Top 9 things to do in Amsterdam

1-  Rent a bike:

Cycling is a part of the Dutch culture, It’s a way of life. You can’t visit Amsterdam without trying the locals way of transport. There is no better way to reach all tourist attractions, admire Amsterdam streets and houses and discover the city’s hidden gems.

Renting bikes companies are numerous. You can also book a bike tour with other tourists and a guide. He will shows you Amsterdam best sightseeing and gives you information about the stories of the monuments.

The prices differ according to the bike type and company, but generally don’t exceed €25 per day.

Cycling - Top things to do in Amsterdam

2- Visit Amsterdam’s best museums and galleries:

Amsterdam has some of the greatest museums in Europe.  It houses the famous Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. Explore the city’s heritage at the Amsterdam Museum or contemplate the marvelous art exhibitions at the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art.

If you are interested by the rich history of Judaism in Amsterdam, visit Joods Historisch Museum or Anne Frank house. 

Don’t miss the open air exhibitions at Museumplein during summer.

Rijksmuseum museum - Best things to do in Amsterdam

Rijksmuseum museum – Elyktra/Flickr

3 – Spend a day at Jordaan:

Jordaan is always considered the most beautiful district of Amsterdam. You can spend the whole day here, between the narrow street and peaceful canals. It was a working-class area and became one of the most well-liked places in the city. The area is packed with art galleries, antiques shops, animated restaurants, boutiques and street cafes.

Jordaan - Best things to do in Amsterdam

4 – Do a canal cruise:

Enclosing 165 canals, Amsterdam’s Canal Belt, was created in the 17th century to keep the sea at bay. The Canal Belt has a great cultural, historic and symbolic value in the city. The waterways, passing by the lovely quarters gives Amsterdam a picturesque urban landscape.

By doing a canal cruise, you will see breathtaking views of the city, the authentic cafés, the bridges and the old style houses.

There are different type of cruises day and night: hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tours, dinner on boat, history guided tours, private cruises.  

Canal cruise - Top things to do in Amsterdam

5 – Smell the tulips:

Your visit to Amsterdam can’t be complete without enjoying the glamour of the blooming tulips.

Visit the Bloemenmarkt, the most famous tulip market. It’s a floating flower market located along the southern bank if the Singel. It opens daily between 9 am and 5 pm. You will be fascinated by the long colored lines of bulbs and tulips. Or visit the Amsterdam Tulip Museum to learn about the story of tulips in Amsterdam.

During spring, don’t miss a trip to the Flower Strip or ‘Bollenstreek’, an entire region colored with millions of flourished flowers.

blooming-tulips - Top things to do in Amsterdam

6 – Visit a market in Amsterdam

Shopping in one of Amsterdam’s market is a great experience, when you will feel the Dutch atmosphere, bargain prices and purchase unique pieces. Flavored cheese, chocolate, vintage clothes, antiques, souvenirs, books, handcrafts, you will find everything.

There are plenty of markets opening every day, one day a week or in a particular season. They are located in the city center or surrounding districts like Jordaan and Pijp. The most popular ones includes:

Art Plein Spui Market of original prints and oil paintings, the farmer’s Market of food and cheese, Westerstraat market of textiles and shoes, Albert Cuypmarkt of exotic herbs and spices, Waterlooplein Flea Market and the Flower Market.

Amsterdam markets - Top things to do in Amsterdam

James Byrum/Flickr

7 – Relax in Vondelpark:

Vondelpark is the largest and the most famous park in Amsterdam. It’s a perfect destination on a sunny day for a fresh morning tour or a cup of tea in the afternoon.

Make a tour there and you will encounter many locals and tourist doing sports, roller-skating, doing picnics…

Feast your eyes with a colorful mix of gardens, lakes, plants and forested patches and grass. You can watch shows in open air theatre or take a snack at The Blue Teahouse. It’s an historic and attractive building in the center of the park.

Vondelpark - Top things to do in Amsterdam

Andy Walker/Flickr

8 – Do a day trip to the countryside of Amsterdam:

Just outside the city, there are a lot of breathtaking Dutch scenery and unique sights: Cheese factories, wooden houses, fascinating windmills, wooden shoes factories …

Plan a visit to Zaanse Schans, a museum about the history of clogs and traditional crafts in Amsterdam or do a day trip to the village of Volendam, a traditional fishing village on the bank of the river Zaan.

There are also  guided tour to the famous cheese factories, where you can taste special flavors and very toothsome cheese.

Traditional-Dutch-windmills - Top things to do in Amsterdam

9 – Take a photo on the Iamsterdam letters:

In front of the Rijksmuseum, there are huge I amsterdam letters where the tourists always take picture. Memorize your trip to Amsterdam by visiting this world renowned museum and taking photos.

Iamsterdam - Top things to do in Amsterdam

Kevin Gessner/Flickr

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