Recommendations for things to do, eat and explore in Amsterdam

[ifonly4]

We'll be off to Amsterdam in a couple of months. Starting to think about what we might do, given some options will require prior booking.

What do others recommend doing? I admit I'm not overly arty (but appreciate that DH might be interested). I'd be interested in nice areas to potter, history, views, shopping.

We also enjoy coffee and cake out and will be eating out in the evening, so again any recommendations. Hasn't got to be top class, but particularly just somewhere nice to be in the evening for a meal, as it'll be our 30th anniversary while away.

My favourites are:
This Is Holland and A’Dam Lookout
Pancake canal cruise
Anne Frank House

We go regularly.
Anne Frank House
Van Gogh museum
Canal cruise
This is Holland is great
Then just having a drink by the canal

You have to pre book Anne Frank and Van Gogh op

Have a lovely time
Also meant to mention the markets if you are into them

Yes, the above. Enjoy, Amsterdam is fab.

Poffetjes at the Pancake Club
Leidesplein area for walking around and getting a canal boat
Clayton Hotel for lunch then walk to Vondelpark

Great, thanks for your replies. I heard you need to book some places up a few weeks in advance, so need to work out some of our choices.

Please excuse the 🤖 notes 📝

Day 1: Jordaan District & Antiquing → Markets → Bloemenmarkt

Morning: Antiquing & Canal-side Browsing
Start in the heart of the Jordaan, known for its quaint streets, canals, and galleries.
Antiekcentrum Amsterdam – Classic Antiques
Elandsgracht 109, 1016 TT Amsterdam
🚶 From here, wander south along Elandsgracht and the Grachtengordel canals for more shops.
Japanese Antique Store – Japanese & curios
Prinsengracht 262-HS, 1016 HH Amsterdam
Kramer Kunst & Antiek – Art & decorative antiques
Prinsengracht 807, 1017 KA Amsterdam
Prinsheerlijk Antiques – Stylish Dutch antiques
Prinsengracht 579, 1016 HT Amsterdam
👉 Route suggestion:
Start at Elandsgracht → head onto Prinsengracht canal street (classic canal views) → follow Prinsengracht east/south toward the centre of Amsterdam (about 25–40 minutes on foot total with stops).

Lunch & Bitterballen Break
🍴 Stop by:
Café 't Smalle – Classic Dutch pub for bitterballen and local brews
Egelantiersgracht 12, 1015 RL Amsterdam
⏱️ Allow ~45–60 minutes to relax here.

Markets & Flowers
Noordermarkt & Flea Market (Jordaan)
Noordermarkt square, Jordaan – Historic market for antiques, vintage, and curios (especially Saturday & Monday mornings).
FlipHTML5
Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market) – Amsterdam’s famed floating flower/bulb stalls
Singel between Muntplein & Koningsplein
Amsterdam

👉 From Café ’t Smalle, walk ~15–20 minutes east toward Noordermarkt, then another ~20-25 minutes to the Bloemenmarkt along canals south toward the city centre.

🛍️ Day 2: Main Shopping Streets → Hidden Chapel → Dam Square
Morning: Amsterdam Shopping Streets
Start near:
🛍️ Nieuwendijk & Kalverstraat – Amsterdam’s main pedestrian shopping streets with boutiques to big brands.

📍 From Bloemenmarkt, it’s ~10–15 min walk to Muntplein → then head west down Nieuwendijk toward Dam Square (lots of shops en route).

Secret Chapel Stop
🕍 Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder – Our Lord in the Attic
A hidden Catholic chapel & museum tucked inside a 17th-century canal house — a peaceful, reflective spot in the city centre.
Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38-40, 1012 GD Amsterdam
⏱️ A peaceful 45–60 min visit.
Dam Square & Coffee Break
📍 Dam Square – Amsterdam’s central plaza with historic sights (Royal Palace, Nieuwe Kerk, National Monument).
Wikipedia

🍵 Grab a coffee at De Bijenkorf’s café or Heinen Delftware & Café (Muntplein) — lovely views and central location.
Heinen Delftware – Delft Ware & café stop
Muntplein 12, 1012 WR Amsterdam
🛍️ Also check the Delftware & ceramics shops nearby like Heinen Delftware (Prinsengracht) or Madame Blue Delftware & Jewelry for local souvenirs.

🌆 Day 3: Red Light District → Oude Kerk → Canal Walks → Sofitel Bar Treat
Red Light District & Medieval Church
👣 From Dam Square, walk 5–10 minutes south into De Wallen (Red Light District).
🛐 Oude Kerk Amsterdam – Amsterdam’s medieval Old Church • admire the gothic interior and medieval misericords.
Passporter

Oudekerksplein 23, 1012 GX Amsterdam
💡 Explore the surrounding alleys and historic canal streets — fascinating contrast of history and modern life.
Finish with a Treat
🍸 Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam – Bar & Lounge options (e.g., The Flying Dutchman bar) for apertifs/refreshments in a historic luxury setting.
Sofitel
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197, 1012 EX Amsterdam
⏱️ Book a table and enjoy drinks as you unwind — gorgeous interiors and a great way to end your trip.

The AI 🤖 couldn’t identify the cafe I was referring to in the shopping day; it was in fact …

Beurs van Berlage
bistroberlage.com/

TOOROP'S TILE TABLEAU

The vestibule of the Beurs van Berlage houses a unique treasure: three symbolic tile tableaus by Jan Toorop. They challenge visitors with visions of a possible future and reflect on the cycles of time and society. These artworks, which have found a new home after careful renovation, remain a fascinating spectacle, encompassing a range of impressionism, symbolism, and pointillism.

I recommend this hotel www.dikkerandthijshotelamsterdam.com Dikker & Thijs Hotel, Amsterdam

The Van Gogh museum is brilliant but the paintings are surprisingly small. The Rijks Museum is excellent (prepurchase tickets needed) https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en just to see The Night Watch, dolls houses and Library.

Can recommend you hire a boat Mokumboot https://mokumboot.nl/en/boat-rental-amsterdam/ pack a picnic and travel through the zoo by canal.

Finally, eat at a FEBO for Dutch fast food snacks, mostly krokets.

Brunch at Omelegg.

A canal cruise is nice. Some do dinner packages.

I can highly recommend a trip to Zaanse schans windmill village a few miles out from Amsterdam. It’s a lovely day out and the whole area is absolutely stunning. We booked a bus tour via tripadvisor and got the bus at the back of the A’dam lookout.

Zaanse schans you can get a train there
This is Holland
Canal boat ride

Marvel at how they park right up the the canal edges !

DD and DH went on the Adam tower swing ( not for me thank you )

The tickets for the Anne Frank house go on sale 7 weeks in advance. If you’ve limited time to go, then you need to be on the ball & buying tickets as soon as they go on sale.

We had no problem getting tickets for the Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh museum on the day, but they do often sell out, so if you’re desperate to go to them, best to also pre-book. (There’s no chance of getting tickets to AFH on the day.)

Can also heavily recommend Cafe Restaurant Van Kerkwijk for a gorgeous authentic Dutch restaurant (that’s not overly expensive)

The Jordaan area is my favourite bit ( used to live there part time) There are some lovely restaurants and shops.

Have a look at De Kas for a special meal.

Having drinks with a canal view is great wherever you are. I know it's a cliche but if you go to an authentic pancake house it really is amazing! The canal tours are great- even the touristy ones. You then spot areas you want to walk to and explore more. There are some lovely small, candle lit evening ones. You'll spot them as you are wandering then book the one you like the look of.

I spent 3 years just wandering round and never got bored as it's very pretty

Jumping on this as I'm going in the autumn, never been before.

Has anybody got suggestions for a hotel? Just me and my mum so any simple, clean, twin room. Nothing fancy needed.

Anne Frank House is excellent, but sometimes hard to book entry tickets. You can't buy on the day, and they have to be pre-booked online, but sometimes they sell out weeks in advance. We really struggled to get tickets. We saw online someone said they put up new tickets first thing in the morning every few days, so DH got up early for a few weeks to log on and try to get some, but they seemed to sell out straight away and he said none ever appeared for the week we were going. He persisted and he randomly logged in one afternoon and there must have been a group cancellation as they suddenly had availability for one particular time slot which luckily was during the week we were going, so he quickly bought them. He logged in again straight afterwards and they'd all sold out again.

DS went to Amsterdam with some Uni friends and they all tried over several weeks to get tickets but weren't successful, so they had to make do with external photos and souvenirs from the gift shop!

It’s not that complicated now & ticket release is clearly explained on the website. They are released 7 weeks in advance at 9am on a Tuesday morning, for the full week (7 weeks later). If you log on promptly at 9am, then you pretty much have the pick of dates for that 1-week period.

I imagine as cancellations happen, then more do become available closer to the date you might want to go, but if you have a date in mind, then it’s easiest to be organised & log on at 9am on the relevant Tuesday.

We really enjoyed the Dutch Resistance Museum. Enjoy is probably the wrong word, but it was really interesting.

ok - Dutchie here….hear me out. Plenty of students…buy a Febo shit snack, open the slot, spit in it and shut the slot. So trust me….skip the Febo. And the overpriced tat shops in Kalverstraat, insanely pricey cafes on the Leidseplein, De Dam etc etc. Just take a for a walk off the beaten track and enjoy a typical “brown cafe” for a genuine experience.