AmsterdamTravel Guide

Amsterdam's Old Centre is the historical heart of the city, encompassing the Red Light District, Dam, Spui, and Nieuwmarkt. This medieval district is perhaps the most visited area in the capital, and you'll find the Oude Kerk and the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in these parts. If you're seeking peace and quiet, the Old Centre is probably not where you'll find it, but it's abuzz with nightlife and close to Amsterdam's historical landmarks.

Located northwest of the city centre, the upscale Jordaan area is hip, arty, and mostly residential, which will likely give you a quieter and more authentic stay. You won't find many hotels in this area, though, rather boutique bed and breakfasts or guesthouses, beautiful in their quintessential Dutch charm. The Jordaan hosts the popular Nine Streets shopping district, so you'll be close to vintage shops, cute cafes and restaurants.

De Pijp is a vibrant residential area of Amsterdam that's located just south of the city centre. The area is overflowing with cafes, restaurants and bars, so an exquisite bite to eat is never far away. Ensure you spend a Saturday morning strolling the nearby Albert Cuyp Market, a massive outdoor market with more than 300 stalls.

Amsterdam's Grachtengordel (Canal Ring) is the beautiful and World Heritage-listed district that forms a horseshoe around the city's Old Centre. The area accommodates tourists and residents alike with several hotels, boutique shops, cafes and restaurants as well as businesses and homes dotting the area. You'll find Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein here, perfect for exploring the city's nightlife.

The Museum Quarter (Museumplein), while home to Amsterdam's famous museums and thus buzzing with visitors by day, is actually quite peaceful by night. You'll find a wide range of hotels here, ranging from high to low end. Staying in Museumplein not only gives you a jumpstart on the queues to the world-renowned museums, but also puts you in close proximity to the glamorous P.C. Hooftstraat shopping district.

Located in the heart of Amsterdam is a site and story that has captured the world: the Anne Frank House. This famous yet unassuming building is distinguishable only by the queue that snakes outside. From far and wide, people journey to see where the young Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for two years during the Holocaust. A moving experience to say the least.

The Heineken Experience is one of history and beer, and is sure to please fans of the Dutch pilsner – or any pilsner, for that matter. The interactive tour is of the original brewery that produced its first ale in 1867. Soak in the rich history of the Heineken product and brand, and discover what brings your favourite beer to life before enjoying one yourself.

Every sizeable European city has its share of breathtaking historical monuments, and Amsterdam is no different with the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Built as the city hall for magistrates in the 17th century, Amsterdam's most famous historical building won't disappoint. Lose yourself in the palace's elaborately decorated interior, alive with beautiful paintings and sculptures that tell stories of the city's past.

Lose yourself – and hours – in Amsterdam's largest collection of art and artefacts at the Rijksmuseum. This incredible museum is four floors full of more than 8,000 treasures dating back to the Middle Ages: paintings and drawings, photography, decorative arts and furniture, jewellery and fashion. Perhaps its most famous piece is Dutch painter Rembrandt's The Night Watch, completed in 1642.

Step into Rembrandt's world at the Rembrandt House Museum, located in the heart of Amsterdam. Here, between 1639 and 1656, the world-renowned Dutch artist lived and worked, and today, carefully refurbished, it recreates an atmosphere Rembrandt would have breathed. See the almost complete collection of Rembrandt's etchings as well as work by his contemporaries.

After immersing yourself in the Dutch Golden Age's finest at the Rijksmuseum, it's time to jump forward to the present at the Stedelijk Museum. This international museum is a beacon of modern and contemporary art and design, showcasing global artists from the early 20th to the 21st century. You'll find an impressive collection of works by Cezanne, Picasso and Matisse, as well as De Kooning and Warhol.

In a city reputed for its liberal nightlife antics, you'll want to check out (if only briefly) the world-famous Red Light District. Swathed by mostly drunken tourists at night, though fairly unassuming by day, this area lies just to the east of the city centre. Its name describes the red neon lights that highlight some 300 windows of rooms where prostitutes work.

Amsterdam's iconic 17th century canal belt became part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010. While certainly a source of beauty today, the canals were originally built as a source of wealth and greatly contributed to the city's affluence and growth. Their ingenuity and architectural influence earned the canals their spot on the acclaimed list, and many canal cruises will afford you a first-hand experience of the watery wonder.

The grand Oude Kerk (Old Church) sits at the heart of the Red Light District. Widely considered to be Amsterdam's oldest building and parish church, it's believed to date back to around 1213. The Oude Kerk is much more than a beautiful historical landmark, though. Inside you'll find one of the city's youngest art institutions, and the church regularly hosts a variety of religious and cultural activities.

A print of Van Gogh's Sunflowers has been brightening your bedroom for years, and now it's time to marvel at the original in the Van Gogh Museum. This permanent exhibition holds more than 200 paintings and 500 drawings by the influential Dutch artist and his contemporaries – the largest collection of his works in the world.

The Verzetsmuseum (The Dutch Resistance Museum) is your glimpse into Netherland's more recent past. The permanent exhibition will take you on a journey to explore the shocking reality of everyday life for a Dutch living in Amsterdam during the German occupation of World War II. You'll hear incredible stories of Dutch resistance against the Nazis.

The trendy neighbourhood of Jordaan is one of Amsterdam's best restaurant precincts. Despite the area's popularity, restaurants here remain quaint and authentic; look particularly for restaurants serving traditional Dutch cuisine. The lively quarter of De Pijp is your summer-time pick for terrace dining and is sure to please foodies with three Michelin-starred restaurants in the area. Be sure to visit Rembrandtplein for a smorgasbord of dining options as well.

Singing a completely different tune once the day's spun away, Amsterdam lets loose with wild clubs, bars, live music and performances, and of course the world-famous Red Light District. The noisiest night-time hubs include Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein. If your ideal night out is more on the quiet side, head to one of Amsterdam's famous candlelit ‘brown cafes' (folksy pubs) for a pleasant drink: Cafe ‘t Smalle is a popular choice among locals.

Hit Amsterdam's Oud-West for your food market fill. Here you'll find De Foodhallen, an enormous indoor marketplace offering a delectable array of high-end street food from all over the world, from hand-rolled sushi to Spanish tapas and Italian wood-fired pizzas. Alternatively, take your pick from one of many food markets dotted around the city: Noordermarkt's Saturday market features fresh local ingredients, or enjoy an authentic stroopwafel at Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp.

With a growing list of trendy Amsterdam cafes serving specialty brews on the scene, finding quality coffee in Amsterdam is easier than you may think. Surprisingly, you'll find some of the best cups in the tourist-haven Red Light District. Blauwe Theehuis, located in the popular Vondelpark, presents the perfect end to a beautiful stroll through the park grounds. Be weary though, coffee shops don't actually serve what they say, so you may need to keep looking past these signs

Visit Nine Streets for an authentic Amsterdam shopping experience. This beautiful shopping district is so named for its nine picturesque streets and surrounding canals, and it's a hotspot for the best vintage and designer fashion shops, design shops, bookstores, and jewellers. Several restaurants and chic cafes in the area are perfect for taking that well-earned shopping break, or for simply soaking in the authentic Amsterdam surrounds.

If you consider the likes of Tiffany, Chanel and Dior to be among your closest friends, P.C Hooftstraat is probably for you. Named after the Dutch poet Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Amsterdam's poshest shopping street is devoted to the world's biggest brands, luxury fashion, and cosmetics. It's sophisticated, it's chic, and it's not to be missed.

When the sun is bright and the breeze is cool, why not visit one (or even a few) of Amsterdam's markets? Lively and colourful, these street markets are as deep-rooted to the city as its 800-year-old Oude Kerk. Dutch cheeses, flowers, organic fruit and vegetables, vintage clothing, collectables and more on proud display tempt many a traveller from across the world daily.

The Spiegelkwartier shopping district is a must-visit for lovers of art and antiques. It's where you'll pick up that authentic Warhol to hang in your living room (or Picasso, if that suits better), or that divine archaeological treasure. It's not an inexpensive shopping experience – unless you're window shopping, of course. After whiling away a morning here, why not visit the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, or the Stedelijk Museum just a short walk away.

Much like many European cities, public transport in Amsterdam is a magnificent system of trams, trains, busses, ferries that'll take you exactly where you need to go, or near enough, without fuss or lengthy waits at stations. Depending on how long you're staying and what shoes you decide to wear, many different public transport passes may be good value for the wallet and the feet.

Walking in Amsterdam is another excellent way to get around and to simply experience the essence of the city. Spend a pleasant summer afternoon wandering through the maze of leafy canals, gabled houses, and enchanting alleyways. Alternatively, join a free guided walking tour and learn more about the history of specific sights – just be sure to tip your guide at the end!

Amsterdam is a city of cyclists. In fact, there are more bikes in the city then there are residents (some 850,000!). Cycling is, plain and simple, a way of life. Amsterdammers use their bikes to get to work, do the grocery shopping, and pick up the kids from school. So rent a bike from one of many bike hire centres and wind your way around the city like the locals do.

A ride in an Amsterdam taxi is a reliable and convenient way to get to where you need to be, especially when travelling to and from the airport with loads of luggage in tow. Ensure you hail a licensed taxi; look for the blue number plates and roof lights displaying the name of their operator, and ensure that the taxi meter is always on.

If you haven't got a picture next to the I AMSTERDAM sculpture in Museumplein, have you really been to Amsterdam? Surrounded by the city's most famous museums, the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum, Museumplein is often abuzz with locals and tourists. If you're travelling in winter, be sure to skate on Museumplein's ice rink!

Located in the Plantage district, the Hortus Botanicus is one of the world's oldest botanical gardens at nearly 400 years old. After just a few minutes following twisting paths through leafy gardens, bright flowers and exotic plants, you're sure to forget you're in one of the busiest capitals in Europe. Definitely a must-see at any time of the year.

Though it's a bit out of the main city, Oosterpark is well worth a visit if you're after a little escape from the busier areas. A 30-minute walk from the city centre by foot, and even less if you've adopted the local way of life by using pedal power, the journey to the park can also prove a unique experience: it winds through the city's beautiful residential areas, a stone of Amsterdam that so many tourists mistakenly leave unturned.

Amsterdam's Vondelpark is undoubtedly the city's largest and most famous park, welcoming around 10 million residents and tourists to its lush grounds every year. The park is home to an open-air theatre, a variety of terrace restaurants and cafes, and an enormous rose garden filled with some 70 different species of roses. It's a perfect spot to rest with a drink after exploring the nearby museums.

Get in touch with nature and enjoy some fresh air at Rembrandtpark, a large and peaceful green space located in Amsterdam West. A local favourite as it often presents a quieter atmosphere than the other city parks, Rembrandtpark is home to sculptures, beautiful ponds, and even a petting zoo: The Uylenburg. Wander one of the many walking trails, or take a picnic lunch and enjoy some people-watching.