wander round the area !

I like to spend some time around the Centraal Station and waterfront it's a busy transport hub where you can stand back and indulge in a bit of people watching as they rush around changing from one mode of transport to another, buses and trams at the front of the station and ferries continually crossing the Ij to the North from the back of the station, people and bicycles everywhere, also shipping large and small onthe Ij .


The Anne Frank house is always stupid busy IME but tickets can be obtained online in advance, see....
https://www.annefrank.org/en/museum/tickets/
 

Slioch

Guru
Location
York
Maybe start off by taking a boat tour, which is a great way of seeing some of the main canals and admiring the historic architecture/buildings. You can book tickets and get onto a boat right in front of Centraal Station. This will last approx' 2 hrs.

Then head over to the Jordaan district for a wander around the streets and grab some lunch in a traditional canalside "brown" cafe. My favourite district of Amsterdam.

Be prepared to answer questions along the lines of "what's that funny smell" as you walk past the "other" type of cafe Amsterdam is famous for.

The red light district is fascinating to wander around, but probably not with a 13 year old.

Plenty of information on things to do here.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
I must admit when we were there we did struggle sometimes to work out "is that a coffee shop, or a 'coffee shop' ?" so ended up in the twee cafes with little old ladies and cake stands just to be on the safe side.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
In a few weeks time I'll be taking my daughter to Amsterdam on a day trip, simply so that she can experience flying with me before an upcoming school trip (enrichment week, it certainly doesn't make me any richer...).
We will only have a few hours in Amsterdam, so I was thinking maybe a stroll down to the '9 Streets' area, apparently quite nice, pancakes and if it's not stupid busy the Anne Frank museum.
Interesting to know if anyone has any thoughts, or other places within walking distance and suitable for a creative 13 year old, no museums or galleries though.
Unless you want to queue all day with no guarantee, probably forget the AF museum (you can book advance tix, but often sold out)
 
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