Climate Perks trip: Amsterdam
Thinking about taking a city break this summer? Amsterdam should be top of your list and here’s why.
The Journey
You can get the Eurostar which takes just under four hours from London and goes directly to Amsterdam Central Station. It’s super simple and easy, I’d just suggest you get toSt Pancras a little over an hour before your train departs just to be on the safe side.
The journey itself is scenic starting with the English countryside before you head down into the channel tunnel popping up in France. You whizz on through to Belgium where you could hop off in Brussels if you fancied a detour. Then before you know it you’re in the Netherlands and rolling into Amsterdam.
Exploring
With its coffee shops and infamous red light district, Amsterdam may have a reputation as a place for stag and hen parties - but there's so much more to the city that makes it perfect for a relaxing or even romantic city break. You can take a stroll round the nine streets in the Jordaan, great for vintage finds and small independent cafes, or if you’re more of a history buff than a shopper, wander over to the Museum Quarter where you can find the RijksMuseum and the Van Gogh museum.
If you want to head out of the main city, jump on the ferry over the Amstel and check out Amsterdam Noord, a funky industrial area with trendy pop-ups and riverside bars and restaurants.
More of a nature lover? Hire a bike and cycle out to Bos en Lommer, one of the city's nicest forests where you can find beautiful lakes and say hello to the goats at Ridammerhoeve farm.
Getting around
Amsterdam is one of the best places to cycle with a great network of cycle lanes around the city. If you can hire a bike this is usually the fastest way to get around - just make sure to keep a watch out for super speedy locals.
If cycling isn’t your thing then that's not a problem because Amsterdam has great tram connections as well as a Metro and if you’re planning on staying central you can walk to most places in under 20 minutes.
Amsterdam has something for everyone and best of all you can get there flight-free.