For many visitors to Amsterdam, the heart of the city often means wandering through the Red Light District.

But we also see the many picturesque corners with their historic, crooked houses, old fountains, and small squares... and the enchanting garden of the Koffieschenkerij in front of the cozy, repurposed parish rooms of the Oude Kerk.

This oasis, where sunlight filters through the leaves of the trees and a few sparrows chirp among the flowers, is perfect for enjoying coffee and cake.

The Coffee District combines everything coffee lovers dream of - carefully selected specialty coffee, a great selection of delicious fresh pastries, bright spaces in Scandinavian design and a fantastic shop with stylish coffee accessories.

For those who can’t get enough, there are courses on roasting and brewing that can be booked for yourself or a group of friends.

Wandering through Amsterdam’s Jordaan district, a little sustenance is just what you need.

At Breadwinner, hand-rolled sourdough bagels fresh from the stone oven are baked with organic ingredients.

In the small, bright shop with a handful of seats outside, we have our choice of plain sourdough bagels, salted, poppy seed or sesame, onion bagels, jalapeno and cheddar, or two sweet options - cinnamon raisin or chocolate.

We are often asked if we love Amsterdam more than our other favorite - Copenhagen. Thankfully, at the Scandinavian Embassy, we don’t have to choose.

Here, the coffee tastes as exquisite as it does at Noma and the cinnamon rolls are as fragrant and fresh as they are in the far north and yet we find ourselves in the heart of our beloved Amsterdam.