Top things to do in Amsterdam
Attractions, tours and activities in Amsterdam
Recommended museums in Amsterdam
Where to discover culture and the arts in Amsterdam
Amsterdam: the city's best neighbourhoods
Find a great area to stay in Amsterdam
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Amsterdam City Centre
In the city centre
Take a stroll along Damrak, filled with curio shops and restaurants geared up for tourism. Reach the square to see the Royal Palace and New Church standing side-by-side in their majestic glory. Madame Tussauds offers waxy fun for the family, while Kalverstraat is a high street shopping extravaganza.
Places to stay from £10 per night
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Oud Zuid
1.4 miles from city centre
The ‘Old South’ is Amsterdam’s most elegant neighborhood and contains a mix of commercial and residential areas. Luxurious PC Hooftstraat features designer label clothing and accessories, while a stroll along the Northern Amstel Canal will bring you to one of the many parks in the area.
Places to stay from £9 per night
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Oud-West
1.1 miles from city centre
There’s an urban feel in this hugely multi-cultural area in the streets between Overtoom and Kinkerstraat. With numerous ethnic shops and restaurants, the area is a smorgasbord for food lovers. Ten Katemarkt street market is in the centre of the district, known for its Turkish food vendors selling delicious treats.
Places to stay from £18 per night
About Amsterdam
Including tips for the best time to visit Amsterdam
As the Netherlands' culture-packed capital, Amsterdam has always been a hotspot for holidaymakers. This enticing slice of North Holland is renowned for its iconic criss-crossing canals, distinctive narrow houses and an eclectic range of museums including the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.
Main public transport options include buses and trams, but bicycles rule when it comes to getting around. With around 400 km of bike paths and almost 8,000 parking spaces, exploring on two wheels makes taking in the main sights a breeze.
The city's medieval centre, known as Centrum, showcases many points of interest synonymous with Amsterdam tourism, including canals, traditional architecture and the famous nightlife of the Red Light District. If you're visiting in tulip season, a stopover at nearby Keukenhof's botanical garden in mid-April provides sweeping views of multicoloured flowers in bloom.
A variety of accommodation can be found all over the city, from high-end hotels to cosy hostels and homestays. The main airport of Schiphol is 15 km southwest of the city and offers regular train services between the main terminal and city centre.
Tonight
From £120 per night
This weekend
From £325 per night
Next weekend
From £403 per night
| Most popular time to visit | October–December |
| Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
| Local currency | € 10 = £8.46 |
| Language | Dutch |
| Average weekend price | £151 per night |
| Average weekday price | £157 per night |
| Typical stay | 2 nights |
Points of interest in Amsterdam
Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Amsterdam
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Dam Square
0.1 miles from city centre
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Leidseplein
0.8 miles from city centre
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Anne Frank House
0.4 miles from city centre
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Melkweg
0.7 miles from city centre
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Museum Square
1.2 miles from city centre
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Het Concertgebouw
1.3 miles from city centre
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Rijksmuseum
0.9 miles from city centre
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Hermitage Amsterdam
0.6 miles from city centre
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Royal Palace Amsterdam
0.1 miles from city centre
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Paradiso
0.8 miles from city centre
Latest articles featuring Amsterdam
Inspiration and insider tips for what to do in Amsterdam
Going Dutch – 15 of Amsterdam’s favourite foods
World-famous cheese, sweet treats and unusual flavours.
Amsterdam in winter
With cosy cafés and frozen canals to skate on, Amsterdam in winter is pretty as a picture.
A seasonal guide to Amsterdam
Summertime might be Amsterdam’s peak season, but the city has much to offer year-round.
8 Amsterdam craft beer spots you can’t miss
Beer in the Dutch capital has never tasted so good.
Amsterdam’s overlooked parks: A photo journal
A photographic journey through Amsterdam’s often overlooked green spaces.
Amsterdam reviews
What other travellers say about Amsterdam
Night life is very varied and lots to do, just depends what...
7 October 2017
Night life is very varied and lots to do, just depends what you are wanting to do. Dungeon was fantastic as was the architecture and shopping areas. The boat cruise for €15 euros was fantastic at night and seeing the city lit up at night was great! Moulin Rouge very disappointing Black Tiger Bar was great in the red light district. Escape bar was disapointing as they would not let us in without ID which was a 20min walk away back in our rooms. The only place to ask us. It was over priced entry fee anyway. Fantastic cooked breakfast at teddys and our hotel overall was a good place to stay. There was a Chinese where we all said we had the best Chinese food ever but I was too drunk to remember the name of it haha!
Great and funny place.
5 November 2017
Great and funny place. 2-3full days are enought but 1-2days not enought. The nights are crazy, what must try and must be lost in the crowd. We were in 5-6 different restaurants (burgers bar, elegant hotel restaurant, argentin steak house etc) and all was nice and all food was good or great! They are friendly and know what the tourist needs!
I recomand restaurant pasta posta, walking distance from...
4 November 2017
I recomand restaurant pasta posta, walking distance from hotel Savoy. The old church is stunning. Centraal train station has also some beautifull architecture, from inside it looks more like a chateau rather than a train station. I realy enjoyed the visit. The city has got a very unique vibe.
Beautiful city, compact so easy to walk it.
11 August 2022
Beautiful city, compact so easy to walk it. Lots to see and do. Highly recommend the free walking tour. Negatives was it was dirty, Gay Pride festival was on, afterwards streets were filthy, lots of broken glass and rubbish that wasn’t cleaned, such a pity.
As a regular visitor to Amsterdam over the past number of...
9 August 2022
As a regular visitor to Amsterdam over the past number of years I found it to be more or less consistent. The prices have increased for food and drinks, but no more than anywhere else. The city was clean, and felt safe. Some bars and restaurants had closed since my last visit three years ago, but again that's the same for every other city. All in all it was a positive experience.
I spent over a week in Amsterdam exploring the city and all...
9 August 2022
I spent over a week in Amsterdam exploring the city and all its marvels. I rode a bicycle to the Rijksmuseum through the beautiful Vondelpark. I ate 18 dishes of wonderfully spiced dishes at the Tujuh Maret. I did a free walking tour with a very interesting guide through the city and learned about the rich history. I ate stoopwafels and bitterballen at the Albert Cuyp Market while locals bought flowers and everything from clothes to cleaning products. Unfortunately I didn't book the Van Gogh museum in time and would advise booking all museum visits before your trip.
Popular places to stay in Amsterdam
Stay in some of the best accommodation Amsterdam has to offer
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Huis Roomolen Amsterdam City Centre, Amsterdam
From £228 per night
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The Hendrick's Hotel Amsterdam City Centre, Amsterdam
From £214 per night
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Other accommodation in Amsterdam
Choose from a wide variety of places to stay in Amsterdam
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Apartments
From £30 per night
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Villas
From per night
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Cabins
From £116 per night
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Glamping
From £72 per night
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Serviced apartments
From £41 per night
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Holiday homes
From £82 per night
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Guest houses
From £41 per night
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Hostels
From £9 per night
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B&Bs
From £21 per night
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Homestays
From £31 per night
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Campsites
From £116 per night
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Boats
From £51 per night
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Self catering accommodation
From £32 per night
