Visit hot spots in an environmentally friendly way: Amsterdam

Ah, Amsterdam: your romantic canals, all the houseboats, quietly jingling bicycles everywhere, colorful tulips of course and coffeeshops that aren't about coffee at all, plus the legendary red light district, impressive museums, historic buildings - there's endless things to discover on extended, leisurely strolls. Join us in Amsterdam in the final part of our three-part series on overtourism hotspots. We'll show you how you can visit the top destinations that are of course still worth seeing and also have some alternatives in store that are also worth a look.

Amsterdam

The capital of the Netherlands has long been a hip hot spot for a city trip and accordingly, the atmosphere in the city is anything but leisurely at peak season times. That's why there are increasingly strict rules to guide and limit the flow of tourists.

After a ban on cannabis was introduced on the streets of Amsterdam, the number of cruise tourists is now also to be decimated. From 2024, tourist buses and the rental of vacation apartments and Airbnb's will be banned in the city center. In addition, there is one of the highest tourist taxes in Europe and the planned relocation of the red light district "De Wallen", which is also the medieval city center of Amsterdam. Here, pubs and bars are no longer allowed to let in new customers after 1:00 am. Prostitutes must close their famous windows at 3:00 a.m. at the latest. The measures are intended to make the old town safer and more liveable. The residents in particular suffer greatly from mass tourism and public alcohol and drug abuse.

The "How to Amsterdam" campaign informs visitors who are already in the city about appropriate behavior. Warning signs point out prohibitions such as public urination, noise pollution or buying drugs from street dealers. Televisions in hotel lobbies also draw attention to current measures, as do city maps that are handed out to tourists. All of this is part of the larger campaign "Visitors Economy Vision 2035", which aims to make Amsterdam a more responsible tourist destination by 2035.

The perfect time to visit Amsterdam

The most popular time to visit Amsterdam is basically from April to October. So here too, the rule is: avoid the winter months, when the number of visitors tends to be low. The Christmas period is of course an exception. So if you travel between November and mid-December and then again from mid-January to the end of February, you can hope for the best hotel offers and are therefore independent of Airbnb & Co. which also contribute to the housing shortage for locals in Amsterdam. So if you want to visit the city that is really worth seeing, you can try to be part of the solution and not the problem by careful and responsible planning. Because, of course, the same applies to Amsterdam: you can't and won't be completely without tourists

Green accommodation - Our tips:

Conscious Hotels

The founders of the owner-managed hotel chain want to show that hotels in major cities can also operate in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. The Concious Hotels the electricity is generated by Dutch wind turbines, there are charging stations for electric cars, bee colonies live on the green roofs, the staff wear fashion made from recycled materials, special shower heads and taps use up to 50 percent water, solar panels heat the water, the bed linen and towels are made from organic cotton and the rental bicycles are recycled.

Four Elements, the zero-energy hotel

The hotel Four Elements is not quite in the city center, but just under 20 minutes away by streetcar. However, it is located directly on the IJmeer and offers a sun terrace and a bar with an impressive view. However, the real highlight of the hotel is its sustainability concept. The Four Elements (or Breeze Hotel) advertises with zero waste, fresh food, 100 percent sustainability and complete energy neutrality. It is the world's first hotel to generate energy through a natural ventilation system.

Experience Amsterdam:

Refugee boat instead of tourist steamer

The Reederei Lampedusa launches wooden boats on which refugees have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe for their excursions. The tours are led by refugees who link their own history with that of the city and show how much Amsterdam has been shaped by immigration over the centuries. A very authentic and personal view of Amsterdam. Or you can rent your own boat from Boats4rent and let yourself drift through the canals and discover quiet oases.

World Bicycle Capital

Amsterdam is the world bicycle capital with more bicycles than inhabitants: do as the locals do and rent a bike. Cyclists have priority almost everywhere in the city center and 500 kilometers of cycle paths are available. By bike, you can quickly expand your radius, move beyond the hot spots and dare to explore new routes.

Art can do more than Rijks and Van Gogh

The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum are among the most beautiful museums in Amsterdam, but also among the most visited. If you can imagine a visit to Amsterdam without the big names, there are some interesting alternatives. At the museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (German: Unser Herr im Dachboden), the architecture is particularly surprising: the museum is located in the attic of a 17th century residential building. The Willet-Holthuysen-Museum is located at Herengracht 605: in the former home of a wealthy merchant family, visitors can learn about life in Amsterdam in the 17th century. Inconspicuous from the outside and hidden in the middle of the beautiful Keizersgracht canal, the FOAM Amsterdam photography enthusiasts will be delighted by the changing exhibitions.

Amsterdam alternatives:

Leeuwarden

The city center of Ljouwert, as the Frisians call the town, is one of Holland's insider tips. In the birthplace of the graphic artist M.C. Escher and the mysterious dancer and spy Mata Hari, you can sail along the centuries-old canals, discover the cultural roots of Friesland in the Fries Museum or store in De Kleine Kerkstraat, one of Holland's most charming shopping streets. Have you ever eaten or slept in a prison? It's possible in the Blokhuispoort in Leeuwarden. And what is more crooked than the leaning tower in Pisa? De Oldehove is one of the highlights in Leeuwarden. An exciting museum for children is the award-winning Natuurmuseum Fryslân, where they can experience an underwater safari.

Utrecht

The fourth largest city in the Netherlands is a popular alternative to Amsterdam. Utrecht, they say, is reminiscent of Amsterdam before mass tourism. The university city is 30 minutes by train from the capital. If in doubt, the two cities can also be easily combined. In Utrecht, canals and parks, restaurants, museums and historic buildings provide a varied cityscape. Museum tip: For the interactive Spoorwegmuseum, get on the museum train at the central station and travel straight to the entrance hall of the railroad museum. And if you want to get up high: visit Utrecht Cathedral and admire the city from above: After 465 steps, a unique view beckons. Another highlight is the Speelklok Clock Museum and the Kastel de Haar castle, built in medieval style.

Haarlem

Near the beach, on the banks of the River Spaarne, lies Haarlem. You could spend hours strolling through this typically Dutch city with its windmills, canals and drawbridges. Haarlem is only a quarter of an hour away from the Dutch capital and is known as Amsterdam's little sister. And not without good reason, as Haarlem has just as much to offer as its big sister - but with far fewer tourists. Highlights here definitely include a visit to the old windmill De Adriaan, a tour of the Jopenkerk brewery, a walk along the river and a relaxing day at the beach. If you want a bit more culture, don't miss the Frans Hals Museum with paintings from the 17th century.

We hope you enjoyed our trilogy on 'Visiting hot spots in an eco-friendly way'. Whether it's Venice, Barcelona or Amsterdam, let's visit these great destinations in a socially and environmentally responsible way so that they last for a long time to come.