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You’re in luck, because today on our travel blog, we’re delivering a comprehensive guide to the must-sees in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a city we love and have had the opportunity to visit several times. If you’re looking for a list of things to do in Amsterdam as well as ideas for cool places to see nearby, this article should appeal to you! Don’t worry if you don’t have a car – everything we’re suggesting today can easily be done on foot or by public transport. Let’s head for the Netherlands!
If you’re looking for a cheap hotel in Amsterdam, we recommend taking a look at the Moxy Amsterdam Schiphol. The hotel is stylish, comfortable and close to Schiphol Airport. It takes about 30 minutes by public transport to reach Amsterdam Central Station, which is perfect if you plan to see Amsterdam in 3 days. We chose this hotel and location for its price, as hotels in the city center are quite expensive. Also, we came to the area by car, and the hotel had a private parking lot that was much more affordable than in the city center, which was very convenient. We felt very comfortable at the Moxy in Amsterdam, so we’d recommend it!
If you’d like to discover more great places to stay in central Amsterdam, we recommend taking a look at our dedicated article on the best hotels in Amsterdam.
We suggest you start your Amsterdam must-see itinerary with its city center. Just a short walk from Central Station, you’ll find Amsterdam’s main thoroughfare, the Damrak. This is where you’ll find one of the city’s most emblematic photo spots. Walk down the Damrak towards Dam Square, the city’s largest square. For the record, this square is also known as “De Dam”. Then lose yourself in one of the many streets of the city center, where souvenir and cheese stores follow one another.
It’s impossible to visit Amsterdam in 3 days without passing through De Wallen, Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District. We suggest you go there once you’ve finished visiting the city center. Here you’ll find one of the city’s oldest districts, with its many bars, coffee shops and prostitute windows. Some of you may be reluctant to come to this district for the latter reason, but it remains an Amsterdam must-see.
We loved the atmosphere of this district by day, which undergoes a complete metamorphosis at night. We recommend that you visit this district by day and by night during your 3-day weekend in Amsterdam to see for yourself. We lived for a few years in the Pigalle district of Paris, and found much the same atmosphere, a neighborhood that changes completely once night falls.
Once you’ve completed your visit to De Wallen, we suggest you head to the De 9 Straatjes district, just a few minutes’ walk away. De 9 Straatjes is a historic district in the heart of Amsterdam. It’s famous for its nine narrow streets full of boutiques, cafés, restaurants and art galleries. All bordered by canals and typical Amsterdam houses. In short, you’ll find here a compendium of everything that makes the city so popular, we recommend you take the tour via the three main alleyways in the neighborhood.
Next, take to the road to a neighborhood we particularly adore, the Jordaan district. As with the Pjip district, which we’ll talk about a little later in this Amsterdam blog post, there’s a rather bohemian vibe here. If you’re a fan of shooping, you’ll find a whole host of good addresses here. Clémence has found a few nuggets she’s delighted with! While you’re in the area, don’t miss the chance to visit a beautiful hofje (Dutch for private lessons). If you’re interested in a visit, point your GPS to the hofje Karthuizerhof. Admission is free and will allow you to immerse yourself even more in the energy of the neighborhood!
If you’re lucky with the weather and it’s sunny during your visit to Amsterdam, we recommend a trip to the Vondelpark. This is Amsterdam’s largest park, and it’s really very pleasant in fine weather. We visited it during a (Dutch of course!) bike day in the city and loved it.
We end our list of must-sees in Amsterdam with the De Pijp district. Here you’ll find a popular area for strolling, shopping and enjoying a drink on a terrace. You’ll also find some excellent restaurants! This is the district we recommend you visit at the end of the day/evening to get the most out of it. In short, the De Pijp district is one of the city’s trendiest neighborhoods, and you shouldn’t miss it if you’re planning to visit Amsterdam.
If you’re planning to visit Amsterdam in 3 days, we suggest you take the opportunity to discover a few nuggets we’ve had the opportunity to discover recently. We start with Leiden, south of Amsterdam, Rembrandt’s birthplace. This is the second city after Amsterdam with the most canals in Holland! We loved a morning stroll here, and highly recommend it. We even had a bit of a crush while strolling along the canals! Allow 50 minutes from Amsterdam by public transport to get there.
If you’re looking for a good place to eat in Leiden and you love brunch, go to 30ML. You’ll find great food and a relaxing atmosphere. Crush for eggs Benedicte!
We then suggest you head a little further north of Amsterdam to Zaandam. If you’re a fan of the unusual and architecture, you’re sure to love this spot! Zaandam is a 15-minute train ride from Amsterdam on weekdays. On Sundays, however, it takes 50 minutes. We’ll let you guess which day we went! 😅 This spot is located right next to the train station, so you won’t be able to miss it. We’ll let you tell us in comments or on Instagram what you thought of it!
If you’re coming to Amsterdam during the tulip season, meaning between mid-March and mid-May, we’re also sharing some tips on how to make the most of it during your weekend in Amsterdam.
If you’re looking for a nice place to grab a bite to eat while strolling around the Jordaan district, we can’t recommend this address enough. The sandwiches are homemade and very tasty! Our only regret is that we didn’t have a third sandwich to share. 😂
Address: Prinsengracht 172HS, 1016 HA Amsterdam
If you’re looking for a nice place to brunch in the 9 Straatjes district, we recommend the Pluk restaurant. You’ll find a tastefully decorated restaurant with delicious dishes. Special mention for the eggs Benedict, which are to die for!
Address: Reestraat 19, 1016 DM Amsterdam
Still with the brunch idea (yes, we love it!) don’t miss Staring at Jacob. Located right next to the Vondelpark, this address offers superb brunch in a gourmet version. Perhaps one of the best brunches we’ve ever had in Amsterdam.
Address: Jacob Van Lennepkade 215, 1054 ZP Amsterdam
Never two without three, here’s a third brunch address we recommend if you’re visiting Amsterdam. Omelegg is located in the Pijp district and offers fresh, made-to-order food. If you like eggs and omelettes, don’t miss this great Amsterdam food address!
Address: Ferdinand Bolstraat 143, 1072 LH Amsterdam, Netherlands
We end this selection of good food addresses in Amsterdam with this very good restaurant, Brasserie Sent. Still located in the De Pijp district, you’ll find excellent meats and a very fine French wine list in this restaurant. All served in good spirits. If you’re looking for a good place to dine in the De Pijp district, go here with your eyes closed.
Address: Saenredamstraat 39-41, 1072 CC Amsterdam, Netherlands
To find the best mode of transport to get to Amsterdam for your budget, we recommend you always look on the OMIO comparator. This will give you an overview of all available modes of transport. You’ll be able to compare prices very easily.
In order to find the best hotels in Amsterdam and benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels before you leave. You can filter them according to their ratings. There are plenty of recent customer reviews, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you’re traveling!
If you want to get ideas for things to do on your Amsterdam vacation and want to book in advance, we’d also recommend taking a look at GetYourGuide. It gives you an overview of the activities on offer in your destination, so you don’t have to wait until you get there to book your places.
We hope the tips and good addresses on our travel blog will help you spend 3 days in Amsterdam!
You can also follow our daily adventures on Instagram 🙂
Clem & Alex
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