76 Best Things To Do In Amsterdam

There are hundreds of lists ‘X things to do in Amsterdam, Cool Things to do in Amsterdam, Free Things to do in Amsterdam’. But what are actually things you want to do in Amsterdam? Which places specifically would you like to visit? For example which bars, restaurants? Which towns close to Amsterdam are most beautiful? So I dive deep into this topic and I put together an ultimate list of 67 Things To Do in Amsterdam. This is a huge article but there are no things in this list I wouldn’t do myself. I did a lot of research, but most of the things in this list I know from my own experience. For the last six years, I have lived in the Netherlands 15 minutes from Amsterdam, where I work.

Enjoy reading and if you have any questions or input to make this article better, please share with me and with other readers, so together we can have the best experience possible.

1. Banksy Museum

I am not that much into art but Banksy is an exceptional creator. Through his work he makes people think about their lives. Every day he is very controversial and he shares value in the place where it is needed. Banksy reminds us of important things, that we often forget about or we just try not to think about them. I encourage you to look closer into his art. The great start is to Visit the Banksy exhibition in Moco Museum.

The museum is located (surprisingly) in Museumplein and a ticket costs 14 Euros. In my opinion, it is very little for the value you get. Amsterdam is a very expensive city and 14 Euros is not that much.

2. KattenCafeKopjes

I haven’t made this list in the order of ‘the most important things to see’. Who cares what is important to see and what is not? In the end, we all want to have a good time and enjoy a moment, right? Some people tell you: How comes you visited this place and you haven’t gone to museum X or spot Y? So… I am giving you now permission to go wherever you want and have fun. This is it. In fact, places that are often less popular are much more fun than those famous ones.

I recommend you KattenCafeKopjes because this is a really unique place and one of my favorite spots for a date. There are 9 cats walking around, you can just chill and drink your coffee enjoying ‘caticious‘ atmoshpere. You must try their vegan red velvet cake. Don’t make a cake the main event, ok, you can do it if you want 🙂 It’s quite reasonable, right? It’s a cool place! You pay 3 euros and you can spend there 2 hours. It’s definitely worth it. Don’t forget to order your ‘Cattucino’. Yes, they serve ‘Cattucino’.

3. Guided bus or canal cruise

They said: ‘you can not eat on the bus, ok?’ That’s why we went directly to KFC to get the biggest bucket in history. We sat comfortably at the end of the bus and enjoyed a tour. It takes around 1 or 1,5 hour (just enough to eat a KFC bucket) and you ride around the city in doubledecker. There’s an audio guide, so you just put on your headphones and listen to the story about Amsterdam. My girlfriend and I enjoyed that experience and I can recommend this to you.

There is also a very similar canal cruise tour. You go around Amsterdam in a boat and discover the city from the water perspective. I’ve never done this but it seems to be cool! I think I should finally go for it after 6 years in the Netherlands.

I feel ashamed that I have never gone for a canal cruise, but that’s how it goes when you live somewhere. You don’t do things that most tourists do.

4. Mezrab – my favorite spot in Amsterdam

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Mezrab is my favorite spot in Amsterdam, my place, my living room. It’s a location where I can feel very comfortable and I love its atmosphere. I like people coming to this venue. When you visit certain places you can meet there a particular kind of people. You meet a different kind of people at the gym, in the club, in the library, in the healthy food store, etc. You know what I mean. In Mezrab I meat people that like other human beings, people who want to laugh, talk, tell stories and live new experiences.

I know that when you come to Amsterdam you should visit some places, but.. Listen to me! Go to Mezrab first, it’s a great spot and you won’t regret this.

Mezrab is a house of live music, storytelling, stand-up and improvisation. It’s run for people, not for profit, for the sake of meeting with others, sharing experience and having fun! I wish all the best to Mezrab team! Good job guys.

5. Comedy Cafe

Let’s stay in the mood of performance, standup and underground vibe. Comedy Cafe is the next spot on my list and if you are into standup it’s also a must go on your list. Look, if you are not into stand-up this is still a cool place and you won’t regret any minute you spent there. Amazing comedy groups and top notch comedians are performing in Comedy Cafe. If you would like to visit this place you should first check out an Agenda – Link Here

Entrance fee is in the 7 – 18 Euro range. It’s definitely a good price for the amount of fun you get. Even paying 18 Euro is a great deal, my friend.

6. The Mulligans

Aren’t Irish bars everywhere? Of course! It’s because they are the best bars in the world and Irish music is the best music on this planet. The more Guinness you drink, the better it gets – trusts me, I know what I am saying. Last year I visited Ireland and I haven’t been to better parties since then.

Let me explain something to you – Dutch people don’t dance, they just stand in one spot and get drunk, slowly but persistently. Irish people run all over the place, spilling the beer, screaming out loud, dancing and just having fun. That’s why I love Irish people and I love Irish bars. The Best Irish pub with live music in Amsterdam is The Mulligans. If you don’t visit Mulligans, please don’t talk to me, alright? ^^

7. 9 streets

Free and amazing. In two words that’s what I can say about 9 streets district. It’s a very old part of the city, with beautiful houses, amazing canals, and lovely little stores. If you’ve seen photos from Amsterdam, probably you’ve seen photos taken in this part of the city (or in Jordan district).

I think Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful towns in the world and for sure it’s unique, one of a kind. There is no other place with similar architecture and atmosphere. What I like most about Amsterdam is its vibe. It’s a city of freedom, creative people and internationality. Amsterdam is a place where you can be yourself, wear and do whatever you want, and no one around judges you.

There is even a website dedicated only to negen straatjes ( 9 streets ). It’s in English and you can find a link here. You find there everything you need to know about this part of the city. Enjoy!

8. Visit Haarlem

As I said in the very beginning, I am not telling you just to visit other cities near Amsterdam. I am telling you which places in the area close to this city are really worth visiting. So I am telling you: go to Haarlem. It’s only 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam and it’s one of the most remarkable cities I’ve ever been to.

I’ve been living in Haarlem for the last 5 years and it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands. I’ve heard many opinions that Haarlem is, in fact, the most beautiful city in the Netherlands. There are some cool spots here and one of them is a windmill restaurant – Link Here You can visit the windmill, climb it up and admire Haarlem from above or just go to the restaurant and enjoy cheesecake with whipped cream!

I love Haarlem narrow medieval streets. You can just walk around all day long. When you visit Haarlem you should go to the market square, Jopen Kerk and Frans Hals Museum. If I were you, I would start from Botermarkt, continuing to Jopenkerk, then to the market square and at the end to windmill restaurant. That was me! Your private guide 😀

9. Vondelpark

Some people say it’s overcrowded and it looks just like any other regular park. I’ll you something. Vondelpark is like New York Central Park! Of course, it looks beautiful, it’s located in an amazing area of Amsterdam, but for me, the most amazing part of experiencing Vondelpark is its diversity.

By diversity, I mean that you can see so many cultures, people from all over the world doing whatever they like. There are people jogging, sitting on the grass and just staring at the sky, playing football or frisbee. Kids run around and play. A girl smokes a cigarette and reads a book. There is a guy shooting a video and another one improving his rollerblading skills. You can enjoy a show of giant bubbles or feed ducks. There are so many different people but they are all in one place living together, relaxing, taking a break from their job or falling in love. This is Vondelpark and it’s a beautiful place. Keep your eyes open, seek beauty, and you will find.

10. The Waterhole

Of course, The Waterhole is an incredible spot! Entrance fee is 2 or 3 euros (depending on the day of the week) and you can enjoy live music for a few hours. When I entered this bar for the first time, I immediately fell in love. I’m afraid that one day I will move out from Amsterdam, so our breakup is inevitable and it’s going to hurt more than ever ^^

The only thing I don’t like is that beer is freaking expensive. But, to be honest, all the bars in the city center are pricy. I paid 7 euros for a pint of my favorite Guinness! Crazy! In most bars in the city center, you pay that much. For regular beer, you pay a little bit less. Sometimes you pay only 3 euros but it’s a price of small beer.

The waterhole is located on Leidseplein, a beating heart of Amsterdam. The other party & chillout center in Amsterdam is Rembrandtplein. Keep these two in mind if you plan to party.

11. Check Festivals Schedule

Do you know Afrojack, Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Tiesto or Nicky Romero? Of course, you do or at least you’ve heard about them. All of the above DJs are Dutch and The Netherlands is Festivals Heaven. I serve you now with a website where you can check upcoming events. Here it is – LINK MusicFestivalWizard. You can check there all upcoming festivals, prices and you can, of course, buy tickets.

Have you heard about The Flying Dutch or MysteryLand? These and many more take place in The Netherlands. I am going this year for Defqon and it’s going to be Legen – Dary! 😀

12. Best Vegan Junk Food in The World

I eat clean 95% of the time, but there are times when I don’t give a f… and I just go for some junk food. I mention this here because you are probably on holidays and that’s what we do on holidays, right? We have a break from our perfect lives and we want to enjoy ourselves! So let’s enjoy the greatest vegan junk food in the world – VEGAN JUNK FOOD BAR!!

I present to you Vegan Junk Food Bar! Food is amazing and everything in the menu tastes great, so you can close your eyes and choose whatever. You’ll be happy. And it’s vegan. It doesn’t matter what kind of diet you prefer, even if you aren’t a vegan I recommend you this place. You will be totally surprised that Vegan food can taste so delicious.

If you are into Vegan food you must read my another article, the ultimate list of the best vegetarian and vegan bars in Amsterdam – Link hereOn this blog you find more information about being Vegan in Amsterdam.

13. Meetup

Yes, meetup, that’s what I like! What is Meetup? It’s an app ( and of course they have internet version ) where people organize meetings, events, courses and they invite others to take part in it.

There are various meetups, for example, some people just want to hang out and have a beer, some want to play poker or board games. There are also boot camp, yoga or running meetups. You can improve your language skills on the “learn a language” meetups. As you can see there is a wide range of various meetups. Last time I attended an “expat, locals, travelers casual drink in bar Jones” and I loved it. You basically come, they give you a sticker with your name and you stick it on your t-shirt so everyone knows that you take part in a meetup. You just hang out with all these interesting people. It’s a great experience and it’s challenging but less challenging than meeting new people without any context.

14. Keukenhof

Keukenhof is open only for the very short time in the year, so it’s very probable that it’s closed right now. It’s open only for 2 months from 21.03 to 19.05. But if it’s open in the time when you visit Amsterdam you should definitely go there. Can you imagine that they plant over 7 million bulbs and they all bloom in the spring? You can admire more than 800 000 tulip varieties. It’s a very unique experience.

This garden is quite big so I would plan to spend there all day. If you would like to learn more about Keukenhof, feel free to explore their website – link here

15. TonTon Club

I like this spot a lot. It’s a bar/restaurant in the old school gaming mood. You can play there Yenga, Crysis, monopoly, other cool board games or you can enjoy arcade games such as Pac-man, racing, pinball, asteroids, street fighter. Who doesn’t like old school games?:D I strongly believe that these games are even better than the new ones. Mhmm, when we start saying that something was better when we were young it means we are OLD lol.

Coming back to TonTon. You can play games for little money. For 5 Euro you get 6 coins. It’s a perfect place to go for a date or just chill with friends and have few beers. TonTon Club Has two locations. One of them is in the city center and another one is in Westerpark. I won’t say that one is better than another, just go to the one that is closer. On a sunny summer day, I would go to Westerpark. It’s only 13 minutes by bike from central station. In the park there are also other attractions or you can just lay on the grass and chill out.

16. Amsterdam Dungeon

This is my favorite “tourist trap”. I call it a tourist trap because they promote it everywhere and when I see that something is promoted so strongly I know that is a crap and they try to desperately sell it. But to be honest, it’s a great experience.

I like Amsterdam Dungeon and I can 100% recommend it. I had a great time there. Actors play their roles very well and it’s a little bit thrilling. It’s also very interactive and they always choose someone from the crowd to take part in the scene. It’s fun. Actors speak perfect English, so don’t worry that you won’t understand.

17. ARTIS Zoo

I like the idea of Zoo in the middle of the town. It was founded in 1838 so it’s almost 200 years old and it is a house of 900 different species. Artis is the name of the zoo known to visitors but the original name of this place is Natura Artis Magistra and in the Latin it means ” Nature is the teacher of art” – beautiful.

When you visit Artis zoo you can get a combine ticket for Micropia. I strongly recommend you this but more about Micropia later on.

18. Rent a Bike

I bet that you fall in love with Dutch cycling culture. At least I did. I did so much that I have written another blog about Dutch Style Bikes ^^ Link Here

Cycling in the Netherlands is effortless, because Holland is flat just like a pancake. In my country cycling was pain in the ass but here it is relaxing. Moreover Dutch created an amazing cycling infrastructure, cycling paths are everywhere, not to mention huge bike parkings.

That’s one of the best things you can do in Amsterdam. Just rent a bike a explore this city from a bike perspective. You won’t be the only one 😉 In Amsterdam, there are more bikes than inhabitants. For the bike, you pay 9 – 15 Euro a day. If you would like to learn more on where to rent a bike in Amsterdam read another article of mine Where To Rent A Bike in Amsterdam – Link Here

19. Free Ferry to Amsterdam Noord

The plan would be to rent a bike, cycle to the central station and from there take a free ferry to NDSM Noord ( ferry is completely free and you can take a bike with you ) Ferry trip is fun by itself but I am sure you will also enjoy Amsterdam Noord.

First of all it’s much easier to discover Noord when you have a bike. It’s way too much walking if you don’t. Amongst the best things to do in Amsterdam Noord are: Hang Out in NDSM, Visit Eye Film Institute and go for a coffee to Windmill D’Admiraal.

My favorite part of Amsterdam Noord is NDSM, where is the best and the biggest flea market in Amsterdam, Hippie skatepark, Old hall with urban graffiti on the walls. The atmosphere is cool. In fact, this flea market is called Ij Hallen and it is the biggest flea market in Europe.

20. Coffeeshop Tour

What about having a break in one of Amsterdam Coffeeshops? Don’t confuse cafe and coffeeshop. If you want a latte and apple pie you should visit Cafe, not a coffeeshop. In Coffeeshop you also get a coffee but it’s not served by a barista. It’s served by Budtender, a guy whose profession is to sell weed. Probably in other countries, you would call him a different way <lol> but in Amsterdam it’s just a regular job.

There are over 200 coffeeshops in Amsterdam and they are all different. In some of them, you can smoke. In others, you can only take away, in some you can try spaces cakes or play a billiard. I put together a list of The Best Coffeeshops in Amsterdam – Link Here

If you don’t want to read a whole article I can recommend you some coffeeshops. My favorite one is called The Stud and I for me it’s the best one in Amsterdam. But it’s not in the city center. If you are in the center you can go to Boerejongens,Paradox, La Tertulia or Dampkring.

21. FoodHallen

Foodhallen is the indoor food market and you can eat here delicious snacks, drinks, courses from all over the world. In the center of the hall, there is a place where you can seat and around there are vendors selling their dishes. All of them are totally different. You can try sushi, Mexican food, oysters, burgers, vegan and vegetarian food, Chinese, Thai noodles, ice creams or yogurt.

I like this place beccause of its internatonal atmosphere. There are people from all over the world. DeHallen are not only about food. There are little cafes, shops, exhibitions, cinema and hotel.

If you would like to learn more about De Hallen You should check out their website – link here Sometimes it can be pretty crowdy. I wouldn’t go there on a sunny weekend day. There were times that I’ve been waiting even 45 minutes in the line.

22. Pathe Tuschinsky Cinema

They say it is the most beautiful cinema in the world. I have never been in other so-called ” the most beautiful” cinemas in the world but this one is exceptionally good-looking. I thought that because it’s so famous it is also very expensive. I was surprised when I realize that prices are the same as in other cinemas in the Netherlands. It’s because Cinema Tuschinsky is part of the Pathe cinema chain in Holland.

When you go for a movie you want to go to the big screening room ( Grote Zaal ) because small ones are not that cool anymore. The Big one is astonishing. You can even search some images on internet.

If you would like to get tickets for movies here you can buy them — Link

23. Feed Little Goats

This is the place where even strong, angry men have a smile on their face. The goat farm is located in Amsterdamse Bos, a lovely park for a sunny afternoon. There are goats (baby goats too) cows, chickens, pigs. You can feed goats with some dry food ( you need some change because for the dry food you pay 20 cents and you can get it only with cash ) you can feed little goats with milk and cows with hay. There is also a little restaurant where you can have some oganic food, buy bio eggs, or homemade goat cheese.

How to Get To Goatfarm Ridammerhoeve? The Best way to get there is by bike. Unfortunately, with public transport, it takes even longer than by bike and by car, you’ll be there maybe 10 minutes quicker, so it doesn’t really make any sense. Rent a bike and in 40 minutes of relaxed ride from central station, you’re on the farm. If your hotel is even closer to the south of the town and most probably it is, you’ll get there even faster. From Vondelpark it is 27 minutes cycling.

24. Street Art Hunt

Amsterdam is a city of art and you can see this on every corner. There are countless little art studios, odd shops, great art museums and in the city, you can see a lot of street art.
To hunt some cool street art locatons you should check instragram, try goe caching, of just get lost in the city.
Read this article on iamexpat.nl about street art in Amsterdam and the best spots for street art – link

IF you are into art you must visit Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Vermeer museums. Museumplein is your place.

25. Heineken Experience

I didn’t feel like going to Heineken Experience. I don’t like that kind of touristic spots that are promoted in each hotel, on every wall. I have a feeling that they try to sell something that was created just for tourists. When I travel I don’t visit the most popular places but I try to discover how local people live.

I wasn’t very excited about Heineken Experience but my father-in-law was coming and because he likes beer I took him to this brewery. In short, it was cool, we’ve got drunk and we bond as never before ;]

Heineken Experience is a cool place to go, it’s very interactive and you explore brewery on your own pace, there are no groups or anything like that. It’s a very good place to spend a weekend on a rainy day. Ticket costs 18 Euro and if you buy a comined ticket with canal cruise you pay 27 Euro per person.

26. Anne Frank House

This place should be on the Amsterdam Bucket List of every person. Of course it is not the most enternatining and fun place on the earth, but times when Anne was living weren’t fun too. The value and lesson you learn in this spot is priceless, for kids and for adults.

Anne Frank was a little Jewish girl living in Amsterdam during the Holocaust. She together with her family was hiding on the back of the small house in Amsterdam. After 2 years of hiding, Anne Frank was taken to the concentration camp where she was killed. During her time in Amsterdam, she was writing a diary which survied till today. She became a symol of hope and recollection of our past mistakes.

You can get a ticket only online. This museum is very little and you must arrange your visit in advance.

27. Try Dutch Food

Dutch cuisine isn’t Italian cuisine, nor French. I would compare it more to American. It’s nothing extraordinary but they have some gems which you should definitely try.

When it comes to sweets you want to try stroopwafels, oliebolle, and poffertjes. There is also a very typical for the Netherlands licorice, but you don’t really have to try this one ;P I don’t like it.

Another thing that is a must try in Amsterdam is kibbeling. These are soft fish chunks often served with spices and garlic sauce. Kibbeling is my favorite Dutch food. Often you can get fresh fries made on a spot out of fresh potatoes. They are also very good.

28. Jump Square

This one is for people who like fun, laugh and who are into sports. Jump square is a huge 2400m2 hall with trampolines. You can just jump, play dodgeball, basketball, climb a wall or try to walk over the foam cubes on a balance line ( It’s freaking difficult. I was trying to do it for few times and I did it only once. It’s about focus and balance. It was challenging and fun ^^ – only foams were a little stinky )

If you don’t do high-intensity sports half an hour in Jump Square may be enough for you. Don’t forget to warm up before you go crazy jumping.

For half an hour you pay 9 Euro and for 1 hour 13 Euro. If you aren’t in a good shape half an hour is enough. Then you can hit the bar and get drink and cool down.

29. Canal Cruise

This is one of the best ways to explore Amsterdam. There is an audio guide which tells you the story of Amsterdam. It’s actually a very interesting story. This town isn’t known for its internationalism and freedom since yesterday. It’s been like this for ages.

There are 168 canals in Amsterdam which measure together 50 km. The most known canals and the most beautiful at the same time are: Herengracht, Keizergracht, Singel and Prinsengracht.

There are also 1281 bridges in Amsterdam and it is more than in Venice. Welcome in the Venice of the Netherlands!! Btw. Amsterdam is better than Venice! ^^

30. Micropia

Micropia is a museum dedicated to microbes. If you are into science this is a place for you.

Micropia is located in Artis Zoo and you can get a combined ticket for Artis Zoo and Micropia. It’s definitely worth it. Micropia is a cool museum and you learn a lot. It’s fun especially for children, but for adults also.

31. Leidseplein

Leidseplein is crowded square on the south of the canal ring. It’s located in the entrance to the Vondelpark. When hitting pubs that’s a place where you wanna be. There is always something happening, you can see artists, dancers or musicians performing.

There are many great pubs and among them, my favorite is Waterhole, a live music bar.

I must tell you also about Melkweg. In this club, there are great events, parties, and concerts. When you get hungry I can recommend you a Poke Perfect, a Hawaiian restaurant.

32. NEMO Science Center

What is NEMO? It’s a science center with various exhibitions, interactive attractions, in short – lots of fun, laugh and learning. It’s a cool spot not only for children but also for adults.

You can spend up to 5 hours in Nemo if you really want to take it easy and explore this museum in depth. It has 5 floors and on each on them are different exhibitions. After a tour you can seat on the rooftop of Nemo building and admire Amsterdam from height.

The entrance to Nemo cost 17.50 Euro but you can find a good combined deal, for example with canal cruise. If you have a musem card or Iamsterdam card entrance is free.

33. Red Light District

For sure the Red Light District is worth visiting but don’t get excited too much. I mention RLD in this article because most tourists know this place. In my opinion, there is nothing special. If I were a tourist I would go there for 20 minutes walk after dinner and that’s it.

There are countless bars, restaurants, coffeeshops. Of course in the red light district, you can find window brothels. There are around 300 in Amsterdam. For 15-20 minutes with a girl, you pay around 50 Euro.

From the city center, you can get to Red Light District in a matter of minutes.

34. Escape The Room

Do you know the idea of escape rooms? It’s getting more and more popular these days. It’s fun when you do this with a group of friends. There are many escape rooms in Amsterdam. There are few of which I know they are worth visiting. The best escape rooms in Amsterdam are:

• Game Over Escape Room
• Amsterdam Catacombs
• Sherlocked
• Logic Locks
• Escape Room Questomatica

This attractions are pretty expensive but if you go with a group of friends it’s not that bad.

35. Visit The Biggest Flea Market in Europe

Ijhallen is the biggest and best flea market in Europe. I’ve been there twice and it was fun. It’s huge and you can find there anything you want. Check This site for the current agenda.

There are 750 stands available so you can imagine the size of this market. If you would like to rent a stand and become a vendor for 1 day you pay 31 Euro for a small stand and 38 Euro for a big one.

It’s a fair price and if you own a lot of old things you can earn some money. At the same time, it can be a pretty cool experience. If you want to do it, let me know and we go together ^^

Entrance costs 5 Euro for adults and 2 Euro for children. Parking next to the flea market terrain costs 1,30 Euro per hour. If you are willing to walk 15 minutes you can find free parking nearby. For more info about free parking read my other article: Is There a Free Parking in Amsterdam? On This Website, you can find a map with free parking areas.

36. Jordaan

Probably before you came to Amsterdam you’ve seen some amazing photos on the internet. It’s very probable that they were taken in Jordan. Narrow streets and gorgeous canals – this is Jordaan.

When you visit Jordaan you should get a beer at Cafe Chris ( it’s almost 400 years old cafe ) and visit Boom Chicago ( It’s Amsterdam’s heart of comedy and improvisation) Both spots highly recommended.

In Jordaan there is also a Houseboat museum and Cheese museum, but the best thing you can do is just walk, find place you like and chill out. This area of the town is lovely.

37. Cafe De Dokter

Cafe De Dokter is a very small cafe with a vintage style. You may fall in love with an owner, it’s a funny guy. It is one of my favorite bars in Amsterdam.

Check their website to see some more photos. Here is a link.

38. Goe Caching

GeoCaching is an outdoor recreational activity. Your mobile device is connected with GPS and it shows you the way to some hidden treasures. These treasures are called “Caches”. Caches come with different size and form. When you find it, write your name in a logbook, leave there something little and start searching for the next one.

GeoCaching is getting more and more popular. It’s nothing specific for Amsterdam, it’s international and you can play it wherever you are. Maybe not everywhere but in many places in the world you can. First, start by downloading a free mobile app and then everything becomes easy. Good Luck!

39. Houseboat Museum

2500 houseboats decorate canals of Amsterdam. You may be interested how it is to live in one of these floating homes. That’s why there is a houseboat museum. You would be surprised how much space they have on these houseboats.

If you would like to give it a try, a Houseboat museum address is
Prinsengracht 296K, 1016 HW Amsterdam. Entrance for adults costs only 4,5 Euro and for museum card owners it’s free.

40. Play Bubble Football

I am sure you are familiar with Bubble football. Most probably you haven’t played it before, but now you can do this in Amsterdam.

Bubble VoetBall Amsterdam organize that kind of events. You play with 8 people and it costs 20 Euro per person. Check this website for more information.

41. Van Gogh Museum

Van Gogh Museum is located on Museumplein and entrance costs 19 euro for adults and it’s free for visitors under 18 years old. In this museum, you learn about the story behind Van Gogh art.

This museum isn’t only about paintings, but about Van Gogh art in general. It’s designed to be interactive and provide phenomenal experience to visitors. During your tour, you can listen to the audio guide and dive deep into the life of an artist.

To learn more about Vincent Van Gogh museum and to buy tickets you should visit Van Gogh website – Link Here

42. Hortus Botanicus

What is Hortus Botanicus? It is one of the oldest botanical garden in the world and it is a major Amsterdam attraction. This garden is located in Plantage part of the town. It’s just in the middle way between Het Rembrandt huis and Artis Zoo.

Tickets cost 9,75 for adults and 5,50 for youngsters. If you need some more information you should visit their website – here

43. Get Souvenirs!!

Of course you want to bring some souvenirs home. My favorite kind of souvenirs are magnets. I collect magnets and stick them to my fridge. Magnets from Amsterdam look cool, they are cheap and you can get a lot for your family and friends. It’s actually very easy way to have something cool for your close ones.

Another great souvenir is stroopwafels but for these cookies, you need some more space in your luggage. Take at least one package for yourself.

The Netherlands is a touristic country. 15,5 milion tourist visit Amsterdam every year. That’s why there are souvenir shops on every corner. Among other popular souvenirs are clogs, wooden toulips, toulip bulbs, cheese, yenever gin, cheese guilotine.

44. Spend Time with Locals

When you travel you want to live an adventure, have great memories and enjoy every moment. That’s why when I visit new places I try to search for special spots and unique experience. Often I go for withlocals.com. On this website, you can find tours, experiences, and attractions organized by local people, not by travel agencies. That’s why each tour is personalized and you get much better service.

Of course, there are many another ways to contact local people and find some cool trips. I just recommend what I use myself.

45. Try Some Local Beer

One of the most famous brewery in Amsterdam is Brouwerij Het Ij and it’s definitely worth visiting. I recommend you also to take a look on De Prael, Bruut, brewery Troost, Butchers Tears, and Two CHeefs Brewing.

If you are into beer you should visit Gollem. It is a Beer Cafe located on
Daniël Stalpertstraat 74, 1072 XK. It’s opened daily until 1 am on weekend untill 3 am. They serve over 20 kinds of beer from the tap and 60 kinds of bottled bier.

46. Visit Floating Flower Market

Yes, there is a floating flower market in Amsterdam. It’s the only one floating flower market in the world ( in Dutch called Bloemenmarkt ) Flower bulbs, souvenirs, clogs, magnets, different sort of flowers: tulips, – hyacinths, narcissus, geraniums – all of above you can find on this market.

You can find a Bloemenmarkt at Singel, 1012 DH Amsterdam. It’s located in one of the most beautiful parts of the town. This market is very close to Rembrandtplein and maybe 10 minutes walking from Dam square.

If you like flowers you should definitely visit Keukenhof – the biggest flower garden in Europe. It’s open only for two months every year. You can check opening times on their website – Link Here

47. Go to The Seaside

Within 30 minutes you can get from Amsterdam Central to Zaandvort. It’s a coastal city with a very long, wide beach. In the summertime, it’s a great way to spend your day. I am not really into lying on the beach, as I prefer being active. In fact, I do exercise daily. If you are like me and you get tired of lying on the beach I have good news for you. Zaandvort is the heart of water sports, you can rent a beach bike or jump on the trampoline. There are tones of things to do for active people. There is also a little spot I can recommend – it’s called circus and there are some oldschool arcade games. Definitely not a place to spend all day but for one hour it is fun.

What’s more, along the beach there are bars and restaurants. I mean they are literally on the beach and you can have a drink with your bare foot on the sand. Enjoy!

48. Amsterdam Canal Belt

Amsterdam Canal Belt is part of UNESCO World Heritage. When you look on the photos taken from above it looks cool but it looks even better when you walk along canals or discover them from the water.

My favorite part of Canal Belt is Singel, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht. Definitely worth Visiting. Welcome to the city built of water.

49. Ripley’s believe it or not

If you like that kind of fun, I mean interesting, funny museums, then Ripley’s is a cool attraction. It’s in Amsterdam only for few years now but I always see people there. It’s definitely for people who like World Guinness records, myth busting, fun facts etc.

For tickets you pay 21 Euro, but if you are an early bird and you are in Ripley’s between 9 and 9:30 you pay only 10 Euro. 10 Euros when you go there with a group of people sound much better.

If you need some more info or you want to buy tickets, here is Ripley’s website.

50. Take a Day Trip

It doesn’t even have to be a day trip. There are many cool spots around Amsterdam. For those visiting Amsterdam repeatedly, a day trip is a next step in discovering this beautiful country.

I have written an article about cool towns close to Amsterdam. Here is a link to this article. If you want me to tell you which city close to Amsterdam I would go to if I were a tourist it would be Utrecht or Haarlem. Haarlem is a bigger city and you need more time to explore it. Utrecht, on the other hand, is a small lovely town and everything is just in one place, so it’s easy to discover in one afternoon.

There are also cool attractions such as Walibi amusment park, Apenheul zoo with monkeys running all over around or Tikibad waterpark.

51. Madame Tussauds

Be aware of tourist traps. Each touristic city is full of attraction that are there just to pull money out of your pocket. Especially, when I see that something is promoted so heavily there is immediately a red lamp in my head. Madame Tussauds is for sure on every leaflet, every poster and you may have a feeling that this is just a piece of touristic crap but I must admit that I had a great time in Amsterdam Madame Tussauds. I can recommend it 100%. You can get some combined tickets, for example with a canal cruise in a good price.

52. Amsterdam BOS

Especially in the summertime, Amsterdam Forest is a place full of attractions. The very first thing I have seen in Amsterdamse Bos ( Bos – forest in Dutch ) was the goat farm and it was not the last time I visited this place. There are more cool places worth visiting. Go to the Amsterdam Forest website for more information. Link Here

53. Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum is a national museum of Holland and there are works of such a famous artists as Ruisdael, Vermeer, and Rembrandt.

Costs of entrace is 19 euro for adults and for children under the age of 18 it is completely free. For Iamsterdam card owners it is also free. You need 3 hours to go through this museum but if you would like to discover it in depth you may need up to 5 hours.

54. Rent a Boat

I told you before about going for a canal cruise, but you can also rent a boat and sail on your own. Get your captain cap and go on an adventure.

When you rent a boat in Amsterdam you must be aware of some boating rules. I put together and essential guide to renting a boat in Amsterdam and there are rules that you want to know. Link Here.

There are multiple boat rental companies in Amsterdam and I mention some good ones in my boat rental guide above.

55. Archery Tag

I haven’t played this one yet but it seems to be cool. It’s just like a paintball. Rules are the same but instead of guns, you shot arrows and carry a bow.

Arrows are soft and you don’t have to worry about injuries. It’s safe for children. I found a company who organise that kind of events in Amsterdam Link here

56. Bike Tour

That’s what the Netherlands is all about. As you probably already know cycling is very popular and terrain of Holland help even those who haven’t been biking for years. You can rent a bike or go on a guided tour. There are different kinds of tours. You learn more about them on guided tour websites. Some of the tours are about cycling with a guide and discovering the town. There are also tours for biking maniacs, the main goal is cycling, so you ride long distances, most of the time out of the town.

If you want to go for a guided cycle tour I recommend you this one from withlocals.com – Link Here

If you stay in Amsterdam I encourage you to rent a bike and go for a trip to Zaanse Schans. It is 1-hour cycling from Amsterdam. Here you can learn where is the best place to rent a bike in Amsterdam. Link Here.

57. Dining in The Dark

Have you heard about Ctaste? It’s a restaurant where you experience a meal in complete darkness. Why that kind of idea? It’s because by eliminating sight you allow other senses to come alive.

Have you heard that people whose vision is diminished, their other senses are heightening? In Ctaste you can experience that’s true.

It’s a bit pricey experience but definitely worth it. Read some reviews about this place on google and you won’t find any bad reviews. Maybe only about pricing, but everyone admit that experience is one of a kind.

58. Glow in The Dark MiniGolf

There are many weird but cool attractions in Amsterdam. One of them is fluorescent mini golf. You play golf in the dark and everything around shines in very bright colors. It’s a cool unique idea for a rainy day. You can get drinks there and chill for some time. It’s pretty unique experience.

Go GlowGold website for more info and tickets – Link hereOn the right side you can change langague of the website to English.

59. Iamsterdam card

This isn’t a thing to do itself, but I put it on this list because this card allow you to enter 44 museums and attractions in Amsterdam for free and this is already a plan ^^

You get an Iamsterdam card for a specific period of time. During this time you have access to attractions and museum for free. Public transport and canal cruise are also in the price of the card. You also get a 25% discount for some restaurants. If you plan to visit a few spots in Amsterdam and nearby towns it is much cheaper with this card.

You can get an Iamsterdam card here.

60. Free Lunchtime Concert

That’s a cool thing to do in Amsterdam and most of the people don’t know about it.

There are free lunchtime concerts in Het Concertgebouw. They take place every Wednesday at 12:30 pm.

These concerts are held in the Recital Hall or in Main Hall. For concerts which take place in Recital Hall, you need a ticket which is free of charge.

• To get a ticket you must go to the entrance hall.
• Tickets are available from 11:30 and because there is a high interest in free concerts you want to be on time or earlier.
• Doors to concert hall are opened half an hour before the concert begins.
• For concerts in Main Hall, you don’t need any ticket.

If you are planning to go for a free lunchtime concert you should check their schedule. Mainly these concerts are on Wednesdays but there are few exceptions. For example in July and August there are no free concerts. On this website you can check a schedule.

61. Amsterdam Look’out

I am sure you have heard and A’DAM Lookout. If not, you probably have seen photos of it. Maybe I won’t tell you anything and you just watch a video below 😉

62. Friday Night Skate

Every Friday, all year long we meet at 8 o’clock in Vondelpark and we skate together on the streets of Amsterdam. For a current agenda visit this website – Link Here. On the website you find an exact meeting location.

Of course you are a tourist and you don’t have skates. Or maybe you are local but you don’t have skates and you don’t want to buy them only for 1 event. No worries, you can rent skates in shops I mention below:

• SkateDokter address: Jan van Galenstraat 161, 1065 BR Amsterdam You can read more on their website.
• Another place is called Skatezone.nl Address: Ceintuurbaan 59, 1072 EV Amsterdam Website – Link Here

Keep in mind that when you rent skates you can give them only the next day, because when friday night skate is finished, both shops are closed.

63. Eye Film Museum

The architecture of this place is amazing. When you are inside you can walk around and learn about film history. There is cinema and you can watch movies. Check this website for current movies agenda.

You can get to Eye by ferry which runs every 5 minutes from central station. From the Eye Restaurant there is a cool view of Amsterdam harbour.

64. Free walking tour

This is a cool way of discovering the city. A guide often provides interesting information and funny stories. A walking tour takes 1,5 – 2 hours but it depends. There are multiple companies doing free walking tours in Amsterdam, just type in google free walking tour. I was wondering why these tours are free, but as my father used to say, there is nothing free on this world. The same is with free walking tours. They basically expect you to tip and the end of the tour. If a guide is a good one you tip around 10 Euro and if he is decent you tip 5 Euro, but of course you don’t have to tip and you can just walk away.

65. Cat Boat

In Dutch it is called poezenboat and it’s a nice spot for any animal lover. This boat is a cat santuary for abandoned and stray cats. Entry is, in fact free, but you should donate so they can continue their work. Be aware that you may wait a little bit. Often there is a 15 minutes queue.

You can find a catboat in the city center, a few minutes walk from the central station. Address: Singel 38G, 1015 AB Amsterdam. Singel street is one of the most beautiful streets in Amsterdam and it is a part of Canal Ring, the UNESCO heritage.

66. Narrowest House

This is quite interesting. Did you know that in the past the tax of the house was counted based on the width of the front elevation? It means the narrower house, the less you pay 🙂

That’s why there are so many narrow houses everywhere in Amsterdam. The narrowest houses are even 2 meters wide. If you want to visit real gems then I can recommend these 3 houses:

• Singel 7
• Oude Hoogstraat 22
• Kloveniersburgwal 26

And if you don’t really have that much time and you must choose only one, then visit Oude Hoogstraat 22. This house is open to public. On the bottom floor there is a little tea shop and on the second floor is a tea room. They serve breakfasts, coffee tea etc. More information on their website – Link Here

67. Chinatown Buddhist Center

People in this buddhist center are the most friendly and helpful people in the world and if you pass by it’s definitely worth visiting. It’s funny that this kind of place is just in the center of Red Light District. You won’t spend there too much time, no more than 30 minutes. Entrance is free.

68. Het Kattenkabinet

Hehe, cats again! Aren’t they crazy about cats in the Netherlands? I must tell you there are much more cat attractions, I just don’t mention all of them!

Why so many cat-related spots? Cats were the best friends of Amsterdamers for centuries. There is over 100 km of canals in Amsterdam and many old houses have a mouse issue.

Now this is not a big deal anymore, but in the past, each house, each restaurant, and a bar had their own cat 😉 Even now sometimes you can see a cat walking in the bar.

Coming back to Kattenkabinet. it is a Cat museum 😉 Yes! There is a museum only about cats! Entrance is 7 Euro and it is located on a beautiful Herengracht. Visit their website for more information – Link Here.

69. Tropenmuseum

The Tropenmuseum is a place dedicated to world cultures and it’s located in one of the most remarkable museum buildings in Holland. This is one of the largest museums in Amsterdam. It’s good for all ages and it’s very family friendly. It’s one of my favorite museums in Amsterdam because it touches problems of the current world, controversial topics and it gives valuable lessons. It’s especially worth visiting with kids.

Of course, with the museum card of Iamsterdam card entrance is free. If you don’t have any of these you pay 16 Euro for an adult, 10 for a student and children only 8 Euro.

Visit museum website for more information and tickets – Link Here.

70. Climb Westertoren

Westertoren is a historical church tower located on Prinsengracht, in the city center. There is a great view of the city from the top of the tower. A tour costs 7 Euro and it takes half an hour to climb up and go down. There is all the time a guide with you and he tells the story of a Westertoren. You don’t have to buy tickets in advance.

71. Tai Chi, Yoga or Meditation

There are many events of that kind in Amsterdam and often they take place in Vondelpark, Westerpark on in Amsterdamse Bos. You can find some of these events on Meetup. There is Tai Chi, Yoga, meditation. Many spiritual activities take place in Amsterdam and you can meet cool people in the same time. Often I go to Buddist meditation center located in Amsterdam Noord. It’s called Diamond Way Buddhist Meditation center and you can find more information on this website. Here is a link to Meetup.

72. Stedelijk Museum

Stedelijk is a museum of modern art and design. It’s huge and there are many works of modern artists. Even if you are not into art you’ll be impressed. Stedelik building itself is a masterpiece. It’s a great place to spend a rainy day in Amsterdam. Some works are very provoking, interesting and they are a great base for conversation.

Entrance price is 18,50 and here is the same as with other museums, with an Iamsterdam card or museum card it’s free of charge.

Check their website for more infromation and tickets – Link Here.

73. Rembrandthuis

Has Rembrandt been living in this house for real? Yes, he did live at
Jodenbreestraat 4 between 1639 and 1656. That’s very interesting that hundreds of years later we can still visit this place and feel a vibe of past times. You can count here on perfect service, welcoming, and helpful staff Remrandhuis is a great way to spend an afternoon in an educational way.

Rebnrandt house is opn daily from 10 am to 6 pm and you can buy tickets online for 14 Euro (adults) and 5 Euro (kids) . You need 1,5 hour to explore this exhibition in depth.

Go to Rembrandthuis website for more information and tickets – Link Here.

74. Begijnhof

Bagijnhof is one of the oldest courtyards in Amsterdam. They call it Hofje in Dutch. These courtyards surrounded by little houses were providing housing for elderly people. That was in the past and nowadays these houses are priceless. Hofjes in general are very beautiful, especially in the night, when people turn on light in their houses. What’s interesting you don’t see hofjes from the main street. You have to enter a gate and there you find a hidden courtyard.

Begijnhof is open daily from 9 am to 5 am. If you would like to see more hofjes I can recommend you visit Haarlem.

75. Karting

Kartings are very popular in the Netherlands and I can recommend you two spots where you can enjoy some speed. I was in both of them and both are cool. One of them is called Race Planet Amsterdam and another is a little bit further from the city, but you can get there easily with a train and it’s called Siverstone. I think Sivlestone is a better choice because you can also play there bowling and laser paintball. In both spots you can play billiard. Silverstone is opened a little bit longer, until 2 am when Race planet only untill 1 am.

76. Bols Distillery

I was passing by this place many times and I have never been interested in it until someone told me that it’s a cool spot. Now I would say that’s even better than Heineken Experience. It is mainly an interactive experience with many opportunities to take a photo. At the beginning, you get a bottle with a liqueur and you are instructed to open it later. I won’t tell you more, you must try it yourself.

You get a ticket for 16 Euro and it includes a drink, a very good one. If you would like to order some more at the end of the tour you can get a drink for 6 Euro and I must admit that for this quality of a drink it is a great deal.

On Fridays and Saturdays The House of Bols is open untuil 9 pm, so it is a great way to warm up before you hit a dance floor.

Sum Up

I wanted to write about 100 things to do in Amsterdam and of course, I could but then I would have to include things that I don’t like that much, and I decided to keep it shorter. Thanks to that I put on this list things that I recommend and I think they are really worth doing.