Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam has a fascinating history and is part of the reason this city is on so many travelers’ bucket lists. It’s truly one-of-a-kind and offers so many different kinds of experiences. Here are some things you should know before traveling to Amsterdam:

  • Language: The official language is Dutch, but nearly everyone speaks English as a second language.
  • Currency: The Euro
  • Credit Cards and Banks: Almost all restaurants and hotels will accept credit/debit cards.
  • Climate: You can visit Amsterdam year-round and have a great experience, but the winter months (November through March) may be too cold for walking or cycling around the city. You’ll find the warmest months in Amsterdam to be June through September, but they are also the highest months for tourism.

Anne Frank House

Visitors waiting for admission to the Anne Frank Huis

Visiting the Ann Frank House was an experience I will not soon forget. As we passed the bookcase and entered the secret annex, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Despite the crowds, everyone was somber in this special place.

July 1942, the Frank family went into hiding. The Van Pels family followed a week later. The two families already knew each other: Hermann van Pels worked for Otto’s company. Four months later, they were joined by an eighth person: Fritz Pfeffer, an acquaintance of the Frank family.

If you come to Amsterdam, put Anne Frank Huis on the top of your list. Tickets are only available online direct from the Anne Frank House museum and they go on sale exactly two months before you want to visit and they sell out very, very quickly, especially at busy times of the year.

If the tickets are sold out, there is no other way to visit as you cannot buy them anywhere else. All you need to know is not to wait to buy your tickets. I booked our tickets exactly two months before our visit and times were selling out quickly.

Tickets, in 2018, were 9 Euros each and you can either print the e-ticket to bring with you or just show the barcode on the email on your phone when you arrive.

Note: picture taking is not allowed inside the museum.

Canal Cruise

Get a feel for the history and layout of Amsterdam’s canals by boat. Take a tour of the canals, and travel through the canals of the city.

Amsterdam’s Canal Ring (Grachtengordel)—a charming 17th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site – is probably best known for its picturesque canals. Comprised of three rings of semicircular waterways that are bisected by smaller canals radiating from the middle, like the spokes on a very Dutch bicycle wheel, the Canal Ring is crisscrossed by hundreds of bridges that connect these Dutch Golden Age islands.

Picturesque canal cruise in the old district of the city with aged buildings

Museums

Amsterdam is a town of art. There are many famous artists that have come out of Amsterdam including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gough. You can see their pieces in some of the museums, such as the RijksmuseumVan Gogh Museum, and Hermitage Museum.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum is the largest and most visited art museum in the Netherlands. Its collection, which ranks among the world’s finest, includes nearly 8,000 pieces spread over 80 galleries.

Some of the Rijksmuseum’s most revered works are 15th- to 19th-century paintings by Flemish and Dutch masters, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals. In addition to the astounding eight centuries of Dutch art and history, the museum has extensive outdoor gardens and a Michelin-starred restaurant.

The Van Gogh Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of works by the legendary Dutch artist and is a must-see for art and art history lovers. The museum boasts a collection of Vincent van Gogh’s personal effects, plus 200 paintings and 500 drawings by the master and his contemporaries—including Gauguin, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Émile Bernard—plus Van Gogh’s famous works The Potato Eaters and Wheatfield with Crows.

Museum Van Loon Gardens, Amsterdam NL

Museum Van Loon was once home to one of Rembrandt’s most successful students, Ferdinand Bol, this house and its twin (No. 674, next door) were built in 1672 by Adriaen Dortsman and extensively remodeled in the 18th century by Abraham van Hagan and his wife, Catherina Tripp, whose names are entwined in the ornate brass balustrade on the staircase.

No. 672 was occupied by the powerful Van Loon family from 1886 to 1960. After extensive restoration to return it to its glory of the 18th century, the house was opened as a museum in the 1970s. The elegant salons include many Van Loon portraits and possessions, including paintings known as witjes, or grisailles—illusionistic depictions of landscapes and other scenes.

The symmetrical garden is a gem. Facing the rear of the house, the restored Grecian-style coach households the coach collection and serves tea.

Cycle Tours

Rent a bike and take the free ferry across to Amsterdam-Noord to spend the day cycling. Follow Route 9 by the marked pathways and explore the dike villages, grassland landscape, and the island of Marken. (47 km/4-5 hours) You could also opt for a guided bike tour through the Amsterdam Countryside if you’d prefer!

De Wallen, Amsterdam NL

Amsterdam Red Light District (De Wallen)

Most famous for its street-side brothels, Amsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen) also houses scenic canals, bustling restaurants, bars, and plenty of shopping opportunities. While this controversial neighborhood may not be for everyone, its winding cobblestone streets and narrow alleys evoke Amsterdam’s rich history and laid-back culture.

Heineken Brewery, Amsterdam NL

Heineken Experience

A visit to the old brewery at the Heineken Experience is a must-see for beer lovers in Amsterdam. During the 90-minute self-guided tour, you’ll learn the history of the Heineken beer family, find out how the brand’s logo has evolved over time, learn about the complete brewing process from beginnings to bottles—and, of course, taste the goods for yourself.

Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof Gardens

With 7 million flower bulbs planted every year across 79 acres (32 hectares), Keukenhof Gardens is a colorful sea of 800 varieties of tulips and other spring flowers, attracting visitors from around the globe who want to see the Netherlands’ iconic tulip fields. More than 9 miles (15 kilometers) of footpaths provide space to stroll around the park, take photos of flowers in bloom, and enjoy this Holland tradition.


Amsterdam Photo Gallery

  • Bicyclist on an Amsterdam street
  • Flower stand in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Flower stand in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • One of the many plazas in Amsterdam
  • Anne Frank Huis, Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Anne Frank Huis, Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Anne Frank Huis, Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Anne Frank Huis, Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Selfie from a bridge over the canal near our hotel
  • Selfie from a bridge over the canal near our hotel
  • Some older architecture in Amsterdam
  • Our room in Okura Hotel
  • View of Amsterdam from our room in Okura Hotel
  • View of Amsterdam from our room in Okura Hotel
  • View of Amsterdam from our room in Okura Hotel
  • View of Amsterdam from our room in Okura Hotel
  • Selfie in the Okura Hotel lobby waiting for tour of Amsterdam to start
  • Hooks on roofs where pullys are attached to move furniture in and out because stairs are typically too steep and narrow.
  • Public toilet in Amsterdam
  • Willow tree along a park on the bank of a small canal
  • Typical residential street in Amsterdam
  • Heineken brewery
  • Between 18 January and 14 April 1945, German occupation forces shot dead more than 100 Dutch civilians at Fusilladeplaats Rozenoord.
  • Between 18 January and 14 April 1945, German occupation forces shot dead more than 100 Dutch civilians at Fusilladeplaats Rozenoord.
  • Boat along an Amsterdam canal
  • Ducks and Weeping Willow along an Amsterdam canal.
  • Egyptian geese and Weeping Willow along an Amsterdam canal.
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • Garden at the Rijksmuseum
  • Garden at the Rijksmuseum
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • View of the Rijksmuseum
  • Self-protrait of a Dreamer, Joseph Klibansky, Rijksmuseum
  • Mansions passed on our walk from Rijksmuseum back to our hotel
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • Celebrating our 18th wedding aniversary at the Okura Hotel restaurant
  • One of the many canals in Amsterdam
  • Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642
  • Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642
  • Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642
  • Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642
  • The Company of Roelof Bicker and lieutenant Jan Michielsz Blaeuw in 1639, by Van der Helst
  • The Company of Roelof Bicker and lieutenant Jan Michielsz Blaeuw in 1639, by Van der Helst
  • The Company of Roelof Bicker and lieutenant Jan Michielsz Blaeuw in 1639, by Van der Helst
  • The Company of Roelof Bicker and lieutenant Jan Michielsz Blaeuw in 1639, by Van der Helst
  • Sign at the Rijksmuseum
  • The Battle of Waterloo, Jan Willem Pieneman, 1824
  • Playmobil - Marten & Oopjen characters
  • Statues from the Night Watch
  • Statues from the Night Watch
  • One of the many canals in Amsterdam
  • Electric cars in Amsterdam are in the same category as bicycles, therefore, they can be parked on sidewalks.
  • Dining room in the Van Loon Museum
  • China hutch in the Van Loon Museum
  • Kitchen in the Van Loon Museum
  • Kitchen in the Van Loon Museum
  • Kitchen in the Van Loon Museum
  • Yard of the Van Loon Museum
  • Yard of the Van Loon Museum
  • Carriage house of the Van Loon Museum
  • Yard of the Van Loon Museum

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