For tourists, business travellers, layover visitors, and future expats
As Amsterdam locals we want to welcome you to our wonderful city. It is our pleasure to help you plan your trip, find your way around, point you to the well-known tourist attractions, and show you how to avoid the crowds.
Table of contents
- For tourists, business travellers, layover visitors, and future expats
- Amsterdam: Some Basic Information
- Amsterdam: Accessibility
- Amsterdam: Hotels
- Amsterdam Public Transport
- Rent a Car
- Amsterdam Canals
- Cruise Ships
- Amsterdam: Streets & Squares
- Amsterdam: Museums
- Where and When to See the Tulips
- Cafés and Restaurants
- Discount Cards
- Tours, Excursions, Skip-the-Line Tickets
- Amsterdam Webcams
- Need More Information About Amsterdam?
Discover Amsterdam: Tourist Information & Travel Guide
This is a collection of ‘home pages’ with Amsterdam Tourist Information on a variety of topics of interest to visitors.
Everything is presented the Dutch Amsterdam way: basic information along with our unique, local perspective. And, where necessary, a generous serving of opinion — provided by locals.
Amsterdam: Some Basic Information
- Where is Amsterdam?
In Holland? In the Netherlands? Where is that tiny country anyway? - Online Amsterdam Map
- The city’s center — Amsterdam’s most popular district
- Currency exchange — Where to change your money to Euros
Where you exchange your cash to euros can cost or save you lots of money. Which ATMs to use, and which ones to avoid. Plus: the exchange service favored by tourists - Electricity in the Netherlands — Do you need a travel converter in Amsterdam?
- Can you use your mobile phone (or cell phone) in Amsterdam?
- Also: Basic Amsterdam Phone Numbers (including police and emergency numbers)
- Weather: Amsterdam weather forecasts — and what to wear
The old joke that Amsterdam has four seasons a day is not true. Mostly not true. But it’s often easy to see why people may think it is. - Current time, date, and day of the week (and when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends)
- What not to do in Amsterdam
Among other things, you’ll want to avoid the tourist traps, getting hit by bikes or trams, pay exorbitant taxi rates, or be that guy. - What Amsterdam’s Coat of Arms represents
Some people are relieved — and some are disappointed — when they find out those three X’s in the emblem of Amsterdam really stand for.
Amsterdam: Accessibility
- Cityguide Amsterdam + metropole region: accessible routes through Amsterdam [PDF] This (dated but still useful) Amsterdam visitors guide provides 5 accessible routes through the city. It includes information about accessibility of public transport, restaurants, museums and shopping streets in Amsterdam.
- There are hundreds of wheelchair accessible sights, tours, museums, and activities in Amsterdam (as listed by our trusted ticket partner, Get Your Guide)
Amsterdam: Hotels
- Hotels Guide
Amsterdam has a huge variety of hotels ranging from traditional to quirky. Pay top rates for a five star hotel downtown, or spend the night at the top of a crane. Stay at someone’s private home (which, more often than not, is bound to be gezellig), or in a capsule hotel. Wake up on the water — staying on a houseboat, a yacht, or a converted river cruise ship — or in a former bridge-operator house. Whether you’re in Amsterdam as a business traveler or a backpacker, a family, group, or a single tourist — there’s a hotel, bed and breakfast, or apartment for you.
And… if you love Amsterdam here is why you will want to avoid Airbnb!
Plan your Amsterdam trip:
- Save on accommodation from hostels and apartments to luxury hotels
- Pick your hotel on this map of Amsterdam and surroundings
- Cheap flights to Amsterdam
- Unlimited Public Transport 1-7 days
- Things to do in Amsterdam
- Key to the City: I Amsterdam City Card (Big Value)
- Visitor’s Guide
Amsterdam Public Transport
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Public Transport to and from Schiphol Airport
Getting from the airport to the city and back is easy and inexpensive. But avoid the rogue taxis.
- Public Transport to and from Schiphol Airport
- Central Station — Amsterdam’s central public transport hub
You may not need to travel to and from this station, but sooner or late you’ll end up here anyway. - Public Transport Tickets
Getting your tickets ahead of time — and getting the right ones — can save you lots money and hassle. - Taxis
Amsterdam taxis are among the most expensive you’ll find — and that’s when they charge you the official, legal rates.
Rent a Car
You can rent a car at Schiphol airport, or in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Canals
- What your should know about the canals of Amsterdam
- Number 1 tourist attraction (in Amsterdam and the entire country of the Netherlands): Take a canal cruise
Many types of cruises available, including candlelight cruise, dinner cruise, beer & pizza cruise, and more.
Cruise Ships
- Seafaring cruise ships dock at the Cruise Port Amsterdam (formerly Passenger Terminal Amsterdam). How to get there from your hotel, the airport, or from Central Station.
Amsterdam: Streets & Squares
- Damrak: Part of the so-called Red Carpet into Amsterdam
- Dam Square: The heart of the city
- Rokin: the next section of Amsterdam’s ‘Red Carpet’ leading you further into the city
- Leidseplein is one of Amsterdam’s premier nightlife and entertainment spots
- Muntplein: Busy junction to the floating Bloemenmarkt (Flower market), the popular Kalverstraat shopping street, the Rembrandtplein nightlife hub and more
Amsterdam: Museums
- Museums: list of museums, plus skip-the-line entry tickets
Fact: Amsterdam is home to more museums per square kilometer than any other city in the world.
Where and When to See the Tulips
- The best time to see the tulips at Keukenhof is from the middle of April through the first week of May. Whether or not you’ll see Holland’s famous tulips depends on the time of year you visit (and a bit on the unpredictable weather).
Cafés and Restaurants
- Where to eat (includes food tours — anything from a pizza or wine and cheese canal cruise to a private food tour)
- Prefer pubs? Amsterdam has its ‘brown cafés‘
- How to visit a café in Amsterdam
- Also good to know: How to order a beer in Dutch
- Herring — Amsterdam’s most popular street food
Discount Cards
- I amsterdam City Card: See Amsterdam museums for free, use public transport for free, get a free canal cruise, a free bike rental, and much more
Tours, Excursions, Skip-the-Line Tickets
- DutchAmsterdam recommends GetYourGuide to easily discover and book tours and activities in Amsterdam and throughout the world
Yes, we earn a small commission from each purchase you make — at no additional cost to you. This helps us provide DutchAmsterdam free of charge.
- What you should know before considering one of those free walking tours
Amsterdam News & Media
- News From Amsterdam, in English: One way you can get a real ‘feel’ of life Amsterdam is by checking the local news. So that’s what we provide for tourists, business travelers, convention visitors, students, expats, and so on. Plus some background about the media scene in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Webcams
See Amsterdam via various live webcams. Including Dam Square, Damrak, the River IJ and Amsterdam Central Station, Singel Canal, and more.
And in case you cannot visit in person, you can armchair travel to virtual Amsterdam.
Plan your Amsterdam trip:
- Save on accommodation from hostels and apartments to luxury hotels
- Pick your hotel on this map of Amsterdam and surroundings
- Cheap flights to Amsterdam
- Unlimited Public Transport 1-7 days
- Things to do in Amsterdam
- Key to the City: I Amsterdam City Card (Big Value)
- Visitor’s Guide
Need More Information About Amsterdam?
We are not affiliated with any official Amsterdam Tourist Information service. But you’re welcome to contact DutchAmsterdam with your travel questions. We’ll try our best to help you.
Greetings from DutchAmsterdam — The Amsterdam Experts
