Best Places to Visit on a Weekend in Amsterdam!

“Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth it is a city of freedom. And in freedom, most people find sin.” – John Green

Unfortunately, I only made it to Amsterdam for a few nights. However, I was visiting a friend lucky enough to live in this vibrant and cultured city. Therefore, she provided us with loads of tips on where to go. There is a fantastic selection of museums and spots to relax in around the city (whether this is brunching, the beautiful Vondelpark, the bars, or the artificial beach, to name a few!). Undoubtedly, I could have spent more time in Amsterdam!

Getting There

Traveling from Ireland meant I could book very cheap flights through Ryanair. Therefore, I only paid €100 for return flights (which included a bag check-on). However, my flight was delayed both on the way out and returning home! This was especially annoying as it was not until I reached the airport that I found out about these delays (oh Ryanair!). 😣

The following sections are included in this post (click to navigate directly to the section):

1. Canals & Architecture
2. Buildings of Interest
3. Dining, Chilling & Shopping
4. Museums & Heineken Tour
5. VondelPark
6. Canal Cruise
7. Hidden Church

1. CANALS & ARCHITECTURE

One of Amsterdam’s most famous features is its canals – though the extent to which they populate the city surprised me! I did not realize until I visited that the city has more than one hundred kilometers of canals, about 90 islands, and 1,500 bridges. Similar to when I visited Venice, I felt that these canals helped create a more relaxed atmosphere throughout the city. Also, they look so pretty with the numerous bridges and beautiful architectural buildings reflecting upon them too!

Unquestionably, the pretty flowers that align many bridges make for lovely viewing points and pictures. I would love to visit during tulip season. I can imagine the multitude of tulips beautifully bringing an abundance of color to the city. Amsterdam has an ideal environment for growing tulips – tulip season is from around the end of March until mid-May. During this season, you will find tulips aligning many of the fields in the flower strip. Flower strip is roughly a 30 min. drive from the city center. There is also a Tulip Festival that occurs each year during this season.

As mentioned, the beautiful buildings of Amsterdam are yet another distinguishable attribute of the city. They are distinct due to their architectural style, known as the Dutch Renaissance style. The crookedness of some of the buildings was another feature that I was unaware of and quite surprised by. I even asked my friend if I imagined that the buildings were lopsided at one stage!

2. BUILDINGS OF INTEREST

Some of the impressive buildings that we saw were as follows (see above gallery for pictures of them):

Westerkerk Church

Westerkerk Church is near the Anne Frank Museum (about a 10-minute walk from Dam Square). For a small fee, you can climb up the steps of the Church’s Bell Tower. From here, you can admire the views of the city. The famous painter, Rembrandt van Rijn, is buried here though his exact grave number is unmarked. Moreover, these views consistently gain great reviews on Tripadvisor – it is definitely on my to-do list for my next visit. Also, Anne Frank mentions the chiming of the Church’s bells several times in her diary. Furthermore, there is a statue dedicated to Anne Frank outside the Westermarkt Church.

Dam Square

Dam Square is at the heart of the city center. The National Monument (1956 World War II monument) stands here in the square. There is a fantastic selection of shopping, food stalls, and restaurants in this area. Also, Nieuwe Kerk is here too – it is a popular exhibition space in a Church. This venue has also hosted royal ceremonies, official gatherings, and cultural events.

He Hua Temple

He Hua Temple is located in Chinatown, close to the Red Light District. Additionally, this beautiful Temple hosts guided tours providing an introduction to Buddhism/and meditation.

Anne Frank Museum

We attempted to book the Anne Frank Museum several weeks in advance but to no avail. However, I had been advised that this museum sells out extremely fast. Tickets need to be booked as soon as they become available. Despite this, we still took a stroll to see the house (see above gallery).

Royal Palace of Amsterdam

I admired the impressive Royal Palace of Amsterdam while in Amsterdam. However, when I returned home, I learned that the palace is still actively used and available for the public to visit. Therefore, I would’ve loved to have visited here – it is on my to-do list for my next visit!

Other

Another beautiful building we passed by was Magna Plaza. It was formerly the Main Post Office but is now a shopping mall. Centraal Station was another impressive stop-off we made, and Stadsschouwburg Theatre (former home to the National Ballet & Opera).

3. DINING, CHILLING & SHOPPING

SHOPPING

Indeed, there are many shopping centers and large stores around the city. However, I loved the Nine Streets area! Generally, it is considered a small and hip area – I found it very nice to wander here. It is composed of small streets where you will find many cute, quirky boutiques and eateries.

BRUNCH

Coffee & Coconuts

Interior-wise, Coffee & Coconuts was my favorite brunch spot! Surprisingly, it is a former cinema – the interior contained high ceilings, open brick walls, plants, and photography. Overall, it had a very cool vibe. Subsequently, we had breakfast here – both of us went for quite a healthy option (see gallery image). Undoubtedly, it was super fresh and tasty! Furthermore, cocktails, beer, wine, and dinner are all served here too.

Dignita

Here in Dignita, I had the most amazing pancakes I have ever had!! However, I am known to have a VERY sweet tooth! Thus, if you are not a fan of sweet breakfasts, I would not recommend this option!! I have never had pancakes with marshmallows and popcorn on top…but it works!! There was fruit on top too (so it wasn’t all unhealthy 😜). Also, the juice selection was great and provided somewhat of a refreshing and nutritious start to our day (after the pancakes!).

Drovers Dog

During my trip to Drovers Dog, I had the smashed avocado on toasted sourdough. It was sooo good (the cappuccino was great too)! Also, dinner, Australian beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks are all served here too.

Pluk

You will find such a cute selection of accessories for sale in Pluk (stationery, kitchen, living accessories, etc.). It is worth wandering into, even if you are only passing by and not intending to stop for food. The cafe is in the shopping-friendly area of Nine Streets (mentioned earlier). I had a lovely cappuccino and the acai bowl – it was very tasty though not too filling.

Ree7

Ree7 is also in the Nine Streets area. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it inside this cafe as we were already having brunch close by. However, we could spot their milkshakes from the other side of the road! It is a sight to behold, their milkshakes have donuts and other sweets stacked up overflowing from the mug. This makes for very Insta friendly pictures. Check out their Instagram page to see evidence of this! If you have a sweet tooth then you should try one of these!

AFTERNOON COCKTAILS

Hotel Pulitzer

We were lucky to somewhat stumble across Hotel Pulitzer when in need of a rest. Following the main hotel reception area, there is a lovely garden area that you can sit and relax in. This garden was a perfect spot for us to enjoy a glass of wine before continuing exploring the city (the wine was very well priced too!).

W Amsterdam Hotel

W Amsterdam Hotel has a VERY cool rooftop bar area!! Its interior is modern, contemporary and provides fantastic views of the city. The bathrooms are quite cool, though difficult to see as they are so dark (see gallery pictures). 😂

Sushisamba

Sushisamba is just across the bridge from where you depart/buy cruise tickets. It’s thus a great spot to sit outside along the canal and watch the boats go by over a cocktail. [UPDATE ’21 – unfortunately, this restaurant has now closed in Amsterdam!]

DINNER DINING

Mama Kelly

If you like pink, you need to visit Mama Kelly’s! It’s quite a unique venue where much of the interior is pink. It also features other eye-catching pop-up aesthetics throughout the restaurant. The restaurant makes for a very Insta friendly location! We enjoyed dinner here – its main dishes are lobster or chicken (so it is not very vegetarian friendly!). However, there was a vegetarian dish available which was quite nice too.

Foodhallen

If you are looking for somewhere quite casual to eat, Foodhallen is an ideal spot. With such a wide variety of stalls to choose from, there is sure to be something here to suit everyone. It’s an indoor food market with a bar (both reasonably priced). We visited on a Friday evening – it was buzzing with people. A DJ was playing too. It was quite loud, therefore it’s an ideal spot for starting your night off for a night on the town. However, not so ideal if you fancy a relaxing meal!

PLLEK (Artificial Beach)

Pllek features an artificial beach overlooking the city and is a cool spot built from old sea containers. There is food and beer available here too. Also, there was even an outdoor stage with musicians playing when we visited (see my Insta video here). It had quite a hipster feel to it. It is located only a few minutes from the city center by a free ferry from Centraal Station. Remember to check the time for the last ferry back!

CRANE HOTEL

The Crane Hotel is close by Pllek (see gallery picture). And yes, this is an actual hotel in a crane! Perhaps worth looking into if you want to try something very different than the norm!

A’DAM LOOKOUT

We also caught sight of the A’DAM Lookout on the free ferry ride back from Pllek (see above gallery image). You can also take a ferry from Centraal Station out to the A’DAM observation deck. This observation deck features the highest swing in Europe, where you can admire a view over the city. I was not brave enough to attempt this!

4. MUSEUMS & HEINEKEN TOUR

MUSEUM SQUARE

Undoubtedly, I could have spent my entire holiday on museum trips in Amsterdam! The caliber and abundance of museums are amazing! As a lot of them are located close together on Museum Square, I managed to fit in trips to the Van Gogh Museum, Moco Museum, and Stedelijk Museum all in one day. None of them disappointed! I took loads of pictures and video clips when I visited these museums (and the Heineken museum). However, my phone broke a few days later and, my google photos had failed to automatically back up!!! So disappointed!

Museum Square is also a pleasant spot to visit for a walk – even if you are not planning on visiting any of the Museums. It is located in the city center and has a large pond in the middle of the square. The famous I’Amsterdam sign stands at the end of the pond (UPDATE – the sign is now gone from here. However, there is still a I’Amsterdam sign at the airport and Eye Museum). It is a popular place for photographs while visiting the city. Museum Square is where you will find the popular Rijksmuseum Museum too. This museum is one of the most visited in the city. However, I am more into modern and contemporary art. I thus chose the other three museums to visit for my museum day. Nevertheless, the Rijksmuseum building looked impressive – I ended up wishing I had more time to visit here too!

Moco Museum

I thoroughly enjoyed the Banksy and Roy Lichtenstein exhibition in the Moco Museum. I had taken a picture of almost everything on display! Alas, I lost it all when my phone didn’t back up! I had not planned on a trip to Moco but the prettiness of the building alone was enough to tempt me in! Then when I saw that there was a Banksy exhibition on in it too, I couldn’t resist. I very much loved this museum!

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum was much bigger than I had expected! It was a stark reminder of just how talented Van Gogh was. I had finished the ‘Van Gogh & Japan’ exhibition and was just about to leave before I noticed that I hadn’t even entered the permanent collection! This permanent collection was in the order of Van Goghs development stages. It provided a fantastic overview of his different stages as an artist.

Stedelijk

Stedelijk Museum is close to the Moco and Van Gogh museums. It features contemporary work, which is a style that I love, so I visited here too. Studio Drift was one of the exhibitions on show during my visit. It was fantastic – I loved the lights used throughout the space as part of this exhibition.

OTHER MUSEUMS/TOURS

Heineken Experience

The Heineken Experience was enjoyable. However, I’m not sure why they need real horses in cages for entertainment purposes. 😞 There are interactive features (bar, plenty of photo opportunities, table football, and other games to enjoy) throughout the tour. I was on my own – this would have been more enjoyable if I’d had friends with me! Some sections were very Insta friendly, with light effects, random gadgets, booth areas for pictures, a lot of advertising, and 4D shows. The tour goes through the history of Heineken. The other features help to mix it up so that it’s not just a boring historical tour! Upon completion, you get free Heineken (bonus point)! The museum was not overcrowded on the day I visited. However, I have read many other reviews advising that they found overcrowding during their trip.

Anne Frank Museum

As previously mentioned, we tried to book Anne Frank Museum several weeks in advance but unfortunately, to no avail. I had been advised that it sells out extremely fast. Tickets need to be ordered as soon as they become available! We still took a stroll to see the house while wandering the city (see above gallery image).

A’DAM Lookout

As mentioned earlier, the A’DAM Lookout is where you can admire a view of Amsterdam city from the highest swing in Europe. I was not brave enough to attempt this!

Rembrandt House Museum

I was hoping to visit the Rembrandt House Museum. Unfortunately, there was not enough time on a long weekend! I need to return soon again!

Other

Some other museums that may be of interest to you include:

• Eye Film Institute
• Science Center NEMO
• Bloemenmarkt
• Madame Tussauds
• National Maritime Museum
• Amsterdam Museum
• Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Gardens)
• Sex Museum

5. VONDELPARK

In a land of canals, I was surprised by the size of this beautiful park! It stands on 45 hectares, thus being the largest park in Amsterdam. The park is close to Museum Square. There is also an entry point to the park from just opposite where you find the leaving point/ticket sales for some of the most popular canal cruises (just off Stadhouderskade street).

I recommend a walk or cycle around this park. Though I only had a few days in Amsterdam, I returned here for a second trip to wander and relax because I liked it so much. If you’re visiting during the Summer months, keep an eye out for the free concerts that take place. The park hosts several cafes/bars (such as the popular Blauwe Theehuis). Also, it has three sculptures including, ‘The Fish‘ by Picasso. The park also contains a large pond, fountains, a rose garden, playgrounds, and views of some impressive buildings surrounding it!

6. CANAL CRUISE

A canal cruise in Amsterdam is a must! Close to Vondelpark and Museum Square (along Stadhouderskade street), you will find the leaving point/ticket sales for some popular cruises. This includes City Canal Cruise and Blue Boat Company. If there’s a specific cruise that you wish to take, I suggest booking it early to avoid disappointment! We were unable to book the cruise that we wanted to take. However, we only requested it on the day of the cruise. I still enjoyed the cruise that we ended up taking from Stadhouderskade!

Sushisamba [UPDATE ’21 – Sushisamba is now shut] and The Hard Rock Cafe are opposite where you take the cruises from (Stadhourderskade street). If it’s a nice sunny day, Sushisamba has a lovely seating area outside, along the canal. Here, you can sit and sip on a cocktail as you await your cruise. This is exactly what we did! 😊

The cruise we took lasted much longer than I had expected. It provided a fantastic overview of the city. There was audio available to listen to while on the cruise that provided information throughout the tour. Some sights we passed by included the beautiful Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Gardens), the dome of Ronde Lutherse Kerk, and the impressive Five Star Amstel Hotel (which looked amazing from the water – see above gallery for image). The cruise provided opportunities to view a large selection of the architectural Dutch Renaissance-style buildings found around the city.

7. HIDDEN CHURCH (Red Light District)

This heading may seem quite absurd…but yes, it is correct! This famous hidden church of Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (sometimes known as The Museum of Our Lord in the Attic) is tucked away, in a large house, in The Red Light District. Upon entry, you have the option to select free headphones to take a self-guided informative audio tour of the building. I must admit that I skipped through some sections of this audio. However, the audio allows you to easily select a section you wish to listen to while skipping over other sections. It was admirable to hear how these dedicated Catholics went to such lengths to secretly practice their religion.

As you can imagine, the locals/workers in the Red Light District don’t take too kindly to you taking photographs in this area. Therefore, I did not get snap-happy here! Taking a wander in this district, I found that it was in some ways exactly how I imagined. For example, I saw a few ladies standing in the windows, sex shops, etc. However, I was shocked by how nice the area is. The Dutch Renaissance-style architecture, the cleanliness, and the pretty cobbled streets with bridges overlooking the canals. Furthermore, if you are interested in the history of the evolution of sex throughout the centuries, the Sex Museum would be a good stop-off for you! It is one of the most visited museums in the Netherlands!

Have you been to Amsterdam? If so, did you enjoy it? Please leave comments below for any further suggestions of places to visit in Amsterdam!

Thanks for reading,

Anita

xx