10 Things to Do in Amsterdam

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Amsterdam is home to beautiful architecture, a lot of museums and some unique foods, so there is something for everyone! Keep reading to get 10 ideas of things to do during your next trip to Amsterdam!

Amsterdam is one of our favourite cities we’ve visited and is where we kicked off our time in Europe during our 12-months of travel. We were blown away by the unique architecture, the beauty of the canals and the thousands of bikes lining the streets. We spent 4-nights in Amsterdam and managed to get a lot done during our time there, but even with the time we had, we struggled to fit in everything. Nonetheless, here are ten things to add to your next Amsterdam itinerary!

Amsterdam Travel Resources

Accommodation: Find your perfect stay! We stayed in THIS HO(S)TEL and it was great.

Flights: Search for flight deals to the Netherlands

Transport Around Europe: We used Omio to book majority of our transport around Europe!

Activities: Find things to do during your time in Amsterdam, such as a relaxing cruise down the canals, a bike tour through the city, or a visit to the Van Gogh Museum!

Amsterdam City Card: A great way to save money while exploring Amsterdam is to purchase an Amsterdam City Card. This will cover all your transport and a bunch of the top sights and activities. You’ll also get a free canal cruise included!

Our YouTube Videos: Part 1 where we explore the canals and go on a canal cruise and Part 2 where we visit the Anne Frank House, bike ride through Vondelpark and visit Europe’s smallest restaurant!

Other Articles: Click here to see what other articles we have on Amsterdam!

1) Explore Amsterdam’s famous canals

Stacey on a canal cruise in Amsterdam — *Cruising down one of Amsterdams many famous canals!*

One of our favourite things we did during our time in Amsterdam was to get up really early and wander the quiet streets before the rest of the town wakes up. The canals are so beautiful early in the morning and there is something so special about wandering the streets while no one else is up. It is definitely a stark contract to the bustling streets later in the day, and at night, when the streets are packed full of locals and tourists. While hitting the streets and exploring is a must-do, one of the other most popular things to do in Amsterdam is to take a cruise down the canals. There are many different options to suit your taste - you can do a private cruise, a booze-fuelled cruise, a morning cruise, or an evening cruise. There is definitely something to suit your style and this is a great way to take in the beauty of the canals, Amsterdam’s unique architecture and learn a little more about the city.

2) Visit the Anne Frank HOUSE

It is strange to call such a somber experience a must-do, but a visit to the Anne Frank House is definitely something you should do when visiting Amsterdam. While her story is well-known, you will gain a wealth of information that you might not have known prior, including information on the brave people who helped the Frank family hide in the annex. Visiting the annex itself is a bit of an out of body experience - our brains still haven’t quite processed standing inside the place where they hid for so long. If you do wish to visit the Anne Frank House, you will definitely need to pre-book your tickets, as they generally sell out months in advance. Tickets can be purchased through the official website, and these go on sale every Tuesday at 10am CEST, for a visit six weeks later. We’d highly recommend putting this date in your calendar and purchasing your tickets as soon as they become available so you aren’t left disappointed.

It’s also usually recommended to try not to plan too much for after your visit, as you may not be feeling up to anything else.

3) Ride a bike around Vondelpark (and the city if you’re brave enough)

If there is one thing Amsterdam is known for, aside from its canals (and you know, the other thing), it’s the sheer number of bikes in the city! When we say bikes are everywhere, they are literally EVERYWHERE. It wouldn’t surprise us if there were more bikes than people in the city! Nonetheless, it is the most popular way to get around the city and makes for a very popular tourist activity. There are plenty of places to hire a bike from, however, given the chaos of the streets, riding through them can be an intimidating thought. That’s why the perfect place to ride a bike is Vondelpark. This park is a must-visit during your time in Amsterdam, and has plenty of tracks and trails for you to ride around. Bring some food along and if you have some nice weather, you can even set up a picnic.

If you’re feeling brave after riding through the park, you can venture out into the city and feel like a true local!

4) Visit the Amsterdam Cheese Museum

Okay this one is a little random, but it is perfect for budget travellers as it is completely free! Now it is not a big museum - it’s not much bigger than a regular shop, however, if you love cheese, it’s definitely worth a visit. You can help yourself to free samples of all the different cheeses on offer, or explore the museum floor and learn a little about the cheese making process. While it won’t entertain you for hours, it’s a perfect place to stop in for 30-minutes or so! Plus, if you actually have some luggage space, you might even go home with a cheese or two!

5) Visit one or more of Amsterdam’s many museums

Amsterdam is home to many world-famous museums and Amsterdam’s Museumplein is home to most of these, including two of the most popular ones in the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. While visiting museums isn’t for everyone, if it is of interest to you, then you could easily spend a day or two exploring these. Other popular museums include the Stedelijk Museum and the Moco Museum.

TIP: If you plan to visit lots of Amsterdam’s museums, a popular option is to purchase the Amsterdam City Card, which includes entry to several of the main attractions, unlimited use of public transport and a free canal cruise! There are some exclusions so make sure you read what is included before purchasing!

Delicious pancakes from Pancake House Upstairs, Europe's smallest restaurant — *Some delicious pancakes from Pancake House Upstairs!*

6) Visit Europe’s SMALLEST restaurant

Upstairs Pannenkoekenhuis (Upstairs Pancake House) claims to be the smallest restaurant in ALL of Europe, and let me tell you, they may have a case. This tiny restaurant only has four tables, so if you want to check it out, you better make sure you make a reservation because it fills up quick! We turned up and they were fully booked, but we were fortunate enough to be able to make a reservation for the following day. This restaurant serves up a variety of sweet and savoury pancakes, and has such a unique charm. The owner sticks her head out the upstairs window to call you up when your table is ready and will talk you through her favourite options. It is such a charming spot, and if you can manage a reservation, it is absolutely worth it!

7) WANDER THROUGH DAM SQUARE

During your stay in Amsterdam you’ll mostly find yourself working your way through narrow streets, or crossing bridges over canals, but Dam Square is one of the big open spaces in the city and you’ll find it packed full of locals and tourists. Dam Square is the central square in Amsterdam, and the most famous one. It is home to many restaurants and shops, but is also home to some historically important structures, such as the National Monument. Many consider it a great starting point to explore the city, so it is definitely worth wandering through at least once during your stay in Amsterdam!

8) TRY SOME POFFERTJES

A plate of Poffertjes in Amsterdam — *A plate of fresh Poffertjes!*

It wouldn’t be a trip to Amsterdam without trying some traditional Dutch treats, and there are arguably none better than Poffertjes. Poffertjes are essentially small pancakes, that are generally topped with powdered sugar. While you’ll find Poffertjes all over the city, De Carrousel Pannenkoeken is generally regarded as having some of the best! Additionally, if there are any markets on while you are in Amsterdam, grabbing some of these fresh from a market stall is also highly recommended.

9) WALK THROUGH THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT

This is an interesting one for sure, and certainly not for everyone. While it’s less of an attraction, and more of a neighbourhood, the Red Light District is most well-known for being home to a lot of 18+ entertainment. In addition to this though, it actually has a lot of restaurants and bars lining the streets as well. We actually accidentally walked through the Red Light District during one of our first few days in Amsterdam, and it’s an interesting experience. I think we can both comfortably say now that we’ve done it, we don’t need to do it again.

Despite this, most people will suggest you wander through at least once during your time in Amsterdam, given how famous it is. Remember, be respectful, and absolutely not photos or videos.

10) A’DAM LOOKOUT

As with most cities, it is always an amazing experience to see the city from above. A’DAM Lookout provides panoramic views over Amsterdam, and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even look to do the “Over the Edge” experience, which is Europe’s highest swing, sitting 100 metres above the ground!

TIP: A visit to the A’DAM Lookout is included with your Amsterdam City Card, or otherwise you can look to purchase a Go City Explorer Pass and select A’DAM Lookout as one of your included attractions! This doesn’t include the swing which will cost you extra!

We absolutely loved Amsterdam and despite seeing and doing so much, there is still so much we missed out on (including things on this list)! We hope this is helpful for you in planning your next trip to Amsterdam. Check out our Amsterdam travel resources below, and make sure you subscribe to us on YouTube so you don’t miss any of our adventures!