What Not to Waste Your Time on in Amsterdam?

van gogh museum
Photo by Frans Ruiter on Unsplash

Amsterdam is multifaceted and very ambiguous. The loud fame of Red Light district and marijuana has spread around the world, almost eclipsing the rich cultural side of the Dutch capital. In order not to fall for tourist tinsel and not to waste precious time in Amsterdam, try to avoid the following things.

Shopping museums — time wasted in Amsterdam

There are more than 40 museums in Amsterdam and most of them deserve your attention.

In addition to official museums, you can often find shops that call themselves a museum in Amsterdam. This should include the cheese Museum, the tulip Museum and others. All they have from museums is a name. In fact, these are the most common tourist shops.

You get a cute souvenir for your own money and no useful or valuable information. Shop museums often hold various kinds of tastings of the same cheeses or other products that can later be bought.

The prices in such stores are fabulous, and you can’t get through because of the crowds of naive tourists. Try to avoid this kind of museums.

central amsterdam park
Photo by Frans Ruiter on Unsplash

Don’t waste your time on the Bulldog Coffee Shop

The very first coffee shop in Amsterdam, almost a historical place. Still, there is no authenticity left there. It is a continuous orientation towards tourists. This was once a Bulldog coffee shop that was a popular place among locals. Today, branches of this coffee shop can be found at every step.

Parking in the centre of Amsterdam

Don’t waste your time looking for parking in the centre of the capital — you won’t find it! And if you park in the wrong place, you will condemn yourself to an impressive fine.

Look for covered parking and preferably in advance. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle or travel by public transport. The latter, by the way, works flawlessly.

A walk through the Red Light District

What will an independent walk through the Red Light District give you? For example, you can run into trouble by photographing windows illuminated with red light. It is not necessary to shoot on camera lovely ladies who offer their services.

amsterdam building
Photo by Frans Ruiter on Unsplash

If you book an excursion with a professional guide, who will tell you interesting things that you will never find in a guidebook. You will visit hidden corners from the eyes and see the inside of the world-famous Red Light District.

Avoid queues at museums

There is no more useless activity than standing in a museum queue. Considering that almost all museums in Amsterdam are incredibly popular, queues in them are not for one hour. And now calculate how much time you will spend at the ticket offices if you plan to visit several museums in a day!

To avoid an unpleasant experience, make it a habit to book all tickets in advance. With an online ticket, you will get to the museum without waiting in line. And if necessary, you can cancel your ticket booking altogether.

For tourists who plan to devote a trip to the sights and museums of the capital, it is recommended to purchase an Amsterdam City Card. With this card, you can travel by public transport for free, eat at local cafes and restaurants at a discount, visit museums and country excursions for free.

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