Family travel: 5 to try in Amsterdam

With direct Eurostar services almost underway, the happening Dutch capital is firmly on the map for family travellers. Local Mia Grout reveals the best places to eat, shop and get a dose of culture

By National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Published 30 Dec 2017, 08:00 GMT, Updated 12 Jul 2021, 15:21 BST
Photograph by Getty Images

1 // Rijksmuseum
Even though it's one of the city's busier museums, it's a favourite of mine because of the amazing library — free for under-18s to come and study in. Home to thousands of books, it's a very calm and quiet place, so the perfect spot in which to do your homework. However, it's also an absolutely fascinating museum to visit without using the facilities.

2 // The Butcher
This burger joint can be found in Albert Cuyp, Nine Streets and other locations across the city (and it delivers). It does the best fries in the whole of Amsterdam, perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully fluffy on the inside. It offers loads of different types of burgers to choose from as well, such as chicken or veggie, as well as The Daddy, a beef burger with melted Edam.

3 // Episode
I'm a big fan of second-hand clothing and thrift shops, and Episode is an amazing one. There are four venues dotted around the city, and they all have a large stock of clothing, from sheer tops to army jackets. Many second-hand stores are expensive in Amsterdam, but Episode has good prices and its outlets are constantly restocking. My favourite shop is located near the Herengracht and Singel.

4 // OU Amsterdam
This lovely little nail salon is set inside a boutique that sells beautiful clothing for women and children. The nail salon itself is the best in Amsterdam, decorated in a really original and creative way, including storage units from old KLM planes. ou-amsterdam.com

5 // Micropia
A microbe museum may sound like a strange suggestion, but it's an interesting, breathtaking place to visit. It's also one of the most innovative museums in Europe — and the only microbe museum in the world. That means visiting is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn all about the microbes that work tirelessly — and practically invisibly — in our world.

Mia Grout is a 16-year-old Brit who moved to Amsterdam two years ago with her family. She's currently studying for an International Baccalaureate Diploma and hopes to return to London in a few years, to read English Language at university.

Published in the Family Travel guide, free with with the Jan/Feb 2018 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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