INSIDER’S GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM
An online travel expert shares his top tips for his favourite city
Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, has done more than his share of travelling the globe since becoming the head of the firm back in 2017. Yet Fogel — who oversees online travel brands such as Booking.com, Priceline, Kayak and OpenTable — says his favourite place to visit is Amsterdam. Here are his top ways to experience the Dutch capital.
What I love about Amsterdam
I first visited the city in 1983 as a student. Amsterdam is a city of contrasts, which is one of my favourite things about it. It is incredibly international, but geographically small. It’s a tourism hub, but also a centre for business and tech in the region. There’s so much happening, but it runs at a more relaxed pace than many other major cities.
Where to go after you land
If I am coming in the early morning from New York, I head to my accommodation and get a workout in — either at the hotel gym or, weather permitting, I’ll run in Vondelpark (Amsterdam-Zuid borough). I like to mix up where I stay.
Best place for team meetings
The Booking.com headquarters on the Herengracht canal has some of the best views of Amsterdam and any spot on its outdoor terrace is a great place to meet. My favourite vantage point is the lookout over Nemo, the architecturally striking science museum in the Oosterdokseiland neighbourhood, and Het Scheepvaartmuseum (The Maritime Museum), which has a line of replica and restored ships dating back to 1818 anchored at its jetty. It’s tough to beat.
A fun spot for team outings
The best way to see Amsterdam is on the water. Teams across the business book boats for outings, picking up bitterballen (breaded and fried balls of meaty gravy) or other snacks along the way, and docking at Hannekes Boom (Dijksgracht) for drinks.
Something only insiders know
Many people don’t realise that there are beaches just 20 minutes from Amsterdam. We recently met the team in the town of Noordwijk, which has enormous dunes, flower fields and stretches of wide beach.
A recent find
My wife discovered a lesser-known museum recently: Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (opsolder.nl) (Our Lord in the Attic Museum, Oudezijds Voorburgwal), which is a 17th-century canal house that holds a church in its upper three floors that dates back to the 1660s and the “schuilkerk” period, when Catholics and other religious groups were not able to practise openly.
Best dinner splurge
I’ve had some incredible meals in Amsterdam, including Rijks (Museumstraat), de Kas (Kamerlingh Onneslaan) and Bougainville (Dam). But one of my favourite things about the city is the plethora of understated bistros and cafés with outstanding food and wines, into which I can easily walk with a colleague for a quick bite.
Biggest misconception
A lot is said about the Red Light District and other popular recreational activities, but there’s much more to this city. I often find people don’t know that Amsterdam is a big tech and commerce centre.
The international talent pool and strong infrastructure connections to the rest of Europe and the globe, including the train network and Schipol airport, are a huge advantage for global businesses. I’m proud that Booking.com has maintained its presence in the city, and there are a number of other major tech companies, including Netflix, Uber and many more, that have chosen to prioritise Amsterdam.
Best way to get around
Locals will tell you biking is the best way to get around, but I suggest that most visitors leave the bike lanes to the experts.
Keep an eye out
When visiting Amsterdam, one should always be looking in all directions and be aware of the bike rules and tram rules to stay safe. But one should also look down. There are tens of thousands of brass-plated cobblestones, known as Stolpersteine, that have been placed in the sidewalks around the city to commemorate former Jewish residents, and others, who died in Nazi death camps. The plaques are in front of the murdered people’s homes. More than any museum to me, they are reminders of the past, a past we must never forget.