Amsterdam is one of the most popular cities in Europe and has been on my list of travel destinations for a while. With a short 50 minute flight from London Gatwick, it seemed like a perfect mini break to squeeze into a weekend. I travelled with an old time school friend and it was great to be able to share this experience together after so many years of knowing each other and keeping in and out of contact. It's been a long time since I've been on holiday with a friend and it was wonderful that we could create our own special memories.
We had no proper itinerary, other than a list of potential cafes to try if we were in the area, as we mainly wanted to be able to wander around and soak in the atmosphere of the city. Boasting 165 canals, 1,281 bridges, 800,000+ bicycles (more than residents of the city!) and 2,500 houseboats, the city really was a picturesque sight. We strolled aimlessly through the roads and along bridges, weaving in and out of foliage filled side streets dotted with bicycles. If I was to break Amsterdam into my favourite aspects, purely on observation, it would be: coffee, food & design.
The amount of cafes we passed was any coffee-lover's dream and I had to hold back from giving in to the call of caffeine every time we walked past a new place. The food we ate was also amazing; we kept our meals relatively cheap and opted for more healthier meals than the famous staples of Stroopwafels, Poffertjes & fries with mayo. We went to Ivy & Bros, Sla and then tried out the famous pancakes at Mook which definitely earnt their name. We stumbled across a great roof top cafe called Blue which had panoramic views over the entire city and spent Sunday morning relaxing and waking up to a coffee from Coffee Company.
It was such a lovely trip and I hope my photos can express what a fantastic city it is.