Amsterdam in 5 Days: tips, what to see, and much more

Getting around Amsterdam is fairly easy. The efficient public transport system can take you anywhere in the city in under an hour. You can follow your instincts and wander around the city, or follow this five-day itinerary for Amsterdam to make the most of your trip.

In this 5-day itinerary, the idea is to explore the most important areas of central Amsterdam before taking a short tour of the south and north of the city. There will be a brief description of the itinerary for each day, so I won’t go into further detail here.

On the first day, it’s always a good idea to explore the city on foot, at least the most interesting spots. Plus, the city’s flat terrain and cool temperatures mean you won’t get too tired. This tour takes in Dam Square, the Royal Palace and the Begijnhof, before rounding off the day with a canal cruise.

Dam Square

The ever-vibrant Dam Square is the first place to visit. You can watch trams passing by every few seconds, hundreds of people on their bikes and tourists everywhere.

The National Monument stands on one side and the Royal Palace on the other. I recommend spending some time soaking up your first impressions of Amsterdam before heading to the magnificent Royal Palace.

Amsterdam Royal Palace

Spend a couple of hours marvelling at the architecture, the royal furnishings and the works of art at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. Admission to the Royal Palace costs €10 and tickets are available at the ticket desk.

Do remember to check in advance whether the Royal Palace is open to visitors on the day you plan to visit. This is because the palace is closed to visitors when it is in use by the royal family.

Begijnhof

This area is characterised by a cluster of elegant houses built in the 14th century for unmarried women who lived as nuns and had no right to vote. The site features a beautiful, well-maintained green courtyard. Unmarried women still live in these houses to this day. Men are not permitted entry before 10 am or after 6 pm.

Canal Cruise

After a good walk, I recommend ending the day with an evening canal cruise. They are more or less the same and depart every half hour from Damrak quay. I recommend this detailed post on the prices of these cruises.

The one-hour canal cruise will take you through the famous and iconic canals, showing you Amsterdam’s highlights from the water. The canal cruise is very different from a conventional boat trip and is a must-do activity on your five-day itinerary in Amsterdam.

On this day, we’ll delve into Dutch history, culture and art. We’ll focus on visiting Amsterdam’s best museums: the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is located on Museumplein, in the centre of Amsterdam. To help you find your way, it is situated near the city’s historic canals and shops.

Amsterdam’s most popular museum, the Rijksmuseum, will take you on a journey through the Dutch Middle Ages, as it displays artefacts and paintings from centuries past. The museum has an entire section dedicated to the life and paintings of Rembrandt, a notable artist of the Dutch Golden Age.

If you’re a history buff, you’ll appreciate this museum like no other. The museum opens at 9 am, and it’s best to arrive early to avoid the rush and queues. Tickets for the Rijksmuseum cost €17.50 and are also available at the ticket desk. Here is more information about the Rijksmuseum (tickets, guided tours, prices, etc.)

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum is 300 metres from the previous museum, which is about a 4-minute walk.

In this museum, you can see the masterpieces created by the world-famous Vincent van Gogh. Furthermore, this museum will teach you a great deal about Vincent van Gogh’s life and his paintings.

I recommend buying tickets online, priced at 18 euros. This is because access is limited to a specific number of people. Also, to clear up any doubts, I recommend this comprehensive post about the Van Gogh Museum. Continuing with the itinerary, you can easily spend a couple of hours here.

Albert Cuyp Market

By now, it’s time for some street food and a spot of street shopping. A must-try treat at the Albert Cuyp Market is the Stroopwafel, a kind of thin waffle filled with caramel.

Meanwhile, at the Albert Cuyp Market, you’ll have the chance to put your haggling skills to the test whilst buying clothes, accessories and souvenirs. You can also take the opportunity to buy some nuts.

Vondelpark

Enjoy the journey from Westerkerk to Vondelpark by cycling or taking a leisurely stroll through the well-known Nine Streets and Jordaan areas. You’ll find fashion boutiques and cosy cafés where you can spend some quality time.

Vondelpark is huge and exploring it is a real treat. The peaceful surroundings of Vondelpark make it a relaxing spot for an afternoon nap. Enjoy the sunset in Vondelpark reading a book or watching the interesting street performances.

The third day of the five-day Amsterdam itinerary will focus on the famous Anne Frank House and the Red Light District. The former is the key site for understanding Jewish culture and its development during the Second World War, whilst the latter is the area that reflects the culture of prostitution in the Dutch capital.

Anne Frank House

One of the most memorable figures from the dark times of German history is the courageous young Anne Frank. She was barely a teenager when she began writing about the suffering of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Her family went into hiding in a warehouse in Amsterdam and remained there for two years before being arrested by the Nazis in 1944.

This house has now been turned into a museum dedicated to Anne Frank, and a tour of the museum will take you on a journey through her life. Tickets to the Anne Frank House cost 10 euros, and they sell out very quickly. A handful of tickets are usually available at the door; however, I wouldn’t recommend leaving it to chance. For more information on tickets, opening times and prices, I recommend this post about the Anne Frank Museum.

Westerkerk

Just a short walk from the Anne Frank House is Amsterdam’s largest church. Westerkerk is one of the city’s oldest churches, and the bell tower is a real attraction. It usually chimes every hour.

If you’re visiting Amsterdam in June or September, I recommend joining one of the group tours organised by the church, which focus on its observation deck. These take place every half hour and offer a spectacular 360-degree view of the city centre. For more information, visit the website.

Red Light District

Get ready to discover the history of prostitution in Amsterdam in the Red Light District. It’s natural to feel a little nervous about walking through the Red Light District, but you’d be surprised at how safe the area is.

The district is a magical place that stands out for its lighting, its atmosphere and all the stories and legends surrounding it. What’s more, the district has several food stalls and even restaurants. Without a doubt, an excellent way and an iconic place to end the day.

After spending the first three days in the centre of Amsterdam, it would be a good idea to make the most of this fourth day to explore the peaceful countryside of the Amsterdam region. A trip to the windmills of Zaanse Schans.

How to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam

• By bus: Take bus no. 391, which departs from Amsterdam Central Station every two hours from platform E to Zandaam / Zaanse Schans. The entire journey takes less than an hour and tickets cost €7, including return travel.

• By train: From Amsterdam Central Station, take a train to Koog-Zaandijk; this takes just 17 minutes. Then follow the signs and walk for about 15 minutes to Zaanse Schans. It’s a straight path, so you won’t get lost.

I strongly recommend taking the bus to Zaanse Schans, as it’s the best value option and you won’t have to walk.

Visit the historic windmills

The real attraction of Zaanse Schans is the historic windmills. As soon as you enter the village, you’ll be greeted by beautiful greenery, including greenhouses and vintage windmills along the river. There used to be many more along the river, but now there are only 13 windmills left, scattered throughout the complex.

All these windmills provide a great insight into what life was like in the 17th and 18th centuries. Some have been converted into shops, whilst others now have viewing platforms where you can climb up and see the town from above.

Each windmill has its own admission ticket, and they generally cost €3 each. However, if you’re interested in visiting them all, I recommend buying a Zaanse Schans card for €10.

Visit the country’s largest clog shop

Right at the entrance to the Zaanse Schans, there is a gift shop with numerous pairs of brightly coloured wooden clogs on display on the outside wall.

This shop is part of the Zaanse Schans Clog Workshop, a sort of footwear museum where you can see clog skates and many other unique clogs. It simply boasts the largest selection of clogs in every colour and size in the Netherlands.

In the past, clogs were made by hand and craftsmen could produce up to seven pairs a day; nowadays machines are used for this; however, the clog makers still craft them by hand in the workshop.The Zaanse Schans Clog Workshop is open every day from 8.30 am to 5 pm and admission is free.

Free clog-making demonstrations take place continuously throughout the day. You can watch a shoe being made from start to finish. These demonstrations last around 15 minutes.

Visit Catharina Hoeve Farm

As well as the shoe factory, there is a cheese shop with seemingly endless samples that you can try as you walk through the shop.

The variety of Gouda at this cheese farm is impressive. There is regular Gouda, herb-smoked Gouda, chilli Gouda and even a neon green Gouda with pesto. If Gouda isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other Dutch cheeses too. Catharina Hoeve Farm is open daily from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Enjoy the scenery on the way back to Amsterdam

In addition to the above, and to round off your visit, you can also take a stroll through the village and admire the Dutch countryside. From the east bank of the River Zaan, you can see the typical rows of green wooden houses. There is a farm opposite the windmills, where you can see cows grazing freely in the area. There is also a distillery museum and a soap factory.

On the final day of our five-day Amsterdam itinerary, we won’t stray far from the city centre and will visit the city museum, the famous Bloemenmarkt and the lively Leidseplein neighbourhood.

Amsterdam Museum

The Amsterdam History Museum tells the story of the city over the last millennium through multimedia displays, religious artefacts, porcelain and paintings. The exhibitions also explore the reasons behind the rise in cycling.

Its gallery features group portraits of medieval guards and citizens, as well as photographs of Anne Frank and Alfred Heineken. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00, and entry is completely free.

Bloemenmarkt

Located in the city of Amsterdam, Bloemenmarkt is a flower market famous for its scents and pleasant appearance. Historically, flowers arrived here by boat from the countryside. Bloemenmarkt sells everything from cut flowers of all kinds to seeds, plants and other gardening essentials. However, it is not just a must-visit for plant lovers, as it is a place steeped in history and brimming with atmosphere. The Bloemenmarkt is open from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm in winter and autumn, and from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm in spring and summer.

There are many reasons to visit Amsterdam’s Bloemenmarkt, particularly as it offers a glimpse into how Amsterdam used to operate. There are 15 market stalls to visit, each offering something slightly different from the next. Bloemenmarkt is the perfect place to buy flowers and other trinkets, and it is open all year round. I recommend popping along to the Bloemenmarkt, especially if you’re visiting Amsterdam in spring.

Leidseplein District

When it comes to a party atmosphere, no other neighbourhood in Amsterdam captures the spirit better than the Leidseplein area. It has become a paradise for bar and pub lovers. Watching a street performance here will give you the chance to immerse yourself in the local atmosphere. From the moment the sun goes down, Leidseplein becomes the perfect setting to bid farewell to Amsterdam with music and merriment.