Ah, Amsterdam — the city of cannabis cafes, picturesque canals, great coffee, a famous Red Light district, and… good fries? Fries aren’t the first thing that comes to our minds when it comes to Amsterdam, but after we reached out to Bravo’s Dani Soares of Below Deck Sailing Yacht fame, eating fried potatoes while watching boats drift gently down a canal is all that we can think about. Put us down for french fries, pancakes, and exploration in Amsterdam as soon as the pandemic is over and we’re all vaccinated.
“Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world,” Soares tells Uproxx. “The vibe is just so welcoming and the people are so accepting. You can be who you want and enjoy great wine or a handcrafted cocktail while feeling safe and enjoying the great atmosphere.”
Soares — who holds the position of second stewardess on Below Deck Sailing Yacht‘s Parsifal III — may be new to the limelight, but as her Instagram shows, she’s no stranger to traveling the world. In fact, she happened upon her eight-year career in yachting while “dock walking” during a visit to France.
With travel looking more and more viable in mid-to-late 2021, we asked Dani Soares for her ideal post-pandemic travel spot and she provided us with a guide for a perfect Amsterdam experience — whether you’re hitting the Dutch city for just a day or taking a full-on vacation in Holland.
What is the best breakfast spot in Amsterdam?
Believe it or not, Amsterdam is well known for its pancakes — mostly the thin kind, like a crepe but also nice fluffy American style pancakes as well. Pancake Amsterdam has quite a few restaurants all over the city and I absolutely love it, would have my breakfast there every morning if I could.
What is the best way to enjoy the outdoors in Amsterdam?
When here, you need to grab a bicycle and go experience it like the locals. Cycle towards Leiden, an amazing little town full of students and great cafés and you’ll experience all the flowers and a little bit of the Dutch countryside.
What is one thing everyone visiting Amsterdam must experience?
Two things that are very “touristy” but also super cool: Visiting the Heineken Factory to learn how the world-famous beer was created and crafted. Also, a Pub Crawl around the Red Light District. There are companies providing this service and they will take you around famous bars, along the way you can take in all the unique sights of the Red Light District.
What is your favorite thing to do in Amsterdam?
Explore
The city has an amazing mix of cultures and the buildings have so much history with some of the coolest bars and restaurants anywhere. It is also my favorite city for shopping for local brands and unique clothing that you can only find in Amsterdam.
Where is the best late-night dinner spot in Amsterdam?
Make sure you have fries with mayo from one of the many Vlaams Friteshius Vleminckx locations around the city after a night out. I swear these taste different than fries everywhere else.
What is the best bar or club someone visiting Amsterdam must go to? (after covid of course)
Tales & Spirits
My friend and I found this super cool cocktail bar called Tales & Spirits. As the name suggests, every cocktail comes with a little story and if you make it there, ask for a cocktail called “Barbie in the Bathtub.” It’s not on the menu but they’ll make it for you and I promise you’ll love it!
What is your fondest/funniest/most impactful memory from visiting Amsterdam?
Hunting for fries
People in Amsterdam are crazy about their fries! There are loads of little stores that all sell fries with mayo. One day my friend and I decided to have a girl’s night out and ended up getting too drunk and lost and were desperate to find some fries. We spent close to 30 minutes looking for a place to get fries, and we finally found one and it was the best fries I’ve ever had ever.
That was an amazing night with just the girls just having fun and enjoying ourselves!
Check out more of Dani’s adventures below
Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs on Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo.