Things to do in Amsterdam! Amsterdam is considered the “Venice of the North.” With all of the canals, Amsterdam is truly a stunning city. It was really one of my favorite cities we visited in our 3.5 week Europe trip (as I’ve mentioned in other posts 😜). Read on to find out what we really enjoyed, what didn’t make the list and what we wish we would have been able to do!
Amsterdam Bucket List Items we Loved!
Disclaimer: these are things WE loved. People have their own preferences, but I’ll explain why we loved them as well!
The walking Tour!
I ALWAYS love a good walking tour. There is a lot to see in Amsterdam and a lot of history. I always like seeing the highlights of a city with the history of what I am seeing. Amsterdam was no different. The walking tour was thorough and I really enjoyed getting to know more of the history of Amsterdam rather than just the fun side of Amsterdam. I feel like it increased my appreciation for the city (even more) and had a positive impact on my opinion of the city (for whatever that is worth 🙃😜).
During the walking tour you’ll get to see the popular things on most “top things to see” lists such as Dam Square, the Royal Palace, Damrak street, etc!
Self-Guided Bike Tour
Like I mentioned in the travel guide to Amsterdam, the best way to see the city is by bike! Every blog and person who has been to Amsterdam will probably agree with this one. There are bike lanes EVERYWHERE and cyclist have the right away at all times. Someone told me there are more bikes in Amsterdam than residents. I can’t confirm or deny (didn’t take a headcount), but there are a LOT of bikes in Amsterdam.
Seeing the city by bike is practical, but it is also a great time! You can cover some GROUND on a bike and it is so fun doing something with so many other people (bikers everywhere!) It makes me wish every city was as accessible by bicycle!
Just to note, you have to pay quite a bit of attention while biking, because as fun as it is to bike with so many other people, it is also a little risky 😂 You’ll have the right-away, though, so follow the flow of traffic and you’ll be fine!
A Night walk around the city
Amsterdam is beautiful in the daytime. It is home to about 165 canals and 1281 bridges! Needless to say, there is no shortage of cute and picturesque streets with beautiful bridges and canals.
Of the 1281 bridges, Papiermolensluis Bridge is one of the most pictured due to its rock walls and beautiful architecture.
And, if you have seen a picture of Amsterdam, you have seen the waterfront houses on Damrak street. They are the iconic architectural buildings along the river and they truly make for a beautiful backdrop.
However, don’t sleep on the city views at night! The lights from the building reflect off the Amstel River and I remember being in awe of the city at night!
Also, fun fact, Amsterdam’s name was derived from the dam found along the Amstel River.
Shopping around the Albert Cuyp market
This large market is home to around 260 stands filled with art, shoes, luggage, food and more. I recommend grabbing some delicious, homemade food or desserts while you shop around!
- Open Monday-Saturday
- 9:00 am- 5 pm
Pub Crawling
Listen, if there is ever a time to do a pub crawl, it is in Amsterdam. The night life is a fun time! We were in Amsterdam in the middle of the week and still had one of the funnest nights of our trip in Europe (it also helps on checking off your “Night Walk” bucket list item 😉.
While you are doing your pub crawl, be sure to take a stroll through the Red Light District. It will give you an experience you won’t likely get anywhere else. DON’T take pictures and be respectful. But know that there are several bars and a fun general atmosphere around the RLD! So, don’t leave Amsterdam without at least giving it a walk-through.
The "IAmsterdam" Sign
I wouldn’t say we LOVED seeing the sign. I mean it IS just a sign. But I do recommend seeing it. I just seems too iconic to skip out on 🙂
However, in 2018, the city voted to remove the “Iamsterdam” sign from its home at Museumplein just south of the Rijksmuseum- possibly due to the enormous crowds that gathered in the small area or to promote other areas of Amsterdam. You can, however, still see the letters! The original letters move around the city and another set are at Sloterplas Lake.
Things that didn't make the Amsterdam Bucket List for US
With limited time in Amsterdam, everything wasn’t able to make the list. Below are things that didn’t make the “must-do” list for us, but have been well-rated by others!
Museums
I feel bad even saying it, but we are just not museum people. However, if you are a museum person, you are in luck. Amsterdam has several. The most popular include:
- Rijksmuseum
- Van Gogh Museum
- Body Works
- Moco Museum
- NEMO Science Museum
- Hash Marihuana and Hemp Museum
- Madame Tussauds Museum
- Sex museums and more!
Rijksmuseum is the most popular museum, often referred to as “the Louvre of the Netherlands.” It is home Rembrandt’s Night Watch, which is one of the most popular pieces. It also used to be the home of the “IAmsterdam” sign.
Heineken Experience
I am a beer fan, so I debated this one. However, not everyone in the group was and, again, we had to be selective on what we did due to time (and money 🙃). The experience is about $25 per person and takes about 2 hours (according to their website.) If you have done the Heineken Experience, did you enjoy it?! I may have to add it to the list for when I return to Amsterdam!
What we wanted to do but Didn't 🙃
Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Our bucket list didn’t quite get checked off. Guess we’ll just have to go back and mark these off the list 😜
The Anne Frank house and museum
One of the things we looked forward to the most in Amsterdam was visiting the Anne Frank house. I’m a big reader and love historical fiction, especially in the World War II era. So, naturally, it was disappointing to find out that there were no tickets available while we were there 🙁 This is NOT uncommon.
- BOOK your tickets in advance here if you want to take the tour!
A Canal Boat Ride
As I’ve mentioned a time or two, Amsterdam was a small portion of a 3.5-week trip that was post-graduation. I.e. we were ballin’ on a budge. We simply left this one out and chose to do cheaper activities with our time. HOWEVER, if I were to go back to Amsterdam I would definitely add this to the list!
What Would you Fill the Amsterdam Bucket List with?
There are lots of things to do in Amsterdam. We spent about 2 days there and really enjoyed everything we fit into the 48 hours! Is there anything else you would add to the to-do list?!