Explore Amsterdam Like An Insider

Saddle up, the local way. Isabelle recommends a sweat session at Rocycle (12 Nieuwe Passeedersstraat; +31-20-369-7074) a sleek spin studio with a cold-press juicery and soothing canal views. It’s just the conditioning you’ll need to prep for pedaling around the most bicycle-friendly capital city in the world—and Conservatorium offers guided city tours using its own private fleet. There are more than 881,000 bicycles zipping around Amsterdam (quadruple the number of cars). The city traces its elaborate cycling network to the 1970s, when a spike in road accidents inspired a series of peaceful protests, urging the government to invest in an alternate form of transport.

Isabelle insists on a stop at Menno Kroon (11 Cornelis Schuystraat; +31-20-679-1950), a high-end floral emporium in Amsterdam’s charming Little Paris neighborhood. Though the main attractions here are undeniably the dramatic blooms—“Menno Kroon’s bouquets are eccentric, seductive, and unforgettable,” says Isabelle—more suitcase-friendly souvenirs exist in the form of handmade vases and intricate candlesticks. The master florist, an internationally recognized Dutch icon, devotes months to crafting an especially elaborate Christmas tableau, which eschews a traditional tree for a collection of unusual branches and gem-like ornaments.

Local classics get the modern spin at Restaurant Floreyn (31 Albert Cuypstraat; +31-20-670-7357), a sophisticated Flemish eatery in De Pijp, considered one of Amsterdam’s more beatnik pockets. Bicycles and water-level indicators hang from the industrial-chic walls, while the kitchen churns out an inventive five-course tasting menu (it changes monthly) which might include savory mille-feuilles, deconstructed mustard soup (a specialty from the northeastern province of Gronigen), or a seasonal veggie-forward take on ice cream, flavored with parsnips and carrots. “They use contemporary techniques to recreate a rich culinary history,” Isabelle says.

Don’t be daunted by the line that curls around the iconic green-and-white striped awning at Café Winkel 43 (43 Noordermarkt; +31-20-623-0223); it’s what you have to brave to tuck into the city’s best apple pie slice, according to Isabelle. Topped with swirly clouds of whipped cream, the deep-dish dessert—considered an indulgent stand-in for breakfast by locals—is best accompanied by a cappuccino. Walk off those buttery calories with a stroll around the surrounding Jordaan neighborhood, chock full of artists’ studios (Rembrandt once made a home here) and flea markets.

From forging swords for the House of Orange, better known as Holland’s royal family, to producing a set of silver keys for Napoleon himself, Bonebakker (Van Baerlestraat; +31-20-673-7577), an 18th century institution that has since expanded to pearls and diamonds, has a truly museum-worthy past. Today, the storied brand claims a contemporary boutique space in Conservatorium Hotel’s Van Baerle Gallery, also home to a cigar shop and Club Cinq, a Dutch children’s clothing and bedding label, showcasing everything from Boucheron and Piaget rings to a bauble collection that’s inspired by the Dutch Crown.