The Netherlands

After just the briefest of visits to the Netherlands, I quickly realised how much the country has to offer. As fun as Amsterdam is – there is so much more to the Netherlands and I loved getting to see both sides to the country.

I visited during a bigger solo trip around Europe and went to visit a friend who I had met in Australia. She was living in Amsterdam and it was the best decision I could have made as she helped me hit all the highlights and more in such a short visit.

48 hours in the Netherlands

Within just 48 hours, we managed to hit up some of the riverfront bars and have a BBQ in the parks after cycling all across the city. We stumbled on a fashion festival in the city and joined in the street party for drinks.

The next day, I went on a group walking tour of the city and got to dive into the history and highlights of what Amsterdam has to offer. Before heading out to an electronic and bass festival which was epic and taking place right by the city.

Leeuwarden for the weekend

I loved Amsterdam and while I enjoyed my visit. I’ll certainly be heading back there in future for a longer stay so I can really explore. But my fleeting visit was cut short as I headed up north to Leeuwarden, a university city. Here I was visiting another travelling friend who was based here for her studies. It was an epic end to my Europe travels for the summer.

This weekend was all about exploring the cute sleepy city. Watching the boats regatta on the river and water-sports as we lounged on the riverbanks. Eating ice cream and wandering the tiny streets. Partying with the university students. Check out this section for guides on everywhere I visited.