AMSTERDAM THE BEST THINGS TO DO

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With so much to see and do, this three-day itinerary enables you to tick off the sights, take in some culture and refuel like a local in the space of a weekend.

3 days

WHAT TO EXPECT

Language: The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch. The majority of Amsterdam’s residents speak English well and are often fluent in one or two languages on top of that.

Currency: In Amsterdam (and in the rest of Netherlands) we use the Euro currency.

Plugs:For the Netherlands there are two associated plug types, types C and F. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. The Netherlands operate on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

When to Go: The best time to visit Amsterdam is between April and May or September and November – right before or directly after the summertime high tourist season.

How To Spend 3 days in Amsterdam

First of all, reserve a room at one of Amsterdam’s many excellent boutique, affordable or luxury hotels. For centrality, comfort and style, make sure to check out The Hoxton, The Dylan, or Conservatorium Hotel. Hotel de Hallen, a little west of the centre, is a trendy design hotel practically on top of the city’s Food Hallen, a fun indoor market that’s a foodie’s dream.

TIPS: For the cheapest way to travel around the city, get a GVB card and select different durations for unlimited access to the buses, metro and trams. It’s also well worth checking out the I Amsterdam City Card, which includes unlimited travel, access to the 70+ museums and attractions, as well as a free canal tour. It’s available from 24 hours up to 120.

DAY 1

Walking / Bike Through Downtown

Most people automatically associate Amsterdam with pot brownies and prostitutes, but if you dive a little deeper, you’ll see that the city is also full of tulips, lovely canals, and the most adorable hip bicycles (when you march down the streets you will notice how many bicycles there are).

THE BROUWERSGRACHT

Brouwersgracht is an enticing canal lined with narrow, gabled townhouses and former warehouses with façades that tilt precariously forwards. Connecting the canals of Singel and Singelgracht, it has been voted the prettiest street in the city and its length is home to hundreds of houseboats moored chaotically along the bank. In the 17th century known for its tanners and brewers, the canal has lost little of its tranquil atmosphere even though many of its houses have been converted into luxurious apartments and boutique hotels. It also has some architectural highlights: Brouwersgracht 2 has one of the best examples of 16th-century step gables in the city; the row at Brouwersgracht 188–194 were formerly warehouses storing leather, coffee and spices, and sport a series of identical spout gables dating from the 17th century; and several houses, including no 162, have graphics of fish above their doors, indicating that they were once premises dedicated to the processing of herring and other fish caught locally.

ANNE FRANK HOUSE

The Anne Frank House is a writer’s house and biographical museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank, where she lived in hiding with her family for more than two years during World War II.

From April through October, the museum is open from 09:00 to 22:00. From November through March, the museum is open until 19:00 and on Saturdays until 22:00. In June, July and August, the museum opens at 08:30. The Anne Frank House can be accessed with a ticket bought online (here the website), and in order to protect the original items in the museum, photography is not allowed in the museum.

VAN GOGH MUSEUM

The visit takes about 2hours and here you will find the largest collection of artworks by Vincent Van Gogh in the world.

The story of his art is told throughout the galleries, not only giving a permanent position to his paintings but also to his drawings and letters. Van Gogh’s ambition to paint farmers, his search for colour and his personal interpretation of nature are given a prominent place in the museum, naturally featuring highlights like The Potato Eaters, The Bedroom, Sunflowers and Almond Blossom.

Info: The Van Gogh museum offers easy access via the Entrance Building.No hassle with printing tickets – showing the ticket on your smartphone is enough. Children under 18 have free access and the best times to visit are before 11 am and after 3 pm. The Van Gogh Museum is open all year from 9 am on, except on 1 January. Tip: you can also visit the Van Gogh Museum on Friday evening!

You can also combine your visit with the nearby Rijksmuseum.

RIJKSMUSEUM

The Museum is dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam.

The collection is presented in a stunning building with amazing interior design. In 80 galleries 8,000 objects tell the story of 800 years of Dutch art and history, from the Middle Ages to Mondrian.

Click here for more info.

You can conclude your day in the public urban Park VoldelPark.

It’s a really lovely place to spend some time resting and taking some fresh air. A lot of beautiful green space with many restaurants and cafes. Don’t miss the beautiful rose garden or the famous open-air theatre where, if you’re lucky, you might catch an impromptu show.

DAY 2

WESTERGASFABRIEK

Let’s start the day in one of the city’s three main parks, turned into a cultural hub featuring an art-house cinema, coffee roastery, a microbrewery, exhibition spaces and an excellent gin and mussels joint. Plus, if you fancy some throwback fun, there’s the vibrant ‘Arcade Paradise’ where you play on an array of euphonious games machines.

FOODHALLEN

It’s a super trendy gastro palazzo with more than 30 food stalls and bars. Here you could taste dim sum, top-notch tacos, gourmet doughnuts, kick-ass smoky barbecue and much more besides. If the sun’s out, park yourself on a bench outside.

Check the website.

THE NINE STREETS

This micro-neighbourhood is big on personality and full of cosy cafés, independent boutiques, vintage stores and artisanal food shops. Eat at Ree7 or Libertine Café, shop at Zipper and Catwalk Junkie, and grab a coffee at Screaming Beans.

Book online.

CANAL TOUR

There’s a plethora of tour operators with boats, most of which depart from around Centraal. There’s not much difference between most of the operators, but it’s worth going on a longer tour that also heads out on to the IJ (the best ones are around 75 minutes). If you want to take it up a notch, there are also dinner and cocktail cruises in the evenings, and even one with a live jazz band on board.

RED LIGHT DISTRICT

There’s a lot more to the Amsterdam Red Light District than just sex, coffeeshops and legions of worse-for-wear tourists. After all, De Wallen is the oldest part of the Dutch capital, and that means it’s littered with marvellous sights like the Oude Kerk and the Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, among the country’s most treasured places of worship. Pass by the lit up windows and wave to the women and men inside. Walk through pleasure shops and enjoy all that Amsterdam has to offer. Buy tickets to a live sex show, if that’s what you are into, and just enjoy the craziness that is Amsterdam.

DAY 3

TAKE A DAY TRIP TO THE WINDMILLS OF HOLLAND

Wake up early and hop on a train to the city of Zaandijk to see the beautiful windmills of Holland. Walk through charming cottages until you get to the windmill path. Stroll along the designated path and you will get up-close-and-personal with the windmills.

I recomment to cross the river to sit along the riverbank, toes in the water, enjoying a picnic. Spend a little quality time in Holland, where time seems to move slower.

Where to Stay in Amsterdam

Picking the right place in Amsterdam can be stressful, and if you’re not trying to mingle with the crazy drunk tourists and stag parties, there are certain neighborhoods to avoid.

Here my suggestions:

1) Studio with Garden near Westerpark

2) First-Class Houseboat Studio

3) Cityhub Amsterdam

Centrum is the pulsating heart and soul of Amsterdam and home to many major attractions and landmarks as well as a lively nightlife and an abundance of restaurants.

The central area is broken down further into smaller areas. The old centre is where you’ll find medieval streets and De Wallen, Amsterdam’s infamous red light district. De Pijp is a cool spot for nightlife, terrific restaurants, an arty ambience, and a hipster vibe.

The canal ring is a posh area lined by canal houses and fantastic nightlife. Westerpark is another popular area close to the centre.

South is a quieter part of Amsterdam, with more of an up-market atmosphere. West is simultaneously relaxed and lively—you’ll find plenty to see and do but the vibe is cool, calm, and collected.

East has a down-to-earth and working-class feel about it and is great for people who like to fully immerse in the local way of life in a city. There are large parks and it’s considered to be a bit more off the beaten track.

North has seen many developments over recent years, transforming it from a major shipping area to a place that’s full of life, with cultural, leisure, and entertainment venues.

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