Europe

Secret Jordaan: a self-guided walking tour of the Jordaan

November 12, 2018 by Karen 2 Comments

One of my favorite neighborhoods in Amsterdam is the Jordaan. If you’re looking to escape some of the crowds of center and experience some of the charm of Amsterdam, you can follow this self-guided walking guide to the Jordaan, one of Amsterdam’s most charming neighborhoods, to see a few secrets of de Jordaan that you might not see otherwise. It’s based on my time living just five minutes away from the Jordaan.

I do my best to discuss history as well as some charming cafes, restaurants, hofjes and streets that I always love to stop into. The walking tour of de Jordaan should take about 1.5 hours. The total distance covered is 2 kilometers (~1 mile), but I encourage you to slow down. Map at the bottom of the post.

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A perfect weekend in Amersfoort, the Netherlands

November 9, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

One of the things that I love most about living in the Netherlands is how easy it is to travel around the Netherlands. Amersfoort is a charming city just thirty minutes from Amsterdam (and only 15 minutes from Utrecht) with a stunning medieval center. Although I’ve been to Amersfoort briefly before, this past weekend gave me the chance to explore this beautiful Dutch city. Keep reading for your perfect weekend itinerary for Amersfoort, the Netherlands!

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Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren Amersfoort: the musical center of the Netherlands

November 6, 2018 by Jacob Leave a Comment

In the center of Amersfoort, standing 98.33 meters tall, is the most distinctive and noticeable landmark of Amersfoort: Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (in English, “Tower of Our Dear Lady” a common reference to Mother Mary). Not only is the height impressive, being the third largest tower in the Netherlands, but this tower, known as Laang Jon, houses an impressive collection of bells and marks center point for all surveying done in the Netherlands. Read about the history of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwetoren, the carillons of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwetoren, and the Rijksdriehoekscoördinaten.

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The best Christmas markets in the Netherlands not to miss

November 4, 2018 by Karen Leave a Comment

Now that Halloween is over, we can shamelessly shift to ~~Sinterklaas~~. Just kidding, we’re ready for Christmas. Although the Dutch Christmas markets are not as famous as their German counterparts, the Christmas markets in the Netherlands are absolutely charming. I ended up not ranking these strictly as people look for different things in different Christmas markets, but I’ve grouped it based on the opinions of friends. I’ve included ten Christmas markets in the Netherlands and I’ll be updating this post with more experiences/photos this year!

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Things to do in Turin Italy: A Resident’s Guide to Italy’s Most Underrated City

November 1, 2018 by Karen 1 Comment

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Turin Italy (called Torino by the locals), you’ll want to read this local’s guide to Torino written by a resident. This underrated city in Northern Italy has some absolutely amazing things to do, so keep reading for the best things to do in Turin by one very opinionated resident.

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A free self-guided walking tour of the best chocolate in Brussels

November 1, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

If you’re figuring out what to do in Brussels and you’re a chocolate lover, you must try Belgian chocolate—and do a chocolate tasting in Brussels. Here’s some advice for finding the best chocolatiers in Brussels on a self-guided chocolate tour in Brussels, including their addresses!

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The Rietveld Schröderhuis: the iconic building of De Stijl

October 30, 2018 by Karen 1 Comment

As someone with a keen interest in architecture who has traveled to some of the most famous architectural masterpieces in the world, I was excited to visit the Rietveld Schröderhuis, one of the iconic buildings of de Stijl.

What is striking about architecture is that it’s not just a work of art to be admired, but also one to be used. Although some architecture is built to fulfill the architect’s whimsies, the Rietveld Schröderhuis was built specifically to suit the needs of its owner.

Beyond the history behind this iconic house, the interior of the Schroder house is extremely striking yet functional. This post will discuss the history as well as the architecture behind the home. (There are many photos of the interior as well as the exterior of the Rietveld Schröderhuis!)

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Your one day guide to visiting Utrecht, the most enchanting city in the Netherlands

October 30, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

Have you ever visited a place that you fall in love with instantly? From the moment that I visited Utrecht on a day trip from Amsterdam, I fell in love with Utrecht. This beautiful Dutch city has canals that are two stories, unlike Amsterdam, which only adds to the delightful architecture, slow pace, amazing food, and the few tourists. Keep reading for my one day guide to Utrecht with what to do in Utrecht in one day and a complete itinerary for visiting Utrecht.

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Where to find the best vegan food in Amsterdam by locals

October 25, 2018 by Karen Leave a Comment

As someone who has to skip Dutch cheese due to my IBS, I eat vegan quite often, however I’ve somehow never written about my favorite vegan places to eat in Amsterdam. I was recently in touch with Desmond and Karim, two Amsterdammers passionate about vegan food, and we’ve put together a helpful guide to the best vegan restaurants in Amsterdam.

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What to know about visiting the Peace Palace in the Hague by a local

October 24, 2018 by Karen Leave a Comment

One of the most stunning buildings in the Hague is the Peace Palace (Vredespaleis in Dutch). Visiting the Peace Palace is not particularly easy, however touring the grounds where the International Court of Justice is held is a worthwhile endeavor. I’ll be discussing the history of the Peace Palace, what to expect from a guided tour of the Peace Palace, and how to visit the Peace Palace as a private citizen.

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