The District Darling: Amsterdam Part 3

After starting our day with another delicious breakfast on the houseboat, we took off on our bikes towards the swanky and hip Jordaan district. We had originally planned to tour the historical Anne Frank Huis, but after looking at the line that went out the door, around the corner, and down 2 blocks- we turned our eyes to the towering steeple of the Westerkerk (West Church). After peeping our heads in the church doors, we noted that they offered a tour and decided to sign up. We ended up climbing 185 teeny tiny steps up to the top of the church steeple where we were rewarded with a breath taking view of the city.

The Jordaan district is filled with historic and beautiful homes and sits adjacent to the boutique lined Nine Streets area. So, after walking in and out of vintage shops,swanky clothing stores, and grabbing coffee at Screaming Beans (named one of the top coffee shops in the world, per Buzzfeed), we were ready for lunch. We set our signs on Singel 404, a gourmet sandwich shop with chairs that are right along the water, After a very light lunch, we walked down the street for chocolates at Chocolaterie Pompadour where we grabbed some chocolates for the road.

Then, it was time to return our bikes across town. After more walking, we had a indulgent snack of frites and another stuffed cookie from Van Stapele while a passing shower went over the city. Once the rain turned into a manageable sprinkling, we walked to the oldest standing home in the city- which is a part of the Begijnhof. The Begijnhof is actually a group of homes that was founded by a group of women around 1150 who wanted to live in religious community with one another. Although the group of homes is literally in the middle of the city, it provides a quiet and peaceful escape.

While still walking around the city, we chose to explore Westerpark in the upper northwest portion of the city. We had already seen Oosterpark the day before and had ridden through the famous Vondelpark. So, it was the only one left on the list. You guys, it was nothing short of magical. There were literally fields of bunnies and swans and it was filled with pretty lakes and streams.

After walking around and playing with the wildlife in the park, we started the long stroll to Winkel 43 for a snack filled dinner. The restaurant is raved about to have the best Dutch apple pie. So, we knew that we had to try it. Since we had snacked all day, we decided why not just split a slice for our dinner. While the pie was good, I'm not going to lie...John's homemade apple pie is better.