Sitting down at one of Amsterdam’s street-side cafes and enjoying a beer reveals more than bikes and the incredible number of European wasps.
The quiet, for a start. Cars are restricted by the number of canals – and most of them are electric. The cabs certainly are. Then you notice the lack of ugly high-rises poking their noses over proceedings. Strict zoning and historical preservation rules keep average building heights in the centre at 4 to 5 storeys.
Pity SA’s premier does not even understand the word heritage. How many bikes is he talking about, you might wonder. There are more than 1.2 million of them and Amsterdam has roughly 400 to 500 km (about 250 to 320 miles) of dedicated bicycle paths and lanes.
More than a third of all trips in Amsterdam are completed on two wheels. It is estimated that 490,000 cyclists take to the road to cycle 2 million kilometres every day…so you can see the importance of looking both ways before crossing a street. None of them wears helmets, by the way. Yes, you do see kids cycling while watching their phone – no fines involved, however.
Rijksmuseum grandeur proves Amsterdam’s quiet side speaks volumes
Today we got a cab to the Rijksmuseum – an incredibly stunning building that (yes folks, bikes again) has a track running right through its centre. We saw famed masterpieces like Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, his self-portrait, and a favourite of mine – van
Gogh’s The Wheat Field. A wonderful way to spend a morning, but remember you have to book tickets online.
By: Ian McIntosh – © 2026.
Read Time: 2 minutes.
Author Bio:
Veteran journalist and publisher Ian McIntosh has spent a lifetime exploring the world and sharing its wonders. As the founder of Travelnews Australia, his nationally distributed, full-colour travel trade publication earned the esteemed Telstra Business Award.
Though now retired, Ian remains a passionate globetrotter with a soft spot for small-ship cruising and discovering good-value hotels across Europe. His most recent adventure involved a rather enthusiastic Thai elephant named Bo, who promptly deposited him into a pond.
A true storyteller at heart, Ian continues to travel with humour, curiosity, and an unwavering love for the road less travelled.
