Carlos Poza
Large forest half an hour from downtown
One of the things I most recommend when visiting Amsterdam is to explore the outskirts, specifically Amsterdamse Bos, by bike. After having a beer at one of the most famous mills in the city, we grabbed our bikes and headed out without a set destination. We saw many of the Olympic venues and ended up at this beautiful forest. For a medium-large city like Amsterdam, having such a lush, expansive forest is almost unthinkable. Actually I've never seen anything like it. It even has a lake where you can canoe for up to 10km! There are plenty of green meadows where you can lay out and not see another soul.
In short, you can not go to Amsterdam for more than a few days without visiting the forest in the outskirts. Just grab your bike and head out the door!
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