One of the most beautiful European capitals, Amsterdam has something for everyone. From the beautiful Dutch Golden Age architecture, to world class museums, quirky attractions and thriving cultural scene, Amsterdam lives up to its fame of a popular city-trip destination. A good start is to spend at least one day in Amsterdam. I can assure you, it won’t be by no means enough to see all attractions, but it will be enough to make you fall in love with the Dutch capital.
As a Dutch resident, I have visited Amsterdam on many occasions through the years, and I have played the tourist guide numerous times for visiting friends and family. So, I have crafted this one-day itinerary in Amsterdam with lots of care and attention to what’s feasible and what not. Therefore, for example, I’m not recommend visiting more than 2 museums, if you have only 24 hours in Amsterdam.
How to Move Around Amsterdam
Amsterdam is very easy to navigate, and the city centre is quite walkable. Also, the best way to explore Amsterdam is on foot: no need to use any type of transportation.
However, if needed, public transportation in Amsterdam (metro, tram, and bus) is very reliable and easy to use. You don’t need to buy tickets in advance, just tap on your debit or credit card.
If you are visiting Amsterdam only for a day, don’t get tempted to rent a bike immediately and do as locals do. Locals use bikes to commute. If you are sightseeing in Amsterdam, it’s better just to walk around. You’ll see more and will appreciate the city better, as you won’t be watching out for the traffic and will have time to enjoy the beautiful buildings, as Amsterdam is a true open-air museum.
Tips for Planning Your One-Day Itinerary in Amsterdam
As a local I have a few tips for you when planning your day trip to Amsterdam. There are a couple of must-see attractions in Amsterdam, where you need to buy your tickets in advance, and which work with time slots. These are Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum.
Tickets for Anne Frank House are available only on the official website and can be purchased no earlier than six weeks prior to your visit. Getting tickets for the Van Gogh Museum is easier, but you will need to get them online. You can stay as long as you wish in both museums, but you will need to have an entry time specified.
Morning
In the morning, explore Amsterdam on foot, get lost in the maze of the canals and visit the Van Gogh Museum.
Breakfast at Your Hotel
When I have only 24 hours to explore a city, I will always have my breakfast in the hotel to maximize my time. Which, of course, does not mean that I won’t stop somewhere else for a cup of coffee and a local snack. So, start your day with a breakfast in your hotel and get ready to explore Amsterdam!
Morning Activities:
1. Explore Amsterdam on Foot
The historical city centre of Amsterdam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and by just walking around you will see most of the attractions. Stroll along the canals and admire the beautiful architecture from the Dutch Golden Age. Walk past stepped-gable houses and cross the crooked bridges.
The most romantic area to walk around is the 7-Bridges area (De 7 Bruggen) on Reguliersgracht that ends with the 15-Bridges-view bridge (Brug van 15 Bruggen), a bridge from which you can see 15 other bridges, counting the one you are standing on.
When walking around, stop and take your time to admire the Dam Square with the Royal Palace and De Waag (The Weigh house) – one of the most iconic buildings in Amsterdam. When crossing the bridges, spot the Montelbaan Tower (Montelbaanstoren), the Mint Tower (Munttoren), and the church towers of Zuiderkerk and Westkerk.
2. Visit Van Gogh Museum
Van Gogh Museum is one of the most popular museums to visit in Amsterdam. If you are an art lover, just like me, this museum is must-see. It houses the largest collection of works of Vincent van Gogh, as well as a collection of art works of Van Gogh’s contemporaries.
Quite notable is the building where the museum is housed. It has been designed by the famous Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld, one of the most prominent representatives of the Dutch art movement De Stijl. Because you only have one day available, book your ticket in advance as it’s timed.
Alternatively, you can visit the Rijksmuseum. A visit to the Rijksmuseum takes a bit longer than a visit to the Van Gogh Museum, but you don’t need to buy tickets in advance.
Lunch at Pannenkoekenhuis Carrousel
For lunch, head to the Pannenkoekenhuis Carrousel. It is just a short walk from the Museum Square (Museumplein) and the Van Gogh Museum. It offers sweet and savoury Dutch pancakes, as well as poffertjes (miniature pancakes) and waffles.
For lunch I would go for a savoury pancake with ham, cheese and mushrooms. As this is a traditional pancake eatery, you won’t find here fancy combinations. In the Netherlands pancakes are eaten mostly for lunch and dinner in comparison with other countries where they are more of a breakfast option (US), or a dessert (France).
Afternoon
In the afternoon, see Amsterdam from a different perspective and take a boat tour along the canals, followed by a walk through the Jordaan neighbourhood. Afterwards visit Anne Frank House and stop for an apple pie at Winkel 43.
Afternoon Activities
1. Take a Canal Cruise in Amsterdam
Through the years I’ve toured the canals of Amsterdam numerous times and in various ways. I’ve been on guided tours in tourist boats, as well as on private tours in an open boat with drinks and snacks. Cruising the canals of Amsterdam is my favourite thing to do in the city.
If you are visiting the city with a group of friends, I can recommend an open boat tour with snacks and drinks. The tourist boats are also fun, and you will learn quite a lot about the city from the guided tour.
You can embark at Rijksmuseum, Damrak and near the Central Station.
2. Discover the Jordaan Neighbourhood
Jordaan is one of the quaintest neighbourhoods in Amsterdam. Once a working-class area, today the neighbourhood is thriving with independent boutiques, art galleries and small concept stores. It’s popular for its bohemian vibe.
When strolling around, try to find the hidden courtyards (hofjes) and visit at least one of them. There are 19 courtyards in total! These were originally alms-houses for elderly women and today they are small green oases in the city.
In the famous Nine-Streets area (De Negen Straatjes) you’ll find the boutique shops and that idyllic almost village-like atmosphere.
3. Get and Apple Pie at Winkel 43
Stop for a short break at Winkel 43 and try their apple pie with whipped cream (appeltaart met slagroom). There isn’t anything more Dutch than an apple pie paired with a hot chocolate (warme chocomel), and the best place in Amsterdam to get one is Winkel 43.
4. Visit the Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House is one of the most visited attractions in Amsterdam. It tells the story of Anne Frank – a Jewish teenage girl who was documenting her life in wartime Amsterdam in a diary. You can see there the secret annex, where she was hiding.
Tickets for the museum are sold only on the official website. They are released each Tuesday for a 6-week period in advance. And I’m not going to lie to you, getting tickets to Anne Frank House is tough, so get prepared that you might not get lucky.
Dinner at Moeders
This is the place to go if you want to try traditional Dutch cuisine. Moeders (Mothers in English) is located in the heart of the Jordaan neighbourhood. They serve traditional Dutch dishes, the way you would cook them home.
I would recommend that you try the stamppot (mashed potatoes with vegetables and a sausage/meatball and bacon) and the ewrtensoep (split pea soup). As the place is quite popular and not very large, you need to book in advance.
Night
The Red Light District is a popular destination for exploring the nightlife in Amsterdam, although I wouldn’t advise you on it. Instead, I would go to a brown café and get some drinks there. Brown cafés (bruin café) are the Dutch equivalent of a local pub where everybody knows everyone, and the bartender has your drink ready the moment you enter the pub.
While still in Jordaan, you can pop up at Café ‘t Smalle, or at Café Chris, the oldest, still functioning pub in Amsterdam (since 1624!).
As a local, I love to hang out at Leidseplein or at Rembrandtplein. Especially, if it’s nice weather, the cafés on these two squares are brimming with life.
Spending the Night?
When I visit Amsterdam for leisure, I always stay in one of the Bastion Hotels in the city. Bastion Hotels is a Dutch chain of hotels that offer very comfortable rooms at affordable prices with a very good breakfast. They also have a restaurant on site. You won’t find there anything posh or fancy, just a down-to-earth experience with a very good service that never disappoints.
I have stayed at Bastion Hotel Amsterdam Zuidwest (20 min by tram line 1 to Rijksmuseum, or a 45-minutes walk through Vondelpark), at Hotel Schiphol Hoofddorp (with a free shuttle bus to Schiphol Airport, then 15 minutes by train to the Central Train Station), and at Hotel Amsterdam Amstel (15 minutes walking to the metro stop of line 54, and another 10 minutes to Central Train Station).
If you are not on a budget and want to stay right in the heart of the city, I can recommend NH Schiller Hotel at Rembrandtplein. This hotel is known for hosting a famous TV night show at the hotel’s café in the 2010s. The rooms are very comfortable and the service quite good. What makes this hotel stand out, is the location on one of the most famous squares in Amsterdam.
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