NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / Travel

Six ways to navigate Amsterdam beyond the tourist hotspots

By Noëlle de Leeuw
New York Times·
28 Feb, 2024 05:00 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌

Subscriber benefit

The ability to gift paywall-free articles is a subscriber only benefit. See more offers by clicking the button below.

Already a subscriber?  Sign in here
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

How to navigate Amsterdam beyond the tourist hotspots. Photo / Getty Images
How to navigate Amsterdam beyond the tourist hotspots. Photo / Getty Images

How to navigate Amsterdam beyond the tourist hotspots. Photo / Getty Images

New York Times writer Noelle de Leeuw forges a route through Amsterdam that’s far beyond the clutches of most (other) tourists.

Amsterdam doesn’t know a low season. There’s the perpetual high season, and then there are two highest seasons: April (tulips!) and July (summer!). Despite the city pulling out all the stops in recent years to limit the number of tourists, the Dutch capital continues to lure visitors by the millions. And understandably so — you’re meandering along the canals one minute, mingling with a Vincent van Gogh the next. It’s all fun and games, until you’re elbowing your way through Dam Square.

Looking for a little latitude in Amsterdam is far from impossible — it just takes a bit of strategy. Here are six ways to start.

Be your own captain

The best way to enjoy Amsterdam is, quite undeniably, from the water. More often than not, a canal tour makes for the first stop on the itinerary. But instead of embarking on a tour boat that fits close to 100 people, why not be your own captain instead? All over the city, there are stations where you can rent small electric boats that suit the size of your group. Take Sloepdelen (€70 per hour, or about NZ$123), whose boats fit up to 12 people, or Mokumboot (95 euros for two hours), with boats for up to six people. No license needed, as long as you’re older than 18 and stay sober. Not only is it just you, the canals and the Amstel River, but a small boat allows you to explore the tinier, more quaint canals big tour boats cannot reach. Or, alternatively, hop in at night right when the sun sets, as the bridges and streetlights light up the dark city.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Really want the water all to yourself? Motor a little outside the city to, say, Ouderkerk aan de Amstel — a small town on the Amstel River, about six miles south of Amsterdam — where it’s wonderfully serene.

Where to next?

The latest in Travel, landing in your inbox every week.
Please email me competitions, offers and other updates. You can stop these at any time.
By signing up for this newsletter, you agree to NZME’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: There’s a better way to see Venice than pounding the tourist-heavy pavements, and it involves a very specific Italian skill...

In Amsterdam, there are stations where you can rent small electric boats that suit the size of your group. Photo / Adrien Olichon on Unsplash
In Amsterdam, there are stations where you can rent small electric boats that suit the size of your group. Photo / Adrien Olichon on Unsplash

Explore the Jewish Quarter

It’s not unusual for people to travel to Amsterdam for one reason, and one reason only: the Anne Frank House. As impressive as the experience is, it books up months in advance.

There are ways well beyond the Anne Frank House to explore Amsterdam’s incredibly rich World War II history. Explore the Jewish Quarter, which remains filled with Jewish history and culture. The organisation Joods Cultureel Kwartier creates custom walking tours (€90 per guide, with a maximum of 15 people) through the district to suit your interests.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Alternatively, be your own tour guide. Explore sights like the Portuguese Synagogue (adult entry €18), the Resistance Museum (adult entry €14), or the National Holocaust Names Memorial, unveiled in 2021 (free admission). It’s a neighbourhood filled with history, culture and stories — just with a lot fewer tourists.

Skip the TikTok line

Since spring 2023, the Negen Straatjes neighbourhood has been characterised by seemingly endless lines of people. The culprit? TikTok. Certain food spots — whether it be Japanese sandwiches, loaded fries or specific chocolate cookies — have gone viral. So viral, in fact, that the venues have been forced to hire crowd managers to oversee the phenomenon that was quickly named “TikTok lines”.

There are plenty of perfectly fantastic alternatives to settle your cravings that don’t require a 90-minute wait. Stop by Zero Zero on de Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, which serves decadent, homemade schiacciata, a Tuscan bread similar to focaccia. For a more lavish meal, sit down at Pulitzer Garden, the secluded courtyard at the Pulitzer Hotel, along the Prinsengracht canal. Or go for an Amsterdam classic: an order of bitterballen, the Dutch fried meatballs, and an Amsterdam-brewed beer at Cafe Luxembourg at the Spui square.

There are plenty of excellent places to eat in Amsterdam that haven't gone viral on TikTok (yet). Photo /  Adrien Olichon on Unsplash
There are plenty of excellent places to eat in Amsterdam that haven't gone viral on TikTok (yet). Photo / Adrien Olichon on Unsplash

Find bright flowers and green cheer at Amstelveld

Few places in Amsterdam get as crowded with tourists as the floating flower market on Singel does. Cute, sure, but instead you might want to check out a little-known square called Amstelveld for green-thumb tourism.

In the heart of the city centre, Amstelveld is taken over by a plant and flower market every Monday. Quiet, relatively depleted of tourists and surrounded by quaint canals, Amstelveld is beloved by local residents.

Amstelveld is also the home of some fine spots for al fresco dining, such as Brasserie Nel and the smaller Cafe Marcella, whether you’re in for a full meal or just a quick cup of coffee.

Explore the north

There is a small body of water, the IJ, that divides Amsterdam’s city centre from its most northern neighbourhood, Amsterdam-Noord. From the rear of the main train station, Amsterdam Centraal, one can take a free ferry to cross the water. Once there, the rush of the city centre fades, almost making it feel like another city entirely.

It makes for a perfect quick hideaway from the hustle and bustle of central Amsterdam. Explore this area with a rented bicycle (€10 for three hours), roam through street art and vintage halls at the NDSM site, or simply relax at one of the many cafes along the water. Enjoy Cafe de Ceuvel, for example, or the restaurant of the Eye Film Museum, which, at the edge of Noord, offers a stunning view of the IJ and the city.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Read More

  • The Netherlands: Insider tips for Amsterdam...
  • Appalling truth about Amsterdam's red light district ...
  • Amsterdam launches ‘Stay Away’ campaign to discourage ...
  • Amsterdam: Bags of wonder - Travel News...
  • Amsterdam: Spring's first sunny Sunday

Leave town for the day

When you take a country as small as the Netherlands and add a good railroad system, the whole country is yours to roam. There are plenty of beautiful smaller cities that are a lot more manageable than Amsterdam, both in terms of size and the number of tourists.

Only 30 minutes by train is Utrecht (€8.80), with its picturesque Dom Tower — the highest church tower in the country — and the Oudegracht, the canal that stretches out over the entire city.

Or explore Haarlem, the small city that is less than 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train (adults: €4.90). Visit the Frans Hals Museum (adults: €16) and revel in the art of the Dutch master, or roam through the city’s many secluded courtyards. And from Haarlem, even the beach is within reach. Reaching Bloemendaal aan Zee takes just 20 minutes by bus. Alternatively, the coastal haunt Zandvoort aan Zee is just a 10-minute train ride away (adult and children: €2.60).

Checklist

AMSTERDAM

GETTING THERE

Air NZ, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines all fly from Auckland to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with one stopover.

DETAILS

holland.com/global/tourism.htm

Only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam is Utrecht, with its picturesque Dom Tower — the highest church tower in the country. Photo / Getty Images
Only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam is Utrecht, with its picturesque Dom Tower — the highest church tower in the country. Photo / Getty Images

This article originally appeared in the New York Times.

Written by: Noelle de Leeuw.

©2023 THE NEW YORK TIMES

Subscriber benefit

The ability to gift paywall-free articles is a subscriber only benefit. See more offers by clicking the button below.

Already a subscriber?  Sign in here
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Travel

Travel

Exactly how much I spent on a Japan trip

Travel

Wendy Petrie tackles ocean swim challenge in Fiji 

Travel

Here’s what it’s like inside Egypt’s new billion-dollar marvel


Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

Cambodia to implement military conscription amid Thailand tensions
World

Cambodia to implement military conscription amid Thailand tensions

'A newfound faith': Rapist says the Lord will help him as he’s sent to jail
New Zealand

'A newfound faith': Rapist says the Lord will help him as he’s sent to jail

'Speechless': Woman's lost engagement ring miraculously found with stranger's help
Lifestyle

'Speechless': Woman's lost engagement ring miraculously found with stranger's help

Auckland Harbour Bridge lanes may close as 90km/h gusts hit city
New Zealand

Auckland Harbour Bridge lanes may close as 90km/h gusts hit city

Murder victim's eerie message played in court
New Zealand

Murder victim's eerie message played in court

'Execution': Mongrel Mob member gunned down as he sat with partner and kids in car
New Zealand

'Execution': Mongrel Mob member gunned down as he sat with partner and kids in car



Latest from Travel

Exactly how much I spent on a Japan trip
Travel

Exactly how much I spent on a Japan trip

One traveller breaks down exactly how many Yen you need for a trip.

13 Jul 08:23 AM
Wendy Petrie tackles ocean swim challenge in Fiji 
Travel

Wendy Petrie tackles ocean swim challenge in Fiji 

13 Jul 12:30 AM
Here’s what it’s like inside Egypt’s new billion-dollar marvel
Travel

Here’s what it’s like inside Egypt’s new billion-dollar marvel

12 Jul 07:36 PM


Your Fiordland experience, levelled up
Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

25 May 12:00 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search