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.

    What to see & do in Amsterdam

    Featured stories & fun stuff

    Things to do in Amsterdam include exploring its expansive arts and culture communities, scenic canals, gabled houses and historic monuments to the 17th-century golden age. You can spend the day visiting the Museum District and taking advantage of many bike paths to get around, then later hit the famous nightlife scene to find plenty of adult entertainment in its cafes and clubs. If art is your thing, be sure... Read more

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    what’s around Amsterdam

    Where & what to eat in Amsterdam

    Food and dining in Amsterdam covers everything from French and international cuisine to American soul food, and the city boasts Michelin-starred restaurants, bistros, terraces and every style of eatery. Here you can grab an iconic Dutch frikandel or locate a vegan snack. You can even take a water tour of the city on a pannenkoekenboot—a Pancake Boat. Amsterdam also features many microbreweries and craft brewpubs that celebrate the... Read more

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    Where to shop & what to buy in Amsterdam

    Shopping in Amsterdam can be found among luxury, discount, big-box and independent shops spread across several unique shopping corridors in which many roads are designated pedestrian-only for added convenience. Most shops in Amsterdam operate between 9 am and 6 pm, but individual shops will vary. You can find unique and interesting shops along the 9 Small Streets in the Old City, explore covered and outdoor public markets with... Read more

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    Where to go & what to do at night in Amsterdam

    Nightlife in Amsterdam showcases a city that never goes to sleep and offers pub-lined squares, internationally renowned dance clubs, live music, DJs and a party atmosphere for every taste. Here you can hit up floating dance clubs right on the water. You can find colourful LGTBQ friendly bars across the city, microbreweries and laid-back speakeasy-style cocktail bars and clubs. At Paradiso, you can find an iconic club... Read more

    Useful information

    Information about Amsterdam demonstrates this is a city that values diversity and tolerance of all kinds of lifestyles and can help to overcome culture shock to visitors from other countries. Amsterdam offers all of the rich culture, vibrant nightlife, easily accessible public transport, great shopping and fine dining of big cities, but it has a quieter, more laid-back vibe with more foot traffic than vehicles. People here show a... Read more

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    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.

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    COVID-19 Travel Alert

    Attractions and experiences recommended in our guides may be affected. Please check local guidance before you travel.

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