Go for the buzzy, post-pandemic restaurant and contemporary art scene, stay for the cool outdoor summer energy

Forego the red-light district and cafés in favour of a different side to the Dutch capital: expect chic hotels, a burgeoning art scene and hip new spots to check out

DAY 1

A maze of 17th- and 18th-century canal houses makes up the Pulitzer Hotel (inset). The buildings might be historic, but the vibe is anything but. After two years of lockdowns, the city is determined to make up for lost time, and the bar buzzes with the sound of people having fun. At the restaurant, Jansz, ask for a window table: it’s a prime spot for watching stylish Amsterdammers going about their days.

WHERE TO SHOP

You’re in the perfect location to explore ‘De 9 Straatjes’ – nowhere is better for vintage shopping. L’Étoile de Saint Honoré on Reestraat is the place for pre-owned luxury accessories, and Bij Ons Vintage on the same street is the go-to for denim and streetwear. If secondhand isn’t your style, the nearby Margriet Nannings outlet store offers great discounts on designers such as Comme des Garçons and Isabel Marant.

DAY 2

You can’t come to Amsterdam and not explore its art collections. The Van Gogh Museum and Rijkmuseum are musts, but don’t skip the Cobra Museum, which hosts exciting contemporary exhibitions (this summer, guest curator Abdelkader Benali explores modern Moroccan art). Once you’ve absorbed enough inspiration, take part in an art workshop at a canal-side studio through the hotel’s Dutch Masters programme. As make-your-own-souvenir experiences go, it’s pretty hard to beat.

WHERE TO EAT

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, refuel at Café-Restaurant Amsterdam (inset), which occupies a vast former pumping station. These days, the stripped-back industrial space is a casual spot where the dress code, like the décor, is utilitarianchic. Seafood is the speciality but the menu is extensive; snack on fresh herring (€4 a plate) while you decide.

DAY 3

Take a walk to the west of the city, where the neighbourhoods make for some of the most culturally diverse areas. Swing by the rediscovered Keith Haring mural (inset) – the largest of his paintings created in Europe – then wander through the leafy Westerpark to the Westergasfabriek, a gasworks that’s now a monumental cultural park, which also plays host to Amsterdam Fashion Week.

WHERE TO DRINK

Not all visitors think to cross the IJ river and explore Amsterdam Noord, but the formerly run-down area has been revived and is now the place for hip locals to shop, eat and drink. The waterfront bar at the architecturally astonishing Eye Film Museum has a great location – ideal for sundowners and views back over central Amsterdam.