Insider’s Guide: Amsterdam 2

Amsterdam is an enchanting blend of old and new – a place where radical contemporary art is sold underneath 17th-century gables, the bicycle is the preferred mode of transit and triple-strength monk-made beer is served in stylish canal-side cafés.

Combining big-metropolis exuberance with small-town manageability and a huge dollop of tolerance, this multi-national, multi-lingual city boasts the largest concentration of world-class art museums in Europe, Golden Age architecture, more canals than Venice and a fast-growing restaurant and clubbing culture.

In this guide we’ve handpicked the very best of Amsterdam — both on and off the beaten path — so you can travel like an insider in Amsterdam!

Meet the Insiders

Sasha is a travel writer who has written several books about Amsterdam. She always heads

straight for the Jordaan to check out exciting new art galleries and restaurants.

Katrin loves walking the streets of Amsterdam, following its many canals, particularly at night when

the bridges are illuminated, or sitting in a cafe watching pedestrians and bicyclists.

Hallo, Amsterdam!

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The streets bordering Amsterdam’s canals are tailor-made for bike riding. Join a guided bike tour to see the architecture and sights of the city center, cycle along the many canals or head out to the gritty neighborhood of Zeeburg to discover its maritime heritage. If you fancy getting out of town, take advantage of the flat Dutch countryside to tour timeless villages, windmills and even a farm where both cheese and clogs are produced using age-old methods.

Best Way to Get Around Amsterdam: By Bike

Insider’s TipDon’t forget the rules of the road. Never cut off other cyclists, watch out for trams at junctions and avoid getting your cycle wheels stuck in the tram tracks.

Work Out

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The Netherlands is a small country and no destination is very far from Amsterdam. Visit Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum where traditional 17th- and 18th- century life has been preserved. Green wooden houses, a historic shipyard, and a pewter factory are among the village’s attractions but it’s most famous for its five working windmills.

Combine a tour of Zaanse Schans with the traditional fishing villages of Volendam and Marken, which surround picture-perfect harbors lined with wooden houses. In South Holland, visit The Hague, the elegant capital city of the Netherlands, with several art museums, the seaside suburb of Scheveningen and the family-friendly Madurodam theme park.

Best Day Trips: Exploring the Dutch Countryside

“ The windmill town of Zaanse Schans was my favorite! If you have a day in the Netherlands I would highly recommend it!

“

-Caitlin

Detour

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There’s no better way to get a grip on the architectural marvels of Amsterdam than by canal tour; you’ll get to see many of the city’s best-loved landmarks, including the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge), the majestic 17th-century Canal Ring, the Seven Bridges view along Reguliersgracht and the neo-Gothic façade of Central Station.

There’s a cruise to suit just about any taste. See all the sights from a hop-on, hop-off Canal Bus; combine a canal tour with a harbor cruise; or take a candlelight cruise aboard a glass-enclosed boat.

Best Way to Explore the City’s Canals: On a Cruise

Insider’s TipThe canals are not the only waterways in Amsterdam. Take a harbor tour to admire the sleek architecture springing up on its waterline or catch the ferry from Central Station to explore the new Nord Amsterdam district.

Explore

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“ Pictures do not do Keukenhof justice. My wife was brought to tears with the beauty and splendor of all the gardens and displays.

“

-Joseph R.

Best Way to See Keukenhof: From AboveThe Keukenhof tulip gardens are one of Europe’s biggest visitor attractions, covering 32 hectares of manicured parkland, winding pathways, bubbling streams and shady ponds. They open for just two months – between mid-March and mid-May – when seven million tulips, narcissi, daffodils, hyacinths and bluebells burst simultaneously into life. During that time, Keukenhof is visited by more than 800,000 people so book a skip-the-line tour for priority access.

While the flower fields are beautiful at ground level, they’re even more stunning from above. Book a flight in a World War II DC-3 Dakota for a bird’s-eye view of the stunning tulip fields.

Bird’s-Eye View

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Best Way to Honor Amsterdam’s Famous Herione: The Anne Frank HouseThe name of Anne Frank is forever linked with Amsterdam and her house on Prinsengracht attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. They come to pay their respects in the cramped secret annex where Anne and her family spent three years in hiding before they were betrayed to the Nazi occupiers of Amsterdam. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp in March 1945 but her journal, published as The Diary of Anne Frank in 1947, ensures that her tragic tale will never be forgotten.

A visit to the Anne Frank House is so popular that lines form every day well before it opens; skip the link with a fast-track ticket which can be combined with a visit to the Jewish Historical Museum.

Insider’s TipAlthough much of Anne Frank’s Amsterdam disappeared following World War II, a heritage walk through the quiet streets of the Plantage guides visitors to the synagogues, memorials and museums important to Dutch Jewish culture.

Learn

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Indulge

Best Culinary Experience: A Food Tour of AmsterdamCheese-lovers should be right at home in Amsterdam, where Dutch cheeses such as Gouda, Edam and Leerdammer play a major part in the cuisine. Book a food tour to learn more about traditional Dutch cuisine, or enjoy an authentic meal in the home of a local family.

Of course, sampling cheese and other Dutch treats is thirsty work so you’ll need a beer or two to wash it down. Dutch beers are mostly pale lagers, although there are variants such as wit bier and bok. The most famous local beer is Heineken, which was brewed in Amsterdam from 1873 until 1988; the former brewery is now one of most popular attractions in the city.

“Great guide and a very good insight into the food of Amsterdam.

“

-Matthew J.

See all food tours in Amsterdam

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Best Art Museums: The Trio at Museum SquareAmsterdam is home to world-class museums covering everything from the Old Masters to Van Gogh. At Museumplein (Museum Square), you’ll find the renowned Van Gogh Museum, the largest collection of his paintings in the world, and the Rijksmuseum, which focuses on the 17th century and displays masterpieces from artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer. To bring the story to present day, head back across Museumplein to the Stedelijk Museum for its superb collection of 20th-century and contemporary artworks, installations and decorative arts.

Insider’s TipThe Hermitage Amsterdam is also worth a peek as it displays ever-changing exhibitions plucked from the world-class art collection at the Hermitage in St Petersburg.

Culture

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Best Nightlife Experience: The Red Light DistrictAmsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen) has been the haunt of pleasure seekers since the 14th century. The best places for window-watching are along Oudezijds Achterburgwal and in the alleys south of the Oude Kerk (Old Church) but despite its seedy reputation, the Red Light District offers more than sex, drugs and alcohol.

It’s the city’s oldest district and blessed with some of its best architecture, prettiest canals and most stylish boutiques. And interspersed with the lurid red-lit windows is an up-and-coming dining and nightlife scene, particularly around Warmoesstraat and Zeedijk. To explore after dark, take a guided walking tour or join a pub crawl through the bars and clubs of the Red Light District.

After Hours

“ This was an excellent way to see the Red Light District and understand its history.

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-Katherine M.

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Day Trips to Other Countries are Easier Than You ThinkIt’s surprisingly easy to travel to another country for the day from Amsterdam – partly because The Netherlands is so very small – so if you get the urge to discover the medieval charms of Bruges or Brussels in Belgium, book a coach tour and you’re on your way.

Like Amsterdam, Bruges has canals, beer, and crowds of tourists, but it’s a quarter of the size, making it the perfect destination to explore in a day. First among its many attractions is the jaw-dropping medieval architecture of the town’s two main squares; other highlights include the vast collection of Flemish art at the Groeningemuseum, the tranquil gardens of the Begijnhof and the family-friendly museums dedicated to chocolate and the humble potato fry.

As the powerhouse of the European Union, cosmopolitan Brussels is considerably bigger and its attractions are spread over a wider area. It’s best seen by coach from Amsterdam. With a whistle-stop tour of the palaces and museums of Royal Brussels plus a glimpse at the glass-and-steel HQ of the European Parliament, there’s just enough time to shop for chocolates and lace in the elegant enclosed galleries next to the Grand-Place.

Pssst!

Insider’s Guide: Amsterdam

Photo by Rick Markovich

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Best Money-Saver:Sightseeing PassesSimplify your trip to Amsterdam with the I Amsterdam City Card, a pass that gives you free admission to museums and public transport throughout the city. Gain free entry to 38 museums including the Van Gogh Museum, Museum Het Rembrandthuis and Hermitage Amsterdam, plus unlimited public transport, a canal cruise and discounts on attractions and restaurants.

Best Popular Attraction:Heineken ExperienceAs one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions, the Heineken Experience is always packed so buy a skip-the-line Amsterdam and Holland Pass to ensure fast-track entrance. The bonus for most visitors is the chance to enjoy a couple of Heineken beers in the bar at the end of the tour.

Best Way to see the Van Gogh Museum: Without the LineCombine fast-track admission to the Van Gogh Museum with a 24- or 48-hour Canal Bus hop-on hop-off pass, and you’ve got the best of Amsterdam covered. Explore the extensive collection at the Van Gogh Museum and see major landmarks at 19 stops, including the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House, as you cruise Amsterdam’s scenic waterways with your hop-on, hop-off Canal Bus day pass.

Viator Recommends

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The Amsterdam DungeonFeaturing live shows, virtual-reality rides and seriously scary special effects, the sinister secrets of Amsterdam’s dark past are revealed in a terrifying journey through 500 years of history. See how the plague affected the city, learn of horrific medieval punishments and steel your nerves in the darkness of the pitch-black Labyrinth.

Canal and Pizza CruiseAs the perfect ending to a day’s sightseeing in Amsterdam, sit back and enjoy a twilight cruise past some of the most iconic sights in Amsterdam. Relax over a couple of beers or a glass of wine and treat the kids to their favorite pizzas. Afterwards dig in to ice cream as your boat floats gently down the canals.

Madame TussaudsMadame Tussauds is a worldwide favorite with families for its realistic waxworks of famous rock stars, royalty, movie stars, athletes and politicians. The Amsterdam outpost opened back in 1971, and the parade of international A-listers such as Beyoncé and Brad Pitt is cleverly mixed with a cast of Dutch characters like Rembrandt and Van Gogh.

Family-Friendly Amsterdam

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