A weekend in Amsterdam: what to do in 2 days

Before you go: what to book in advance

Three visits on this weekend require a booking, and the first one has to be secured several weeks before you travel.

• Anne Frank House: tickets are sold online only, on the museum's website. Every Tuesday at 10am Amsterdam time, all time slots for the day six weeks later go on sale. For a specific Saturday, log on the Tuesday six weeks before, right on the hour: slots sell out fast. See our Anne Frank House guide.
• Rijksmuseum: every visitor must book an entry time, and official tickets are sold online only. A few days ahead is usually enough, except during school holidays.
• Van Gogh Museum: tickets are also dated and timed, with a limited number of places per slot. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially for a Saturday.

The evening cruise can be booked the day before or on the day, except in high season and on festival nights.

Prices checked in October 2026 on the official ticket sites; the booking fee is included for the Anne Frank House.

Day 1: the historic centre, Anne Frank and the Jordaan

The first day is done entirely on foot. Distances are short: about ten minutes from Central Station to Dam Square, then another ten from Dam Square to the Anne Frank House. Wear comfortable shoes and keep an eye on the cycle lanes, which often run right beside the pavement.

Morning: from Central Station to Dam Square

Start at Central Station (Centraal Station) and walk down the Damrak to Dam Square. Around the square stand the Royal Palace, the former 17th-century city hall, the Nieuwe Kerk and the National Monument to the victims of the Second World War. If the Royal Palace is open that day, its Citizens' Hall is worth the hour's visit; if not, carry on south along the Kalverstraat to the Begijnhof, an enclosed courtyard lined with old houses, free to enter and to be visited in silence.

Then head up towards the Singel and the flower market, or cut straight west to reach the Prinsengracht. A coffee or a quick lunch in the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes), between the Singel and the Prinsengracht, leaves you a short walk from your next visit.

Midday and afternoon: Anne Frank House and the Jordaan

The Anne Frank House is at Prinsengracht 263-267, with the entrance at Westermarkt 20. Arrive a few minutes before your time slot. The visit to the Secret Annex, where Anne Frank and seven other people hid from 1942 to 1944, takes about an hour; a 30-minute introductory programme in English can be added to your ticket. Right next door, the Westerkerk raises its tower above the Prinsengracht.

Then cross the Prinsengracht into the Jordaan, a former working-class district that has become one of the most pleasant in the city. Follow the small canals of the Egelantiersgracht and the Bloemgracht, the side streets and the hidden courtyards. On Saturdays, the organic market on the Noordermarkt livens up the north of the district. Our guide to the Jordaan district lists places to eat and wander.

Late afternoon: the canal ring

In the late afternoon, walk back south along the Herengracht and the Keizersgracht, two of the three great 17th-century canals, listed with the canal ring as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The low light on the gabled facades is at its best at this time of day. Our page on Amsterdam's canals explains their history and the viewpoints not to miss. Have dinner in the Jordaan or around the Leidseplein, depending on the atmosphere you are after.

Day 2: Museumplein, Vondelpark and De Pijp

The second day takes place south of the centre, in an area that can also be covered on foot. To reach Museumplein from Central Station or Dam Square, take tram 2, which runs via the Leidseplein.

Morning: Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum

Unless you are passionate about painting, choose just one of the two museums: each needs two to three hours, and doing both back to back is tiring. The Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat 1, is open every day from 9am to 5pm; it brings together the Golden Age masters, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch and Vermeer's The Milkmaid. The Van Gogh Museum, Museumplein 6, is open every day from 9am to 6pm, and until 9pm on Fridays; it holds the largest collection of Van Gogh's work in the world. Book the first slot at 9am, the quietest.

Midday: a break in the Vondelpark

Five minutes' walk from Museumplein, the Vondelpark is the city's main park, free to enter. Pick up a picnic and settle by one of the ponds, or have lunch in one of the park's cafés. If it rains, stay longer at the museum instead, which has its own café.

Afternoon: De Pijp and the Albert Cuyp Market

Next, head to De Pijp on foot, in about fifteen minutes, or by tram 12. The Albert Cuyp Market fills the Albert Cuypstraat from Monday to Saturday: fruit, cheese, fish, warm stroopwafels and clothes. Note that it is closed on Sundays: if your second day falls on a Sunday, swap the two days or fit De Pijp in on the Saturday. Finish at the Sarphatipark and the neighbourhood cafés; our guide to De Pijp has the best addresses.

In the evening: a canal cruise

Keep the cruise for the end of the second day. At night, the illuminated bridges and lit facades give the canals a different face, and the boat saves your legs after a long day. Several companies depart from Central Station, the Damrak, the Rijksmuseum or the Leidseplein. At Blue Boat Company, for example, departing from Stadhouderskade 501 near the Leidseplein, the classic 75-minute cruise is listed at €26 per adult and the 90-minute evening cruise at €28 (prices checked in October 2026).

The hour-by-hour plan

Getting around over the weekend

On foot, you can cover most of this plan. For longer journeys, GVB trams and metros accept contactless payment by bank card. If you plan several journeys a day, the GVB 24-hour ticket costs €10 and the 48-hour ticket €16 (prices checked in October 2026). The useful lines here are tram 2 to Museumplein, tram 12 between Museumplein and De Pijp, and metro 52, which links Central Station, Rokin, Vijzelgracht and De Pijp station. A rental bike is an option, best kept for cyclists comfortable in heavy traffic. Everything is explained in our guide to getting around Amsterdam.

Further reading

If you only have one day, see our plan for what to do in Amsterdam in one day. With an extra day, our Amsterdam in 3 days itinerary extends this plan with more districts and more museums.