Exploring Amsterdam’s Parks and Ending the Day Deliciously

Amsterdam is a city known for its canals, museums and narrow streets, but one of the city’s most rewarding assets is its greenery. Also, rolling green spaces are incorporated subtly into everyday life, giving citizens and visitors places to stop, breathe and start over. From wide lawns to peaceful neighbourhood corners, Amsterdam’s parks add a welcome respite from the city’s lively urban tempo.

And if you spend the entire day traversing these green spaces, you get a totally different sense of the city — steady, cool and relaxed. Busy streets give way to walking paths, traffic din gives way to birdsong, and time stretches comfortably by as conversations unspool on benches or shaded lawns. The leisurely pace of walking and fresh air work up an appetite, so that dinner — no matter what it is — ends up feeling purposeful, satisfying, rather than rushed.

This chill walk takes in Vondelpark and its environs, segues through nave faves like Rembrandt Park and Erasmus Park, before spreading out to the bigger cultural spaces of Westerpark. Each park has its own personality, but they link together to create a natural progression across the west side of the city. At the end of a long day, the body is weary and relaxed, and the mind finally gets to clear itself from daily worries — what remains is an appetite for something warm with lots of flavour.

It feels particularly apt to end up near Overtoom at the end of the day. After a day spent outdoors, many visitors crave someplace that is both comfortable and authentic, with deep flavours but without interrupting the casual atmosphere of the day. Here’s where Annapurna Kitchen is a perfect fit — offering a peaceful respite and delicious Indian plates that are made to balance out even the slowest, park-hopping day. A well-cooked dinner here is less about convenience and more about ending the day with something thoughtful, nourishing.