Fodor's Amsterdam: With the Best of the Netherlands

By Fodor's Travel Guides

Whether you want to cruise the canals, tour the Van Gogh Museum, or bike along Amsterdam's scenic streets, the local Fodor's travel experts in Amsterdam are here to help! Fodor's Amsterdam guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully-redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos.

Fodor's Amsterdam travel guide includes:

• AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do
• MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time
• MORE THAN 14 DETAILED MAPS and a FREE PULL-OUT MAP to help you navigate confidently
• COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!
• HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, museums, activities, side-trips, and more
• PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “What to Eat and Drink,” “Best Museums,” “Ultimate Experiences,” “Bicycling in Amsterdam,” and more
• TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money
• HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, art, architecture, cuisine, music, geography and more
• SPECIAL FEATURES on “Ultimate Experiences,” “What to Watch and Read Before You Visit,” and “Where to See Tulips”
• LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems
• UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: Amsterdam, including neighborhoods such as Centrum and Jordaan; Rotterdam; The Hague; Haarlem; and Delft

Planning on visiting nearby European counties and cities? Check out Fodor's Belgium, Fodor's Paris, and Fodor's Rome.

*Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition.

ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor's has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fodor's Travel
• Release date: Jul 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781640977198

Fodor's Travel Guides

For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel advice for every stage of a traveler's trip. We hire local writers who know their destinations better than anyone else, allowing us to provide the best travel recommendations for all tastes and budgets in over 7,500 worldwide destinations. Our books make it possible for every trip to be a trip of a lifetime.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Experience Amsterdam and the Netherlands

15 ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES

Amsterdam offers terrific experiences that should be on every traveler’s list. Here are Fodor’s top picks for a memorable trip.

1 Cruise the Canals

No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a boat trip along the canals that surround it. For an hour-long daytime cruise, simply walk up to any one of the various boating companies docked in the city center. (Ch. 6)

2 See Dutch Masters

The Netherlands is a treasure trove of art, from the 17th-century masters Rembrandt and Vermeer, to Van Gogh and Mondrian. (Ch. 8, 9)

3 Walk Through Vondelpark

Vondelpark is a popular gathering place. Stop in to ‘t Blauwe Theehuis for a bite to eat or just walk, bike, jog, or hang out for prime people-watching. (Ch. 8)

4 Wander in Delft

Most famous as the birthplace of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, Delft is also known for its charming 17th-century cobblestone streets, canals, and Delft Blue pottery. (Ch. 9)

5 Do the Heineken Experience

Obvious enthusiasts here are young gents traveling (or stumbling) in groups, but the Heineken Experience has been suitable for the family ever since on-site brewing stopped in 1988. (Ch. 8)

6 Expore the Anne Frank House

At this famous attraction, you can enter the Secret Annex where Anne and others hid for two years during World War II before being discovered and sent to concentration camps in 1944. (Ch. 6)

7 See How the Royals Live

The 17th-century Het Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace) was originally constructed as Amsterdam’s town hall and today is one of three palaces actively used by the Dutch royal family. (Ch. 3)

8 View Windmills Up Close

Kinderdijk, 55 km (34 miles) southwest of Amsterdam, is a collection of 18th-century windmills—and an impossibly romantic place to visit. (Ch. 9)

9 Stroll the Red Light District

See the infamous sights of the Red Light District but also be sure to check out its historic architecture. (Ch. 3)

10 Wander Through Storybook Towns

Each of the Storybook Holland towns are just a short train, bike, or drive north of Amsterdam—Volendam, Marken, Monnickendam, and Broek-in-Waterland. (Ch. 9)

11 Hang Out in a Brown Café

The name brown café comes from the walls stained by years of tobacco smoke (now banned). They are a favored hangout for conversation, a drink, and some sustenance if needed. (Ch. 3, 6, 7)

12 Sample Dutch Delicacies

Try Dutch products at the Albert Cuypmarkt, which started in 1905 in De Pijp. This market—with more than 260 stalls—lets you sample raw herring, stroopwafels, and more. (Ch. 8)

13 Shop the Nine Streets

Stroll the De Negen Straatjes, which are jam-packed with boutiques, vintage and antiques shops, specialty stores, and cafés and restaurants. (Ch. 6)

14 Stroll Rotterdam’s Historic District

Much of Rotterdam was destroyed during World War II but reminders of the city’s history still exist in places like Delfshaven, the old port area. (Ch. 9)

15 Tiptoe Through the Tulips

One of the largest flower parks in the world, with more than 7 million flowers in bloom, Keukenhof is open from late March to mid-May. (Ch. 9)

WHAT’S WHERE

dingbat Medieval Center, Red Light District, and Nieuwmarkt. In the oldest part of town, you’ll get the split personality of Amsterdam: historic marvels, as well as the infamous Red Light District.

dingbat Plantage and Amsterdam-Oost. The Plantage, with its elegant 19th-century architecture, has a handful of family-friendly attractions and some excellent museums, notably those that tell the story of Amsterdam Jewish life. Amsterdam-Oost is mostly residential with some fantastic restaurants and several nice parks, including the elegant late-19th-century Oosterpark.

dingbat The Waterfront. Before Centraal Station was built, the city center was open to the sea; today the waterfront area surrounding the station is full of new life, with exciting museums and many restaurants.

dingbat The Canal Rings and Rembrandtplein. The beautiful waterways and 17th-century mansions along the Western and Eastern Canal Rings are Amsterdam at its most scenic, interspersed with Amsterdam’s best shopping in the Nine Streets, while Rembrandtplein is a nightlife hub.

dingbat Jordaan, Westerpark, Leidseplein, and Oud-West. The Jordaan is a picturesque area to shop and eat out; next-door Leidseplein is a touristy but entertaining place to go to lose yourself in bars, night clubs, and coffee shops; residential Oud-West is a hip and happening place to be, filled with casual cafés and eateries; and Westerpark is home to a park of the same name and plenty of hip restaurants.

dingbat Museum District, De Pijp, and Oud-Zuid. This large area includes the Museum District, where you’ll find Amsterdam’s most renowned odes to art (the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Stedelijk Museum) as well as its largest green space, Vondelpark; De Pijp, a buzzy global village where you can taste a bevy of multicultural treats; and Oud-Zuid, one of Amsterdam’s most refined areas with posh homes and classy boutiques.

dingbat The Bulb Fields. From late March until mid-May, the countryside south of Amsterdam transforms into a vivid multicolor patchwork thanks to its postcard-perfect tulip fields. Floral HQ is the town of Lisse, and nearby are the gardens and glasshouses of the Keukenhof.

dingbat Storybook Holland. Within easy reach of Amsterdam is the Holland of your dreams: castles, harbor resorts, folkloric villages framed in lace, and the cleanest town in all the Netherlands.

dingbat Haarlem. Just 20 minutes from Amsterdam, this city drips as much history as its illustrious neighbor. Dominated by the imposing hulk of the Grote Kerk, many of its quiet cobbled streets have changed little since painter Frans Hals held court here.

dingbat The Hague. The center of Dutch government is more elegant and restrained than Amsterdam, with fewer canals but more tree-lined boulevards. The astonishing collection of museums is reason enough to visit.

dingbat Delft. With long canal-lined streets and medieval houses, charming Delft is like a scaled-down version of Amsterdam, without the hectic pace of capital-city life. It’s easy to understand how famed painter Johannes Vermeer found such inspiration here in the 17th century.

dingbat Rotterdam. Rebuilt almost from scratch following the devastation of World War II, Europe’s biggest port has worked hard to transform itself into a showpiece of modern architecture. By contrast, the historic area of Delfshaven—from where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for their New England—escaped intact and today makes a lovely place to explore the trendy shops and restaurants.

dingbat Utrecht. With a longer history than Amsterdam, picturesque Utrecht is divided in two by Oudegracht, a canal with unique split-level wharves flanked by restaurants and cafés. Dom Tower is the country’s tallest church tower, and the view from the top is unsurpassed.

Amsterdam Today

Amsterdam is built on a latticework of concentric canals like an aquatic rainbow, and although the city may evoke many images even before you arrive—the tulips, the gabled roofs of its mansions, the Rembrandts hypnotizing viewers in the Rijksmuseum, the splendor of its 17th-century Golden Age—time does not stand still in this city. Indeed, there’s an undercurrent of significant change happening here that might not be immediately apparent. Talk to the savvy locals and you’ll hear plenty about what’s going on in Amsterdam today. These are some of the topics on their minds.

STEPS TAKEN TO DECREASE OVERCROWDING

Though Amsterdam is home to less than 1 million people, it currently sees more than 20 million visitors a year—and at its current pace, is projected to have around 30 million visitors by 2030. To help decrease tourist congestion, no new tourist shops (such as tour companies and bike rental stores) have been permitted to open in the city center since 2017, and group tours anywhere in the city have been capped at 15 people and are not allowed to stop at high-traffic areas including on narrow bridges and in front of shops, restaurants, and private homes. In July 2023, the City Council passed a proposal to ban cruise ships from docking in the IJ Terminal near Centraal Station (currently about 300,000 cruise ship passengers visit the city each year), but it’s unclear if and when this ban will be implemented.

A SHIFT TOWARD MORE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

A substantial number of Amsterdam visitors come for the coffeeshops and Red Light tourism. Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema, former leader of the national Green party, is leading a number of proposals aimed at attracting visitors less interested in partying and more interested in culture and history, called the Vision of Tourism in Amsterdam 2035. Toward this goal, a marketing campaign aimed to get partiers to Stay Away launched in spring 2023. Organized tours have been banned from streets with sex workers’ windows in both the Red Light District and throughout the city as of April 2020, and another option on the table is to reduce the number of curtains in licensed brothels in the area and to concentrate the sex trade in a less-central prostitution hotel. Since May 2023, bars in the Red Light District must close by 2 am and can’t allow new customers after 1 am, sex work businesses must close by 3 am, and sales of alcohol from shops in the area are banned after 4 pm between Thursday and Sunday.

YOU CAN STILL SMOKE POT, FOR NOW—BUT NOT EVERYWHERE

As of May 2023, it’s illegal to smoke pot in public spaces in the old city center, which includes the Red Light District, Dam Square, and Nieuwmarkt, with fines of €100 if you do so—though imbibing in coffeeshops is still okay. That said, Halsema is looking into how to reduce the appeal of coffeeshops to tourists, including potential measures to lower their number or to ban foreign visitors from using them. Though it’s still legal for coffeeshops to sell marijuana, the growing and processing of pot is not legal, which often results in dealings with organized crime gangs to obtain their supply. There are already only 166 coffeeshops left in the city today, down from a high of 350 in the 1990s, after a government-backed project in 2017 closed coffeeshops within 250 meters (820 feet) of a school.

VACATION RENTAL RULES STAY TIGHT

Though Airbnb continues to be a popular choice for Amsterdam vacation stays, some of the strictest government rules in Europe on short-term holiday rentals have lessened the number of stays from their previous highs. Starting in January 2019, Airbnbs can only be rented out for a maximum of 30 days a year, unless they have a special short-stay license, and to no more than four people at a time. Though the city banned vacation rentals altogether in certain areas, including the Red Light District, starting in July 2020, this was overturned by the Netherlands’ highest administrative court in May 2023. How that affects the supply of vacation rentals going forward remains to be seen.

HOTELS ARE STILL OPENING, BUT PACE HAS SLOWED

Despite a ban on new hotel developments in Amsterdam’s central areas that came into effect in 2017 in an attempt to reduce overcrowding, some hotel projects already approved before that date are still being grandfathered in, resulting in an increase in Amsterdam hotel rooms to 39,954 as of 2020. One of the most prominent hotels to open in 2024 will be the Rosewood Amsterdam, in the former Palace of Justice on the Prinsengracht, with 134 rooms.

THE FOOD HAS GOTTEN BETTER

Up until a few years ago, besides the pretheater brasserie deal or a few Indonesian and Surinamese establishments, if you were looking for a good meal, your best bet was a traditional brown café (similar to a pub; named for the nicotine-stained walls from a time when you could still smoke everywhere). But there the meal would be formulaic: meat or fish, salad, and fries. Today, the quality of the food, the variety of venues, and even the historically lax customer service get an A for effort. There are dedicated vegan, BBQ, and ramen eateries dotting the city’s landscape, and a restaurant week (which inexplicably lasts a month) to entice diners. Not unrelatedly, gym culture has also grown here.

PROPERTY PRICES ARE FALLING

Housing prices had been rising steadily since 2013, with an increase of 23% in 2016. However, due to rising interest rates and inflation, home prices rose only 1.2% in 2022 and are projected to drop around 7.6% by the end of 2023. The average home price in Amsterdam was nearly €621,000 in 2022.

E-BIKES ARE BIG

In 2022, more than 855,000 new bikes were bought in the Netherlands, and about 57% of those were e-bikes. During the pandemic, more Dutch moved outside the city, making electric bikes a useful option for getting around. New tax laws as of January 1, 2020, allow the Dutch to get interest-free loans to buy e-bikes, as well as to lease e-bikes from their employers and to be reimbursed for business mileage traveled by bike.

CENTRAAL STATION’S GETTING A REVAMP

Major renovations underway at Centraal Station until 2030 will allow more room for passengers (200,000 per day currently pass through the station, expected to rise to 275,000 by 2030), add more bike parking, and increase accessibility. In the meantime, expect some shops to be closed and entrances to certain tracks to be diverted.

What to Eat and Drink in Amsterdam

BITTERBALLEN

Translated literally as bitter balls, bitterballen are basically deep-fried meatballs. These (and other fried snacks meant to be paired with beer) can be found at most local brown cafés. You’ll often find gourmet versions (such as Peking duck bitterballen) at fancier eating establishments.

FRENCH FRIES

Freshly prepared fries, also called frites or patat—often made from locally sourced potatoes and served in a paper cone—can be purchased at food stalls around town. One of the most popular versions is called patatje oorlong, or war fries: drenched in mayo, satesaus (peanut sauce), and raw onions.

CHEESE

No matter if it’s jong (young), belegen (mature), or oud (old), the Dutch live for cheese. A young Gouda has a soft consistency; as it matures it acquires a more robust flavor and a sometimes crystallized texture. Edam is very mild, with a slightly salty or nutty flavor.

HERRING AND SMOKED EEL

If you’re a sushi lover, you’ll probably enjoy a quick and easy lunch or snack at one of the many fish stalls, or haringhandels, found around the city. The prime treat is haring, herring that has been saltwater-cured in vats and is usually eaten sliced with a little onion and pickle, or on a sandwich. Rich and moist gerookte paling (smoked freshwater eel) is another popular choice.

APPELTAART

Amsterdammers’ favorite sit-down dessert is the ubiquitous appeltaart. Some appeltaarts are more like cake and some more like pie, some chock-full of apples and some heavier on the cinnamon; they’re always best served warm. For some of the tastiest appeltaart in town, try Winkel 43 in the Jordaan neighborhood.

STROOPWAFEL

For an on-the-go dessert, the stroopwafel is a winning choice: it generally consists of two soft waffles stuck together with a caramel-like syrup called stroop. They’re best eaten warm from the griddle, though they can also be bought in prepackaged form. Find them all over the city and at stalls in the Noordermarkt and Albert Cuypmarkt.

RIJSTTAFEL

Expect a feast at a rijsttafel (rice table) dinner, available at Indonesian restaurants across town. Meals include an average of 15 dishes of vegetables, meats, and fish served with rice and designed to be shared by the table. Popular dishes include saté kambing (skewered goat in a rich sauce) and gado-gado (vegetables in peanut sauce)—just be prepared for some spice.

PANCAKES

Dutch pancakes are generally larger and thinner than what is usually found in the United States, and with both sweet and savory toppings, pannenkoeken (pancakes) are a mainstay on the menu at many Amsterdam cafés. Also look for stalls around the city and in the markets that sell tasty poffertjes (minipancakes), served with butter and powdered sugar.

BEER

Amsterdam beer is not all about Heineken and Amstel—in fact, microbreweries have popped up all over the city over the past few years. Brouwerij ‘t IJ, next to the De Gooyer Windmill in Amsterdam Oost, is one of the original craft brewers, while upstarts include Brouwerij De Prael.

SURINAMESE CUISINE

Reasonably priced Surinamese (Indo-Chinese) food from this former Dutch colony in South America can be found throughout the city. Dishes to look for include roti (flatbread), bami goreng (stir-fried noodles), or nasi goreng (fried rice), all served with lamb, chicken, beef, or vegetables.

JENEVER

Sometimes called Dutch gin, jenever is produced by distilling malt wine (made of corn, wheat, and rye) and adding in a distillate of juniper berry and other herbs and botanicals. Proeflokalen (tasting rooms) where you can try some jenever include 17th-century Wynand Fockink and De Drie Fleschjes.

What to Buy in Amsterdam

CHEESE

One of the most famous Dutch specialties is their cheese (kaas), and the most popular varieties are Gouda and Edam, named after the towns where they’re from. Check out De Kasskamer in the Nine Streets or Noordermarkt in the Jordaan for a wide and tasty selection.

JENEVER

This Dutch gin is created from a distilled malt wine (corn, wheat, and rye) mixed with a distillate of juniper berry. Bols, the oldest distillery in the world, has a museum in Amsterdam that you can visit for a tour and tasting, and then buy your own bottle to take home. You’ll find other brands at shops throughout the city.

DELFTWARE POTTERY

The iconic blue-and-white pottery has been produced in Delft since the 17th century. Today only one producer, the Royal Delft Factory, is still in operation, and its hand-painted pieces such as vases or tableware make lovely and functional souvenirs.

CHOCOLATE

The Dutch have long had an interest in chocolate, starting as far back as the colonization of Suriname with its wealth of cocoa plantations in the 17th century. Today, Amsterdam is the world’s biggest cocoa port, and it’s an excellent place to shop for chocolate. Head to one of the city’s noted chocolate boutiques for chocolate bars, bonbons, and hot chocolate.

TULIPS

Tulips are practically synonymous with Holland. To take some home, be sure to buy bulbs that are specially packaged, sealed, and marked for transport to the United States; otherwise, they’ll be confiscated by customs. The Bloemenmarkt is a good place to shop, and if you’re planning to visit the Keukenhof tulip fields, they have an excellent selection.

DUTCH DESIGN

Ever since Gerrit Rietveld produced his Red and Blue Chair, contemporary Dutch Design has been the darling of high-style fans the world over. Today’s designers have given old Dutch crafts a much-needed makeover, such as Moooi’s iconic collection of Royal Delft vases (designed by Marcel Wanders, whose work can also be marveled at in the Stedelijk Museum as well as throughout the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht); United Nude’s classy clogs; Droog’s press-on tattoo inspired by a 17th-century floral still life; and Piet Hein Eek’s gorgeous patchwork cabinets.

DESIGNER DENIM

Amsterdam is one of the world’s denim capitals, and a number of well-known denim labels are headquartered here—G-Star, Scotch & Soda, Kings of Indigo, Denham, and Kuyichi, to name a few. All that indigo doesn’t come cheap, but there are plenty of places to buy local designer denim close to the source for what might be the most practical souvenir you can ever take home.

STROOPWAFELS

Though nothing can beat a fresh stroopwafel—two freshly griddled waffles with caramel syrup oozing in between, found at Amsterdam’s markets such as Albert Cuypmarkt and Noordermarkt, as well as specialty shops throughout the city—packaged stroopwafel is a way to bring home some of the sweet flavors of the Netherlands without making a mess. You can find them at any grocery store (Stach makes some especially tasty ones), or pick some up at the airport before you leave.

LICORICE

Sweet, salty, extra-salty, flavored with jalapeños or anything else they can come up with, the Dutch have a deep and abiding love for drop (licorice). It comes in seemingly endless varieties and shapes in shops around the city. A fun place to buy your drop is at the old-fashioned candy store Oud-Hollandsch Snoepwinkeltje in the Jordaan, where glass jars of sweet (and salty) treats line the walls.

VINTAGE FASHIONS AND ACCESSORIES

Vintage fashion is popular in Amsterdam. Head to the Nine Streets area for vintage handbags by labels such as Chanel and Gucci, or 1970s bell bottoms and 1950s prom dresses. Many shoppers snag a pair of decorative clogs, the shoes Holland is known for.

Under the Radar in Amsterdam

TONY CHOCOLONELY SUPER STORE

Create your own chocolate bar at Tony Chocolonely using their Unlimiteds machine: Just choose the type of chocolate (dark, milk, or white), the ingredients (from caramel to pretzels), and the colors of the packaging, and then personalize your bar with whatever name you choose.

CRANE HOTEL FARALDA

For one of the most unique hotel experiences anywhere, check out the Crane Hotel Faralda—three suites built inside a 50-meter (164-foot) crane—just across the IJ River from Central Station. Rooms are designer chic, and the views are spectacular. There’s also a hot tub on the top of the crane.

OT301 CULTURAL CENTER

This former squat on the Overtoom in the Oud-West is now a thriving nonprofit cultural center with artist residencies, a cinema showing underground and alternative films, a gallery, and a club featuring music, dance, and theater performances. The door to OT301 is open all the time.

HET KLEINSTE HUIS

The smallest house in Amsterdam, Het Kleinste Huis, located near the Red Light District, was built in 1738 and measures only 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches) wide and 5 meters (16 feet 4 inches) deep. Inside, you’ll find a large variety of teas, tea accessories, and sweets on offer, as well as what’s purportedly the smallest teahouse in the world—and it is indeed tiny, with one table on the first floor and one on the second.

ELECTRIC LADYLAND

Tucked into the charming Jordaan neighborhood, the compact Electric Ladyland—the First Museum of Fluorescent Art, is a passion project of owner Nick Paladino. As you learn about the history of fluorescent art, you’ll see an interactive installation created by Nick himself, as well as a collection of natural fluorescent rocks. It’s a trippy and one-of-a-kind experience.

PLLEK

Hang with the Amsterdam hipsters at this quirky restaurant made from shipping containers alongside the IJ River in industrial NDSM. Pllek offers plenty of couches to chill before or after enjoying the mostly organic and vegetarian food on offer. Outside you’ll find a large terrace and sandy beach, all that’s needed to turn Pllek into an urban hot spot.

A’DAM LOOKOUT/OVER THE EDGE

If you’re not afraid of heights, head across the IJ River to Amsterdam Noord to try out the highest swing in Europe, atop the A’DAM Toren building. It’s appropriately called Over the Edge, and has a dizzying height of 100 meters (328 feet). Here you can swing out over the water for five minutes—enough time to gawk at the lovely Amsterdam skyline.

VUURTORENEILAND

The five-hour dinner experience on Vuurtoreneiland, or lighthouse island, starts with an hour-long boat ride, when you’ll sail along the IJ River all the way to this island in the Markermeer, about 12 km (7½ miles) from Amsterdam. Once there, enjoy a five-course menu made with local products and cooked completely on an open fire. In the summer months, you’ll dine in the glass greenhouse, while winter months finds diners eating inside former barracks.

MICROPIA

The only museum in the world to focus on microbes—microorganisms too small to be seen by the naked eye that live all around us—Micropia uses interactive exhibits to teach about their benefits and pitfalls. Highlights include plenty of microscopes through which you can view living organisms and a kiss-o-meter where you’ll see how much bacteria are exchanged during a kiss.

REM

REM is a restaurant within a former oil platform turned pirate TV station, moored high up on the IJ River. You can see out to the river and harbor while dining on modern and eclectic Dutch cuisine.

The Best Museums in Amsterdam

STEDELIJK MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

The Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art displays more than 700 artworks dating from 1880 to the present. Permanent collection highlights include pieces by Malevich, Mondrian, Kusama, Koons, and Kiefer. There are also always-exciting temporary exhibitions to check out.

MUSEUM REMBRANDTHUIS

The Golden Age master was born in Leiden, though he worked, went bankrupt, and died in Amsterdam. Restored to mirror his daily life, this museum is the house where Rembrandt lived from 1639 to 1656. Exhibitions are mounted alongside a selection of his nearly 300 etchings.

RIJKSMUSEUM

The Rijksmuseum’s most famous artwork, Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, has pride of place in its own gallery; other renowned works include Vermeer’s Woman Reading a Letter and The Milkmaid and Frans Hals’s Portrait of a Couple.

ANNE FRANK HOUSE

This is the home of the most widely read Dutch author, and the setting of her famous book. Some might be too haunted by the story’s tragic ending to relish a visit, but many can appreciate the foundation’s efforts to raise awareness about Europe’s anti-Semitic past and discrimination everywhere. Visits are possible only with online timed tickets purchased in advance.

VAN GOGH MUSEUM

View the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh paintings at—where else?—the Van Gogh Museum. Many of his most famous works can be seen here, from Sunflowers to The Potato Eaters to The Bedroom. The museum also holds temporary exhibitions exploring modern artists inspired by Van Gogh plus painters that had an influence on Van Gogh’s work.

AMSTERDAM MUSEUM

Though given relatively little marquee space, this is an excellent place in which to invest your time and attention. Amsterdam’s history is engagingly displayed all under one roof, with more than 100,000 pieces that tell the story of Amsterdam from medieval times until the Golden Age, through the radical ’60s, and up to life in the current millennium. Parts of the museum’s collection are being shown at H’ART Museum while the original building is undergoing reconstruction until 2025.

ONS’ LIEVE HEER OP SOLDER (OUR LORD IN THE ATTIC MUSEUM)

This 17th-century canal house tucked inside the Red Light District has a Catholic church hidden away in the upper floors; at the time, dissenters from the Dutch Reformed Church were not allowed to worship in public. Besides the secret church, the well-preserved rooms, including the 17th-century kitchen, are well worth a peek.

FOAM

The Netherlands’ most visited museum dedicated to photography showcases regularly changing exhibitions featuring international contemporary photographers, with an average of 16 shows a year. It also champions young talent both within the museum and in an annual traveling group show.

H’ART MUSEUM

The former Hermitage Museum collaborates with the Centre Pompidou, the British Museum, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum to show regularly changing contemporary exhibitions with a global perspective.

HET SCHEEPVAARTMUSEUM (THE NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM)

You can learn about the Netherlands’ fascinating shipping history at one of the largest maritime collections in the world, with about 400,000 objects on display, from maps to paintings to navigation instruments. Especially interesting is the chance to explore the inside of the full-scale replica of the East Indiaman Amsterdam ship docked outside the museum.

Amsterdam with Kids

For each racy adult attraction Amsterdam offers, there are several that deserve a PG rating (for Pure Goodness) to entice the entire family. It’s not for nothing that UNICEF identified Dutch children as the happiest in the world. Alongside exceptional infant care and happy dairy cows, the peaceful, tolerant society produces chill parents who tend to raise remarkably well-adjusted little ones. Here are tips on what to do with your own.

KID-FRIENDLY MUSEUMS

Some cultural catch-alls are exceptionally child-friendly: the Rijksmuseum offers a family activity book for kids ages eight and up, and the Van Gogh Museum has a treasure hunt for younger kids and a checklist for older kids. But if the olden days bore them, go find NEMO. The Netherlands’ biggest science museum is sure to entertain (and educate) multiple generations with its five floors of clever exhibits and live demonstrations, and the pitched roof deck has a spectacular view of city and shore. If that view stirs the nascent mariner within, visit the Scheepvartmuseum, which showcases 500 years of Dutch naval history, with everything from sea-battle paintings and old-fashioned sailing compasses to a walk-in whale and a replica of the Amsterdam, an 18th-century Dutch East India Company cargo ship.

CHECK OUT THE ANIMALS

Compared with other metropolitan zoos, Artis is small, but the animal-sensitive surroundings represent the sensibilities of the first country to elect an animal-rights party to Parliament. From apes to zebras, all the major species are present, plus there are regular butterfly expos and spectacular (read: slightly gruesome) feeding sessions. Your ticket also grants you entrance next door to the planetarium and the not-to-be-missed aquarium. The wonderfully interactive Micropia, billed as the world’s first microbe museum, is also part of Artis. Tickets to the museum are sold separately if you don’t feel like splashing out on zoo entrance fees.

Who doesn’t want to hold, pet, and feed rabbits, goats, and guinea pigs? Free public petting zoos, or kinderboerderij, are not uncommon in Amsterdam and the iAmsterdam website lists ones around the city. The Kinderboerderij de Pijp in the De Pijp neighborhood, is especially welcoming; it’s open weekdays 11 to 4:45, weekends 12 to 4:45.

RUNNING, BIKING, AND BOATING

Sometimes it’s just a good idea to get the kids out into the fresh air. First choice in Amsterdam is the very central Vondelpark, where there are playgrounds for the younger ones and pleasant paths for biking with older children. Westerpark and Amsterdamse Bos are also fantastic spaces for children to run or bike around. Most kids (and adults, too) jump at the chance for a boat ride, and Amsterdam’s canals offer plenty of opportunities.

EATS TO PLEASE ALL AGES

You can’t go wrong with stopping for the quintessential Dutch meal: pancakes. Find the most kid-pleasing versions at The Pancake Bakery in the Western Canal Ring or Boerderij Meerzicht in the Amsterdamse Bos. Stroopwafel from one of the many markets is also a surefire hit.

Free or Almost Free

In Amsterdam, staples like food, beer, and flowers are relatively inexpensive, but there are lots of ways to keep trip costs down, too.

CULTURE

There are plenty of free artworks to gaze at, in addition to the monumental museums. For starters, see some paintings from Dutch 17th-century masters right after you arrive at Rijksmuseum Schiphol, the first-ever museum in an airport, where the exhibitions rotate every few months and can be viewed 24 hours a day. You’ll find the collection on the first floor of the terminal building between lounges 2 and 3.

Even if you’re not searching for your Dutch ancestors in its 50 km (31 miles) of records, the free Stadsarchief Amsterdam (City Archives) merits a visit for the permanent exhibition of artifacts and ephemera documenting the city. Seeing the insides of the former bank building itself is worth the tour.

MUSIC, DANCE, AND MORE

Free lunchtime concerts take place around the city almost all year long (except for June, July, and August). Classical performances are usually at 12:30 pm on Tuesday in the Dutch National Opera & Ballet, monthly on Thursday in the Muziekgebouw, and on Wednesday in the Concertgebouw (also in June). Arrive about half an hour early to guarantee a seat. Some churches have free concerts, too: check out the Westerkerk on Wednesday at 1 pm year-round.

The summer festival schedule often means free musical opportunities: there are free concerts in the Vondelpark (w www.openluchttheater.nl), canalside classical recitals (w www.grachtenfestival.nl), dance performances in public squares (w julidans.nl/en), and open-air movies on the IJ riverbank (w plukdenacht.nl/en). The traveling theater festival Parade (w deparade.nl/english) has €3 admission before 3 pm. Cultural festivals in the Oosterpark, like the Amsterdam Roots Festival (w www.amsterdamroots.nl/en), are free, too.

PUBLIC SPACES

By day any of Amsterdam’s public parks is ideal for a stretch or a stroll. The centrally located Vondelpark is a favorite, though Sarphartipark in De Pijp, with its lovely gardens, and Westerpark, with its repurposed gas works buildings, are also worth seeking out. The city’s public library, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, has floors and floors of free books to browse and computers to use, as well as concerts, art projects for the little ones, and a rooftop café where the drinks aren’t free but the to-die-for view is.

WATERWAYS

A guided canal cruise is the finest way to appreciate Amsterdam’s inner waterways, but go local and hop on one of the free ferries behind Centraal Station. Commuters shuttling between the city center and the borough of Noord rely on the three main lines, though the boats are open to anyone—pedestrian or cyclist. The NDSM Wharf line (ferry F4) offers the longest ride (14 minutes) and leaves every 15 minutes on weekdays (less frequently in the evenings) and more often on weekends.

Cycling in Amsterdam

Getting around on two wheels has long made sense for Amsterdammers. The city’s denizens are proud of their reputation as frugal, efficient, sporty, and eco-conscious—qualities all embodied in and on a bike. That their country is flat and the weather mostly moderate, and with petrol and parking pricey commodities, the bike has been a no-brainer for eons. But it’s wise to take a few safety precautions.

STEADY WINS THE RACE

Getting stuck behind a swerving slowpoke can create problems: some speedy Amsterdammers lose their cool and forget the traffic rules. If you’re mounting a bike to help nurture that inner child who misses the joys of a banana seat, it might be best to work through that desire in a residential neighborhood, a park, or smaller town. But if you feel you’re enough of a biking pro and want to go native, join the rest of the cyclists who make up downtown Amsterdam’s rack pack. Slow? Fast? Actually, when it comes to city biking, steady is the way to go.

Note that most rental bikes have hand brakes, and you’ll pay more for an e-bike.

RENTING YOUR RIDE

Getting a bike in Amsterdam is easy. Tourist-friendly rental shops dot the city center. Walk in, have the shopkeeper size you up, hand over a bit of collateral (usually a credit card or your passport plus €50), and you’re ready to roll.

Although small cycle shops are popping up all over, citywide chains MacBike (w www.macbike.nl) and Yellow Bike (w www.yellowbike.nl) have dominated the market for decades. Both are good choices for guided group tours within Amsterdam or its surrounds and most have maps