Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world. I lived there for six months and have taken about three trips back there since I came back to the States. A’dam (as it’s called by locals) is beautiful, hip, and fun. Here are my top 10 insider tips I gathered during my time there:

1. Choose thy coffeeshop carefully.

Stay out of most of the touristy shops near the Damrak or any Rastafi-themed shops. They will be full of tourists with less selection and lower quality.

Local Amsterdamers love the coffeeshop, Amnesia, in the Jordaan district. Nice selection of edibles, especially the home-baked brownies, with a laid-back vibe.

2. Know your stripper card, er…strippenkart

Unrelated to the Red Light District, the strippenkart is your ticket to ride on all the transportation around Amsterdam: buses, trams, and subway. Do as the Dutch do and buy a long strippenkart to use during your time in Amsterdam. It’s a better value than the single use card.

3. Let them butter your bread.

No really. When out to eat with those tall Netherlanders, the prevailing custom is for the host or man of the table to butter everyone’s slice of bread and hand it to them. Then another person does it for everyone’s second slice, then another person does it for everyone’s third slice, etc… The bread is up for grabs after everyone has had a turn buttering the bread.

4. Know and love the Albert Heijn.

For make-shift picnics and general food/drugstore needs, head to an Albert Heijn . This is the pre-eminent grocery store in NL. Take your own grocery bag, as they don’t usually provide them.

5. Fiets! (Bikes!)

Biking around the Netherlands is highly recommended. Be aware, though, of these two precautions:  (1): Lock up your bike very well. There’s a thriving black market for stolen bicycles. Consider yourself warned. (2): Pay close attention to NO BIKE ZONES. The signs will look like a biker with a slash through it. Don’t think the Dutch police officers on bikes won’t cite you. (Been there, done that.)

 6. Get comfortable with sex.

The Dutch love talking about sex and have no problem showcasing it in the red light district, condom vending machines, or sex shops. Enjoy the anti-puritanical ways.

 7. Lekker Gezellig

Lekker gezellig describes the ideal in life for A’damers. It loosely means tasty (lekker) warm fuzzies (gezellig). Social gatherings are considered successful if there is plenty “lekker” food and a certain “gezellig” quality with good laughs, warm friendly atmosphere, etc.

 8. Koninginnedag is the best block party in the world.

On Koninginnedag  (April 30), the whole country shuts down to celebrate Queen Beatrix’s birthday. Work is closed and A’dam turns into the biggest, baddest block party ever. Everyone dresses in orange (the national color), sells their no-longer-wanted-stuff on the sidewalk (think redneck yardsale, but with Euro crap), drinks beer on the streets, plays loud music, participates in general mayhem, and eats a lot. It’s pretty much the most awesome day to be in NL period.

 9. The three kiss masters.

Avoid an ever so awkward dance and expect to kiss three times on the cheek, starting on your right, when encountering friends, family, or friends of friends. The first couple times I had to be physically pulled into the kiss ritual by the kisser, making for a very bizarre intro.

 10. Enjoy all that Amsterdam has to offer

 Amsterdam is more beautiful than one might think. The canals and architecture are, dare I say, “picturesque”. The museums are formidable, the people refreshingly blunt, and the cuisine top-notch. Venture outside of A’dam to more pastoral small towns, such as Haarlem, Delft, or Edam. Ice-skate in the winter or sit on a boat drinking a glass of beer on a canal in the summer. It’s all quite “lekker gezellig”.

text/photos: Nancy Harder