The Amsterdam Travel Guide

Paris to Amsterdam train

3.5 hours by train

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LANGUAGE in amsterdam

An English-friendly city

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currency in amsterdam

Euros & Payment Methods

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HOW many days do you need In amsterdam

Two or more days

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best time of year to visit amsterdam

Tulip Season, Summer and Autumn

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Where to stay in amsterdam

Our favorite boutique hotel and Airbnbs in Amsterdam

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getting around amsterdam

Walking & Cycling

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things to do in amsterdam

Where to Walk and Museums to See

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Where to eat in amsterdam

The Best Coffee Shops and Restaurants

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day trips from Amsterdam

A day trip from Amsterdam to the small Dutch town of Utrecht

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Bonjour

If this is your first time on The Weithouse - welcome! My name is Taylor and I’m the girl behind the screen and camera bringing you resources to help you plan the trip of your dreams.

In this Amsterdam Travel Guide, we’re sharing everything you need to know to plan your trip to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. We’ve now been to Amsterdam four times and it’s one of my favorite European cities.

Paris to amsterdam train

Did you know you can take a direct high-speed train from Paris to Amsterdam? Leaving from Gare du Nord, you can catch a train that will take you from Paris, France to Amsterdam, Netherlands in roughly 3.5 hours. With that length, the trip is slightly too long to do in a day, but you can definitely do an overnight trip, or even better, a two-night trip to Amsterdam.

To book your tickets, head to the Trainline app or website, and book your ticket from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal. When booking your ticket, look for the fastest option (which should be around 3.5 hours) in order to book the most direct train.

Language: An English-friendly City

Once you arrive in Amsterdam, you will recognize that the city is very English-friendly. Although the native language is Dutch, the locals within the city are more than happy to speak English with you, so you don’t have to worry too much about a language barrier. However, I always recommend learning a few greetings before visiting a country out of respect for the people and the language.

CURRENCY: EUROS

Like Paris, Amsterdam is card-friendly and tap to pay is the most common option. For ease, load a card to Apple Pay before you come, and you can tap to purchase at most locations. During our travels to the city, we ran into zero situations where we needed to pay in cash.

How long you’ll need in Amsterdam

To fully enjoy all that Amsterdam has to offer, I would give yourself at least two days in the city. In two days, you can easily walk across the center of the city and see most of the museums listed later in this post.

That being said, when we first visited Amsterdam, we had roughly 30 hours in the city, which gave us time to walk across most of Central Amsterdam, visit one museum and take a canal cruise.

If you want a more leisurely trip or want to do things outside of the city (like visit the tulip fields or other Dutch cities), then I would give yourself a few more days to use Amsterdam as your hub and explore more of the Netherlands.

Best time of year to visit Amsterdam

Tulip Season / Spring

It is likely that one of the main reasons you want to visit Amsterdam or the Netherlands is to see the world-famous tulips in bloom. Mid-April to Mid-May is the best time to see the tulips in full bloom and is also the best time to visit the famous Keukenhof Tulip Gardens.

As the tulips are so famous, Amsterdam in the Spring is quite busy, so you’ll want to plan in advance to make sure you have a hotel lined up.

Summer

Summer in Amsterdam is peak season, meaning the city is full of tourists, but also the best time of year to enjoy being on the canals and eating lunches and dinners curbside. If you plan to visit in the summer, be sure to book your accommodations and museum tickets in advance. The city itself is not that large, so accommodations will likely sell out completely.

Autumn

Autumn in Amsterdam is a wonderful time to visit to avoid many of the Spring and Summer crowds and to enjoy the beauty of falling leaves over the canals. The weather isn’t too cold, it might be rainy, but it could also be foggy which means stunning fog lingering over the canals creating a scene straight out of a movie.

I visited Amsterdam in early and late November, and thoroughly enjoyed wandering through the less crowded streets, umbrella in tow (just in case) and watching as the leaves fell across the canals.

In November, all of the shops already have their Christmas decor out, and the streets are lined with Christmas lights, so you can start to feel the festivity of the season even as the days grow shorter.

Winter

Visiting Amsterdam in the winter means below-freezing temps, short days and potential snow or freezing of the canals. However, Amsterdam in the winter also means that every hour feels like golden hour and the crowds are at a minimum.

I first visited Amsterdam in mid-January and it was a wonderful time to enjoy the museums, take a boat cruise along the canals (sitting inside of course), and wander the Amsterdam streets under a winter glow. European cities are always so special in the winter as many of the tourists are gone, yet they still contain all of their historic character that makes them so lovely.

Where to stay in amsterdam

We have now visited Amsterdam four times and have stayed in four different places each time. To fully experience all that Amsterdam has to offer, I would recommend staying as centrally located as possible, and if available, booking a room with a canal view.

If you prefer Airbnb properties over hotels, you can find our roundup of the best Airbnb rentals in Amsterdam in this post.

The Times Hotel

The Time Hotel is a small, family-run hotel located around the corner from the Anne Frank house. It is located in along the Herengracht, one of Amsterdam’s major canals, and is situated in a quiet area away from any of the major tourist streets.

We booked the Luxury Double Room which has an amazing view over the canal which was showing off the falling leaves in early November. The room itself was relatively small (which is normal for European hotel rooms), but we enjoyed everything about our stay, especially the location and the view.

Avani Museum Quarter

For a little less centralized stay, we had a wonderful experience at the Avani Museum Quarter hotel.

The Avani Amsterdam is a short five-minute walk to the museum quarter and the local neighborhood De Pijp. And although you’re not in the heart of the main canals of Amsterdam, the walk to the central part is 10-15 minutes (still along beautiful canals).

Our room had a canal view and we needed a crib for our baby which the hotel provided. The hotel has also been recently renovated so all of the amenities were clean and new.

getting around Amsterdam

Cycling

According to Amsterdamfox.com, the population of the Netherlands is 17 million, but there are 23 million bicycles in the country. Amsterdam is a hub of bicycles, with the main form of transportation around the city being by bike. Rather than traffic jams, you will see bicycle jams as you walk through the streets of Amsterdam, and if you are brave enough, you can become part of the endless sea of bikes in the city.

I’ve personally never rented a bike in Amsterdam, as I prefer walking, but if you enjoying being on a bike, I would recommend renting one during your stay in the city, especially if you plan to explore anything beyond the central portion of Amsterdam.

If you want more of a city tour, you can book a guided bike tour like this one for your explorations.

Walking

One of my favorite things about Amsterdam is its walkable size (especially when compared to a city like Paris). You can easily walk from one end of central Amsterdam to the other, and anything outside of that distance can be reached by bike. As you walk through the quaint streets alongside the boat-lined canals, you can enjoy perusing through all of the local restaurants and boutiques.

Walking is also the best way to enjoy and capture the stunning architecture throughout the city, especially the quirky, leaning, canal houses that are so unique to Amsterdam.

Things to do in Amsterdam

Museums

According to Amsterdam.info, there are over 75 museums in Amsterdam, meaning there is likely a museum that will interest you during your time in the city. Listed below are the three more popular museums to visit in Amsterdam, and I would recommend prioritizing these during your travels.

Tickets for all three museums should be reserved in advance, as they often sell out completely (ex. I’ve yet to get into the Van Gogh Museum because I’ve waited too long to purchase my ticket).

Anne Frank House

You’ll likely remember reading The Diary of Anne Frank in elementary school, which was the writings of young Anne Frank while her family was in hiding for two years during World War II.

The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is a museum housed in the apartment that Anne and her family lived in during the time the diary was written. As impactful as the book itself, the museum is a must visit when in Amsterdam. You can book your tickets here.

Van Gogh Museum

As mentioned prior, I’ve yet to make it to the Van Gogh Museum, as you need to book tickets a few weeks in advance of your travels (be sure to do so here). I would book a month out or before if possible.

According to IAmsterdam.com, the Van Gosh Museum houses the largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh – more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 of his letters.

Rijksmuseum Museum

The Rijksmuseum Museum is Amsterdam’s fine art museum, housing famous works of art from Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and other notable artists. The museum also contains the Cuypers Library, the largest and oldest art historical library in the Netherlands.

Book your Rijksmuseum Museum tickets here.

The Rijksmuseum Museum and the Van Gogh Museum both sit on the Museumplein in downtown Amsterdam and can easily be visited in the same day.

shopping & Strolling

My favorite thing to do in Amsterdam is to wander through the little streets and pop into to local boutiques. The city is bursting with local Dutch shops selling anything and everything.

De Negen Straatjes (Nine Little Streets)

The De Negen Straatjes or Nine Little Streets are situated almost centrally in Amsterdam-Centrum, and are, as you guessed it, nine little streets. The streets are in sets of three, broken up by the canals, thus creating nice streets.

The nine little streets are home to some of the best boutiques, cafes and coffee shops in Amsterdam and are a must visit if you find yourself wandering around. Some of my favorite spots on the nine little streets are:

• DR wonen: A home decor store where I purchased the most adorable porcelain Dutch houses.

• Pluk Amsterdam: An adorable cafe where I got coffee and delicious pancakes. When I was there in November they had the cutest Christmas ornaments and candles. There are actually two locations on the nine little streets.

• Het Koekemannetje: A delicious cookie shop.

• StoryTiles: A hand-baked ceramic tile store selling modern tiles that can also be personalized. I bought a tiny little magnet as a souvenir featuring a girl on a bike with a basket full of tulips.

• The Lebanese Sajeria: A delicious family-run Lebanese street food restaurant. The interior is small, but there is a small area for sitting upstairs.

• Fabel Friet: A famous friterie selling fries and croquettes.

canal tour

Regardless of the season you visit, you’ll want to spend some of your time in Amsterdam viewing it from the canals. You can do this by booking a canal tour with a company like Lovers Canal Cruises, which offers covered boat tours (which is what we did when we visited in mid-January). You can find more canal cruise options at Get Your Guide.

where to eat in Amsterdam

the best Coffee Shops in amsterdam

If you like finding cute coffee shops when you travel (like all of my favorite coffee shops in Paris), Amsterdam will not disappoint. Not to be confused with Amsterdam’s coffeeshops, the city is home to a plethora of cute places to grab a cup of coffee, and here are a few to get you started while you're traveling through Amsterdam.

• Un.common Drinks (pictured below)

• Chun (Matcha & Coffee)

• Toki

• Saint-Jean

• The Coffee District

• Bocca

Where to Eat in Amsterdam

• Heert Je Friet: A Dutch friterie located near the Anne Frank House and The Times Hotel (mentioned earlier in this post), Heert Je Friet sells freshly chopped homemade fries with a large selection of sauces. You can also order bitterballen which are traditional Dutch deep-fried snacks in which a filling is rolled in breadcrumbs.

• The Lebanese Sajeria: A delicious family-run Lebanese street food restaurant. The interior is small, but there is a small area for sitting upstairs.

• Pluk Amsterdam: Mentioned previously in this post, Pluk Amsterdam is a breakfast/brunch cafe that sells delicious coffees and brunch bites. (pictured below)

• Restaurant 't Zwaantje: Open since 1973, at Restaurant 't Zwaantje you can find traditional Dutch food inspired by French cuisine.

• Van Wonderen Stroopwafels: Stroopwafels are a must try when in the Netherlands, and Van Wonderen is the most famous. You can order plain (which I recommend), but also stroopwafels covered in chocolate.

• Lombardo’s: A small and delicious burger joint.

• The Pancake Bakery: In a 17th century warehouse, this is where you can try traditional Dutch pancakes (both savory and sweet).

day trips from Amsterdam

From Amsterdam Centraal Station, you can easily access other parts of the Netherlands and even nearby Belgium and Germany.

Two of our favorites from Amsterdam are Utrech and Haarlem which are highlighted below.

UTRECHT

Getting to Utrecht from Amsterdam is incredibly easy, as you board your train at Amsterdam Centraal and then take a short 20–30-minute train ride to nearby Utrecht.

We spent our day in Utrecht walking around the pretty little canals and wandering through the shops and cute houses within the village. Our favorites were exploring the Dutch store of Dille en Kamille (which also has locations in Amsterdam), having lunch at The Street Food Club, and grabbing coffee at Keek.

Read our Utrecht Day Trip guide here.

haarlem

Haarlem is a charming Dutch city West of Amsterdam that can also be accessed by a very short train from Amsterdam Centraal. The train from Amsterdam to Haarlem takes around 15 minutes and is direct. You can book your tickets here or at the train station.

We spent a few nights in Haarlem wandering through the charming streets, checking out the local windmill and eating fresh Stroopwaf from the Saturday market.

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Need help planning the rest of your trip?

If you still need to book your lodging in Amsterdam, be sure to check out our roundup of the best Airbnb rentals in Amsterdam. And if you’re looking to explore a smaller Dutch city, read our guide to the charming university town of Utrecht.

If you’re exploring more of Europe, you can find travel guides to some of our favorite cities like Paris and Rome.

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