20 Best Things to Do in Amsterdam

 

As director of a residential property development company that specialises in modern, luxury apartments, cluster units and bespoke homes, Laurence Grigorov enjoys travelling in his spare time in order to relax and find inspiration from foreign architectural trends and influences. Laurence Grigorov is planning on visiting the beautiful and enchanting city of Amsterdam at some point in the future.

Amsterdam is an incredible European city; the charm of its iconic canals exceeds expectations, and beyond those, you have world-class museums and shopping and restaurant scenes to dig into. Given that it is incredibly accessible and well-connected to other parts of Europe, Amsterdam makes for the perfect stop at the beginning or end of a holiday across the pond — and it’s more than deserving of a standalone trip, too.

Whether you’re considering a quick weekend getaway or a longer stay, the Dutch capital promises to impress every type of traveler with myriad things to do. As someone who loves Amsterdam deeply, I have plenty of personal recommendations, and so does Pieter Feith, who's been a concierge at Pulitzer Amsterdam for more than a decade and is a member of the Les Clefs d'Or. Our list of the best things to do in Amsterdam is as multifaceted and magical as the city itself.

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Van Gogh Museum

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This is the most patronized museum in Amsterdam, welcoming upwards of 6,000 visitors each day. Guests arrive here eager to appreciate the works of the Netherlands’ homegrown artistic hero. If you really want to admire "Sunflowers" or “Bedroom in Arles” on a specific day, be sure to buy tickets in advance.

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Anne Frank House

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One of the most popular and important cultural attractions in Amsterdam, the Anne Frank House displays writings, photos, and personal items from Anne Frank, collected during her time hiding from the Nazis. The entry line often wraps around the building and time slots book up months out, so be sure to reserve tickets long before you arrive. 

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Canal Cruise

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If you go to Amsterdam and don’t tour the picturesque canals — and snap photos — were you even really there? I’ve booked an excursion on the classic salon boat “Tourist" through Pulitzer Amsterdam three times; it’s a beautiful, historic vessel that even hosted Winston Churchill back in the day. And since the tour is private, you can customize the route based on your interest.

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De Kas

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Among my favorite restaurants in Amsterdam, De Kas takes farm-to-table dining quite literally, with a menu that highlights ingredients from an on-site garden, plus meats and cheeses from nearby farms. Creative spins on dishes and an always-evolving menu make it a place you’ll want to return to many times over.

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Museum van Loon

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While the museums mentioned above are classic Amsterdam sights, Feith prefers smaller museums like Museum van Loon, which is set in a private residence built in 1672. “Painter Ferdinand Bol, a pupil of Rembrandt, was the first resident here," Feith shares. The interiors are ornate and well-preserved, and there’s a lovely garden area and a café in the carriage house.

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Vondelpark

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Vondelpark opened in 1865, and within its 47 hectares (or 116 acres) travelers will find grassy lawns, ponds, and cycling/walking paths. There's also an open-air theatre that hosts summer concerts, plus a playground. “It’s much loved by locals for a morning run, a bike ride on the way to work, or to enjoy the greenery on warm days,” says Feit.  

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De Kaaskamer

De Kaaskamer is a beloved shop that stocks an impressive selection of Dutch and imported cheeses, from aged Appenzeller and raw milk gouda to Blue de Wolvega from Friesland and chèvre. You can also shop for meats, nuts, tapenades, pestos, wine, and beer here, all of which pair perfectly with fromage.

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Rijksmuseum

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The perenially busy Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, draws crowds with impressive exhibits dedicated to Dutch art, culture, and history.  On display in its many rooms are period artifacts, as well as paintings from masters such as Rembrandt.

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Akasha Holistic Wellbeing

COURTESY OF AKASHA HOLISTIC WELLBEING

Some travelers know Amsterdam as a party city, but visitors hoping to unwind don’t need to search far. For example, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing is an underground wellness sanctuary at the Conservatorium Hotel, complete with a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, hammam, and treatment options that range from hot stone massages to a chakra balancing experience.

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Grachtenmuseum

“Grachtenmuseum highlights the history of Amsterdam — how the city has expanded over the past 400 years, and the construction of the canal houses,” explains Feith. Fittingly, it’s set inside a 17th-century canal house on the Herengracht.

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Fabel Friet

Belgium may stake its claim to fries, but the Dutch potato situation is on point, too. Join the queue outside of Fabel Friet to savor crispy, golden spuds doused in homemade sauces like truffle mayo and curry ketchup.

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Pulitzer's Bar

COURTESY OF PULITZER BAR

Pulitzer's Bar oozes glamour and sophistication, with bow-tie-clad bartenders mixing some of the best cocktails in the city. Guests of the hotel love this onsite option, as do locals and travelers staying elsewhere, so do yourself a favor and make a reservation in advance.

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Dam Square

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Many consider Dam Square to be the most important venue of its kind in Amsterdam. It’s still a great place to kick off a sightseeing tour, as it’s home to notable tourist attractions, including the neoclassical Royal Palace, the National Monument, and the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk (New Church).

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Distilleerderij 't Nieuwe Diep

Distilleerderij 't Nieuwe Diep is a small brewery with a tasting room inside the old pumping station of Oetewaler Polder. “Contructed in 1880 and hidden among the greenery of the park, it’s a nice place for visitors to sip spirits and soak in the ambiance,” says Feith. 

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NEMO Science Museum

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If you're traveling to Amsterdam with kids, I highly recommend checking out the NEMO Science Museum. Our toddler had a ball teetering around the interactive exhibits. Besides the all-ages educational fun, there's a hands-on lab for older children, where they can partake in experiments.

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Door 74

Fans of prohibition-era, speakeasy-style bars will love Door 74. It’s all very hush-hush, but once inside the hidden drinking den, patrons can choose a craft cocktail from an ever-changing menu of tipples with unique flavor combinations.

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Antiekcentrum Amsterdam

Antiekcentrum Amsterdam is full of vendors selling vintage jewelry, ceramics, and home decor. Even if you don't intend to buy anything, it’s interesting to browse the stalls of this large emporium of preloved items.

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Dappermarkt

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Open Monday through Saturday, Dappermarkt is a diverse and popular market on the east side of the city with more than 250 stalls along one street. Feith says that the market attracts both locals and out-of-towners with its goods.

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360volt

Equal parts gallery, workshop, and store, 360volt is home to an eye-popping assortment of new and vintage light fixtures. On any visit, you might spot a funky retro scissor lamp, a lovingly restored old-school floodlight, or a shimmering chandelier.

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Van Brienenhofje

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In Jordaan, you will find many “hofjes,” which is best translated as inner courtyards. “These were built centuries ago to house single women, nuns, or staff who were too old to work,” explains Feith. Some of these beautiful houses and courtyards are open to visitors today, including the very peaceful Van Brienenhofje.

Text and images courtesy of www.travelandleisure.com

Overtraining Versus Overreaching

 What exactly is overtraining? How is it different from overreaching? Learn how to tell the difference between the two and what you can do to prevent both.

As director of a leading real estate development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process of these complex projects. 

In order to relax and unwind, Laurence Grigorov enjoys exercising and in particular training at the gym. This is important for a healthy work-life balance.

People casually toss around the term "overtraining." Some think they are constantly in an overtrained state, blaming their lack of progress on their self-diagnosed condition.  

Others miss no opportunity to tell everyone that "overtraining is a myth," and that if you train and recover "hard enough," you can bust through any plateau.  

Which position is accurate? Let's start by defining some key terms.  

Overtraining Vs. Overreaching

True "overtraining" is a severe medical condition, defined by multiple complex symptoms lasting for months or even years that can even end athletic careers. Symptoms of serious overtraining include increased resting heart rate and blood pressure, unexplained weight loss, altered fluid balance (dehydration, lack of perspiration), altered sleeping patterns, and psychological effects (mood swings, malaise, lack of psychological readiness for training and/or competition).

When people think they are overtraining, they often don't realize how bad overtraining actually is, and don't consider whether it is actually possible to overtrain from lifting.

"Overreaching," on the other hand, is very common. It is a temporary response to heavy or intense training, and it's even built into many training programs. This type of overreaching, known as functional overreaching, causes a short-term increase in fatigue and reduction in performance, followed by a brief taper that actually increases performance on testing, competition, or meet day.

This type of overreaching is a necessary part of being an athlete and optimizing performance. You can keep functional overreaching in your back pocket for when you need it to get that extra boost in performance for competition.

Nonfunctional overreaching is a more chronic, long-term condition that can last weeks or even months, although full recovery can be achieved with some rest. There might be some persistent physiologic and mood-related changes and accompanying performance reduction. This type of overreaching can interfere with long-term progress—spending weeks or months in a slump is an inefficient use of training time. If we catch it early and make adjustments, we can put the train back on the rails without much trouble before serious problems come up.  

If either of these types of overreaching are left unaddressed, they can morph into overtraining.

Can You Overtrain By Lifting?

While overreaching and overtraining have been abundantly studied in endurance athletes, it has yet to be seriously investigated in the context of strength training. True overtraining is highly unlikely (if even possible) for strength athletes and is characterized by significant persistent symptoms, made worse by outside life stressors.

So, if you are feeling run-down but you're not about to peak for a competition, you might be in a non-functional overreaching state. A deload period will help you get back on track.

If you feel like your progress has stalled, I suggest following the algorithm from "The Muscle & Strength Pyramid" by Eric Helms to determine if it's time to adjust your training. His chart addresses multiple variables that are most likely contributing to your decrease in performance, including sleep quality, nutrition habits, training intensity, and physical and psychological stressors.  

Let's say your progress has stalled but you're sleeping 8-plus hours, eating enough protein, estimating RPE effectively, and training consistently with solid technique.  

Following Helms's decision framework, you should then ask yourself honestly if you truly dread going to the gym, you are sleeping worse than normal, your performance is getting worse despite the same or higher effort, life stressors are more severe than normal, and aches and pains are worse than normal. 

Two or more "Yes" answers means it's time to take a step back from training and allow yourself some extra time to recover. Reduce your volume by cutting back on sets and backing off on intensity as needed by using a subjective RPE scale.  

For example, your working sets during deload change from 5 sets of 5 reps at 83 percent 1RM to 3 sets of 5 reps at RPE 8-9, giving you fewer sets and more flexibility with intensity depending on physical and psychological readiness that day.

While overtraining is a real condition, it's highly unlikely you'll get there through resistance training alone. If you are experiencing a decrease in performance, the more likely cause is non-functional overreaching. Take the necessary steps to reduce your intensity and volume, and allow your body more time to rest and recover.

Image and Text courtesy of www.bodybuilding.com