One Day in Amsterdam Itinerary: What to See, Do & Eat

One day in Amsterdam will only scratch the surface of this great European city, but even a brief visit will make you want to return for more.

Between the famous canals and cycling culture, you have a variety of ways to move around. But you’ll find that walking is also a lovely way to explore this picturesque, people-friendly metropolis.

Early Morning: Amsterdam Centraal and Orientation

Amsterdam Centraal

The usual place to start any visit to Amsterdam is Amsterdam Centraal. It’s the main train station and the public transportation hub.

Take in the two futuristic bicycle parks, with their countless bikes stacked two-deep on racks. How does anyone find theirs in these vast spaces, when so many look the same?

In front of the station is the Damrak, the main waterway leading to the city center. You can see some of the iconic canal houses and the steady stream of bicycle commuters.

Royal Palace

Hop on the #2 tram for a sightseeing tour that will take you to the Museumplein. This tram passes the flower market and the Royal Palace, crossing all the major canals of Amsterdam’s Canal Belt.

Board the tram at the front door, facing the driver, or at the double doors toward the rear. You can pay with any chip card or download the GVB app.

Old City Center

It might be tempting to walk, but you have a long day ahead. The city’s cobblestone streets and steep canal bridges are also much more tiring than you might think.

Good walking shoes are essential for the old city center and boarding canal boats. The weather in Amsterdam is unpredictable, so layer up and bring a rain jacket or a small umbrella, even on sunny days.

Morning: Visit a Museum, or Three

Museumplein

There are three major art museums around Museumplein. It’s perhaps an overdose of culture to visit them all in a day, so I suggest picking one or two.

The most obvious choices are the Rijksmuseum and/or the Van Gogh Museum, with the third being the Stedelijk Museum. The latter is a home of modern art, with the nearby Moco Museum being a good pairing if contemporary art appeals.

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum is the world’s largest collection of Vincent van Gogh’s work. The excellent audio guide helps to explain his life and artistic journey.

You’ll need advance tickets for the Van Gogh Museum, but being there when it opens at 9 a.m. will also help avoid the crowds. Highlights include Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, and The Potato Eaters.

Consider signing up for a guided tour; it’s a great way to learn more about any museum. It’s also a smart way to gain entry without the hassle of booking tickets in advance.

Rijksmuseum

To understand the glory of the Dutch Golden Age, the Rijksmuseum is almost unmissable. This national museum of the Netherlands is a beautiful building that showcases eight centuries of Dutch art and history.

Highlights include Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, and Van Gogh’s self-portrait. Again, you’ll need to book in advance, which gives you a timed entry.

You could spend one day in Amsterdam just wandering through this vast museum in awe, so it’s best to have a plan. Besides Rembrandt’s works, other masterpieces worth finding time to study are Judith Leyster’s The Serenade and Jan Steen’s The Merry Family.

Lunchtime: A Walk in the Park

Vondelpark

After a few hours, you’ll be ready for a break, and the nearby Vondelpark is a restful green space for one. You’ll find it full of local people walking, jogging, or cycling.

There are often free events, and people-watching is always entertaining. One popular place is Café Vertigo, which has great views of the park.

I often end up in the lovely ‘t Blauwe Theehuis—The Blue Teahouse. This circular pavilion sits on an island in the middle of the park.

Besides snacks, coffee, or local beers, the café also does great pizza. Rest your feet and soak in the atmosphere when you’re ready for lunch. Alternatively, pack a picnic. The Albert Heijn grocery chain is the choice of locals for all the food and drink essentials for dining al fresco.

Albert Cuypmarkt

Yet another alternative is to take the 15-minute walk to the Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp. You’ll see a bit more of street life in one of Amsterdam’s best neighborhoods.

Albert Cuypmarkt is Amsterdam’s largest and most famous outdoor market. It’s a sensory overload in the best way possible, with stallholders selling everything from flowers to clothing and bicycles.

Stroopwafel

However, it’s now better known for its Amsterdam street food, with a great range of local and ethnic foods. Here’s the place to try a stroopwafel or some fresh herring.

You will also find plenty of Dutch cheeses, including the classic Gouda and Edam. The kroketten—croquettes—or poffertjes—mini pancakes—are favorites of mine.

Early Afternoon: Take a Canal Tour

Canal tour

You can’t understand Amsterdam’s history or architecture without understanding its canals. Built when the city had a trade in slaves, sugar, and spices spanning the globe, the canals brought that world to the doorstep.

You have a wide choice of tours, but I recommend a smaller one with an onboard guide, not a recorded voice. A local can give you a much better feel during one day in Amsterdam–and personalize the experience with some Dutch humor.

However, the larger hop-on, hop-off tours do give you the chance to use the boat as a taxi between highlights. The tall canalside merchant houses look particularly beautiful when reflected in the canal water.

Keizersgracht

Any tour will take you through the central Negen Straatjes area, but an alternative, or addition to a boat tour, is to walk through it. These “Nine Streets” connect the main canals of Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht.

The district dates back to Amsterdam’s Golden Age and has retained its historic character of narrow streets and canal houses. It’s now one of the best places to shop in Amsterdam, filled with antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, and cafés.

Worth noting is that a small crossbody bag or backpack will keep your hands free for boarding boats, cycling, or climbing narrow Dutch stairs. It’s also a secure place for your valuables in crowded museums or trams.

Late Afternoon: Anne Frank House

Anne Frank House

Start to make your way toward the Anne Frank House, which sits on the picturesque Prinsengracht. The canals are always delightful to see, with their varied, often tilting 17th-century houses and scenic bridges.

In contrast, Anne Frank House is a profound and moving experience. Behind a facade very similar to many you have passed, the teenager and her family hid from the Nazis for two years in what she called the “Secret Annex.”

Her famous diary tells the story of those days, and the house brings them vividly to life. You’ll need at least an hour for a visit—and don’t underestimate the emotional toll.

There are also some steep stairs and tight spaces in the house. Visiting later in the day gives a more atmospheric feel to the experience.

Tickets are released on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. CET for the following six weeks. They sell out immediately, so start planning your visit well ahead—or book a guided tour.

Anne Frank statue

Don’t miss the poignant Anne Frank statue on nearby Westermarkt, by sculptor Mari Andriessen. The statue perfectly captures Anne’s teenage vulnerability.

Early Evening: The “Brown Café” Experience

Brown café in Amsterdam Photo by Jorge Royan on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

To ease back into the outside world after the Anne Frank House, you’ll perhaps need some time alone for a walk. Alternatively, you might want to surround yourself with life, or have a drink, and where better than in a bar?

The traditional bruin café, or bruine kroeg—“brown café, or brown pub”—is the soul of Amsterdam. They are named for their dark wood interiors and smoke-stained walls.

Happily for non-smokers, smoking is now banned, but the brown cafés retain an intimate, cozy feel. Still popular with locals, albeit mostly older ones, they are a great place to meet, mingle, and drink.

Look for one of these pubs in the Jordaan or along a quiet canal. Order a coffee, a local beer, or a jenever—Dutch gin—and sit back to soak up the warm atmosphere.

Café ‘T Papeneilan Photo by Paul2 on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

A popular choice with visitors is Café ‘T Papeneilan on the corner of Prinsengracht and Brouwersgracht, 10 minutes from the Anne Frank House. It’s famous for its apple pie, as served to US President Bill Clinton on a visit.

Evening: Dinner in the Jordaan or De Pijp

De Pijp

For dinner—or any other meal in Amsterdam—you have a lavish choice of restaurants. For a romantic, classic Amsterdam experience, search out somewhere in the Jordaan.

This former working-class neighborhood has now gone seriously upmarket but has somehow managed to keep much of its character. You’ll find excellent Dutch and French-inspired cuisine here in quiet, canalside settings.

Restaurant in Amsterdam

For a livelier, trendier vibe, the neighborhood to pick is again De Pijp. The area is packed with a wide variety of restaurants, with plenty of ethnic options.

An almost traditional choice here is an Indonesian rijsttafel, a Dutch-colonial heritage feast of small dishes. But you’ll also find Middle Eastern, modern European, and much more in this paradise for foodies.

Read: Best Things to Do in Amsterdam for Couples

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