Amsterdam is a city full of charm. I loved walking along the channels browsing through the illuminated windows and furnished as shelves, fantasizing about the life of the owners. I scrutinized the house boats with curiosity and wondered if their inhabitants do not suffer from rheumatism, always in contact with water and considerable humidity.
Amsterdam is magical especially below Christmas festivities, a tour of the shop windows of the red district, a boat trip through the canals, a stop in the coffee shop even for a simple slice of Cinnamon and apple cake, a super padded waffle maker on the edge of the skating rink in the square… all among the many colored lights and rich Christmas decorations.
During the holidays Amsterdam gave me fantastic moments and so much cold to fight to the sound of hot chocolate and tea. Here too we had great luck in booking the hotel through booking.com.
We spent 4 nights, including that of New Year, at theAalders hotel - jan luykenstraat 13-15, 1071 CJ Amsterdam www.hotelaalders.nl spending € 149 for two, breakfast included.
Tutto very clean, welcoming and with classic Dutch windows, large and bright. The rooms are quite spacious, each with Wi-Fi, Its private bathroom and hairdryer. Breakfast is also good, served in a sitting room with a fireplace. The style is not exactly youthful, there is a lot of carpet and wallpaper with damask patterns, but it is a very clean place and the managers are nice and easy-going people.
In any case I recommend this hotel especially for its strategic position. It is located, in fact, in the parallel of the Van Gogh Museum, 200 meters from the Rijksmuseum Museum and two streets away from the Vondelpark where we went to pedal (and freeze!) With the bicycles made available from the hotel. In addition, for those like me who love walking (I practice trekking regularly), there will be no need to take a bus to reach Piazza Damm and the city center, because you can get away with a 20-minute walk!
Another address not to be missed in Amsterdam is Cafè Puccini, in Staallstraat 21, for a really tasty brunch or for a slice of apple and cinnamon pie ... so good I've never eaten it! I can't wait to go back to Amsterda, maybe in the spring and ride under the sun!
