Visited by more than 20 million tourists each year, Amsterdam has many popular and classic tourist attractions.
Dam Square, the symbol of the city, Old town along the canal, Museums with one of the world’s greatest collections, Red light district with bewitching scenery, Flower market with fresh Dutch flowers, Street market where you can eat Dutch specialties while walking around, and Windmill village in the next town. Amsterdam is a tourist destination full of things to see and do.
For those visiting Amsterdam for the first time, I show you the best travel itinerary templates that covers the must-Visit places, must-See tourist attractions, and must-Eat sweets in this city.
This itinerary was planned by the author, who lives in Amsterdam.
Enjoy your first visit to Amsterdam!
Get your City Card!
The Amsterdam City Card, which includes a public transport pass and museum tickets, is a convenient way to explore Amsterdam for a few days.
With the City Card, you can get Free entry or Discounts at must-see attractions in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam City Card official website >>
City Card is perfect for your first visit to Amsterdam!
Amsterdam City Card
With the Amsterdam City Card you can enjoy free or discounted access to activities such as public transport, museums and canal cruises.
City cards can be selected from 1 day (24 hours) to 5 days (120 hours).
The 3-day (72-hour) City Card is the best way to explore Amsterdam and the surrounding towns.
You can start using your City Card by simply activating it using the app on your smartphone. And just scan the QR code on the app when you get on a tram or bus, or enter a museum!
Amsterdam Sightseeing, Day1
This is a three-day travel itinerary using City Card.
On the first day you’ll explore Amsterdam, on the second day you’ll visit a windmill village, and eating Dutch specialties at street market. Then the third day you’ll visit a traditional Dutch town.
*This itinerary templates focuses on activities that are free to enter with a city card.
DAY1, Typical Amsterdam sightseeing
Activate your City Card right before you leave your hotel. Once you activate your City Card, your usage time begins. If you activate a 3-day Citi card at 8am, the Citi card will be valid until 7:59am on your fourth day, 72 hours later.
*You can get a QR code by activating your city card using the smartphone app. You can enter each facility and public transportation using this QR code.
9am：Amsterdam Central Station
Take the tram or metro from your hotel to Amsterdam Central Station. You can ride trams, metro and buses operated by GVB for free with your city card.
Scan the QR code at the tram entrance and ride!
Be sure to scan the QR code when you get off!
When you arrive at Amsterdam Central Station, you first have breakfast at the pancake shop, Pancakes Amsterdam in front of the station.
You can enjoy Dutch specialty pancakes. The menu has a wide variety of items including cheese, bacon, salmon, banana, and caramel.
The pancake shop is in the old Canal House, a popular photo spot in front of the station. Breakfast time while looking out at the quiet cityscape in the morning is special.
Also, don’t forget to take a photo in front of the Canal House.
10am：Book a canal cruise
Lovers Canal Cruises that depart from the central station are a popular activity in Amsterdam. You can board for free with your City Card.
Reservations are required. Visit the box office at Prins Hendrikkade 20C to book your timeslot on the spot.
Lovers Canal Cruises is open from 10am to 9pm. (17pm is recommended for this model course.)
Museum Square
Take the Tram from Amsterdam Central Station to Museum Square (Museumplein). There are fewer people in the morning, so you might be able to take some beautiful photos!
10:30am：Visit Museum
There are various museums on Museum Square. With your City Card, you can enter Rijksmuseum (National Museum), Stedelijk Museum (City Museum), Moco Museum, and Diamond Museum for free.
All of these museums are recommended, but let’s choose just one to visit due to the time constraints.
If you want to see Dutch historical art, the Rijksmuseum is the place to go. You can see masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer.
If you like innovative art, the Moco Museum is the place for you. This is an activity-based museum where you can experience iconic works by famous contemporary artists such as Banksy and Yayoi Kusama.
To enter the museum, you need to reserve a time slot through the City Card app!
Be sure to stop by the museum shop inside the museum and the shop at Museum Square! There are various museum-limited items.
12pm：A walk along the canal
After visiting the museum, take a walk from the Museum Square to the flower market through the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat is a beautiful street full of small stores and galleries. And there is a beautiful photo spot with a view from the bridge over the canal.
Be careful when walking, there are many bicycles and cars.
Flower market
In the Netherlands, the country of flowers, there are many flowers in the markets.
Amsterdam’s flower market (Bloemenmarkt) is always filled with seasonal flowers. The Bloemenmarkt is also famous as a floating market with shops lined up on the river.
There are many colorful flowers and a wide variety of tulip bulbs. You can see many kinds of flowers.
Munt Tower and Dollhouse Gallery
The Munt Tower next to the flower market is Amsterdam’s clock tower, built in 1620, and it rings at the appointed time.
Inside the tower is a souvenir shop with beautiful Dutch Delft pottery. (Closed on Sundays)
The Dollhouse Gallery next to Munt Tower is also a recommended to see. This is the cutest dollhouse in Amsterdam. You can enter the store for free.
13pm：Lunch at a cafe with a nice view
Café Blue Amsterdam is located on the top floor of a shopping mall, a 1-minute walk from the Munt Tower, and has a great view overlooking the Old Town. Enjoy your lunch with a beautiful views of Amsterdam.
14pm：Window shopping to Dam Square
On the basement floor of Café Blue Amsterdam is HEMA, a popular Dutch store. First of all, let’s enjoy shopping at HEMA.
The street from HEMA to Dam Square is lined with many small shops. After lunch, let’s do some window shopping!
Dam Square and New Church
From HEMA, go straight on Kalverstraat and you’ll arrive at Amsterdam’s iconic Dam Square. Let’s take a photo with the Royal Palace in the background!
Next to the Royal Palace is the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk), built 600 years ago. It’s free enter with your City Card. The pipe organ and stained glass are wonderful, so let’s take a look. (No reservation required, closed on Monday)
Ice cream time!
The ice cream shop Van der Linde, located a 3-minute walk from Dam Square, is a popular whipped ice cream shop. Enjoy ice cream time at the best ice cream shop!
NOTE: Van der Linde only accepts cash payments.
Chocolate time!
Next, let’s head to the chocolate shop, Tony’s Store. TONY’S chocolate is a chocolate that originated in Amsterdam and is characterized by its pop design packaging. It is also characterized by its wide variety of flavor of chocolates.
You can purchase a variety of chocolates and limited edition items at Tony’s Store.
15:30pm：Old Church and Red Light District
A 5-minute walk from Tony’s Store is the Oude Kerk, the oldest church in Amsterdam. The old church is a museum, so you can enjoy the collaboration between the historic church and modern art. Admission is free with City Card. (No reservation required)
And the area around the old church is the Red light district. You can see Dutch sexual culture.
NOTE: Photography is prohibited in the Red light district!
For a break, I recommend the cafe De Koffieschenkerij in the old church!
This is a popular cafe with delicious apple pie and wonderful latte art.
17pm：Canal Cruise
At 16:30, head to the Lovers Canal Cruises you reserved. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the Red light district. Be sure to arrive at the cruise ship terminal 15 minutes before your reservation time.
Sightseeing around the city on a canal cruise. (Free with city card, 60 minutes)
Amsterdam Noord
After your Canal Cruise, pass through Amsterdam Central Station and take the ferry to Amsterdam Noord (north).
You can reach Amsterdam Noord by taking the free ferry to Buiksloterweg. No ticket is required to board the ferry.
Make sure to take the ferry to Buiksloterweg!
18:45pm：THIS IS HOLLAND
THIS IS HOLLAND in Amsterdam Noord is a popular amusement facility where you can enjoy a spectacular 5D flight experience over must-see locations in the Netherlands.
Admission is free with City Card. (Time required: 1 hour, 5D experience 9 minutes)
Reservations are required for THIS IS HOLLAND.
Be sure to reserve your Pre-book ticket using the app!
20pm：Dinner time
It’s dinner time. I’m sure you’re tired from walking all day, so let’s go to a restaurant at Amsterdam Station for dinner. There are several restaurants at the station.
Take the free ferry back to Central Station, eat near the station, and return to your hotel.
Personally, I recommend the steak restaurant Loetje in front of the station. Loetje is a delicious steak restaurant that is popular in the Netherlands. The restaurant in front of the station is famous for its great view and beautiful interior.
Be sure to make restaurant reservations online!
If you want to buy drinks or snacks before returning to the hotel, you can buy them at the AH to go (supermarket) at the station!
Highlights of Day 1
Day 1 is a typical Amsterdam sightseeing: visit popular museums in the morning, explore the city in the afternoon, and take a canal cruise in the evening.
Be sure to make a reservation through the app for the museum that you will visit at Museum Square, and 5D flight experience in THIS IS HOLLAND.
- 9am; Breakfast
- 10am; Reservations of canal cruise
- 10:30; Museums at Museum Square
- 12pm; Walking the canal (Flower Market, Munt Tower)
- 13pm; Lunch
- 14pm; HEMA, Dam Square, New Church, Ice cream shop, Tony’s
- 15:30; Old church and Red light district
- 17pm; Canal cruise
- 18:45; 5D flight experience
- 8pm; Dinner
This model course departs from Amsterdam Central Station and returns to the station in the evening, so you can leave your large luggage in a locker at the station.
With the City Card app, you can see facilities that accept City Card on a map, and you can make reservations of museums and facilities from the app.
The app also displays location information, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost while sightseeing.
Amsterdam City Card official website >>
City Card is perfect for your first visit to Amsterdam!