The 19 things to do in Amsterdam

Visit Amsterdam: What are the best things to do and see in the capital of the Netherlands?

Known for its romantic canals, its mythical Red Quarter, its very intense nightlife, its gabled houses and its artistic heritage, the "Dutch Venice" is absolutely worth visiting at least once in its life.

Between the world-class art and history museums, its famous coffee shops, its mills and its historical monument, there is something to do in Amsterdam. Moreover, it is not a capital like others: Being on a human scale, you can easily visit Amsterdam on foot or by bike, like the locals!

Passing through this magical and crazy capital? Find out what the best things to do and see when visiting Amsterdam!

1. Making a cruise on the canals of Amsterdam

It’s quite cliché of course, but you really have to take a walk on the canals if you come to visit Amsterdam. The cruise takes place in flexibility and relaxation, passing through picturesque buildings and under old stone bridges. During the cruise, a local guide will tell you many stories, legends and historical facts about Amsterdam.

Several types of cruises in Amsterdam exist:

• one which includes a local guide (recommended)
• one
• a combined
• a combined

If you liked to browse these channels, you can continue your trip by visiting the which retraces the history of Amsterdam and explains the usefulness and manufacture of the canals.

Unmissable museums in Amsterdam

Des dozens of museums in Amsterdam are devoted to fine arts, of which the Netherlands has been the pioneers for centuries, but also to the science and history of the city.

Here are the museums you must do if you come to visit Amsterdam:

2. Rijksmuseum

If you’re visiting Amsterdam, don’t expect it to rain to make the Rijksmuseum. With almost 2,500 000 visitors a year, the Rijksmuseum is the most important museum, not just the capital, but the country!

It is through more than 200 exhibition rooms that you can come to admire a vast collection of art, ranging from paintings of the Dutch Golden Century – with paintings from Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, Steen and Hooch – to Asian art objects through the Cuypers library.

3. The Van Gogh Museum

Visiting Amsterdam necessarily includes visiting the Van Gogh Museum. There is so much to see and do in this museum that it is better not to be pressed! 220 paintings, 500 drawings and more than 800 letters – including 652 letters of his intimate correspondence with his brother, Théodore Van Gogh – are exhibited in this museum entirely dedicated to the artist’s life and work.

4. The National Maritime Museum of Amsterdam

The National Maritime Museum of Amsterdam allows you to go back 500 years and discover the maritime history of the city. Rest assured, the visit does not require to have the sea foot. It will allow you to admire the replicas of Dutch flagship warships, as well as maps and boat models.

The historic building of the Dutch arsenal will make you discover works and several authentic documents of the 17th century as well as the Dutch maritime history since the 19th century interactively.

5. The Moco Museum

Do you like modern and contemporary art? The Moco Museum should like you. It is in this museum that you will find the works of Andy Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat , Keith Haring, Daniel Arsham, Banksy or Roy Lichtenstein to quote only them.

You can also discover in the garden of the museum other equally extraordinary works! The opportunity is therefore perfect to discover or rediscover the creations of talented artists.

6. The Heineken Museum

Beer lovers, manifest! The Heineken Museum will let you discover in a few hours the history of the brand but also the process of this unique drink. The must of the visit is obviously the small tasting, where two pints of beer Heineken await you.

7. The Science Museum NEMO

Built on the foundations of the IJ tunnel, the four floors of the NEMO Museum are not only reserved for science fairies, far from there! It attracts the curious of all ages and offers many fun experiences as well as exhibitions!

Little more, the NEMO terrace is transformed during the summer into NEMO Summertime, from which you can have a view of Amsterdam.

8. Maison d’Anne Frank

Learn more about the tragic history of the Jewish community with a visit to Anne Frank’s home, the author of the eponymous newspaper. Prinsengracht 263 was the house on the canal where the girl and her family hid for two years during the Second World War, after fleeing persecution in Germany in 1933.

A library marks the entrance of the unfurnished rooms of the annex in which they lived, supported by the efforts of their friends. Here are Anne Frank’s newspapers. In the new wing, there is a good exhibition on the persecution of Jews during the war, and posters retracing racism, neo-fascism and anti-Semitism.

Entry tickets for Anne Frank’s house are mainly available online on the official website . They must be booked within two months of your stay. A portion of the tickets remains available at the museum entrance every day from 9 a.m. However, the queue is very long.

If you want to learn more about the history of Anne Frank and the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam, we recommend that you do it . This is a 2h French guided tour that retraces Anne Frank’s life. The visit takes you to the secret hiding places of the Second World War and to the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam.

9. The Amsterdam Museum

What to do in Amsterdam when you want to learn more about the city? Go to the Museum of Amsterdam, of course! Located in the old orphanage of the city since 1975, it will allow you to discover the past of the capital of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the present day.

If you are fans of museums, here is a list of other interesting museums to visit in Amsterdam:

• L’
• The
• the FOAM Photography Museum
• The Jewish Historical Museum
• Tropenmuseum

10. Discover the red district of Amsterdam

Take a walk to the famous Red Light District, also called De Wallen or Red Quarter, and see what everyone is talking about... You will be amazed to find much more than prostitutes lit by red neon.

You will notice that houses with red windows are historic buildings, and the beautiful architecture abounds in this neighborhood which is one of the oldest in the city. Its historical significance has been largely overlooked by the popularity of the neighbourhood’s “light-life”: in its heart you will find the Oude Kerk (Vieille Église) established in 1306, as well as the Ons’ Lieve Heer museum ("Our Lord in the attic"), an ancient underground church built in the attic of a house, which bears witness to an era in which the Catholic worship was forbidden, before

There is a guided tour of the neighborhood that lets you know more about its history. Two other visits to the Red Quarter may interest you to go further:

• The visit of the
• The visit of a

11. Go to the discovery of coffee shops

This experience is not a must, although it is in this top, but you should know that a quarter of the travellers enter a coffee shop at least once in their journey. It is allowed in Amsterdam to smoke cannabis, and coffee shops allow you.

These establishments have not transformed the city into a depraved den, far from there: for cannabis smokers, coffee shops are simply alternative coffee shops where you can relax for smoking, yes, but also to take a cup of coffee, and sometimes even eat. Alcohol is not sold in these very special coffees.

12. Siest in the Vondelpark

What to do in Amsterdam when you want a little green? Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the Vondelpark offers a green space away from the bustle and noise of the city. Here you will see people of any age tanning in the sun in the beautiful days, doing sports or simply relaxing.

The park is named after the most famous poet in Amsterdam: Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679). There are sculptures, theatre and the EYE Film Institute, a cinema museum, very nice to do if you come to visit Amsterdam.

13. Rent a bike

Almost everyone rides bikes in Amsterdam, and it’s not just for fun: 50% of the amstellodamese use their bike daily, and at traffic times the bike paths are full of cyclists in ties suits, students going on and parents with their little well sitting on the child seat. Join the inhabitants to have a taste of this daily ritual and visit Amsterdam on its preferred means of transport.

There are bike rental agencies all over the city, you will have no trouble finding them. You can also follow one guided tour by bike .

14. Enter the Begijnhof convent

It is also called Beguinage, a convent of the 14th century that once housed religious brotherhood and freed from the beguines. In the center of the court is the Engelse Kerk the main place of worship for the local English-speaking community.

Situated behind a heavy wooden door on Spui Square, you will find the Begijnhof court. You can feel history and culture there, but do not speak louder than a whisper.

15. climb to the top of theA’DAM Lookout

How to enjoy a beautiful view when visiting Amsterdam? The A’DAM Lookout is an observation platform that will offer you an incomparable panoramic view of Amsterdam. From above, you can see the historic center of the city, its canals and its port.

You will also have access to an interactive exhibition featuring the history and culture of Amsterdam! The entrance ticket to the A’DAM Lookout is included in the .

16. Walk in the alleys of the Albert Cuypmarkt

Want to visit Amsterdam as a local? What if you went to the market? Browse the few 250 lanes of the Albert Cuypmarkt, which is no other than the largest and most popular market in Amsterdam! You will find everything you want: cheese, clothes, local food, shoes...

17. The Royal Palace of Amsterdam (Paleis op de Dam)

Built between 1648 and 1665 by architect Jacob van Campen, this palace is also called Paleis op de Dam. He was originally built to become a city hotel, and remained there until 1808. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, who became king of Holland, then decided to turn him into a palace. Today it serves only official events and receptions and can be visited!

You can admire marble floors, magnificent furniture, paintings, imposing chandeliers as well as sculptures, such as the Atlas which is located in the main room of the Palace.

♪ excursions from Amsterdam

18. Explore the Spring Park Keukenhof

Tulips are one of Holland’s cultural symbols with windmills. If you go to Amsterdam between mid-March and mid-May, you must absolutely plan to go see the millions of tulips in Keukenhof Park. This is the best place in the Netherlands to explore a tulip garden. During this relatively small period of the year, millions of visitors come to visit the park, so it is essential to book in advance your . There are even some .

If you don’t have time to visit Keukenhof, go to the Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam, a flower market floating on the Singel Canal. You will find any type of bulb flowers. To go further, you can visit the botanical garden of Amsterdam ( Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam ) or then visit the Tulip Museum.

19. See windmills Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans looks like an open-air museum with its authentic wooden houses and beautiful windmills. And yet people live there and artisans are every day at work in mills and workshops. Museums include the Zaans Museum. This is included if you take the , which also includes the free ferry from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans.

Several excursions organized from Amsterdam include the visit of Zaanse Schans with a cruise, as well as the villages of Waterland (Volendam and Marken).

How to get to Amsterdam?

Amsterdam is one of these European cities very well served by all types of transport. The majority of airlines (traditional and low-cost) serve Amsterdam and you will not find it hard to find a flight to the Dutch capital. You can also fly at the best price by consulting Ulysses which is a flight comparison.

The train – with the Thalys -, the bus and the car are also good solutions if you go to Amsterdam from France. If you want to go by train, we detail all this in our article on how to Amsterdam by train from Paris .

Where to sleep in Amsterdam?

Loger in Amsterdam is relatively expensive, especially when you decide to stay in the center. The Dutch capital being large enough, with a multitude of neighborhoods. To help you we have made an article to know in which district to house in Amsterdam .

To find where to stay in Amsterdam, you can search this Compare hotels or directly on Airbnb .

How to move to Amsterdam?

The city of Amsterdam has a fairly dense public transport network, including metro, bus, tram, ferry and train lines that allow you to travel throughout the capital and around. You can learn more by reading our article on transport in Amsterdam .

Note that the Amsterdam City Card allows you to take public transport for free and unlimited use on 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours or 96 hours. This map includes free admission to more than 40 museums and tourist attractions in Amsterdam, it is valid for a period of 1-5 days. You can before arriving on site.

As you may know, it is known that one of the best ways to get around in Amsterdam is by bike . Finally, if you come to Amsterdam by car, you will certainly have a bit of trouble finding a parking lot where you park. If so, do not hesitate to read our article on the parking in Amsterdam !