Toward the end of a recent trip to Europe, I visited one of my oldest and best friends from college. Due to Amsterdam’s incredible pre- and post-partum care, child care, labor laws, and overall health care, she lives in the city with her partner and two adorable children. When I wasn’t coloring unicorns and eating some infamous Indonesian food with their family (I learned on this trip that Amsterdam has a big Indonesian population), I explored the city in just 24 hours.

ADVENTURES:

📷 Moco Museum: Located in the museum region right next to the Van Gogh Museum is a much smaller and very pretty building – the Moco Museum. When we were there, this was the highlight of our trip because they had a Banksy exhibit and a special exhibition called the “Modern Masters” featuring Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. Pro tip: buy tickets online to skip the line.

📷 Dam Square: As the center of the city, its known for being hustling and bustling throughout history. While I was there, there was a protest happening due to the recent invasion of Israel into Palestine.

📷 Walk: The best way to see Amsterdam is either on a bike or by foot. It’s a very walkable city with clean streets, quiet communities, and beautiful buildings. The city is set up like a semi-circle around the center and it is easy to just walk along various canals and intentionally get lost and explore.

FOOD & DRINK:

🥂 Bakkerij Wolf: This cafe was recommended to me by my friend so I met my cousin there. It’s located in the iconic 9 Streets or “De 9 Straatjes” region, full of cozy cafes and boutique stores. This cafe serves a great brunch and a large tea selection.

🥂 Café Oost West: A little dive bar on the corner of the Red Light District used to be a small, walk-up Dutch home and now is a local gathering spot with just 4 beers on tap and a friendly bartender. It also accepts credit cards, which is rare for this area.

🥂 Pancakes: There wasn’t time for everything, but one thing Amsterdam is famous for is pancakes. A few places I was recommended were Pancakehouse Upstairs, The Pancake Bakery, and the Happy Pig Pancake Shop.