Location: Amsterdam
Top Things to do in Amsterdam
The 10 Best Things to do in Amsterdam, North Holland Province
This city, full of colorful homes, canals and bridges, is one of Europe's most picturesque capitals. Must-sees on any visitor's itinerary include the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and the world's only floating flower market. Rent a bike and join thousands of locals navigating Amsterdam's labyrinthine streets, or just take in the sights on foot. For an unusual and memorable alternative to hotels, consider staying in a houseboat.
Restaurants in Amsterdam
1. Rijksmuseum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 46,609 reviews
The Rijksmuseum is the museum of the Netherlands. The completely renovated Rijksmuseum tells the story of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, and more! Most famous is Rembrandt's masterpiece the Night Watch. A new display of the collection, a renewed building, new public facilities, a revamped garden and a new Asian Pavilion. Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
Reviewed By Zzbbyy - Oxnard, United States
A fabulous museum This was truly a beautiful experience So loving the Dutch Masters and Rembrandt and all of the other wonderful artists and the sculptures were beyond beautiful Everyone there were friendly and helpful I would highly recommend this museum to anyone Breathtakingly beautiful
2. Vondelpark
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24,690 reviews
Amsterdam's most famous park was designed and built in 1850 and today is a popular place for tourists and residents who can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, jogging and picnicking.
Reviewed By KatieRT1 - Princes Risborough, United Kingdom
Such a pretty park and the perfect location if you’re hiring bikes and worried about cycling on the road! The park also offers and restaurant and a pub so you don’t even have to leave for refreshments.
3. Van Gogh Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 63,781 reviews
Discover the world's largest collection of works by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, featuring masterpieces such as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, Almond Blossom and The Bedroom. Book your tickets online. Please consult the museum website for current opening hours.
Reviewed By findlindatavares - Belfast, United Kingdom
you need to book online at least the day before but there are machines outside the museum so its easy to book. The actual museum is fantastic .... very easy to follow the audio tape around the different rooms...plenty of space just to chill and sit and admire the paintings... the history is fascinating and my 11 yr old granddaughter was so inspired she hasnt stopped painting since I loved my visit here and now want to go to New York to see the starry night painting..
4. Anne Frank House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 62,301 reviews
The Anne Frank House (Dutch: Anne Frank Huis) is a museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. The building is located on a canal called the Prinsengracht, close to the Westerkerk, in central Amsterdam in the Netherlands. As a visitor, you experience this story through a audio tour, quotes, photos, videos, and original items. The Anne Frank House can only be visited with an online ticket for a specific date and time.
Reviewed By Skiforever1223 - Salt Lake City, United States
This is a very special museum for many reasons but I was pleasantly surprised by how beautifully the museum created the narrative and the spaces they created. My two teenage daughters and I will never forget this experience. I loved the amazing artwork at the end portraying scenes recreated from the hiding place and also recommend taking time to watch the touching tributes video at the end where you hear visitors’ experiences and guest book comments from Nelson Mandela, Steven Spielberg and more. Read or re-read Anne Frank’s diary prior to visiting to really feel the spirit of this young reminder of so many tragically lost. You do have to reserve tickets online. Per the website: 80% of tickets are released exactly two months in advance at 12:00* hours noon, 20% on the day itself. Every day at 9:00* hours, the tickets for the day are made available on this site. (*Amsterdam time). The museum recommends this for children 10 and older. I would recommend 11 yrs. for a well-prepared child. It is a quiet, sober tour and there is one brief concentration camp scene that is graphic. Bag check and audio guides included with your ticket and there is a cafe and shop for after your tour. No photography. You line up outside at your assigned time slot until it’s time for your group to go in and it’s best to take a picture of your ticket rather than try to pull it up in your email because connectivity is spotty. The actual house/store is encased and preserved by the museum surround on Prinsengracht street. We booked an evening visit which also added to the poignancy as you leave the museum and see the canals lit by street lights. Highly recommend.
5. The Jordaan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11,726 reviews
This charming neighborhood is Amsterdam's Greenwich Village, with its narrow alleys, leafy canals lined with 17th-century houses, quirky specialty shops, cafes and designer boutiques.
Reviewed By rickcardo - St. John's, Canada
Wander around and see all the quirky shops and the market.Then take a cruise on the canal se it all from a different perspective.So many unique buildings and odd decorations on homes.Safe too.
6. Museum Het Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt House)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,800 reviews
Rembrandt lived and worked from 1639 to 1658 in this 17th-century house, which today is a museum that pays tribute to the artist's life and career.
Reviewed By Fitz48 - Aurora, United States
We visited the Rembrandt House in late April and got in for free with the I Amsterdam card. There were no lines and the museum was not crowded. They have excellent free audio tours in multiple languages including English, Dutch, German, Italian, French, Spanish and Russian. We noted that they also had a children's audio tour in English in Dutch; however, I think most but not all children would find this museum to be boring. Since Rembrandt both lived here, ran and art school and worked here for 20 years and because of the inventory that was conducted when he went bankrupt is still in existence, the curators have been able to accurately refurbish the home with objects of the period. For those with mobility issues or claustrophobia, it is important to understand that the spiral staircases are steep and narrow. While there were many interesting exhibits in the museum, three stood out for me as especially interesting. First was the entrance where a chair was kept on an elevated platform for people watching on the street. Second, the beds, especially the maid's box bed in the kitchen clearly shows that the occupants slept sitting up (for their health). Finally, the highlight of the museum was the 20-30 explanation and demonstration as to how artists made their paints during the age of Rembrandt. This helps you see the paintings in the Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, Hermitage and other museums that you will see in the Netherlands.
7. ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,054 reviews
Stroll among the shady trees, admire the diversity of plants and animals, travel to the stars, enjoy our heritage. Visit ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo and experience nature right in the city centre.
Reviewed By andrewwK6449SY - Norwich, United Kingdom
Me and my wife had wanted to go to the zoo in Amsterdam for the last 5 years but the weather has never been good enough , well this time last Tuesday when we got up the sun was shining , so we got up and went , The Zoo was really really good , the animal enclosures were large with plenty of toys and amusements for the animals , they were clean and the food laying around was fresh , loads to see and do and plenty of cafes to stop and have a warm drink . Overall a great place to go and can't wait to go back next year .
8. Body Worlds
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,560 reviews
Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS: The Happiness Project in the heart of Amsterdam tells the amazing story of our own body and the impact of happiness on our health. More than 200 anatomical specimens of real human bodies show the complexity, resilience and vulnerability of the body. Join the 40 million people around the world who have already seen the exhibition and been on this fascinating voyage of discovery through the human body.
Reviewed By Q1108WLamandap - Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
I really enjoyed visiting here - it was truly fascinating to see how the body works, it was interesting to have different elements of the body systems on different floors. Some very interesting exhibitions and interactive pieces to engage in. The staff were helpful, and it was very clean throughout. Really glad that I took time to visit here on my holiday to Amsterdam, a very interesting day trip.
9. A'dam Lookout
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,790 reviews
LOOKOUT 360º Amsterdam + sensational swing An iconic viewing point in The Netherlands - A’DAM LOOKOUT, has joined the Eiffel Tower, the Fernsehturm and the London Eye. For the daredevils among us, LOOKOUT also has a further adrenalin kick in store. On the roof is Europe’s highest swing. You swing over the edge of the tower at a thrilling height of almost 100 metres above the ground. Highlights: - The most spectacular view of Amsterdam and the surrounding area - A Bird’s-eye view of Amsterdam from the highest swing in Europe - Access to the indoor interactive state-of-the-art Amsterdam exhibition - Free digital photo of your visit to LOOKOUT - Enjoy coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner and/or cocktails in Madam Restaurant & Sky Bar - Free WIFI available Payments with cards only.
Reviewed By yusufidalal - Mumbai, India
Amazing view from the top ... Great swing ride .... Good staff ..... Nice burgers .... Must visit in Amsterdam
10. Moco Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,063 reviews
Reviewed By Room-in-my-suitcase - Ottawa, Canada
The Moco Museum, a boutique museum, is sandwiched between the kingpin Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh attractions in the Museum Quarter of Amsterdam. The Moco houses a motivating repertoire of cool modern and contemporary art forms. Heavy on the roster are subversive and comedic works of Banksy (of street graffiti fame), Andy Warhol (the soup can man), Roy Lichtenstein (comic book character zealot), Dali (the slithering jello-like clock artist) and more. The Modern Contemporary (Moco) Museum makes home in a breathtaking villa that has maintained its vintage architecture. This is a private museum but public accessible (not wheelchairs) and the exhibited works of art are on loan from an international network of art collectors. Banksy, a mysterious British artist is revered for his humorous and politically oriented street art. It was impossible for me to miss his giant painting titled: Beanfield which is displayed predominately on the ground floor. A group of figures appear in the work that look like the characters from The Planet of the Apes. The undercurrent of the exhibit is a spoof directed toward police brutality at the battle of Beanfield. I was impressed with Banksy's "Girl with a Balloon" which illustrates a young girl reaching for her airborne balloon shaped as a heart, coloured bright red, and perhaps indicative of her loosing her heart. I thought the pictorial would make an excellent frontal piece for a granddaughters birthday card. Another Banksy favourite of mine is 'Flower Thrower', a picture of a capped, masked, hoodied hooligan throwing a bouquet of flowers, presumably in lieu of a molotov cocktail. It suggests, 'make peace not war'. This image lingered in my mind long after I left the museum. Salvador Dali is represented here. A series of his timeless pieces involving his "Persistence of Time' theme adorn the walls of the Moco. These jello-like clocks slither off tables , tree branches and numerous other artistic objects making these the pieces one of his favourite subjects and most famous (a slithering clock to Dali was as a Sunflower to Van Gogh). Speaking of clocks, Daniel Arsham presented a cringed sheet cradling a clock like a mother kangaroo cradles her child in her pouch. I thought the piece should be titled 'Time for Bed'. Roy Lichtenstein's had a phenomenal 3D installation with his ionic comic book ladened subjects saturated in brilliant colour. The Moco Masters collection celebrates artists who stand out for their exceptional contribution to art and culture. Andy Warhol with his celebrity impressions the likes of Marylin Monroe and others are represented, Keith Haring with his never ending portraits of square figures adorns the walls as well as others. In addition, retailers like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Disney and others have collaborated with the Masters to produce brand-centric pieces. In the end, I moved to the Moco Garden for a cultural recess, but to no avail. I was greeted by a monumental Gummy Bear and a stationary rocking horse as big as a horse. I decided to mount the beast and wave good-bye to the Moco. So, if you are interested in seeing a groovy museum, one that is thought-provoking, fun and provocative in its execution and unlike Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh and Stedelijk......... ..........try the Moco................Groovy Art in the Museum Quarter.
