Amsterdam in 3 Days: tips, what to see, and much more

Since I know that designing each day's tour can be a daunting task, I have prepared an itinerary to make your three-day trip to Amsterdam worthwhile and allow you to see the must-see sights. On the first day you will focus on the most historic part of the city center, but on the following two days there will be time to go to more specific but equally essential places.

On your first day, Amsterdam will welcome you with its most cultural side. Take advantage of the beginning of your trip to get to know the most typical of the city and visit its museums, where you can have a first contact with its history. Don't worry, there will also be time to regain strength after a day of walking.

Admire the art of its museums

How about starting the day at the Museumplein? We could say that this area, known as the Museum Quarter, is the cultural and artistic center par excellence of Amsterdam. Obviously, here are not all the art galleries and exhibition halls of the city, but the most important museums of Amsterdam, such as the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum or the Museum of Modern Art.

Although you have to buy each ticket separately, I recommend spending a morning visiting one or two of these museums; they are undoubtedly emblems of Amsterdam. Of course, as they have such world-renowned collections, they receive many visitors throughout the year, so always buy tickets in advance. What are my recommendations?

• Van Gogh Museum: if there is a Dutch artist who deserves his own museum, it is Vincent Van Gogh. There you can learn about the history of this painter through his paintings, letters and sketches.
• Rijksmuseum: more than two million people visit this museum every year to learn about the art of the Dutch Golden Age, being able to see works by Vermeer and Rembrandt, among others.
• Stedelijk: if you like modern art, you will love to admire the creations of Picasso, Renoir or Andy Warhol in this museum, believe me.

Relax and have lunch in the Vondelpark

Surely so much art has made you a little hungry; after all, in the museums, going from one room to another, you walk quite a bit. Well, it's time to eat something and I have a plan for you: have a picnic in Vondelpark.

The good thing is that in this park, which is the largest, most beautiful and important of Amsterdam, you can buy a basket of food if you do not bring your own. To get there easily, you can book the Amsterdam sightseeing bus.

And when you've filled your stomach, you can walk down the food for a while through the 45 hectares of the Vondelpark. It's a lot, I know, but I recommend you to at least go to the open-air theater, where there is usually a concert, especially during the summer in Amsterdam. In any case, you will surely enjoy walking through this landscape designed by Jan David Zocher in the purest English style, with ponds, woods and gardens.

Visit Dam Square, the most famous square in the city

Not another minute can go by without seeing Dam Square, the center of Amsterdam. This is where important events are held in April in Amsterdam, such as the tulip market or the big King's Day celebration. Even if it is not a special day, it is a place you should always visit, as there are important monuments and buildings there.

In fact, I recommend you to book tickets to the Royal Palace of Amsterdam (now home to official events) or the National Monument to the Dutch fallen during World War II.

In addition, Dam Square is also home to the Amsterdam Wax Museum, which you can enter to see wax figures of important personalities in Holland and around the world. If you feel like something more traditional, you can enter the Nieuwe Kerk (the New Church), which has a lot of historical value but an unremarkable interior.

Enter the Begijnhof courtyard

Near Dam Square is the Begijnhof, a beautiful inner courtyard with a lot of history behind it. Likewise, you can get there comfortably if you book the Amsterdam sightseeing bus.

To begin with, you have to know that it has a religious character, so be silent and respectful while you are there. It was founded in the Middle Ages as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city, although its fame is due to the community of Christian and unmarried women who lived there and from where they helped homeless people in the city.

Currently, Begijnhof belongs to the English Reformed Church and the Protestant Church of the Netherlands, but have continued to maintain its structure and, above all, their houses, built in a Gothic style and each with a completely different look from the others. Among them is the oldest in Amsterdam, dating from 1528.

Lose yourself in the streets of Amsterdam's historic city center

Now that you have been introduced to the historic center of Amsterdam, the next step would be to get to know the rest of the buildings, streets and secrets that are hidden in this area. And, for this, nothing better than renting a bike.

Possibly upon your arrival in the city you already saw something, since the Central Station is located here. Right next to it is the Church of St. Nicholas, an essential visit to learn about the history and Catholic tradition of Amsterdam.

One of the best places to walk is Spui, a set of pedestrianized streets through which hardly any cars pass. If you start to get hungry or feel like taking a break, you are in a good area, as there are plenty of restaurants for snacks and also several coffee shops.

For the second day my proposal is a much more natural and luminous part of Amsterdam. I'm sure you can already imagine that the canals are going to be one of the sceneries you will go through, but I have more surprises in store, such as the flower market. Time to get going!

Cycle along the canals of Amsterdam

Don't worry, you don't have to be athletic to endure a bike route along Amsterdam's canals. In fact, it's a very flat terrain, which has undoubtedly contributed to the fact that all its inhabitants prefer to get around Amsterdam on two wheels.

My advice is to get to know the whole canal area of Amsterdam:

• Rent a bike.
• Book a guided bike tour of Amsterdam if you don't dare to go on your own.

The good thing about doing this tour in the morning is that you have more energy to ride along the three main canals: Prinsengracht, Keizersgratch and Herengracht. The ring formed by the three is called Grachtengordel. At your pace and that of your bike you will see luxurious mansions on the banks of the Herengracht and you will also cross some of the more than a thousand bridges.

Make a stop to taste the best cheese in Amsterdam

Probably with so much pedaling you need to replenish your strength with some food and what better way than booking a cheese tasting in Amsterdam. And something as typical as the bikes is the cheese in Amsterdam.

You can also go to a specialty store or the Cheese Museum itself, which is located on the Prinsengracht canal and its entrance costs about 1 €. There you will not only learn about the history of this food, but you can also try different types (free and unlimited) and then buy the ones you like best.

Cheese has a long tradition in Holland and, being the capital, in Amsterdam you can find different flavors and also the most common varieties, those named after an important city (Gouda, Maasdam or Edam, for example). Let me know which one you like best after tasting them!

Soak up the good smells of the Flower Market

To continue with the tour of the most colorful and typical places in Amsterdam, why not go to the Flower Market? I'm not going to fool you, the best time to go is when spring comes to Amsterdam, but any time of year is good to take a stroll through its stalls, appreciate the large number of flowers there (especially tulips) and maybe buy some seeds.

In the Dutch capital they love flowers and the Bloemenmarkt is their favorite place to go to buy them, so do not think it is a place only for tourists. Beyond flowers and plants already grown, you can take the opportunity to buy bulbs or seeds, they are a great gift and souvenir of your trip! If not, you can also dedicate yourself to just walking around, because the smell is already an experience.

Get close to Rembrandt Square and its history

There are many squares in Amsterdam, but after the Dam, Rembrandtplein is one of the most famous. Why? Because there you can find the oldest statue of the city, which pays homage to the painter who also gives his name to the square, Rembrandt van Rijn.

In addition, there you can also find the former home of the artist, which has now become his museum. You can visit it; something I recommend if you want to see his great works (the entrance costs approximately 15€).

And next to this, a building that surely catches your attention is the Pathé Tuschinski theater. It dates from 1921 and, even if you don't go inside, the facade is enough to leave you open-mouthed. Why? Because it is designed according to Art Deco motifs.

Relax on an evening cruise on the canals

Even if you've already been on the canals in the morning, I recommend coming back as evening begins to fall to embark on an Amsterdam canal cruise. When the sunlight starts to go down, the scene it leaves on the water, the bridges and the banks is very beautiful. Seeing it you will understand why they are declared a World Heritage Site.

You can book them at any time, but I recommend you to take an Amsterdam canal cruise at night. This is when the most important buildings and monuments start to light up, a beautiful perspective. In addition, you will have a guide who will explain everything you see, such as the Golden Curve, the Narrow Bridge or the Anne Frank House. Below, I indicate several possibilities for you to choose the one that suits you best:

• Guided cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, from $22.
• Historical cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, from $29.
• Cruise with appetizer and drinks on the canals of Amsterdam, from $63.
• Cruise with pizza on the canals of Amsterdam, from $42.
• Open boat cruise on the canals of Amsterdam, from $21.
• Panoramic Amsterdam canal cruise, from $23.
• Amsterdam highlights cruise, from $18.

This is the last day, but not the least important. In fact, on this third day in Amsterdam you will have the opportunity to enter the famous Jordaan district, but also the Anne Frank house, essential to understand one of the saddest and most painful periods of Dutch culture. Still, there will also be time for more lively activities, promise!

Get to know the old Jordaan district

Start the day in the Jordaan neighborhood, which went from being one of the poorest in the city to one of the busiest and most avant-garde. The reason is that, during the Golden Age, the city had to expand and from there the Jordaan emerged, which housed poor workers living in cramped and small houses.

All this you can see during the visit, since the citizens fought so that, in 1970, all the buildings were not demolished and the history of the place was respected. Although it is now a modern area, it still has monuments that, over the years, have gained a lot of significance; one of the most recent is the Homomonument, which commemorates people prosecuted for their sexual identity.

If you want to have a drink before continuing, you can stop at the Brouwersgracht, a canal that borders the Jordaan where the oldest breweries of the city are located.

Visit Anne Frank's house and the Jewish quarter

At 263 Prinsengracht you will find one of the most important and most solemn places in Amsterdam: the Anne Frank House. Anne and her family stayed there for almost three years, until someone denounced them to the Nazis and they were sent to concentration camps. Only her father survived, who decided to publish the famous diaries. Today their former home is now a museum that tells their story.

It's no secret that the visit is tough but I definitely recommend booking an Anne Frank tour of the Jewish Quarter. It is an essential visit.

On your way out, I invite you to take a tour of Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter. Before World War II it was an important center of Jews in Europe and, although now logically the population has decreased a lot, it still maintains the influence of its culture. In addition, there are the National Holocaust Memorial, the Museum of Jewish History or the Porguesa Synagogue (there was a large community of Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam).

Admire the view of Amsterdam from the Westerkerk church

Next to Anne Frank's house is the Westerkerk Church, which she mentions several times in her diary. It is also famous for being the largest Protestant church in Amsterdam, so you can't miss it. Above all, I recommend climbing its tower, which is 85 meters high and offers stunning views over the city.

The tower and its bell tower are clearly the most attractive elements of Westerkerk, as the interior of the church is not as striking. However, access is free, so you lose nothing by going inside and having a look around.

Get your strength back with a bite to eat in Chinatown

Starting to get hungry? Just a few minutes walk from the Jewish quarter is Chinatown, where as you can imagine you will find the best restaurants in Amsterdam. Take a break and pop into one of them to sample their tasty menus. If you fancy other Asian food, you will also find it, as this area has opened to cultures such as Korean or Thai.

Beyond the stores in Chinatown, which incidentally is the oldest in Europe (it began to be created around 1910), you have to go to the Buddhist Temple Fo Guang Shan He Hua. Its construction is recent (year 2000), but its importance has not stopped growing since then. It is the first Buddhist temple in Europe and also the largest on the continent. Access is free, but remember that it is a religious building and must be respected with silence and consideration.

Get to know the market and Nieuwmarkt square

Three days may seem few considering all there is to see in Amsterdam, however, you will have found that if you organize your trip well you will have the opportunity to see the most representative. In addition, if you book the Amsterdam tourist bus you can save time on your travels.

To almost finish your trip I suggest you go to Nieuwmarkt, one of the main squares of Amsterdam where a market is organized every day from 9 am to 5 pm. Its energetic and welcoming atmosphere is contagious. Whatever time you go, you can enter one of the many cafes and restaurants there.

The square was built around one of the medieval gates of the city, so historically it is an emblem. I advise you to take a walk around it, although the De Waag building (the House of Weights) will call out to you immediately. Today, it is a restaurant, but before it was part of the wall and, somewhat later, the place where the scales were placed to weigh the food market.

End the day with a tour of the famous Red Light District

Did you think you would reach the end of your trip to Amsterdam without visiting the Red Light District? It is clear that it is one of the places that arouses more curiosity, but to understand everything that happens there and how is really its atmosphere, it is better to go at night and, if you have the opportunity, visit it with a tour of the Red Light District.

Don't be afraid, it's a safe area, although to learn more about its history I recommend booking a guided tour of the red light district. Controversy, alcohol, prostitution and gambling are the main protagonists of Amsterdam's Red Light District. However, its streets also hide buildings with beautiful architecture and many legends to know.