d WANDERLUST
Amsterdam Awaits
The Dutch capital offers enticements galore, from its famous canals and charming architecture to its bike culture and world-class museums.
BY KERSTIN OHLSSON
Imagine cruising the streets of Amsterdam, the canals flanked by leaves aflame in shades of red, orange, and yellow. The sun’ s dappled rays filter through the trees, while the autumn-scented breeze rustles your hair. You look up to admire the narrow, multicolored gabled buildings zipping by and think,“ Nothing beats a bike ride through Amsterdam.”
Such was the scene on my recent trip to the Dutch capital. Well, with one major exception. There are an estimated 1 million bikes in Amsterdam, earning it the reputation of being one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, but I stuck to doing my investigating on two legs instead of two wheels.
Regardless of which method you choose, Amsterdam’ s diverse offerings provide plentiful opportunities for exploration, from the beauty of the canals and the centuries’ worth of gorgeous artwork on display to the rich history of the city and the stories of Dutch resistance during the Nazi occupation. Visiting in the off-season also provided cooler weather, fewer crowds, and lower costs.
Its design may be modern, but the Van Gogh Museum is dedicated to showcasing the works of a legendary 19th-century artist. | Photo: Kerstin Ohlsson
14 | NW GEORGIA LIVING NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2025
Gimme Shelter
For our home base, my traveling companions and I chose the NH Amsterdam Schiller, located just across from Rembrandt Square. The hotel was opened in 1913 by Dutch painter and hotelier Frits Schiller and was a frequent meeting place for local artists and writers. Today, it displays many of Schiller’ s oil and watercolor landscapes and scenes from Dutch life. As we entered the lobby, we were struck by the beautifully preserved art deco interior, and knowing the hotel’ s history, we made a point to stop in for a drink at the hotel bar, where the Dutch artists and visionaries of the early 20th century gathered so long ago. Our room had a lovely view of the square, and we enjoyed the convenience of the location, which was within walking distance of many local sights. We could also jump on the tram from a stop directly across from the hotel, and found the tram clean, inexpensive, and easy to navigate.
The Main Attractions
We capped off our first day with an evening canal cruise, a small-group, open-boat tour that included snacks, wine, beer, and soft drinks. Providing scenic views and a historic overview of Amsterdam from a local guide, the two-hour excursion offered the perfect excuse to rest our weary feet and relax with a Dutch beer while getting acquainted with the layout of the city. About halfway through
Fun fact: Amsterdam has more bikes than people. Photo: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock. com
the tour, we stopped at a restaurant so we could pick up some fresh, hot bitterballen, a quintessential local snack consisting of meat and spices rolled into balls, breaded, and deep-fried to a golden brown.
For the art lovers in our group, our first stop the next day was the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands. Founded in 1885, the museum contains a vast array of art and artifacts, including more than 2,000 paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, with works by Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Johannes Vermeer, and more. Pay a little extra for the guided tour if you enjoy more historical detail and want to hit the high points quickly.
If Postimpressionism is more your thing, visit the Van Gogh Museum, located just down the street from the Rijksmuseum. Opened in 1973, it houses the world’ s largest collection of Van Gogh paintings and drawings, including Sunflowers and Almond Blossoms, along with the works of many of his contemporaries. Note that tickets must be purchased for a specific date and entry time.
Within shouting distance of the Van Gogh is the Moco Museum, which is focused on the works of modern and contemporary artists like Basquiat, Warhol, Haring, and Banksy, among