Leaving Orvieto in the morning and heading to Amsterdam for the final week of our time here! Please give me all your (kid-friendly!) tips here or on my latest Instagram! It’ll be a first for both of us!
Some weekend reading…
I loved this piece by Garrison Keillor about taking a break from the news. (A good idea for all, sometimes, I think.)
From maidenhood to motherhood.
The perfect summer jean. And with great reviews. Love them.
Please make yourselves at home in my Airbnb and have sex. This made me laugh.
Coffin cubicles of Hong Kong. This is eye-opening.
Harvard revokes acceptance letters over Facebook posts. Ouch! Also, good for them.
NYC subways ban dogs unless they fit in a bag. NYers respond. Ha.
Cutest summer dress at a great price point.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I actually come from and live in Hong Kong, where homes are the most expensive in the world, and that’s pretty much an everyday reality for most people… so haha, it really amuses me when people elsewhere complain about the sizes of their homes!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
that airbnb article- ha. and those jeans look amaaazing! have a blast in amsterdam!
xo, brittany
weekend links + steals on my blog today!
http://www.notablob.com
I’m not on Instagram, but the Rijksmuseum is wonderful. I didn’t go there with kids, but I think they would enjoy it. Also, try a canal tour if they like boats.
So excited for you!! My husband and I went to Europe in April for our honeymoon and Amsterdam was one of our favorite cities!! We spent our days wandering the streets and stopping for chocolate waffles 🙂 We loved sampling the cheese at Henri Willig, and our favorite breakfast of the entire honeymoon was at Omelegg…so good!! Definitely get the mint tea. The Royal Palace is gorgeous and if you time it right there’s almost no line. There’s also an adorable giant yellow wooden clog nearby that makes for a great photo. If you can, definitely stroll along the canals at night, it’s breathtaking.
Pancakes! in the Jordan is really good and Bakers & Roasters near the Rijksmuseum is also great. Both are small eateries(as is the norm in amsterdam) so there could be a line if it’s the weekend.
There is a play fountain for kids in the Rijksmuseum garden and another in the middle of Vondelpark.
Book a private canal tour with Pap http://www.boattripsbylocals.amsterdam/
And bring your own wine/cheese for the ride.
We lived in Amsterdam for 2+ years with little kids and it’s magical. Hope you have a great time!
Also, if you are missing Italian food go to http://le4stagioni.nl/
It’s in our old neighborhood and not too far from Vondelpark or the Rijks. The pizza is tasty and they’ll take your kids back to the kitchen to get ice cream after dinner.
…go when they open to get a seat…
The hour long boat tour is a great way to see a lot of the city without hiking around. I’d definitely recommend that! Have loved following along on your travels, enjoy the last leg of your adventure. 🙂
I came back from another trip to Amsterdam with my daughter last Sunday….. Vondelpark has lovely childrens’ play areas and open air concerts at this time of year and space to ruunnn! Also there are cafes with loos! Canal tours are a brilliant way to get a real feel for the city too. Ours was 1 and 1/2 hours long which might be a bit long for little ones.
If you want to go to the museums either pre book your tickets on line or go EARLY because the queues to get in can be long.
I’m biased…. Amsterdam is my FAVOURITE European city bar none!
I’m a longtime reader who’s never commented beyond the occasional Instagram like, but just wanted to pop in and say thanks for sharing all of your Italian experiences – both on this trip and from a couple years ago. I just got back earlier this week from my own Italy trip (Rome + Amalfi coast) and long before I knew you were going at the same time, consulted your posts on good travel footwear (definitely rocked the exact Nikes you suggested all around Rome and Pompeii) and food recommendations for Rome and Positano. Thanks for the practical travel tips, but also for sharing your perspectives on the culture and and beautiful photos. Enjoy the last week of your current adventure!
thank you so much for letting me know, paige! hope you enjoyed yourself!!!
I live in Amsterdam with my five year-old twin boys. Definitely go to Westerpark if you can (final stop on the 10 tram or accessible by bus). There are several play areas and open fields (including a petting farm and toddler swimming pool which would be perfect in the heat today and tomorrow). Great cafes can be found in the park, as well (Bakkerswinkel has tasty treats and is oh-so-gezellig). For older boys, the Woeste Western playground in Westerpark is a fantasyland. There is a zip line that traverses a small canal as well as rafts and other neat areas to explore. For other cooling off options, you could try the Sloterplas beach (just off a tram line in the western part of the city). There are other toddler pools in the Amsterdamse Bos and Vondelpark. Amsterdam is really a child’s paradise.
oh we will definitely go to westerpark! thank you! we’re actually staying quite close to it!