This weekend I went to Amsterdam for the first time for the Kleine Fabriek Trade Show looking for new brands to bring to you guys. This was my first trip to Amsterdam and I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you all about some of the great things to see and do there.

To start with, Amsterdam is really close by. It’s less than an hour flight from London and there are usually some pretty cheap flights with Easyjet and other airlines, so it can be great for a weekend break or a longer holiday. Be warned Schiphol airport is HUGE! So you can end up walking through it for a while, but it’s right next to the train station so has great transport links to the rest of the Netherlands particularly the centre of Amsterdam.

Once you’ve made it into the city there are loads of things to do. It’s a very bicycle friendly city so a great option is to rent some bikes and cycle round exploring the city. If you’re not much of a cyclist (or it’s very cold) you can also use the tram system which is extensive and very user friendly. There are loads of things to see and do in Amsterdam, from markets to museums and parks. We only made it to one market since we were there for work but it was great fun! Full of delicious snacks such as Stroopwafels (syrup waffels) and Poffertjes (like tiny pancakes usually served with sugar and butter), clothes, shoes, bags, furniture, jewellery and more!

After all your sight seeing in the many art galleries and museums (I’ve been told that next time I MUST see Anne Franks Huis and the Rijksmuseum), and of course your visit to the ‘I AMSTERDAM’ sign for the traditional tourist photo, you will no doubt be in need of some replenishment. We found a great street called Utrechtsestraat which was full of amazing looking restaurants, cafes and bars. Unfortunately we only had time to test out one restaurant called Mystique, but the food there was delicious so I highly recommend it.

Amsterdam is full of great things to see and do and I didn’t have time to do all of them in one weekend but definitely recommend it as a destination. The people are friendly and all speak impeccable English, transport around the city is excellent, and the city is beautiful and very family friendly with lots of interesting things to do. Let me know what you think of the city when you make it there and I’m always open to more recommendations of things to see and do the next time I’m there! I’ll be back with more adventures soon and some exciting news on new products that we were looking at in Amsterdam.

Love Patrick