Getting around:

As a non-driver who likes to avoid flying when possible, this trip was perfect for me due to the frequent public transport connections between each of the cities on this trip. Of course, if you can drive, then your options are even greater, but there is little need for a car in an area as compact as this.

I chose to get the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam and back from Paris after leaving Strasbourg. If you feel you have already seen everything there is to do in Amsterdam, then you could start this trip in Lille or Brussels instead with Eurostar. Alternatively, if you’re far from London, you may find cheaper flights from your local airports to Amsterdam.

Day 1: Canals and Anne Frank’s House

After arriving at St. Pancras International, I quickly made it through security and passport control before my train to Amsterdam. The train takes approx. 4 hours to get from London to Amsterdam, which, once you take into account the time stuck in an airport, means it is probably very similar to flying. I booked my train in advance and managed to book a ticket for £35!

In Amsterdam, I stayed in an Airbnb room in Oosterpark, on the edge of the city centre. This is a really great area to stay, with lots of cute bars and restaurants nearby and frequent public transport links back into the city centre. We arrived by midday, so we went straight into the centre to get Dutch Pancakes from Moak Pancakes. I chose the Blue Magic pancakes, and trust me, you won’t regret it, even if they are fairly expensive.

We then walked down to Anne Frank’s house, which is a necessary visit if you are in Amsterdam. It is a part of history that should never be forgotten. If you are planning to visit, make sure that you book in advance—I made this mistake on a previous trip in 2022, and there were no tickets left!

We booked on to do a canal cruise to see Amsterdam by boat. We were by far the youngest people on the boat and also the only people who had not paid for the cheese and wine (which meant we were offered it for free accidentally). The cruise is a perfect way to get to grips with the city, especially if it’s your first time in the city.

Day 2: Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum

We started our second day in Amsterdam by exploring the Van Gogh Museum. To get there, take the 2,5 or 12 tram to Museumplein. The museum is incredibly interactive and immersive, even for those without a love of art. It, of course, had the classic Sunflowers and Almond Blossom, as well as self-portraits and many other beautiful Van Gogh pieces. Of course, quite typically, many of Van Gogh’s pieces are currently on display in London, so if there are any specific pieces you are dying to see, double-check if they are back in the UK before getting your heart set on seeing them in Amsterdam.

From here, it is a 2-minute walk to the Rijksmuseum, the national building for Dutch Art and History. If you are under 18 or have paid for a MuseumKaart, you can enter for free. Otherwise, it is fairly steep at 25 euros per person. Since I had been a few years ago, before I was 18, I managed to go for free, but on this occasion, we decided to skip the Rijksmuseum and instead head on a short trip out of the city.

Day 3: Zaandam and Zaanse Schans

Just 15 minutes from Amsterdam by train, Zaandam is a beautiful town known for its huge, green, upside-down hotel. Take the train from Amsterdam Central to Zaandam directly and quickly escape the city to a small town. Despite no signs of snow in Amsterdam, Zaandam was beautifully snow-glazed in March. If you have time on your trip make sure to come to Zaandam to see the upside-down hotel and the green town. It is a great place for some shopping and a meal before continuing on to Zaanse Schans.

To get to Zaanse Schans, you have three options:

• Get Bus 391 directly to Zaanse Schans, which takes approximately 12 minutes
• Get the train directly from Amsterdam, but skipping Zaandam
  • Note that the train station is 15 minutes away from the windmills.
• Walk from Zaandam
  • this is the foolish decision we made…

I would recommend taking the bus from Zaandam and not walking for an hour from Zaandam like we did. Even travel bloggers are poor planners, I confess.

Zaanse Schans is home to an open-air museum of traditional Dutch windmills, two of which are still being used. It is completely free to visit, but there are some museums and tours of the windmills that require a ticket if you are interested. This is a really magical place, that is worth going out of your way to visit if you have some free time when visiting Amsterdam.