I'm going to have two nights and one full day alone in Amsterdam next weekend. I've booked the Hotel Estherea on the Singel canel based on Slowtrav reviews and now I'm looking for suggestions about what to do with my free day. The Van Gogh museum in high on my list ... other thoughts?

Ellens, I would definitely recommend a visit to the Stedelijk Museum. According to this article the newly renovated museum should have opened in December. How lucky for you if it, indeed, re-opened on time. I loved the old museum and this one looks very exciting. Houses an outstanding collection of modern art.

http://www.amsterdamtourist.nl/en/visiting/amsterdamartcity/stedelijkmuseumer.

Barb Cabot

Hi Ellens, me again. The posted link for the article on the museum re-opening may not work. If so, I believe it may ask you to write in "stedelijk museum re-opening" and it should take you to the right article. Have fun!

Barb Cabot

I found the Rembrandt House very interesting and well worth a visit (although the neighborhood its in is of less interest, YMMV). I also adored just wandering around in the Joordan district, with its lovely architecture and those tiny canals...

If you'd like to go to the Anne Frank House, you can reserve over the web at the museum's website and avoid the line.

Even if it's not normally something that I would do, I definitely enjoyed a 2 hours boat tour because it gives you a different point of view.
If you're going to the Rembrandt House consider that they sell a certain amount of tickets per day, so try and be there early or book online. Museums are great, any of them, depending on what you fancy, but my favourite activity in Amsterdam is "canalling"... just getting lost and enjoying the architecture and feeling, also in the area near Vondelpark that is not usually a very touristy one.
Have fun!

If your in the area for the van Gogh Museum, then you are within walking distance for the Stedelijk (Modern Art) and the Rijks Museum (Classical). I know you might "over museumed" but they are all close together.
If I only have one day in a place I like to do the touristy things, such as...
Don't pass up the opportunity to take a canal boat tour.
Have a nice Rifstaffel (Indonesian)or a more traditional meal in a brown cafe. Try to find one with good ribs or pea soup on the menu. If you want to try something a little lighter, try panekokken (Dutch pancakes - savory or sweet).

I enjoyed walking around also. I am fascinated by some of the items that are collected by the Dutch. Many of the stores in the canal belt and Jordaan area are fascinating. I remember coming across one store that specialized in buttons.

I would check the site that Barb linked. They have a 'Winter Adventure' going on with several different collections on display. They may also have some information on events during the evening while you are there. Amsterdam is also becoming more and more of a design center. I don't know if there is a specific are where you can find designers.

I also really like the TimeOut guide to Amsterdam. Their online guide is excellent. It will have a lot of the latest hot/hip places. I think food has improved recently. There is even a Jamie Oliver restaurant. I enjoy trying Indonesian. Tempo Doeloe is the often recommended. It is a little pricey and you do need to reserve. Beware - it is very hot. I also ate at De Belhamel and enjoyed it. It was kinda a splurge but they were very nice to me even though I was solo.

Is there anything in particular that interests you? I like beers. I visited several small bars that specialize in Belgian beers but that might not interest everyone.

Have a great trip.

No coffee shop or the red light district?

quote:

Have a nice Rifstaffel (Indonesian)

ooooh Avvocato...I forgot about the Rifstaffel. Ditto on that suggestion and also the canal boat ride but Ellens are you just flying into town from the States that day? I remember my first time in Amsterdam and doing the boat ride just after landing. I was nodding off the whole time. Anyway, whatever you decide it will be fun.

Barb Cabot

Then there was the day, Casey was 5 or 6, and suddenly we found ourselves in front of "THE" windows. You have never seen such enthusiasm for the duckies in the canal as we displayed while diverting his attention. We ducked into a house museum and the woman told us a quick way out--the only problem being that we scurried past innumerable weaving druggies along the way.

And,,the 5 year old had no clue what he missed.

On another note: the Rijksmuseum is, of course, outstanding but will take some time--more than the Van Gogh will.

I agree with the canal ride suggestion.

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions. I generally prefer to learn a place by wandering around, but with only one day I think I need to be a tad more organized than usual.

I'll be arriving by train on Friday evening from Dusseldorf (I'll be there for a trade show during the week). Flights home on Saturday morning are $1,000 more than the same flight on Sunday, so it's cheaper for my company if I stay over, even after subtracting the cost of the hotel and my meals for the extra day and night. I looked at all my flight options going to Dusseldorf (all are connections) and decided that Amsterdam was the most interesting one. I can get a train right from the convention center in Dusseldorf (one of the many things I love about European cities) and be in Amsterdam about three hours later. My flight home leaves from Amsterdam on Sunday morning, and that airport is also an easy train ride from my hotel.

I love the idea of the canal boat tours. I checked the weather forecast this morning and it looks surprisingly (to me, anyway) mild - in the 30's during the day. I can handle that. I went out yesterday and bought the Eyewitness Guide to Amsterdam and there's a great canal walk guide in it with lots of architectural information. If the weather is nice I may try that.

I'm sure I'll be back to Amsterdam, there's so much to see and do there. Plus, Meredith really wants to go there (her mother did her student teaching in a suburb of Amsterdam and she's heard stories about it all her life).

How to pick from all the museums? Van Gogh is a must. After that, there are so many art museums and the historical museum (I love seeing how people lived in a place over time). I'm also intrigued by the idea of the Amstelkring museum with the church in the attic.

I think it's time to lay out all the possibilities on a map along with their opening and closing times, and then see what will work.

The highlight of our visit was the second exhibition at the Van Gogh museum entitled
125 favorites

It runs until 19 January so you are in luck. Actually preferred it to the rest of the musuem.

Rijk museum was undergoing renovation so all that was being shown was the best of the best. Able to visit it within a short period of time.

Yes, ellen, try one of the Rijsstaffel places. During my less-than-wonderful vacation in Amsterdam (not the fault of the city) that's the one dining highlight I remember, and there was a totally vegetarian option as well. I think we ate at Puri Mas, not too far from your hotel.

I am too late to offer input for the original poster but for those wanting something a bit different there is an interesting cooking school in Amsterdam in an up market area. www.lacuisinefrancaise.nl

In June on the third week-end, private gardens are open to the public. www.opengardendays.nl

The best laid plans ...

Amsterdam was lovely, brilliantly sunny but cold. The Hotel Estherea is wonderful - a less than ten minute walk from the train station and close to everything.

I didn't wind up doing much at all, just wandering around. I was so exhausted from the three days prior (working at a trade show in Germany) that I slept until ten in the morning and was groggy most of the day. I walked to the Van Gogh museum, but was so tired and unfocused that I didn't think I'd enjoy it or get much out of it, so I just kept walking. Eventually I went back to the hotel and napped the rest of the afternoon away.

I saw enough of Amsterdam to know that I want to go back, and that's about all.