1. Amsterdam is very visitor friendly: you can rent a bike, use their public transport, or even use UBER to easily navigate the city
2. Most of these activities are close in proximity to each other so you don’t have to worry about running around the city to cover everything
3. You can add Amsterdam to your existing Europe itinerary and get a GREAT price on tickets (we paid around $155 USD per person for roundtrip tickets from Paris to Amsterdam)

Obviously, there are a LOT of options and these are just a few. We wanted to give you a nice mix of culture, food and fun. To do all of these activities and really enjoy each of them ideally you should have 2 full days in the city, if not then rank the ones you like the most and tackle those. We know, we know, its going to be hard to choose 😊

Dam Square is the center of the city. It is where the main palace is located and you could arguable say its the heart of this town. From Dam Square you can walk to many great restaurants, or even stroll over to the famed red-light district there are many major hotels as well as shopping plazas

While reservations are now required, due to Covid, this palace is worth the effort. Compared to other palaces, it’s not huge (like Versailles, which needs an entire day IMO) and it is a nice relaxing way to spend an hour or so basking in the history of the royal family as well as salivating over the stunning architecture and art. The tickets are 10 Euros per adult and everyone 18 and under is FREE (reservations are still required for 18 and under)

*Fun Fact: The palace is still a “working palace”; that means when the royal family is visiting or when they have state visitors this palace is closed to the public.

You can find out the most recent information about Palace timings and events as well as book your tickets here.

Amsterdam is home to a whopping 50 Museums! It is not a stretch to say there is literally something for everyone. Listed below are just a few of our personal favorites.

Also known as The Museum of the Netherlands. A massive museum dedicated to showcasing the art, history, as well as work of various Dutch artist. There are over 8,000 pieces that are on display (the museum has over a million pieces in its collection and archives) It’s also nice to note that this museum is close to the Van Gogh Museum so you can enjoy both without having to trek across the city 😊 The tickets are 19.00 Euros per adult and everyone 18 and under is FREE (we LOVE the word free when we are on vacation, more money to spend on snacks and goodies) for more information about the timings as well as current exhibits check out their website

Housing the largest collection of the world-famous artist. With over 200 paintings, 500 drawings and a whopping 750 letters, you will leave knowing a bit more about the man himself. This museum gets busy and we recommend that you be prepared to wait and bring your imagination and your patience when coming to this museum😊. The price of admission is 19.00 Euros per person. You must book your tickets and pay online. To find out what is on display as well as to book your tickets you can check out their website

From a historical and humanitarian aspect, this museum has a deeper place in our hearts. The house where Ann Frank and her family hid during the Nazi occupation is a solemn building. You can see her famous diary as well as the staircase that shielded the family’s home from the Nazi’s.

The entire experience is full of deep respect as well as a deep sense of loss. It is VERY important that you pre-book and purchase your tickets.

The organization releases a limited number of tickets and you should book WELL in advance. Because this museum is on soo many people’s itinerary, they are very strict about punctuality as well as overall protocols. The cost for adult tickets is 12.50 Euros and 6.50 Euros for children. Photography is not allowed inside and you cannot buy tickets at the door.

To book your tickets and find out more about the museum itself you can visit their official site

Everyone has heard of the famous Rembrandt. His paintings are some of the most valuable in the world. What you may not know is he died in poverty. He had a very colorful and turbulent life and the best way to fully appreciate all of his accomplishments is to take a stroll into the place he called home for 17 years.

The house went under a massive renovation to take it back to its’ style and design that was authentic to the time Rembrandt was in residence. The tickets for this museum are also available online only and with prior reservation due to the current Corona Virus protocols.

The price for admission is 14.00 Euros per adult and 10.00 Euros for Students. To plan your visit and reserve your time slot go to their official site

Originally this market was where the immigrants would go to find exotic fruits and veggies, nowadays you will find lots of diverse stalls selling everything from Swedish Meatballs to Lumpia (we were SUPER excited to see Lumpia, soo good). We found some local artist and managed to purchase a great etching of the canals.

You can buy local trinkets as well as souvenirs. Take some time out and enjoy the walk along one of the largest and most popular markets in the Netherlands. You will see vendors almost anything and everything.

The market is open 6 days a week and can get crowded. Check out their website to find out if there are any events or special activities when you are planning to visit.

*Pro Tip– Go with an empty stomach and grab lunch from the local vendors. Also, if you are buying souvenirs, don’t be afraid to bargain 😊

DO NOT leave Amsterdam without enjoying these amazing cookies. What are they? Picture a thin, crispy, sweet, and if your lucky, warm, waffle cookie sandwich with delicious caramel in the center. Is your mouthwatering?

Excellent.

Our Job here is done.

Go Wafel. Seriously.

While you are visiting the Albert Cyup Market, you will find a few stalls that are making these delicious cookies hot and fresh. **Bonus points if you bring some (read a lot) back home.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries or even Nutella Covered Strawberries (fruit plus Nutella = a balanced meal in our books, its vacation). There are cafes (not to be mistake for “coffee shops” or weed bars) that sell all sorts of sweet treats. We ended up at PolaBerry, a small shop that looked like a fairy tale. The desserts we enjoyed not only looked great but were delicious as well.

If you are short on time or heck, even if you have ample time. The city is famous for its canals and honestly it is the BEST way to see the city. There are a LOT of canal tours available and they are super flexible in terms of timings. This is a super relaxing way to enjoy the city views.

Almost all the boat tours have audio guides in various languages, so you can sit back and absorb the history of the city while the boat glides through the canals.

*note: Compared to other boat tours in other cities, these boats are lower and covered. It took us a minute to adjust as we had just come from Paris where the boat used in the tours were higher up and they had an open area for visitors to stand or sit outdoors.

With the city being a port for many years, you can only imagine how delicious the sea food offerings are. We found this amazing place called The Sea Food Bar and even though there was an hour and a half wait, it was WORTH IT. Till date, Aamir and I both swear that THIS was some of the BEST seafood we have ever eaten.  Go here, you will thank us later.** (not a paid or sponsored endorsement. The food was just mouthwatering)

This picturesque town is a 40-minute car ride from Amsterdam and you feel like you are in another WORLD. The windmills, the greenery, even the shops are a tribute to the simpler times. We had the most relaxing time in this quaint town and honestly, we didn’t want to go back into the city. (we will have a dedicated post just for this town soon! Stay tuned)

Okay so the locals take their bike riding VERRY seriously, they have designated bike lanes and the move fast!! It’s a great way to see the city and you have the added advantage of being able to go at your pace versus going on a prescheduled bus tour.

*Word of Advice: This is NOT the city to play around with bikes, if you are not comfortable riding a bike then maybe give this activity a pass.

Okay, so this is not very family friendly, BUT it is a historic district and even though we didn’t want to partake in the erm services offered, both of us were just curious. This is the first district where the world’s oldest profession is protected and the ladies are taxed. Providing them with legal protection as well as governing laws.  It was, as expected PACKED. You can expect to see many tall narrow buildings with window fronts and ladies in each window. Personally, we both felt a sense of sadness at the fact that there are thousands of people walking by the windows just gawking (that can’t be fun for anyone).

*Caution– DO NOT take pictures of the ladies. Seriously. Also, in case you are like us and are curious but also a little worried, there are PLENTY of police officers and security. Never Once did we feel unsafe.

It doesn’t matter if you are planning a long stay or even a weekend getaway, there are PLENTY or activities that will keep you busy and make you fall in love with this vibrant, eclectic city. The streets are great to just walk through and absorb the energy and vibe of the city. We hope everyone has a chance to experience these activities first hand and enjoys them just as much as we did!