There is so much to see and do in Amsterdam that it is almost impossible to see everything in a few days. That is why we have made an overview of the 15 Amsterdam highlights that you must have seen when you visit the Dutch capital.
They are not to be missed and that is a good thing. The Amsterdam canals are unique and are on the Unesco World Heritage List for a reason. If you go on the canals with a boat, you will be amazed. Stately canal houses and authentic shophouses fill the streets that run along the canals. The canals with the canal houses are one of the absolute highlights of Amsterdam.
Three of Amsterdam's most important museums are located on Museumplein: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum. The Moco Museum is also located on the Museumplein and is worth a visit. You can rest from the museum visits on a picnic blanket or on a bench on the lawns.
In this museum you visit the secret annex where the Jewish girl Anne Frank went into hiding during the Second World War. One of the absolute Amsterdam highlights if you are interested in the Second World War and the persecution of the Jews.
The Vondelpark is the most famous park in Amsterdam and is located a stone's throw from the Museumplein. It is the ideal place for a picnic, but you can also sit on a terrace or enjoy the rose garden or the works of art scattered throughout the park.
For shopping enthusiasts, De 9 Streets is one of the Amsterdam highlights. In this area between the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht you will find more than 250 unique shops, galleries, eateries and hotels.
Artis is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and is located in the middle of Amsterdam. The zoo dates back to 1838, has 27 monumental buildings and can therefore definitely be counted among the Amsterdam highlights. In the park you will also find Micropia, the only microbe museum in the world.
The Begijnhof is located behind the Kalverstraat and is a special green and quiet place in the middle of the city. The Beguinage was founded in the fourteenth century as a living environment for the Beguines (women who lived as nuns but had more freedom and independence). Many of the facades were replaced in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but the house at number 34 still has its original wooden facade.
The Westergasfabriek was built in 1883 to supply the city of Amsterdam with coal gas. This illuminated the streets and buildings of the city. The factory closed its doors in 1967. Nowadays you will find bars and restaurants, shops and event locations in and around the industrial buildings of the Westergas. There is everything from food markets to exhibitions throughout the year.
The Jordaan is perhaps the nicest neighborhood in Amsterdam. The district was built in 1612 as a working-class district for ordinary workers and their families. After a thorough renovation in the second half of the twentieth century, the Jordaan is now a melting pot of original Jordanians, students, artists and yuppies.
De Gooyer was built in the sixteenth century as part of a whole series of mills that stood along the edge of Amsterdam. The mills were used to grind grain for the city. The mill has been moved several times and has been in its current location since 1814. Unfortunately, the mill cannot be visited.
Next to the mill is Brouwerij 't IJ. The Amsterdam specialty beers from the brewery can be tasted in the tasting room at the brewery.
Dam square is where the roots of the city of Amsterdam lie. Here was a dam in the river Amstel, where a small settlement arose in the thirteenth century. This settlement has grown into present-day Amsterdam. On Dam Square are the Royal Palace and the National Monument, where the victims of the Second World War are commemorated every year on 4 May.
In the past, the amount of taxes you needed to pay in Amsterdam was determined by the width of the facade of your house. As a result, Amsterdam not only has the house with the narrowest facade in the world, but also the narrowest house in Europe. The house on the Singel number 7 has a facade of about one meter wide. The narrowest house in Europe is located at number 22 Oude Hoogstraat. This eighteenth-century house is 2.02 meters wide and now houses a specialty tea shop.
One of the most famous Amsterdam highlights is the Albert Cuyp Market. The market has 260 stalls, making it the largest day market in Europe. You can buy fresh products, local delicacies such as herring and stroopwafels, flowers, clothing and much more. You can really taste the atmosphere of Amsterdam at the Albert Cuyp Market. The Albert Cuyp Market is open from Monday to Saturday.
The De Pijp district borders the south of the canals and is a veritable collection of concept stores, hip boutiques, nice furniture stores and unique gift shops. Gerard Doustraat and Utrechtstestraat in particular are highly recommended.
In Amsterdam Oud-West is the old streetcar depot that is now called 'De Hallen'. De Hallen houses various shops, a food hall, a hotel and a special cinema. The monumental building dates from 1901 and has been designated a national monument. This is one of the Amsterdam highlights for those who want to taste the real Amsterdam.
Would you like to visit one or more of these Amsterdam highlights? Then book a local private guide from Aroundfriends.