Hello all - just finishing up three weeks in Amsterdam and wanted to pass along the experience we had in case it's helpful for others.
As we arrived on 25 December, we knew well in advance what we were getting ourselves into and made the decision that we'd come anyway. I'll say at the front that we're usually here in the summers and own an apartment, so it's a city we know well and we have a kitchen to cook in and all that.
So how was it?
As others have said, just about everything is closed - only "essential" stores are open. That means grocery stores, drug stores, and a few other types of stores are open. NOT hardware stores. NOT magazine/news shops, NOT museums. And, as has been reported, NOT restaurants, bars, and cafes for eat-in although many are open for takeway (but many are not open at all). Mass transit is working as it normally is.
So what did we do for three weeks? We took 15-20 km walks every day (and, in answer to a question I posed on another forum, the magic answer for the bathroom problem was this: public libraries, which are indeed open). We tried new recipes. We watched movies and series on TV. We relished in the change of scenery from our small NYC apartment. We saw friends outdoors. But what we really enjoyed were our walks - getting to know even better a beautiful city that already know well. Soaking up the architecture and parks and beautiful bodies of water.
In terms of the COVID logistics, it was very straightforward: while a COVID test was required by the Dutch government to enter the country, it was not checked at any point. Even when we took a short trip to France on the Thalys - where our vaccination cards were check upon arrival by French police - on our return to the Netherlands (where proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is required), there were absolutely no checks.
So, all in all, a wonderful trip. Three weeks spent in a remarkable city, getting to know it in a way we never would have (and haven't) in normal times.
Any questions, feel free to ask.