Insider`s Guide to Amsterdam

Hallo, Amsterdam!
Amsterdam is an enchanting blend of old and new – a place where radical contemporary art is sold underneath
17th-century gables, the bicycle is the preferred mode of transit and triple-strength monk-made beer is served in
stylish canal-side cafés.
Combining big-metropolis exuberance with small-town manageability and a huge dollop of tolerance, this multinational, multi-lingual city boasts the largest concentration of world-class art museums in Europe, Golden Age
architecture, more canals than Venice and a fast-growing restaurant and clubbing culture.
In this guide we’ve handpicked the very best of Amsterdam — both on and off the beaten path — so you can
travel like an insider in Amsterdam!
Meet the Insiders
Sasha is a travel writer who has written several
books about Amsterdam. She always heads
straight for the Jordaan to check out exciting new
art galleries and restaurants.
Katrin loves walking the streets of Amsterdam,
following its many canals, particularly at night when
the bridges are illuminated, or sitting in a cafe
watching pedestrians and bicyclists.
Insider’s Guide: Amsterdam
2
Work Out
Best Way to Get Around Amsterdam: By Bike
The streets bordering Amsterdam’s canals are tailor-made
for bike riding. Join a guided bike tour to see the architecture
and sights of the city center, cycle along the many canals or
head out to the gritty neighborhood of Zeeburg to discover
its maritime heritage. If you fancy getting out of town, take
advantage of the flat Dutch countryside to tour timeless
villages, windmills and even a farm where both cheese and
clogs are produced using age-old methods.
Insider’s Tip
Don’t forget the rules of the road. Never
cut off other cyclists, watch out for trams
at junctions and avoid getting your cycle
wheels stuck in the tram tracks.
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Detour
Best Day Trips: Exploring the Dutch Countryside
Combine a tour of Zaanse Schans with the traditional
fishing villages of Volendam and Marken, which surround
picture-perfect harbors lined with wooden houses. In South
Holland, visit The Hague, the elegant capital city of the
Netherlands, with several art museums, the seaside suburb of
Scheveningen and the family-friendly Madurodam theme park.
“
The windmill town of
Zaanse Schans was my
favorite! If you have a day
in the Netherlands I would
highly recommend it!
-Caitlin
“
The Netherlands is a small country and no destination is
very far from Amsterdam. Visit Zaanse Schans, an open-air
museum where traditional 17th- and 18th- century life has
been preserved. Green wooden houses, a historic shipyard,
and a pewter factory are among the village’s attractions but it’s
most famous for its five working windmills.
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Explore
Best Way to Explore the City’s Canals: On a Cruise
There’s no better way to get a grip on the architectural
marvels of Amsterdam than by canal tour; you’ll get to
see many of the city’s best-loved landmarks, including the
Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge), the majestic 17th-century
Canal Ring, the Seven Bridges view along Reguliersgracht
and the neo-Gothic façade of Central Station.
There’s a cruise to suit just about any taste. See all the
sights from a hop-on, hop-off Canal Bus; combine a canal
tour with a harbor cruise; or take a candlelight cruise aboard
a glass-enclosed boat.
Insider’s Tip
The canals are not the only waterways
in Amsterdam. Take a harbor tour to
admire the sleek architecture springing
up on its waterline or catch the ferry from
Central Station to explore the new Nord
Amsterdam district.
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Bird’s-Eye View
Best Way to See Keukenhof: From Above
While the flower fields are beautiful at ground level, they’re
even more stunning from above. Book a flight in a World War II
DC-3 Dakota for a bird’s-eye view of the stunning tulip fields.
“
Pictures do not do
Keukenhof justice. My wife
was brought to tears with
the beauty and splendor
of all the gardens and
displays.
-Joseph R.
“
The Keukenhof tulip gardens are one of Europe’s biggest
visitor attractions, covering 32 hectares of manicured
parkland, winding pathways, bubbling streams and shady
ponds. They open for just two months – between mid-March
and mid-May – when seven million tulips, narcissi, daffodils,
hyacinths and bluebells burst simultaneously into life. During
that time, Keukenhof is visited by more than 800,000 people
so book a skip-the-line tour for priority access.
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Learn
Best Way to Honor Amsterdam’s Famous Herione: The Anne Frank House
The name of Anne Frank is forever linked with Amsterdam
and her house on Prinsengracht attracts hundreds of
thousands of visitors each year. They come to pay their
respects in the cramped secret annex where Anne and her
family spent three years in hiding before they were betrayed
to the Nazi occupiers of Amsterdam. Anne died in BergenBelsen Concentration Camp in March 1945 but her journal,
published as The Diary of Anne Frank in 1947, ensures that
her tragic tale will never be forgotten.
Insider’s Tip
Although much of Anne Frank’s
Amsterdam disappeared following World
War II, a heritage walk through the quiet
streets of the Plantage guides visitors to
the synagogues, memorials and museums
important to Dutch Jewish culture.
A visit to the Anne Frank House is so popular that lines form
every day well before it opens; skip the link with a fast-track
ticket which can be combined with a visit to the Jewish
Historical Museum.
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Indulge
Best Culinary Experience: A Food Tour of Amsterdam
Of course, sampling cheese and other Dutch treats is thirsty
work so you’ll need a beer or two to wash it down. Dutch
beers are mostly pale lagers, although there are variants
such as wit bier and bok. The most famous local beer is
Heineken, which was brewed in Amsterdam from 1873
until 1988; the former brewery is now one of most popular
attractions in the city.
See all food tours in Amsterdam
“
Great guide and a very
good insight into the food
of Amsterdam.
-Matthew J.
“
Cheese-lovers should be right at home in Amsterdam,
where Dutch cheeses such as Gouda, Edam and
Leerdammer play a major part in the cuisine. Book a food
tour to learn more about traditional Dutch cuisine, or enjoy
an authentic meal in the home of a local family.
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Culture
Best Art Museums: The Trio at Museum Square
Amsterdam is home to world-class museums covering
everything from the Old Masters to Van Gogh. At
Museumplein (Museum Square), you’ll find the renowned
Van Gogh Museum, the largest collection of his paintings
in the world, and the Rijksmuseum, which focuses on the
17th century and displays masterpieces from artists like
Rembrandt and Vermeer. To bring the story to present day,
head back across Museumplein to the Stedelijk Museum
for its superb collection of 20th-century and contemporary
artworks, installations and decorative arts.
Insider’s Tip
The Hermitage Amsterdam is also worth
a peek as it displays ever-changing
exhibitions plucked from the world-class
art collection at the Hermitage in
St Petersburg.
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After Hours
Best Nightlife Experience: The Red Light District
It’s the city’s oldest district and blessed with some of
its best architecture, prettiest canals and most stylish
boutiques. And interspersed with the lurid red-lit windows
is an up-and-coming dining and nightlife scene, particularly
around Warmoesstraat and Zeedijk. To explore after dark,
take a guided walking tour or join a pub crawl through the
bars and clubs of the Red Light District.
“
This was an excellent
way to see the Red Light
District and understand its
history.
“
Amsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen) has been the
haunt of pleasure seekers since the 14th century. The
best places for window-watching are along Oudezijds
Achterburgwal and in the alleys south of the Oude Kerk
(Old Church) but despite its seedy reputation, the Red
Light District offers more than sex, drugs and alcohol.
-Katherine M.
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Pssst!
Day Trips to Other Countries are Easier Than You Think
It’s surprisingly easy to travel to another country for the day from Amsterdam – partly because The Netherlands is
so very small – so if you get the urge to discover the medieval charms of Bruges or Brussels in Belgium, book a
coach tour and you’re on your way.
Like Amsterdam, Bruges has canals, beer, and crowds of tourists, but it’s a quarter of the size, making it
the perfect destination to explore in a day. First among its many attractions is the jaw-dropping medieval
architecture of the town’s two main squares; other highlights include the vast collection of Flemish art at the
Groeningemuseum, the tranquil gardens of the Begijnhof and the family-friendly museums dedicated to chocolate
and the humble potato fry.
As the powerhouse of the European Union, cosmopolitan Brussels is considerably bigger and its attractions are
spread over a wider area. It’s best seen by coach from Amsterdam. With a whistle-stop tour of the palaces and
museums of Royal Brussels plus a glimpse at the glass-and-steel HQ of the European Parliament, there’s just
enough time to shop for chocolates and lace in the elegant enclosed galleries next to the Grand-Place.
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Viator Recommends
Best Money-Saver:
Sightseeing Passes
Simplify your trip to Amsterdam with the I Amsterdam
City Card, a pass that gives you free admission
to museums and public transport throughout the
city. Gain free entry to 38 museums including the
Van Gogh Museum, Museum Het Rembrandthuis
and Hermitage Amsterdam, plus unlimited public
transport, a canal cruise and discounts on attractions
and restaurants.
Best Way to see the Van Gogh
Museum: Without the Line
Combine fast-track admission to the Van Gogh
Museum with a 24- or 48-hour Canal Bus hop-on
hop-off pass, and you’ve got the best of Amsterdam
covered. Explore the extensive collection at the Van
Gogh Museum and see major landmarks at 19 stops,
including the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank
House, as you cruise Amsterdam’s scenic waterways
with your hop-on, hop-off Canal Bus day pass.
Photo by Rick Markovich
Best Popular Attraction:
Heineken Experience
As one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions,
the Heineken Experience is always packed so buy a
skip-the-line Amsterdam and Holland Pass to ensure
fast-track entrance. The bonus for most visitors is the
chance to enjoy a couple of Heineken beers in the bar
at the end of the tour.
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Family-Friendly Amsterdam
The Amsterdam Dungeon
Featuring live shows, virtual-reality rides and
seriously scary special effects, the sinister secrets
of Amsterdam’s dark past are revealed in a terrifying
journey through 500 years of history. See how the
plague affected the city, learn of horrific medieval
punishments and steel your nerves in the darkness of
the pitch-black Labyrinth.
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds is a worldwide favorite with families
for its realistic waxworks of famous rock stars, royalty,
movie stars, athletes and politicians. The Amsterdam
outpost opened back in 1971, and the parade of
international A-listers such as Beyoncé and Brad Pitt
is cleverly mixed with a cast of Dutch characters like
Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
Canal and Pizza Cruise
As the perfect ending to a day’s sightseeing in
Amsterdam, sit back and enjoy a twilight cruise past
some of the most iconic sights in Amsterdam. Relax
over a couple of beers or a glass of wine and treat the
kids to their favorite pizzas. Afterwards dig in to ice
cream as your boat floats gently down the canals.
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Take Viator with You
Book tours & activities on the road or
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access to the most memorable travel experiences,
bookable up to the last minute, even in-destination!
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