I’ve been lucky enough to visit Amsterdam more than once, and there are some things I’d happily do all over again. Some are the places you’d expect to see in Amsterdam. Others are just things we did that ended up being some of my favorite parts of the trip. Here are 10 things I loved doing in Amsterdam...plus one I couldn’t leave off the list.
1. Stay in a Houseboat
I’ve stayed in two different houseboats on two different trips to Amsterdam. Aside from almost setting one of them on fire—you can read about that lesson learned here—they were both great experiences!
The first time, I stayed on Brouwersgracht, and the second time on Prinsengracht, in the Haarlemmerbuurt/Jordaan area along Amsterdam’s canal ring. I loved waking up right on the canal and watching the boats go by outside our window.
2. Visit Proeflokaal Arendsnest
A proeflokaal is a Dutch tasting room—a place to try local beers and drinks like jenever. Proeflokaal Arendsnest, located on Herengracht, was within easy walking distance of both of the houseboats I stayed on. There are plenty of beers to choose from, but what I really loved was the cozy atmosphere. Find a spot, order something Dutch, and stay awhile. This is exactly the kind of place I love finding when I travel.
3. Visit an Outdoor Market
I’ve personally visited Noordermarkt, a smaller market with more than 400 years of history. Yes—there has been a market in front of the Noorderkerk, a 17th-century Protestant church, since 1623! This is the kind of history Europe brings, and I love it.
You’ll find a little bit of everything here—fresh produce, flowers and Dutch food, along with handmade items, antiques and vintage clothing. Even if you don’t need anything, it’s worth wandering through.
4. Visit the Anne Frank House
I think it’s incredibly important to preserve history—even the ugly parts of it—so we can learn from it and hopefully prevent it from being repeated. The Anne Frank House gives you a deeply personal look at what Anne, her family and the others experienced while hiding during the Holocaust.
I recommend visiting on a day when you have some time afterward. This isn’t a place I would rush through and then hurry off to the next attraction. It’s an experience that deserves some time to reflect.
5. Visit Café Old Sailor in the Red Light District
You know you want to see what the Red Light District is all about, so you might as well have somewhere to stop while you’re there. Café Old Sailor is a fun place to grab a drink, sit for a while, and take in the atmosphere of the area. One important thing to remember while you’re exploring the Red Light District: keep your camera in your pocket when it comes to the sex workers in the windows. Taking their photos is disrespectful and generally prohibited.
6. Try Pickled Herring
This was a hard one for me. Whenever I read about foods to try in Amsterdam, pickled herring always seemed to make the list. I like an adventure, so I finally decided to give it a try...and I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually really good!
This is coming from a farm girl who likes her pork and beef. If I can try pickled herring, you can too—and you might even be surprised by how much you like it.
Pickled herring is the specialty at Stubbe’s Haring, and I have to say, they do a fantastic job. If you’re going to try it in Amsterdam, this is the place to do it!
7. See What’s Going On in Dam Square
You never know what you might stumble across in Dam Square. During one of our visits, we happened to be there on Remembrance Day, when the Netherlands commemorates those who died in wars and peacekeeping missions.
By pure coincidence, we even got a fairly close look at Queen Beatrix, who was queen at the time. She later abdicated in favor of her son, King Willem-Alexander, in 2013.
I’ve been fascinated by royalty since I was a little girl, so needless to say, this was pretty exciting for me!
8. Go to a Museum
I’m not someone who needs to visit every museum when I travel, but Amsterdam has a few that are definitely worth making time for. I’ve visited both the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, and I enjoyed them both.
I don’t know a lot about art, but I know what I like. You definitely don’t need to be an art expert to appreciate seeing some of these famous works in person.
9. Have a Cheese-and-Wine Afternoon on the Canal
Buy some cheese and bread at Kaasland Haarlemmerdijk, take it back to your houseboat, pour yourself a glass of wine, and sit out on the deck watching the canal boats float by.
We spent about two hours doing exactly that one late afternoon. Nothing fancy. Nothing we needed to check off a sightseeing list. Just cheese, bread, wine, and Amsterdam floating by.
10. Visit Three Little Bottles and Try Jenever
Stop at Three Little Bottles and order a kopstootje—a glass of jenever paired with a pilsner or beer. Even if you’re not entirely sure it’s going to be your thing, give it a try. Trying the local food and drinks is part of the fun of traveling. Afterward, you can officially say you drank jenever in Amsterdam!
11. Okay, I Had to Add One More—Try a Stroopwafel!
I know this was supposed to be a list of ten, but I couldn’t leave out the stroopwafel. It’s a Dutch treat made with two thin waffles and a sweet, sticky, caramel-like syrup in the middle.
Put one on top of a cup of hot coffee or tea and let the steam warm and soften the stroop inside. Then enjoy. Trust me—this is one extra item that deserves to make the list.
Been There. Stayed on a houseboat. Drank jenever. Loved That.