See Also
The Best Tours in Amsterdam
1. Rijksmuseum Skip-the-Line Museum Tour
Amazing musuem. Vermeer, Rembrandt, and an overview of Amsterdam’s impressive history. Both the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh are world-class but if you can only make it to one, then go to the Rijksmuseum. The above tour is very good. The Rijksmuseum Private Tour is great).
2. Van Gogh Skip-the-Line Museum Tour
Another wonderful gallery only steps from the Rijksmuseum. And once more, the skip-the-line trip is worthwhile. The Van Gogh Private Guided Visit is excellent.
3. Amsterdam Bike Tour
Bicycling trips are a wonderful approach to view the city’s top attractions and this is a fantastic tour of central Amsterdam’s highlights. If you want to pedal to a few surrounding towns then do the Countryside Bicycle Tour (4 hours) or the Windmills, Cheese & Clogs Bicycle Tour (3 hours)).
4. Canal Dinner Cruise
A romantic journey along the Amsterdam canals while enjoying a tasty meal (much better fare than anticipated). Meat, fish, and vegetable selections are available. For lighter options try the Wine & Cheese Cruise.
5. Amsterdam Evening Pizza Cruise
This tour prioritizes fun over pretense, style, or trends. It delivers the most engaging family-friendly canal experience in Amsterdam`s vibrant waterways.
6. Marken, Volendam, & Edam Full-Day Tour from Amsterdam
These three picturesque charming towns situated just north of Amsterdam constitute an engaging sightseeing expedition. The organized tour involves a cheese tasting experience, a windmill visit, a brief boat ride, and lunch. (It`s also viable to independently rent bicycles and travel there instead of using the passenger coach if that routing appeals more greatly.)
7. Food Tasting Tour of Jordaan
As one of Amsterdam`s trendiest enclaves, the Jordaan district provides an educational culinary experience for all ages through a popular neighborhood food tour, as enjoyed by a family with children ages 11 and 14.
The 19 Best Things To Do in Amsterdam
Rijksmuseum • Museum Quarter
The Netherlands` most renowned art gallery. One of Amsterdam`s most prominent attractions, this houses the most extensive collection of Dutch art surviving. Make hastening to the Gallery of Honour on Floor 2 to see Rembrandt`s Night Watch, Kitchen Maid by Vermeer, astonishing doll`s homes, and Delft potteries; then head upstairs for the latest in Dutch design. Reserve your ticket online to circumvent the worst of the lines.
• +31 20 674 7000
Canal Tour
Experiencing the city while travelling upon its waterways is a fundamental Amsterdam encounter and there are nearly as numerous canal cruise agencies as there are canals. Most departures originate from Damrak in the Medieval Center, precisely across from Centraal Station. Outstanding operators incorporate Those Dam Boat Guys (captivating, BYOB, expat-run, with plenty of quirky city history); Leemstar (tight-knit groupings, 75-minute excursions in a 90-year-old Dutch wooden lounge boat) and Blue Boat Company (mainstream trips, but with exceptional themed selections, such as pirate-themed journey for kids). And if you want to commandeer your own, Canal Motorboats have scaled electric boats for hiring (no boat permit necessitated).
Van Gogh Museum • Museum Quarter
• +31 20 570 5200
Keukenhof Gardens
Annually, Keukenhof Gardens, an hour southwest of Amsterdam, opens for just two months (mid-March to mid-May). Nowhere presents a superior setting to view tulips than the gardens’ 79 acres, cultivated with an unbelievable 800 kinds of the bloom. The gardens entice hundreds of thousands of visitors; the most convenient approach to attend is on a excursion package with included transport and skip-the-line admission.
• +31 252 465 555
Anne Frank House & Museum • Western Canal Ring
Step through the swinging bookcase and go up the steep steps to visit the living area where Anne Frank and her family hid for two years from the Nazis until they were betrayed to the Gestapo in August 1944. Remarkable exhibits include Anne Frank’s red-plaid diary. This is one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions; prebook your ticket on the website to avoid queueing for hours.
• +31 20 556 7105
Royal Palace
The residence of the Dutch royal family. When the King is not in town, you’re welcome to wander around the lavish rooms, filled with priceless art, chandeliers, gilded clocks, antique maps and furniture, left by Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother Louis. The king actually lives in The Hague but uses the palace for state functions. During the King’s birthday in April, the streets around the palace fill with revelers dressed in orange – the royal color.
• +31 20 522 6161
Heineken Experience
You’ve sampled the beer, now come to the world-renowned brewery for the self-directed, hugely entertaining, multi-sensory ‘Experience’ on the northern edge of the De Pijp district. Allow around an hour and a half to follow the brewing process from water and hops to bottling; the show-stopping finale is the 4D multimedia display in which you become the beer – shaken, heated up, sprayed with water and bottled. Prebook online to save €2.
• +31 20 721 5300
Zaanse Schans Windmills
Synonymous with the Netherlands, these authentic windmills located throughout the countryside make for an excellent half-day trip from Amsterdam. One of the larger operators, Amsterdam City Tours provide excellent excursions in luxury coaches, passing through the fishing villages of Volendam and Marken. But if you’re seeking something more personal, That Dam Guide runs small groups to a 400-year-old windmill off the beaten path, complete with a family farm visit and wine and cheese picnic.
A’DAM Lookout
A 22-story viewpoint with an Over The Edge swing for daredevils. The former headquarters of Royal Dutch Shell in Amsterdam Noord has been transformed into a trendy hotel with a revolving restaurant on the 19th floor and a rooftop viewing platform with epic 360-degree views of the city. Pay €5 extra to dangle your legs over the roof’s edge from Amsterdam’s highest swing.
• +31 20 242 0100
House of Bols
The interactive home of genever, the Dutch progenitor of gin, conveniently located opposite Amsterdam’s three heavyweight art museums. During the engaging self-guided tour, visitors get to learn all about this Dutch spirit that’s gaining popularity in bars across the nation. Browse centuries-old formulations, smell the ingredients, down a shot in the psychedelic tasting booth, and learn to mix a cocktail with the expert mixologists.
• +31 20 570 8575
NDSM Wharf
The abandoned shipyard on the outskirts of Amsterdam has transformed into a bustling artistic hub. Situated a short ferry ride from the central station, the neighborhood retains a post-industrial feel with several factory buildings now serving as exhibition spaces for various forms of creative expression. Street artists have embellished the decommissioned public trams with colorful murals while an old submarine provides an unusual sight partially emerging from the docks. Several well-reviewed eateries have opened in the area, attracting diners especially in the evenings.
Stedelijk Museum • Museum Quarter
The Netherlands hosts one of the biggest and best repositories for contemporary art. Housing over 90,000 works, this striking facility calls a vast collection home, including Picasso abstracts, paintings by Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, and Willem de Kooning plus Auguste Rodin sculptures. Exciting rotating exhibitions by prominent artists occur in the Bathtub area, accessed via a trippy moving walkway. Be sure to visit the terrific restaurant in the lobby. Avoid ticket purchase lines by pre-booking online • +31 20 573 2911
Dutch Resistance Museum • Plantage
Dutch courage during WWII on display at this superb interactive museum. The exhibits, made to resemble wartime city streets, span the 1930s and Nazi occupation and comprise narrations of resistance and bravery – such as hiding 300,000 Jews from persecution – as well as collaboration and betrayal.
• +31 20 620 2535
Hermitage Amsterdam • East Amsterdam
The Dutch extension of the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia. The result of Peter the Great’s admiration of the Netherlands, Hermitage Amsterdam dips into priceless collections of art and Russian palace treasures, on loan from St Petersburg. Try to catch one of the excellent temporary exhibits and get here before 11am to avoid the lines.
• +31 20 530 8755
Jewish Historical Museum • Nieuwmarkt en Lastage
Beautifully presented history of Jews in the Netherlands. Spread across four beautifully restored Ashkenazic synagogues, the exhibitions outline Jewish cultural life in Amsterdam from 1600 to present day. The difficult WWII displays deal with hiding from the Nazis and post-war integration. The engaging Children’s Museum introduces young people to Jewish culture, and tickets include entry to the stunning Portuguese-Israelite synagogue next door.
• +31 20 531 0310
Amsterdam Museum • Medieval Center
Seven concise yet engaging exhibitions summarize one thousand years of Amsterdam`s history in a fun, family-friendly way. Check out the interactive DNA exhibit, try on civic guard garb with a ruff collar depicting the Revolt against the King and Church, peruse porcelains and artifacts in the maze-like basement, and look for Rembrandt`s macabre Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Deijman. Great indoor activity on rainy days.
• +31 20 523 1822
Rembrandt’s House • Nieuwmarkt en Lastage
This three-story house beside a canal was once lived in and used as a studio by the Dutch painter Rembrandt. He originally purchased it with help from his wealthy wife`s money, but struggled to keep making the mortgage payments. Explore the original furnishings, cabinet filled with curiosities, and Rembrandt`s famous etchings on the top floor. Do not forget to pick up the complimentary informative audio guide.
• +31 20 520 0400
Diamond Museum • Museum Quarter
Follow the journey of carbon through Amsterdam`s diamond trade, from mines in Africa to the workshops of cutters and polishers in the Dutch city. The most renowned diamonds on display here, like the Orlof Diamond and Maharajah, are skillfully crafted replicas that glitter like the real treasures once encrusted in royal crowns and weapons.
• +31 20 305 5300
Bike Rental
There are bike rental outlets all through Amsterdam. If you want a superior quality bike for longer day trips or overnight journeys, then try Bike City. They come with saddle bags, locks, repair kits, and other extras. They also have a larger variety of bike sizes and trailers. I usually reserve an XL bike for my visits).
