The weather in Amsterdam can be like a lottery: sometimes you are lucky and the sun is shining, most of the time it is cloudy, and if you are unlucky, it is raining. Should you be lucky and the sun comes out to play, here are 3 more activities to make the most of the glorious weather.
A hidden gem close to Amsterdam North
A hidden gem that can quite easily be missed in Amsterdam Noord, Het Twiske is a beautiful nature reserve/recreational area located less than 10 km bike ride from the city centre.
Spanning over 650 hectares (of which a third is water) Het Twiske is brimming with wildlife: Scottish highland cows roam freely in the quiet areas, and there is plethora of different types of birds throughout the nature reserve.
There is a very large lake in the middle where you can go swimming and sailing, and there are multiple different cycle and walking routes that you can take to see all Het Twiske has to offer.
There are several restaurants at Het Twiske and between all of them and they have a large selection of different types of tasty food available for a perfect break after a hike.
As mentioned, Het Twiske is about a 30 min bike ride from Amsterdam City Centre. So, get the F3 ferry from Centraal Station, stop by TIP Amsterdam North where we can give you some further information, plan a route for you, and rent you some bikes to get you ready for an adventure out into nature… you won’t regret it!
Here are a couple of activities that you can spend the day/afternoon getting stuck into. You can do these regardless of the weather, however (as with most things!) it is nice to do them with the sun warming your back.
For the daredevils and thrill seekers out there, A’DAM lookout is a must not miss opportunity to swing on Europe’s highest swing! Elevated 100 metres above the city, with legs dangling over the edge, the A’DAM lookout is guaranteed to give an almighty adrenaline rush.
On a clear day, you can see 360º across the city, and the view is spectacular! There is a panoramic café to stop, have a drink and some tasty food to refuel for the rest of the day.
You need to book online before attending the Lookout, and you can do so here.
From the 1920’s to the 1980’s, the NDSM-Wharf was one of the biggest shipyards in the world, regularly launching impressive tankers from its slipways. Now that no more ships are being built there, the space has been converted into a hub for creativity, regularly hosting festivals and many other cultural events.
There are now a multitude of different venues from: cafés, museums, and street art and you can quite easily spend an afternoon walking through the different exhibitions, seeing what the NDSM-Wharf has to offer.
It is recommended that you book tickets to any museums before arriving, and to see what is available at NDSM, please click this link.
One of the great perks about Amsterdam Noord, is that if you travel 20mins north of the city by bike, you are out in the countryside with the cows, sheep, and quaint little Dutch villages.
If the weather is nice, there are a few wonderful routes that you can take that can take the whole day or just a couple of hours.
So, if you want to get out of the city and see the beautiful Dutch countryside for the day, feel free to stop by TIP Amsterdam North and we can give you advice, and directions, plan a route, and rent bikes out to you.
I hope that this post will inspire you to explore Amsterdam Noord, regardless of the weather.
