Amsterdam: Your Destination Guide
Visiting Amsterdam for the first time?
See Dutch art up close: tour the world-famous museums that call the Museumplein area home. See the work of Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, before getting a full dose of the Netherland’s most famous painter at the Van Gogh museum.
Stop and smell the tulips: the Flower Market is made up of stalls in houseboats along the Singel canal. Pick up freshly-picked tulips and daffodils, or buy bulbs and seeds you can bring back to the UK.
Experience history at the Anne Frank House: the home of Anne Frank is one of the most moving places to visit anywhere in the world. Many of the original furnishings are still in place, while pictures and videos tell the story of Anne and her family.
Stroll through Vondelpark: the city’s largest park is a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon. You could rent a bike and pedal along the criss-crossing paths, before stopping for a coffee at the quaint café in the middle of the park.
Enjoy a boat trip along the canals: see the city’s famous town houses from the water by joining a boat tour. They leave from just outside Centraal Station.
Looking for something different?
Feast your eyes on fluorescent art: the Electric Ladyland museum has dozens of fluorescent minerals on show, as well as trippy multi-coloured rooms that you’re invited to wander around.
Explore the hip Amsterdam-Noord area: the old dockyards have been transformed with some of the coolest bars and restaurants springing up. The industrial look of the place is in still intact though.
Visit the cat boat: the poezenboot is a floating cat shelter that’s home to a dozen or so furry felines. It’s free to come in and play with the cats, but you might like to leave a small donation at the door.
See an abandoned Russian submarine: first bought by Dutch entrepreneurs who planned to transform it into a nightclub, the huge submarine is now stranded in the NDSM harbour.
Enjoy a delicious Indonesian rijsttafel: Indonesia’s version of tapas is a dining highlight in Amsterdam. Your table will be creaking underneath dozens of small dishes, the food ranging from spicy to sweet, meaty to vegetarian.
Want to go further?
The Waterland region is a piece of real Dutch countryside, complete with pan-flat fields, canals and windmills. Take the bus from the Centraal Station to explore the cute villages of Monnickendam, Marken and Edam.
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The sand dunes that stretch along the Netherlands’ western coast are an iconic sight. The nearby town of Zandvoort is a good spot to witness the wild, rolling dunes, or you could head to the beautiful Meijendel nature reserve, an hour’s drive from Amsterdam.
Want to know a secret?
Ferries from Centraal Station are absolutely free and you can take a bike on board, too. The ferries set off for 3 different points in Amsterdam-Noord, so make sure you get on the right one!
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