THE HISTORY

Inching up the stairs of the metro station felt like this gradual lift to this entire new world, enshrouded in antiquity and buildings illustrating the hushed stories of its past. Considering I had rocked up to Amsterdam with limited expectations, the last thing I was envisioning was this history-riddled vibrant wen of a city. From antediluvian structures to some of the best museums on the continent, the city sure has some tales to tell.

LOCALS ARE THE NICEST IN THE WORLD EVER

I know I’ve said it before in regards to the Welsh, but the locals here are literally the nicest, friendliest people I’ve met. From van drivers pausing mid-drive to offer directions with Dutch tongue and hand gestures, to the little old lady shop keeper that enthusiastically gave us advice on the attitudes of the people behind the Red Light District – I’ve never been met with such ferocious care. The weather can get almost unbearably cold, but at least the atmosphere is warm. Everyone is super smiley – although, that may have something to do with the weird tasting cake.

EVERYTHING MOVES IN SLOW MOTION

Amsterdam is the epitome of slow travel, where you really get the opportunity to take in every inch of life before moving on, squeezing out every drop. The fastest things about the city are the bikes, which snap your senses out of a content lull of lust for the quaint and nordic-esque surroundings, with a sudden urge to fling yourself out of the way. It shocks you to realise how fast and stressful life back in cities such as London and Paris are, and leaves you feeling like you’ve had some sort of slow-travel epiphany. It’s great.

FLAWLESS ARCHITECTURE

The buildings lining the streets are some of the most architecturally perfect I have ever seen, with everything looking faultless without pretension. From the passé facades of old houses to the famed bridges and windmills, Amsterdam is the perfect place for someone that appreciates good design. It’s insanely refreshing to be surrounded by so many bewitching edifices.

GORGEOUS WINDING CANALS

Imagine small Venetian canals framed by thin leaning gingerbread-iced buildings, with yellow bikes and red shutters and blue plant pots. It is breathtakingly beautiful to glance out as you stroll amongst the canals – although as a heads up, the wind whips over the water and makes the side streets very cold very quickly during winter months. I hear their famed cookies are very effective at helping avoid the disconnecting cold.

EASY TO GET LOST AMONGST ART

As the prior home to the much-adored art legend Van Gogh, it’s no wonder that people are drawn to the city for its mass of artwork. The galleries work at charming you, and the Van Gogh museum brings a touch of sophistication to the whole experience with tapas and glasses of champagne offered on certain days.

EATING OUT IS AN EXPERIENCE

It borders on exhausting, the sheer amount of love and effort that is put in to their food establishments. For our first morning we decided on visiting this little recommended cafe downtown, where the journey consisted of weaving through shop hideaways parallel to the hidden backstreets of the city. When we arrived, hungry and eager to sightsee, we found ourselves entwined in this stage curtain entrance of a deeply design-conscious food house, where the chill vibe and accompanying music we’d been subject to all evening continued to intrigue. The waiter was overtly welcoming, and pointed to the art-plastered walls and bookshelves. It was wonderful and gorgeous and exhausting – and mirrored our experience in every other restaurant in town.

BEWARE: AMSTERDAM HAS CLAWS

As a side note, I think it’s worth mentioning that whilst you absolutely have to add Amsterdam to your bucket list, be aware that it does have claws. The moment that we found ourselves walking towards the departure gate veeery slooowly as our plane was on the verge of taking off was when we realised we had already adopted the laid-back nature of the locals. My own aversion towards landing back in the UK was so strong, I knew the Netherlands had left its mark on me and would never let go. It’s a dangerous thing when you’re stuck in a foreign country, no money and no cell battery, and you risk losing your plane. That’s when you know they’ve got you.

And so, that concludes why you need to include Amsterdam on your bucket list. Unlike other major cities, the pull of this place comes with an urgency that is hard to bore of. Between the sightseeing, amazing people and even more amazing food in such a slow-paced atmosphere, I think I’ve started to learn to take life a little more slow and purposeful. Amsterdam leaves you feeling like you’ve both learnt and lost something, and that’s a feeling we all need to experience.

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HOSTELLE: A HOSTEL FOR BEGINNERS

I’m not going to lie to you, when I book accommodation away I always un-tick the little box labeled “hostel”. I’ve always thought, why would I want to share a room with 20 complete strangers in a dusty room where my possessions go walkabout in the night, and I’m woken by rustling sheets and moans from the neighbouring bed? However, finding myself having booked a last-minute trip to Amsterdam to realise that there were no lovely cushy hotels to bed down in, I was met with the strained reality that I was going to finally face a hostel. Honestly, I miss it already.

“If you want to get up at 3am to cook scrambled eggs in the [extremely well equipped, well designed] kitchen, then go ahead – just don’t use all the spices.” I’m sure I just stared back at the guy behind the reception desk, a look of utter confusion on my face. Crossing over into this shiny new world of hostels where you’re enveloped into a homely little community, being offered leftover food from someone’s cook or getting asked to flick the kettle on, you’re constantly reminded that this isn’t hotel territory anymore, homeboy. Holland in Winter is bordering on unbearably cold, but the atmosphere is very much warm.

A COMMUNITY WITHIN A COMMUNITY

It’s an entirely new attitude to which confronts you in most city life, let me tell you. Faced with free pasta, care products, a book and clothes exchange, and hospitality matched by no other, it’s hard not to fall in love with life at Hostelle. The people are all lovely, and the surprise of which random thick accent will greet you at the door is a delightful little novelty.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE CONCEPT OF HOSTELS

Despite being skeptical before, this female-only hostel was probably the best introduction I could have had to hostel life. We spent our evenings curled upon the blanket-laden sofa, drinking free green tea and reading and painting to the hum of Spanish music and distant voices uttering languages we couldn’t name, or chatting to each other in lamplight, ushering forward tales of old towns and new places to jot down on bucket lists. Located in a safe neighbourhood only a train ride from the heart of the hustle and bustle of the city, even the area couldn’t have been more perfect. A morning commute filled with Cinnabon stores and markets – what more could you want?

The perfect place to sit back and chill after a busy day in the city centre, Hostelle, it’s been aangenaam. 

Have you guys ever stayed in a hostel that made you fall back in love with the travel community? Let me know in the comments below!