A perfect way to spend a rainy day in AMS

Amsterdam is a wonderfully vibrant city with some of the world’s best architecture, museums, restaurants and parks. I could spend all day strolling the canals, shopping the small boutiques in De 9 Straatjes, and people watching over a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine!) at one of the city’s many outdoor cafés. The weather in Amsterdam can be a bit unpredictable, but rainy afternoons are a perfect time to visit Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam’s botanical gardens, in the city’s Plantage district. It’s been operating for more than 375 years (how incredible is that?!?) and was founded by the city to serve as an herb garden for apothecaries and doctors, first using plants and seeds brought back by traders of the East India Company. Such wonderful history! There is a lovely café that’s worth a stop too, so keep this in mind as a lunch option if you find yourself there mid-day. All of the buildings at Hortus Botanicus are beautiful, but the Palm House will always be my very favorite. In the summer, the palm trees get to spend time outside and the space is used for yoga, concerts and weddings. Swoon! #hortusbotanicus