Must-see
The 12 must-see places in Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, don't miss Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam and Amsterdam Canals: here are the 12 must-sees, ranked, with the time to allow, the price and a tip for each.
See all 12 on the map-
MuseumRijksmuseum Amsterdam
Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid, in the heart of 800 years of Dutch art inside a brick palace.
Open daily 9am to 5pm, free up to age 18; one hour is enough for the masterpieces.
≈ 4 h See the page → -
MuseumAnne Frank House
The Secret Annex on the Prinsengracht, where Anne Frank and seven others hid from 1942 to 1944.
Tickets are sold only online, for a set time slot; no large bags, minimum age 10.
≈ 1 h See the page → -
MuseumVan Gogh Museum Amsterdam
The world's largest Van Gogh collection, from The Potato Eaters to the Sunflowers.
Entry only with a timed ticket booked online; free for under-18s.
≈ 2 h 30 See the page → -
MonumentAmsterdam Canals
Three concentric 17th-century canals, UNESCO-listed, lined with merchant houses and houseboats.
Explore on foot, by bike or by boat; a cruise gives the best view of the facades.
≈ 2 h See the page → -
Park & GardenVondelpark Amsterdam
Amsterdam's big English-style park, with ponds and lawns, shared by walkers, joggers and cyclists.
Free to enter, day and night; in summer the Openluchttheater stages free shows.
≈ 1 h 30 See the page → -
MonumentBegijnhof Amsterdam
A walled courtyard, first mentioned in 1307, where small houses ring a lawn, a church and a chapel.
Free entry, daily from 10am to 6pm; people live here, so keep quiet.
≈ 30 min See the page → -
MonumentDam Square
The square built on the Amstel dam that gave the city its name, between the Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk.
Open at all hours and free; a handy starting point, with the Red Light District and Begijnhof close by.
≈ 30 min See the page → -
MonumentRoyal Palace Amsterdam
The 17th-century town hall on the Dam, made a palace in 1808 and still used by the king today.
Closed on days of royal ceremony; free audio guide included, free up to age 17.
≈ 1 h See the page → -
CastleZaanse Schans
Working windmills and green wooden houses beside the Zaan, 20 minutes from Amsterdam.
The village is free to enter, only mills and museums charge; bus 800 from Amsterdam Centraal.
≈ 4 h See the page → -
MuseumRembrandt House Museum
The house where Rembrandt lived and worked from 1639 to 1658, refurnished from his bankruptcy inventory.
Daily etching and paint-making demonstrations are included in the ticket.
≈ 1 h 30 See the page → -
NeighborhoodAmsterdam Red Light District (De Wallen)
Amsterdam's oldest district: red-lit windows, 17th-century houses and the city's oldest church.
No photos of sex workers, no cannabis or alcohol in the street; go by day for the heritage.
≈ 1 h 30 See the page → -
ShoppingAlbert Cuyp Market
About 260 stalls since 1905: fresh produce, warm stroopwafel and raw herring in the De Pijp district.
Open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm; free entry, De Pijp metro next door.
≈ 1 h 15 See the page →
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MuseumHeineken Experience Amsterdam
The former Heineken brewery (1867-1988): history, brewing steps, interactive rooms, then a beer at the bar.
Ages 18 and over only, even with an adult; allow about 1.5 to 2 hours on site.
≈ 2 h See the page → -
MuseumStedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Malevich, Mondrian, Warhol and 20th-century design, in a building nicknamed the bathtub.
Open daily 10am to 6pm; free for visitors under 19.
≈ 2 h See the page → -
MonumentA'DAM Lookout Amsterdam
A terrace 100 metres up with 360-degree views of the centre, port and polders, plus the Over the Edge swing.
Open 10am to 10pm, last entry 9pm; free ferry behind Central Station.
≈ 1 h 15 See the page → -
MonumentOude Kerk Amsterdam
Amsterdam's oldest building, consecrated in 1306, with a wooden vault and a floor covered in gravestones.
Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sunday 1pm to 5.30pm; free with the Museumkaart.
≈ 1 h See the page → -
MonumentWesterkerk
The 1620-1631 church and the Westertoren, Amsterdam's tallest tower, where Rembrandt was buried.
Free entry Monday to Friday, 11am to 3pm; right next to the Anne Frank House.
≈ 30 min See the page → -
MuseumOur Lord in the Attic Amsterdam
A secret 17th-century Catholic church hidden in the attic of a merchant's house.
Open daily 10am to 6pm; a free audio guide is included in the ticket.
≈ 1 h 15 See the page → -
MonumentMagere Brug
The white drawbridge over the Amstel, lit at night by about 1,200 bulbs: one of the city's best-known photos.
Open at all times and free; pedestrians and cyclists only, so come in the evening.
≈ 15 min See the page → -
Park & GardenHortus Botanicus
One of the world's oldest botanical gardens (1638), with greenhouses for three climates, butterflies and palms.
Open daily 10am to 5pm; combines well with Artis zoo and the Resistance Museum.
≈ 1 h 15 See the page → -
MuseumEYE Filmmuseum Amsterdam
The Dutch film museum in a white building on the IJ, with exhibitions, four cinemas and a waterside bar.
Exhibitions Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm; free ferry from Central Station.
≈ 2 h See the page → -
CastleKeukenhof 2027
Around 7 million flowering bulbs, including over 800 tulip varieties, along 15 km of paths.
Open only in spring, 18 March to 9 May 2027, 8am to 7pm; tickets are cheaper online.
≈ 4 h See the page → -
MuseumNEMO Science Museum Amsterdam
An interactive science museum in a green, ship's-prow building by Renzo Piano.
The rooftop terrace is free, no ticket needed; about a 15-minute walk from the station.
≈ 2 h 30 See the page → -
ShoppingDe 9 Straatjes (the Nine Streets)
Nine short streets between the canals, with over 250 shops, cafes, galleries and restaurants.
Best done on foot, in the heart of the canal ring; wander without a fixed route.
≈ 1 h 30 See the page →
