Come World Travel supports readers, and it may receive commission from payments made using the links in this article.
Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is a holiday destination known for its flowing rivers, lovely flowers, eternal vehicle roads and master painting. The French capital continues to entice readers by the million, according to an article in The New York Times that was published in August 2023. Do n’t let that obstruct your travels, though.
Visit during the summer months and explore in April to see the tulips, which will add to the visitor brigade’s appeal. Or you might want to travel during the somewhat quieter spring months, which has its own charm.
Yet for vacationers on a brief trip, here are the spectacular sights in and around Amsterdam’s captivating city.
Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House. Photo by Ceneri
For most earliest- settings to Amsterdam, commerce starts at the Anne Frank House, as it did for us. The Secret Annex, where the fresh 15-year-old Anne hid from the Nazis during the Second World War, housed her prominent book, which she and her family kept a secret in for a little over two years.
The Gestapo or Nazi authorities detained Anne Frank and the other seven people who had hidden it and transported them to focus camps. Except for Otto Frank, Anne’s parents, anyone else including Anne became Holocaust survivors and died in the tents. Therefore, a visit to this home is a calm, terrible but at the same time a existence- affirming experience.
At this apartment museum, you can recreate Anne Frank and her mother’s living through displays of unique items, photos, displays and video clips. Notice Anne’s journals which have also been translated into many languages. To get a first-hand look at their daily lives in 1942 and 1944, enter the seize on the fourth floor by the door that appeared to be a bookcase.
Visit the Anne Frank House here for more details. Be sure to reserve your tickets well in advance, as the annex for pictures is prohibited.
Museum
Rijksmuseum. Photo by Canva
Rijksmuseum, one of Amsterdam’s some world-class exhibitions, is the best place to start. The Netherlands ‘ 800-year-old national gallery is a vast collection of Flemish art and history.
Enjoy Dutch paintings and images, sculptures, design, fashion, and applied skill items like porcelain and the renowned Delftware while strolling through its four floors.
Best Tips &, Tools to Plan Your Journey
Find the cheapest planes at CheapOAir
Find trusted travel plan from Squaremouth or SafetyWing
With Viator, arrange a private move from the airport to your resort.
Find the best lodging on TripAdvisor
Getting your link or Viator reservations to skip-the-line attractions
With our Amazon Travel Store, you can find the best vacation products.
Book a regional manual at WithLocals
If you’re short on time, head to the Gallery of Honor on the second floor to see the Dutch masters of the Golden Age ( 1620- 1680 ), which would mean Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh, Hals and many others. A giant painting, which was painted in crude by Rembrandt in 1642, occupies the whole wall, which forms the pièce de résistance.
The artwork, which is astonishingly big, accurately depicts the Dutch legal guards at all hours of the day. In the late 18th century, the painting became known as” The Night Watch” because it had over the years accumulated layers of dust and varnish.
More details can be found around about visiting the Rijksmuseum.
The Rembrandt House Museum
The Rembrandt House Museum. Photo by Canva
Visit the Rembrandt House Museum for a more traditional feel of Rembrandt van Rijn’s style. Located in Jodenbreestraat, or” Jewish Broad Street”, a buzzing buying city steeped in history. The citizens of this city, generally Hebrew, were sent to concentration camps by the Nazis in World War 2, that emptied out this area.
Rembrandt lived and worked in the house that is now a museum in Amsterdam’s Jewish quarter between 1639 and 1658. Restored in the years 1907- 1911 with furniture and decor items from the 17th century, the house is a time capsule of that era.
Rembrandt lived on the first floor with his first wife Saskia van Uylenburgh, and after her passing, with his second wife Hendrickje Stoffels. His workshop on the second floor of the house house hosted his masterful paintings, and he taught in the attic.
Get tickets here.
Browse hotels in amsterdam
Van Gogh Museum
Van Gogh Museum. Photo by irisphoto2
You will now have the opportunity to visit Vincent Van Gogh’s museum, another renowned Dutch master painter. The Van Gogh Museum is very well-known because it houses the largest collection of Van Gogh’s artworks, including more than 200 of his paintings.
Also on display are paintings by artists of his time such as Monet, Manet, Gauguin and others, all of whom were influenced by his work.
A glass entrance hall connects the two buildings. You can follow Van Gogh’s footsteps through his paintings on the first floor as he developed into a brilliant post-impressionist painter.
His most famous works include Sunflowers and Irises, his incredible landscapes like Wheatfield with a Reaper, and his incredible self-portraits, among other notable works of art. The second floor is dedicated to his letters, and about 500 drawings.
Here is a more in-depth look at the Van Gogh Museum.
Amsterdam Museum
Make a stopover at the Amsterdam Museum, which was the previous home of the Amsterdam Historical Museum, to wrap up your Amsterdam museums. The Museum is situated in a historic building, which has been occupied by various groups since the 15th century, most recently a monastery and the City of Amsterdam orphanage, which were both present there from 1578 to 1960.
Visit this museum to get a picture of the rich art, culture and heritage of Amsterdam exhibited through three floors of artifacts, paintings, toys, clothes, maps, books and sculptures.
Here, you can learn more about the Amsterdam Museum.
Royal Palace
Koninklijk Paleis in Amsterdam. Photo by Canva
Visit the Royal Palace to experience Dutch royalty firsthand. The Royal Palace is the most lavish of Amsterdam’s three palaces, despite having three. The palace, which is situated in Dam Square in the city’s heart of the city, is still used for royal ceremonies and events. It is still the king of the Netherlands’s official residence. In those days, the palace is not accessible to the general public.
Remember to reserve your tickets online to see the magnificent rooms and regal furnishings. The palace is yet another example of the Dutch Golden Age, built in the Baroque style in the seventeenth century.
Book your tickets here.
Canal Cruise
Canals in Amsterdam. Photo by Canva
Without taking a tour of Amsterdam’s famous canals, which have earned it the nickname” Venice of the North,” would be remiss. The three main canals, dug in the 17th century ring the city in concentric circles and are flanked by historic buildings, churches, monuments, mansions and gardens. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site all at once.
We made the boat and made our memorable 75-minute journey through the famous waters near the Anne Frank House in Prinsengracht. The boat made its way through the canals, crossing numerous charming bridges that ramble across the water, connecting both sides of the street.
Powered by GetYourGuide
The guide pointed out the numerous historic sites, some of which we had already visited, such as the museums. Then we saw Centraal Station, the main railway station of Amsterdam, notable for its Gothic Revival architectural style and highly similar to the Rijksmuseum, designed as they were by the same architect, Pierre Cuypers. The 1984 pagoda-style Sea Palace Chinese restaurant, a floating eatery, was also worth noting.
Here is where you can purchase canal cruise tickets.
Day Trips from Amsterdam
If you can squeeze in a few excursions, even a short vacation becomes doubly memorable. The two most popular ones that are easy to add to your trip are:
Keukenhof
Keukenhof Gardens. Photo by Canva
If you’re in the land of tulips, you must visit a tulip garden if you’re lucky enough to be there in March- May. The botanical garden in Lisse, Keukenhof, is accessible quickly by train, bus, or guided day trip tours. Keep in mind the garden is open only for about 9 – 10 weeks.
Keukenhof was originally a 15th-century castle’s kitchen garden, but it was later landscaped in the 19th century to become the enormous garden we know today. And it was in 1949 when the first tulip bulbs were planted in Keukenhof.
Be mesmerized by the stunning tulips, unmatched flower displays, and vibrant riots of spring flowers.
Here, you can learn more about Keukenhof.
Windmill Trip
Zaanse Schans Windmills . Photo by Canva
While are in Amsterdam, you should also visit the Dutch countryside and take a tour of its famous windmills. We traveled to Zaanse Schans, a mere 17 minutes away by local train from Amsterdam’s Centraal Station.
Then we walked for about 10 minutes through a residential neighborhood of quaint wooden houses, barns, local workshops, pedestrian footbridges and of course, windmills, all very picture- perfect under a shining blue sky above and the jewel- like River Zaan below.
The tour that allowed visitors to observe the intricate details of a functioning windmill was the highlight of the trip. A visit to a clog factory, where the renowned Dutch wooden shoes were made, was also fascinating. We felt as though we had entered Dutch life in the 18th and 19th centuries during the trip.
Here is everything you need to know about Zaanse Schans.
Read More:
The Netherlands ‘ Keukenhof, the Garden of Europe, is a digital magazine for travelers, Go World Travel Magazine, is a guide to the travel industry. A dedicated team of travel journalists who are knowledgeable about the areas they cover creates our editorial content. We cover travel in more than 90 countries. The most recent posts from Go World Travel Magazine ( see all ) Must-see locations for a family trip to Amsterdam on May 11, 2024. May 10, 2024. May 9, 2024.
