Amsterdam is a city that’s best known for its canals and picturesque houses. Located in the Netherlands, it was once the world’s most powerful city thanks to its trade riches. Amsterdam is home to several museums that pay homage to Anne Frank and World War II history. Today, Amsterdam is a bustling European capital with plenty of fun to offer (especially if you like beer)!
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Amsterdam Center Town

Don't Miss: Top Attractions

The skyline of Amsterdam's city center is first dominated by the Sint-Petrus-church tower (which actually looks like a giant gingerbread man), then the Anne Frank House. The house was built next to Anne's father's business in 1943. But in 1963 it became a museum dedicated to the young diarist and her family’s time in hiding from 1942-1945. The museum, which can be found at the back of the Anne Frank Huis, is a fascinating story in its own right.

One can’t visit Amsterdam without visiting the Anne Frank House and Museum. While the original house was cut in half to make way for a canal expansion, it has since been rebuilt. There are plenty of interesting facts about the Anne Frank House on Water Transport’s guided tour—but don’t expect to see everything on one trip.

Heineken Experience - Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the second most visited city in Europe. The Dutch capital is a great city to spend time in thanks to its world-renowned museums, nightlife, parks and canals. As a diamond in the rough of Northern Europe, Amsterdam has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world—despite its small size (the city itself is smaller than Kansas City). Travelers come from all over the globe to see the canals that make up 80 percent of Amsterdam’s famous skyline. You won’t be able to take a trip to Amsterdam without noticing how beautiful it really is.

Amsterdam has many museums that pay tribute to its history as the world’s trading center. The Heineken Experience is an interactive museum in Amsterdam dedicated to beer and the family of Gerard Adriaan Heineken, who began brewing beer in the Netherlands in 1864. The museum has plenty of history about beer and how it came to be so popular in Amsterdam—and even a tasting tour with a Heineken-loving guide!

TIP: While technically not part of Amsterdam, Rotterdam is well worth an extra day trip for those who have time during their visit to Amsterdam. Rotterdam is a modern city with fantastic food, architecture and culture. Make sure to stop by the Markthal, which is a mall and food market all in one. It’s also home to the Netherlands’ tallest building and some of the best restaurants in town.

Today, Amsterdam has been ranked one of the world’s top 10 destinations for beer lovers. The city is home to over 60 breweries and hosts several annual beer festivals.

Tourism is a huge part of Amsterdam’s economy. Today, tourism is one of the top contributors to the city’s economy. Its Dutch heritage also draws many visitors from around the world looking to see where Anne Frank and Ajax soccer player Johan Cruyff hail from!

Trip to Amsterdam: The Best Attractions for Sports Lovers

Amsterdam is a city that brings the world together, not just in different languages, but also in sports. The city’s soccer giants play at Amsterdam Arena, while the soccer team De Graafschap is based in nearby Almelo. There’s even a special telephone line you can call to get live scores and information about upcoming matches. Amsterdam has a great area called “De Pijp” (the hip neighborhood). Here, you’ll find many great pubs and bars where you can enjoy food and drinks while watching sports on TV.

Johan Cruijff Arena

The “Johan Cruijff ArenA” is Amsterdam’s premier soccer stadium. It was built in 1996 and named after the legendary Dutch football player Johan Cruijff (1947-2016). This iconic stadium was host to many international soccer matches, including the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. After visiting Amsterdam, show off your newfound soccer knowledge by attending a live soccer match at Amsterdams’ Johan Cruijff Arena! Amsterdam is also home to a historically significant basketball venue. The Sporthallen Zuid was home to the Dutch national basketball team from 1954-2010. It was even the site of some games in the EuroBasket 1983 and EuroBasket 1995. It’s now being used as a hall for the National Police Force Academy of the Netherlands. TIP: Many people still play volleyball in Amsterdam. Pick up a volleyball and play at either Dogger Beach or Noorderplantsoen, near Vondelpark. Or head towards Katwijk and play on the beach at Noordwijk.

Bicycles in Amsterdam

Renting a bike is the most popular way of getting around Amsterdam. Whether you want to enjoy the city’s beautiful scenery, get to a different neighborhood or explore some of the nearby islands, you’ll have plenty of options for bicycle rentals all over Amsterdam.

Riders are encouraged to use the bike path network instead of riding on public roads as since there are not just cars, but also plenty of pedestrians on the paths throughout Amsterdam. The city has many signposts indicating scenic routes that one can ride along.

If you want to be on the safe side, check out the Fietsersbond (Cyclists’ Union), where they discuss all things cycling in Amsterdam and beyond.

The city of Amsterdam has a number of bike tours that will take you to some of the most scenic places in the city. You can also use your bike as a way of easily exploring Amsterdam’s surrounding islands. There’s even a great network of bicycle routes that you can take in order to bike around Amsterdam, taking in everything from monuments to pretty residential areas along the way.

To get you started on your trip, here's a list of things to do while in Amsterdam:

• Take a bike tour of the city
• Take a boat tour around the canals
• Walk or bike along the famous Anne Frank house route through Amsterdam, which has numerous walking and biking trails in addition to various museums on this famous avenue.
• Check out one of Amsterdam’s many unique neighborhoods. Visit the Red Light District for its painted windows, go hang out in Jordaan’s charming cafes or head to De Wallen for its live music scene and old-world charm.
• Visit the Dutch Open Air Museum for its open-air museum, which exhibits traditional rural Dutch architecture.
• Visit Amsterdam ArenA, the home of Amsterdam’s Ajax soccer team.
• Explore Amsterdam’s Zuiderpark and surrounding greenery. Located south of the center of Amsterdam, this park is the perfect place to go for a walk, picnic or bike ride! Just don’t forget to visit De Warande, a chalet-style restaurant that serves up quintessential Dutch food and provides a great view with it!
• Take part in one of Amsterdam’s many festivals throughout the year. You can enjoy everything from architectural tours to dance festivals during your next trip to Amsterdam.
• Tour the Dutch Maritime Museum, a maritime museum that exhibits the history of seafaring. This is a great place to learn about Amsterdam’s role in European trade during the late Middle Ages until the 19th century.
• Visit Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank hid during World War II from the Nazis before being caught and sent to a concentration camp. The museum now serves as a memorial to all victims of World War II.
• Visit Rembrandt House Museum, which exhibits editions of paintings made by Rembrandt between 1639-1658. It was here that Rembrandt lived and worked until his death.
• Take a tour of the famous Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s largest park and one of its most popular attractions. This park is a great place to visit if you want to see the locals or go for a bike ride.
• Go for a walk down PC Hooftstraat, which is one of Amsterdam’s most fashionable shopping streets. You can find luxury shops and cafes on this street that many Dutch celebrities frequent.
• Take a boat trip to Amsterdam’s famous Sea Park (Maritiem Museum) and the ‘Vijzel’, a large military satellite controlled by the Dutch Coast Guard. Learn about the history of this part of Amsterdam, which is now home to over 70 different museums and workshops.

Rijks Museum

Trip to Amsterdam: Tips on Finding Cheap Accommodations in the City:

One of the great things about travel is that you get to find some pretty incredible deals when it comes to accommodations. While not all of these deals are necessarily available in Amsterdam, we’ve still put together a list of the top ways you can find cheap hotels while in Amsterdam.

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Last Words of Advice: The Verdict Is… GO

Amsterdam is a city that is open to everyone and someone who loves it will never be disappointed. So next time you’re in the Netherlands, add a day or two to your itinerary to explore Amsterdam. You’ll never be disappointed! Amsterdam is a city for everyone, like a museum where every corner has something to discover.