Miila is a conservation biologist from Finland, and she’s currently living in South Africa, where she works on her PhD, does travel writing and proofreading, and spends time with her small baby and two dogs.
As far as European capital cities go, Amsterdam is amongst the more unique ones. It is a place to observe historical buildings and area-specific architecture, but it also has a distinct fun or quirky vibe. The Dutch are an industrious and ingenious people, which reflects in the interesting technological and practical solutions visible in the Dutch society. Amsterdam’s vast canal system is a testimony to this societal quality.
And yet, although Amsterdam is perhaps best known for its narrow, colorful houses with gabled facades and picturesque bridges, the city also has many other enchanting aspects. Amsterdam is full of fabulous little cafés and restaurants, and it is well known for its flower markets and nightlife. The museums of Amsterdam are truly captivating, with portrayals of history of the Netherlands and Western Europe and with world-famous art.
Canals are one of Amsterdam’s most defining characteristics (Credit: Miila Kauppinen)
These days, Amsterdam is a deep mix of peoples, cultures, and heritages. I would say that exploring Amsterdam is best done from the back of a bicycle. Indeed, a few days in the city can give you an appreciation for the vibrancy of this capital city also called “The Venice of the North”.
If you’re flying into the Netherlands, you’ll likely arrive at Schiphol international airport. It is a large airport with lots of traffic, and sometimes I’ve found myself waiting in long queues at Schiphol. However, the airport is also efficiently organized, and getting into the city is very easy.
The fastest way is to take a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal (the central train, tram, and bus station). Of course you can also catch a bus, or a taxi. Actually, disturbances to public transport due to strikes is not uncommon in the Netherlands, and thus, travelling by taxi sometimes becomes a necessity.
Once you’re in Amsterdam, it is easy to take trams, buses, or local trains to different destinations. Uber and Bolt work in the city as well. You can buy day tickets or even multi-day tickets for public transport, which saves you a bit of money, or you can use your bank card or phone. Just remember to check in with your card, and also check out before stepping off (uit te checken).
I highly recommend renting a bike, though, for your days in Amsterdam. Cycling around in the city is easy and fun, because of the fantastic bicycle lanes and the flat terrain. This way, you can really feel immersed in the city.
Bicycle parking by Central Station. Bicycles are perhaps the best way to see things and get around in Amsterdam (Credit: Miila Kauppinen)
Travel tip: If you’re intending to visit several places during your stay, buying an IAmsterdam City Card is a great way to get around between places and to access main attractions.
The card can be bought for one or several days at a time, and it gives you access to city-wide public transport, several canal cruise operators, tens of museums and other attractions, as well as rentable bicycles.
Day 1
Morning: City centre
On your first morning in Amsterdam, head to the very centre of the city, just to get a feel of Amsterdam. Mind you, this is the most busy area in terms of visitors – but you do get a lovely picture of some of the things Amsterdam has to offer. Walking down the Dam street, you can see lots of souvenir shops, museums, and convenience stores, all showcasing some aspects of Dutch culture.
You’ll see people from all over the world, as well as locals heading to work or other activities. You can stop at the impressive Dam square and national World War II monument, and pop over to theRoyal Palace, the official reception place of King Willem-Alexander.
Dam Square in Amsterdam (Source: IAmsterdam)Royal Palace in Amsterdam (Source: IAmsterdam)
While you’re strolling down the Dam/Rokin street, you’ll find lots of little shops and cafés serving Dutch delicacies – including Dutch cheese, fries with pindasaus (peanut sauce), stroopwafels (syrup cookies), and poffertjies (small pancakes). I highly recommend stopping to try some – or, ideally, all – on your way. You’ll also see plenty of coffee shops, Amsterdam-style; places that are licensed to allow consumption of marijuana on the premises.
You could walk all the way to the world’s only floating Flower Market by Singel, one of the main streets surrounding the city centre. Nearby is also the famous Rembrandtplein, a square with the statue of Rembrandt in the centre, that is surrounded by lovely cafés and bars. I can highly recommend having lunch at one of the eateries here, such as the vibey and gorgeous Kitchen & Bar Van Rijn, open also at night, or the Asian fusion food restaurant Shiso.
Flower Market (Bloemenmarkt) in Amsterdam (Source: Tulip Festival Amsterdam)Rembrandtplein (Source: Amsterdam Sights)
Afternoon: Canal tour in the city
The canals are everywhere in Amsterdam. They were originally made for defense, drainage, and transportation purposes, and are now a defining feature of the city, and gorgeous in their picturesque uniqueness.
These days a lot of people actually live on the water, in house boats. Visitors can also experience the canals by taking a canal boat tour, and this allows one to appreciate a different perspective of Amsterdam. One of the best ways to do this activity in Amsterdam is booking a canal cruise ticket that allows you to hop on and off the boats using a variety of tour operators. Or, if you have a City Card, this allows you access to several canal tours, as well.
Canal cruise (Source: I Amsterdam)
Dinner and evening
Amsterdam is world famous for its nightlife, and there are also countless fantastic restaurants in the city, meaning you won’t lack choices in terms of places to eat at. As part of our recommended 4-day itinerary for visiting Amsterdam, you’ll find a few great restaurant suggestions in this article.
After your first day in Amsterdam, I can recommend heading back to the surroundings of Dam Square. For dinner, you could try the wonderful Argentinian tapas and grill place La Boca close to the Royal Palace. Or, for fine dining, I can recommend the elegant yet innovative Restaurant Bougainville. If you wish to head out for drinks after dinner, one place that comes highly recommended is Café Belgique, known for their great selection of Belgian beers. Or, for a “fine drinking” experience, head over to Bar TwentySeven.
La Boca Argentinian restaurant (Source: La Boca)
Day 2
Morning: Visit Jordaan District
I can recommend spending some time exploring the many characterful little streets of the Jordaan District. This part of western Amsterdam is known for picturesque canals and bridges, the traditional narrow, tall buildings the city is known for, and cute cafés and independent shops. While in Jordaan, you could stop off for a brunch at for example the lovely Saint-Jean Bakery & Deli. This small café is fully plant-based, and they serve tasty savory treats as well as delicious sweet pastries. Their coffee is really good, as well.
It is well worth it to visit the Anne Frank’s House, also located in Jordaan. This small museum is located at the place where Anne Frank and her family used to hide during World War II. It commemorates this dark time of Europe’s history as well as the famous diaries of Anne Frank herself. It is best to book a ticket in advance, as only small groups can enter the museum at any one time.
Jordaan is a district in Amsterdam well worth exploring (Source: IAmsterdam)
I also recommend visiting the Spui area, close to Jordaan District. At Spui, you’ll find the most lovely book stores, and on some days there is also a highly attractive old books’ market happening here. Locals and international visitors alike find their way to this atmospheric little corner of Amsterdam to admire the quaint shops and buildings.
Afternoon & Evening
Madame Tussauds
After exploring Jordaan, I recommend heading back to the centre of the city to visit some of the fun attractions found here. Madame Tussauds Amsterdam is certainly worth exploring, to “meet” some of your favorite celebrities, or just to admire the wax figure craftmanship that makes this establishment the unique attraction that it is.
I had some reservations about queuing for a ticket to this well-visited and somewhat pricey place, but I was positively surprised.
Local tip: If you feel like a little afternoon snack, Pats Poffertjes close to the Royal Palace serve fantastic poffertjies, Dutch mini pancakes.
Poffertjies at Pat’s Poffertjies (Source: Pats Poffertjies)
Red Light District
In the early evening, why not take a walk through Amsterdam’s Red Light district, just to the east of the city centre. This area is famous, of course, for the opportunity to enjoy various forms of adult entertainment, including sex theatres, museums, and legal prostitution.
But, the area also has picturesque historic buildings, small shops and restaurants, and the same beautiful canals and bridges that you find elsewhere in Amsterdam. I’d say it’s worth taking a stroll through, if just to experience this rather unique aspect of Amsterdam.
You can also find lovely options for dinner in the vicinity. I can recommend Little Saigon where you can order fantastic Vietnamese food. Meanwhile, Pizzeria Bella Roma is the place to go to if you’d like to enjoy a great Italian pizza.
Red lights district is these days a rather friendly neighborhood, with an array of unique things to see and do (Source: Amsterdam Info)
Day 3
Morning: Vondelpark and Rijksmuseum
I find Vondelpark to be one of the loveliest places in Amsterdam. These green oasis with waterways and ponds contains a rich bird life, and many people come to enjoy its pleasant walkways. You could also have breakfast or brunch here, at Proeflokaal ‘t Blauwe Theehuis. They also serve pizzas and craft beers.
Definitely one of the best, and most popular, things to do in Amsterdam is visiting the Rijksmuseum. This historic art museum showcases Dutch art from the last 800 years or so. The museum is housed in a picturesque historic building, and it is thus a sight to see just from the outside. And on the inside, you can find mesmerizing artworks by some of the best Dutch painters of the whole of history.
Well-known and loved pieces include Rembrandt’s “Nightwatch” and artworks byVan Gogh. You can buy tickets to this and other Amsterdam museums online, but it is also possible to buy them at the door.
Proeflokaal ‘t Blauwe Theehuis (Source: Brouwerij Het IJ)Rembrandt’s Nightwatch at Rijksmuseum (Source: IAmsterdam)
For lunch, I can recommend trying the Vegan Junk Food Bar not far from Rijksmuseum. They serve a whole range of “junk food”, all vegan, including burgers, sweet potato chips, and meatless bitterballen, small Dutch snacks.
I can also recommend spending some time exploring the Van Gogh Museum, close to Rijksmuseum. It is dedicated to the life and works of the famous Dutch painter. The museum consists of several floors of exhibitions, and houses the largest Van Gogh collection in the world, with hundreds of drawings and paintings, as well as letters written by the artist. Two to three hours is a good amount of time to spend here.
Amsterdam is a great place to view historic art, including works by Vincent Van Gogh (Source: Van Gogh Museum)
Evening
Shopping
Perhaps you’ll wish to do some shopping during your 4-day visit in Amsterdam. You’ll certainly find little souvenir shops scattered around the whole city centre, and in these you can find little gifts such as Dutch wooden shoe key rings, tulips, stroopwafels, or cheese.
For some serious shopping, however, I can suggest heading over to Kalverstraat, south of Dam Square, as well as Nieuwendijk that parallels Dam street towards the central station. Along these carless streets you can find all kinds of stores from clothing to electronics, gifts, and more.
For cheese, I can recommend Henri Willig cheese stores, found in a couple of locations in central Amsterdam. Visiting the shop is a lovely experience – you can taste a whole range of imagination-stretching cheeses, and buy well packaged, delicious gifts to take with you, as well. My personal favorite cheese is the strong but still easygoing Oude Amsterdam.
The Pantry close to Leidseplein is another great suggestion for a dinner place in Amsterdam. Here you can enjoy traditional Dutch food, as well as a charming atmosphere and great service.
Leidseplein and the surrounds are also known for their vibrant nightlife. Some world famous bars and night clubs are found here. Melkweg music venue and cultural centre is located close to Leidseplein, and here you can enjoy not only music performances but also movies and exhibitions. Paradiso is another famous music venue in Amsterdam.
It is in a former church building from late 19th century, and now hosts live music almost every day of the year. Or, for a superb pub experience, I can recommend Le Pub by Leidseplein, amongst many other fabulous choices.
Day 4
Amsterdam Oost
Morning
Amsterdam Oost is becoming more and more interesting visiting-wise. Lovely cafés and restaurants are cropping up around the area, and there are amazing museums and other cultural attractions to explore. There are also beautiful green areas in Amsterdam Oost.
Flevopark (Source: IAmsterdam/Ines Maudiere)
For the morning of your fourth day, I can recommend a visit to the Flevopark area. This lush park in the Indische Buurt portion of Amsterdam Oost teems with lovely waterbodies, trees, birds, and other animals that you won’t encounter in the inner-city parts of Amsterdam.
There are walking, jogging, and cycling paths in Flevopark. If you bring a picnic, you can find a peaceful spot by the water or under the trees to enjoy a brunch outdoors.
Day and Afternoon
For the rest of the day, I can recommend visiting Artis and the surrounds. Artis consists of a zoo, a botanical garden, a planetarium, a museum, and an aquarium. It is a place to learn about our natural world and the connections between people and nature. The historic Artis Zoo houses endangered species from all over the world, and they emphasize education about the protection of species and environments.
Nearby, you’ll find Amsterdam’s Wereldmuseum. Previously known as Tropenmuseum (tropics museum), this fascinating museum contains exhibitions concerning the Netherlands’s historic connections with other countries. The museum has colorful, enchanting, and touching displays of artifacts, stories, and events from around the world. I can highly recommend visiting Wereldmuseum, if you have time.
Jaguar cub at Artis Zoo (Source: IAmsterdam)Wereldmuseum (Source: IAmsterdam)
Evening
For an early evening beer, I can strongly recommend visiting Brouwerij ‘t IJ. This organic craft brewery is located at a 300-year old windmill. Their award-winning beer is tasty, and they promote sustainable practices in their operations. As to dinner, The Cottage not far from Brouwerij ‘t IJ is a fantastic option. This atmospheric little place serves great sandwiches, fish, and salads, amongst other things, and they are famous for their pies. It is recommended to book your table in advance.
Finally, if you’re still feeling like heading out on your last night in Amsterdam, Flying Dutchmen Cocktails is one place in central Amsterdam that you won’t want to miss. You’ll have fun choosing your favorite cocktail here, but of course they also have a good selection of beers and wine on offer.
Brouwerij ‘t IJ (Source: IAmsterdam/David Stenega)The Cottage, Amsterdam Oost (Source: The Cottage)
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