Last updated: 9/13/21 | September 13th, 2021
Amsterdam is known as a party city, full of wild nights and all kinds of questionable debauchery. It’s a fun, eclectic, and party-focused destination popular with young backpackers seeking to let loose.
I’ve checked out Amsterdam a lot more times than I can count (it’s one of my favorite cities in the world) and I’m never disappointed. but there’s a lot more to the city than just a fun night out.
Amsterdam as we know it dates to the 12th century and is home to all kinds of medieval and Renaissance buildings, a lot of of which date to the Dutch golden Age, a time from 1588-1672 when Amsterdam was the center of the world economy. lots of of the canals themselves are hundreds of years old as well and have UNESCO world Heritage status.
Today, Amsterdam is a city filled with a lot more history than you know what to do with, a lot of art museums, chill cafes, loads of outdoor activities, and a wild nightlife. There’s plenty to see and do no matter what you’re interested in.
To help you make the most of your trip, here are the best 32 things to see and do in Amsterdam:
1. Take a complimentary walking Tour
Whenever I arrive in a new city I start off by taking a complimentary walking tour. They help you get oriented and give you an introduction of the city, culture, and the main sights worth seeing. You learn some history and can ask a local guide all the questions you have, which is the best way to get insider tips.
Free walking excursions Amsterdam and new Europe both offer daily complimentary walking tours. They last 2-3 hours and give you the best introduction to the city. just be sure to idea your guide at the end!
If you’re not on a tight budget and want an thorough alternative tour, check out Black Heritage Tours. While their excursions aren’t free, they are exceptionally informative and eye-opening. They focus on the impact of slavery during the growth of the Dutch empire and highlight Black culture and contributions to the country. It’s sobering but educational.
And for a lot more general excursions (walking tours, museum tours, food tours), check out get Your Guide. They have a ton of different excursions so there’s something for everybody!
2. check out the Van Gogh Museum
This museum is home to lots of of Van Gogh’s best works. It’s also the largest collection of Van Gogh’s works in the entire world. The museum does an exceptional job of outlining his life, chronicling his works from beginning to end so you can better understand and appreciate his style and evolution (as well as his life beyond painting). opened in 1973, it’s one of the most popular (read: crowded) sites in the city, but don’t let that stop you from visiting. The museum also has paintings by other popular artists of the period, like Monet, Manet, and Matisse as well as by artists who inspired Van Gough or were inspired by him.
Museumplein 6, +31 20 570 5200, vangoghmuseum.nl. open daily from 9am to 6pm in the summer with minimized hours in the spring, fall and winter. Admission is 19 EUR.
3. explore Jordaan
Jordaan is a trendy residential area. While it’s become a lot more popular in recent years, it’s still one of the most overlooked parts of the city. The area is full of relaxing shops and boutiques, bars and pubs, and hip restaurants. It’s also the area of the city where the Dutch painter Rembrandt (1606-1669) lived during the final years of his life. It’s a quiet place to explore away from the crowds if you want to get a better feel for the city outside its main vacationer areas.
In addition to eating and drinking there, you can shop at the Westerstraat Market (Monday mornings) or the Lindengracht Market (on Saturdays).
4. Take a Canal Tour
Amsterdam is a beautiful, picturesque city thanks to the picturesque canals that break up the city’s sprawl. To see the city from a new perspective, take a canal tour. There are large excursion boats that can take you up and down the waterways, but you can also rent your own boat for a self-guided excursion (if you’re comfortable driving a boat). Self-guided rentals are for small, open-air boats that give you a a lot more intimate, special experience. They cost around 50 EUR per hour, which makes it incredibly cost effective if you have a few pals to join you. For a conventional guided excursion on a larger boat, expect to pay around 18 EUR per person.
5. See Anne Frank House
This is one of the most popular vacationer sites in the entire city. While it’s an crucial and sad place to visit, it’s also exceptionally overcrowded. You just shuffle through the house and never really have time to digest what you’re seeing. Personally, I think the Jewish history museum does a better job of highlighting her life but this is still worth seeing as it is such an famous and crucial site.
Prinsengracht 263–267, +31 20 556 71 05, annefrank.org. open daily from 9am–9pm (shorter hours in l’inverno). L’ammissione è di 14 eur. I biglietti sono venduti solo online.
6. Dai un’occhiata al rijksmuseum
Fondata nel 1798, il Rijksmuseum è un museo di arte e storia situato ideale accanto al Van Gogh Museum. Il museo, recentemente rinnovato, presenta una sostanziale collezione Rembrandt tra cui il popolare dipinto “The Night Watch”. Oltre alle opere di Rembrandt, il museo ospita anche una solida collezione di altri pittori olandesi classici, come Frans Hals e Johannes Vermeer. Ci sono oltre 1 milione di articoli nella collezione (è il più grande museo del paese) con oltre 8.000 in mostra in modo da poter trascorrere facilmente qualche ora qui.
Museumstraat 1, +31 20 674 7000, rijksmuseum.nl. Aperto ogni giorno dalle 9:00 alle 17:00. L’ammissione è di 20 eur.
7. Dare il rilascio a Oosterpark
Se hai bisogno di allontanarti dalla folla, vai a Oosterpark. È uno spazio verde a est del centro città ed è il migliore per rilassarsi e godersi una giornata di sole. È molto meno impegnato del famoso Vondelpark della città e ti mostra una parte diversa, molto più residenziale della città. Ci sono sculture (tra cui il monumento della schiavitù nazionale che commemora l’abolizione della schiavitù nel 1863), campi da gioco, stagni e molto spazio per picnic o lounge. Era anche il primo grande parco della città, risalente al 1890
8. Prova l’esperienza di Heineken
Heineken è una delle birre più popolari (e popolari) del mondo. Puoi fare un’escursione interattiva autoguidata di questo ex birrificio e conoscere come è stata fatta la birra e come la società è progredita nel corso dei secoli (la birra risale al 1870). L’ammissione include anche due birre, quindi se sei un fan assicurati di prenotare un tour. È un modo divertente per imparare un po ‘di storia.
Stadhouderskade 78, +31 020 261 1323, heinekenexperience.com. Aperto ogni giorno dalle 12:00 alle 21:00. L’ammissione è di 21 EUR (19,50 EUR se prenoti online).
9. Vedi il museo erotico e il museo di sesso di Amsterdam
Nascosto in un vecchio magazzino nel Red Light District e ha una mostra sull’erotismo in tutte le sue varie forme nel corso dei secoli. Ha sculture, dipinti, disegni, fotografie e altre opere d’arte. E, naturalmente, c’è un negozio di articoli da regalo se vuoi un souvenir molto più speciale dalla città.
Il Museo Sex Amsterdam è il museo molto più grave ed è molto più istruttivo del museo erotico (ma anche un po ‘meno divertente). Era il primo museo del sesso al mondo, dopo aver aperto nel 1985. Sottolinea la storia delle opinioni e delle norme sessuali, nonché la vita di alcuni dei molti individui sessualmente popolari del mondo (come il Marchese de Sade).
Museo erotico: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 54, +31 20 627 8954, Erotisch-Museum.nl. Aperto tutti i giorni dalle 11 alle e del mattino. L’ammissione è di 7 eur.
Amsterdam Sex Museum: Damrak 18, +31 20 622 8376, sexmuseumamsterdam.nl. Aperto quotidianamente dalle 11 alle 19. L’ammissione è di 9 eur.
10. Vagare nel distretto di luce rossa
Non sorprende che il distretto di Amsterdam Red Light sia uno dei principali attrattili della città. Sebbene molto più famoso rispetto agli anni precedenti, il Red Light District riesce a bilanciare il sesso e la semina con l’essere un’importante attrazione di vacanza internazionale. Mentre vale la pena vedere, manterrei il tuo tempo qui breve. È abbastanza calmo e silenzioso durante il giorno, di notte la zona esplode con festaioli ubriachi e turisti a sgrade che ostruiscono i marciapiedi. Ma anche se non è la tua scena, mi assicurerei di vedere l’area con i tuoi occhi. È certamente unico!
11. Dai un’occhiata al Museo storico ebraico
Questo è l’unico museo di storia ebraico nel paese, anche se in genere è trascurato a favore della Anne Frank House. Personalmente, penso che il museo faccia un lavoro migliore quando riguarda la evidenza della storia e delle lotte degli ebrei nei Paesi Bassi. In particolare, hanno una mostra eccezionale sulla seconda guerra mondiale che evidenzia la resistenza olandese, la compiacenza e la colpa sull’Olocausto. well established in 1932 (and reopened in 1955, after the war), the museum houses over 11,000 items, artifacts, and works of art.
Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, +31 20 531 0310, jck.nl. open daily from 11am–5pm. Admission is 17 EUR.
12. See the museum Amstelkring
Hidden inside a 17th-century canal house, this is one of the most interesting churches I’ve ever been to. Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (“Our Lord in the Attic”) is a clandestine Catholic church that was secretly built during Protestant policy on the 3rd floor of a regular house (it was never really a secret, but considering that it was out of sight the authorities didn’t crack down on them too harshly). built in the 1660s, the church has a stunning drawing room and the furnishings and artifacts make this one of the best 17th-century rooms still intact.
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38, +31 20 624 6604, opsolder.nl. open Tuesday–Friday from 10am-5pm, Saturdays from 10am–6pm and Sundays from 1pm–6pm. Admissions is 14 EUR.
13. check out Noord
Noord has progressed into one of the cooler and trendier districts in recent years. It’s one of the more affordable areas in the city so a lot of new bars and restaurants have opened here. The old industrial areas have been reclaimed and there is lots of green space too. It’s a fun, lively area with much fewer crowds than the central part of the city. rent a bike and explore — you won’t be disappointed!
14. check out the Tulip Museum
The Netherlands is known for its sensational and Insta-worthy tulip fields. This tiny museum, located in a tulip shop, does a terrific job of telling the history of tulips in country. It’s one of the best off-the-beaten-path attractions in Amsterdam. It’s never very busy and it’s only 5 EUR (which makes it one of the least expensive museums in the city).
Prinsengracht 116, +31 20 421 0095, amsterdamtulipmuseum.com. open daily from 10am-6pm. Admission is 5 EUR.
15. See the FOAM
Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam is a photography museum and home to a sensational collection of extraordinary pictures. surprisingly it also sees few crowds even though it’s in the main part of the city. opened in 2001, the museum is composed of four exhibitions that are regularly changing so you never know what you might see (check the web site to see what is on display during your visit). They have a stunning outdoor garden too. It’s a small museum and it doesn’t take long to see so don’t pass it by!
Keizersgracht 609, +31 20 551 6500, foam.org. open daily from 10am–6pm (9pm on Thursdays and Fridays). Admission is 12.50 EUR.
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16. Take an alternative Art Tour
Amsterdam is home to some extraordinary street art. You can see it all over while you explore, but if you really want to appreciate it and learn about the alternative art scene in Amsterdam then take a tour. Alltournative Amsterdam runs an amazing, insightful excursion where you can learn all about the alternative arts while getting to see the best murals in the city. All the people I took on the excursion loved it! prices start at 15 EUR.
17. Go windmill spotting
The Dutch are popular for their windmills and setting out on an adventure to check out the windmills surrounding Amsterdam is a terrific way to take in the city. There are eight in total — a lot of of which are in Amsterdam West. De Gooyer is the closest to the city center and also happens to be a brewery, making it the best place to start (and maybe never leave). It’s just a quick 20-minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal. another windmill worth seeing is Sloten Mill, which is a reconstructed mill from 1847 that’s open to the public. excursions last 45 minutes and cost 7.50 EUR.
18. Take a Bike Tour
Bikes are to Amsterdam like white wine is to Bordeaux. The locals love to bike anywhere and there are supposedly a lot more bikes than people in the city. Bike usage has shot up 40% in the past two decades and locals collectively cycle over 2 million kilometers every day! If you want to explore the way the locals do, take a bike tour.
Mike’s Bike excursions is the best company to use, whether for a excursion or to rent a bike on your own. Not only do they offer city excursions but they also offer bike excursions of the surrounding countryside as well. A 2.5-hour city excursion costs 33 EUR.
19. check out the Rembrandt house Museum
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is widely considered to be one of the greatest artists in human history (his popular painting, The night Watch, is in the Rijksmuseum). This house, which he lived and worked in between 1639 and 1658 has been converted into a museum that highlights his life and wor