Things to do in  Amsterdam

The Anne Frank House (Anne Frankhuis) in Amsterdam was where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II. Overlooking a canal called Prinsengracht, it’s now a museum dedicated to preserving her legacy. Take a self-guided tour through the attic and see personal items belonging to Anne and her family, plus film clips and photographs. You can also watch films about Anne’s life and hear talks by experts on topics such as anti-Semitism in the auditorium. The Anne Frank House is one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions, and booking your tickets in advance is highly recommended.

The Herengracht, sometimes translated to the Lord’s Canal, is one of four major canals around the center of Amsterdam and one of the best places to see some of the city’s classic canal scenery. The beautiful Golden Bend section, with its stately mansions and inner gardens, is one of the city’s most desirable places to live, but also easy to admire freely aboard a canal boat.

Dating back to 1862, Amsterdam’s Bloemenmarkt is the world’s only floating flower market. The market features barges laden with rainbow-colored arrays of seasonal flowers and bulbs such as daffodils, geraniums, and—of course—the Netherlands’ iconic tulips. But Bloemenmarkt doesn’t just sell flowers; you can also buy classic Dutch souvenirs, including cheese, clogs, and ceramics.

Every day, more than 250,000 passengers pass through Amsterdam Central Station. It’s the city’s most important transport hub, offering both national and international train services. But even if you’re not taking a train, it’s worth stopping by the architectural marvel, which combines neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance styles and was designed by renowned architect Pierre Cuypers. The vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows inside the station are a must-see.

Rijksmuseum’s collection ranks among the world’s finest; it includes nearly 8,000 pieces spread over 80 galleries. Some of the Amsterdam museum’s most revered works are 15th- to 19th-century paintings by Flemish and Dutch masters, including Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Vermeer. In addition to the astounding eight centuries of Dutch art and history, the museum has extensive outdoor gardens and an acclaimed restaurant, Rijks.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, home to the world’s largest collection of works by the legendary Dutch artist, 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 Bernard.

Amsterdam’s Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) is a charming UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates from the 17th century and defines the city with its picturesque waterways. The ring comprises a series of semicircular canals bisected by smaller canals radiating from the middle—like the spokes on a Dutch bicycle wheel—crisscrossed by hundreds of bridges connecting about 90 islands and 1,700 bridges that make up the heart of the Dutch capital.

Once a working-class neighborhood, the Jordaan in central Amsterdam has become an upscale enclave favored by artists and designers. Grand 17th-century houses, art galleries, specialty shops, music venues, cafés, and restaurants line the leafy canals in this quintessential Amsterdam neighborhood, which attracts tourists and locals alike. Its most famous attraction is the Anne Frank House on the edge of the district.

Flowing through the capital and providing the UNESCO–listed canals with their water, the Amstel River is Amsterdam’s main artery. And not only that—the city was first built around the river, which gave it its original name of Amstel Dam. Today, the river and its banks boast some of Amsterdam’s top attractions, including Magere Brug, nicknamed Skinny Bridge due to its narrowness, and the Stopera, an opera house that also functions as City Hall.

The Skinny Bridge (Magere Brug) is a wooden drawbridge crossing the Amstel River featuring low arches that are illuminated with glistening lights at night. The original bridge was so skinny that it was only suitable for pedestrians and dated back to at least 1640. Today’s incarnation was completed in 1871 and is a wider replacement for the original structure.

Amsterdam’s 17th-century Westerkerk (Western Church) is as known for its architecture, including a spire that measures some 280 feet (85 meters), as it is for its history. Rembrandt was buried here, and in her diaries Anne Frank wrote about the church’s clock chime—one of the few outside-world experiences she had while hiding from the Nazis.

Located on the bank of the Keizersgracht Canal in central Amsterdam, the Homomonument is a memorial to the gay men and women who lost their lives at the hands of the Nazis in World War II. Unveiled in 1987, this monument was the first of its kind and takes the form of three connected pink triangles, the symbol used to identify homosexuals in concentration camps.

Although it’s also a residential area, the scenic Dutch village of Zaanse Schans is like an open-air museum that recreates life in 18th and 19th-century Holland. Known for its signature windmills and wooden houses, you can learn about traditional industries and crafts as you watch artisans at work, from cheese makers to pewter smiths. Wander among the five working windmills, visit museums, and browse shops for unique souvenirs.

Few places showcase the Netherlands’ iconic tulips better than Keukenhof Gardens, a colorful sea of flowers with millions of new bulbs planted every year. An easy day trip from Amsterdam, the gardens are perfect for leisurely strolls and snapping photos of flowers in bloom. It’s a Holland tradition that attracts visitors from around the globe—and one you certainly won’t want to miss.

While most famous for its sex work scene, Amsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen) also houses UNESCO–listed 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.