Three Must Do's in Amsterdam

February 12, 2025

Three Must Do's in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the world's favorite cities. It's the capital of The Netherlands and its most populated city. It's a city of canals, culture and architecture from the Golden Age. It has a famously liberal attitude towards drugs and prostitution and is known for its nightlife. I've been three times now and each time I visit I love it a little more (that goes with all of The Netherlands) It's very hard to pick my favorite thing to do in this likable city so I've chosen three - with one bonus added at the end. Come to Amsterdam with me and find out why it's such a popular city to visit!

Van Gogh Museum

I think it's safe to say that the Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh, was one of the most influential and famous figures in Western Art. The son of a pastor, Van Gogh lived a life of poverty with his art only becoming popular after his death. His paintings now command figures over $100 million and are considered to be the world's most expensive paintings.

A tortured artist who sometimes had delusional experiences, Van Gogh is an icon of Dutch culture. You can visit his house in Zundert, his birthplace, or you can visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. At the museum - which holds the largest collection of his work in the world - you can discover his life and work including his masterpieces (always on view) and other exhibits tied into his life including paintings, drawings and his letters.

Van Gogh's instruments

Located in Museum Square in Amsterdam South, I absolutely loved this museum. It's not huge but so well done - not only are his paintings on display but the peak into his life let's you explore the artist and the man. (But just a heads up, his most famous painting, Starry Night, is not on display here - it's at the MOMA in New York.) I wasn't able to visit on my first time to the city but I'm so glad that I could on this visit. Definitely worth your time!

You must purchase your timed ticket online (if you arrive early there is a cafe next door to grab a meal or drink as we did)and the price is 24E for adults and free for under age 18. (An audio tour is available for an extra 3.75E and I think it's worth it - it's like getting a guided tour)

Canal Cruise

Amsterdam is a city of canals and has 165 canals which total 62 miles in length. They originated in the 17th century when the city was looking for a way to transport goods and food to the city center. They are a major part of the city's history and culture and a very popular tourist attraction. You can live on the canals - there are over 3000 houseboats bobbing on them - and every year there are over 10,000 bicycles retrieved from them. They do freeze over sometimes, though, it's not frequent and if you really want to enjoy the canals to the fullest then plan your visit for April 26th which is Kings Day. This national holiday celebrates the birthday of their King and there is music, dancing, outdoor activities and the canals are filled with party boats.

There are a plethora of canal cruises that you can take in Amsterdam. We chose a small evening cruise through Air BnB experiences. There was our driver and about 12 of us who enjoyed a boat ride, that also included wine and snacks, on a rainy evening. (I still feel guilty for knocking over two of the wine glasses and breaking them!) The ride was about 2 hours and our driver gave us lots of info about Amsterdam, its history and the canals. Except for the rain, it was a very pleasant evening - I don't think you can go wrong on a canal boat in Amsterdam!

Anne Frank House

Anne Frank was a young teen girl - of Jewish faith - living in Germany when Adolf Hitler came into power. Her parents emigrated the family to Amsterdam and when the Gestapo took over the Netherlands they, along with other people, hid in an annex of a canal house. Unfortunately, they were betrayed by someone - it's never been established who it was - and she was sent to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp where she died a few months short of liberation by the Allies.

Anne left an indelible mark on the world by writing in a diary while she was in hiding. The only surviving member of her family was her father, who found the diary after returning to Amsterdam at the end of the war. He published Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl which has since been translated into 75 languages and is a "powerful reminder of the horrors of war."

You can visit the Anne Frank House - which also includes a museum - and tour the annex where her family hid for two years. I have been here twice - the first time was just to visit the annex and the second was visiting the newly constructed museum along with the annex. Both times it was an incredibly moving experience and I have to say that despite the sadness associated with the house, I am glad that Otto Frank published her diary. And that the house and annex have remained intact for people to have such a glimpse into history, albeit one of horror.

Visiting the house and annex is one of the most popular things to do in Amsterdam.Tickets can only be purchased online for a specific time slot. Tickets become available at 10am every Tuesday for up to 6 weeks in advance. (I set my alarm to purchase tickets and was number 5000 something in line of a wait of about an hour) It is 16E to visit and it is open daily from 9am to 10pm but once you are inside you can stay for as long as you'd like. You can purchase a regular ticket or choose a "program ticket" which gives you a 30 minute introductory program with one of the museums educators to give you some history of World War II and Anne Frank. (We chose the latter option and it was very interesting and informative) There are also group tickets available.

the museum educator who spoke to us

I read the Diary of Anne Frank in junior high school and visiting the house and annex was one of the highlights for me - both times - of Amsterdam.

BONUS --

Visiting Haarlem

This added bonus thing to do doesn't really fall under the category of a must do IN Amsterdam.

A 20 to 30 minute train ride west of Amsterdam will land you in the city of Haarlem. Lodging in Amsterdam can be quite pricy so in researching a place to stay that was more affordable, I came across a recommendation from travel author Rick Steves to book a hotel in Haarlem. (We stayed at the Ambassador City Centre Hotel here) I fell hard for Haarlem - even loving it more than Amsterdam - and would gladly go back to The Netherlands just to hang out here. Here's why you should visit this sleepy city that's a favorite of many:

Haarlem is friendly, close to Amsterdam, walkable and quintessentially Dutch. It has much more of a small town feel than its 160,000 population indicates. There is a main town square, the Grote Markt, with the Grote Kirk, or St. Bavo Church, in the middle and restaurants, shops, and hotels which make up the historic city center. (about a 15 to 20 minute walk from the train station) There is an open air market on Mondays and Wednesdays, the Telyers Museum and the Frans Hals Museum (one of Haarlems native sons).

Generally, people are enjoying the outdoor cafes, the open air markets, socializing, bike riding and having family time in Haarlem. In fact, when I think about European culture, this is what comes to mind. It has a "I could live here feel" - and I think I could except I probably couldn't afford it.

We had some happy hours, dinners out, walked into the church and around the square and just soaked up the good weather and laid back vibes of this walkable city. It has what I'm looking for in a European stay and as I said, I'd go back in a heartbeat!