Amsterdam

Cheese markets

The Netherlands is the country of cheese and home to several centuries old cheese markets. If you wish to taste a piece of Dutch culture and gastronomy then it might be fun to visit one. On set days you can find cheese markets in Alkmaar, Gouda, Edam, Hoorn and Woerden. Going to Alkmaar to a traditional cheese market, eat some cheese and drink some beer on a terrace or while touring the canals is a great way to spend your day. If you’re more curious about where the world renowned Gouda cheese is from then you can visit Gouda and see the typically Dutch cheese maidens at work.

Efteling

The Efteling is the biggest theme park of the Netherlands and one of the oldest theme parks in the world. It started as a fairy tale forest where children stories came to life and over the years it evolved into more of an attraction park with rollercoasters, watercoasters and child friendly indoor amusement rides, such as the Carnival Festival where dolls are dressed up to show cultures from around the world in a funny manner. The Efteling is an enchanting destination for a day trip with your family.

Giethoorn

Giethoorn is a beautiful green village with a 800 year old history in the east of the Netherlands. It’s located next to national park Weerribben-Wieden, which is the largest bog in Western Europe. The old part of the village is known for having no roads. The main form of transportation in this village is by boat, as many houses are build on small Islands which can only be reached by using the waterways or by going on foot or bike over one of the 180 bridges. Giethoorn is a great place for a relaxing boat trip, to sail through in your canoe or to visit for a bicycles tour through Giethoorn and it’s surrounding nature.

Utrecht

Utrecht is a 2000 year old city founded by the Romans. Utrecht is the fourth city of the Netherlands. One of the most characteristic features of Utrecht, which is unique in the world, are the below street level canals with their own wharfs. If you go to the lower street level at the canals you can find many fancy restaurants and Dutch pancake houses to enjoy. As Utrecht arguably has the most stunning canals in the Netherlands it’s fun to rent a pedal boat and go through the canals on water.

The biggest cathedral of the Netherlands, the Dom church, is located in the heart of the city. The 112 meters high gothic church towers over the city. The church is open to visitors if you’re up to the challenge of climbing it’s narrow stairs. The city center also has lots of terraces and cafes where you can enjoy a beer in the sun. This is because Utrecht has the biggest universities of the Netherlands. So there are lots of students who enjoy a pint during the day. It’s no wonder that Utrecht also has a very active nightlife with lots of cozy cafes, cinemas and discotheques.

Utrecht is located in the heart of the Netherlands and is a choke point for public transportation, so if you take the train from Amsterdam you can be there in 30 minutes. It’s great infrastructure and large shopping center has caused Utrecht to become a popular shopping destination. It’s definitely a recommended place to visit.

The Hague

The Hague is the third city of the Netherlands. The Hague known as the international legal capital for it’s many international institutions, like the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace. While Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is actually where the Dutch parliament, supreme court and King are seated. The Hague houses many majestic buildings and museums, like the mind boggling Escher museum. The Hague also has an abundance of statues of influential historical people who changed the course of Dutch history.There are plenty of things to see in the city. On hot summer days Dutch and German people often go to The Hague for a day at the beach in Scheveningen.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is an industrious port city located at the river Meuse, with the biggest port of Europe. The city really stands out among the Dutch cities for it’s modern and innovating architecture. While other Dutch cities go for a traditional look Rotterdam is the only Dutch city where tall buildings and cutting edge architecture are a common sight. This is partially because the city center of Rotterdam had to be rebuild after the second world war. The center of Rotterdam lends itself for an excellent shopping experience. The best way to reach Rotterdam for a shopping trip is by taking the train from Amsterdam.

Delta Works

The Delta Works (Deltawerken) are one of the seven world wonders of the modern world, as it’s one of the greatest civil engineering achievements of the last century. The Netherlands has been draining water and reclaiming land from the sea since the middle ages, with the organizations in charge of fighting water being older than the country itself. This is why the majority of the Netherlands is below sea level. After the North Sea flood of 1953 the Netherlands decided they would never get flooded again and build a network of impossible dams, levees, storm barriers and other water defenses that would ensure the future of the country. Biking through Zeeland you can see these historic constructions that show how the Dutch keep the ocean in check.

Maastricht

Maastricht is a very historic and romantic city that was founded by the Romans two thousand years ago at the river Meuse. It’s located in the hilly south eastern part of the Netherlands near the German and Belgian border. The city has accumulated a mix of architectural highlights over the centuries, with influences from all neighbouring countries. The city has plenty of cafe’s and restaurants as the people pride themselves on living the good life. Being in the catholic part of the Netherlands carnival is celebrated abundantly in Maastricht.

Flevoland

Flevoland is the largest artificial Island in the world. The Netherlands has build a large dyke, the Afsluitdijk, which cuts off a large bay from the North Sea turning it into the lake IJsselmeer. And in that lake the province Flevoland has been reclaimed from the sea. Flevoland is largely used for agriculture and nature so it has the largest tulip fields of the Netherlands, making it a great place to bike through or even fly over. But shopping in for example the fashion outlet of Batavia Stad is also possible.

Defence Line of Amsterdam

The Netherlands has a tradition of using water to fight invading armies. Across the Netherlands there are water defense lines. If the Netherlands got invaded by a foreign power areas got flooded to halt enemy advances. This has given the Netherlands a decisive advantage in several defensive conflicts. Amsterdam is surrounded by a network of historical fortresses and water lines that can be inundated, almost turning Amsterdam into an Island. Although the water lines around Amsterdam have never been used in a war, it did worry the Germans enough not to invade the Netherlands in the first world war. These days the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam) mostly serves as a UNESCO world heritage site and is open to visitors.

Fort Bourtange

Fort Bourtange is a centuries old star shaped fortress with star shaped moats originally meant to protect the road from Germany to the city Groningen. The founder of the Netherlands, William of Orange, ordered to build this fortress to cut the lines between Groningen and Germany. Despite several attacks the fortress was never taken by a foreign power. These days it functions as a tourist attraction of historic value with several museums and occasional historical reenactments.

Naarden

Naarden is a star-shaped fortress town. It is one of the most well preserved fortifications in Europe. The fortification has double canals and is part of the Dutch defensive water lines. For the cultural traveler who arrived in Amsterdam by car it might be well worth a visit, due to its close proximity to Amsterdam, so you can walk over it’s double city walls and view the six bastions, for a drink in the city or for a visit to the Netherlands Fortress Museum.

Castle de Haar

Kasteel de Haar is the biggest and arguably the most beautiful castle in the Netherlands. The Neo-Gothic castle with 200 rooms, towers and draw bridges and iconic surroundings are exactly as you’d expect from a dream castle. The castle and the park are open to guided tours where you can truly see the grandeur of the castle and it’s interior. And see the antiques the baron’s family has collected of the years.

The canals of Amsterdam

From the 17th century and on Amsterdam has build 165 canals. Thanks to brilliant planning almost every part of the inner city can be reached by canal so the extensive canal network of Amsterdam formed an excellent way for the seafaring Dutch people to supply their trade oriented cities with heavy loads of cargo without having to carry everything around.  The canal ring area of Amsterdam is considered an UNESCO World Heritage site as it’s an unique piece of human engineering.

Over 3 million visitors per year enjoy a canal cruise in Amsterdam. This makes it not only the most popular attraction in Amsterdam, but also the most popular attraction in The Netherlands. Famous people like the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Winston Churchill, Hillary Clinton, Michail Gorbatsjov and Nelson Mandela have all enjoyed the canal tours in Amsterdam. It is a memorable way of sightseeing, because the city is even more beautiful with the views from the canals.

Be aware that the canals can be very crowded at some days of the year, especially with major events. On April 27th the Dutch national holiday King’s Day, formerly known as Queen’s Day, is celebrated and Amsterdam will be packed in orange and the canals will be filled with boats. Somewhere mid-August the annual Gay Pride celebration will also bring lots of party people and boats in the canals. Later in August the annual Grachtenfestival (Canal Festival) will bring stages and boats with classical music performances to the canals.

Scheduled hop-on hop-off cruises

The perfect way to combine a relaxing boat ride with sightseeing is by taking a hop-on hop-off canal cruise. The beauty of this concept is that you can get off the boat whenever you wish, preferably on the most captivating spots of Amsterdam, and when you are done there, you can get on a different boat to continue your journey. This means you can create your own sightseeing tour through Amsterdam and do everything at your own leisure.

The operators of the cruises have made sure their stops are always near the most popular landmarks of Amsterdam. Think of popular touristic sights, museums and attractions such the Skinny Bridge, the Jordaan district, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. The canal tour operators in Amsterdam also offer different routes through the canals.

So booking a hop-on hop-off cruise is perfect for travelers who want to keep an open mind about what they are planning to do during the day. It offers the flexibility of being able to take canal tours to all the hotspots of Amsterdam, while still being able to enjoy the city at your own pace.

Lunch- / cocktail- / dinner cruise

Dinner is the most important moment of the day, so when you are on vacation you want to get the most out of it. Which is why it’s a good idea to enjoy your dinner on an intimate boat cruise through the historical canals of Amsterdam.

Several boat tour operators allow you to book cruises through the beautiful canals of Amsterdam in combination with a cocktail, lunch, snack, pizza, dinner or even a romantic candlelight dinner. So there is plenty of variety of dinner cruises to choose from. While some dinner cruises are more suitable for a family dinner, others might be more suitable for a romantic dinner with your partner.

These dinner canal boats are generally more luxurious than regular canal boats. The canal cruise and restaurant in one combinations are a very comfortable way to see the highlights of Amsterdam from the canals, while indulging yourself with delicious food and fresh drinks. Booking a dinner cruise is a great way to turn your dinner in Amsterdam into an unforgettable moment.

Tourist information cruises

During your vacation you will probably want to immerse yourself into the local culture. As Amsterdam is a world city with a long history it can be quite an enriching experience to take an informational cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, to find out more about the history of the different buildings and districts in the city.

The tourist information cruises will pass lots of the famous attractions of Amsterdam. In these canal cruises a guide or an audio system will inform you about the historical facts, legends and stories of the attractions and places that you see. So you will find out why the canals rings are protected by UNESCO as world heritage site. During the canal tour the commentary from the audio systems is usually available in several languages. For cultural travelers an informational canal cruise is a great way to get acquainted with the city of Amsterdam. If you have a passion for culture then checking out the canals of Amsterdam is certainly one of the things you must do in Amsterdam.

Pedal boats

The Netherlands and Amsterdam are fanatical about bikes and cycling. So it is not surprising that you can even rent a pedal boat and cycle through the canals of Amsterdam. It is a fun way to discover the city from the canals, especially on a carefree sunny day.

Most tourists aren’t really aware that renting a pedal bike is even an option. While this is actually one of the favorite activities of both locals and the Meet The Cities crew on hot summer days. Don’t forget to bring some snacks and enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the water.

The beauty of pedal boats is that its very intuitive even without any experience. You just book a boat, use the steer to go left and right. And use your feet pedals to increase in speed. Everyone can do it. And it’s a great way to enjoy a sunny picnic on the water in the romantic canals of Amsterdam.

Vondelpark

When in Amsterdam visiting the Vondelpark is a must do. It is the most famous park in the city and is founded in 1865. It has an area of 47 hectares (470,000 m2) and it has about 10 million visitors per year. The park attracts a wide audience and appeals to many young people, most of the visitors come here to meet, to sports, to recreate and to relax. Often music bands and dance groups practice in the park which contributes to the cozy atmosphere. The park was designed to feel like an English style landscape, to give an ambiance as if you are surrounded by nature in a fairly rural area. At the entrance of the park stands the statue of De Stedemaagd, the personification of the city, and in the park you will find a variety of artworks, sculptures, a music chapel and the statue of Joost van den Vondel. Barbecuing is only allowed on designated places.

Boat rentals

If you desire more freedom and want to explore the canals of Amsterdam at your own leisure, then you could just rent a boat. This way you can explore the historical canals of Amsterdam at your own pace and take your own routes. This is especially fun if you are traveling with your family. As you spend some quality time with your family you get the appreciate the beautiful sights everywhere around you.

A lot of Dutch locals tend to rent a boat in the summer to just cruise around and enjoy the sun. This is why there are multiple rental boat companies in Amsterdam who offer boats where no license or former experience is needed. These are boats smaller than 15 meters or have speeds up until a maximum of 20 km/h. Hiring a boat with a captain is also possible at some boat rental companies, but it’s all quite intuitive anyway. Renting a boat and cruising through the canals of Amsterdam is also a sure way to create some lasting memories of your stay in the Amsterdam.

Sarphatipark

The Sarphatipark is located in the middle of the popular district De Pijp and it is characterized by several bridges and ponds. The park has been set up in a way that it is appealing for everyone. In the northwest part is a large playground for children and in the southeast part there is space for outdoor sports, including table tennis and volleyball. When the weather is sunny, many people come here to eat outdoors and to picnic. Barbecuing is not allowed.

Beatrixpark

The Beatrixpark is located in the posh district of Amsterdam-Zuid and owes its name to the former Queen of the Netherlands. The park is set in a romantic style. On the east side there is the Artsenijhof, a medicinal herb garden which consists of three different parts. And each part has its own distinct characteristics. The park has hundreds of medicinal herbs. Signs in the park indicate which healing effects the herbs have. For children there is a playground in the park and a small pool which is open during the summer months. Barbecuing is not allowed.

Westerpark (and Westergasfabriek)

The Westerpark is located on the edge of the citycenter and was formerly a site where a large gas house stood. The park is also known as Cultuurpark (Culture Park). The location is frequently used to host large parties and major events such as the Amsterdam Fashion Week. In the Westerpark are also some nice eating and drinking establishments as well as a cinema. The park is surprisingly interesting because of its combination of rich culture and natural beauty that can be enjoyed throughout the year. In most places there is free WiFi available. Barbecuing is only allowed in designated areas.

Sightseeing tours

Amsterdam has been a world city for many centuries now, so it has plenty of things to see. It’s no surprise this is one of the reasons why there are so many sightseeing tours in Amsterdam you can join up with. Guided walking tours where you get to stroll through the atmospheric streets past the canals are still as popular as ever. But as Amsterdam is known for it’s abundance of historical canal rings water tours are even cooler. Tours where you can sail through the canals and see all the lovely parts of Amsterdam from the water are pretty amazing.

And even more impressive are tours that combine sights in Amsterdam with sights outside of Amsterdam, for example with the famous flower gardens in the Keukenhof or windmills in Volendam. But if that isn’t your cup of tea there are also bike tours. Museum tours. Red light district tours. Pub crawls. A world city like Amsterdam has plenty of surprises up its sleeve.

Taking a city tour is certainly one of the best things to do in Amsterdam as you join up with a guide to discover all the hidden secrets and alleys of Amsterdam that a normal tourist wouldn’t see. Learning about the city’s historical places deepens your travel experience and is a must-do for any visitor of the city.

Amsterdam Dungeon

The Amsterdam Dungeon is an interactive live action show about the history of Amsterdam. You walk into the dungeon and in the next 80 minutes you’ll experience shows about several aspects of the cities gloomy history. It’s available in English and in Dutch. Visiting the Amsterdam Dungeon is certainly one of the best things to do in Amsterdam, as the shows are well put together and a treat to anyone who wishes to experience the rich past of Amsterdam and people who are are simply looking for some great entertainment.

The Amsterdam Dungeon is a family friendly attraction and fun for people aged 10 years and older. It’s both an interactive and cultural experience that will shine some light – or darkness – on the past of the city. From the Spanish inquisition to old taverns. The performers draw you in and combine humour and spooky fear to get people involved in the story of Amsterdam.

Visiting historical and art museums

Amsterdam is a city with a long rich and cultural history. And the Netherlands itself is a country with a long maritime history controlling a global empire and is recognized for producing world class painters like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Mondriaan, Vermeer, Karel Appel and Escher. This has ensured Amsterdam has top class museums with vast art collections spanning time and cultures.

Amsterdam is often considered to be one of the museum capitals of the world. There are many museums across the city, but some of the best museums like the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum are located near the Museum Square (Museumplein). These museums attract millions of visitors per year because of their interesting and famous collections.

A visit to one or more museums in Amsterdam is besides a cultural and insightful activity also a fun way to spend your day as many pieces of art are sure to amaze you. Check out our museum page to discover what the best museums of Amsterdam are. Museums are the strong point of Amsterdam and at Meet The Cities we can’t can’t stress enough that you should visit them if you want to get the most out of your trip.

Artis

Artis Royal Zoo is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and one of the oldest zoos in Europe. With around 900 different species of animals the zoo contains a large collection of well known and exotic animals, with for example lions, panthers, elephants, meerkats, penguins, sea lions, wallabies, turtles, crocodiles, birds, vultures, lizards, madrils, sloths, camels and much more.

The full name of Natura Artis Magistra means “Nature is the teacher of art and science” in latin. Originally the zoo had an educational function and even today it’s goal is to stimulate love and care for nature and the zoo participates in international breeding programs.

Artis can be found in the heart of Amsterdam. It’s an exceptional zoo and a favorite thing to do in Amsterdam among the locals. Amsterdam is a busy world city, so this monumental zoo is a nice change of pace as you get to stroll around the animals with your partner or kids to rediscover the wildlife of our planet.

Heineken experience

As beer lovers will know Heineken is one of the most recognizable beer brands around. It’s also the biggest European beer brand. To celebrate this Heineken has it’s own museum in one of their old breweries. So if you are wondering what to do in Amsterdam, then why not drop by at Heineken for a nice refreshment.

The Heineken experience is a tour through the history of the Dutch beer brand Heineken. It’s an interactive tour where they explain about the history of the brand, how they brew their beer, see all the old bottles, commercials and play interactive Heineken games. And of course you get to drink some Heineken beer. A great experience if you love the world famous Heineken beer.

Body Worlds

Body Worlds is an exhibition of the human anatomy. Bodies of real human beings are exhibited in different poses to show what the inner workings of our body look like during everyday life. It is a rather interesting and educational attraction, as visitors will be shown how the body functions. The audio guides at the museum are recommended, as they really contribute to the immersion of the experience. Visiting Body Worlds is a thrilling and eye opening way to get acquainted with our inner selves.

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds is a museum where you can find wax sculptures of people who are famous in the Netherlands and across the globe. It’s a lovely family-friendly tour through the familiar. The collection of Madame Tussauds is ever changing. At the moment of writing you will even find the Marvel Avengers here.

But if you ever wanted to take a picture with Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage, Doutzen Kroes, Naomi Cambell, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Barack Obama, The Dalai Lama, Einstein, Bob Marley or one of the many other famous people immortalized here, then now you can.

Going to Madame Tussauds to check out celebs is always a great way to spend your time as it offers something for everyone. It’s also easy to reach as it’s located in a monumental building on the city square of Amsterdam in front of the royal palace. You can’t really miss it.

Amsterdam Arena

A true football fan is familiar with the Amsterdam Arena. It’s the biggest stadium of the Netherlands with it’s 53.490 seats. It’s the homebase of AFC Ajax. One of the most notable football clubs of the Netherlands, where heroes like Johan Cruijff and Marco van Basten played. Everyday English and Dutch language tours are held through the stadium, which is an attraction that sports fans will surely enjoy. Do note that the dressing rooms aren’t open during training and match days. The stadium is also used to house large pop concerts.

Reypenaer Proeflokaal

Holland is known for it’s world famous cheeses, Gouda cheese, Edam and many others. In Reypenaer Proeflokaal cheese tasting workshops are given under the supervision of a professional cheese taster, so you can learn about the different kinds of cheese, the textures and maturities. Tasting different cheeses with a fine glass of wine is of course a joy for any lover of Dutch cheeses.

Oude Kerk

The “Old Church” is the oldest building of Amsterdam as it was build around the year 1200. Over the years it has turned from a small wooden chapel into the large church we see today. The protestant church is known as ‘Amsterdam’s living room’ as it used to be a meeting place for all walks of life in Amsterdam. One notable feature of this church is it’s location. The church is curiously located in the heart of the ever so lively Amsterdam red light district and can be used as a reference point to find it.

Royal Palace of Amsterdam

The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is the only royal palace in the Netherlands that’s open to public for most of the year. It is located right in the heart of Amsterdam as it stands prominently on dam square. The palace is used to receive foreign heads of states, for ceremonial functions and historical art exhibitions. It’s a beautiful monument both on the inside and the outside with a long history. It was originally founded as the city hall of Amsterdam during the times of the Dutch republic. As it was the biggest non-religious building in the world it is a true testament to the Dutch people’s truly golden age. When Napoleon occupied the Netherlands the country turned into a monarchy and the city hall, a symbol for republicanism, turned into a royal palace.

Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House is a monument, that also serves as a museum, dedicated to Anne Frank, who hid in this building during the holocaust. The diary of Anne Frank, her hiding place and exhibitions dedicated to persecution can be found here. The Anne Frank house is one of the more popular museum destinations of Amsterdam as it gives a good impression how life was under Nazi occupation.