Amsterdam, The Netherland’s capital, known for its beautiful canals is filled with culture and history. Undoubtedly, Amsterdam is a great city to visit if you love history with the many museums, most famously Anne Frank’s house. If history isn’t for you, there are still plenty of other activities to fill your trip.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Amsterdam for 48 hours, follow this guide to ensure you make the most of your time in this amazing city.
Things to do:
Anne Frank House
Possibly one of Amsterdam’s greatest exhibitions is the Anne Frank House museum. The famous diary of Anne Frank was published which recorded her experience of living in a secret annex during Nazi invasion. You can visit the very hiding place that Frank and her family lived in during this horrific time.
It is a very educational and thought-provoking experience – definitely worth a visit.
Purchase your tickets online to select your time slot in advance – this is a popular museum it’s important to book in advance if you want to visit. The museum is open 7 days a week and you will spend roughly an hour in the museum, although you can walk round at your own pace. Out of respect and in order to protect the artifacts, photography is prohibited in the museum.
Accessibility – The Anne Frank House museum is made up of a lot of small rooms and staircases, please bare this in mind if you will find this difficult.
Canals
Simply walking around Amsterdam, you will see a lot of gorgeous canals and picturesque views. Spend the afternoon wandering the streets, looking in the quaint little shops, and just admiring the beauty of the city.
A cheap, but very enjoyable activity for your weekend in Amsterdam.
A’DAM Lookout
Located across the water from the main city centre is the A’DAM lookout with spectacular views and a giant swing. If you’re a thrill seeker, the swing is certainly one to enjoy. Swing over the edge of A’DAM tower on Europe’s highest swing at a height of 100 metres above the city. If the swing isn’t for you, the view from the top is still worth the visit!
Amsterdam Ice Bar Xtra Cold
Spend your evening in -10°C at the Amsterdam Ice Bar Xtra Cold. Enjoy a *very* cold beverage from a glass made from ice and in a bar made entirely of ice.
Book tickets online to avoid disappointment. Your ticket will include three tokens that you can exchange for drinks: 1 in the heated bar and 2 in the ice bar. Your ticket will allow for 45 minutes in the ice bar and you will be provided with appropriate coats and gloves before you enter.
Van Gogh Museum
If you are a museum person, Amsterdam is a great place for you. The city is filled with all kinds of museums. Visit the world’s largest collection of Vincent Van Gogh paintings features some of his most famous pieces, including Sunflowers.
Tickets must be booked online for this museum and guests typically spend 1-2 hours here.
The museum is in close proximity to various other museums such as the Stedelijk Museum and the Rijksmuseum if you want to make a day of it.
Dam Square
Wander around the heart of the city at Dam Square, where you will find the Royal Palace, the War Memorial, and the Nieuwe Kerk.
The square is always bustling with locals and tourists, so stop in the shops or have some lunch while you take in the beauty of the city.
Things to know before you go:
Bikes
There are bikes EVERYWHERE – you will be okay if you just look left, right, and left again before crossing, but they do just appear from nowhere at full speed so just be aware.
Getting around
Amsterdam has a state-of-the-art transport system with metros, trains, buses, trams, ferries, and bikes. Save money on travel with the I Amsterdam city card, which offers unlimited use of the GVB public transport system for 24, 48, or 72 hours, depending on your length of stay. We, however, spent most of our time walking around the city and that was fairly straight-forward too, and we got to stop for the pretty views at the same time.
Getting to and from the airport
Splash the cash on the train. We thought we would save a bit of money by using the cheaper option of the bus, however, this bus ended up taking over two hours, of which we were crammed in standing up for all of it. We all arrived in Amsterdam car sick, tired and miserable from the experience, so I would recommend, if you can, paying that little bit extra to use the train which gets you to the city in less than half an hour.
If you have more time:
Tulips
Tulip season in Holland marks the beginning of spring and is a stunning sight if you are lucky enough to visit in time. Millions of tulips bloom from March to May with the best views in April. One of the most famous tulip gardens is Keukenhof (known as the Garden of Europe), a 40-minute drive south of Amsterdam, and is open from March to May to display the gorgeous flowers. Keukenhof is the world’s largest flower garden so definitely not one to miss if you have extra time. If you are unable to visit the tulip fields or visit during out of tulip season, don’t worry as tulips are sold in many flower shops in Amsterdam so you’ll no doubt see them somewhere.
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