When Mrs. O invited me to write a post about a perfect weekend in Amsterdam, I immediately know what I would write! When people think of Amsterdam, luxury isn’t the first thing people think about. Around the beautiful canals there is so much to enjoy…
Mrs .O and I ‘found’ each other online while sharing our favorite champagne and food moments in seriously cool places around the world and also bonded over our love for fab hotels and a bit of shopping. Guiding Mrs O and you around in Amsterdam is a great honour. First, right here for your enjoyment but actually, I am extremely excited that, later this February I will get the chance to show her my favorites in person, as Mrs. O is coming to town. Get ready for a tour around lux Amsterdam!
Amsterdam on a Friday night
Friday night starts with an after work drink, mostly champagne. One of my favorite spots is Bubbles & Wines at Nes, where a tasty champagne flight or the perfect bellini is a great way to start the weekend.
From Nes, I like to stroll through the city towards the lively Reguliersdwarsstraat. Formerly known as ultimate gay area, but recently became a stylish street with trendy cocktail bars and fancy restaurants. Lion Noir is perfect for oysters and cocktails or wine by a cozy fireplace – you can also find a great French inspired menu.
Prefer Mexican food? Roses’ Cantina knows how to combine burritos and a stylish interior! To unwind from all the coolness and pretty people, walk back to the Keizersgracht and enjoy an amazing canal view. Watch the lights on the bridges, take a deep breath and simply feel the vibe!
The latest hotspot in town is in the Pijp area, the Dutch ‘quartier latin’. Izakaya is a Japanese restaurant with Peruvian influences and besides great food you’ll spot some famous (and good-looking) Dutchies for sure!
Got energized and feel like dancing? Clubbing happens at AIR, where the music system will blow you away! If you prefer live music, Paradiso is the place to go. Big names as well as yet undiscovered talent are showcased there every weekend!
Saturday
Saturday is the perfect day to spoil yourself! Start with a relaxed but healthy breakfast at Carla’s. Their homemade granola is the perfect base for lots of energy. From there, walk to the Damrak. Lots of tourists around, but when you enter Options, you’ll understand why I brought you there. Design, furniture, stationary, gifts, challenging to walk out empty-handed. Stock is connected to the stylish concept store and serves all day breakfast and delicious cakes. Perfect for a coffee to go while walking towards the 9 streets.
This area combines unique local boutiques with bigger brands and a couple of chains. A must go is the Kaaskamer, cheese heaven and famous for Amsterdams’ old cheese. Skins is perfect for original scents, skin care and luxury treats to pamper yourself on Sunday. Mendo is a must for book lovers, amazing coffee table books and the beautiful Amsterdam book they created themselves. Hungry? Bar22 serves you tasty bites and capture the beautiful handmade paintings on the walls!
Our latest pride and joy is the Andaz Amsterdam Hotel, designed by Marcel Wanders. Go here for a treat in the Spa, a drink in the lobby or a tasty meal in the Blue Spoon restaurant. After a little relaxation, you’re good to go to the ‘posh’ PC Hooftstraat. Here you’ll find all the luxury boutiques and some fab shopping. Experience the super service at Montblanc, do some window shopping at Tiffany’s and Chanel, or pick out a new bag at Louis Vuitton, a scarf at Hermes and some Victoria Beckham goodies at Azzuro [Note: Mrs. O and I love the new handbag collection]. Scandinavian brand Filippa K is the place to go for a fashionable new look for a Saturday night in Amsterdam!
After a little shopping spree, go for a special cigar to La Casa del Habano. Diederik can advise you as if he has known you for years and you can either smoke in the shop or bring the cigars with you. Situated in the already famous Conservatorium Hotel, the luxury shops are also worth a visit. Take a look at the impressive lobby and cool down with a gin tonic or wine at the Tunes bar. You can also smoke your cigar upstairs in their luxury smoking area!
Hurry, as Amsterdam shops close at 5pm or 6pm on Saturdays and there is one area you can’t miss:the Cornelis Schuytstraat is a lively area with good shops like 1 (for men) and 2 (for women), the famous Van Dam butcher and nearby you’ll also find George WPA, where they serve steak tartare, eggs Benedict and French fries.
One of my favorite dinner place on a Saturday night is Rosa & Rita, outside the city centre. In a former factory hall, they now serve steak & frites, pizza and French inspired little bites. It is great value for money, has fabulous wines and it is a lovely concept. After dinner, go to Roest or Hanneke’s Boom.
Party time in Amsterdam on a Saturday night! Trouw is famous for its dance parties, the Sugarfactory and Melkweg always have some reason to celebrate.
Cultural Sunday
Sunday is the perfect day for a visit to the recently re-opened Stedelijk Museum. The impressive building looks like a bathtub from the outside but has some impressive contemporary art in the inside. Make sure you buy your tickets online in advance and enter before 11am to avoid the queues. After enjoying all the artwork, enjoy a coffee at the Stedelijk cafe and watch the cyclists passing by.Want to start your Sunday with some music? Enjoy a ‘zondagochtend concert’ at the Concertgebouw. A classic start of the day!
After, visit the FOAM museum for unique photo exhibitions and a great museum experience. Go for lunch to Hutspot conceptstore in the Van Woustraat. Stroll down to the Utrechtsestraat for more boutiques, a drink at Bar Moustache and at Prinsengracht hop on to one of the “hop on- hop off” boats for a tour on the canals. Hop off at the Hermitage museum for Russian art, enjoy a drink and oysters at the museum restaurant Envy and afterwards walk in the direction of the famous Carre theater. Walk a bit further to the Amstel Hotel and enjoy a tea at the Serre and its amazing Amstel river view. If you’re looking for some dinner, the hotel’s restaurant La Rive is the place to go. Other star restaurants that would be the perfect cherry on the Amsterdam cake are Samhoud Places or Le Garage.
If you prefer more shopping over cultural visits, the Haarlemmerstraat area is a must – unique boutiques, original bars and typical Amsterdam coffee shops.
Sabine de Witte shares her luxury travel, lifestyle adventures and hotel explorings at sabinedewitte.nl. Tweeting about her discoveries on @sabinedewitte, showing (off) her experiences on Instagram and offering you a sneak peek in her whereabouts on Facebook!