It’s a cliché, but it’s true: Amsterdam is amazing. At every turn, you might expect clouds of fragrant smoke, women in the red-light district, and eccentric personalities from across Europe. But in reality, the city offers much more, including friendly Dutch locals, Van Gogh’s palette, tulip fields, idyllic canals, and skillful old ladies on bicycles navigating the crowds of tourists. Does it sound like a miracle? No – this is Amsterdam, ever-changing yet always yours.
If you’re looking for fun, head to Leidseplein. If you’re a fan of art, visit the Museum Quarter. Amsterdam has something for everyone, whether you’re a flower lover, a history buff, or a night owl.
There are several ways to travel to Amsterdam:
Amsterdam officially consists of 7 districts, the most interesting of which is simply called Centraal (as it is easy to understand – the center). This is where tourists usually spend 99% of their time. To make it easier to navigate in the Centraal, you should immediately get acquainted with its main historical neighborhoods: the quaint core of the city is the Old (Audseids) and New sides (Nieuw-West), surrounded by the “ring of canals” Grachtengordel, which is easily guessed by 4 almost perfectly even parallel beams. To the left of them is the Jordan district, to the right – De Plantage and Jodenbuurt (Jewish Quarter).
– is the historic center of Amsterdam, where the current capital of the Netherlands began many centuries ago. The main attractions include the Audekerk Church and the Red Light District, which occupies most of it. There is no great point in staying here for the night – the neighborhood is quite non-trivial, the choice of hotels is small, and the prices are a bit too high. Audzeids is bordered by Damrak Street, which is the main artery of the city, although the naked eye cannot see much difference between the two sides of the street and, accordingly, the neighborhoods.
Despite its name, this is not such a “new” neighborhood – its main church is quite logically named Nieuwekerk (the new church was built in 1408). The Audseijds is respectable and calm, which is why the neighborhood is often called the “intellectual center” of Amsterdam. The center of Nieuwe Zuid is the Dam Square with the Royal Palace. The main shopping alleys of the city are around: Calverstraat and Nieuwendijk.
Surrounding this splendor is the legendary district of Amsterdam, whose name can be translated as “canal belt”. Since 2010, it has been considered a UNESCO heritage site, so it is not harmful to learn the names of the local waterways: the Herengracht (Gentleman’s), Prinsengracht (Princes’) and Keizersgracht (Imperial Canal). Inside this “pie” of canals are cozy cafes and hotels, the Anne Frank House and the elegant Westerkerk Church.
To the right of the center is the Jordan district, once a residential neighborhood where the working class lived, which has now acquired the status of the most developed area of the city in terms of infrastructure. There are a lot of hotels, shops, galleries, and restaurants here, which is why it is so popular with tourists. To the left of the center are the Jewish Quarter and De Plantage: smoothly flowing neighborhoods where tourists with children can stay. Rembrandt himself once lived in the Jodenbuurt (or Jewish Quarter). The house-museum of this great artist should be found here. In addition, the quarter is interesting for the Jewish Historical Museum and the famous diamond cutting company Gassan Diamonds. De Plantage is home to the famous Amsterdam Zoo, as well as the ancient Botanical Gardens and two respected museums: the one for shipping and the other for the tropics. As a reminder, these were the neighborhoods of only one district of Amsterdam – Centraal. It’s time to get to know the rest.
Located on the other side of Amstel. There are not many interesting things for tourists here, but if you have a free half a day or a day, it is worth renting a bike and riding around its surroundings for the sake of idyllic Dutch landscapes. As a bonus, there’s Nieuw Dakota, a new art space that will delight all lovers of contemporary art.
The second most popular place in Amsterdam after Centraal. It is here that the legendary Museum Quarter, the amazing Vondel Park and the 100-year-old Albert Cape Market are located – a landmark no less worthy than the Van Gogh Museum. It also has the most adequate accommodation offers: it’s not far from the center, and the prices are reasonable.
In short, Zeid is divided into 3 large neighborhoods: Aud Zeid (Old South), De Pape (Pipe) and Zeideramstel. The first one is home to the famous Museum Square, which is home to 4 magnificent collections: Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art, Van Gogh Museum and the Diamond Museum. De Pape, which is named after its narrow houses, where each apartment vaguely resembles a musical instrument, is considered one of the most vibrant and colorful neighborhoods in the city. Its center is the wonderful world of the old Albert Cape market. It is probably not worth staying here for the night, as the population is too large and multinational (with immigrants, for example, from Suriname or Morocco), but you can definitely visit during the day. Including for the sake of the green Sarfatipark. Finally, Zuideramstel attracts with its somewhat atypical architecture for the rest of Amsterdam – part of the neighborhood was built in the 20s and 30s of the last century.
Another place where admirers of modern architecture tend to go. Unusual residential neighborhoods have been built here on artificially constructed islands. The highlight of the district is the Dappermarkt market with colorful traders who came to Amsterdam from the farthest colonies. The Nieuw West and West districts are interesting only for their parks and gardens, they are typically residential neighborhoods where young middle-class families live, often immigrants from exotic countries. And in the Zijdost district, there is only one lure for travelers – the AjaxArena, the stadium of the legendary Amsterdam Ajax.
Orientation around the city for those who have just arrived – at the Central Station. Standing with your back to the station, you can see: straight ahead – tourist Amsterdam, to the left – the Red Light District, to the right – real and traditional Amsterdam.
The historic center of the city, the place where the main attractions are concentrated, is not that big, so you don’t have to use public transport at all. But if you need to get somewhere faster and more conveniently, it’s better to take a tram (they run according to the schedule posted on the pole; the schedule is for weekends on a pink background, and for weekdays on a blue background). Buses do not follow the schedule, but they are very comfortable and run at night (from 1:00 to 5:30). You have to raise your hand to make the driver notice; bus passes are not valid on night routes.
It is worth taking a ride on a special retro tram, which runs only on Sundays from 11:00 to 17:30. Its route starts from the Harlemmermer station and goes about 20 minutes to the Amsterdam Forest Park. The fare is 7 EUR, children 4-11 years old – 4.5 EUR. Prices are as of October 2023.
In addition, the city has a subway – 3 lines connecting the Central Station with the southern and eastern districts of the city. However, it’s not very convenient for tourists to use the metro, as the stations (with the exception of Nieuwmarkt and Waterlooplein) are not located in the most interesting places.
Tickets for all types of transportation (tram, bus, and subway) are the same. The city is divided into zones; the more zones you need to travel through, the more expensive the ticket is (almost the entire historic center is one zone). A map of the zones hangs at bus stops and inside trams and buses. Tickets can be bought from the driver, as well as from vending machines at metro stations. The fare is 3 EUR and is valid for any number of trips within an hour. A convenient option is to buy a one-time D-card for 24 hours.
The fine for fare evasion in Amsterdam is about 60 EUR.
Not the best way to travel around Amsterdam: the traffic is so-so, the streets are narrow, and the fare is quite high. On average, a trip in the center costs 15 EUR – this is 3-4 EUR for boarding plus 2 EUR for each kilometer. It is not customary to catch a taxi on the street, parking lots (due to the small size of streets and squares) are not common, it is best to call a car by phone.
Fortunately, everything in Amsterdam is thought out for the convenience of tourists. Those travelers who do not find a common language with trams should pay attention to the City Center Line minibuses. They follow a circular route through the most touristy places in the city: Central Station, Waterlooplein Square, and the Oosterdock Old Port area. These buses stop at the request of the passenger and pick up all those who vote on the way. The fare is 2 EUR, there is a day pass for 6 EUR, the ticket is bought from the driver. Working hours: from 9:00 to 18:00, with a frequency of approximately every half hour.
The second option is Hop-on Hop-off tourist buses, which allow you to get on and off the “tour ship” as many times as you like during the day, and get off again at your favorite place, as well as enjoy information from an audio guide (including in Russian and Ukrainian). There are several companies in Amsterdam that offer similar buses. They differ only in route and price. On average, a ticket for 24 hours costs from 15 EUR for adults and from 8-10 EUR for children.
It would be wrong not to mention such popular transportation in Amsterdam as small ferries, boats, cruise ships and similar boats. Tourists should pay attention to the Canal Bus company, which offers a system similar to tourist buses (you can get on and off the boat as many times as you like during the day). River trams run on 2 routes and make about 20 stops, the fare is 20-25 EUR per day and from 32 EUR for 48 hours. There are also full-fledged 1.5-hour cruises (daytime, evening, with dinner or by candlelight) that do not make stops, but sail along the most interesting sights of the Dutch capital.
Alternatively, you can book your own boat with a captain for 2-3 hours, starting at 90 EUR.
The most pleasant way to travel around Amsterdam is by bicycle. This is a very, very cyclist-friendly city (according to locals, more than 500 thousand two-wheelers are registered here). In most parts of the city, special lanes and traffic lights are allocated for them, but in the old center of Amsterdam, cyclists often have to ride in the same lane as cars.
The cost of rent ranges from 13 to 20 EUR per day (of which 3 EUR is theft insurance). As a rule, the office provides maps and code locks for parking. Unfortunately, bicycle theft is a common occurrence in Amsterdam. There is a joke among the locals: “If you shout loudly “Hey, that’s my bike!” in a large crowd of cyclists, at least five of them will run away!”
Not bad rental offices:
In addition, bicycles are a great way to get out of the city. A half-hour ride separates the center of the capital from the Amsterdam Forest Park or the place where Rembrandt worked on the Amstel River. You can go further to the picturesque mills and medieval towns of Weesp, Muiden, and Naarden.
Bicycles can be carried in the subway (with a special ticket).
The “Capital of Bicycles” does not need a car at all. But if you want to explore its picturesque surroundings, visit the North Sea, buy porcelain in Delft or cheese in Edam, you should seriously consider renting a car. This will not be a big problem – many rental companies have opened their offices at Schiphol Airport, and some rental offices can be found in the city. The rental price is generally standard: from 30 EUR per day.
Parking can be a big problem – you either need to look for a hotel with its own parking lot or prepare for the fact that there will be no parking spaces and the cost of parking is shocking. In the city center, there is no free parking at all, and you’ll have to look for a paid one. At night, it is better to leave the car in parking lots that are located 15 minutes from the city center and are marked P+R (park & ride). In this case, a day of downtime for your “iron horse” will cost only 8 EUR, including free transportation to the center of the Dutch capital for all passengers (maximum 5 people). All P+R parking lots are marked on the city map.
Free Wi-Fi can be easily found in hotels, cafes, restaurants, and even some museums. It’s not to say that Internet access is available on every street, but you can easily find a hotspot using the official map.
Curious tourists who plan to move around the city a lot and visit 3-4 museums should consider buying the I Amsterdam City Card. It includes free admission to the main museums and attractions of the Dutch capital, free travel on trams, buses and subways, a free cruise along the city’s canals and a lot of discounts in restaurants and souvenir shops. The Amsterdam Guest Card is available for 24 (49 EUR), 48 (59 EUR) and 72 hours (69 EUR). Even rough estimates suggest that it is very profitable: you can visit the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Museum of Shipping or the Zoo for free, and the I Amsterdam City Card gives you a 2.50 EUR discount in the Rijksmuseum.
The entire west coast of the Netherlands is a large, long beach. The closest section to Amsterdam is in the town of Zandvoort. You can get there in half an hour by train from Central Station (departure every half hour, additional trains run in summer). Another good beach is located in Ijmuiden: take the train from the main station to Castricum, then bus # 267. Or by water on Fast Flying Ferries to Eijmuiden, from where there is a bus to the beach. In the summer, also equip an artificial beach “Blijburg” (Blijburg) in the vicinity of Eiburg – the final tram number 26.
Hotels in the center of Amsterdam are difficult: there are few good accommodation options within walking distance of the main attractions, and booking them in high season can be considered lucky. The cost of a double room is in the region of 120-150 EUR, a bed in a hostel can be found even for 20 EUR.
The most popular hotels in the Dutch capital are centered around Dam Square. Nightlife lovers will most likely prefer hotels located on the Red Light District, as well as on Leidseplein Square and in the Rembrandtplein area. But for families with children and “museum fans” we can recommend hotels around Vondel Park.
For those traveling in a large company, it makes sense to rent an apartment instead of several hotel rooms. Or even better – a real Dutch houseboat. Each such floating house (landing craft) is equipped with a kitchen and all the benefits of civilization from TV to Wi-Fi.
Amsterdam has long been famous for its shopping, but it is quite non-trivial. What is worth buying here? Firstly, antiques of all types and any price. Secondly, jewelry (including those best friends of women – diamonds). Next: books and vintage items from flea markets are not yet antiques, but they are already an interesting gift that you can invest in. Finally, designer items. And, starting with clothes and ending with interior items.
All of the above can be bought at one of the markets in Amsterdam or in the famous 9th Street area, read more on the page Shopping in the Dutch capital.
Souvenirs in this city are also in full order: in addition to all kinds of magnets and spicy gifts from erotic shops, of which there are many, seeds and bulbs of plants (for a package of 3-5 EUR), cheese and, of course, a small mill (from 4 EUR per piece) are brought from Amsterdam. Wooden clogs are for connoisseurs, they cost from 30 EUR, and not everyone can walk in them. A soft version of these traditional Dutch shoes will cost from 10 EUR.
Despite the abundance of French fries, which we usually associate exclusively with the United States, as well as such dishes on the menu as a piece of breaded chicken, Amsterdam is rich in specialties. It’s just that you can’t find them in ordinary cafes, and you’ll hardly dare to try them while walking by on the street. And in vain. You should start, of course, with the main dish – cheese. Stunning Dutch cheese, which is sold everywhere: in supermarkets, markets or cheese shops, the cost starts at 5 EUR per head. The second gastronomic specialty of Amsterdam is herring (from 3 EUR per serving).
The Dutch eat a lot of it only in early June, when the “season” opens, but tourists, we guarantee, will enjoy it at any time of the year – before that, the local salting is perfect and the eating procedure is fascinating. There are two main ways to eat herring: swallow it whole (no kidding) or buy something like a herring hamburger: with a bun, sauce, etc. The latter is usually bought on the street or at the market, from a tray with Hollandse Nieuwe flags. You can read more on the Dutch cuisine page.
As for hot dishes, you should try to look for Stamppot (or Huttspott) on the menu – a hearty and tasty mashed potatoes, beef and vegetables, the cost is from 14 EUR. Unfortunately, it is not offered everywhere, but only in restaurants with national cuisine, of which there are few in Amsterdam. But in all cafes you can find meat balls called bitterbollen with the addition of mushrooms, which are fried in breadcrumbs and served with mustard (from 6 EUR). For desserts, we can recommend poferchees (something like donuts for 0.80 EUR each) and sling waffles.
Restaurants with traditional cuisine in Amsterdam are very rare, but cafes with French, Indonesian, Japanese and Belgian dishes (and sometimes, cuisines from different countries at once) can be found almost everywhere. There are decent Italian and French restaurants in the city, but most Thai and Vietnamese establishments are better not to visit: you can hardly find anything of note there. But Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam are especially good.
Most restaurants with Asian cuisine are located on Zeedijk near Nieuwmarkt Square (for which this place is even nicknamed “Amsterdam’s Chinatown”). Nearby is the business street Damstraat, where there are many inexpensive cafes with Chinese cuisine and Arabic falafels. It is worth checking out the restaurants with the national cuisine of Suriname (a former Dutch colony in South America), which are located in the Albert Cuypstraat area.
In a decent restaurant, it is recommended to book a table in advance (many of them are closed on Mondays). In addition, it is difficult to eat in Amsterdam from 16:30 to 18:00, when restaurants and cafes switch from the lunch menu to the evening menu.
The cost of a 5-course meal in a gourmet restaurant is around 60 EUR, while a soup and compote in an ordinary café will cost 35 EUR. The cheapest way to eat on the go is to grab a bite to eat or look at the signs in cafes that say something about lunchtime specials – in this case, a good lunch will not cost more than 20 EUR.
Amsterdam is a city of canals with more than 600 bridges. No matter how you slice it, you can’t get past these important waterways in the Dutch capital. And it’s not worth trying: the most beautiful views are from the water. The most memorable photos are taken in the evening from the bridges. The most romantic memories are from there again. Walking along all the canals of Amsterdam is a marathon for a marathon runner, but tourists just need to know a few “top places”. Firstly, the Grachtengordel canal area, which is included in the UNESCO list and is considered the most beautiful in the city. Secondly, the most picturesque bridges are the Blaubrueg and the Magere Brueg (skinny bridge). Finally, the Museum of Canal History, where you can get to know this “water part” of the history of the Dutch capital.
Having hardly torn themselves away from the water surface, tourists begin their walks around the city from the luxurious red brick building in the neo-Gothic style – this is the Central Station. From there, the streets and “grahats” of the city scatter, including the main street, Damrak. Walking along it, a tourist can get into two historic neighborhoods at once – on the one hand, there is the new part with the church of 1408, on the other – the Old, where there is a church with the grave of Rembrandt’s wife. The Royal Palace with a museum, the Monument of Freedom, and the most famous Madame Tussauds are also located here. Not far away are the Berlage Exchange building and the Amsterdam Footsteps, the East India Company building complex, and the Shipwrights’ House. Approximately in the middle is the amazingly beautiful Dam Square. Having paid tribute to Amsterdam’s historical heritage and its important architectural monuments, it’s time to go to the “nest of vice” – the Red Light District.
If you manage not to look at the red-burning shop windows, you can see charming old houses, slightly tilted over the water of the “gracht” – after all, this is one of the best-preserved areas of the city.
The neighborhoods are a special feature of Amsterdam. It is worth visiting the amazing Keukenhof tulip park, the Zanse Schans open-air museum of old Holland, or the House of Peter the Great in Zaandam, who studied shipbuilding there.
The Museum Quarter is a must-see. The Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum are a must-see, the rest are optional. Outside of this quarter, there are other worthy collections – the Anne Frank House, whose tragic story can be told better than the walls of this house. Or the Rembrandt House Museum with a first-class exhibition about the life of the great genius. And also a branch of the St. Petersburg main collection – the Hermitage in Amsterdam. Quite funny collections of the Museum of Erotica, the Heineken brewery, cocktails or the cannabis museum stand apart.
Amsterdam is famous for its nightlife and clubs, which are mainly concentrated in 3 centers: Leidseplein Square, the Red Light District and the Rembrandtplein area.
On weekends, various interesting things are organized in city parks: from organic food fairs to mass roller skating.
One of the things to do in Amsterdam is just sit at a table in an outdoor cafe and watch the crowd pass by. You won’t find so many extravagant personalities anywhere else.
Amsterdam’s coffeeshops are the most popular, crowded and expensive. They will not be difficult to find by the coffeeshop sign and the bright red, yellow and green Rastafarian flag. Not bad places: Bulldog – a chain of coffeeshops for tourists, Grey Area, The Bluebird – the best choice in all of Amsterdam, De Kuil (420 Cafe), Global Chillage, Barney’s, Rokerij, Kandinsky, Club Media (free fruit!), Katsu (nice atmosphere), The Greenhouse, De Dampkring, De Kroon, Abraxas and Homegrown Fantasy.
A few things worth remembering forever are that smoking is prohibited in public places, even simple nicotine cigarettes; under no circumstances should cannabis be taken out of the country; the Ministry of Health warns that smoking is dangerous to health. In addition, it is very easy for an unprepared tourist to overeat hashish pies and mushrooms from the Smart Shop. It’s worth remembering: no more than 3 pies a day!
A mecca of toy abundance and children’s fanaticism – that’s what Amsterdam is. With the exception of the red light district, almost every square here is a playground. The most interesting thing is that the term “child” in Holland includes all teenagers under 18, which allows them to visit some museums and attractions for free. Unfortunately, not everywhere: somewhere the “free” age is cut to 12 years.
Since Amsterdam is the bicycle capital of the world, even two-wheeled friends are offered for rent with child seats or entire trailers.
So, what to do in the Dutch capital with children? In terms of culture, Amsterdam has a lot of museums – accessible, fascinating and, most importantly, educational. The main one is NEMO, whose scientific and practical collection answers all the most important questions of “why”, “how” and “why not”. Here you can touch, feel, and turn anything and everything. The second most popular is the Museum of Shipping, near which a ship with cannons from the Dutch East India Company of 1749 is moored. The amazing Museum of the Tropics even has a separate entrance for kids from 1 to 12 years old. In the Amsterdam Resistance Museum, children get to know the terrible days of World War II in Holland through the fates of four children – Eva, Jan, Nelly and Henk – who lived during the Nazi occupation.
The scientific and practical collection of the NEMO Museum answers all the most important questions of children: “why”, “how” and “what for”.
When you’re tired of museum collections, you can give your feet a break and go to one of Amsterdam’s parks. For example, in Vondel Park, where there are duck ponds, a playground and fragrant linden trees. Two more crazy open-air play areas are located in Sarfati Park and West Park. Finally, you can visit the Amsterdam Forest, where the boys can climb trees, go kayaking and canoeing, and even visit a goat farm. In winter, skating on artificial ice rinks is a must, and in summer, an open boat ride along the canals. As a final chord, it is worth going to the zoo (at least for the sake of “Microbia” – the country of microbes, where you will be shown how bacteria jump from one mouth to another during a kiss and what organisms live in the feces of ants).
On a rainy day, which happens often in Amsterdam, you can go to a huge playground under the roof – the TunFun children’s center (you won’t be pulled by the ears, we promise). a pompous swimming pool with a vintage interior from 1912. Zuiderbad or the Central Library (Centrale Bibliotheek Amsterdam). There is an entire floor dedicated to “activity”: books in English, toys, “soft zones”, and computers and Wi-Fi for demanding teenagers.
There are some dates worth remembering when Amsterdam becomes especially beautiful: spring and endless flowering fields of tulips, and April 30, Queen’s Day, when the whole city is dressed in royal orange.
However, on April 30, the city doesn’t stay beautiful for long; by mid-day it is filled with countless crowds of people who have come to celebrate the holiday, and by evening it turns into a huge dump, with piles of garbage filling the city. City services manage to clean it all up no earlier than May 2. So, once in Amsterdam for the Queen’s birthday, it is best to see it in the morning from the canals, from a boat (90 EUR for 2 hours), and in the afternoon go out of town, say, to the Keukenhof Tulip Park.
Amsterdam is not only another European capital, but also one of the most attractive tourist cities for thousands of people. So it is not surprising that the concept of “low season” simply does not exist here. However, there are days when there are fewer tourists on the streets than usual. Usually this time comes in winter (not counting Christmas!), when the days are shorter (daylight hours last 8 hours) and the weather is too wet for long walks along the canals. July and August are the hottest months.
Native Amsterdamers always have a raincoat with them because the weather in Amsterdam is unpredictable due to the proximity of the sea. It can start raining at any time. You can’t really go anywhere with an umbrella on a bicycle (which is the main means of transportation in the city), but a raincoat is just the thing.
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