Once you’ve hit the inevitable tourist haunts in the Museumplein like the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, hop on your bike and head over to the canal belt for something a little fresher. Located in a striking canal house on the Keizersgracht, Foam’s museum has as many as four different photography exhibitions on display at any one time. While you can certainly find impressive retrospectives of artists like Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon here, Foam is dedicated to showcasing the works of budding photographers. On your way out, snag a copy of Foam’s quarterly magazine – it makes a far better souvenir than a postcard.

Knock off a whole lot of culture in one go, as the Museum Van Loon is just across the canal from Foam. Named after the family who occupied the house from the 1800s, the canal house museum is a beautifully preserved example of how the Dutch aristocracy lived. While there are always interesting exhibitions on at the Van Loon Museum, the real draw is the house itself. Step through the door and back into the Dutch golden age.

There is really no better way to see the city than from the canals. Don’t have friends in Amsterdam to shuttle you around in their sloep? No matter. Be bold and navigate yourself through Amsterdam’s waterways with either Mokumboat or Sloep Delen. If you’re not comfortable steering solo but still want your sea legs, The Pulitzer Hotelruns a dreamy canal cruise on its own beautiful salon boat.

This old timer of the Amsterdam coffeeshop scene is friendly, cosy and winner of the prestigious High Times Cup award. Located inside a 500-year-old building on Haarlemmerstraat, this local favourite is styled like an old apothecary and each table offers a veritable feast of paraphernalia including vaporisers and digital menus. For a slightly more hectic experience, head down the road to Barney’s Uptown, a “smoker friendly” bar with loud music, cocktails and delicious burgers. Though, quite honestly, everything tastes delicious at this point.

The exterior of this corner café is a mural paying homage to Amsterdam’s artistic hero, Vincent Van Gogh. The interior is contrastingly holistic, draped in a paranoia-inducing amount of greenery and giant crystals. The family-run spot has been around since the early 1980s, and, has a decidedly relaxed vibe to it. In the summer months stretch out on their canal-side terrace and watch life go by.

Aside from that one time someone left the bathroom door open as they vomited up their hash brownie, Dampkring is one of the most pleasant coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Clean (again, other than that one time) brick-walled and run by the smiliest of staff, it’s a refreshing step up from some of the more heady spots in the city. Bulldog, we’re talking about you. Head to the vintage shops on Haarlemmerstraat beforehand to pick up beautiful coats, silk scarves and leathers. Or head there afterwards to pick up green felt hats, glittery bandanas, wooden Buddha key rings and all of the other things that seem like a good idea when you’re high.

It’s pretty hard to get a seat in this glowing, elegant little coffeeshop. But once you do, you’ll be glued there for hours. Trust us.

Compact and cosy, Grey Area is nestled right in the heart of De 9 Straatjes – a dreamy tangle of boutiques and vintage shops. When shopping for antique sketches and chandeliers gets the most of you, head to this pleasant little spot for friendly staff and a clear-cut smoking menu. If it’s good enough for Snoop Dogg and Lou Reed, it’s good enough for us…