Tips for your best weekend Amsterdam

Heineken Experience 

The Heineken Experience is situated in the old Heineken brewery in De Pijp district. Around 600,000 people visit The Heineken Experience every year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam. As its name suggests, the Heineken Experience is definitely not a boring museum. You will be taken on an (audio) tour that really lets you experience this famous beer brand! You can still see a lot of old pictures, huge grain silos and copper cauldrons, but ever since the Heineken Experience was renovated in 2008 it now resembles a theme park rather than a museum. For example, you can submerge yourself in brew and experience what it is like to be brewed and bottled. And of course you cannot leave without having tried a fresh Heineken draft beer.
Practical information:
Opening hours: Monday till Thursday 11:00am-7:30pm, Friday till Sunday 11:00am-8:30pm.
Please note that the cash registers are closing two hours prior to closing time. Buy your ticket online and get a €2 discount. Visit the website for actual entrance fees. One ticket includes 2 consumptions and participation in beer tasting.

Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam

The Van Gogh Museum  in Amsterdam is one of the most popular museums in the world, attracting 1,6 million visitors each year. This museum houses the largest collection of works by this world famous Dutch painter, who lived from 1853-1890. You will see landscapes, self-portraits, still lives and more works from all of his five typical periods. Besides the works of Van Gogh, you can also admire works of some of Van Gogh’s contemporaries like Paul Gaugnin and Claude Monet. Van Gogh had an enormous production of paintings, especially when you consider that his artistic period only lasted 10 years, from 1880-1890. And certainly not all of his paintings are displayed at the museum.
Practical information
From March till August, the Van Gogh museum is open every day from 9:00am-6:00pm. The rest of the year the museum is open every day from 9:00am-5:00pm. All year long, the museum has extended opening hours on Friday until 10:00pm. You can buy your tickets at the cash register or online. Tickets are €15 for adults (excluding a voluntary donation of €2,50) and kids can enter for free.

Zaanse Schans

The Zaanse Schans introduces you to what Holland looked like in the 18th and 19th century: Holland as tourists imagine it to be. You will see old Dutch mills, houses, barns and more. Each one of them built entirely of wood in a unique architecture. Many of these mills and monumental buildings can be viewed from the inside, and you can also see how cheese and clogs were made back in the day. Furthermore, there are various museums, shops and restaurants and you can walk through the pastoral landscape or take a cruise on the water. The Zaanse Schans ensures a fun and educational day out for the whole family!
Practical information
De Zaanse Schans is open to visitors all year long, but not all of the museums, shops and restaurant facilities are opened off-season (April until October). If you want to enjoy everything the Zaanse Schans has to offer, you’d best visit during high season between 10:00am and 17:00pm. Visit the website to see the actual opening hours and entrance fees to different craft demonstrations, mills etcetera.

Staying the night in Amsterdam

There is no better place to spend your night in Amsterdam than at Qbic Hotel Amsterdam WTC, as we will offer you a spotless and soundproof room from €38 pppn. This includes free Wi-Fi, a flat screen TV, a king-size bed and a lovely rain shower. Our hotel, which is situated quite close to Schiphol Airport, is a perfect base for a weekend in Amsterdam. The tram stops in front of the door and takes you to the Heineken Experience and the Van Gogh Museum within respectively 21 and 14 minutes!

Photo by Rifad Lafir on Unsplash