Top Amsterdam Unique Experiences

The best way to explore the UNESCO-listed Amsterdam Canal Ring is indisputably by a small electric boat that can access the narrow historic canals that larger tour boats can't reach. Get a different perspective of the Dutch capital while avoiding the crowds on land during this relaxing cruise through the Red Light District, Anne Frank House, and the Skinny Bridge (depending on the route chosen). When the weather is good, enjoy an open-air boat ride as well as heated seats during the winter or bad weather.

As the sun goes down over Amsterdam, take in its illuminated waterfront and history on an atmospheric canal cruise. Savor a 4-course gourmet dinner with wine, beer, soft drinks as you drift past historical attractions including the Anne Frank House and the Bloemenmarkt, while listening to informative commentary. Please note only available Wed -Sat

See a side of the Netherlands that many visitors miss on an e-bike tour that promises an authentic Dutch experience. Swap the busy streets of Amsterdam for open fields, canals, windmills, and picture-perfect medieval villages as you follow a comfortable 25-mile (40-kilometer) route that's made easier with an electric bike. Upgrade to visit a family-run cheese and clog farm and see locals making Gouda cheese and wooden clogs by hand.

Heighten your senses and pleasure your palate during a 4-course dining in the dark experience in Amsterdam. Rather than eating in a standard restaurant, enhance your sensory experience of food and drink while allowing blind waiting staff to deliver delicious dishes to your table in the pitch-black darkness. Select your meal from an illuminated selection outside and then plunge back into the darkness to enjoy this unique meal.

Get to know Amsterdam like a local on a private, fully personalized experience. Starting from your accommodation or chosen meeting point, explore the city in a way that reflects your interests—whether that's wandering the charming Nine Streets, uncovering hidden courtyards, sampling Dutch delicacies at a street market, or soaking in canal-side views. With a local host by your side, you’ll skip the tourist trail and dive into authentic Amsterdam.

Discover the beautiful city of Amsterdam, known as the ‘Venice of the North,’ from the water on this sightseeing cruise. Choose your preferred departure time from your chosen departure point and set off on the UNESCO-listed waterways aboard a glass-topped canal boat. Glide under pretty bridges, past 17th-century buildings and landmarks like the Anne Frank House, and learn about the city’s history from the audio guide.

Experience three icons of the Dutch countryside—windmills, cheese, and wooden clogs—on a day trip from Amsterdam that saves you the stress of arranging logistics. Journey to the North Holland towns of Zaanse Schans and Volendam to view working windmills at an open-air museum, visit a dairy farm or cheese weighing house, step inside a clog factory, and enter a windmill. Learn more about Dutch culture than you would exploring alone.

Go beyond Amsterdam's city limits and spend some time relaxing in the countryside on this day trip to the traditional villages of Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and their windmills. Skip the stress of navigating unfamiliar public transportation with included round-trip transportation from the city center. Sit back and relax as you're driven through the surrounding countryside, where you can enjoy an itinerary that offers an alternative perspective on Dutch culture.

Explore Zaanse Schans and the Dutch countryside this tour from Amsterdam. With an informative guide, admire the lush, canal-crossed Dutch landscape. Take a tour of pretty Zaanse Schans, famous for its wooden windmills and green-painted houses, and visit a cheese farm and clog-making workshop to learn about these traditional crafts. Lastly, visit a working windmill to learn about the role of windmills in the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age.

Experience the best of typical Dutch culture on a half-day tour to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam. Observe traditional cheese-making and taste some real Dutch cheese; marvel at the exterior of a working windmill; try on some authentic wooden clogs for size; and admire the quaint and colorful architecture of Zaanse Schans village before returning to Amsterdam by comfortable coach. If option selected, the tour includes an Amsterdam canal cruise ticket to use at your leisure within a few days of the tour.

Understanding Amsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen) can be difficult without local context, but this private walking tour offers a clear, informed introduction with a guide leading the way. Travel along Zeedijk Street and through Chinatown, all while learning about how the area has evolved. As you walk past red-lit windows and adult entertainment venues, your guide separates fact from fiction and explains the social history of the district, including how prostitution was legalized in the Netherlands in 2000, and the culture surrounding coffee shops (licensed venues where cannabis is legally sold and consumed).

Save yourself any travel hassle, and purchase tickets to two popular Amsterdam attractions before you arrive. By booking both simultaneously, you’ll save nearly a quarter on admission costs. First, explore Amsterdam’s picturesque waterways on a canal cruise, which will whisk you past many of the city’s key landmarks and historical merchant houses. Then, learn the stories behind the city’s notorious Red Light District when you visit Red Light Secrets, a one-of-a-kind local museum.

Don’t let limited time in Amsterdam stop you from escaping to the countryside: eliminate the stress of advance planning on a private day trip to Zaanse Schans and Volendam. Witness traditional Dutch craftsmanship at a clog factory, and then enjoy over 30 cheese flavors at Henri Willig farm. Continue to Volendam for a delightful lunch and harbor views, then take a ferry to the charming island of Marken, with its unique houses on wooden stilts.

The combination of foot, bike, car, and bus traffic on the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam can be overwhelming, so experience Amsterdam in peace from the water. Sit back and relax while you experience the city’s waterways from a unique vantage point and with a drink in hand. On this open-air canal cruise (weather-dependent), pass by sights including the Anne Frank House, Skinny Bridge and more, while your skipper will give you information about Amsterdam and provide some local tips.

Glide through the canals of Amsterdam on a dinner cruise that features great views of the illuminated city. Learn about Amsterdam’s history and culture from your onboard guide as you dine on a original New York pizza accompanied by beverages such as beer, wine, soft drinks, and water. Top off your meal with a delicious Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip ice cream as your boat winds through the picturesque waterways of the Dutch capital.

During the Dutch Golden Age, some of the most recognizable paintings in the world were created. Step into a masterpiece and bring home the selfie to prove it. Choose your painting, then get into character and dress up to allow a professional photographer to capture the scene. Take home prints of the reenactment as the perfect memento to commemorate this unique Dutch experience.

Experience typically Dutch landscapes of fishing villages, windmills, and craftsmen’s shops on an award-winning small-group tour from Amsterdam. Visit restored windmills in Zaanse Schans, and walk the dikes and harbor of Volendam, a pretty port lined with bright houses and sailboats. Sample locally-make cheeses and Dutch schnapps, and enjoy time to choose a restaurant for lunch.

Home to some of the world’s most iconic Van Gogh paintings, Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum attracts lines that often exceed two hours. Beat the crowds with this timed admission ticket that also includes an Amsterdam canal cruise, which you can take at a time that works for you. This self-guided experience is an ideal choice for first-time visitors with limited time in the Dutch capital, as it lets you explore at a pace that suits you rather than following a fixed tour itinerary.

Visit the historic Zaanse Schans neighborhood without the need to navigate unfamiliar public transportation with this private tour from Amsterdam. Let your guide lead the way as you see historic windmills, taste cheese at a cheese factory, and watch a shoemaker carving traditional wooden clogs. Ideal for travelers who want to see a little more of the country outside its capital city.

Don’t waste time trying to hit the Dutch food hotspots alone, only to end up in tourist traps. Instead, join this boutique and specialized food tour through Amsterdam, during which you stop at several distinct locations. Stroll through the quaint Jordaan area and along the city's famous canals to enjoy iconic dishes like homemade Dutch apple pie in a traditional "brown" pub, exclusive cheeses in a private tasting room, and a mini ‘Rijsttafel’ from the former Dutch colony of Indonesia.

Delve into traditional Dutch culture on a private countryside tour from Amsterdam. Skip the hassle of renting a car and navigating country roads, as a dedicated driver makes it easy to travel from the capital to charming villages like Zaanse Schans, Irene Hoeve, and Volendam. See working windmills, visit a cheese factory, watch how wooden clogs are made, and get tips on the top riverside restaurants for an authentic Dutch lunch.

Discover the rich heritage and modern culture of Holland on a private, full-day tour from Amsterdam. Travel with a local guide through the scenic Dutch countryside and neighboring towns, following an itinerary that’s designed just for you and your group. Explore traditional villages of windmills and wooden shoes, visit the hometowns of your ancestors, taste country cuisine or whatever else you choose!

Enjoy a more personal way to explore Amsterdam—and combine two experiences in one excursion—on this private walking tour. Begin with a stroll past many of the city's key sights, including the UNESCO-listed Amsterdam Canal Ring, Chinatown, and the infamous Red Light District. Plus, stop to sample three Dutch specialities along the way, and learn more about the city's cuisine.