14 Fun Things to Do in Amsterdam, Netherlands

I’ve been searching for fun things to do in Amsterdam ever since my first visit back in 2017, covering several parts of this city that most tourists never see. Over my multiple visits, I have discovered a multifaceted city with all the perfect ingredients for a weekend getaway. 

Amsterdam is simultaneously big and small, with traditions and modernity seamlessly blending together. The city’s cultural impact is unparalleled, and you will find some of Europe’s best museums here. And despite various recent challenges, such as a notable trash problem and a difficult housing situation, I would say that the atmosphere still feels upbeat each time I visit. 

I believe that Amsterdam is a city that’ll reward you if you take the effort to truly explore it and get lost among its streets and canals. To help you plan the best possible trip, I’m listing my favorite things to do in the Dutch capital below. Once you’ve read this guide, you’ll have a much better idea of how to plan your adventure. 

1. Explore the Jordaan District

I spent a significant amount of time in Jordaan on one of my most recent trips to Amsterdam, and it’s my favorite neighborhood in the city.  

Jordaan has various narrow streets lined with pretty houses, with lots of plant exteriors to give the district more of a green village feel. The neighborhood is home to several bars and cafés, too, and you’ll find a number of local shops here. It’s a great place to delve deeper into Amsterdam life. 

While lively, I feel like Jordaan feels much less chaotic than other central parts of Amsterdam. Like other parts of the city, the canals here are very pleasant. Egelantiersgracht is my personal top recommendation. 

How to Get to Jordaan

You can easily reach Jordan from other parts of Amsterdam on foot or by bike. However, it’s well-connected by public transport. Take the tram to Westerkerk and walk from there. 

2. Spend Time Museum-Hopping

Amsterdam has some of Europe’s most famous museums, and visiting at least some of these on your trip is a must. Three of the headline hitters are located around Museumplein, including the iconic Rijksmuseum. Here, you’ll find a collection of works from Dutch artists through the centuries. Besides visiting the museum alone, you can combine your trip with a canal cruise in one ticket or visit the Rijksmuseum as part of a guided tour.

Not too far away is the Van Gogh Museum, which is dedicated to the iconic Vincent Van Gogh. While his life sadly wasn’t very long, his artworks have left a huge legacy on European art. Since this place is very popular, you should book your tickets in advance. 

Museumplein itself is nice to walk around, especially on a sunny day. Besides visiting the museums, I suggest giving yourself some time to simply stroll and explore the area. 

Another museum worth visiting in Amsterdam is the NEMO Science Museum. This is one of my top recommendations if you’re visiting with kids, in particular; you’ll find a number of interactive exhibitions that’ll keep them entertained for a few hours. 

Access to the museum’s rooftop is free, and from here, you’ll get a cool view of the surrounding areas. At the very least, you should go here. 

Good to Know: If you plan to visit multiple museums in Amsterdam, I strongly recommend getting the GoCity All Inclusive Pass. Museums in the city are expensive, but by purchasing the pass, you have the option to save a decent amount of money. You can buy the All Inclusive Pass here. 

3. Discover a Different Side to Amsterdam in Noord

I stayed at the ClinkNOORD hostel in Amsterdam on one of my previous trips to the city, which gave me the perfect opportunity to see something a bit different. Noord is very different from other parts of Amsterdam, which is precisely why I like it so much. 

Exploring Noord is a breath of fresh air. The architecture here is an interesting mix of old and new, and you’ll find various cycling trails here. Noord is also where you’ll find the famous A’DAM Lookout, which offers some of the best views in Amsterdam and is worth adding to your itinerary. 

You can reach Amsterdam Noord from the ferry that leaves near the main train station. The journey doesn’t take too long and is completely free. Even if you’re visiting for the first time, I still recommend coming here.  

4. Check Out the Damrak Houses

Also known as the Dancing Houses, the Damrak Houses are worth a quick stop when you visit Amsterdam. They’re perfect for photography, and I’m glad I bucked the trend of not seeing them on a recent trip. In the past, I have been against doing so because they are quite touristy. 

The Damrak Houses are very close to Amsterdam Centraal Station, meaning that you can make them one of your first stops in the city. The view of them can get crowded during the day, so you may need to wait before you can take the picture you want. 

Once you’ve seen the Damrak Houses, it’s easy to then branch into other parts of the city. The houses are close to the Stromma canal tour terminal.

5. Do an Ajax Stadium Tour

With 36 Eredivisie titles, 20 Dutch Cups, and four European Cup titles, Ajax are the most successful team in the Netherlands. And if you’re a soccer fan like I am, the Ajax stadium tour is well worth doing on your visit to Amsterdam. 

During the tour, you can enter the home dressing room where Ajax’s players prepare for their games at the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Moreover, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the manager’s dugout—plus the press room and other areas. 

In addition to the self-guided and guided tours, you can also book a VIP tour, where you’ll see the boardroom and more.

How to Get to the Johann Cruijff ArenA

To get to Ajax’s stadium, take the Metro to Bijlmer ArenA and walk from there. 

6. Check Out the Canals (With a Caveat)

The Canals of Amsterdam are one of the main draws for people visiting Amsterdam. While they are touristy, I do think they’re worth seeing. The tilting houses are some of Europe’s most iconic sights, and whether you’re visiting in the autumn, winter, or during the warmer months, you should dedicate some time to wandering around them. 

If you only pick one canal, make it Egelantiersgracht. Besides being the most scenic, in my opinion, it’s also close to some of the most interesting parts of Amsterdam. Rozengracht is also worth seeing. Generally speaking, I spend most of my time around the outer canals; these tend to be less busy than the ones closer to the city center. 

My main caveat with seeing the Canals of Amsterdam is to go early in the morning. The crowds here are no joke, and it quickly becomes a chaotic mix of selfie sticks and cyclists. I don’t mean the fun version of chaotic, either; getting here before everyone wakes up is the ideal scenario. 

7. Bitterballen and Apple Pie at Café Sonneveld

On one of my most recent trips to the Dutch capital, it was raining quite a lot. While I have zero issues with this, my girlfriend… isn’t the biggest fan of rain. So, we went on the lookout for a café to spend an hour or two in. 

We found that place at Café Sonneveld. While we came here mainly for lunch, we wanted to try some Dutch classics: Bitterballen and apple pie. Neither was a disappointment, let’s just say that. 

The apple pie was so good that we originally shared one between us, but then ordered another one. As for the biterballen, these were simple but effective. Yes, you will find various places to try these in Amsterdam, but Café Sonneveld stood out for us. 

Besides the food and drinks being good, the atmosphere here was also cozy. We had no problems finding a seat. The café is open throughout the year, including on public holidays. 

8. Join a Canal Tour

With so much water, it would be a shame to visit Amsterdam and not see the city from the water. Gliding along the canals on a canal tour is a must, and you can join these year-round. Besides seeing many of the main sights, you will get a unique perspective of the city. 

Several types of canal tours operate in Amsterdam. You can, for example, join normal ones where you get an audio guide. If you just want to see the city from the water, this is your best option. 

However, you can also join boat tours offering food and drink. If you want more of a chilled experience, I recommend going for these instead. Day and evening canal tours are available; the city looks pretty regardless of when you go, so your choice will depend entirely on your schedule and preferences. 

9. Take a Day Trip From Amsterdam

Your first trip to Amsterdam will likely be enjoyable even if you only stay within the city limits. But the Netherlands is easy to get around, and in my opinion, the country has a number of intriguing cities that you can visit on a day trip.

Beautiful Haarlem is just 15 minutes away and everything you expected a Dutch city to be. You can check out this full guide to Haarlem if you want to add that to your itinerary. 

Also worth exploring is Utrecht, which is around 25-30 minutes away. Rotterdam (40-70 minutes) is another city I thoroughly enjoyed visiting, and it has a completely different vibe from Amsterdam. 

I can also recommend The Hague, which is 45-60 minutes away. I’ve spent some time in the university town of Leiden, too, which is pretty and doesn’t have a huge amount of tourists. 

You don’t need to book train tickets before the day of travel; generally, tickets are quite affordable. You can buy your train tickets before boarding the train via the NS app, which is available for iOS and Android. You can use the app in Dutch and English. 

In addition to visiting the Netherlands’ many great cities, you can see some of its smaller towns and villages. For example, Zaanse Schans is very easy to reach from the Dutch capital.

Belgium is also easy to reach from Amsterdam in a day. Beautiful Bruges, for example, is around three hours away. You can book tickets yourself or join a guided tour. 

10. Explore Oud-West

The Oud-West district feels both elegant and hip at the same time. Its leafy streets are a nice place to wander for an afternoon, and you’ll find a handful of bars, shops, and restaurants here. 

Since Oud-West isn’t part of the main canal ring in Amsterdam, it has more of a local feel than other parts of the city. The architecture here is pretty interesting; much of it is from the early 20th century and has more of a functional feel as a result. However, you’ll find various older-style buildings, too. 

Despite not being on the main canal ring, you’re still not too far from the water in Oud-West. The neighborhood has a large food market, too, where you can try all kinds of cuisines. 

How to Get to Oud-West

You can either walk from the city center or take the tram. If you pick the latter, get off at Bilderdijkstraat and walk from there. 

11. Heineken Experience

I’m always curious as to how mass-exported beers taste in their homeland. For example, I thought little of Carlsberg until I moved to Copenhagen. However, I do think that it tastes better in Denmark compared to elsewhere. My thoughts on Heineken are the same. 

The Heineken Experience is a must for beer-lovers visiting Amsterdam. Here, you’ll get to try the world-famous drink yourself and also learn more about how Heineken became one of the Netherlands’ biggest success stories. 

You can book ordinary tickets, along with canal tour combination tickets and VIP experiences. 

To get to the Heineken Experience, take the Metro or tram to Vijzelgracht. 

12. Check Out Amsterdam’s Brown Bars

Amsterdam’s drinking scene really is whatever you make it. Yes, you’ll find the trashy tourist traps that you’d rather avoid. But at the same time, you will also find a number of cozy bars—known as Bruin Cafés or brown bars—that are perfect for some drinks in a low-key environment. 

The Dutch have something similar to the famed Danish hygge called “gezelligheid”, and brown bars are the ideal place to experience this for yourself. These bars are ideal refuges from the frequent rain and wind outdoors, and you will find these dotted throughout the city. 

To be honest, I think you can have a great time in Amsterdam just by dipping in and out of its brown bars. You’ll find many of the standard drinks available here, including Heineken and Amstel. 

13. Bakery-Hopping

Bakeries are plentiful throughout Amsterdam, and one of the nicest things to do here is simply hopping in and out of them. You’ll find places serving apple pies and various other pastries. 

In addition to sweet treats, Amsterdam’s bakeries are ideal for getting sandwiches and more. You’re also never too far away from a good cup of coffee, either. 

While many of the bakeries around the main canal ring are quite touristy, you’ll find some gems in the inner part of town. For more of a local experience, head a bit further out of the city center. 

14. Rent Bikes and Cycle Around Amsterdam

Cycling and Amsterdam go hand-in-hand, and you will notice just how big the city’s biking culture is as soon as you leave the city’s main train station. It’s one of the best ways to get around the Dutch capital, and once you get used to it, you probably won’t want to use any form of transport. Well, maybe I’m a bit biased, since I’m an adopted Copenhagener, but still. 

Amsterdam has numerous bike rental shops, and you will have no issues finding one to borrow for the day. Some hotels in the city also let you rent bicycles, so be sure to check for these before booking your stay. 

When cycling in Amsterdam, always follow the rules. Signal when you’re turning, stick to the bike lanes, and be very careful when cycling near tram lines. Since bike theft is also common in Amsterdam, always lock your bike—even if you’re just going somewhere for a short amount of time.

Final Thoughts

As one of Europe’s great cities, Amsterdam offers plenty in terms of culture, history, and more. You can design your itinerary however you want, whether you’re into design or simply want to spend a few days hopping around museums. If anything, your biggest struggle will be deciding what to leave out. 

Cherry-pick the most important experiences and be sure to spend a good amount of time in the city. Depending on how many days you have, you should also take a day trip elsewhere and explore more of the Netherlands (or go and see some of Belgium). 

Now that you’ve read this guide, you should have a much better idea of what you want to do on your trip to the Dutch capital. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or the 20th, there’s always something new to discover in Amsterdam. 

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