Amsterdam, The Netherlands’ capital, is one of the coolest cities in Europe. Its iconic architecture, the world-class museums, the friendly Dutchies biking around, the houseboats, the progressive vibe … all this makes Amsterdam unique among European capitals. To me, it all comes down to how laid back the city feels. 2 days in Amsterdam is probably not quite enough to discover the city thoroughly, but if this is all the time you have, you can still have a great time and get a good feel of the city. That is why I put together this essential itinerary for a perfect 2 days in Amsterdam, including iconic places to visit and some of my favorite cafes and restaurants. If you have more than 2 days, I highly recommend going beyond Amsterdam and exploring the Netherlands countryside too.
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2 DAYS IN AMSTERDAM – DAY 1 ITINERARY
RIJKSMUSEUM & VAN GOGH MUSEUM
Early morning: Start the day by visiting the iconic Rijksmuseum. The museum houses no less than 2,000 paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including the world-famous Rembrandt’s Night Watch and Vermeer’s The Milkmaid. The Rijksmuseum building is a beautiful piece of architecture on its own as well. Count at least 3 hours to explore the many galleries at your own pace.
Entrance fees:
Adults: 20 €
Under 18 yo: Free
If you have time, visit the nearby Van Gogh Museum, dedicated to the Netherlands’ most famous painter. Founded by Vincent Van Gogh’s brother after his passing, the museum contains the largest Van Gogh collection in the world with 200 paintings, 400 drawings, and 700 letters by the artists. Some iconic paintings you can admire there include The Yellow House, Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, as well as 9 of his famous self-portraits.
Entrance fees:
Adults: 19 €
Under 18 yo: Free
THE 9TH STREETS
Lunchtime: Head over to the 9 Streets, one of the cutest neighborhoods in Amsterdam, full of local shops, edgy international brands, and charming cafes and restaurants. 9 streets, 4 canals, and 12 bridges, the 9th Streets are the quintessence of Amsterdam. Stop by Pluk Amsterdam for a delicious brunch. Highly recommended: Eggs Benedict & the Poke Salmon Toast. They also have a cute retail area selling home decor, stationary, mugs, custom jewelry, etc…
ANNE FRANK HOUSE
Afternoon: After lunch and shopping in the 9th Streets, continue to the Anne Frank House. The hiding place of the Jewish teenager and writer is now a museum about Anne Frank’s life and her time in hiding during WWII. It is also an exhibition space focusing on persecution and discrimination in general. The Anne Frank House is often fully booked, so I recommend you book several weeks in advance.
Entrance fees:
Adults: 14 €
10 to 17 yo: 7€
< 10 yo: 1 €
SHOP THE PERFECT LOOK FOR A SUNNY WEEKEND IN AMSTERDAM!
EVENING CANAL CRUISE
Dawn: Take an evening canal cruise. Cliché and touristic for sure, taking a Canal Cruise is nonetheless a must-do to get a better understanding of the whole system of water canals, houseboats, and canal houses. You will understand why the houses are all leaning forward for example! Taking the cruise by night is really nice as you get to see all the bridges lit up and peek through the windows of fancy canal and boat houses.
Many of the canal cruises depart from Damrak, straight down from Amsterdam Central Station. Don’t miss Amsterdam’s most famous canal houses while you are there!
Dinner time: Before going to dinner, stop by any bar to have a drink and try some bitterballen, the traditional deep-fried meatballs, or the somewhat similar kroketten. Do it like the Dutchies do and dip your Bitterballen into mustard or smash your Krokettens onto bread. For dinner, I highly recommend paying a visit to Pesca, a cool, trendy, and delicious Sea Food restaurant in the Jordaan neighborhood.
As you enter Pesca, the first thing you will notice is the fresh fish market-like display.
Pick your favorite seafood and the quantities you want, and the friendly staff will advise you on the cooking style options they offer. You can choose some sides as well, from a large blackboard.
Once you are done with the food, head over to the drink market. Again, well advised by one of the staff, pick your beers or wine from a selection of fantastic brands, small vineyards, and organic productions.
Finally, get seated and enjoy the delicious food and great service.
RED LIGHT DISTRICT
Late night: What would be an Amsterdam itinerary without a quick tour of the Red Light District? Personally, I am not a fan of the naughty night crowd in the Red Light District, but it is still a very iconic thing to do in Amsterdam. You can also consider taking a look during the day. You won’t see as many ladies, but you will avoid the cheap tourists’ crowd.
2 DAYS IN AMSTERDAM – DAY 2 ITINERARY
VONDELPARK
Morning. Start the day with a delicious outdoor breakfast at Dignita, in the back garden of the Hermitage Museum before going for a bike ride around the Vondelpark. Just outside the main canals, the Vondelpark is a breath of fresh air. As soon as the sun comes out, thousands of Dutchies flock to the park, to run, bike, exercise, or just have a picnic in a very laidback, family-friendly atmosphere. All around the park are also some incredibly fancy houses to check out!
Lunchtime: There are several spots to eat in the park, but I recommend grabbing a lunch at T Blauwe Theehuis . This modern-looking pavilion, with a gigantic terrace with bright blue tables, chairs, and sun loungers serves the ideal combination of ice-cold beers and Italian snacks in a very relaxed atmosphere. Grab a slice of pizzas or some arancini. Fatty but delicious!
HEINEKEN EXPERIENCE
Early afternoon: Check out the Heineken Experience, a fun and experiential museum about the famous Heineken beers, their origin, the production process, the sports sponsorships, etc. A surprisingly entertaining and engaging experience, with 2 free beers at the end!
A’DAM LOOKOUT
Dawn & Dinner: Catch the sunset from the A’Dam Lookout. Behind Central Station, across the canal, is the Adam Tower. On the rooftop, the A’Dam lookout offers a 360 view of the city, and points towards to main buildings, places of historical significance etc. You can grab a casual drink there too or seat on the highest swing in Europe. Grab dinner from one of the 2 restaurants there : Madam and Moon in the 19th and 20th floor, with great views too. Alternatively I read great things about Stork, a casual sea food restaurant with an industrial vibe, with an outdoor seating by the canal.
A few more things you could do if you have more than 2 days in Amsterdam:
- Visit Amsterdam Beach, located only 30 min away from Amsterdam center.
- Our Lord in the Attic Museum: Built in 1663 when the Catholics were not officially allowed to worship, this secret catholic church is hidden in the attic of a bourgeois house. Freedom of religion and tolerance are central themes at the museum today.
- WONDR: An immersive pop-up experience, an adult playground, and the most instagrammable place in Amsterdam!
- Nieuwendammerdijk: A very cute neighbourhood in Amsterdam North, with a 2 km lineup of traditional Dutch houses in all shapes and colors.
- Tropenmuseum: Focused on world cultures, Tropenmuseum was my favorite in Amsterdam.
- Visit the Netherlands countryside, starting with the windmills of Zaanse Schans, just 30 min outside of Amsterdam
Finally if you are a foodie, you can’t spent 2 days in Amsterdam without trying a few more Dutch specialities such as:
- Gouda cheese. Stop by any cheese shop to taste the iconic Dutch cheese. It comes in many forms, age, and flavor and the staff will usually be happy to help you try as many as you wish. The typical cheese slicers they use is also the perfect souvenir to bring back home.
- Poffertjes: My favorites! Poffertjes are mini fluffy pancakes, usually served covered in butter and icing sugar. Need I say more?
- Pancakes: Dutch pancakes are kind of a super thick version of the French crepes, covered in cheese, ham etc. Heavy but delicious.
WHERE TO STAY IN AMSTERDAM?
There are thousands of hotels, hostels, B&B,s and others in Amsterdam that cater to every budget. I recommend staying within the main canals area (within Prinsengracht canal) to be able to walk and bike everywhere and not lose time in public transport during your 2 days in Amsterdam. Below are a few of my favorite places:
De L’Europe: An absolute dream if you like old European sophistication. We stayed in one of the blue suites directly looking onto a canal. The walls are covered in blue Toile de Jouy wallpaper and classic Dutch painting reproduction. The marble bathroom is gigantic and stunning! In brief, it is gorgeous. De L’Europe has a Michelin-star restaurant: BORD’EAU, a French Mediteranean restaurant: MARIE, and a historical bar FREDDY named after the late Alfred “Freddy” Heineken. De L’Europe is pricey but it is an experience in itself.
The Hoxton: Young and cool, The Hoxton lived up to the hype for me. The room was quite small but very comfortable. We had a few cocktails in the hotel bars and they were delicious. We passed on the overpriced breakfast but I must admit the breakfast room under a large ceiling window is lovely.
Andaz: We didn’t stay there, but Andaz is usually a safe bet, with a modern arty touch. The Amsterdam edition seems to be super quirky and cool.
Still looking for a place to stay in Amsterdam? You can find some great deals on Booking.com
LOOKING FOR USEFUL RESOURCES TO PLAN THE PERFECT 2 DAYS IN AMSTERDAM?
From booking a flight to finding some beautiful cultural tours, or getting an e-sim ahead of your trip to stay connected, I have gathered here all the super useful websites I always use to organize my travels!
★ Find the cheapest flights:
with Skyscanner
★ Book trains, buses, and ferries
with Omio or Trainline
★ Get the best deal on car rental
with Rentalcars
★ Secure fantastic tours
with GetYourGuide or Viator
★ Buy an international e-sim card
with Airolo
★ Discover the best hotels
with Booking
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Here it is … my recommendation for 2 perfect days in Amsterdam! I hope you liked this itinerary and that it will help you plan your upcoming vacations in Amsterdam, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave me a message! Thanks for reading!
Love, Emma
Krista
Amsterdam is a gorgeous city to visit for a couple of days. I missed out on some of these things on your itinerary though!
Emma
KristaHopefully next time! 2 days in Amsterdam is definitely not enough to see everything.
Anja
Nice itinerary especially the nine streets! I agree with the Red Light District – it is suoer touristy and overpriced and I would rather take a walk in the streets outside the centre towards some of Amsterdams great markets! I would definitely recommend the Albert Cuypmarket and the area surrounding it – it is touristy but much friendlier
Emma
AnjaThe markets are definitely something I want to do next, I didn’t get a chance last time. Thank you for your suggestion, I put Albert Cuypmarket on my to do immediately 😀
Ildiko
Great post. Loved your restaurant suggestion. The museums, of course, are a must. I did visit the church in the attic, which was very interesting.
Emma
IldikoThe church was super interesting instead, quite unique. Thanks for stopping by !!
Rezmin
If I am visiting Amsterdam, the first and foremost thing I will do is visit the Van Gogh Museum. I can spend an entire day enjoying exquisite artworks by the great artist.
Emma
RezminCouldn’t agree more!