Oh the summer season has officially begun, at least so in our minds. So if you are staying in Amsterdam for most of the hot days, then we have prepared a little list of fun activities that you can do, alone or with friends, whatever you feel like.
First off, a very obvious one but in our opinion an absolute classic summer activity to add to your list: a picnic. You can have it at any park, next to the canals but if you feel like finding a really cute area, we suggest Park Somerlust next to the Amstel river, it offers a nice big seating area on the grass and great views over the Amstel and the Omval quarter. To make your picnic successful make sure to include your favourite snacks, a good selection of drinks and a music box or if you are by yourself perhaps a pair of headphones to listen to your favourite songs or an enriching podcast. If you like salty stuff, we suggest bringing some of the olive and feta mix that you can buy at Albert Heijn *wink wink* or some baguette and cheese on the side, if you are not lactose intolerant that is. If you have a sweet tooth however you could bring some berries and your favourite snack from a cafe, you can find great cookies at Screaming Beans in Nine streets, yummy muffins at Cafecito and tasty French Pastries at Noé. Now, tell us a picnic doesn’t sound really exciting?
Another option is definitely to go for a swim. You can decide to make it a day trip and take the train to Zandvoort or simply stay within Amsterdam and take a dip at the Amstel river, the Marineterrein or the Sloterplats lake. Summers can get quite hot here in Amsterdam, so who wouldn’t love a little refreshment?
Make a food tour around the numerous food stands of Albert Cuyp market. Yes, most of us have already been here to grab a quick bite but there is so much to try and so many new cultures to explore, that it would be fun to try new foods and drinks whilst you are visiting this market in the midst of De Pijp. Our favourites? The Vietnamese spring rolls or the classic falafel wraps.
Find unique pieces for small prices at the Ijhallen, the biggest flea market in Europe. Whether you are looking for decoration to spice up your place, items to make your wardrobe complete, perhaps a gift or a last minute item to bring on holiday, chances are you just might find it here. The flea market takes place once a month and costs 5€ admission, but the two big industrial spaces of Ij-hallen are transformed into a massive second hand shopping ground with over 700 stands, which definitely offers a little something for everyone. And don’t worry if that little midday hunger creeps up, they also have food stands with tasty bites.
Lastly, summer is the time where we usually feel more free of worries and want to have fun and start enjoying life to the fullest (although you should try to do that on a daily basis ;) ). A great way to do so is to attend concerts, try new bars and find fun clubs, if that is your thing of course. Paradiso is always a great spot to even discover new artists and all of this for a small price. For bars to try, we have another blog post on where to go for your next night out that you might want to have a look at, maybe one of the places sparks your interest.
