Essential
Museums & culture· Museumplein
Rijksmuseum
The Dutch national museum, home to Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's paintings in the Gallery of Honour. The passage running under the building doubles as a cycle path.
Collection · Amsterdam
Amsterdam essentials
8 placesFreeUpdated November 5, 2026
The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House, the Royal Palace, the Begijnhof, the Nine Streets, Vondelpark and the views from A'DAM Lookout.
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Places in this collection
8 places
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- Essential
Museums & culture· Museumplein
Van Gogh Museum
The world's largest Van Gogh collection, hung so you can follow his life from the dark early canvases to the sunflowers and the fields of Auvers.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Canal Ring
Anne Frank House
The Prinsengracht house where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Nazi occupation. The visit takes you through the secret annex behind the revolving bookcase.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Dam Square
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Built in the 17th century as the city hall, it dominates Dam Square. Inside, the Citizens' Hall has maps of the world set into its marble floor.
- Essential
Viewpoint· Noord
A'DAM Lookout
The deck on top of the A'DAM Tower across the IJ, with 360-degree views over the city and a swing that sweeps out over the edge.
- Essential
Nature & beaches· Oud-Zuid
Vondelpark
Amsterdam's best-known park, laid out in the English style with ponds, lawns and an open-air theatre. It's where the city comes to run, cycle and picnic.
- Essential
Shopping· Canal Ring
The Nine Streets
Nine little streets crossing the main canals, packed with small shops, vintage clothing, galleries and cafés. It's the most pleasant stretch for wandering between canals.
- Essential
Special place· Spui
Begijnhof
A hidden courtyard behind a door off Spui, ringed by houses once home to the Beguines. It keeps Het Houten Huys, one of the two wooden houses left in the centre.
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Before you go
How to see Amsterdam's essentials
Book the Anne Frank House
Tickets are sold only at annefrank.org: every Tuesday at 10:00 the slots for six weeks later are released, and they go fast. Resold tickets may be refused at the door.
Timed museum entry
The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum both need a timed ticket booked online, even with a museum pass. They're 300 metres apart, so you can do both in one morning.
Take the ferry to A'DAM Lookout
Free ferries cross the IJ from behind Central Station; the Buiksloterweg boat drops you next to the tower in minutes. The Lookout only accepts card payments.
Mind the bike lanes
The red lanes are for bikes and they move fast, so don't walk on them. On trams and the metro you can tap in and out with your contactless bank card.
Checked on November 4, 2026. Opening hours and tickets can change, so check each place’s website before you go.
