Amsterdam attractions

One of Amsterdam’s largest and most storied markets, the Noordermarkt has been held in the city for 400 years since the Dutch Golden Age. Today, the market—which comprises several individual market areas, each with its own specialties—is held twice a week. A highlight of central Amsterdam's Jordaan district, it’s a destination for ingredients, antiques, clothes, and more.

While many Amsterdam visitors will stroll through the Red Light District, the Tour de BonTon offers a more real look at the city’s sex industry for those who are curious. Here, you explore the city’s more lascivious side by heading behind the scenes of a high-end gentlemen’s club with tour guides who are typically former sex workers. Ask your questions, see what it’s like, and experience a tour truly unlike any other.

Amsterdam Cruise Port is one of the Baltic's largest cargo ports, as well as a popular gateway to the Dutch city of Amsterdam. Most cruise liners dock at the Passenger Terminal in the East Docklands neighborhood, which offers good transport links with which to explore Amsterdam's principal attractions—from the famed canals and coffeeshops to the Dutch countryside.

A grand mansion first built in the 17th century, Huis Bartolotti is one of Amsterdam’s most splendid canal houses. With its ornate facade, array of windows, grand rococo hall, and lovely garden, it provides insight into how the city’s rich merchants lived—but the cozy, colorful kitchen reveals their domesticity as well.

A squat 15th-century tower topped with a diminutive pointy spire, the Weeping Tower (Schreierstoren) offers lovely canal views in the heart of Amsterdam. According to legend, the tower takes its name from the women who used to say a tearful farewell to their sailor loved ones as they headed out to sea. Today, it houses a café.

Offering a uniquely immersive and innovative way to experience Rembrandt’s art, the Rembrandts Amsterdam Experience invites visitors to step back in time to 1663, where they’ll tour a multimedia recreation of the artist’s last studio. Complete with video projections and multi-dimensional special effects, the experience brings 17th-century Amsterdam to life, and makes Rembrandt’s work and story widely accessible.

Most visitors to Amsterdam will walk along the Rokin without even knowing its name: This bustling thoroughfare is on the route many travelers follow when walking from Amsterdam Central station. It’s hard to miss with Dam Square at its northern end, while Mint Square (Muntplein) and the 15th-century Mint Tower (Munttoren) are its southern end.

Amsterdam’s art and antiques district, the Spiegelkwartier (literally: Mirror Quarter) ambles along canals and alleyways in the heart of the canal belt. Antique dealers, vintage stores, galleries, fashion boutiques, and sweet treat merchants make it an atmospheric place to spend an afternoon shopping—or simply window-shopping.

Queen of the Netherlands for almost 60 years, Wilhelmina was a hero to many Dutch people because of her role in the Resistance during World War II. The bronze Equestrian Statue of Queen Wilhemina on the Rokin commemorates her as a young woman, sitting side-saddle on a trotting horse, wearing a practical hat and long skirts that cover her feet.

Dating back to 1648, the Torensluis is a bridge with three arches over the Singel Canal. As the oldest and widest bridge in Amsterdam, it’s a popular spot among visitors and locals alike. There's also a bust statue of Dutch author Eduard Douwes Dekker, better known as Multatuli, right on the bridge.

The Montelbaanstoren (or Montelbaan Tower) is a remnant of Amsterdam’s chaotic past: Built in 1516, it was originally part of the city's defensive walls and fortifications. Find it on the eastern side of Amsterdam's city center, along the Oudeschans canal, as well as on the canvases of Rembrandt and other Dutch masters.

Born from one man’s private collection, the Amsterdam Pipe Museum is quirkily fascinating. The museum, housed in a traditional canal house, features a collection of pipes and smoking utensils spanning six continents and 2,500 years. You can discover Chinese opium pipes, Dutch clay pipes, enormous ceremonial African pipes, Native American ritual pipes, and more.

One of the city’s most storied live music venues, Bourbon Street Amsterdam has hosted local and international musicians for more than three decades. Founded as a blues and jazz bar—but now expanded to encompass genres ranging from rock and soul to reggae, folk, and funk—this landmark is a must-visit for music lovers in the Dutch capital. Some popular concerts or special gigs need to be booked in advance, but visitors can often stroll right in.

This well-known global chain opened the doors of its Amsterdam location in 1999. Equal parts restaurant, bar, and museum, the Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam offers traditional American fare, cocktails, live music performances, and memorabilia—including items from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Elvis Presley. The restaurant is located in the heart of Amsterdam and has canal-side outdoor terraces and a lively bar.

Puccini Bomboni is one of Amsterdam’s finest chocolatiers, dedicated to high-end, sustainable, delectable chocolates—you probably haven’t tasted chocolate like this. The Puccini bonbon is the specialty, where chocolate sings in a variety of flavors. Two stores in the city—and one in Utrecht—are open daily for anyone bold enough to risk the many temptations of offer.

Amsterdam’s top English-language comedy show, Boom Chicago boasts plenty of star alums—including Seth Meyers, Jordan Peele, and Jason Sudeikis. Running for 30-plus years, it’s known for its fast-paced ensemble improv evenings, but also offers Friday night stand-up shows, comedy classes, and sets by touring comedians.

The dark wooden interior with wall-mounted gin barrels hints at the age of Café Hoppe in Amsterdam. One of the city’s oldest cafes, which has been open since 1670, this local institution is a perfect example of Amsterdam’s “brown cafés” that offer coziness, beer, gin, and traditional local specialties. It’s a popular spot for a typical Dutch pub lunch or drink.