Discovering a city is a bit like cultivating a friendship. Before you meet it in person you get its name, with all its merits and even some flaws, but it is up to you, getting to know it day by day, to discover its true soul. Amsterdam and I met four years ago, and since then, I haven’t missed an opportunity to go in search of special places, beautiful to experience and to narrate.

And so it is that Amsterdam, despite the often dreary weather, has become a friendly city: taking me to a concert, inviting me to ride through its narrow streets and along the canals, welcoming me to one of the parks for a pleasant break, showing me its hidden merits, beautiful areas within walking distance of the center, telling me that it is not just what is written about her in all the guidebooks, but it is so much more.

Concertgebouw: notes for lunch

There is a small moment of pleasure that I love to indulge in each week. The Concertgebouw, a concert hall renowned throughout the world for its extraordinary acoustics and programming of the highest international standard, hosts young musicians on Wednesdays who offer a free lunchtime concert. Free lunchtime concert: half an hour of pure pleasure, enveloped in the beauty of the building and the music, which resonates perfectly in it. I recommend that you check the venue’s website for the schedule, arrive in time for free tickets, take a seat, and fully enjoy this “musical lunch.”

Amstelpark and Amsterdamse Bos: the greenest Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a very green city, I noticed right away. Tree-lined avenues join the many parks, more than thirty; from the most famous, such as the Vondelpark or the Westerpark, to the lesser-known and therefore also somewhat special, such as the Amstelpark, a green lung in the southern part of the city, created for Floriade, the universal horticultural exposition held in Amsterdam in 1972. A perfect place for a relaxing day, where you can have fun while discovering the many botanical varieties. Not only parks; just outside Amsterdam is a real forest! The Amsterdamse Bos, just a twenty-minute ride from the city center, is a special place; the numerous planted trees give this place the magical atmosphere of a forest. Don’t miss a stop at the “Geitenboerderij De Ridammerhoeve,” an authentic educational farm, where you can play and feed baby goats, taste cheeses and ice cream made, and participate in workshops and educational activities.

Amsterdam Museum: a plunge into the city’s past

When Amsterdam invites me to engage in culture, I am spoiled for choice with the city’s more than 40 museums. I’m sure the most well-known ones are already on your list, to which you might add the lesser-known Amsterdam Museum, a historical museum in the city’s medieval heart. Very close to Dam Square and the famous Begijnhof, you will find this beautiful building from the early 1300s, first a convent, then an orphanage; history can still be read in its courtyards. Visiting the museum is like taking a journey into the city’s past, from its origins to the present day, discovering its most hidden secrets.

DIY cruise: a picnic on the water

Do you, like me, find that cities that overlook water have a special charm? Amsterdam is one of them, with its numerous canals, and a boat cruise is undoubtedly the icing that will leave you with fond memories of the city.
There are numerous offers for a boat tour, which one to choose? I’ll give you a little idea that can make for an unforgettable day. Here are the ingredients for your new adventure: rent a small electric boat, which is very easy to maneuver, bring the necessities for a picnic on the water, don’t forget good company, and remember that the sunsets here in Amsterdam can be beautiful. Enjoy your sailing!

The secrets of the western islands

There is an Amsterdam very close to the center but almost unknown to tourism. Bikerseiland, Prinseneiland and Realeneiland: Westelijke Eilanden, the three “western islands” a stone’s throw from the central station, connected by small bridges, an area with an ancient history that now shows itself in its fresh modernity. Alleys enlivened by numerous ateliers, artisans’ workshops, artists’ and musicians’ studios, small neighborhood gardens tended by residents, wooden terraces overlooking the canals: the ideal place for a couple of hours of relaxation, in the company of a friend or a good book.

A beer on the canal: first steps to becoming an Amsterdammer

The weather up here is anything but friendly, it often rains and the wind is a constant presence. But then the sun comes suddenly, when you least expect it, and you, like a perfect Dutchman, learn to enjoy every single ray of sunshine while sipping a beer on one of the terraces that enliven the city. Among the many, there are two places you cannot miss to share the pleasure of a sunny afternoon with Amsterdammers.

Cafe de Ceuval, hidden among the narrow streets of the Amsterdam North district, is a unique place, an unexpected oasis of relaxation.
The complex is entirely built on sustainable architectural principles, and the restaurant and creative studios are located inside restored old boat houses.

Brouwerij ‘t IJ is a small brewery in Amsterdam, right next to De Gooyer mill, one of the few remaining in the city, famous for being the tallest windmill in the Netherlands. Opened in 1985 by former musician Kaspar Peterson, the brewery offers a selection of seasonal and specialty beers, as well as year-round qualities, all of which are certified natural and craft, unpasteurized and unfiltered. On fine days, you’ll feel like you’re in the countryside just outside Amsterdam on the terrace at the foot of the mill.

Choosing a handful of places within a city brimming with places to discover is indeed a daunting task. These are just a few hints for you to get to know a different Amsterdam, not told by guidebooks. Come up here too, there are so many opportunities. Most of the Dutch bike and boat tours offered by Girolibero begin in Amsterdam. Be intrigued by the city, and discover it with enthusiasm, she is here waiting for you, ready to welcome new friends!