Amsterdam: Still Water, Soft Light & Hidden Beauty

1. Begin at the Vermeer Room in the Rijksmuseum

Skip the tourist lines and head to the back. This is where Vermeer’s masterpieces hang—still, silent, and softly lit. Stand before The Milkmaid and let time slow down. This is where I always begin.

2. Walk the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes)

More than a shopping area—this is a living postcard. Designer boutiques, vintage shops, canal views. Come early with a pastry in hand and let the morning light do its magic.

3. Step into the Begijnhof

A 14th-century courtyard hidden behind a wooden door near Spui. Most walk past it. Few know what’s inside: peace, history, and sacred air. Sit on a bench. Say nothing.

4. Visit the Conservatorium’s Flower Shop

Inside the Conservatorium Hotel is a floral atelier that feels like a curated art space. The arrangements change weekly and are worth stopping in for—even just to look.

5. Float through the canals with Captain Roderick

Book a private boat with soft lighting and a curated tasting dinner from top Amsterdam restaurants. Roderick is part guide, part host, part magician. This is how the city should be seen.

6. See a concert at the Royal Concertgebouw

Acoustically, it’s one of the finest concert halls in the world. Catch a classical performance or Sunday morning concert—locals attend regularly, and it’s an honor to be inside.

7. Discover House of Bols or Wynand Fockink

For a true Dutch spirit experience, skip Heineken and visit one of these intimate tasting rooms. Try Genever—the original gin—and toast like a local, no hands on the glass until after the first sip.

8. Visit the Jordaan’s Saturday Organic Market

At Noordermarkt, the stalls overflow with local cheeses, handmade soaps, heirloom vegetables, and beeswax candles. Go early, go hungry, and eat standing up with the locals.

9. Browse The Frozen Fountain

A design lover’s dream in the heart of the canal ring. Modern Dutch furniture, lighting, and ceramics with that perfect clean Amsterdam aesthetic.

10. Pause at the EYE Film Museum (and take the ferry)

Take the free ferry from behind Centraal Station to Amsterdam-Noord and visit EYE—a striking architectural space on the water with rotating exhibitions and the city’s most overlooked terrace view.

1. Yamazato at Hotel Okura

We return every single time. This Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant inside the Okura Hotel is not a trendy scene—it’s a ritual of refinement. Kaiseki-style dining unfolds in quiet progression: sashimi like silk, seasonal vegetables presented like poetry, and service that feels reverent. It’s where you come to reset, reconnect, and remember what elegance feels like.

2. Café Caron

A bistro in De Pijp where French technique meets Dutch soul. Run by a father and sons who understand that warmth matters just as much as flavor. Go for the steak tartare or the rotating seasonal fish, always perfectly done. Sit inside in winter or on the sun-washed terrace with locals and their dogs in spring. It’s quietly perfect.

3. Jansz at the Pulitzer

Classic, soft-spoken luxury inside the Pulitzer Hotel. The interiors blend historic beams with modern brass and velvet, and the food is just as balanced: burrata with roasted beetroot, slow-roasted lamb, and crisp wines curated with care. Come for lunch when the sunlight hits the canal through those wide, tall windows.

4. De Kas

Set in a soaring 1920s greenhouse surrounded by their own gardens, De Kas is as sustainable as it is beautiful. The tasting menu changes daily, depending on what was harvested hours before. Expect floral oils, heirloom vegetables, local fish—all plated with restraint and grace. Book during golden hour and ask for a seat near the windows. It’s one of the most cinematic meals in the city.

5. Libertine Café

Part of the quietly stylish Libertine family, this spot is all pale wood, soft light, and unfussy perfection. Order the eggs with truffle, or a crisp salad with warm sourdough on the side. Come for a late breakfast, linger until noon. This is where locals go when they want to feel cared for without dressing up.

6. Bar TwentySeven (Ask for Jimmy)

Tucked inside Hotel TwentySeven, this bar is plush, candlelit, and theatrical in the most intentional way. Jimmy, the master behind the bar, crafts cocktails based on mood and moment. Tell him a story. He’ll pour you a memory. It’s the kind of place where time slows and everything tastes like velvet.

7. The Tailor at Anantara Krasnapolsky (Ask for Davorin)

This isn’t just a bar—it’s a lesson in restraint and mastery. Davorin is a craftsman who will quietly build a cocktail just for you. Sit at the bar. Watch him work. There’s no rush here, only intention. Ask for something herbaceous or smoky and let him surprise you.

8. Winkel 43

A local institution that still belongs to the people who live here. The apple pie is unmatched—buttery, layered, crisp-edged with cinnamon warmth. Go mid-morning, order a slice with fresh whipped cream (slagroom), and take it to a bench by the canal. Nothing else compares.

9. De Silveren Spiegel

A hidden fine-dining gem in a 17th-century townhouse where the candlelight feels like it’s been burning for centuries. Expect refined Dutch cuisine—veal, wild-caught fish, root vegetables—all served with silver service in a dining room full of character and calm. A romantic, quiet, deeply Dutch experience.

10. Le Fournil or STACH for elevated takeaway

When you want something simple but made with care: Le Fournil is where I go for croissants so buttery they flake at a whisper. STACH is perfect for gourmet snacks, fresh soups, and wine for a canal-side picnic. Both feel elevated, never rushed.