Amsterdam
What you need to know before you go
Amsterdam is a liberal city that boasts some of the world’s most renowned museums – its medieval Old Centre could even be mistaken for an Impressionist painting. You’ll struggle to be bored in this city built around the UNESCO-listed Canal Ring, where waterfront nightclubs and bars abound. See the best of the city on 2 wheels and soak up some fresh air with a bike ride to the lush, verdant Vondelpark. For a truly Dutch experience, enjoy one of the laidback canal boat trips offering spectacular views of Amsterdam’s distinct architecture.
Trending now in Amsterdam
Featured stories & fun stuff10 Best Things to Do in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is an upbeat city that’s known to be very liberal, with its array of gay-friendly accommodation, bars, and festivals. While there’s no denying that many come to partake in the cannabis culture and its infamous red-light district, the city has plenty of unique sightseeing options for travellers of any age. Amsterdam boasts one of...7 Things to Do in Amsterdam in Summer
Open-air music, canalside cocktails and lazing in the park are all part of a summer holiday in Amsterdam. Book...10 Free Things to Do in Amsterdam
There are plenty of free things to do in Amsterdam if you're travelling on a modest budget. This Dutch city...10 Instagrammable Places in Amsterdam
Amsterdam offers plenty of photogenic spots for your holiday in the Dutch capital. Spring is one of the best times...4 Best Vintage Stores in Amsterdam
Vintage stores in Amsterdam often attract those looking to find unique pieces at affordable prices. There are so many places...10 Best Things to Do for Couples in Amsterdam
Couples in Amsterdam can enjoy plenty of romantic sights and activities throughout their vacation. The best time to visit the...
neighbourhoods in Amsterdam
Why book with Hotels.com?
Free cancellation
on most hotels*Our price guarantee
find out moreGet a reward night
for every 10 nights you stay
Start planning your trip
More information about Amsterdam
There are so many ways to see the sights on an Amsterdam city break. Walk cobbled streets flanked by elegant townhouses, join bike-mad Amsterdammers on the leafy paths of Vondelpark or cruise the canals from your Amsterdam hotel.
Get your bearings
Amsterdam’s three main grachts (canals) – Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht – embrace the city centre in a horseshoe shape. At its northern head lies Centraal Station. Main street Damrak leads to Dam Square, flanked by the Royal Palace. Eastwards are the old docklands and west is the diverse Jordaan neighbourhood, a former working-class area now crammed with shops, bars and eateries. Southwards are the tourist hubs of Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein squares, leading to Vondelpark and the Museum Quarter.
Old Masters, modern culture
There are few places on earth with as many Old Masters per square metre as Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter. You might think you know Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or Rembrandt’s dramatic Night Watch from countless posters and postcards, but nothing can compare to seeing them in the flesh. Cultural gems lurk behind the façades of Amsterdam’s canal houses like the 17th-century rooms in Amstelkring near the Red Light District. Amsterdam’s cultural calendar includes the summertime music Canal Festival and theatre and music during December’s Winterparade.
City nightlife
Lazy evenings in lounge bars, supper clubs, and old-style pubs characterise an Amsterdam short break. The old quarter by Oude Kerk (Old Church) near Dam Square is home to the Red Light District, one of Europe’s most unlikely tourist sights. Amsterdam’s ‘brown bars’, so-called for their nicotine-stained decor, dot Zeedijk near Centraal Station, Jordaan and along Utrechtsestraat, near Rembrandtplein. In De Pijp and Jordaan you’ll find everything from Syrian to Surinamese cuisine. During summer, Vondelpark hosts free musical events.
Heydays and history
Get a glimpse of 17th-century Amsterdam’s Golden Age in the Amsterdams Historisch Museum. In Anne Frank’s House, a 10-minute walk from Dam Square, memories of the Second World War come to life in the Secret Annexe where she wrote her diary. A stroll through Jordaan shows its transformation from a working-class neighbourhood into a creative cosmopolitan community.
Eclectic shopping
Food-lovers flock to Saturday’s Farmers’ Market in Jordaan for smoked mozzarella and crêpes. Across town, Bloemenmarkt’s barges on the Singel canal make up the world’s only floating flower market. One-off boutiques pack De 9 Straatjes (the 9 Streets) in Jordaan. Shop for Dutch fashions in Van Ravenstein or try Yvette Riemersma’s trendsetting footwear at Antonia.
Family-friendly fun
The ship-shaped Nemo building houses a hands-on science centre next to Centraal Station, with city views from the rooftop café. A hop-on, hop-off canal trip is entertaining and all-weather-friendly, as is Artis park, with the oldest zoo in mainland Europe, a planetarium and aquarium. Sunny days call for a picnic in Vondelpark – rent a tandem, kids’ bikes or in-line skates.
Keep exploring
Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Russia
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- Wales