One day in Amsterdam is great. There is so much to see in this city. Great museums, picturesque canal houses, and many other amazing things!
If you want to discover the city in such a short time, this is your guide. I'll help you to make most of your 24 hours in the city.
You can see a lot of things in one day. If you plan everything well, you'll have an amazing experience in Amsterdam.
You're definitely going to have an amazing time in the city. There are so many reasons why you should travel to Amsterdam!
Table of Contents
Getting to Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands. There are many easy ways to get to Amsterdam. You can either come by airplane, bus, or train.
Airplane
The most convenient way to travel if you're from a country a bit further from the Netherlands is by airplane.
The airport you are most likely flying to is Schiphol. This is one of the largest airports in Europe. And there are many flights that go here.
From Schiphol, you can reach the city of Amsterdam by train, taxi, or bus.
The train takes you to the central station of Amsterdam in 15 minutes. The bus takes a bit longer but is also cheaper. If you have a lot of heavy luggage I'd recommend taking the taxi.
If you are coming from outside of Europe, Schiphol is the airport for you. But there are other airports as well. Many low-cost operators with flights in Europe use these airports.
The airports are in other cities in the Netherlands. They are Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Groningen Airport, and Eindhoven Airport.
Because the Netherlands has great public transport, these are great options!
Bus
There are several international bus companies that go to Amsterdam. Companies that serve the city include Ouibus, Flixbus, and Eurolines.
This is often a cheap way to get to Amsterdam from countries near the Netherlands. For example, you can go from Paris to Amsterdam for about €20.
But the journey often takes a lot longer, so you have to keep that in mind. For that reason, it's less convenient if you only have 24 hours in Amsterdam.
Train
The train is a convenient way to visit the city if you are coming from Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, or Paris.
There are great high-speed trains that take you from a city center to another city center in a couple of hours.
The companies operating here are ICE International, NS International, Thalys, and Eurostar.
When you arrive in Amsterdam, you are at the Central Station. This is right next to the city center of Amsterdam. So you can walk there.
If you need to be somewhere else in the city, you can take public transport from here. Amsterdam Central Station is where lots of trams, metros, buses, and local trains leave.
Getting around in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is very small, so a lot is within walking distance. Especially if you are staying in the city center, you can walk almost anywhere.
If you need to travel a bit faster, you can do as the locals do. You can rent a bike! Bike rental companies are everywhere in the city. Furthermore, most train stations have bikes for rent. When you do so, beware of the tram track that you can get stuck in!
Besides walking and cycling, public transport in Amsterdam is great! The city has an extensive public transport network. Depending on where you need to go you can either take the metro, bus, tram, or local train.
All options of public transport are great and easy to use. Furthermore, there are many ticket options. You can use one ticket for all types of public transport within Amsterdam. And you can also get the Amsterdam Travel Ticket.
Besides public transport, you can take a taxi. Most of the time public transport is more convenient. But if you need to go somewhere with lots of heavy luggage or at an unusual time.
Where to stay in Amsterdam?
There are a lot of lovely neighborhoods in Amsterdam. There is the Jordaan, de Pijp, City Center, and many others. These neighborhoods have some of the best hotels in Amsterdam.
But if you want to make most of your 24 hours in Amsterdam, the city center is most convenient to stay in. Almost all the sights are, so that's great.
If the city center is too expensive for your stay, you can stay in any other neighborhood. Because the city is rather small it doesn't matter a lot where you stay.
One day in Amsterdam itinerary
I want to give you the most amazing day. This itinerary covers the most important things in the city!
Morning
Let's start with the morning of your one day in Amsterdam. It is time for breakfast.
Breakfast
Typical Dutch breakfast consists of bread with jam, peanut butter, or chocolate sprinkles. This can be a bit boring for your taste. But Amsterdam has many great breakfast places serving something else.
One of the best places for breakfast is The Breakfast Club. Going here is a lovely day to start your day.
Canal cruise
What better way to discover the city of canals than from the water? A canal cruise is a great activity to learn a lot about the city. It's perfect if you're only one day in Amsterdam.
During the canal cruise, you move through the city by boat. The cruise takes you to many interesting places. What's great is that you also get an audio tour along the way.
Tours take about 1 hour and give you a better idea of the city. You can board them at many places. One of these places is next to the Anne Frank house. That's the place I recommend for this itinerary because you are going there next.
From the cruise, you can see the picturesque canal houses from the water and some of the best photo spots in Amsterdam. This is an experience you should definitely have! It is far better than when you are walking alongside the canals!
If you're only 24 hours in Amsterdam, this is a great way to learn a lot about the city.
The canals are very romantic. That's also one of the reasons why couples should travel to Amsterdam.
Anne Frank house
Now that you discovered many parts of the city already, it is time to go to one of the sights.
One of the best things to do in Amsterdam is visiting the Anne Frank house. The Anne Frank house is the place where Anne Frank hid with her family during the Second World War.
Anne Frank is famous because of her diary in which she described everything of that period. It is very impressive to see the actual house. This is also one of the best museums in Amsterdam.
Stroll and shop in the city center
From the Anne Frank house, you can go to the shopping streets of Amsterdam.
The first area that you stumble upon is the Nine Streets. These are nine small streets with lots of small shops. You can expect all kinds of boutique and designer shops here. If you are looking for something unique, this is the place for you!
From the Nine Streets, you can go to Dam Square. This is a large square in the middle of the city center. As it's very famous, you should definitely go there if you're one day in Amsterdam.
You'll also find the Royal Palace here. It is one of the palaces of the King of the Netherlands. This was once one of the largest buildings in the world.
From Dam Square, you can see the Kalverstraat. This is the largest shopping street in Amsterdam. You find here all kinds of shops. It's a street you should definitely see if you're one day in Amsterdam!
When you walk through Kalverstraat you can also visit the Begijnhof at Spui. This is a small area surrounded by historic buildings. You can enter the place through a wooden door and it is a fun place to visit.
The Kalverstraat ends up at Muntplein. You'll find here a permanent flower market (Bloemenmarkt). This is a good place to buy souvenirs. For example, you can buy tulip bulbs here.
Afternoon
Lunch
You did a lot of things in the city today so I'm sure you're getting hungry. It is time to get lunch.
From the Bloemenmarkt, head to the Avocado Show. At this place, you have dishes that all have avocado in them. There are many ones to choose from. The dishes are very delicious and healthy! The dishes also look stunning and are Instagram-worthy!
Museums
Amsterdam has some very interesting museums. Two of them are the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. They are both at Museum Square.
The Rijksmuseum is the largest art museum in the country. You can see many famous pieces of art here.
Furthermore, it is a great place to learn more about the history of Amsterdam.
If you are a fan of Van Gogh, then go to the Van Gogh museum. The museum has so many paintings and drawings. In fact, it has the largest collection of Van Gogh art in the world. It is a spectacular place to visit.
You should definitely see one of these museums during your 24 hours in Amsterdam.
Taste some Dutch treats
After discovering Amsterdam's culture and history, you should discover some typical Dutch treats.
The Albert Cuyp Market is a good place for this. It is a local market with many stalls selling a variety of items.
Two Dutch treats you have to try are poffertjes and stroopwafels. When you're one day in Amsterdam, you should try one of these treats for sure!
Poffertjes are tiny pancakes topped with powdered sugar. They are delicious.
You can also get other toppings.
Another treat you find at the Albert Cuypmarket is a stroopwafel. This is a waffle with syrup in-between it. You can buy these at the supermarket as well, but at the market, they serve them still warm.
Vondelpark
One of the best city parks in Amsterdam is Vondelpark. This is a beautiful park next to Museum Square. You should definitely see it during your 24 hours in Amsterdam.
Going to Vondelpark is one of the best free things to do in Amsterdam.
Vondelpark is often busy with locals who take their own blanket with them.
It is a great place for a relaxing stroll or to sit down after a busy day in the city.
Evening
Dinner
Next to Vondelpark is the restaurant Pizzabakkers. This is one of the best restaurants in Amsterdam. They have branches throughout the city and serve delicious pizza. Also, pizza is very affordable here.
You can sit down at the restaurant. Or, if the weather is good, you can get pizza for takeaway and eat it at Vondelpark! Especially during summer, this is amazing!
Nightlife at Leidseplein
Amsterdam has a great nightlife scene and going here is one of the best things you can do in Amsterdam at night. There are many bars and clubs you can go to until very late.
A place that is famous for its nightlife is Leidseplein. This is a hotspot for nightlife with many venues.
Also, Rembrandt Square is in the city center. This is a square with many clubs, bars, and restaurants as well.
Both Leidseplein and Rembrandt Square are great places for nightlife. But you don't have to choose only one place for your 24 hours in Amsterdam.
Because the city center is small, you can walk from one place to the other one!
Save this post to Pinterest if you like it!
Blog comments (0)