Amsterdam is renowned across the globe for its rich history, beautiful architecture and is a city with loads of fun things to do and see for everyone.
With a history spanning nearly 1,000 years, Amsterdam offered many attractions that appealed to us such as picturesque streets, a variety of museums and ancient churches and castles to name a few.
The following guide will ensure that you are well prepared to make the most of your time in the Netherlands’ capital city!
*This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
1) Spend an afternoon at Vondelpark
The largest and most famous park in Amsterdam, Vondelpark is a popular area for people to gather with many cool activities on offer. We made our way here by bike and found the park itself had many bike lanes which allowed us to enjoy a leisurely cycle and take in the stunning scenery.
We took time to relax on the grass next to a pond and enjoyed the sunny weather whilst reading and listening to music which was a nice way to recharge in between sightseeing. At certain times of the year, it is common to see live concerts and dance performances in the open-air theatre and they are free of charge so this is something to look into upon arrival!
2) Visit the Van Gogh Museum
Located next to Vondelpark is the Vincent Van Gogh Museum and this was one of our favorite attractions in the city during our visit. This features the largest collection in the world from the artist and includes over 200 paintings, 400 drawings and 700 authentic letters.
We were completely immersed in the experience and spent nearly two hours in the museum appreciating the works on display and learning all about Van Gogh’s life as well as several other subjects from 19th century art history.
Tickets cost 20 euro per person with those under 18 years old getting free admission.
3) Go On A Boat Ride Down The Canal
A boat ride down the picturesque canals of Amsterdam is the perfect way to spend your afternoon or evening.
As we cruised down the canals, our boat captain shared interesting facts about Amsterdam as we drank wine and snacked on a cheese plate. It really was a great way to see more of the city and learn about some of the history.
Tours typically last about 1-2 hours and prices range from about $20-35 dollars. There are many different tour companies, but we recommend the one below!
Highlights
- 5 star rating on viator (with almost 30,000 reviews)
- Includes cheese platter and unlimited beer, wines, and soft drinks
- Hilarious and knowledgeable guides
4) Visit The House Of Anne Frank
One of the Netherlands’ most famous museums, the house of Anne Frank is a biographical museum detailing her time hiding from the Nazi’s along with her family and several others where she wrote her world-famous diary.
The story will be told to you through audio, pictures, as well as original items from the secret annex where they lived. You will have access to roam through all the rooms except for the attic which can be observed using a mirror.
The museum is located next to a canal called the Prinsengracht in the center of the city with tickets costing 16 euro for an adult and we recommend booking your tickets online at least 6 weeks in advance.
This was a daunting and thought-provoking piece of history that we feel is important for everyone to see during their trip to Amsterdam.
5) See The Colorful Tulip Fields
If you’re visiting Amsterdam between mid-April through mid-May, visiting the beautiful tulip fields is sure to be a highlight of your trip. These colorful flowers give a nice vibrancy to the city.
One of the most popular places to visit is the Keuenhof Gardens, located just a short drive from the city, where you can see millions of colorful tulips.
We visited Amsterdam in January and June, so we were never fortunate enough to see the tulip fields, but it is a bucket list opportunity we hope to see soon!
Book It: Keukenhof Ticket & Transport from Amsterdam Station(Guide option)
6) Rent Bikes
The lack of hills and plentiful cycle lanes made Amsterdam the best city to travel by bike that we have been to so far.
We had great fun exploring the city this way and found it to be a great way to save money as opposed to taxis and buses. We came across many vendors who rented out bicycles during our stay and it cost each of us just 10 euro to rent for the day along with a refundable deposit of 30 euro.
We were able to travel quickly to a few popular sightseeing destinations as we weaved through the narrow, unique streets of the ‘Bike Capital of the World.’
In addition to being an inexpensive and productive way to travel, there were also various cycle-friendly parks around the city where we were able to enjoy riding our bikes. Unfortunately, bicycle theft is very common in Amsterdam so be sure to get a high-quality bike lock included with your rental.
You can rent bikes on your own, but if you’re looking for more of a guided experience where you can learn about Amsterdam’s history and see historic sites, check out this highly rated tour on viator!
7) Get food at the Foodhallen
The Foodhallen is an indoor market that offers a diverse variety of food as well as a cool atmosphere that is perfect for grabbing lunch or dinner during your time in the city.
It features over 20 different stalls which include food from various countries making it a foodie hotspot that is suitable for all preferences. This is also a lovely spot to get a drink and is reasonable priced compared to elsewhere in Amsterdam.
It is located a little bit outside the city center, but is well worth the walk/cycle and on Saturdays there is a DJ who plays which creates an fun party atmosphere that is worth checking out.
8) Take A Tour To The Windmills Of Zaanse Schans
While not technically located in Amsterdam, taking a trip out to the windmills of Zaanse Scahns was one of my favorite things we did on our trip!
Zaanse Schans is located about 20 minutes outside of Amsterdam and is known for it’s many windmills and wooden houses that had been relocated from northern Holland.
Not only did we get to stroll around the beautiful town, but we also got to go inside a windmill and learn what some of them were once used for (like crushing grain).
Taking a trip into the Dutch countryside was the perfect was to spend the afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and we were able to learn about Dutch culture.
Not only did our tour consist of a visit to the windmills, but we also visit a clog workshop where we learned how the traditional wooden clogs are made and a trip to a cheese shop demonstrating the making of cheese.
Highlights
- Top rated company with amazing reviews on viator
- Includes a live clog making demonstration and cheese making presentation
- Visit the scenic town of Zaanse Schans and explore inside a windmill
9) Visit a ‘coffee shop’
Although possession of cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands, the law is not enforced in Amsterdam and licensed coffee shops are permitted to sell cannabis and hashish. The shops are easily identifiable because they have a green and white license sticker on the window.
The price and strength of cannabis strains can vary and the budtenders were very helpful with any questions we had. Pre-rolled joints are a popular choice among tourist but locals have told us that better quality and value can be found from buying flower and rolling it yourself. There are many sights and activities to enjoy after smoking and Amsterdam’s Street food did not disappoint when the munchies kicked in.
10) Visit the Oude Kerk Gothic Church
The Oude Kerk Church is the oldest building in the city and is a piece of history that you must see. Today, the inside of the Oude Kerk church is an art museum which we were a little disappointed to learn as we could not fully appreciate the internal architecture of the of the church due to the exhibits.
The museum offers a lot if you are really into contemporary art, but we recommend grabbing a coffee and taking a walk around the outside to enjoy the view of stunning 700 year old church.
11) Explore the Rijksmuseum
If you are keen to see and learn about the Netherland’s art and history, then the Rijksmuseum is a great way to spend an afternoon.
The museum is contained within a beautiful building and consists of four levels that are packed with a collection of over 8000 works of art. During our visit we also learned a lot about Dutch history from the Middle Ages up to the 21st century and found all of the staff very helpful as we made our way through the exhibits.
There are also several guided tours on offer but if you decide to go solo, we recommend allocating a couple of hours in the museum as there is so much to see!
It is located right next to the Van Gogh Museum and admission costs $25 per person.
12) Tour the Johan Cruyff Stadium
Being the main stadium in the Dutch capital and home to the famous AFC Ajax, this is a great excursion to do for anyone interested in soccer or modern architecture. There is a stadium tour to take part in which will take you around many parts of the arena and provide you with a history of the AFC Ajax soccer team through their impressive museum.
We were free to move at our own pace and all the staff were extremely helpful and had great stories to tell. Also, if it is not a matchday, you can gain even access to the dressing rooms which we found very cool.
We recommend travelling to the stadium from the city center via the metro line 54 subway as tickets cost only 2 euro and we arrived there in less than 30 mins.
