12 Things to Know Before Visiting Amsterdam
Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities in the world! If visiting Amsterdam is on your bucket list, you’re going to want to check out this post.
After studying abroad in Amsterdam in 2014 and visiting with my dad in 2018, I was so happy to be visiting Amsterdam again in 2022. Only this time, I got to bring my husband, Colin, and introduce him to some of my favourite places to visit in Amsterdam.
I also snuck in a cheeky overnight trip to Amsterdam on my way home from London in January 2023!
After living there for six months and visiting Amsterdam three times since, I do know a thing or two about the city.
I also know it’s a popular first European city for many travellers and that there are many misconceptions about the city, so I’m here to clear those up.
Below I’m sharing some essential Amsterdam info that will help any traveller have the best time visiting Amsterdam, plus my tips for where to stay!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
1. Amsterdam is a cycling city
You’re probably already aware that Amsterdam is the city of bikes. In fact, as of 2021, it was estimated that there are 881,000 bikes in Amsterdam – and only 780, 559 residents!
Almost everyone in Amsterdam bikes and you’ll quickly learn that bikes have right of way. You may notice roads where the sidewalk ends abruptly but the bike lane continues unobstructed. Or you’ll find yourself waiting to cross the street as dozens and dozens of bikes zoom by.
As a visitor, it’s important to remember that biking culture is not only a way of life in Amsterdam, it’s also an important means of transportation.
So while you’re leaning over every canal to take in the view or snap a photo, there are thousands of Amsterdammers on their bikes just trying to get to work. Get out of their way and be aware anytime you step out onto the street.
Pro tip: If you’re looking to rent a bike to explore Amsterdam, opt for one of the tourist-friendly bike rental agencies.
Not only will they cater to tourists but your bike, usually larger and brightly coloured, will let the locals know to give you a bit of extra space and time navigating the new streets.
2. Everyone in Amsterdam speaks English
Well, almost everyone. It’s estimated that more than 90% of Dutch people living in the Netherlands can speak English, and I’d guess an even higher percentage of those living in Amsterdam.
That means that you should have no trouble getting around, ordering at restaurants or asking for assistance. In fact, it’s one of the reasons why I recommend visiting Amsterdam for your first solo travel trip.
While English is spoken widely, it’s still polite to learn a few words of Dutch. A simple “dankjewel” (thank you) can go far and earn you a smile as you pay for your meal or exit a shop.
And of course, most of the signs and announcements you see and hear will still be in Dutch. So if you’re ever lost on the street or confused about where a bus is going, just ask a friendly local.
3. It’s easy to get to and from the Amsterdam airport and train station
One of the best things about visiting Amsterdam is how easy it is to get there. If you’re taking the train, Amsterdam’s main train station, Amsterdam Centraal is, as the name suggests, right in the centre of the city.
It’s an easy walk to main sights like Dam Square, the canal ring and the Red Light District. It’s also connected to the metro and many bus and tram lines.
A central train station may not sound that impressive for a European capital. But a central airport? Now that is handy!
Amsterdam Schipol Airport is easily connected by train to Amsterdam Centraal. And the journey takes less than 20 minutes! No more travelling for hours to get to the airport with endless transit connections. Just one quick train to get you from the airport into the city centre!
Bonus: Getting around within the city is easy too. Visiting places in Amsterdam is easily done by metro, tram, bus or, of course, by bike! It’s also a fairly walkable city and nothing beats walking along a picture perfect, tree-lined canal.
4. Coffeeshops vs cafes in Amsterdam: They’re not the same thing!
In many English speaking countries, a coffee shop and a cafe are the same thing. They’re a place where you can enjoy a warm beverage and a little snack. But in Amsterdam, these are two very different establishments!
Funny enough, coffeeshops don’t serve coffee! Or, if they do, it’s not the main offering. Coffeeshops are actually where you can buy and enjoy cannabis. Notably, they do not serve alcohol.
Lest you think I’m describing some back alley storefronts cheekily nicknamed “coffeeshops,” that’s not the case at all. Coffeeshops in Amsterdam are licensed and often incredibly clean, modern and welcoming. You’ll find local favourites, high-end options and tourist-friendly joints (pun intended!).
5. Soft drugs are decriminalized in the Netherlands (but technically still illegal)
So you might be thinking, “Didn’t you just tell me that licensed coffeeshops can be found all over Amsterdam? But now I’m going to get arrested for going in!?!” Slow down, that’s not quite how it works.
Technically, “possession, trade and production of non-medicinal drugs described by the Opium Law are all illegal under Dutch law.” However, drug use is not punishable – aka its decriminalized.
The Netherlands has adopted a tolerance policy where they address drug use from a health lens, instead of a criminal one. Their stance is that every individual has the right to make their own choice and people are going to do drugs anyway, so why not remove the stigma and make it a safe experience?
So no, you’re not going to see jail time for going into a coffeeshop and having a good time. And you probably won’t get arrested for taking that good time out onto the streets or back to your hotel room (though new 2023 rules are clamping down on this!).
But don’t take this as permission to start building that drug dealing empire you’ve always dreamed of.
It’s important to note that these rules mostly target soft drugs. You’re not going to find hard drugs at your local coffeeshop. But if you do decide to partake in drugs, hard or soft, and things go sideways, seek help.
The priority in Amsterdam will be to get you the help you need, not punish your activity.
6. Should you go to the Red Light District while visiting Amsterdam?
You’ve likely heard of the Red Light District and its reputation as a seedy, R-rated, dangerous area of the city. Well, that’s not quite the truth.
Yes, the Red Light District is where you’ll find more adult-oriented activities, such as sex shops, sex shows and sex workers offering their services. However, sex work is legal in Amsterdam, as long as its not happening directly on the streets.
In order to guarantee safety and hygiene, specific standards are maintained, medical care is available to workers and there’s a heavy police presence in the area.
But should you visit? That’s a personal call. Out of curiosity, I’ve walked through a few times during my visits to Amsterdam. It is an interesting neighbourhood to check out, but can feel overrun by British bachelor parties (more on them later).
And even during the day, there’s a feeling that you’re in a bit of a human zoo. I believe sex work should be legal and protected, but am not sure that my gawking on the street does anything to support workers.
7. Amsterdam is a city for bachelor parties – but you can avoid them!
Unfortunately, with its well known reputation for coffeeshops and the Red Light District, and the fact that its only a 45 minute flight from London, Amsterdam is often overrun by bachelor parties or similar groups of mostly guys, acting dumb and ruining the city.
They say 100 people a year fall into the Amsterdam canals and I have to assume 75 of them were on a stag night!
And if it’s not the bachelor parties, you’ll find hordes of other tourists walking along the main streets or flocking to the most popular attractions. What can I say, Amsterdam is a popular city and Amsterdam nightlife is well known!
But luckily, it’s not hard to get away from all of that. When we visited in September 2022, we had a hard time navigating through the groups of tourists all leaving the central train station. But just a street or two away, we had the entire neighbourhood to ourselves. Everything felt incredibly quiet and local.
So head off the main streets and discover a more authentic and enjoyable Amsterdam!
Summer 2023 update:Â Amsterdam has recently brought in some new rules to make the city better for locals and less open to the rowdiness of bachelor parties and the like. Check out this great article on the new changes in Amsterdam!Â
PS: And if you are coming to Amsterdam for a bachelor party or to experience Amsterdam nightlife, don’t be an idiot!
Remember that other people are trying to enjoy Amsterdam too – let alone the locals that are just trying to live there – and probably don’t want to spend all night listening to you shouting on your pub crawl.
8. Required places to visit in Amsterdam: Anne Frank House & anywhere in a canal boat
Is it touristy to visit the Anne Frank House and go on a canal cruise in Amsterdam? No doubt. But it’s also absolutely worth it as these are some of the most important places to visit in Amsterdam.
I’m sure you’ve heard of Anne Frank from her famous book, The Diary of Anne Frank. As you might remember, Anne and her family hid in the upstairs attic of her father’s workplace to escape Nazi persecution.
Tragically, their hiding place was found and they were all sent to concentration camps where only Otto Frank, Anna’s father, survived.
The very attic where the Franks and their friends hid for over two years is located in Amsterdam and can now be visited as the Anne Frank House. I’ve had the privilege of visiting this museum five times and it has deeply moved me each time.
The museum is incredibly well put together with an audio guide, videos and artifacts as you make your way up to the attic. I highly recommend it as a stop on your Amsterdam itinerary.
Note: Tickets to the Anne Frank House sell out fast and must be booked online, in advance. Currently, tickets drop on the first Tuesday of the month before you want to visit (so the first Tuesday in November for a visit anytime in December) and can be booked here.
The other must-do activity in Amsterdam is to get out on the water. Amsterdam is famous for its canals, with over 100 km of canals, 90 islands and 1500 bridges connecting the city. The best way to experience them is on a boat.
You can hop on a canal cruise – many take off from just outside the Anne Frank House for a 1 hour ride with commentary for about 20 euro.
You can pay more for special dinner cruises, drink cruises or more involved commentary. You could also opt for a hop-on-hop-off boat to get around the city or rent a boat of your own to see the canals at your own pace.
Check out some awesome Amsterdam canal cruise options here:Â
Of course, there’s so much more to do in Amsterdam! Many would consider a visit to the Van Gogh Museum an absolute must and I’d recommend a walk around Jordaan. If you’re short on time, check out my one day in Amsterdam itinerary for the must-sees!Â
9. What to eat in Amsterdam: Pancakes, rijstaffel and more!
Besides wandering along the canals and learning about history, you also need to do some good eating in Amsterdam! Being an international city, you’re sure to find something for every dietary preference and taste bud in Amsterdam.
But a few things you don’t want to miss include:
- Dutch pancakes: My favourite are from The Pancake Bakery where they offer tons of different topping combinations.
- Croquettes or bitterballen: Croquettes are a Dutch snack where a stew of meat is breaded and deep-fried. Croquettes are oval-shaped while bitterballen are ball-shaped, but I understand the fillings are essentially the same.
- Stroopwaffel: Cross a cookie with a waffle, then add syrup, and you’ve got yourself a stroopwaffel! These Dutch treats can be found at any supermarket but can also be enjoyed fresh from a street vendor, where the warm syrup oozes out of every bite.
- Rijstaffel: There’s a large Indonesian population in Amsterdam and one of the Indonesian/Dutch traditions is rijstaffel, or rice table. Basically it’s Indonesian tapas where you can enjoy a number of small dishes served alongside rice.
- Kaassoufflé: Melted cheese wrapped in dough and then deep fried. Need I say more?
For more Dutch favourites, like apple pie or traditional stews, head to a traditional Dutch restaurant or go on a food tour. We went to Moeders on our most recent trip and absolutely loved our meal!
Click here to check out this walking food tour through one of my favourite Amsterdam neighbourhoods!
10. Don’t spend all of your time in Dam Square while visiting Amsterdam
Dam Square is one of the busiest and most important squares in Amsterdam, and for good reason. There’s lots to see and experience here and it’s a historic place in the city. But don’t spend your entire trip around The Dam!
Dam Square is the origin point of the dam built up against the River Amstel. It’s also home to the National Monument, New Church and Royal Palace. Plus it’s a stone’s throw away from Central Station, the Red Light District and some of Amsterdam’s most popular shopping streets.
But it’s also a bit of a tourist trap. Next to churches and monuments you’ll find wax museums, souvenir shops and lots of people trying to sell you trinkets, get you to take a photo with them, or inexplicably give you bird seed to feed the pigeons.
Restaurants in this area are worse quality and more expensive. Streets are jammed with people. And British bachelor parties are a dime a dozen.
So sure, head down to Dam Square while visiting Amsterdam. Take photos and even tour the Royal Palace. But don’t spend all of your time here. And don’t think this crowded and touristy square is all Amsterdam has to offer.
11. Enjoy some of Amsterdam’s great parks
While Amsterdam is obviously famous for its skinny houses and picturesque canals, did you know the city also has a number of incredible parks?
On a sunny day in Amsterdam (rare, if you ask an Amsterdammer), you’ll find these parks full of locals and tourists alike enjoying a stroll, a picnic or a beer with friends.
The most famous park in Amsterdam is probably Vondel Park. It’s a quick walk from Museumplein, where the famous Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum are, so makes for a great picnic lunch spot after museum hopping.
But my favourite park in Amsterdam is Westerpark. When I studied abroad in Amsterdam in 2014, Westerpark was my local park. My friends and I would often walk through the park on our way to somewhere else in the city or take a stroll through on a sunny day.
We’d head there almost weekly for fresh scones from Bakkerswinkel and I remember watching many football games on a big screen in the park’s local pub.
On more recent visits, Westerpark is still just as charming and fun as I remember it being, but now it seems to offer so much more. While visiting Amsterdam in September 2022, we met friends at an arcade bar in Westerpark, passing a brewery, outdoor concert venue and many shops and restaurants.
I was flooded with nostalgia for my study abroad life and inspired to maybe make this awesome neighbourhood my home again one day in the future.
12. Amsterdam is the perfect base for weekend and day trips!
While visiting places in Amsterdam is easy, it’s also very easy to visit places outside of Amsterdam! As mentioned above, Amsterdam is well served by a central train station and airport.
From there, you can go on day trips from Amsterdam and explore other amazing places in the Netherlands like the canals of Utrecht, windmills in Zaanse Schans, the port city of Rotterdam, or UN courts in The Hague.
Explore these easy day trips from Amsterdam:
You can also easily take the train to cities in Belgium, France and Germany if you want to go on a weekend trip from Amsterdam and explore beyond the Netherlands. Even London is under four hours away by train (or less than an hour by plane!).
On my most recent trips to Amsterdam, I’ve taken the train from Paris, comfortably and simply arriving in Amsterdam just three hours after bidding au revoir to the Eiffel Tower. Leaving Amsterdam, I took the train to Belgium arriving in places like Brussels and Antwerp in less than two hours.
Because Amsterdam is so central and well-connected, it’s easy to expand three days in Amsterdam into a week or more exploring the nearby area.
Choose a few nearby cities of interest and consult Seat 61 for train directions. I highly suggest a Paris and Amsterdam itinerary or Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam itinerary an awesome week in Europe!
Bonus: Where to stay while visiting Amsterdam
My top recommendation for where to stay in Amsterdam is SWEETS Hotel, a collection of independent bridge houses that have been converted into hotel suites.
Each bridge house is completely unique and connects you to Amsterdam life in the coolest way! Check out my full SWEETS Hotel review here.
If you’re on a budget, I recommend THIS HO(S)TEL, which is a cube-style hotel/hostel right by Amsterdam Centraal. It’s extremely well-located, modern and cool with shared bathrooms and capsule style rooms.
Or find your perfect place to stay in Amsterdam here:
Conclusion: Enjoy visiting Amsterdam!
And there you have it: 12 things to know before visiting Amsterdam! With these tips in mind, you should be all set for exploring and enjoying your time in the Dutch capital.
Amsterdam has been one of my favourite cities in the world and it makes me so happy to introduce other travellers to this city and watch them fall in love with it.
Yes, Amsterdam has earned a reputation for being rowdy and crowded, but it doesn’t have to be like that. With these tips, you can have an incredible trip to Amsterdam!
I’d love to know: Have you been to Amsterdam? What tips would you share with first time visitors to Amsterdam? Or if you haven’t been, is Amsterdam on your travel bucket list?
Your city reviews are always spot on and very thorough! I loved Amsterdam when we visited a few years ago, and absolutely agree with you on your feelings of the Red Light District. We loved the Anne Frank House and our visit to a community outside Amsterdam called Haarlem which felt very authentic and easily accessible by bus from Amsterdam.
Thanks so much, Jodie! So glad this one resonated. Yes, Haarlem is a great little day trip – I think I visited back in 2014. Great recommendation!
It took me a while to “get” Amsterdam’s charm but it won me over with its pancakes and historic buildings after all. I agree with you, I’m not parzicularly fon of its reputation as a party and drug centre. I rather join a canal boat tour and explore the city’s countless food experiences.
Thanks for checking out the post, Carolin! A canal boat tour and some good pancakes sounds like the perfect way to experience Amsterdam.
Fantastic write-up on Amsterdam! I heaven’t been there in many years, but your pictures and word make me feel like I’m there again. The Ann Frank House and a canal cruise are two must-dos, and I really like the section on what to eat. Amsterdam is very close to many major cities, and a great place to jumpstart a European vacation.
Thanks so much, Tiffany! I hope you get to visit Amsterdam again soon.