First day in Amsterdam
(or your perfect 1-day Amsterdam Itinerary)

Breakfast: Dignita is the most popular breakfast/brunch place in Amsterdam and represents the city’s best traits. Its delicious dishes are seasonal and locally sourced. It also helps people in the black market move into legit work. The foundation supported by its restaurants offers intensive training programs, including a hospitality course that develops dishes for the menu. (You’d be wise to make a reservation beforehand, but maybe you’ll get lucky…)

Morning: The Rijksmuseum isn’t just an art museum. It’s the story the Dutch tell themselves about their own history. It gives you good context for what you see here and how the Netherlands relates to your own country’s history. It’s a lot to take in, though, so it might be easier to navigate with a guide. (If we may suggest a Rijksmuseum tour…)

Lunch: Head over to the Albert Cuyp market, the largest outdoor market in a city that brims with them. (Ignore the “hotspots” on its website, though. It’s an example of ads that don’t look like ads.) The market starts with the best stall for Dutch herring, which you should try in order to get a full sense of the city. If you’re coming from the Rijksmuseum, look for the brown stall on the right (with the text Vlaardingse Haringhandel) and with a picture of the former Queen Beatrix (look her up). If you’re still hungry, head down the market to Twins Olives, whose hummus makes all their sandwiches divine. And, of course, finish with the famous Dutch stroopwafel (you can even impress them with your correct pronunciation, saying “strope” waffle instead of “strupe” waffle).

Afternoon: If you get tickets way in advance, go to the Anne Frank House, then wander through the canal belt and the Jordaan. And if not, just do the wander. The Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you stop at Huis Marseille or the Grachtenmuseum, you can see what these mansions looked like inside. If you get back into the streets of the Jordaan behind the Noorderkerk, you can still get the feel of the neighborhood where Amsterdam’s signature music developed in the 20^th century. You can also check out a classic brown bar (pub) like Café Thijssen to get that local atmosphere.

Dinner: You must try Indonesian rijsttafel (“rice table”). Indonesian food in Amsterdam was developed by 20^th-century Indonesian immigrants into a style that’s unique to the Netherlands. The best way to eat is rijsttafel, which consists of many small dishes chosen by the chef to complement each other’s flavors. There are many great restaurants, but Sampurna is an established favorite.

Evening: Leidesplein is brimming with music and theater (as well as MANY bars and restaurants). If you’re a Ted Lasso fan, Jazz Café Alto is where Higgins took Will. Our favorite, though, is Paradiso. It’s an old church that has a great mix of international and Dutch artists.

Second day in Amsterdam

Breakfast: Pannenkoeken (literally “pan cookies”) are large Dutch pancakes that show up in media about the Dutch, but they don’t appear much on Dutch menus. So, if you’re going to try them, you should go into full tourist mode. Dutch Pancake Masters has a nice room and a good selection of both sweet and savory pancakes.

Morning: The Van Gogh Museum has an impressive collection of the most famous Dutch artist. It’s also set up in a way to help you understand his life, as well as his art. And they usually have good temporary exhibits.

Lunch: The Lebanese Sajeria is one of our favorite lunch places. Be prepared to stand in line, but know the line is worth it.

Afternoon: Amsterdam Museum’s interactive exhibit Amsterdam in Motion is a great introduction to why Amsterdammers love the city. (If you’re done with museums for the day, you could also explore Amsterdam’s hidden gems with us…) Once you’re psyched to see more of Amsterdam, head off the beaten path and over to De Hallen. It’s a cultural center in a vibrant neighborhood that includes shopping, events, exhibits, and movies.

Dinner: De Hallen includes Food Hallen, a food market with a wide variety of drinks and plates. Explore what (some of ) Amsterdam’s 180 nationalities have to offer the culinary scene.

Evening: Live storytelling is huge in Amsterdam, and Mezrab House of Stories is its spiritual home. Most nights are in English and most are free, as the founders believe that storytelling should be accessible to everyone.

Third day in Amsterdam

Breakfast: It’s your last day here, so it’s time to live a little. The best pastries in Amsterdam are at Salvo Bakehouse (sorry, Bakkerij Wolf). Get your day started with coffee and sugar.

Morning: It’s time to see more of the city – and the world! The areas known as Oost and the Indische Buurt (“Indonesian Neighborhood”) are multicultural, local neighborhoods just outside of the canal belt. The Suriname Museum pays homage to a rich and vibrant country that many English-speakers don’t know much about. It even begins with an immersive exploration of the country’s rain forests. It was a Dutch plantation colony for centuries, so its history includes slavery and forced labor. The museum is enriching and inspiring, but it does include images of the slave trade. If you cannot take in the violence, the Wereldmuseum (“World Museum”) always has great exhibits about peoples around the world and their connections to Amsterdam.

Lunch: We really should send you to eat Surinamese roti (a delicious wrap), and Roopram Roti has some good ones. But we can’t let you get so close to local favorite Tigris en Eufraat without sampling it. It looks like a New York deli, with a small Middle Eastern food market and a food counter. The idea is Syrian, but they have influences from across the Middle East and North Africa. Quite simply, it has some of the best street food you’ve ever tasted.

Afternoon: Take a walk through Oosterpark on your way out of the neighborhood. It has a peaceful pond, a playground, and several public works of art. Then, head to the Stadsarchief. Housed in an impressive old bank (sorta), the City Archive offers an impressive collection of free exhibits about the city of Amsterdam. The main hall has changing offerings while in the basement, the “Treasure Room” has some of Amsterdam’s oldest artifacts. Next, it’s time for a ferry!

Dinner: Behind Central Station are free ferries to various parts of Noord, an energetic neighborhood across the channel that connects Amsterdam to the coast. Take the ferry to Buiksloterweg and you’ll be right in front of Tolhuistuin. It’s a concert, art, and culture center with a great restaurant and bar.

Evening: You can stay at Tolhuistuin for the music or nightlife. If that’s not your scene, check out a film or exhibit at the Eye Film Museum just down the street. On your way home, be sure to stop by Café ‘t Mandje on the Zeedijk. Everyone is welcome at Amsterdam’s first modern gay bar, started in 1927 by Badass heroine, Bet van Beeren. (You can hear more about her on our Women’s History Tour or our LGBTQ+ History Tour!)

There’s so much to see in Amsterdam that this is just a small sample. We’re still discovering cool places even after intensely exploring the city! But this is a good selection of highlights to introduce you to Amsterdam and tucked-away corners that only the locals see. Hopefully, this itinerary will help you figure out why so many of us came here on vacation and never really left!