The Delightful European City Rick Steves Recommends Visiting To Engage Your Senses

Rick Steves has been giving travelers advice on where to go and what to see on their vacations for decades now. It's all incredibly helpful, with tips and tricks, tourist traps to avoid, and hidden gems to visit. However, sometimes his advice goes deeper than that, gifting us with ways to make whatever spot we visit — at home or abroad — more meaningful. One fantastic piece of wisdom he has is to engage your senses so you're not just snapping pictures and moving on. On his website, he says, "Good travelers travel with all their senses, taking in a place's sights, sounds, and flavors to get the full experience." In this case, he's speaking about the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and he offers some fantastic tips for having a sensory experience there. To start off, he recommends checking out this famous city by bike. Amsterdam is considered the bike capital of the world, after all, and a set of wheels is easy to rent for a few hours or a few days. This is a flat city, Steves explains, and cycling is how many locals get around. 

Steves suggests allowing yourself to feel the road beneath you, and let yourself take in the sights and sounds of the city instead of having it all whiz by from a rental car. You have time to see the area, listen to the bells of other bikes, and really experience where you are. Of course, walking is another way to do just this, though avoid the common mistake of packing uncomfortable shoes. If you choose to get around on foot, note that the city's public transport system makes it easy. In fact, the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is only around 10 miles from the city, and there are trains and buses connecting the two.

In addition to touring the city, Rick Steves recommends visiting locations with a view. He says, "You can get a grand view of this flat city on a tour of the tower of Westerkerk, Amsterdam's landmark church." You can also visit a bar called LuminAir. This spot has a Skybar and terrace to view the sights of Amsterdam while you sip a cocktail from its "Menu of Colors," featuring colorful drinks that are supposed to mirror the colors of the sky. For more libations, take the Heineken Experience brewery tour. While Steves says it attracts mostly a younger crowd, it's worth going, whatever your age. A two-hour tour includes three tasty drinks and ends with a rooftop bar view. You can also end the tour with a one-hour canal cruise for a completely different view. Alternatively, Steves suggests visiting the House of Bols for its Cocktail Experience. You'll learn about the liquor they make, take a scent test to engage your olfactory senses, and even design your own cocktail at a workshop. Then, a mixologist will make it for you to taste. (You can get a combo ticket for the Bols Experience and the Moco Museum to experience works from Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and more.)

Food is another great way to slow down and let your senses take over. One thing Steves says you should try is rijsttafel, which means "rice table," and it's a take on an Indonesian feast with multiple yummy dishes to sample. He also recommends trying out Dutch street food like herring with pickles and onions, and, of course, fries. 

Amsterdam has incredible museums, and there are a number of them to explore. Rick Steves recommends the famous Van Gogh Museum, which allows you to see the paintings of the famous Dutch artist. It also works with senses in a wonderful way, taking part in the Sunflower Lanyard program, which alerts staffers to people with hidden disabilities and sensory issues. Steves also mentions the visually striking Stedelijk Museum of modern and contemporary art, which he describes as "really fun." (The nickname for this place is "the bathtub," and it really looks like one.) He also cheekily mentions that, if you're interested in trying the mind-altering substance available in the city's "coffeeshops," he "can't think of a better space than the Stedelijk in which to enjoy its effects."

Noticing the sounds of a city can also be an engaging way to experience it, and the travel guru suggests visiting the Concertgebouw, the classical music hall on the Museumplein square. This place offers top-notch concerts for free, along with several other places in Amsterdam. It doesn't have to be formal, however. Steves mentions visiting Vondelpark, the largest park in the city, which often has free concerts at its bandstand and open-air theater (there's also a playground, a restaurant, and lots of green space to relax in). "A free summer concert is my aural dessert," Steves writes.

In a way, this all comes back to being mindful, and even echoes mindfulness practices that help you feel more connected to your environment. Wherever you are, from across the ocean to a museum in your own hometown, slowing down and engaging your senses can help you make real and lasting memories that don't require a look back at your social media posts to recall them.