Things to do in Amsterdam

Looking for things to do in Amsterdam? It has so much to see it can be hard to know where to start! Here is our two day itinerary for the best things to see in Amsterdam!

Location and Getting there

Amsterdam is in Europe and most people will fly in. It is also easily access by train. We took a train from Germany to Amsterdam and it was easy and fast. The train system is really great in Europe so if you are looking at ways to get around then definitely check it out.

Another option is the bus system, although we prefer trains to buses for long distance as they are usually more comfortable. If you are looking for a bus then check out the flix bus schedule. We have used them before and they are pretty good.

When is the best time to go?

Amsterdam is beautiful all year round. We visited in spring and it was lovely. It was early April and still a bit cold (for Australian’s!) but the sky was blue and we barely had any rain!

Where to stay in Amsterdam?

We stayed at the beautiful Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre which was a short walk from the train station and into the city! It was on the river with stunning views and the rooms and service was excellent. We definitely recommend it, check out our review of Movenpick Amsterdam.

Things to do in Amsterdam?

There is so much to do in Amsterdam! Use our best two day Amsterdam itinerary to help you plan!

Day one of the best two day itnerary for Amsterdam –

Get up early and have breakfast at a bakery

Get up early and wander through the streets before they get busy! Amsterdam is popular so it really pays to get in to the old town before other tourists. This is when the city feels calm and peaceful, almost like you are a local. You can stop off and buy a croissant and coffee at any of the excellent bakeries, there is almost one on every street and they are all so tempting!

Walk the De Negen Straatjes (the 9 streets).

This is an area where nine streets intersect along canals and they are some of the prettiest in the city. We spent a good portion of the day here. It steadily got busier but we went further into the streets and they stayed lovely and peaceful! Each canal is prettier than the next and you will be stopping off for photos and to stare at the view along the way.

Lunch time – find your favourite chip shop!

We had an obsession with the hot chips in Amsterdam….which led us to try multiple shops to souce our favourite recommendations for you! Because lunch may be a bit early today try out Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx

We loved their fries and had them very often, there will be a line up from 12pm so get there by 11:30am if you can, also we found them to be best earlier in the day. We had them with mayo and it was the best mayo ever! You do pay extra for it and it is worth it. The serves are decent and in cones. Their fries are also gluten free and they have a chart to choose which sauce is gluten free also!

Anne Franks’ House

This is an important part of history and one that shouldn’t be forgotten. Anne Franks house is popular so you would be best to buy your tickets early online. it is a sombre reminder of the worst of humanity and how we should strive to be better.

Head to a museum

You can book ahead of time to reserve your spot and it really is recommended you do as they fill up and you will miss out.

We visited the MOCO Musuem and loved it. It was still busy when we went but it was worth it! There was a Banksy exhibition, a Paul Klee and amongst others. I loved the Kids work and the immersion area. It was really cool and such a unique expereinece.

We did spend a couple of hours there and some of it is up and down stairs. The art was great and we loved spending the afternoon here!

Evening

We headed back to our hotel to use the gym, sauna and relaxation room. It was heavenly. If you aren’t looking to relax there are tons of restaurants and dinner options in town. We grabbed some on our way back to the Movenpick Amsterdam.

Day Two of our best two day itinerary for Amsterdam –

Breakfast

We had a buffet breakfast at the Movenpick Hotel and it was excellent, it was enough to keep us going all day really!

Honeycomb at Movenpick Amsterdam — Honeycomb at Movenpick

The tulip museum

We headed over to the tulip museum to see what it was all about. It is a pretty shop with loads of people walking around and

It was really lovely with lots of tulip bulbs to purchase as well as souvenirs.

The cheese museum

The cheese museum was right near the tulip museum. It was great too, they have lots of free samples of cheese to taste, heaps to purchase, lots of souvenirs and a museum of cheese making downstairs. This is a great place to visit if you are looking to find your favourite cheese as you can sample pretty much all of them!

Wander through the hofjes (inner courtyards or almshouses) for a glimpse of local life.

This was one of our favourite activities, it was not only interesting to see these cute little spaces that were historic as well as pretty but they gave us a glimpse into what it is like to live in Amsterdam. The houses were all overlooking the hofjes and the gardens were lovely. It was tricky to find the entrances also so it became a bit of a game. Honestly we were the only people apart from those that live there to visit these hofjes so I assume it is not yet touristy. Get in before the hoards find out about it!

Lunch at our other favourite chip shop!

ok so we found this shop as we were walking by one day and the line was so long it stretched across a road, a bridge and onto the next road. They had security guards to direct you across the roads. Needless to say we didn’t wait that day but when walking past the following day we lucked out on the line only crossing the first road. We had to try it. I’m so glad we did because they were maybe our overall favourite! They were real potatoes and you can watch them cutting them up in the shop. They were fried when you ordered so they were fresh each time and you chose a cheese and a sauce to top them. The cheese was real cheese not a fake cheese sauce.

Go to the Rijksmuseum

This museum houses both Dutch Golden Age painting masterpieces & vast European art collection and I really wanted to get here, but we got side tracked by the canals again! Make sure to visit if you are an art lover or you will be disappointed you didn’t…just another thing to come back for!

Go on a boat cruise

The boat cruises in Amsterdam range in price but the best value we saw was 13 euro for an hour. What a nice way to spend sunset! Or any hour really.

We also saw some beautiful cruises on Moet boats etc and they really all vary in terms of the time, cost and what is included so best to check out any you like the look of and get out on the canals!

Wine and sunset

We headed back to our room for a glass of wine and to watch the sunset. We were so lucky to stay at Movenpick and have beautiful city and river views, the perfect spot to relax with a glass of wine! Check out our Movenpick review to see more.

Final thoughts

we loved our time in Amsterdam, the only problem was there is too much to do! We need to come back for a week to see everything we want and to soak up the city as well. If you have any questions just leave a comment below or DM us on Instagram at @passport_nomads or @kelly___buckley.

Is there any easier way?

If you are looking for an easy way to see gorgeous Amsterdam and Netherlands check out these awesome tours, they include everything from accommodation, meals and transport. This Amsterdam to Amsterdam tulip cruise or this best of Holland, Belgium, Luxemberg!