Borrels, Canal Swims and social spaces – Exploring Amsterdam through my google maps of saved gems

By Hannah Castenskiold, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands

I have found it so useful creating google maps folders like this for different cities that I’ve lived in. Especially when friends come and visit, or even when I am visiting new cities, I save places so that I can remember them for the future. Having friends and family come visit is definitely one of the perks about choosing Amsterdam for your year abroad, and has given me extra excuses to do the ‘touristy’ things or take them to these special places around the city.

So, I thought it would be useful for any future visitors or future year abroad-ers, to collate all the fun places I have saved on my google maps and explain what each one is good for!

The best swim spots

Living in a city with canals has been such a treat, especially in the summer when you can pretty much jump into the water from any point. It is sadly not as clean as Copenhagen’s waters, but is still swimmable! We even went quite frequently to ‘winter bathe’ then sauna in the winter

Nemo Marineterrainplain

• this was a go-to for our group, with loads of space and fun points to jump in from

Spaklerweg

• this was an easy one near my flat, super nice restaurants around too

Sloterpas Beach & Het Amsterdamse Bos

• these two are a little further but so pretty and way bigger

Flevopark / Camping Zeeburg Amsterdam

• you can rent kayaks and paddle boards here for good prices

Entrepotdok

• also has a cute bar/cafe nearby called Gollem Aan Het Water

** one insiders best kept secret is that Volkshotel every Sunday lets you go to their rooftop saunas, hot tubs and cold plunge for free from midday until 6pm!

Best food places

Westerpark dumplings

• tiny van stand outside Westerpark but genuinely the best food I had all year!

Caldi e freddi or Zero Zero

• First is a simple sandwich restaurant but notorious for packed flavours and cheap prices!
• Zero Zero also has amazing sandwiches but a bit expensive!

De Japaner

• super cute Japanese restaurant, decently priced and fun cocktails!

Buurtcafe de Tros

• Great restaurant with loads of classics, great fish plates, lasagna, burgers and wine menu

Greenwoods Keizergracht or Dignita Hoftuin

• great spots for brunch food

Saravannaa Bhavan or Miry Mary

• both great Indian food, the former being more relaxed and the latter is a bit more fancy

The Old Soul

• Super cute Surinamese restaurant with loads of veggie and vegan options

Nnea Pizza or Fiaschetteria

• both great italian places
• Nnea pizza has been voted best in Amsterdam and top 10 in Europe – often hard to reserve but super easy to walk in, put your name down then just walk around or wait at a bar until they call you!

Best spaces to meet new people

It can often be intimidating moving to a new city not knowing anyone, so finding spaces which are conducive to social interactions, encouraging people to engage and connect are super important to find and have! For example, I loved working at this listening bar and restaurant called Feed Amsterdam (another place I totally recommend checking out for great food, pub quizzes, Sunday roasts and fun live music!), which had its own studio for me to learn so much more about music broadcasting and production and meet so many fun new people. Amsterdam has so many of these spaces, which are so fun for discovering new interests, people, music or more!

Mezrab

Amazing story telling bar, Wednesdays is their ‘open mic’ night where anyone can take part and tell a story, and Fridays are students from the story telling school – both are free! Thursdays are more their music night too and equally fun. Super sociable place to meet new people.

• Cheap drinks and great lentil soup
• try go for 730/8pm on Wednesday or check online when they start that day

Jazz café alto

Really cute, though rather small jazz bar. Free entry before 8, though the music starts properly at 9. Decently priced drinks and super cosy interior

Kriterion or Studio K

Kriterion is especially fab if you are an UvA student, as its right on campus and the complete hang out spot for all students. Great for working in a cafe too.

• Both are actuall cinema, with the most plush, velvet seats and for once some reasonable prices for their drinks and snacks!

Café soundgarden

Very cute and large Brown Bar with decently priced drinks, often has live music and their outside garden looks right onto the canal. You can also play table football, pool and other games inside!

Mooie Boules Amsterdam

Super fun barn-like space where you can play Boules with friends!

Noord

Plek

• This is right next to Europe’s largest Flea market, IjHallen (which happens every other weekend) and it has a fab outdoor area and great food and drinks and often has live music on!

Cafe de Ceuvel

• A super cool huge garden space with lots of little rooms/spaces around and each place has different music or vibe – deff check online for events on

I sadly could not add it all as would fill too many pages but hopefully this gives a nice idea of some of the places to try around the city!