3 Days in Amsterdam Itinerary (Perfect for First-Timers)

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How to Get Around

Before jumping right into this itinerary, I want you to learn how to get around. The 3 main ways you will get around are by using the train/tram, walking, and biking.

Amsterdam is a very walkable city, so you might find yourself almost never using public transportation. Therefore, make sure you have VERY comfortable walking shoes. However, I can attest that public transportation is incredibly easy to use!

Last is by bicycle, probably the most popular way for locals to get around! They take their bike lanes seriously, so make sure not to walk in the bike lane and to not bike in the walkway.

No joke, we saw a poor lady get run over by a bike for walking in the bike lane, and the biker did not even look back nor care! The bike lanes are a reddish color.

A car is unnecessary when visiting Amsterdam – especially for this itinerary. The roads are tiny, and parking is very limited. Plus, train travel is so easy.

Related: First Time in Amsterdam? Check out these Tips to know before you visit Amsterdam and my ultimate Netherlands guide! This will open up in a new page, so you don’t lose your spot!

Trains, Trams, Metro, and Ferries

When I was first trying to figure out how to get around by train, I got slightly confused between the different transportation lines, so I wanted to lay it out for you!

Trains are a part of NS, which is the Netherlands railway system. On Google Maps, they often come up as Inter-city or Sprinter. If you take the train from the airport, this will be an intercity train. These tickets are different from transport inside the city of Amsterdam. You can buy tickets at the train station or use the NS app to buy a ticket.

The metro, bus, and tram are a part of the GVB, which covers inside the city of Amsterdam. A popular app locals like to use is 9292, however, I found that Google Maps worked perfectly.

Google Maps shows the platform, how many stops, and the wait time for the train/bus/tram.

My favorite thing about Amsterdam’s public transportation is that you can just tap and pay with your credit card or mobile wallet. Therefore, you don’t even need to worry about getting tickets.

The main thing you have to remember is to tap in and out with your card. Essentially, they determine the price of the ride based on where you entered and where you exited. Therefore, it is important to re-tap your card or mobile wallet when exiting the tram, bus, or metro. I promise it is so EASY!

Oh, and if you have to take the ferry, don’t worry because it is free!

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Quick Travel Notes

I have done my best to make this 3 days in Amsterdam itinerary very easy to use. Below, I’ve broken down the days with attractions that are near one another. This should help reduce backtracking and save you time.

Additionally, I include some day trips and additional options for things to do. We all have different interests, so I want to help you see the things most important to you! You should be able to walk to almost all the below attractions. I will mention if transportation is needed.

Another key point I want to add is that we used the GoCity Amsterdam Pass, and I can highly recommend it. After doing the math, it was very worth it for us. This may not be the case for you, but I can tell you that it was very easy to use!

We used the All-Inclusive 3 Day Pass, and pre-booked anything with it that needed pre-booking. Another popular pass is the Amsterdam City Card. It includes over 70 museums and all transport by GVB (metro/tram), but after comparing prices, I went with Go City.

Lastly, keep in mind this itinerary is pretty jam-packed, so if you can’t get to it all, don’t worry. But also know my mom, who is in her 50s, was able to do it with me.

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Day 1: Amsterdam Museums & Canals

On your first day, we will hit the ground running with the museum quarter. One thing to note about Amsterdam is that tickets in advance are very important! In fact, you may want to take a second to book these tickets right now!

If you happen to be arriving in Amsterdam around 12 PM, I would actually suggest swapping day 1 with day 2 of this Amsterdam itinerary since you will not want to miss your time slot for these tickets.

Classic Amsterdam Canal Cruise

To start off your weekend in Amsterdam, a canal cruise is a must! Many passes include a canal cruise, however, if I am being honest, I found our cruise a bit generic, although it was still insightful. It came through our pass and done through This is Holland.

Aside from Amsterdam being famous for its canals, you will also learn a ton about the city, which will make exploring by foot more fun. I have heard great things about Those Dam Boat Guys. I haven’t tried them myself, but with such raving reviews, I thought it was worth the mention.

You can also catch canal cruises at Damrak. If you’re a photographer, you will want to stop here nice and early (before 8 AM) to catch the reflection of these unique buildings in the water!

Amsterdam Fun Fact: There are over 1,200 Bridges in Amsterdam!

Rijksmuseum

Next, make your way over to the museum quarter. I would recommend starting with the outstanding Rijksmuseum. I can highly recommend getting your ticket ahead of time. They did seem to sell tickets on-site as well, but it appeared to be way more annoying.

If you use the Amsterdam Passes, you will still have to get your ticket ahead of time, but it will be free when you book it.

Known as the Museum of the Netherlands, The Rijks Museums offers 800 years of Dutch History through impressive artworks from artists such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt. You will also discover incredible antiques, Delftware, and more.

You can easily spend hours exploring the museum, although I would recommend spending no more than 2 hours. Some famous pieces to see in the Rijks include Great Hall, the Library, Night Watch Gallery, and Delftware.

Once you arrive, I would recommend going to the information desk in the center to grab yourself a map. This will help lead you around the museum.

Moco Museum

Next, if time allows, or if you have any interest in modern art, stop by the Moco Museum. It is right next to the Rijksmuseum. This small, yet unique museum has some interesting art pieces to enjoy, including NFT’s and Banksy’s work.

This contemporary museum is known as an instagrammble place to visit, and the small outside garden area is free to visit.

Because the Moco Museum was included in our pass, we wandered through, and it was nice, but I am not sure I would have paid to visit otherwise.

Van Gogh Museum

I highly recommend visiting the Van Gogh Museum. Not only is this the largest permanent collection of Van Gogh, but it also includes his personal letters, stories, and the history of this Dutch painter’s life.

The tickets for the Van Gogh Museum are not included in any of the passes and need to be purchased well in advance, as they don’t do tickets at the door.

The Van Gogh Museum is also located in the Museum Square and less than a 2-minute walk from Moco.

Expect to spend at least an hour at the Van Gogh Museum.

Amsterdam travel tip: If you’re hungry, there are a bunch of outdoor vendors in the area. We grabbed a Belgian waffle and ice cream to eat before heading in.

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Before moving from the museum quarter, it is worth mentioning that the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is also in the immediate area. This is a contemporary art museum that is quite popular. Since I am not a huge fan of contemporary art, we skipped it, but that doesn’t mean you have to! Admission is included in the Go City Pass.

Albert Cuyp Market

Known as one of the largest markets in Europe, the Albert Cuyp Market is a must. I am so sad we actually missed it, but I am not going to let that happen to you!

We had every intention of visiting and trying Stroopwafels from Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels, but what I did not take into account was that they close at 5 PM and they are not open on Sundays. So, make sure you plan to visit before 5 PM and avoid Sunday.

This market has been open since 1905 and has 260 stalls! Located in the de Pijp neighborhood, also known as the Latin Quarter, definitely make your way down!

Vondelpark

Although visiting Vondelpark might be a slight backtrack, you likely still have plenty of daylight left in your day, so consider heading towards the famous Vondelpark.

Depending on time, you might even want to hang out in the park before heading to the Albert Cuyp Market, since the park is much closer to the museums.

Vondelpark is likely one of the most popular parks in Amsterdam, with 120 acres to enjoy. It is popular to hang out at the park on nice days and bike rides.

As night rolls around, you should make your way toward one of the many canals. Enjoy the sun setting, and once the sun goes down, the canals begin lighting up.

Amsterdam Fun Fact: Did you know the 17th-century district surrounding the Old Centre of Amsterdam is UNESCO World Heritage Site?

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Day 2: The Canal Belt & The Red Light District

Your second day in Amsterdam should feel slightly more relaxed since you don’t have to book as many attractions in advance, but you will still be walking quite a bit!

Travel Tip: The order you visit these attractions might vary, depending on which direction you are coming from.

Visiting the Anne Frank House

Seeing the Anne Frank House is at the top of many people’s Amsterdam bucket lists, so make sure you read this carefully! Getting tickets to the Anne Frank House is not easy – and we, unfortunately, were unable to get them during our visit – but you are about to learn from my mistake!

To get tickets to the Anne Frank House, you must visit their website exactly 6 weeks before your scheduled visit! A week early or a week late, and you will not be able to get tickets. So, set your phone reminder right now!

Depending on when you get your time slot, you might change the order you visit attractions today, and that is totally ok!

During a visit, you will learn more about Anne Frank and be able to view the annex where they were in hiding. If you also can’t get tickets, you can still do an Anne Frank Walking tour, which is quite popular through GoCity.

Jordaan Neighborhood

Before or after visiting the Anne Frank House, make sure to explore the Jordaan neighborhood. This charming part of the city gives you all those Dutch vibes with quaint canals and unique architecture.

You will find some great places to eat around the canal, including The Pancake Bakery (we waited for 25 minutes to get inside), Winkel 43 for Apple Pie, and Le Petit Deli. You can even enjoy the views from the Atlas Maior Bridge.

The Tulip Museum is also over here and free to visit with the pass. We did a quick walk-through and found it quite interesting since tulips are so important in Dutch culture. Additionally, if you love photo-worthy places, the Jordaan neighborhood is one of the most Photo-worthy spots in Amsterdam.

Tulip Fun Fact: Did you know tulips are not native to the Netherlands? They come from the Northern Foothills of the Himalayas in Central Asia, and it was the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire who first took a liking to them!Tulip Museum Address: Prinsengracht 116, 1015 EA Amsterdam, Netherlands

9 Streets (De 9 Straatjes)

Next, make your way around the 9 Streets of Amsterdam. This little neighborhood is known as a shopping district with quaint shops, cafes, tons of bridges, and of course, canals.

While in the area, consider grabbing fries at Fabel Friet – which almost always has a line for their famous fries or check out the House Boat Museum, which is included in the Go City Pass as well.

Amsterdam Floating Flower Market

Next, add the only floating flower market (Bloemenmarkt) to your Amsterdam itinerary. It is located right by the Munttoren, a unique clock tower that was originally part of the Regulierspoor wall and then rebuilt after a fire in the 1600s.

You will find dozens of shops lined down the Singel Canal selling flowers, bulbs, and just about any souvenir you can think of.

Across from the floating market, you will also find cheese stores, usually offering free samples. Since our hotel was nearby, we visited the floating flower market several times and even purchased some souvenirs to take home. Just make sure you compare prices between shops, as many carry the same items.

Also nearby is the Insta-famous van Wonderen Stroopwafels. If you don’t get here early, the line can be very long. And since that line was so long, I went two shops over to Van Holland Stroopwafels Amsterdam, and the stroopwafel was delicious. If you don’t care about your stroopwafels being “instagrammable,” you can get packs of regular stroopwafels for way less.

Museum Rembrandthuis – Rembrandt House Museum

After, I suggest making your way over to the House of Rembrandt. The walk is no more than 10 minutes from the floating flower market, and you can even see the Skinny Bridge.

If you have the pass, the visit is included, and it comes with a free audio tour, which was very informative.

Coats, any large bags, or drinks will need to go in a free locker. If you are unfamiliar with Rembrandt, he was a famous Dutch artist, and you will be touring his actual home, where he lived and worked for 20 years. You will see his art pieces throughout, and the home itself is lovely (but a lot of stairs).

It was a highlight on our itinerary, as we really enjoyed touring the home.

Red Light District

Amsterdam has always been known for the Red Light District, where you will see women in the windows doing their thing. The earlier you visit, the less you will see, as the area comes “more alive” at night.

The area is very touristy, with tons of people walking through, and in my opinion, exactly what I’d imagine it would be. If you decide to visit, it is important to know that you CAN NOT take pictures of the women. You can get fined.

Additionally, there are signs everywhere not to buy drugs, and you should listen, especially since they have the famous”Coffeeshops,” which allow soft drugs to be used.

Even if you don’t go down the main strip, the surrounding area is really quaint winding allies as well as the Oude Kerk Amsterdam – a church which is the oldest building in Amsterdam, now an art museum.

Amsterdam Tip: If you see the word Coffeeshop as one word, it is a weed shop, not an actual coffee shop!

Dam Square & W Rooftop Bar

To end the night, you can consider strolling over to the W Rooftop Bar in Dam Square to catch the sunset while enjoying a drink. Or if you’re just beyond exhausted, don’t feel bad grabbing some dinner and turning in for an early night!

Heineken Experience (I Don’t Recommend)

Instead of going to the W Rooftop, we did the Heineken Experience since it was included in our pass, and several people recommended it to me.

We arrived at our time slot and still had to wait in line (not a big deal). Once the tour started, it felt as if our group was around 50 people. We could barely see or really experience anything the tour had to offer. It felt like a waste of time, and we skipped ahead to get to the end to leave.

In the end, we got 2 free drinks, but in all honesty, I would have rather saved the time doing something else. This was my personal experience. But, in case you’re a huge Heineken lover, you may still find this tour interesting, and everyone’s opinions are different.

If you decide to do it, this also needs to be booked ahead of time with a time slot, although it seems like people were able to get tickets on the spot.

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Day 3: Explore or Day Trip Options

We have made it to our 3rd day, and I want to give you some options. IF you happen to be visiting around tulip season, I highly recommend visiting Lisse to explore the tulip fields and the Keukenhof Garden. You can check out this detailed guide on how to visit the tulip fields near Amsterdam here.

But if you’re not visiting during April or May, there are several other day trips you can take. We personally went to Zaanse Schans to see the windmills, and although touristy, it was such a cool experience.

The Netherlands has so many beautiful places to visit, so it can be hard to choose just one.

However, if you want to continue to wander the streets of Amsterdam or do anything you missed during your weekend in Amsterdam, you can do it on this day as well!

Zaanse Schans

As a first-timer, seeing windmills was a must on our itinerary, and thankfully, getting to Zaanse Schans was very easy. The GoCity Pass actually has an included tour that provides transportation if you book it well in advance.

Additionally, they also have tours that stop in Voledam and Edam, along with the windmills. The key is to book it in advance. We didn’t, so we took the public bus.

This picturesque village sits on the Zaan River, surrounded by beautifully painted green buildings and windmills. We mainly came to see the Zaanse Schans windmills, but this “village” has workshops and museums.

I loved the wooden shoe workshop to see how clogs were made. Wait for the demonstration! After, wander through the cheese farm and try some free samples.

There are tons of souvenir shops to wander around, and if you want to learn more about the history, make sure to visit the Zaans Museum.

The Zaans work great as a half-day trip. For the other half, you can enjoy more of Amsterdam, or if it is tulip season, you can do the tour that includes both the Zaans and Keukenhof Garden in one through GoCity.

If you plan on visiting, here is my full guide on how to get here and the best things to do in the Zaanse Scahns.

Fun Fact: There used to be over 600 windmills in this area.

FYI: If you have the Go City Pass, make sure to go inside the museum first for your Zaanse Schans Card. This will give you free access to several windmills and museums.

Other Things to Do

If you have spent a half day at the Zannse and looking for other things to do in Amsterdam, you can consider:

• Take a free guided walking tour
• Our Lord in the Attic Museum
• Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam (supposed to be a really pretty Botanical Garden)
• NEMO Science Museum (can be fun with kids)
• Visiting the A’DAM Lookout Observation Deck (I personally feel is over-rated)

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Best Time to Visit

Now that you know the best things to do with 3 days in Amsterdam, let’s talk about the best time to visit!

If you want to see the tulips, the best time to visit is around the last two weeks in April. Keep in mind this is a busy time in the city because people from all around the world make their way to see the tulips in the Netherlands. Still, it will not be as busy as the summer, and in mid-April, the sun doesn’t set until 8 PM.

Summer months are by far the most popular time to visit. From June – August, you will experience warm weather, long days, and tons of festivals. If you’re an EDM music lover, you will find some of the best DJs visiting! In terms of price, the summer will be the most expensive time to visit Amsterdam.

September and October are great times to visit if you want to avoid crowds, have lower prices, and still have some sunlight. Fall in Amsterdam is known to be beautiful.

Winter in Amsterdam will be the coldest and wettest time of the year, but prices will be better. During Christmas time and New Year’s Eve, Amsterdam can be a lot of fun to visit.

It is no lie when the Dutch say to pack for all seasons, and we certainly experienced that in April.

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Where to Stay

It can be hard to determine the most central spot to stay in Amsterdam. With just 3 days, staying in Amsterdam’s City Center will be the best option. This will allow you to see more!

The costs of hotels are on the high side in terms of Europe, and if you’re planning to go during the Spring or Summer, rooms go fast. After walking around Amsterdam, areas I would recommend staying include the Canal Belt (Amsterdam City Center), Jordaan, the Museum Quarter, and De Pijp (Latin Quarter).

Eden Hotel Amsterdam: We stayed here and loved the location, despite the small room. It is located right on the Amstel River and within walking distance to all. Right behind the hotel is Rembrandt Square(Rembrandtplein).

Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht – a concept by Hyatt: A 5 Star hotel in the Grachtengordel (Canal Belt), within 10-15 minutes of walking to all major attractions and fun decor.

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam: If you’re looking for a luxury hotel experience, it can be found here with a Dutch & French twist. The grounds include a courtyard garden and an indoor swimming pool. They are around 5 minutes from Nine Streets, the Royal Palace, and Dam Square.

Mr. Jordaan: A 3 Star hotel in the Jordaan area, close to the Anne Frank house, cute rooms, and rated “Superb” by guests.

Hotel Estheréa: Located along the Singel Canal, with unique room decor and lovely reviews.

Hotel Amstelzicht: Located right next to the Eden Hotel, but at a slightly more affordable price and great reviews from guests.

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How to Get to Here

The two main ways you will likely arrive in Amsterdam are by either plane or taking the train. If you’re flying, you will fly into the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS). I recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flights from your home airport!

From the airport, you will find signs for taxis, buses, and rail. The airport is about 30 minutes outside the main city. A taxi to Amsterdam’s city center will cost around 70 euros and up. If you’re traveling with a lot of luggage, you might want to consider this option.

For most people, taking the train from the airport is the best way to get into the city. Just follow the signs – it’s simple! Then you can get your ticket from the machine heading to Amsterdam Centraal – not to be confused with Amsterdam Central Station, just outside Centraal train station, which is the metro!

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Where to Eat

I’ve mentioned places to eat throughout this 3 day weekend Amsterdam itinerary, but I want to include a few more popular places. I haven’t tried them all, but they tend to get very high reviews.

• Van Stapele for cookies
• 3 Sisters (English Pub we enjoyed – good spare ribs)
• Pizza Beppe Amsterdam
• Brouwerij ‘t IJ (Brewery in a Windmill)
• Bakers & Roasters
• SECRET GARDEN (Need Reservations)
• Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx (Fries)

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3 Day Budget

I often get asked how much my trips cost, and I always find it helpful to get an idea of what other people spend on a trip to help me with my budget.

Know that you can always spend way more or less than what we spent in Amsterdam. Prices by season also fluctuate the price and the currency exchange from US dollar to Euros.

I tend to spend in the mid-budget range on attractions and accommodations- but more budget range on food.

• Flights from NYC – $550
• 4 Star Hotel 3 nights – $1,050
• GoCity – $92.45
• Van Gogh – $21.86
• Public Transport (4 days) – $15
• Food (4 days) – $140
• Holafly E-Sim for Cell Service 15 days in Europe – $40

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3 Days in Amsterdam Itinerary Wrap-up

Phew! We have made it to the end of this itinerary, and I hope you have found all the information you need to help you plan an epic trip to the Dutch Capital!

Have any questions about this Amsterdam itinerary or feel like I am missing something? Let me know in the comments below!

Did you find this Itinerary helpful? I’d appreciate it if you could share it below!