Amsterdam & Brussels Weekend Itinerary
- Josi Hicks
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
Amongst the solo trips I took during my time abroad was a weekend trip to Amsterdam and Brussels. If you're looking to knock out two countries in one trip, then this is the itinerary for you.
Back in February, I spent a long weekend checking the Netherlands and Belgium off of my bucket-list. In reflection (and to remain totally transparent), this ended up being one of my lesser loved trips, but it was memorable nonetheless.
My Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 – Friday | Florence → Amsterdam
5:00 AM – Train from Florence to Pisa
9:00 AM – Flight from Pisa to Amsterdam
11:00 AM – Arrived in Amsterdam
12:00 PM – Attempted metro → uncomfortable encounter → called a Bolt
1:00 PM – Dropped bag at Hans Brinker Hostel (early)
1:30 PM – Wandered the canals
2:00 PM – Van Gogh Museum
3:00 PM – Hostel check-in
3:30 PM – Fabel Friet fries + cookie croissant at Lourens
5:30 PM – Anne Frank House + Introductory Program
8:00 PM – Early night
Day 2 – Saturday | Amsterdam Full Day
9:00 AM – Walked through Jordaan District
10:00 AM – TFIOS bench + photos
10:30 AM – Winkel 43 apple pie + chocolate rum
12:00 PM – Begijnhof courtyard
1:00 PM – Royal Palace + Flower Market + stroopwafel
2:00 PM – Mouse Mansion + vintage shopping at Episode
8:00 PM – Red Light District Pub Crawl
2:00 AM – Back to hostel
Day 3 – Sunday | Amsterdam → Brussels
5:30 AM – Wake up for 7:00 AM train
6:15 AM – Dropped at wrong station → don't panic
7:30 AM – Last-minute bus to Brussels
10:00 AM – Arrived in Brussels + dropped bag at Meininger Hostel
10:30 AM – Maison Dandoy waffle
11:30 AM–4:00 PM – Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Galeries Royales
7:00 PM – Asleep (yes, really)
Day 4 – Monday | Brussels → Florence
1:00 AM – Wake up + pack
3:10 AM – Uber to bus station
3:40 AM – Airport shuttle bus
6:30 AM – Flight to Milan Bergamo
9:45 AM – Bus into Milan
10:35 AM – Train back to Florence
Day 1: Friday | Florence → Amsterdam
I began my weekend bright and early, catching a 5:00 AM train from Florence to Pisa to make my 9:00 AM flight. I landed in Amsterdam around 11:00 AM and attempted to navigate the public transportation system into the city center.
Storytime! I had a room booked at Hans Brinker Hostel (a centrally located spot popular with young travelers) but before I even got there, I had my first and only uncomfortable solo travel encounter: a man approached me at the metro station asking for money with a photo of his “family.” When I declined and tried to walk away, he followed me—up a flight of stairs—shouting “Three, please!” and ultimately spit in my face. It was unsettling, and in that moment I realized: sometimes, spending a bit more for safety is worth it. So I called a Bolt and skipped the metro entirely.
After dropping my backpack at Hans Brinker (check-in wasn’t until 3 PM), I did what I came to Amsterdam to do: see the canals. Despite the rocky start, being surrounded by the architecture and water was like walking into a painting I’d pictured for years.
Since I had time to kill, I headed to the Van Gogh Museum—tip: normally you should book this in advance, but I risked it as it was off-season (February), and snagged a ticket just an hour prior.
By 3:00 PM, I checked into the hostel, dropped off my stuff, and began my food tour of Amsterdam:
Fabel Friet – famous for their fries with dipping sauces (worth the long line!)
Lourens – where I finally got to try the viral cookie croissant (after missing out in Paris, I knew I had to try it here). Calories don’t count when you walk 20k+ steps a day!
At 5:30 PM, I headed to the most important and impactful experience of my trip: the Anne Frank House. I did the additional Introductory Program beforehand, which was a helpful refresher on the history and provided deeper context. You tour the house (which is really in a factory) using a self-guided audio experience, room by room. There are no photos allowed inside, so I sadly don't have much to show for this experience, but it was heavy and powerful—similar in impact to visiting Auschwitz (which I did later during my 48 Hours in Krakow)—and made this entire trip worth it.
Pro Tip: When booking tickets to visit the Anne Frank House, it is important to book your timeslot well in advance. I booked my tickets approximately 1 month before traveling to Amsterdam.
Afterward, physically and somewhat emotionally drained from the day, I called it an early night to energize for another full day of exploring.
Day 2: Saturday | Amsterdam Full Day
This was my explore, snack, and shop day. I spent the morning walking around the Jordaan District:
Took photos of the canals and stopped by the TFIOS bench
Tried the legendary apple pie at Winkel 43, with their chocolate rum (a must-try)
Afternoon wandering included:
A quick stroll through Begijnhof, a quiet courtyard hidden in the city
A walk past the Royal Palace
Browsing the Flower Market and quirky Mouse Mansion shop
Grabbing a hot stroopwafel to keep me fueled
I also did some vintage shopping and scored an incredible fur coat at Episode Amsterdam—a top-notch secondhand spot that I found in both Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
That night, I signed up for the Red Light District Pub Crawl (via Ultimate Party)—which my hostel recommended. It was... fine. The nightlife was energetic, but seeing the Red Light District in person left me uneasy. While I have no judgement, it was hard to reconcile the experience with the charming, romantic vibe I had felt earlier in the day. In restrospect, it honestly cast a bit of a shadow over my perception of Amsterdam.
I did, however, make some lovely Finnish friends (s/o Eerika, Ella, Pyry, Aino, and Joni!). We called it a night around 2 AM, which in European terms, is practically early.
Day 3: Sunday | Travel Drama → Brussels
Wake-up: 5:30 AM. Goal: Catch a 7:00 AM train to Brussels. Reality: My Bolt driver dropped me off at the wrong station, despite my insisting that I needed Amsterdam Zuid. I ended up at some empty metro stop that barely qualified as a station.
In a panic, I booked a last-minute bus via Omio, leaving an hour later. Thankfully, my next Bolt driver knew exactly where to go. Travel hiccups happen—especially solo. We adjust as we must.
I arrived in Brussels around 10 AM, dropped my bag at Meininger Hotel, and immediately set out for what I came for: A real Belgian waffle. First stop: Maison Dandoy. It was phenomenal.
The rest of the day included:
Wandering Grand Place
Seeing the tiny yet iconic Manneken Pis
Exploring the elegant Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
Witnessing a peaceful protest—a reminder that major European cities are often platforms for expression
After a few hours, I realized: Brussels is cute, but small. I didn’t feel like there was much else to do solo, and I was already exhausted. With my grandma tendencies, I was asleep by 7 PM—but I needed the rest for what came next.
Day 4: Monday | Brussels → Florence
1:00 AM wake-up → pack → shower → get ready by 2:30 AM & get out of the hostel.
Took a 3:10 AM Uber → 3:40 AM bus → 6:30 AM flight to Milan Bergamo→ 9:45 AM bus into Milan → 10:35 AM train back to Florence.
Lesson learned: book flights closer to city centers or plan for extra travel time. Navigating late-night transportation in foreign cities solo is... character-building, to say the least. Especially when there's a language barrier.
Final Thoughts
Would I do this exact trip again? No.
Would I go to Amsterdam again? Yes—but with friends, and ideally in tulip season (April).
Would I go to Brussels again? Probably not. If I return to Belgium, it’ll be Bruges, which I’ve heard better reflects the beauty of Belgium.
While this wasn’t my favorite weekend abroad, I’m still glad I went. I checked off some major bucket list experiences like:
The Anne Frank House
The Fault in Our Stars Bench (5th grade me is screaming)
Real Belgian waffles + more tasty treats
Amsterdam canals
& two new countries!
Solo travel isn’t always glamorous—but even the mishaps make memories.
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