The weather has been mainly dull and slightly wet this trip and the forecast for today wasn’t great, so it was a pleasant surprise this morning to wake to brightness, blue skies and a hint of sun. After breakfast I set off towards the State Hermitage gallery, an Amsterdam offshoot of the famous Russian Hermitage. […]
I tend not to plan a lot before I come to Amsterdam, preferring to take things as I fancy once I’ve arrived in this great city that I know quite well. I was however organised enough to buy a ticket online to visit the Van Gogh Museum this morning. I’d actually been thinking about it […]
Here I am in Amsterdam for the 5th year running early in the year. Why do I keep coming back? Because I love it! And short of travelling far and spending lots of money, there aren’t many options in January. Better to come to somewhere that’s great with lots of things to do and not […]
Dutch cuisine doesn’t have a particularly good reputation, but just as there has been a phenomenal change for the better in British cuisine in the last decade or two, I think the Dutch also deserve some recognition for the great food that can now be found there. Well, certainly in Amsterdam. Much as many non-Brits […]
The first two days of my trip were lit by brilliant sunshine. Amsterdam is always beautiful but the clear blue sky made a perfect backdrop to the pretty canals and tall, elegant canal houses, the sunlight warming the colours of the buildings and glistening on the water. The downside was the cold. I was even […]
I’m back in Amsterdam for the third January running. Yes in January the weather is uncertain but when you’re heading to a favourite city then really anytime is good. For me it’s all about getting away for a break to somewhere familiar and where I can relax immediately. And there is no place like Amsterdam for […]
I had a lovely time in Amsterdam and despite it being quite a short 3-night trip, I feel refreshed from having spent a good and relaxing time in a city I love. The Dutch are generally very laid-back, friendly people and it’s easy to slip into a relaxed pace. If you haven’t been, then I’d […]
The sun was back for my final day in Amsterdam and as my flight home wasn’t until early evening, I had most of the day to enjoy all my favourite things in the city. There was only one direction to head and that was to the Jordaan. After breakfast, I checked out of the hotel […]
The last evening in a favourite place on holiday should be filled with favourite things. We all like a good ending so for me, a last evening isn’t a time to try out new places but to go back to the best I know. There was no contest. I’d known exactly where I’d go on […]
After the glorious sunny weather yesterday, I woke to grey skies and drizzle. It had been forecast and fortunately the rain was light but I still needed an umbrella as I set off from the hotel this morning. It seemed a good day for visiting a museum or two. Staying in the Museum Quarter suddenly […]