Amsterdam is a city best explored with a good helping of serendipity, aided by some pre-trip planning. There is so much to do and see, both on and off the beaten path.
Here are the top Amsterdam sights and activities as selected by your fellow travelers
Do and see more in Amsterdam for less with the I amsterdam city card:
Explore Amsterdam with the I amsterdam City Card
This card give you access to all major Amsterdam highlights:
More than 70 museums
City-wide public transport
Free bicycle rental
Free canal cruise
Skip-the-lines
Discounts at restaurants, attractions, concerts
More…
Built on 13,659 wooden piles, Amsterdam’s Royal Palace on Dam Square — which started life as the city’s Town Hall — was once described as the world’s Eight Wonder.
Though the palace is at the disposal of the Royal House, most days of the year it is open to visitors.
Founded sometime in the 14th century for the Beguines, members of a lay Catholic sisterhood, the Begijnhof is one of Amsterdam’s oldest inner courtyards — and one of the city’s best known landmarks.
Even taking into account the effects of mass tourism, the Begijnhof remains for the most part a haven of peace and tranquility in the busy center of medieval Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is a walkable city. It’s small enough to easily walk to many of its tourist sights and attractions. While most visitors explore the city on their own, many book a Free Amsterdam Walking Tour.
But are those tours really free? If so, what’s the catch?
More importantly: which free tours company may you want to avoid?
Amsterdam is a freewheeling city, but — contrary to popular opinion — not everything goes. And even some things that are perfectly legal are best avoided. Here is our list of tourist traps to avoid.
Just minutes from Amsterdam’s busy center is a tranquil waterside promenade that provides fantastic views of the river IJ.
Most guide books won’t tell you about it, but it pays to visit this ‘hidden’ spot.
One of Amsterdam’s most unique museums is the EYE Film Instituut Nederland — EYE Film Institute Netherlands.
Also known as the EYE Filmmuseum, EYE houses an internationally renowned film collection that covers the entire history of cinema.
Devoted to modern art from the mid-19th century to the present day, the Stedelijk Museum is one of the world’s leading modern art museums.