Returning ten years after my first visit, I was surprised that I had left it so long and why was I only staying for three days...this was never going to be enough time to do everything!  Initial impressions are important and one of the things I really like about Amsterdam is the ease in which you can travel to the city centre.

While some cities build their airports so far out of town that you feel you have arrived in a different country, Amsterdam's Schipol Airport is a swift and comfortable 15 minute train journey from the city centre. 

And the second thing I like is the fact that Amsterdam is one of those cities blessed with an abundance of hotels, which suit all budgets.

This city loves people...why else would it have so many pedestrianised areas which makes shopping a pleasure and believe me this is a great shopping city for both men and women at prices which are on average 15-20 per cent cheaper than the UK. 

Dam Square is as good a place as any to start, where you will find two department stores to choose from and leading off the square are cobbled streets, which offer an abundance of individual boutiques.  Just behind the Royal Palace is one of my favourite places, the Magna Plaza.  This is one of the most beautiful buildings in Amsterdam and until some years ago housed the main Post Office.  Today it is the home of trendy clothing stores and unusual gift and gadget shops.  If you are in need of a label fix then head for P.C. Hoofstraat where you will find designer boutiques conveniently situated along one street.

When it comes to dining out, once again you will be spoilt for choice.  Amsterdam offers the full spectrum of fare from traditional Dutch brown cafes through to five star gourmet restaurants.  But my favourite Amsterdam speciality is the rijsttafel, originally Indonesian, it has now become part of Dutch culture.  The meal consists of many different dishes so make sure you sit at a large table!  The various plates are brought in a steady succession and jostle for space.  Over the course of the meal you will probably taste more than a dozen different dishes of a mixture of fish, vegetables, chicken and meat.  The spiciness varies from mild to hot but the mixture of Asian flavours is unforgettably delicious.

For a weekend break I can't think of a more attractive city than Amsterdam, the Dutch are very welcoming and almost everyone speaks English.  It's also a city with a wonderfully preserved historic centre and because the trams are extremely efficient and cheap, it's a city which is a pleasure to travel around. 

Three days turned out to be definitely not enough time to do everything so I returned to Amsterdam just two months later...trying to fit in all the things I didn't get around to the pervious visit.  So my final piece of advice is...
"Plan your weekend well or you too will run out of time!"