They weren’t lying about the nickname “Venice of the North”. While walking the streets of Amsterdam I felt like we were in a never-ending maze of stunning, colorful houses towering over canals. Add in the tulips dotting most street corners, it didn’t take me long to fall in love with Amsterdam.
But, this is a BIG city and it’s easy to spend your time in the wrong places, so keep reading for my first time in Amsterdam travel guide!
My husband and I were visiting Holland for the first time and had simply the best first time during our 5 days Amsterdam, so I wanted to share all my travel tips with you as I would copy them all over again for myself.
Buy Anne Frank House Tickets Right Now!!
Usually I start these travel guides with more general information but I need you to pause what you are doing and buy Anne Frank House tickets RIGHT NOW. Getting one of those tickets is like competing in the Olympics.
If it wasn’t for a local friend who gave me Amsterdam travel tips, I wouldn’t have realized that Anne Frank House tickets go on sale 6 weeks before the visit date and are so popular they are sold out almost instantly.
I set my calendar alerts and woke up at 2am my time here in California to log on to the website and buy tickets when they went on sale at 10am in Holland time morning. Within 2 minutes, half the tickets were already sold out.
You need to be prepared to fight for these tickets. The good news is, one week before a visit date they release a few more tickets so if you missed the first round, you can have a chance still during your Amsterdam trip.
Once you have secured your coveted tickets (since it is very much worth a visit), or have set calendar alerts to buy them, now we can chat more about Netherlands travel tips.
Watch Out For Bikes Since They Will Run You Over
The Dutch love their bikes and here in Holland, bikes are usually put over people. They won’t give pedestrians the right of way so you constantly have to be looking where you are going.
Make sure to NEVER walk in the bike lanes, or you will get hit by a bike. They are easy to spot as they are the red pavement lanes.
Was I almost it by bikes many times? Yes, yes I was. It’s not like here in the United States, they are fast and there’s a lot of them so make sure to always look before you across the street.
Now, exactly what to do in Amsterdam for first timers.
Day One In Amsterdam Itinerary: Arrive, Explore The Red Light District, Happy Hour And A Sauna
Start by taking the train to Amsterdam from the airport. It’s insanely easy, fast and cheap, starting at €5.20. You can simply use your contactless credit card to pay, or purchase tickets at the airport train station.
Trains run every 17 minutes so they’re easy to catch. Learn more here.
Check Into Your Amsterdam Hotel (I Like Bunk)
Take the train to your hotel and get settled in. Headsup, the streets can be cobblestone over here to use a carry-on backpack or a nimble suitcase with great wheels, like the Paraval.
There are two areas I would recommend you book a hotel in.
Noord At Bunk Hotel
First is Noord, which is the North Side of Amsterdam. It’s not in the downtown area, which is why many tourists overlook it, but I loved staying in this neighborhood. It’s cheaper than central, quieter and only 1 quick train stop away from central station so it’s so easy to get around.
We booked at Bunk Hotel, a cool hotel that’s built out of an old church. They have a hostel section but also private hotel rooms, which we opted for. We had breakfast each day here and it was just lovely.
The other bucketlist hotel in Amsterdam I want to stay in one day is called Botel, which is also in Noord. This crazy cool hotel made hotel rooms out of the word “Botel”. You can literally sleep in the B, or the T, or whatever letter floats your boat. Warning, they do book out fast so plan ahead.
Jordaan Is Trendy And Central
Jordaan is the other neighborhood I would stay in next time. It’s central and trendy, with plenty of top restaurants and tourist attractions. Plus, it’s really pretty. I’ve had my eye on The Dylan Hotel.
Refresh & Take A Long Walk Around Amsterdam City Center, Starting At Damrak
Once you’re settled into your hotel, it’s time to go explore! I love to start the first day in a new city on foot by exploring it. You can book a walking tour if that’s your thing, they are great ways to get a crash course of the city from locals who can show you around.
Or, go at your own pace. Start at central station (Amsterdam Amsterdam Centraal Station) in the city center. Then, cross the train tracks to the small directly in front of the station called Damrak. This is where you will find the famous Amsterdam gingerbread houses!
Stop for some photos of the Damrak Canal Houses before continuing onto the Red Light District of De Wallen.
Venture Into The Famous Red Light District of Amsterdam
Heads up, this area is full of adult shops and has women displayed in windows who will beckon you over if you make eye contact, but it’s still worth a visit since it’s so famous. Though I do recommend you wander the Red Light District during the daytime, not the night (unless that’s your thing, go off k!nky queen.)
We actually had lunch in the Red Light District at a kebab shop that happened to have the cutest shop cat. I have a reputation of finding cats wherever I go, so the fact I was already snuggling with a little Dutchie kitty 3 hours after landing in Amsterdam made me happy.
Afterward your Red loop around the canal belt to the Jordaan side of the city, and make your way back to Centraal Station. Take your time and soak in all the stunning houses, they’re beautiful.
Now, it’s time for dinner and drinks!
Grab Happy Hour Drinks & Dinner At Hanger Bar
Noord is a very overlooked neighborhood that tourists often miss when visiting Amsterdam, but this is so worth a visit and is a fun way to kick off your first time to Amsterdam.
Hanger Bar is, well, what it sounds like: a restaurant bar built inside an old airplane hanger. It has a cool, industrial chic decor vibe going on and incredible local Dutch food. Plus, there’s a beer garden overlooking the water to enjoy on nice days.
Robin and I ordered the best bitterballen, which is deep-fried meatballs and it hit the spot after a long day of traveling from San Francisco. You need to try bitterballen when visiting Holland and this is the place to eat it!
Unwind And Reset At The Sauna
Right next-door to Hanger Bar is Kuuma Sauna, and I need you to trust me here: book an evening session. Drop in tickets are just €15.
I’ve traveled all over the world and my best travel hack is doing a sauna the first day after landing in Europe. There is nothing that will cure jetlag faster than a sauna and cold plunge. Secondly, I do cold plunging in Copenhagen, and saunas in Oslo, heck I did a sauna after watching the Eras Tour in Vancouver and it cured my hangover.
Even if you have already been in Europe for a while, I promise this is going to make you feel like a new human. It’s so dang relaxing. Make sure to pack a swimsuit and towel to use inside the sauna!
Day Two In Amsterdam: Dutch Pancakes, Van Gogh, Foodhallen, Anne Frank and a Canal Tour
Get ready for a big day exploring (and eating) your way around Amsterdam!
Start With A Traditional Dutch Pancake Breakfast
Look, Dutch pancakes are a THING and they are incredibly tasty. I found Dutch pancakes (aka Hollandse Pannenkoeken) to be a lot like a savory crepe. They’re large (like, medium size pizza large) but thin. My husband and I shared a pancake and weren’t able to finish it all, so don’t feel like everyone in your group needs to order their own.
We ate at Pancakes Amsterdam since we had an early start to this day for a tulip tour and this was nearby. I would eat here again, but next time I want to dine at Upstairs Pancakes Amsterdam.
Grab Morning Tickets At Van Gogh Museum To View All His Famous Works
Van Gogh is one of my favorite painters, and as a Dutch man, there’s an entire massive museum dedicated to his works in Amsterdam.
You have to buy tickets in advance, as they are timed entry, but they are much easier to purchase compared to Anne Frank tickets so you can buy them closer to your travel day.
I loved this museum. It has multiple floors and a vast collection of his works, including an entire gallery with his self portraits.
Grab Lunch At Foodhallen, A Massive Food Hall
After seeing Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and artwork, walk over to Foodhallen, one of the best food halls in Amsterdam. It’ll be about a 25 minute walk from the museum and takes you through the loveliest winding streets of the West / Oud Amsterdam area.
I love visiting food halls while traveling since everyone gets to find something they want to eat. This foodhall can get packed on weekends but there’s plenty of seats and food stalls with everything from Dutch cuisine to Thai to Korean.
Plus they serve drinks (and yes, we had a couple of aperol spritzes for lunch. It’s vacation after all!)
I Think Everyone Needs To Tour The Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank House is an Amsterdam must see, and something I think everyone needs to tour at least once in their lives (especially now in current political climate).
You should have already bought your ticket ahead of time. If you didn’t, you will NOT be able to buy tickets at the door. They are also timed entries. You will not be able to enter before or after your time slot, so make sure to arrive on time.
Get Boozy On A Canal Tour With Drinks
Let’s be real, touring the Anne Frank house is HEAVY. You may need to just go back to your hotel room to sit with the experience, but we found that we wanted something more joyous to bring our moods back up.
I adore doing canal tours and boat tours on trips, and thankfully the Venice of the North has plenty of tour options along the canal belt.
You can find tour boats and book them easily here, and this can be done pretty last minute. There’s a company called Friendship Boats that picks up right from the Anne Frank house, but also all over the city and all the tours are pretty similar so it doesn’t matter what you pick.
After a long day of museums, it’s so nice to just sit with a drink and tour the city from a boat. The tours usually last about an hour and you’ll get a crash course on the city history and layout.
Grab Dinner & Drinks On Canal At Cafe de Jaren
Per the recommendation of my friend, we headed to Cafe de Jarden for dinner and this is honestly one of my core memories now. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and we totally lucked out on getting the prime eat right on the water.
I could have easily dropped my phone in the canal, that’s how close we were to the water! The DREAM!
They have delicious food and great drinks. I would come back here for another dinner in a heartbeat.
Day Three In Amsterdam: Take A Tulip Tour, Have Coffee in An Old Church, Beer In A Windmill
Amsterdam became a very wealthy city during their Golden Age in the 17 century but these days, the major export is tulip bulbs.
Yes, the bulbs not the flowers (tell me why I thought they exported the flowers but those are chopped off and the plant is harvested for the bulbs!) So, if you are visiting during tulip season (usually March – April) you need to do a tulip farm tour!
Take A Private Dutch Tulip And Windmill Tour
If you are visiting the Netherlands for the first time like we did, you can’t miss the tulips or windmills. I didn’t want to navigate the farms myself, since they are outside city limits, so I booked us this Dutch Tulip Tour on Airbnb and WOW, it was the best.
The guide, Chris, is so nice and knows so much about the tulip history. He’ll drive you to Keukenhof Tulip Garden and then also to Zaanse Schans to see the historic windmills. Inbetween there, he’ll stop at a farm or two where he knows the owners so you can get right up into the flower fields for photos.
Read my whole guide on how to see the Dutch Tulips in Amsterdam for more tips. It’s am just do! And you’ll be back in Amsterdam by around 1pm so plenty of time to do afternoon activities.
Stop By The Famous Zaandam Hotel
On your way back to Amsterdam from the tulip fields, swing by the famous Inntel Hotel Zaandam. It’s this cool building that looks like the rooms are stacked upon each other and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
PS if you are doing that private tour with Chris, ask him to stop here!
Grab A Coffee Pick Me Up At De Koffieschenkerij
Ok, I love this coffee shop. I have an American friend who lives in the Netherlands now and we met for coffee at De Koffieschenkerij one afternoon.
It’s this cool coffee shop next door to De Oude Kerk, a beautiful church built in 1306. I remember ordering their carrot cake and it being the literal best desert I’ve had in ages. It’s the perfect pick-me-up spot, especially as it’s downtown and nearby the Red Light District so you can easily see other things after.
Happy Hour In Brouwerij ‘t IJ, A Brewery Inside A Windmill!
Guys, you can’t get more Dutch than this! Brouwerij ‘t IJ is a brewery/bar inside a 300+ year old windmill. It’s located in a part of town a little far away but worth the trek on the train (trust me).
They have indoor and outdoor seating and also sell bites. I recommend coming for a drink before dinner.
Have Dinner At The Traveling Restaurant
There’s a lot of things to do in Amsterdam at night but we found ourselves drawn to the food scene, and our dinner at Restaurant Nomads was one for the books. It’s a traveling restaurant — hear me out.
The chefs all go and travel to other countries to get inspired by food. Then, they bring that inspiration back to the restaurant and for the next few months, Nomads serves up a menu inspired by that country.
Dutch food can be very multicultural to begin with but this takes it on a whole other level. We had a multicourse dinner with a wine pairing and I still daydream about that meal often. 10/10 recommend.
Day Four In Amsterdam: Heineken, Coffee Shop Smokes, Stroopwafel and Dumplings
Day four! I like having a more flex day on trips, so please feel free to use this swing day to revisit places or add in more activities. Here are my recommended things to do in Amsterdam today, though.
Take A Beer Tour On The Heineken Experience
Heineken is a Dutch beer company that was founded in Amsterdam in 1864, and there’s a brewery right in the city that offers a fun beer tour. Learn how it’s made, sample beer and kick the morning off on a fun note. Book tickets here.
Eat Your Way Through The Albert Cuyp Market
Wandering the Albert Cuyp market is one of the best things to do in Amsterdam for free. This market is over 100 years old and full of flowers and vendors and restaurants. It’s open daily but closed on Sundays.
Come here for lunch! Pick a stall that calls your name, but make sure to grab a famous dutch Stroopwafel at Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels.
See Mary Jane At An Amsterdam Coffee Shop
One of the crazy things to do in Amsterdam is enjoy some Mary Jane at a local coffee shop (I have to call it that for Google otherwise it would block my site. I swear I’m not secretly a boomer or a noob.)
In Amsterdam, Cafes are a place to get coffee, but a Coffee Shop is a place to find Mary Jane. If that’s your thing, it’s worth a stop. Some tips:
- Bring cash or have a debit card ready
- Most do not allow photos inside
- You usually have to buy food or a drink inside along with your MJ
- You can’t take it outside
Feast At Sea Palace, A Floating Chinese Restaurant
If you take that canal tour, you’ll pass by Sea Palace, a giant floating template that’s actually a restaurant. We tried to get reservations but they were all booked up (next time!)
There’s 3 floors and apparently it gets more expensive and fancier the higher you go up (so, cheap dumplings on the bottom floor, fancy multi-course on the top.) It’s the perfect way to end your trip to Amsterdam.
Kings Day Is The Best Party Of The Year And Worth Visiting If You Are In Town
If you want to see a different side of Amsterdam, visit during King’s Day! It’s every year on April 27th to celebrate the King’s birthday. I have a whole guide here on how to survive King’s Day but just know: it’s the best party of the year and super fun to do as a tourist.
The entire country takes off work and hits the streets. They wear orange, get drunk, play music, have free concerts and hang. I was hooked and can’t wait to go back.
King’s Day is at the tail end of Dutch Tulip Season so I recommend you do a flower and King’s Day trip in one.
What To Pack For Amsterdam Weather
What you’ll want to pack varies by when you are visiting Amsterdam, as it does it warm in the summer and cold in the winter. But no matter the time of year, you can expect it to get crazy windy at least once during your trip.
Many locals have electric bikes for a reason – to combat the wind! It also rains a lot here, especially in the winter and spring.
I recommend packing:
- A good rain jacket with a hood
- Trench coat for fall-spring
- Rainboots (I love this brand!)
- A solid sweater like this
- Fanny pack that’s easy to bike with
How To Travel In Amsterdam Public Transport (Hint: It’s Easy!)
Amsterdam, like most major European cities, is incredibly easy to get around via public transportation. We used Uber one night when we stayed out late and it was raining, otherwise we took the bus and train everywhere.
You can easily use your phone with tap to pay at metro stations to pay for your ticket. Or, you can buy physical tickets and passes at machine which are 3.40 euros for an hour, which is why I do recommend you get a day pass if you plan on taking the train or ferry a lot throughout the day.
But, it’s easy! Even coming from the airport. Follow signs to take the train from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal Station. If you don’t normally take the bus or train on trips, challenge yourself to take it in Amsterdam.
I hope this helps you find stuff to do in Amsterdam! It was such a great city, I totally fell in love with the Netherlands and can’t wait to return one day. To eat more food! And see the tulips again! And celebrate King’s Day!
If you have more tips to add, drop a comment below so everyone can see.
