TRANSPORTS
✈ 06.20 a.m. BLQ ⇢ 08:30 a.m. AMS
✈ 9.20 p.m. AMS ⇢ 11:05 p.m. BLQ
I bought the flights online with the national airline KLM for 198 € each, booking about three weeks before departure.
▸ TRANSFER AIRPORT - CENTER
From Amsterdam Schipol airport to Amsterdam Centraal, the central station, we took the direct train (it takes only 15 minutes for € 5.60 each way): trains run approximately every 10 minutes and depart is from the railway station in the airport basement. We bought them directly there (option in Italian) but they can also be purchased online in advance.
▸ TRANSPORTS IN AMSTERDAM
To get around the city, once we reach Amsterdam-Centraal, we had a travel pass GVB Multi-day ticket that allows you to travel on trams, night buses and the Amsterdam metro. This time we never took the metro, mindful of the last trip: unlike the London one, this one does not effectively connect the center, but it is more useful if you have to move to the suburbs. If you just stay in the center, trams are the fastest and more practical. At night trams stop around 11.30 p.m. - 12 a.m., but after that hour you can easily take advantage of the night buses, which cover fewer routes, but still allow you to move comfortably in the center. We bought the tickets directly directly at the station in the automatic machines.
2 days (48h) € 13.50 - 3 days (72h) - € 19.00 - 4 days (96h) € 24.50
▸ Renting a bike in Amsterdam
If you have already read the post about the trip you know that in the end, due to organizational problems, we were unable to rent a bike as we had expected. However, I leave you the information that I had saved before. The idea was to rent bikes near Vondelpark (near our hotel) and do everything at Museumplein by bike, so I had identified A-bike as a reference, which also has an office in Dam square.
1 h € 7.50 - 2 h € 9.50 - 3 h € 11.00 - 6 h € 13.75 - 1 day € 14.95
There is also the possibility to rent electric bikes, tandems, cargo bikes and children's bikes with specific prices.
HOTEL
I booked the hotel online on Booking.com about three weeks before departure, always choosing the free cancellation option, because you never know. I considered the location, looking for a place that was central enough and well connected to public transport lines so that I could easily reach the conference venue.
Hotel Mosaic City Centre ✰ ✰ ✰
363€ - 2 nights for 2 people
Location: central, just off the Canal Ring, 150m from the Eerste Constantijn Hygensstraat stop, line 17, which will take you to Amsterdam Centraal in just 15 minutes, with stops at the main attractions. In less than 10 minutes on foot you will reach Leidseplein, and less than 12 minutes' walk from the Rijksmuseum and Museum Square.
Room: modern, well-kept hotel with 24-hour reception, free WiFi, vending machines for drinks and snacks at night and the possibility of having breakfast on site. The rooms have air conditioning, flat screen TV and modern bathroom with shower, bath linen and hairdryer (not too powerful). They are very nice, welcoming, neat and clean, we found ourselves very well. Our room overlooked one of Amsterdam's canals and had a very comfortable terrace.
I offer you a second alternative for accommodation, very different from the previous one, the one where I stayed in 2017, very low budget.
Budget Hotel Barbacan ✰ ✰
In 2017 we paid € 216: 2 nights for two people. The room had shared bathroom, all in all decent: more suitable for low budget travelers and only for those with a good spirit of adaptation. The location is equivalent to the first one.
I AMSTERDAM CITY CARD
Depending on how you plan your days in Amsterdam, consider buying the I Amsterdam city Card. Simplify your visit by making it convenient by saving on entrance tickets to museums and attractions, on public transport and discounts available on restaurants and concerts. In some places it allows you to skip the queues thus making the most of time. The convenience of this card depends on what you intend to do during your stay in the city. You can order your card online or buy it at one of the three tourist offices. In the case of online purchases, you can choose whether to receive the card directly at home, at your hotel or collect it once on site. If you are already in the city you can collect it directly, without waiting for the paper preparation time. With the card you receive a brochure, a map and a magazine, so that you can plan your trip. In addition, there is a specific app to consult the complete list of available offers. The City Card is activated after the first use (if you choose a card that is valid for twenty-four hours, it will expire 24 hours after its activation); to access the different attractions, show your Card at the ticket office. N.B. : to visit the Van Gogh museum, a reservation of visiting time is required before arriving at the museum.
As for gifts and discounts, you can show your City Card at participating locations. Visit the website to find out which attractions and restaurants adhere to the I Amsterdam city Card.
24h 65€ - 48h 85€ – 72h 105€ – 96h 115€ – 120h 125€
CLIMATE In Amsterdam, the climate is sub-oceanic, humid and rainy, being influenced by the North Sea but also by the Atlantic, and has a cold (but not freezing) winter and a fairly cool summer. The wind is frequent, and can be intense, especially from November to March, the average temperature of January and February is 3.5 ° C, that of July is 17 ° C. The rains are relatively abundant, frequent and distributed throughout the year; however, the wettest season is autumn, the least rainy is spring. Winter is cold with temperatures around freezing while spring, from March to May, is unstable. However, April and May are the relatively driest and sunniest months. Generally from the second half of May the temperatures become acceptable, and there may be the first pleasantly warm days, with highs around 25 degrees or even more. Summer, from June to August, is mild, and is characterized by pleasant periods, in which the daytime temperatures are between 20 and 25 degrees, alternating with cool periods, in which it remains below 20 degrees even day. At night it can get a little cold, and it can drop below 10 degrees. The wind blows steadily from the sea, and rain is also quite frequent. Autumn is initially pleasant, in the first half of September, and then gradually becomes colder, gray, humid and windy. The first night frosts usually occur in November, but sometimes also in October. The best time to visit Amsterdam is from mid-May to mid-September, being the mildest. July and August are the relatively warmest months; however, it is advisable to bring a sweatshirt or sweater, a light jacket and an umbrella, hoping not to have to use them.
Cannabis in Amsterdam: useful tips
In recent years, Holland has become the symbol of cannabis in Europe, in particular its capital, Amsterdam.
Recreational cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands, but there is still a policy of tolerance even in the event that someone is caught using it or possessing it.
Coffeeshops are only allowed to sell cannabis inside the premises: smoking is not allowed in public and the purchase of illegal weed on the street is a transgression punishable by law.
Coffeeshop rules (the only ones to authorize you to sell Cannabis):
· It is not allowed to sell more than 5 grams per day per customer;
· It is not allowed to sell hard drugs;
· It is not allowed to sell to minors under the age of 18 who are also not allowed to enter;
· It is not possible to consume tobacco within the coffeeshops.
For this reason, some of them are equipped with a special smoking area where even simple cigarettes can be smoked.
They are generally open from 9:00 to 1:00 at night.
If you want some advice on where to eat and where to eat in Amsterdam, click here and you can find my favorite places in the city, while if you want some ideas on what to do and what to see in 3 days, click here and read the post and follow my advice.