Immerse yourself in the charms of Amsterdam

Across Amsterdam, walking and bicycling—and ice skating in winter—are preferred modes of transportation for many locals. To satisfy the hunger of this physically active population, the streets of most major commercial areas are lined with food stalls, kiosks, food trucks and snack bars. Each may specialize in a particular treat, but if you want to sample a variety of snacks, duck into an automatiek—an automat-style snack bar at which you can select your favorite foods from a wall of tiny glass windows. While you can sometimes pay for your food at a counter, more often you will simply place a few coins in a slot, vending machine-style.

Given its cosmopolitan culture, Amsterdam boasts a wide array of food stalls selling everything from döner kebabs and shawarma to Indian curries and patat (french fries). For quintessentially Dutch street fare, try the following:

One of the most popular Dutch snacks is a stroopwafel—two wafer-thin waffle cookies sandwiched with caramel syrup. Conveniently, they are available in lid-sized rounds to top your cup of coffee, which warms the cookies and softens the filling.

Poffertjes are small buckwheat pancakes dusted with sugar and dabbed with butter. They are often served with toppings like syrup (stroop), whipped cream (slagroom) or fresh berries. Popular year-round, they are especially prevalent during the fall and winter; on street corners and at Christmas markets, it is common to see people huddled over paper plates, enjoying these warm, puffy dough pillows with a tiny fork.

For a savory snack, try bitterballen—crunchy, fried balls of chopped beef, beef broth, flour, butter, herbs and spices. A favorite bar food, they pair well with beer and are typically served with mustard for dipping. Some street vendors improvise, filling their bitterballen with chorizo, goat cheese, mushrooms or even truffles.

Vegetarians might enjoy stamppot, a savory purée of hot mashed potatoes mixed with other vegetables, such as kale, leeks, turnips, sauerkraut, carrots or onions. There are also versions made with fruit, including apples (called hete bliksem, or “hot lightning”). Sometimes stammpot is served with a side of smoked rookworst sausage or gherkin pickles.

One of Amsterdam’s top attractions, the Rijksmuseum is located on the Museumplein alongside the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum and Concertgebouw. As the Netherlands’ national gallery, it features a wide range of Dutch historical artifacts, paintings and sculptures, dating from the 13th century. Its extensive collection features pieces by many prominent Dutch Masters, including Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and Rembrandt van Rijn. Highlights include Vermeer’s The Milkmaid (c. 1660), Jan Davidsz de Heem’s Still Life with Flowers in a Glass (c. 1650 – 1683), Jan Asselijn’s The Threatened Swan (c. 1650) and Rembrandt’s largest, most famous canvas, The Night Watch Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq (1642).

The original museum was founded in 1800 at The Hague to exhibit the private collections of wealthy Dutch families. In 1808, it was moved to Amsterdam, but a new facility was needed. A design contest was held, won by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. Construction began in 1876, and the new museum opened in 1885. Since then, the Rijksmuseum has experienced extensive additions and decorative changes.

The most recent renovation (2003-2013) brought Cuypers’ original architectural plan back to life. Instead of housing painting, applied arts and history in separate sections of the building, the collections are now organized so that they tell a single chronological story—that of Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages through the present day.

With its historic streets, abundant bridges and elegant gabled houses, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam is a delight to explore. Laced with 165 canals—totaling a combined length of 60 mi. (100 km)—the city has become known for its concentric waterways, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. This intricate network stands as an enduring testimony to 17th century engineering and large-scale urban planning.

Founded around 1250 with the building of a single dam, Amsterdam was a small fishing village located on the banks of the Amstel River. Protected by the dam, the city grew, and its single canal functioned well for draining and military defense. During the Middle Ages, Amsterdam became an important center for maritime trade, but by the end of the 16th century, the city had run out of space within the dam’s confines.

During the early 1600s, the mercantile class came up with a plan to expand the city with a system of four concentric half-circle canals. Construction began in 1613, proceeding from west to east. The first three canals were designated for residential development. The fourth, outer canal served for defense and water management. As time passed, hundreds of narrow streets and smaller canals fanned out from the center, crossing the semicircles and creating 90 islands and 1,281 bridges within the city limits.

Today, these canals are home to residents who live on one of Amsterdam’s many houseboats. A municipal canal-bus system travels along three different routes throughout the city, providing locals with an easy way to get to and from work. In winter, when conditions allow, locals enjoy ice skating on the frozen waters before retiring to a local eatery for a cozy bowl of snert (pea soup).