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7 Unmissable Things To Do In Amsterdam

7 Unmissable Things To Do In Amsterdam

Sarah Clayton-Lea | | 4 minutes Read
Europe

Visiting Amsterdam? This charming 17th-century canal-covered city has heaps of interesting sights that will keep you busy for an entire weekend, or even longer.

Forget about cliched images of smoke shops and gaudy red lights… This is one of the coolest cities in Europe. From floating flower markets to bohemian neighbourhoods, this city has it all.

We’ve got you sorted with the must-do things to do in Amsterdam:

1. Experience the funky Electric Ladyland museum

This insanely trippy museum is the only museum of its kind in the world; Electric Ladyland is dedicated to fluorescent art. You’ll find an eye-popping collection of fluorescent minerals, fluorescent artwork from the 1950s and other glowing artefacts.

Enter under the influence at your own risk – those colours are truly mind bending.

Electric Ladyland museum in Amsterdam

2. Bike through the tulip fields around Haarlem in April

Just a 20-minute train ride from Amsterdam are the famous tulip fields in Haarlem. Rent a bike and cycle through here in blooming season (second week of April till the second week of May). The colours are spectacular, and Haarlem itself has charming cobblestone streets.

Cycle along the waterfront towards Lisse and you can’t miss the tulips.

Tulip Field in Amsterdam
Photographer: Cris Toala Olivares

3. Wander around the Jordaan neighbourhood

One of the coolest areas in the Netherlands, Jordaan is a maze-like neighbourhood with a boho vibe. There’s great vintage shopping, art galleries, trendy cafes and bars and pretty streets to explore.

Be sure to check out the local markets: Noordermarkt has a flea market on Monday mornings and an organic farmers’ market on Saturdays.

Things to do in Amsterdam

4. Visit the Anne Frank house

The Anne Frank House at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam is where Anne lived in hiding with her family for more than two years during World War II.

Now converted into a museum, it contains a sobering exhibition about the persecution of the Jews during the war, as well as discrimination in general. An important place to visit.

Anne Frank house in Amsterdam

5. Take a canal cruise… Or rent your own boat!

The old canals of Amsterdam are such a pretty sight by both day and night – when the bridges light up with magical fairy lights. There’s heaps of canal cruises to choose from, from hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tours to night time cruises with food and wine.

Visiting Amsterdam for King’s Day? Your best bet is to rent a BYOB boat for the full party experience.

canal cruise
Photographer: Koen Smilde

6. Eat your way around Foodhallen

In the hip Oud-West neighbourhood, you’ll find De Hallen, a centre for the arts, crafts, fashion and food in a cool industrial building dating from 1902.

De Hallen is home to a cinema, independent stores and a boutique hotel, as well as the impressive Food Hallen – a food and drink heaven where you can munch your way through a selection of upmarket street food. Yum.

Food Hallen

7. Go beer tasting at Brouwerij ‘t IJ

Amsterdam’s original microbrewery is housed in a working windmill, and will bring straight to Beer Utopia. They brew certified organic I.P.As and blonde beers.

The brewery offers tours and tastings, and also has a pub with a large outdoor terrace where you get some nice Dutch snacks to eat with the beers.

Things to do in Amsterdam
Credit: Koen Smilde Photography
Sarah Clayton-Lea Photo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Co-founder of Big 7 Travel, Sarah created the company through her passion for championing the world's best food and travel experiences. Before her career in digital media, where she previously held roles such as Editor of Food&Wine Ireland, Sarah worked in the hospitality industry in Dublin and New York. Contact [email protected]

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