A certain blonde gentleman with a penchant for European travel — perhaps you’ve heard of him? — often shares this advice in his guidebooks: “Your trip to [insert European country] is like a complex play — it’s easier to follow and really appreciate on a second viewing.”

(Spoiler alert: it’s Rick Steves, of course.)

Keeping this sentiment in mind, I had several questions about what my second trip to Amsterdam would be like. Would visiting at the height of the summer make us want to scram from Amsterdam? Would I manage to avoid head-on collisions with one of their 881,000+ bicycles? And, most importantly, would I be able to stuff myself with as much stroopwafel and beer as I had last time?!? Inquiring minds needed to know.

Not Like The First Time: Visiting Amsterdam The Second Time Around

I had touched down in Amsterdam for a second time as a “homecoming” of sorts. My father — who can trace his Dutch ancestry back to a noble family that lived in a legit 13th-century castle in the Netherlands — had just retired after working for over forty years, and we were getting the whole family together in Amsterdam to celebrate.

My parents had previously visited the city in 2016, and I had spent 72 hours in Amsterdam last year with a blogger friend. But since it was Sir Campsalot‘s first time in the city, we decided to revisit a few of our favorite spots as well as mix in some new ones.

From gorging on pancakes to visiting a rather, um, cheesy museum, we learned what worked and what didn’t on our second trip to Amsterdam. Read on to find out what to do — and not to do! — on your second trip to Amsterdam.

Day 1

Drink delicious craft beer at Brouwerij ‘t IJ

Was it my first time here? Yes, and it certainly won’t be the last.

Why it needs to be on your itinerary: After checking into our hotel at 6:30 PM, we booked it over to Brouwerij ‘t IJ, a craft beer brewery that I’d missed on my first trip to Amsterdam (and closes at 8 pm, hence our frenzied pace over to the joint). Endorsed by Karen of Wanderlusting K — a former Amsterdam resident — as well as our hotel staff, we knew we were starting our second trip to Amsterdam off right.

Brouwerij ‘t IJ (sounds like “brow-rye tye”) checks off all of our boxes for a fantastic ex-beer-ience. It’s got the trifecta of factors that go into our ideal brewery visit:

• Local Beer: No offense to my darling Heineken, but when I travel, I like to drink beer that I can’t buy at Rite Aid on a Wednesday night. The brews at Brouwerij ‘t IJ can be found in bars and stores around Amsterdam, too, but you can bet it’s not easily found in the States.
• Great Prices: Brouwerij ‘t IJ is one of the cheapest bars for craft beer in Amsterdam. I’m talking €3 for a 12 oz glass of beer, folks — and no, that’s not a typo.
• The Cool Factor: This place is located in an old windmill, y’all. (Sorry, did I bury the lede here? Windmills AND craft beer in one place!) You can’t get any cooler — and any more Dutch — than that.

We fell head over heels for their Zatte (8% ABV), a tripel with hints of fresh fruit that was the first beer out of their kettles in 1985. Fan of dark beer? You’ll love the Muiderporter (3.8% ABV; sounds like “Murder Porter” when you have had 3.5 beers), which has delectable coffee-like flavors.

Eat Fondue at Aguada

Was it my first time here? Yes.

Why it needs to be on your itinerary: We may have stopped here because it was close to our hotel, but this charming and cozy restaurant had some scrumptious fondue with Appenzeller cheese. It was low-key enough to escape the notice of summer crowds while still serving high quality food — a winner in our book. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a stop.

Address: Roetersstraat 10HS, 1018 WC Amsterdam, Netherlands

Day 2

Bask in the works of Dutch masters at the Rijksmuseum

Was it my first time here? Nope! Though it looks like I’m always drinking beer, I do make cultural institutions a priority when I travel.

What was different this time? Having seen much of the art in this museum already, I found myself drawn to new pieces and studying familiar ones in greater detail. I enjoyed seeing Sir Campsalot‘s initial reactions to Dutch artwork at the Rijksmuseum as well.

Honestly, I didn’t really like Rembrandt’s paintings before this trip — I tend to be more drawn to the bright, bold colors of Picasso — but my mother’s passion for his work was contagious. As she pointed out the genius of his work, I found myself appreciating Rembrandt’s stellar skills at manipulating light.

POP QUIZ…
Q: What’s Rembrandt’s first name?
A: Trick question — it’s Rembrandt! His full name is Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Credit for this clever pop quiz goes to one Sir Campsalot.

We also used the museum’s laminated guides much more this time. I mean, they really do provide useful information… like the nugget I learned about the swan poop in Jan Asselijn’s The Threatened Swan. Apparently these droppings are based on careful (ass) scrutiny. (For the record, this is my favorite painting at the Rijksmuseum.)

Get Your Beer Nerd on at the Heineken Experience

Was it my first time here? Of course not. Did you think I’d ever pass up a chance to tour and taste Heineken beer in Amsterdam? In fact, I wrote a whole post about our trip to the Heineken Experience on our first visit in 2017.

What was different this time? Surprisingly, quite a lot had changed at the Heineken Experience since I first visited a year ago.

Because I loved the VIP Tour at Heineken Experience so much last time, I convinced my family to do it again this year. (The promise of an abundance of Dutch cheese may have been the tipping factor.) Imagine my surprise when we came face-to-face with Jurgen, our extraordinarily awesome tour guide from last year!

Though Jurgen was the same (with the exception of a different hairstyle), we encountered an updated, fancier VIP Tour 2.0 at the Heineken Experience in 2018.

For starters, the “Brew You” ride — which previously was a lot like Star Tours at Disneyland with a moveable floor — has been ushered into the 21st century with a lot more CGI and a lot less water spraying you in the face.

Then, instead of being led into a tiny room for your VIP Tour, you step through a shiny green door…

… and into a swanky new room reminiscent of the Connoisseur Experience at Guinness Storehouse. It was waaaay more room than we had last time, and felt a lot more like an exclusive club for beer aficionados.

The VIP Tour had the same five beers and cheeses as last year (which you can find out about here). Apparently, there was talk of reducing it to three — now that would have been a tragedy.

Luckily, since our tour started at 2 PM instead of 4 PM, we had enough time to check out the interactive Heineken “game floor” on our second trip to Amsterdam. To get a sense of what I mean, check this out for your viewing pleasure:

The gift shop was rearranged — I definitely don’t remember these cute mugs being there last year — but the gifts you receive at the end of your VIP Tour remain the same! Still loving these personalized Heineken bottles.

As always, the “Heineken Nightclub” — er, I mean the downstairs bar — was full of amusing people, sticky floors, and plenty of tasty beer.

—> Grab your tickets to the Heineken Experience here!

Relax at Bar Lempicka

Was it my first time here? Yes!

Why it needs to be in your itinerary: You don’t need to make a special trip out here, but it’s a great spot to relax in if you happen to be in the area. We tried the Affligem Tripel, which Jurgen likes to drink on his time off. It was deliciously cold — a perfect way to end a great day in Amsterdam.

Address: Sarphatistraat 23, 1018 EV Amsterdam, Netherlands

Day 3

Consider Using a Transit Card

Was it my first time? Indeed! We spent all of our time exploring the city on foot last time; this time, we decided to try a 24-hour transit pass.

Why it needs to be in your itinerary: Having a 24-hour pass allowed us to explore the city more quickly and efficiently than we had on foot. Find out more here.

Devour Pancakes for Breakfast

Was it my first time? Yes, and it’s right up there with stroopwafel as my favorite Dutch food. In fact, the folks at Pancakes Amsterdam even gave me a stroopwafel prior to my meal as part of a balanced breakfast. They certainly know the key to my heart.

Why it needs to be in your itinerary: Because Dutch pancakes are the bee’s knees. Called pannenkoeken, they’re more akin to a French crepe than an American pancake. Get ’em savory, get ’em sweet — but whatever you do, it’s the best ‘dam breakfast you’ll have in Amsterdam.

Side note: Pancakes Amsterdam may be more on the touristy side, but they do know how to cater to everyone’s palette: they offer gluten- and lactose-free pancakes and vegan options too!

Explore the City via Water on a Canal Cruise

Was it my first time? Affirmative!

Why it needs to be in your itinerary: It’s a different way to see Amsterdam that you simply can’t get on foot. Plus, the canal ring of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — not too shabby!

Several different companies offer canal boat tours, and most take an hour from start to finish. Reputable companies include Lovers, Blue Boat, and Stromma. We found that tours operated practically every hour, and included audio guides in multiple languages.

Stroll around the Jordaan

Was it my first time here? No. This was the area of the city that caused me to fall in love with Amsterdam the first time.

What was different this time? More people watching, chair breaking (seriously, this cafe we visited had a faulty chair that fortunately only injured someone’s pride), and warmer weather compared to last time. In March, we didn’t linger outside for long, but it was perfect for lounging around in the summer.

Plus, we got to try some Dutch jenever from Wynand Fockink while gazing out at canals — what could be better?

Take a Quick Detour into the Amsterdam Cheese Museum

Was it my first time here? Indeed it was.

Should you have this on your itinerary? Er… well… it’s touristy as hell, that’s for sure. And it’s not *really* a full-blown museum, it’s more like a few posters and videos about the history and the production of Dutch cheese in a basement. If, however, you have a growling stomach because you haven’t eaten since 10 AM and you’re obsessed with Dutch cheese, then you have our permission to taste the free samples.

Sip on Cocktails at Bar Oldenhof

Was it my first time here? No sir.

What was different this time? Since it was summer, we sipped on Bar Oldenhof’s renowned gin and tonics on the sidewalk instead of huddling inside for warmth like we did in the winter. Their G&Ts continue to blow my mind — in particular my favorite one, which features Monkey 47 gin, Thomas Henry Elderflower tonic, vanilla, and lime.

Dine on Rijsttafel

Was it my first time here? Yes! And boy oh boy am I going to eat some more…

Why it needs to be in your itinerary: Wow. Just wow. I can’t believe we didn’t eat this on our first go around in Amsterdam!

Indonesia was a Dutch colony from the 1602 to World War II; with their long intertwined history, it’s perhaps unsurprising that you can find incredible Indonesian cuisine in Amsterdam.

Rijsttafel, meaning “rice table,” involves multiple small dishes accompanied by rice. We personally dined at Kartika (which had both meat and vegetarian options), though there are plenty of other great spots like Sama Sebo or Tempo Doeloe. Our noses may have dripped from the spice and the heat, but it was well worth it.

Reflections on Our Second Trip to Amsterdam

In my previous post on spending 72 hours in Amsterdam (which you can read here), I waxed poetic about how I’d become completely enamored with the city. So did this love hold true the second time around?

Yes and no. Or, to put it differently: the love matured from infatuation to a deeper appreciation for the city. Last year, I visited at the end of March and beginning of April, when it was colder and less tourists flooded the streets. Visiting in the summer reminded me how much I dislike crowds and oppressive heat. Despite this, though, I found that spending more time in restaurants and speaking with locals this time translated into a genuine affection for Amsterdam’s quirks and charms.

TL;DR … What to Do on Your Second Trip to Amsterdam

On your second trip to Amsterdam, don’t run around like a crazy person trying to hit all the touristy spots. Do take the time to explore more food and drink spots to get to know the essence of the city.

Essential Info:
Where should you stay in Amsterdam? Check out all options here.
I personally recommend Hotel Mosaic City Centre, Rho Hotel, and the Hyatt Regency Amsterdam (and have stayed in each of these places).
Want a guidebook for Amsterdam? Check out Rick Steves and Fodor’s.
What else have I written about the Netherlands? Find out here.
Have questions for me? Hit me up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest!

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