Amsterdam Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Amsterdam tours, canal cruises, Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum tickets, Anne Frank walking tours, food and bike tours and day trips to the windmills of Zaanse Schans. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Amsterdam itinerary.
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Explore Amsterdam by interest
Whatever brings you to Amsterdam — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Canal cruises
The classic way to see the UNESCO canal ring.
ExploreVan Gogh Museum
The world’s largest Van Gogh collection.
ExploreRijksmuseum
Rembrandt’s Night Watch and the Dutch Golden Age.
ExploreAnne Frank & history
Walking tours of the Jewish Quarter and WWII history.
ExploreFood tours
Cheese, herring and stroopwafels in the Jordaan.
ExploreBike tours
Explore the cycling capital like a local.
ExploreZaanse Schans
The working windmills and clog and cheese farms.
ExploreDutch villages
The fishing villages of Volendam and Marken.
ExploreTop attractions in Amsterdam
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Canal ring
The UNESCO canals, best seen on a cruise.
Van Gogh Museum
The world’s largest collection of Van Gogh’s work.
Rijksmuseum
Rembrandt’s Night Watch and the Dutch Golden Age.
Anne Frank House
The moving story of Anne Frank and wartime Amsterdam.
Jordaan & food
Cheese, herring and stroopwafels on a food tour.
Zaanse Schans
Working windmills, clogs and a cheese farm.
Volendam & Marken
Pretty fishing villages on the Markermeer.
Bike tours
Explore the canals and parks like a local.
Amsterdam in 1 day
- 1Rijksmuseum
- 2Van Gogh Museum
- 3Jordaan & canals
- 4Evening canal cruise
Amsterdam in 2 days
- 1Day 1: museums & canals
- 2Anne Frank history walk
- 3Day 2: Zaanse Schans windmills
- 4Bike or food tour
Amsterdam in 3 days
- 1Day 1: museums & canals
- 2Day 2: Zaanse Schans & villages
- 3Day 3: bikes or tulips
- 4Food & evening cruise
Amsterdam with kids
- 1Canal boat ride
- 2NEMO & Vondelpark
- 3Zaanse Schans windmills
- 4Bike ride
Rainy day in Amsterdam
- 1Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh with a guide
- 2Foodhallen & covered shopping
- 3Dutch cheese & wine tasting
- 4Glass-covered canal cruise
Amsterdam countryside
- 1Zaanse Schans windmills
- 2Cheese farm & clog workshop
- 3Volendam & Marken villages
- 4Keukenhof tulips (spring)
30 min awayZaanse Schans
Working windmills, clogs and a cheese farm.
40 min awayVolendam & Marken
Pretty fishing villages on the Markermeer.
1.5 hrs awayGiethoorn
The car-free “Dutch Venice” of canals and thatched houses.
40 min awayEdam & countryside
The famous cheese town and Dutch countryside.
45 min awayKeukenhof tulips
The spectacular spring tulip gardens (seasonal).
1 hr awayRotterdam & Delft
Modern Rotterdam and the historic blue-pottery town of Delft.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Amsterdam visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) bring mild weather and lively streets — the best times to visit.
Tulip season (Apr–May)
Spring brings the famous tulips and the Keukenhof gardens, plus King’s Day on 27 April — beautiful but busy, so book ahead.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Warm, long days and a buzzing café and canal scene — the busiest, priciest season, so reserve early.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Crisp, golden days with thinner crowds — a lovely, comfortable time for museums and canals.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Cold and atmospheric, with the Light Festival and cosy brown cafés; the quietest, cheapest season.
King’s Day (27 April)
The whole city turns orange for a giant street party and canal celebration — fun but extremely busy, so plan ahead.
One day
Enough for the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, the Jordaan and a canal cruise.
Two days
Add the Anne Frank history walk and a Zaanse Schans windmill day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: museums and canals, the windmills and villages, and bikes or tulips.
Four to five days
Add Giethoorn, Rotterdam and Delft, or more museums and markets.
A week or more
Use Amsterdam as a base for the tulip fields, the coast and the historic Dutch cities.
Travelling with kids
Mix a canal boat, the parks and windmills at a gentle pace.
On foot
The canal belt and old centre are compact and walkable, perfect for wandering the canals and lanes.
By bike
Cycling is the Amsterdam way — flat, fast and fun, with bike lanes everywhere; just watch the busy lanes as a pedestrian.
Trams & metro
An excellent tram and metro network covers the city; the GVB day pass is good value.
Canal boats
Hop-on hop-off canal boats and ferries double as sightseeing and transport along the waterways.
Day-trip transport
Trains and tours reach Zaanse Schans, the villages and the tulip fields quickly and easily.
From the airport
Schiphol links to Centraal Station by frequent trains in about 15–20 minutes.
Book museums ahead
The Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum and especially the Anne Frank House use timed tickets that sell out — book well in advance.
City cards
The I amsterdam City Card covers many museums, transport and a canal cruise — good value if you’ll visit several sights.
Mind the bikes
Cyclists have right of way and move fast — look both ways and avoid wandering into the red bike lanes.
Currency & cards
The Netherlands uses the euro and is largely cashless — cards work almost everywhere, though some spots are card-only.
Pack for the weather
Bring a rain layer year-round and warm clothes in winter; the weather changes quickly.
Respect the city
Stick to local rules in the centre and the Red Light District, where photography of people is forbidden and respect is expected.
Van Gogh & Rijksmuseum
Timed tickets sell out, especially in summer — book ahead.
Anne Frank House
Tickets are released online weeks ahead and sell out within minutes — book the moment they open.
Canal cruises
Popular evening and dinner cruises fill up — reserve ahead.
Windmill & tulip trips
Zaanse Schans and Keukenhof tours fill up in high season and spring — book early.
Bike & food tours
Small-group bike and food tours have limited places — reserve ahead.
Tulip season & King’s Day
Spring and King’s Day fill hotels and tours months ahead — plan early.
Canal cruises
Around €18–30 for a standard cruise; more for evening, dinner or unlimited-drinks options.
Museum tickets
Roughly €20–30 each for the Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum, more with a guide.
Walking & history tours
About €20–45 for a guided Anne Frank or city walking tour.
Windmill day trips
Around €30–60 for Zaanse Schans with Volendam and Marken.
Bike & food tours
Roughly €30–70 for a guided bike or food tour with tastings.
How to save
Walk or cycle, use a transport or city card, and book combined cruise-and-museum tickets.
Amsterdam through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- The famous tulips, the Keukenhof gardens and King’s Day — vibrant and colourful.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book tulip tours and hotels well ahead.
- Best for
- Long, warm days and a buzzing canal and café scene.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- The busiest season — reserve museums and cruises early.
- Best for
- Crisp, golden days with thinner crowds — great for museums.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant and better value as summer fades.
- Best for
- Cosy cafés, the Light Festival and the lowest crowds and prices.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pack warm; days are short and cold.