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Netherlands

Amsterdam

One night, endless canals, and a bag with a story.

Tall, narrow canal houses along the Damrak, reflected in golden water
Damrak, AmsterdamPhotography by Mile & Marque.

Our time in Amsterdam was short, just one night in July, and it didn’t begin the way we planned. It was still worth it. We fit a surprising amount into twenty-four hours, and the best of it came from simply walking the canals, which seem to go on forever.

Where we stayed

Tribe Amsterdam City

1 night · July 17–18

Tribe turned out to be a better choice than I expected. It isn’t luxurious, but it was fairly affordable compared with the other central hotels we looked at. The room was comfortable, modern, and clean, and the staff were kind. The real win is the location: it sits right at Noord station, just past Amsterdam Centraal, so arriving from the airport with luggage, getting in and out of the city, and catching the train to Belgium when we left were all effortless.

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The Westerkerk tower and its crown rising above brick canal houses at golden hour
Westerkerk, AmsterdamPhotography by Mile & Marque.

Day 1July 17

Alone in Amsterdam, and a bag with a story

Amsterdam started with a plot twist. We were flying in from Prague, and my boyfriend insisted on bringing a checked bag, even though I told him not to. Hopping quickly between European cities is exactly when you don’t want one. Traffic to the airport was worse than we expected, he missed the bag cutoff, and I made the flight without him. So I spent my first half day in Amsterdam on my own.

My first stop was Het Groene Paleis, a bar and restaurant on the Rokin in the center of the city. I sat outside, the staff were lovely, and the food was really good, with plenty to choose from. It’s a relaxed spot for a quick, casual bite, and an easy one when you’re eating alone.

Then I wandered along the canals, in and out of little boutiques, and that’s how I found Smaak Amsterdam, a Dutch leather label. I saw the bag and fell in love with it. It was about €200, and it has been worth every cent. The leather is beautiful, the quality is excellent, and I’ve carried it countless times since. Most of all, I love the story it holds: the day I ended up alone in Amsterdam and found my favorite bag.

  • Tribe Amsterdam City
  • Het Groene Paleis
  • The canals
  • Smaak Amsterdam
Friends walking a brick canal path beneath tall trees, with a bridge beyond
Along the canals, AmsterdamPhotography by Mile & Marque.

Day 1Afternoon into night

The same street, twelve hours apart

Once my boyfriend finally landed, I walked him back through the canals where I’d been shopping, and we stopped into a few more shops together. Then we wandered through the Red Light District, the old neighborhood known for its red-lit windows, in broad daylight. It was nearly empty. No tourists, no one in the windows, nothing at all.

We came back around 11 that night, and it was a different place entirely: crowded, loud, and very much a tourist attraction. The contrast between the two, on the same day, was striking.

I was nervous to go both times, and it was hard to watch the workers being gawked at like an exhibit. But I’m glad we went. It was eye-opening for both of us, and seeing parts of the world that feel so different from our own is how travel teaches you something. As surprised as I am to say it, I wouldn’t skip it.

The rest of the night, we just walked. We kept turning down quieter canals to get away from the crowds, and the farther we went, the more beautiful and peaceful it became. Nothing planned, and some of my favorite hours of the trip.

  • Canal boutiques
  • Red Light District by day
  • The quiet canals
  • Red Light District at 11 p.m.
Small boats cruising a wide canal as a gull glides overhead
Canal boats, AmsterdamPhotography by Mile & Marque.
A black bicycle against a bridge railing lined with pink geraniums, a canal stretching beyond
A canal bridge, AmsterdamPhotography by Mile & Marque.
Rows of parked bicycles along a canal in warm evening light
Bicycles by the canal, AmsterdamPhotography by Mile & Marque.

Day 2July 18

One last morning, and a very long line

We didn’t have much time the next morning, but I wanted to see the Anne Frank House, the canal house where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Second World War, now a museum. We didn’t go inside. The line was incredibly long, and we hadn’t booked tickets before the trip.

From the street, it was one of those “that’s it?” moments. It looks like any other house along the canal, with a small sign marking it. Between the line and how little there is to see from outside, we weren’t sad to move on.

If you want to go inside, plan ahead. Tickets are sold online only, not at the door, and they’re released about six weeks in advance.

And that was our twenty-four hours: a lot of walking, a little shopping, and canals that never seemed to end. One night was a lovely taste, but it left me wanting more. I’d go back in a heartbeat to see more of the city, and to take a few day trips next time.

  • Anne Frank House
  • Noord station

If I were planning it again

Tribe Amsterdam City
Affordable, clean, and right at the station.
Het Groene Paleis
Casual and good, with a sunny terrace.
Smaak Amsterdam
My favorite bag, and worth every cent.
The canals
Keep walking. The quiet ones are the prettiest.
Red Light District
See it by day and again late at night.
Next time
More nights, and a few day trips. I’d go back in a heartbeat.
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