Attractions in Amsterdam

Seeing Amsterdam from the water is a genuinely different experience from street level. The canal houses, bridges and narrow passages reveal their proportions and their relationship to each other in a way that walking cannot. A one-hour cruise covers the main canal ring. Evening cruises with wine are popular for good reason. The shortest tours are usually sufficient; 75 minutes is plenty for a first visit.

The free GVB ferries crossing the IJ from behind Centraal station are one of Amsterdam’s great underused pleasures. The five-minute crossing to Buiksloterweg gives a spectacular view of the city skyline from the water. The longer NDSM ferry takes 15 minutes and drops you at the most creative quarter in the city. Both run 24 hours and are completely free. Once across, the Noorderpark and the EYE Film Museum are a short walk.

Renting a small electric motorboat and navigating the canals yourself is one of the best ways to experience Amsterdam. No licence required for boats under a certain size. You can moor alongside the houseboats, explore quieter canals away from the tourist routes and stop for a picnic. Kayaking is also available and gets you into even narrower waterways. Book ahead in summer.

A genuine 1914 houseboat open to visitors that shows what life on Amsterdam’s canals actually looks like from the inside. Around 2,500 people live on houseboats in Amsterdam and this gives a proper sense of how the interior spaces work. Small, cheap and genuinely interesting; one of the most affordable and underrated attractions in the city. See our museums guide for more on Amsterdam’s indoor cultural spaces.

The best 360-degree view of Amsterdam from the observation deck on top of the A’DAM Tower in Noord. The view takes in the city, the IJ waterfront, Centraal station and extends to the polders beyond. The Over the Edge swing, hanging over the side of the building 100 metres up, is optional but exhilarating. Reached by the free ferry from Centraal in five minutes. Combine with a walk through Noorderpark nearby.

The tallest church tower in Amsterdam and one of the finest views in the city, looking down the Prinsengracht and over the Jordaan rooflines. The climb is steep and narrow but the view from the top is unmatched for canal ring perspectives. Open April to October only. A guided climb runs to the top of the 85-metre tower. The Jordaan neighborhood surrounds the church and is worth exploring afterwards.

The rooftop terrace of the main Amsterdam public library on the Oosterdok is freely accessible to anyone and offers one of the best city views in Amsterdam, looking across the IJ, over Centraal station and the historic centre. Open whenever the library is open (until 22:00 most evenings). The best free view in the city and almost unknown to tourists.

A beautiful 1516 tower on the Oudeschans canal, one of the most photographed spots in Amsterdam that most visitors never find. The tower leans slightly and reflects perfectly in the canal below on still days. A short walk from Centraal station through a part of the old city that feels genuinely historic and unpolished.

The hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her diary during the Nazi occupation. One of the most visited and most moving museums in the world. The secret annex is preserved exactly as it was. Book weeks in advance; this sells out entirely on peak dates. Time slots are limited and the experience is powerful and sobering for visitors of all ages. See our museums guide for more Amsterdam museum picks.

A hidden medieval courtyard in the centre of Amsterdam accessible through an unmarked gate off the Spui. A community of women has lived here since the 14th century. Step inside and the noise of the city disappears completely. One of the most unexpected and peaceful spaces in Amsterdam, free to enter, silence is expected. The wooden house at number 34 dates from 1465 and is one of the oldest in the city.

One of the finest 17th-century merchant houses in Amsterdam, built for a wealthy Sephardic Jewish merchant in 1680. The painted ceiling in the main hall is extraordinary. Now a public library branch, which means you can walk in, look at the ceiling and read a book in a 340-year-old Dutch Golden Age interior for free. One of Amsterdam’s genuinely great hidden experiences. Near the Jewish Historical Museum.

A complete Catholic church hidden in the attic of a 17th-century canal house, built in 1663 when public Catholic worship was forbidden. The church seats 150 people and was used secretly for 200 years. One of the most extraordinary surprises in Amsterdam: three floors of domestic interior then suddenly a full baroque church in the roof space. Often missed by visitors who do not know it exists. See our museums guide for more hidden cultural spaces.

The house where Rembrandt lived and worked from 1639 until his bankruptcy in 1656. Meticulously restored to how it looked during his time, including his studio, cabinet of curiosities and print room. Regular printing demonstrations in the studio show how Rembrandt produced his famous etchings. An intimate and illuminating complement to seeing his paintings in the Rijksmuseum; see our museums guide for the Rijksmuseum and other top Amsterdam museums.

The largest street market in the Netherlands, running six days a week through the heart of De Pijp. Fresh produce, Dutch snacks (stroopwafels, raw herring, poffertjes), clothing, flowers and household goods from a market that has been here since 1905. The best introduction to De Pijp’s character and one of the most authentic market experiences in Amsterdam. See our neighborhoods guide for more on De Pijp and restaurants guide for eating nearby.

Amsterdam’s famous flea market on the Waterlooplein, operating since 1886. Vintage clothing, bicycles, records, antiques, tools, books and an enormous amount of interesting junk. The quality varies dramatically but the experience is genuinely Amsterdam. Good for secondhand bikes in particular; the best source of affordable secondhand cycling in the city. See our shopping guide for more Amsterdam market picks.

A self-guided tour through the original Heineken brewery, in operation from 1867 until 1988. Interactive exhibits on the brewing process, the history of Heineken and the brand’s global story, finishing with two free beers in the tasting room. More entertaining than the admission price suggests and genuinely informative about Dutch brewing history. Popular with groups. In the heart of De Pijp, combine with the Albert Cuyp Market and dinner nearby.

A working craft brewery inside a genuine 1814 windmill in Amsterdam East. One of the most photogenic spots in the city and an excellent destination in its own right; the tap room serves fresh-brewed beers directly from the tanks at reasonable prices. A windmill, a brewery and excellent beer in one location. The tram from the centre takes 15 minutes. See our bars guide for more Amsterdam East picks.

Cycling the canal ring is the single best way to experience Amsterdam. The city is built for bikes, the infrastructure is exceptional and seeing the canal houses, bridges and hidden courtyards from a bicycle at your own pace is qualitatively different from any tour. Rent from MacBike, Star Bikes or any of dozens of rental shops. The Jordaan, the canal ring and the Vondelpark circuit takes about two hours at a relaxed pace.

The rooftop of the NEMO Science Museum is freely accessible without buying a museum ticket and offers one of the finest views of Amsterdam’s historic centre, the IJ and the Eastern Docks. A waterfall cascades down the stepped green roof in summer. The terrace has a cafe and is one of the best spots in the city on a clear day. Almost nobody knows it is free. See our museums guide if you want to visit the museum itself.

A hop-on hop-off canal bus connecting the major attractions by water rather than road, stopping at the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House, the Leidseplein, the Heineken Experience and more. A practical option for those who want to cover multiple attractions in one day without walking between them. The canal perspective at each stop is an added bonus.