Do’s and Don’ts: Living or Visiting Amsterdam

So you have moved to the Netherlands and are realizing that there are some do’s and dont’s to living in Amsterdam. Or maybe you are considering moving to Amsterdam but want to see how difficult it would be to get used to a new city and culture? Or maybe you are just looking for a vacation and want to understand the culture more. Either way, Charlie and I have started taking notes and learning during our first month here to share with you the do’s and don’ts about living in or visiting Amsterdam!

1. Don’t walk in the bike lanes!

I know it sounds pretty straight forward, but when there is so much to see by looking around in this beautiful city. You don’t really think about looking down to make sure you aren’t walking in the bike lane! Amsterdam is a large connection of bicycle paths so they are ALL around you. They have the right of way before cars and people on foot – though a lot of bikers will slow down and allow walkers to cross, many will zoom right through large crowds so keep your eyes peeled!

2. Do bring a rain jacket/coat with you & check the “Drops” weather tracker!

This one is interesting – you might check the weather app on your phone and see rain for the day, but that doesn’t mean it will rain ALL day! A lot of days it might rain for 30 min- 1 hour (light rain) and then nothing else for the rest of the day. If you check out the drops.live website, you can see when the rain will start/stop so that you can plan your day around it or just be aware!

3. Do get ready to go to the grocery store 2-3x a week!

Unlike in the US where you typically drive to the grocery store, buy 7 plastic bags worth of groceries, pack up your trunk and drive home, in Amsterdam, you will NOT be buying that many groceries.

• 1) More often than not, you are walking to the grocery store or taking public transportation to the grocery store. You won’t be able to carry all the grocery bags that you could when you were driving the cart to the trunk of your car in the US.
• 2) Food goes bad quicker here than in the US! I bought 5 lemons a couple of weeks ago thinking they would last me the entire week – nope. I got through 3 lemons in ~3 days and by the 4th day the other two were already moldy! So you don’t want to/can’t buy food in bulk as it will go bad. But the good news is that this means the food is much more fresh here and you can taste the difference!

4. Don’t take photos in the Red Light District…

Don’t take photos or make videos of the sex-workers in the Red-Light District. It’s not only disrespectful but they have 24/7 protection and taking photos is strictly prohibited. That being said, you are welcome to take photos of the canals (there are some really photogenic areas), just be sure you aren’t pointing the camera lens at the women in the windows!

5. Don’t mistake a Coffeeshop for literal coffee…

This is a big one! Pay attention to the below…

• Coffee Shop/Cafe: A place that sells coffee! People typically call these places just Cafes and not Coffee Shops to not get them confused. Sometimes I will also hear them being called Coffee Bars as well!
• Coffeshop: Notice that there is no space between the two words – this is a shop that sells marijuana! Some of them are small places where you can only purchase to go and others have small areas in the back for smoking purposes.

Remember this difference – you don’t want to walk into a Coffeeshop and accidentally order a brownie thinking it’s just a regular cafe pastry!

6. Don’t blast your music too loud when on a canal boat!

It is forbidden to play loud music on your boat. If you do not abide by this Amsterdam boating rule, the enforcers may confiscate your equipment and issue a fine… yikes! You can still play music on your boat if you would like, but you have to keep it at a low volume – remember, many people live along the canals and have their windows open. It can get really annoying for residents to hear blaring music from a group of drunk people on a boat as they pass by!

7. Do plan to take some time to find housing if you are moving to Amsterdam.

Charlie and I started seriously looking for an apartment in November/December 2021 when we weren’t moving until March 2022. That gave us ~4 months to learn about different areas of the city we wanted to live in, prices, etc. It also gave us time to understand what was considered a “luxury” – we are used to large refrigerators, a washer AND a dryer, and of course, a dishwasher! It’s not easy to find all three of those in an apartment, and if you do come across it – you will notice the price tag is a bit higher.

It typically takes a little while to find your perfect home, so make sure you factor that into your planning if you are moving abroad!

8. Do take public transportation!

The train and tram system in Amsterdam is amazing and easy to use. One thing to note – you cannot pay for a ticket with cash, you will need to buy a ticket or OV chipcard at Centraal Station. The 24/48/72 hour daypass is worth it if you’re in Amsterdam for three days without a bike.

Before you board the Metro or any train, you’ll see a a little raised reader that people are tapping their cards against. If you have an Amsterdam card or OVChipcard, tap your card against the reader and you’ll hear it beep and will turn green. Make sure to re-scan your card on the way out as well! For buses or trams, you’ll tap your card against the reader in the front and tap your card on the way out towards the back of the bus/tram. You’ll exit in the back.

9. Don’t be offended by the directness of the Dutch.

The Dutch (in general) say things as they are, they don’t beat around the bush. You can expect this in many different forms – feedback from a manager, if you as a Dutch friend “how do I look in this?” or they give a simple “no” without any explanation. This might feel very blunt to a tourist or someone who just moved to Amsterdam, but in general, the Dutch are actually very friendly and willing to help out/lend a helping hand should you need one!

10. Do carry around both cash and a card!

This one surprised me when I arrived here – a lot of places don’t take cash! I learned this the hard way bringing €10 to a cookie shop & when I went to pay they only accepted card… gutted! If you are a tourist, one thing to note is that sometimes places don’t take a US debit card, so sometimes if that is all you have they will take cash.

11. Do understand that customer service is different here than in the US.

Growing up in the US we were accustomed to quick service, and the “customer is always right” mindset. That is not the case here in Amsterdam! You will find that many waiters and waitresses might not come check on you for long periods of time when you are at a cafe or a restaurant. You likely will need to flag them down if you need something, or go to the front if you can’t find your waiter/waitress or they aren’t coming.

12. Do get OUT of Amsterdam!

This one seems silly to add here – but there are so many wonderful places to visit in the Netherlands! There are so many day trips or 2-day/weekend trips that you can take to see other areas of the beautiful country. Make sure to take a look at The Hague, Rotterdam, Keukenhof Gardens, Delft, The Old Windmills of Kinderdijk and any other areas that are of interest!

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While there are many do’s and dont’s for living in or visiting Amsterdam, just remember to be respectful when you are visiting! While it is a big tourist city, there are many residents that live and work there every day out of the year and it is their home. If I missed anything important comment below!