I lived abroad in Amsterdam for months and explored the city; now you have all my knowledge at your fingertips!
Map
Sections
4
Museums
Experiences
Food
Shopping
Museums
I went to at least 2 museums a week and you bet I have opinions on them!
Really neat to see this historic building! They didn’t have any English translations though, so go with a guide or be prepared to use Google Translate
Stadsarchief Amsterdam
Fine art museum!! One of so many
Foam
One of my favorite museums in the city!
Rembrandt House Museum
A super unique museum right in the zoo!
Micropia
They had an absolutely wonderful self guided tour here!
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Neat to go on a houseboat and see the vintage style in the boat!
Houseboat Museum
An art gallery tucked away and almost unnoticeable from the street! They have shows here too :)
Vrij Paleis
A super unique place; it contain so much history, and the self guided tour was fantastic. It is right by the red light district, and is so worth a stop
Our Lord in the Attic Museum
Get a glimpse inside what a very wealthy family lived like in the city!
Willet-Holthuysen Museum
Such a great museum; with a great mix of history and modern exhibits. Getting to check out the replica ship and wander around it was so neat too!
National Maritime Museum
They have works from soooo many big names in modern artists; it’s right off museumplein and is pretty small and quick to see it all, so i definitely recommend stopping in!
Moco Museum
You could spend literal weeks in here and not see it all; I definitely recommend hopping on one of their free tours and then exploring further on your own!!
Rijksmuseum
If you happen to be going to NEMO, definitely pop over and check out these old boats and learn a bit about them by reading their plaques!
Museumhaven Amsterdam
Perfect if you have little ones with you, not as suited for adults tho!
NEMO Science Museum
A very somber experience here. You need to book in advance to get tickets. Be prepared if you go for some heavy feelings
Anne Frank House
Wether you are a die hard fan or just a casual enjoyer of Van Gogh’s work, it is wonderfully put together, and you can slowly work through his life through art using the audio guides
Van Gogh Museum
Truly such a fantastically done museum with immersive exhibits and storytelling! This was a wonderful place to visit and learn about how the city was built
Canal Museum
An interesting stop in Noord, which is just a quick free ferry ride up from the city center! Not a ton to see there, but if you’re a film buff, it is a must do
Eye Filmmuseum
Such a unique museum up in Noord Amsterdam; graffiti and street art are displayed on massive scales and you truly feel like you are surrounded by art while here
STRAAT Museum
Really paints a picture of what the country was experiencing during the war, and the small resistance cell that pushed back
The Netherlands in World War II – Verzetsmuseum
Truly a fantastic and meditative experience here using the audio guide to learn about the church and the way it operated in the city!
Oude Kerk Amsterdam
Wonderful contemporary art museum!! Large with a variety of works within
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Formerly a women’s religious community, now a quiet courtyard tucked away in the city. Most days you can step in and see the church as well! I know this isn’t technically museum, but reading the signs and the history of the area felt educational to m...
Begijnhof
Holds a wide array of exhibits and materials relating to Amsterdam
Amsterdam Museum
Experiences
There are so many amazing things to do in this city; here’s a favorite few
Be sure to go on a canal tour!! The bigger companies have some preset audio, and are a lot more affordable than a smaller private boat so it’s great on a budget
Pelni pup
Got to feed and pet cows, make my own Gouda, sample cheese, and have Dutch apple pie!
Clara Maria Cheese Farm & Clog Factory
Neat to see how zoos vary across the world!
ARTIS
Such a beautiful theater; I had the chance to get a tour, hear the organ being played live, etc.
Pathé Koninklijk Theater Tuschinski
It was so fun to swing by here and take a break from the busyness of the city, pet some kitties, and give some money to support a good cause
De Poezenboot - Amsterdam
So neat to see the city from this high up! The swing ride is pretty quick, but you can hang out on the observation deck and get drinks afterwards as well
A'DAM Lookout
If you’re looking for a small group open air boat tour, we had an absolutely lovely experience with this company!
Amsterdam Boat Adventures
A small Buddhist temple in Chinatown
He Hua Temple 荷華寺 - Amsterdam - He Hua Tempel
Food
The Dutch may not be known for their food, but I certainly had some delicious meals while there!
THE place to go for street food and sampling all sorts of stuff; I recommend friets with joppiesaus
Albert Cuyp Markt
This is where you go for a truly classic and classy Dutch drink
Wynand Fockink
SO GOOD!! It is a ways away from the city center, but this was closer to where I lived and I had to include it
WARUNG BAROKAH - Oud Zuid
Super cutie coffee shop in oud zuid if you’re down there!
Pipes & Beans (@pipesandbeans) · Amsterdam
Went to a borrel here! A very Dutch experience
Brouwerij Poesiat & Kater · Amsterdam
A cute brunch spot in oud zuid!
Nana – coffee house Amsterdam
If you’re craving a greasy burger and fries, they have you covered!
Nude Burger | Amsterdam
Nice little Italian place
BURRATA
This is a chain around the cities, but has nice juice and is a good place for a quick bite!
Bagels & Beans Roetersstraat Plantagebuurt
Shopping
The city is fulllll of shops; but where’s the best ones? Read on to find out
This isn’t an essential, but it’s definitely cool to see all of these flower stalls! You can get seeds and bulbs and all sorts of stuff, and it shows how important flowers are to the Netherlands
Flower Market in Amsterdam
Such a great local spot with a food hall, shops, events, and a theater
De Hallen
This craft market happens every third Sunday of the month and I found some gems while there!! It’s right on museumplein too, so super central to other popular tourist stops already
