Work Hard & Play Hard at IIeX in Amsterdam

The Insight Innovation Exchange is being held in Europe for the first time ever this week in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. The conference itself will be keeping everyone (including our very own Carol Fitzgerald & Nina Bethmann, who will be speaking) busy. The 2 days are jam-packed with presentations and workshops and the website repeatedly reminds attendees that it’ll be "a lot of hard work”. But, we also know that those who work in MR like to have fun. Browsing through #IIeX on Twitter yesterday before the conference began, it seemed like everyone was looking for something to do or a place to meet up. So, if you’ve decided to spend a few extra days in the city after the conference, we did all the work for you and came up with our own list of the top 5 things to do in Amsterdam. See them below:

1. Visit a local brewery and grab a beer.
It seemed like the first place everyone wanted to go to after landing was the pub. As one of the largest beer makers in the world, Amsterdam is home to an old Heineken brewery as well as several great micro-breweries. So why not take a tour and find out where your drink is coming from.

2. Warm up with some traditional Dutch cuisine.
During the winter, the Dutch turn to comfort food for warmth. So run into the closest restaurant and order up some stampot (food stamped together in a pot – think mashed potatoes with different add-ons) and fondue.

3. Take a boat tour of the canals.
According to this pic tweeted yesterday, it doesn't seem like the canals have frozen over this winter. Yes it is winter, but the canals are a must-see in Amsterdam so layer up and take advantage!

4. Visit an art museum.
Another good activity for the winter time, not to mention that Amsterdam is home to the greatest collection of Dutch art and history. Some of the big-name museums include the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk, and the Van Gogh Museum.

5. Go shopping.
No, really. Every week, markets are held in different locations in Amsterdam. Not only can you get free food and drinks, but the flea markets are great places to find souvenirs you won’t be able to find anywhere else.