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Things to Do in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Plan language: EnglishMost popular attractions in Amsterdam, Netherlands
The top things to do in Amsterdam, Netherlands include exploring world-class museums like the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, just steps from each other. Walk through Vondelpark's 47 hectares, a perfect urban escape. Visiting the Anne Frank House offers a profound historical experience within walking distance of Dam Square.
1. Rijksmuseum
Home to Rembrandt, Vermeer and Dutch Golden Age masterpieces, the Rijksmuseum brings centuries of art to life. Walk grand galleries from the Night Watch to Delftware and the sculpture garden.
Quick facts: Walking through the museum's halls feels like stepping into a masterclass of Dutch art, featuring iconic works that have shaped European culture. The grand building itself is a blend of Gothic and Renaissance styles, housing over one million objects that cover an eclectic range of history and art.
Highlights: One quirky tradition in the museum involves a hidden gallery in the library where staff secretly paint whimsical scenes over the centuries-old book shelves. Also, there are exactly 8,000 objects in the collection, but only 1,200 are on display, each room scented subtly with different aromas to enhance the experience, like chocolate near the Dutch Golden Age paintings.
2. Anne Frank House
A moving, personal window into life in hiding during WWII. Walk the secret annexe, see original diary pages, and feel the human story.
Quick facts: Visitors often stand silently in the secret annex, feeling the palpable tension and hope that filled the hidden rooms. The museum contains Anne's original diary pages, providing a deeply personal glimpse into her life and the broader human experience during wartime.
Highlights: The secret annex where eight people hid for over two years is so small that some rooms are only 7 feet wide, and you can still see the original bookcase that cleverly concealed the entrance. Visitors often describe the eerie silence interrupted by the faint creaks of wooden floors, making the experience feel like stepping back into the tense, hidden world of 1940s Amsterdam.
3. Van Gogh Museum
See the world's largest Van Gogh collection up close. Experience iconic paintings like Sunflowers and The Bedroom with rich audio context.
Quick facts: Walking through the museum feels like stepping into the vibrant world of a post-impressionist genius, with swirling skies and vivid sunflowers captivating your senses. The collection boasts the largest number of Van Gogh's paintings anywhere, including some of his most famous works like The Potato Eaters and The Bedroom.
Highlights: Imagine standing inches away from the artist's original sunflower paintings, each brushstroke swirling with vivid yellow and hints of green, capturing sunlight in a way that almost makes the petals shimmer. The museum houses over 200 paintings and 500 drawings, including Van Gogh's turbulent self-portraits, giving you a raw, almost intimate glimpse into his emotional highs and lows.
Have you heard of free walking tours?
After traveling to 30+ countries, there's one thing I wish someone had told me from day one, and it completely changed how I experience new cities.
Free walking tours. Yes, actually free. No credit card needed. No catch.
Local guide, 2-3 hours
Major sights, hidden gems, local stories
100% tip-based
Guides earn only tips, so they give their absolute best
You tip what feels right
At the end, just tip whatever you feel is right
I've done these in dozens of cities and they've been the highlight of almost every trip. If you're visiting Amsterdam, Netherlands, do this on your first day. You'll thank me later.
4. Vondelpark
Sprawling leafy park in Amsterdam's center, perfect for relaxing and people-watching. Expect winding paths, ponds, historic statues, lively cafés and summer open-air shows.
Quick facts: Lush green spaces and winding paths invite locals and tourists alike to relax, picnic, or enjoy open-air concerts under the sky. Wild swans and vibrant flowerbeds add to the park's charm, creating a serene escape in the heart of a bustling city.
Highlights: You might stumble upon more than 200 species of birds fluttering through the greenery, creating a lively soundtrack of chirps and tweets all year round. There's also an open-air theatre that hosts quirky Shakespeare performances and lively jazz concerts during the summer months, adding a cultural twist to your stroll or picnic.
5. Dam Square
Central square of Amsterdam where history, politics and daily city life meet. Experience the Royal Palace, National Monument, street performers and bustling cafés.
Quick facts: Every day, thousands of people flock to a central square that pulses with street performers, market stalls, and historic architecture. The square serves as a vibrant crossroads where past and present collide, surrounded by iconic landmarks and buzzing with the energy of locals and tourists alike.
Highlights: A quirky tradition happens every night when street artists transform the space into a living museum, with painted faces and costumes that bring old Dutch legends to life under the glow of vintage street lamps. The square also hides a historical secret: beneath its cobblestones lies a church crypt from the 14th century, a rare glimpse into medieval Amsterdam that you can visit through a glass floor in the Royal Palace.
6. Heineken Experience
Explore the story behind one of the world's most famous beers in a restored Amsterdam brewery. Interactive exhibits, a tasting session, and souvenir photo moments.
Quick facts: Visitors can dive into an interactive journey where they learn the secret brewing process while savoring fresh Heineken straight from the source. Vibrant murals, old brewing equipment, and engaging tastings make the experience both educational and delightfully fun.
Highlights: Visitors can experience the original copper brewing tanks used by Gerard Adriaan Heineken himself in 1867, surrounded by vibrant green hops and the scent of malt that fills the air. There's a quirky tradition of designing your own beer label at the end of the tour, making each visit uniquely personalized and unforgettable.
7. Amsterdam Canals
The canal ring showcases Amsterdam's golden-age architecture and lively neighborhoods. Walk or cruise past gabled houses, houseboats, cafes, and arched bridges.
Quick facts: Gliding through the charming waterways, visitors often spot houseboats that offer cozy and unique homes floating on water. The canals' iconic narrow bridges sparkle beautifully at night, creating a magical atmosphere that feels straight out of a fairy tale.
Highlights: Over 100 kilometers of canals form a concentric ring around the city, earning the nickname 'Venice of the North' and serving as the world's largest man-made urban waterway network. Each bridge on these canals is numbered and named, like the quaint Magere Brug or Skinny Bridge, which tales say was originally built by two wealthy sisters who refused to share a drawbridge.
8. The Royal Palace of Amsterdam
Grand 17th-century city hall turned royal palace, with monumental ceilings and marble halls. Walk through lavish state rooms and see royal art up close.
Quick facts: Stepping inside, you'll be amazed by the grandiose marble floors and towering Corinthian columns that create a regal atmosphere. The vast decorative ceiling paintings tell dramatic stories, immersing visitors in the rich history and artistry celebrated throughout the palace.
Highlights: Inside, the enormous wooden dome is supported by 13,659 piles driven deep into the soft Amsterdam soil, showcasing an engineering marvel from the 17th century. The grand ballroom features a ceiling painting by artist Govert Flinck that spans 62 square meters and depicts the golden age of the Dutch Republic with vibrant allegories of peace and commerce.
9. NEMO Science Museum
Interactive science playground with hands-on experiments and a rooftop view. You'll try live demos, build and test gadgets, and enjoy Amsterdam's skyline.
Quick facts: A glowing green rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of the city, paired with an array of hands-on science experiments that make learning tactile and fun. Over 140 interactive exhibits cover everything from physics to biology, inviting curiosity through playful experimentation and immersive discoveries.
Highlights: Visitors can climb onto the museum's massive green copper roof, which is shaped like a giant ship's hull and offers stunning views over the city; the roof also features an oversized golden rivet sculpture called the 'Golden Bolt' that shines brightly in the sunlight. Inside, the museum offers a quirky exhibit where you can experiment with sound by using a giant, interactive 'sonic playground' that lets you create your own music using water droplets and echo chambers.
10. Bloemenmarkt
Historic floating flower market on Amsterdam's Singel, full of color and scent. Browse tulip bulbs, potted plants and Dutch treats while strolling along the canal.
Quick facts: Floating stalls brimming with vibrant tulips and other flowers create a sea of color that captivates all who wander through. Fragrant blooms mingle with the sound of bustling shoppers, making it a sensory delight that captures the essence of Dutch horticulture.
Highlights: Floating on wooden barges along a canal, over 15 flower stalls in this market create a vibrant tapestry of colors and scents for visitors to explore. Legend says that during the tulip mania of the 1600s, this spot was crucial for trading bulbs, and the tradition of selling bulbs here continues with varieties you can't find anywhere else, like the striking black tulip named 'Queen of Night.'
11. Stedelijk Museum
Discover modern art's evolution with over 90,000 pieces. Experience immersive exhibitions and a jaw-dropping giant bathtub sculpture right inside.
Quick facts: The museum houses over 90,000 objects spanning modern and contemporary art and design. Its collection includes seminal works by artists like Piet Mondrian and Kazimir Malevich, attracting art lovers worldwide.
Highlights: Visitors find the giant 10-meter-tall "Bathtub" sculpture by Michel de Broin in the lobby, a quirky contrast to the museum's sleek interior. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions where you can see innovative multimedia installations that transform the space dramatically.
12. Visit the Jewish Historical Museum
Discover 400 years of Dutch Jewish history through rare artifacts and personal stories. Walk through historic synagogues and immersive exhibits revealing a vibrant community.
Quick facts: The museum showcases over 11,000 objects illuminating the life and history of Dutch Jews. It occupies four former synagogues along the historic Nieuwe Amstelstraat.
Highlights: One standout exhibit features a remarkably detailed scale model of the Amsterdam Jewish Quarter before World War II, showing over 2,500 buildings. Visitors can also glimpse wartime diaries and personal artifacts that bring deeply human stories to life visually and emotionally.
Where to Stay in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Traditional Sweet Dishes
Stroopwafels
Stroopwafels began as a thrifty treat made from leftover waffle crumbs and syrup, and in Amsterdam vendors often warm them over a coffee cup so the caramel melts between the thin wafers.
Poffertjes
Poffertjes are tiny, pillowy pancakes leavened with yeast and buckwheat, and in Amsterdam they are a festive street food served piping hot with butter and powdered sugar.
Speculaas
Speculaas are thin, richly spiced biscuits molded with elaborate scenes, and in Amsterdam they are a Sinterklaas tradition that turns each cookie into edible folklore.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Bitterballen
Bitterballen are crispy, deep-fried balls of savory ragout served with mustard, they are Amsterdam bar staples that were invented to make leftovers feel luxurious.
Haring
Haring, or Hollandse Nieuwe, is young, lightly cured herring eaten raw and often enjoyed in Amsterdam by holding the fish by the tail and tipping your head back, a playful ritual that marks the new season.
Kroket
The kroket is an oblong, breadcrumbed cousin of the bitterbal, and in Amsterdam it achieved pop-culture status thanks to automats like FEBO that dispense hot krokets twenty-four seven.
Traditional Beverages
Jenever
Jenever is the juniper-flavored spirit that pre-dates London gin, Amsterdam distilleries still serve it neat in tulip-shaped glasses and locals sometimes pair a shot with a beer in a kopstoot or headbutt.
Dutch Beer
Amsterdam helped make Dutch beer famous, Heineken grew from a small 19th-century Amsterdam brewery into a global brand and its old brewery is now a museum celebrating local brewing culture.
Advocaat
Advocaat is a thick, egg-based liqueur with a custard-like texture that is spooned or sipped, and in Amsterdam it is a winter favorite, folded into desserts or served with whipped cream.
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From Schiphol, take the train directly to Amsterdam Centraal in 15-20 mins.
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Comments (9)
Not cheap, expect higher prices for eating out, but street food and local markets saved us a lot.
Beautiful city, but tourist crowds around central stations killed the vibe midday, try mornings and evenings instead.
Book Anne Frank and Van Gogh timed slots online well in advance, or be there at opening to avoid the worst queues.
Overhyped for me, restaurants near the plazas felt touristy and expensive. Expect crowds and plan for long lines.
Rained a lot on my trip, bring layers. Museums are great but pricey, I still enjoyed wandering neighborhoods.