Top 10 Things To See And Do In Amsterdam

Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you my top 10 things to see and do in Amsterdam. Now, these are not in order of preference, they are simply the things we found most interesting and fun about this wonderful city (and no, this list does not include coffee shops, sorry to disappoint). If you ever have the chance to visit this place, make sure to plan where you wish to go and what you would like to do as this city is full of things to do for everyone. We spent only 2 full days here but that it wasn't enough in my opinion, we probably missed out in some awesome things. But hey, more of an excuse to go back sometime.

1. See the Banksy Exhibitions

Banksy is a graffiti artist known mostly for their mysterious identity, creating works of art with political, environmental and social agenda across many cities. A large amount of their work is shown in the Moco Museum, along with other artists such as Icy & Sot. We loved visiting this museum as although Amsterdam is infamous for its never ending amount of museums, this one is a little different from the rest. With a more interactive, eye-catching and comedic feel for the viewer. Perfect if museums aren't really your thing.

2. Walk down the Canals

The first thing you may think about when you think of Amsterdam is the popular pictures of bicycles against the many bridges. There are plenty of canals that run though the city (so you won't have to fight for a spot to take a pretty picture). Walking down these canals are so peaceful, you could spend hours doing it. Just be careful with where you walk as people on bicycles tend to whiz past very often.

3. Get a photo at the 'Iamsterdam' statue

Now, I didn't personally get a photo by the statue, however, this spot seems to be pretty popular with the tourists. Josh and I found that this city is definitely tailored towards tourists by holding numerous spots like these. But it looks pretty cool to get a photo with, if you manage to find a spot amid all the tourists.

4. Visit the Anne Frank House

Probably the most visited place in Amsterdam with almost 3 months booking in advance, the Anne Frank House has been transformed into a mini museum, walking you through the incredible story of the little girl. It almost felt like you were in her shoes as you got to see the hiding place of the family and where her little diary began. Although this is a 'must see' for many tourists, it can get very overcrowded when walking through each room, making it a little less enjoyable in my opinion.

5. Go to the Heineken Experience

For Josh and I, we think this is a must see. You don't have to be into beer (well, it helps if you are) to enjoy this interactive experience of the factory tour. I wouldn't suggest it for families and older people as it is quite loud and tailored more for the younger generation with a pretty cool bar/nightclub at the end of the tour. We paid for a combo ticket from Get Your Guide which also included an hour Canal Cruise (more on that later). This ticket only cost £25 each for both activities which is great value as you get 2 pints and a half-pint during your experience too!

6. Walk down the Red-Light District

Yes, I put this one on the list as honestly, it's a pretty interesting place to see. Beforehand, I wasn't that keen on going, but I thought where else would you see something so openly expressed like this? It really isn't that bad, why not see for yourself?

*Taking photos around the Red-Light District is forbidden so I'll simply leave it up to your imagination ;)*

7. Go on a Canal Cruise

As mentioned before, our combo ticket enabled us to go on a Canal Cruise too. This was a fantastic way to see the city from a whole new perspective. It's a relaxing thing to do after a long day of walking where you can switch off and enjoy the view. There are hundreds of different companies that run cruises all day. We found there were private hire cruises also which I would love to do next time. If you're in a group, definitely look into the private hire as it's a great way to enjoy it together (and most of the time there's booze).

8. See the city by tram

Ok, this may seem like a strange one however Amsterdam has a wonderful transport system where you can see so many things at such a great price. For 72 hours, a tram ticket cost us only 17.50 euros each and you can use it as much as you like within those 72 hours. Simply, tap the little machine when you enter the tram and then tap it again when you get off it (the locals call it checking in and checking out). So, if you are visiting this city for a few short days, I highly recommend buying a tram ticket to get from A to B quickly, Amsterdam is bigger than I thought!

9. Have a nice drink by the canal

A beautiful way to also unwind is sitting by the canal. If you have seen my feed and stories on Instagram, I'm sure you've seen how much I LOVE coffee (I have to say, this city does some pretty good coffee!). Amsterdam has an abundance of pretty cafes and bars with outdoor seating by the canal to watch the boats pass by. Ahh, bliss.

10. Eat a Stroopwaffle

Last but by no means least (as this is probably my fave) is to definitely try a stroopwaffle! Although you can easily find these in Starbucks, this little caramel filled waffle is a tasty, local treat. Amsterdam has many shops across the city selling stroopwaffles from gourmet to multi-packs! As you can tell, we indulged a little too much in these...

So I hope that I have given you some ideas and inspired you to visit Amsterdam and see all of these amazing things!

Have a lovely week from me!

Soph x