Netherlands

On my first day, I checked in at BUNK Hotel Amsterdam, which I absolutely loved. The hotel is inside a former church, so staying there already felt like a unique experience. After leaving my things in the room, I headed out to explore the city. One of my favorite ways to explore Amsterdam is simply walking without a fixed route and discovering cute streets and canals along the way.

I walked to Noordermarkt, a lovely street market that feels less touristy and is located in a really cool neighborhood. You can find food, clothes, and local products there. Nearby, I found a café called Bun Bun, famous for its cinnamon-roll croissants. I ordered one with cream and strawberries along with a cappuccino and enjoyed it while sitting by the canals. It was absolutely delicious.

From there, I continued walking through the beautiful Jordaan neighborhood until I reached the Flower Market. It’s a fun place to visit and a great spot to buy affordable souvenirs. After that, I walked along one of the main shopping streets in the center of Amsterdam, visiting different shops. I also stopped at the Tony’s Chocolonely Super Store. It’s one of my favorite chocolate brands, and the Amsterdam store is amazing,you can even create your own personalized chocolate bar.

Later, I headed back to the hotel. Since it’s located in the northern part of the city, I took the free ferry across the river. On the way, I passed by STRAAT Museum, a really cool street art museum. I didn’t go inside because I was traveling on a budget, but the area around it is also a great place to hang out when the weather is nice (unfortunently it wasn’t the case that day). After that, I returned to the hotel and rested.

On my second day, I woke up and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the hotel. After that, I headed out to explore the city again. I walked to Albert Cuyp Market, another great and very large street market. It’s a fantastic place to find affordable souvenirs and try different types of local food. While I was there, I had a traditional warm stroopwafel, freshly made and very affordable, it was delicious.

From there, I walked back toward the center of Amsterdam and took a boat tour through the canals. I had never done this on my previous visits, so I was really happy to finally experience it. It’s such a beautiful and relaxing way to see the city from a different perspective. I paid about €15 for the tour, but there are also more expensive options that include food and drinks.

Later, I tried the famous Dutch fries and stopped at Fabel Friet, which for me was one of the best places to try them. I ordered fries with truffle mayonnaise and parmesan, and they were absolutely delicious. After that, I walked through the Red light District. It’s definitely part of the Amsterdam experience and something many visitors are curious about, but it’s not my favorite area. The district is known for the windows where woman stand, which has become a tourist attraction, but personally I found it a bit uncomfortable to walk around there.

On the third day, I headed early to Utrecht, which is about 30 minutes from Amsterdam. The most comfortable way to get there is by train, but a cheaper option is taking a FlixBus.

When I arrived, I met up with my boyfriend since we were going to spend the next two days there together. I checked in at BUNK Hotel Utrecht, which, just like the one in Amsterdam, is located inside a former church. It’s also only a few minutes’ walk from the city center.

Soon after, we went out to explore the city. Our first stop was Vredenburg Market, a lively street market that takes place on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. We tried several Dutch cheeses and other local foods while walking around the stalls.

After that, we continued wandering through the charming streets and canals of the city. My favorite area was along the Oudegracht, which is lined with cozy cafés, little shops, and beautiful canal views. We stopped for a cappuccino at Casa Ferreira and enjoyed a relaxing break before continuing our walk.

We finished the day with one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had at Panuozzo Napolitano Pizzeria. It’s a very popular spot and there’s usually a line, but it’s absolutely worth the wait.

On our last day, we had breakfast at the hotel before heading out for one more walk around the city. We passed by the area around Dom Tower and visited Domkerk, which is beautiful inside. Right next to it there is also a lovely garden, making the whole area very peaceful and charming.

After that, we walked around the city center again to buy a few souvenirs and enjoy the atmosphere of Utrecht one last time. Soon after, we returned to the hotel to pick up our bags and head home.