Amsterdam attractions - Top 10

Amsterdam is a unique city. Despite the obvious presence of thousands of visitors, its life remained authentic. To observe it is enough to stroll along the canal streets or to sit for a while in one of Amsterdam many cafés. Nevertheless, there are places in the city you should not miss during your visit. Here is our list of the best of the best.

Amsterdam canal ring
The city old centre is formed from canal rings, which give you the feeling of space, freedom and peace. Walk through these canal streets or better – take a trip with a boat by boarding one of the tourist cruises or by renting the boat yourself. Anther way to explore the Venice of the North is to take a ride on a bicycle. Any way you decide for – enjoy this city, one of the most beautiful in the world.

Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in the Netherlands, with more than a million visitors each year. The Rijksmuseum is currently in a prolonged renovation, but a small part of it remains open. Its exhibition called The Masterpieces shows the most famous pieces of Dutch art from the 17th c., usually called the Golden Age of the Netherlands. Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals reflect in their work different aspects of Dutch national character. You may also see the museum treasury, beautiful doll houses from the period and the traditional Delftware.

Van Gogh Museum
This modern museum houses some 200 paintings and 550 sketches showing Van Gogh in all his moods. This biggest in the world collection, combined with hundreds of letters by Van Gogh, and selected works by his friends and contemporaries, form the core of the museum's collection.

Begijnhof
A narrow, vaulted passageway leads to this charming quiet garden surrounded by old houses, in the very centre of town. The devout celibate Béguine nuns have been replaced by old ladies. The No.34 is the oldest house in Amsterdam. Entrance on Spui, just a step from the main commercial street Kalverstraat, is indicated by a carved sign. Entry is free.

Oude Kerk
This huge old protestant church with little houses clinging to its sides remains a calm heaven at the heart of the frenetic Red Light District. Its buildings, especially the Gothic-renaissance style octagonal bell tower, were used by sailors to get their bearings. For some adults, an evening walk in the nightlife area around the church might be interesting.

Amsterdam Brown Café
After a busy day of walking enjoy a simple meal or just a coffee or beer in one of many Amsterdam old cafés called brown. At first it will seem too much from the past and too crowded – but the atmosphere is unique, people are famously friendly, prices low. Relax and watch – most of people around will be locals. Feel like one of them – the real Amsterdammers.

Magere Brug
Is a traditional double-leaf Dutch draw-bridge connecting sides of river Amstel. About every 20 minutes the bridge opens, as the bridge master lets boats through. The original bridge was built in 1670, but it did not change much since. Enjoy the magic of this place, take a deep breath of fresh air brought by the river.

Museum Amstelkring
On the edge of the Red Light District, museum houses in the restored 17th-century canal house with two smaller houses to the rear. The lower floors of the building became a museum in 1888 and today contain refurbished rooms, as well as a collection of church silver, religious artifacts and paintings.

Civic Guards Gallery (Schuttersgalerij)
As the saying goes – the best things in life are free – this naturally lit gallery filled with old paintings from the Dutch Golden Age is freely open to the public. The exhibited canvas may be not always the masterpieces of art (those you may see at the Rijksmuseum), but these group portraits of Amsterdam citizens and their wives are an exquisite document of the Dutch civilization and culture centuries ago.

Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House in the center of Amsterdam is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during the World War II. Just a few empty rooms in the hidden annex to the house will make an unforgettable impression if you realize, that two families lived in these small quarters for more than 2 years hiding from the Nazis. The original of the diary is on display, as a part of the Anne Frank House's permanent exhibition.

Alternate What to do

• Take a book and sit on the Museumplein. It used to be a big street; they called it the highway of Amsterdam. They demolished the street and turned it into a huge grass lawn surrounded by the Concert Hall (Concertgebouw) on one side and the Rijksmuseum and the Vincent van Gogh museum on the other. It's very pretty. Just sit there and enjoy the view and the people.
• Speaking of the Concertgebouw: if you enjoy classical music, go to a concert if the price is doable. The concert hall itself is stunning. (If you go, make sure it's in the big hall, not the smaller one upstairs.)
• If you can't afford that: free afternoon concerts ("lunch concert") in the Concertgebouw on Wednesday afternoon.
• Go to the Magere Brug ("Skinny Bridge") over the Amstel river and see Carré theater on one side and the Stopera (Ballet/Opera/City Hall) on the other. It's a beautiful place to just stand for a few minutes to enjoy the view and to watch people walk/bike by. (It's good for kissing, also, if you get a chance.)
• Walk through "the 9 streets": Berenstraat, Runstraat, etc. They are the streets that connect the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, and Herengracht. They are cute and have some nice stores.
• Walk along the grachten (canals).
• Rent one of those "waterbikes" and peddle your way over some canals. I know of one place in front of the Rijksmuseum that rents them out.
• Go to the Noordermarkt on Saturday morning, then walk to the Lindenmarkt and eat apple pie in the cafe on the corner of the Westerstraat.
• Go to the Anne Frank house very early in the morning or 45 minutes before they close.
• Go to the Leidseplein, and Rembrandtsplein. (A "plein" is a square.)
• If the weather permits, walk around and sit in the Vondelpark on a nice day and look at the pretty people.
• Go to the IJkantine (a cafe and restaurant) on the opposite side of the IJ. It has a nice view, also. Take the ferry over the IJ. The ferry is near the rear exit of the central station.
• Go to the top floor of the Metz & Co in the Leidsestraat and drink an expensive coffee, enjoying the view.
• Go to the Spui and find the little wooden, insignificant looking door and go through it. (I think it's close to the American Book Center.) The door leads you to the Begijnhof. It's great.
• Enjoy the good looks of Dutch men, women, or both, whatever you prefer. I hear that foreigners think that Dutch people are very good-looking.
• Go to the Prinsen, Realen, and/or Bicker island and take a stroll.
• Buy a tram card and take a ride with tram 2. Or ride any other tram, for that matter.
• Rent a bike, ride around, and spawn the devil. We don't like you tourists riding slowly on our bike paths, but we can't really stop you either. Plenty of bike rental places. Watch out for treacherous tram tracks.
• Friday afternoon concert ("lunch concert") in the Westerkerk (Wester church).
• Take boat tour with St. Nicholas boats at the Boom Chicago theater on the Leidseplein, for a picknick (that you bring yourself) on the grachten.
• Go to Blijburg beach and eat at "Kaap Kot".
• If your stomach can handle it, buy and eat french fries with mayonnaise on the street. There's a good place in the Reguliersbreestraat, across from Tuschinski, 50 meters away from the Rembrandtsplein.
• If you've really got guts, eat some FEBO food that you buy, basically, from behind the little glass doors that open after you throw in a coin. There's one next to Tuschinski in the Reguliersbreestraat. Make sure to eat a "kroket".
• Go see a movie in Tuschinski on the Reguliersbreestraat. It's a beautiful theater. They renovated it a while ago.
• While you're at it, go to Cineac across Tuschinski. Laugh at the silly people. (No sneakers.)
• Marvel at 95% of Dutch people that speak really good English, German, and maybe even French.
• Take a walk through the huge red light district at night. Feel uncomfortable with the women standing behind glass selling themselves, and feel uncomfortable as you see men leave, after their visit. It's a little weird, but you should go see it. It's part of Amsterdam. The red light district is safe.

What not to do

• Don't buy drugs from strangers.
• Don't pee in random locations. Find a urinal. There are plenty to choose from.
• Don't get stoned, please. If you do, stay inside until you're done.
• Don't get too drunk, please. If you do, stay inside until you're done.
• Don't walk on the bike paths.
• Don't let your parking meter expire; it's a costly mistake. In fact, don't use a car.