It's Westerpak vs Vondel Park as we pit two of Amsterdam's green space heavyweights against each other.

If you've only got time for just one of Amsterdam's beautiful public parks, then this guide is for you!

Westerpark Vs Vondel Park Comparison

You&rsquo;ve heard of its scenic canals, bike-friendly paths, fine art museums, cannabis caf&eacute;s and, um, red light district. But did you know Amsterdam also has some top-notch public parks? Located in and around the city these great green spaces, among them Vondelpark (pictured above), Westerpark, Amstelpark and Rembrandtpark, provide fine natural oases for strolling, cycling, picnicking, and admiring the spectacular public monuments and glorious Amsterdam art and architecture. We took a closer look at two of the &lsquo;Dam&rsquo;s most popular parks, so join us on an outdoor adventure as we compare the relative merits of Westerpark vs Vondelpark&hellip;

<h2>Westerpark</h2>

Name: Westerpark lies &ndash; wait for it &ndash; just west of the River Amstel.

Age and location: Westerpark was created in the late 19th Century, between the banks of the river and a new gas plant (the Westergasfabriek). Later decommissioned, the Westergasfabriek was designated a National Monument in the 1990s and became an official part of the Westerpark in 2003. The resulting expanded public space, a couple of clicks north of Centraal Station and the Anne Frank House, is around 35 acres in size.

Westerpark in brief: small when compared to near-neighbor Vondelpark (and indeed <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/blog/amstel-park-or-vondelpark-comparison" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">the impressive Amstelpark</a> in the south of the city), Westerpark nevertheless packs a very mighty punch. An urban space in the best way, it promises hip food markets and festivals in summer and an opportunity to explore a cool combination of nature and industrial heritage for the rest of the year. There are wooded areas to explore, wading pools for cooling off, and plenty of art installations to ogle.

<h3>Top Westerpark Highlights</h3>

Vondelpark&rsquo;s sheer size alone &ndash; crammed full with woodland trails, skating lanes and bike paths &ndash;&nbsp; makes it one of the best outdoor playgrounds in town for kids and adults alike. Recreational opportunities abound here, and there are plenty of great places for the little people to climb trees and play hide and seek within sight of parental picnic spots. There&rsquo;s also a maze and several dedicated play areas for children, with some of the best featuring big old treehouse structures to scale and explore. <a href="https://grootmelkhuis.nl/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Het Groot Melkhuis</a> is where it&rsquo;s at for sandpit fun, with yet another playground to help work up little appetites for lunch in the Swiss-chalet-style caf&eacute;.

<h2>Save on Tours, Attractions and Activities in Amsterdam</h2>

Save on admission to Amsterdam attractions with <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Go City</a>. Check out @GoCity on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gocity/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for the latest top tips and attraction info.

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Fans of industrial architecture will find much to enjoy in the former Westergasfabriek area of Westerpark. As well as being endlessly photogenic, this collection of buildings now contains a diverse range of bars and caf&eacute;s, plus a cool arthouse cinema in the shape of <a href="https://www.ketelhuis.nl/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">the Ketelhuis</a>. Other highlights of the former gas site include a century-old steel drawbridge and canal lock and pump.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Also on the former gas site, there&rsquo;s a large paddling pool (more like a wading pool, actually), where kids (and, yes, grown-ups too) can cool off on warm summer days.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">One of the major highlights of Westerpark is the proliferation of public art. As well as occasional temporary installations (and festivals), you can check out permanent sculptures including Mirjam Janse&rsquo;s Gold in your mind, gold in your feet;&nbsp;Ronald Tolman&rsquo;s Man on stool; and the untitled piece by Herman Makkink known locally as Bolbewoners, a thought-provoking piece featuring a pair of four-legged humanoid figures on a inclined hemisphere. In summer, a wedding-dress sculpture (Bruidsjurk) joins the party, drifting gracefully back and forth across the Westerpark pond.</li>
</ul>

<h3>How Family-Friendly is Westerpark?</h3>

There&rsquo;s plenty of open space to entertain the kids here, with duck ponds, a muddy adventure playground and a small petting farm thrown in for good measure. You&rsquo;ll also find a decent program of children&rsquo;s films at the Ketelhuis cinema, which also hosts <a href="https://cinekid.nl/en/home" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">the Cinekid festival</a> every October.&nbsp;

<h2>Vondelpark</h2>

Name: Nieuwe Park (New Park) was established in 1865. Locals started referring to it as Vondelpark a couple of years later, after a statue of 17th-century Dutch writer and playwright Joost van den Vondel was installed. The name stuck, and an Amsterdam legend was born.

Age and location: Vondelpark is Amsterdam&rsquo;s largest public park and also its most central, located just west of the Museumplein, where arts enthusiasts can <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/blog/rijksmuseum-vs-the-van-gogh-museum-comparison-amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">go wild at the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum</a>, and Moco Museum.

Vondelpark in brief: Vondelpark is a vast municipal green space, spanning a whopping 120 acres of prime urban real estate in the heart of Amsterdam. Not only the city&rsquo;s largest, Vondelpark is also the &lsquo;Dam&rsquo;s most popular public park, drawing in something like 10 million visitors annually, a mixture of spliff-toting locals, and vacationers eager to nab those essential Insta-perfect selfies&hellip; in the rose garden, by the eye-popping concrete Picasso sculpture, or draped languidly over a picturesque Victorian footbridge. The park was designed by celebrated 19th-century landscape architect Jan David Zocher, expanded upon by his son Louis in subsequent years, and further developed throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

<h3>Top Vondelpark Highlights</h3>

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Some would say Vondelpark is worth visiting for the public art alone. And they&rsquo;re not wrong. Chief among these sainted sculptures is the soaring concrete bird (or is it a fish?) donated by Picasso (yes, that Picasso) for the park&rsquo;s centenary in 1965. You&rsquo;ll also want to take a gander at the nine-foot-high bronze of park namesake Vondel. His imposing statue stands atop an equally elaborate pedestal by celebrated Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the nearby Rijksmuseum and Centraal Station.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Admission to <a href="http://www.openluchttheater.nl/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Vondelpark&rsquo;s exceptional open-air theater</a> is free, but you&nbsp;may still need to book some of the more popular summer shows, which run the gamut from classical concerts to stand-up comedy, contemporary dance, classic plays, and kid-friendly slapstick. Shows generally run between May and September.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">A fragrant 1935 addition to Vondelpark, the rose garden sits in the center of the park and boasts something in the order of 70 species. Particularly splendid in summer, you&rsquo;ll find something to see (and sniff) here year-round.</li>
</ul>

<h3>How Family-Friendly is Vondelpark?</h3>

Westerpark Vs Vondel Park Comparison | Go City®

Get your art fix at one of these top Amsterdam museums.

Only got time for one? Here are our thoughts on two of Amsterdam's premier art museums: Rembrandt's House and the Rijksmuseum.

Museum Rembrandt House vs Rijksmuseum Comparison Amsterdam

For such a relatively small country, the Netherlands packs a powerful punch in its contribution to art and culture. This, after all, is the land that has given us masters of their craft including Rembrandt, Bruegel, Bosch, Hals, Vermeer and Van Gogh down the ages. As a result, Amsterdam is rife with world-class galleries and museums showcasing major masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age and beyond, as well as several smaller museums celebrating the life and work of Dutch high achievers, Rembrandt and Van Gogh among them. The epic Rijksmuseum and Museum Het Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt House Museum) are two of the very best. But how do these titans of the Amsterdam art scene measure up? It&rsquo;s smocks and palettes at dawn as we pit Rembrandt&#39;s House vs the Rijksmuseum&hellip;

<h2>Museum Rembrandt House vs the Rijksmuseum: Vital Statistics</h2>

Size: One is the national museum of the Netherlands, and the country&rsquo;s largest; the other the 17th-century home of Rembrandt van Rijn, then a moderately successful painter and etcher. So yeah, the Rijksmuseum (pronounced &lsquo;rikes&rsquo;, in case you were wondering) is significantly larger, with 1.5 kilometers of galleries across four floors to the relatively modest canalside townhouse that contains the Rembrandt House Museum. Visitors tend to spend 1-2 hours at Rembrandt&rsquo;s House vs more like 4-5 in the Rijksmuseum

Number of artworks: We continue our David and Goliath battle with the news that the Rijksmuseum owns an astonishing one million items, of which around 8,000 are on display at any one time, from Dutch Golden Age masterpieces to the Hague School, European art, historical artifacts and Asian pieces. The Rembrandt House Museum&rsquo;s collection is significantly smaller, focusing on a loving recreation of what Rembrandt&rsquo;s living and working quarters might have looked like, illustrated by the use of carefully curated contemporary 17th-century furnishings. There&rsquo;s a near-complete collection of Rembrandt etchings here, plus pieces by his contemporaries and students, and two pots used by Rembrandt himself.

Annual visitors: The Rijksmuseum pulls in around 2.2 million art fans every year, making it one of the Netherlands&rsquo; most-visited museums. Rembrandt House attracts a relatively modest 250,000.

<h2>The Rijksmuseum vs Rembrandt House: Highlights</h2>

Did you know? The Rijksmuseum is the world&rsquo;s only museum to have a public road running through it. Thankfully now closed to motorized traffic, cyclists and pedestrians are free to pass through.

Did you know? Rembrandt was better known as an etcher in his lifetime, largely because this kind of art was easier to reproduce in print form than paintings. He created around 290 intricate etchings, of which the Rembrandt House Museum is in possession of the vast majority: 260, to be precise.

<h2>Save on Tours, Attractions and Activities in Amsterdam</h2>

Save on admission to Amsterdam attractions with <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Go City</a>. Check out @GoCity on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gocity/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for the latest top tips and attraction info.

Neither museum could be accused of being a slouch. The Rembrandt House Museum&rsquo;s meticulous recreation of the place Rembrandt called home between 1639 and 1658 is a work of art in itself. You get a real feel for how the painter and his family (not to mention his various lovers) would have lived, thanks to the authentic 17th-century decor furnishings and paintings that adorn the living rooms, bedroom, studio and art room. Some of the unmissable highlights here include a cabinet containing rotating selections of the maestro&rsquo;s etchings, plus relics such as Rembrandt&rsquo;s funeral medallion and a pair of pots he used to mix quartz and clay in when preparing his canvases. You can also view works by other Golden Age painters, including Rembrandt students Govert Flinck and Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt&#39;s teacher Pieter Lastman.

But, in honesty, the Rembrandt House Museum is kind of an amuse bouche to the Rijksmuseum&rsquo;s epic main course. We&rsquo;re talking, of course, about some of Rembrandt&rsquo;s best-known works. Indeed, so important is The Night Watch to the history of Dutch Art that it commands its own entire gallery at the Rijksmuseum. Other Rembrandt masterpieces you can ogle here include his most celebrated exercise in chiaroscuro, Self Portrait with Disheveled Hair, and Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem. Other non-Rembrandt highlights of the Rijksmuseum include other Golden Age classics like Johannes Vermeer&rsquo;s The Milkmaid, The Serenade by Judith Leyster and The Merry Drinker by Frans Hals. You can also check out a series of elaborate 17th and 18th century dolls&rsquo; houses and Karel Appels eye-popping abstract painting, Square Man. Meanwhile, the vaulted ceilings, hand-painted walls, stained-glass windows and soaring spiral staircases in the museum&rsquo;s vast Cuypers Library are an Instagrammers&rsquo; dream, and worth the price of entry alone.&nbsp;

<h2>Rijksmuseum or Rembrandt House: Which is Better?</h2>

First the good news: both of these top-flight Amsterdam art museums are included with Go City&rsquo;s Amsterdam attractions pass, which means&hellip; you can visit both and save money at the same time. The pass allows you to tick off multiple Amsterdam tours, activities and attractions if you&rsquo;re in town for a few days, including the Rijksmuseum and Rembrandt House Museum, as well as Madame Tussauds, the Heineken Experience, canal cruises, the Van Gogh Museum and more. <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Find out more and choose your Amsterdam pass here.</a>

But if we did have to choose&hellip; which would it be? Well, it&rsquo;s a difficult one because these two truly complement rather than compete with each other. Put it this way: scholars of Rembrandt&rsquo;s life and work will find much to enjoy at the Rembrandt House Museum. But you can&rsquo;t really go to the maestro&rsquo;s house, admire his etchings, replica bed and painting paraphernalia and then not also go to see The Night Watch, Self Portrait et al in the flesh at the Rijksmuseum. On the other hand, if your interest in Dutch art and culture is more general, and not confined to the work of Rembrandt alone, then the Rikjsmuseum, with its vast collection of Dutch and international art (one million pieces, remember?) is probably going to be sufficient enough for you, without also spending additional time at Rembrandt&rsquo;s old gaff.

<h2>Rembrandt House and the Rijksmuseum: Fun Facts</h2>

We take a deep dive into the relative merits of two of Amsterdam's premier art museums: Rembrandt's House and the Rijksmuseum.

Museum Rembrandt House vs Rijksmuseum Comparison Amsterdam | Go City®

Get straight to sightseeing with this comprehensive Amsterdam transport guide.

Take a look at all the best ways to get from Schiphol Airport to the heart of Amsterdam, including licensed cabs, rental cars and the express train.

Amsterdam Airport to City Travel Options (Schiphol)

It&rsquo;s the dream trip you&rsquo;ve waited for all these months&hellip; a few days in Amsterdam, city of canals, cobbles, culture and more. Whether you&rsquo;re here to ogle classic Rembrandts, Vermeers and van Goghs at the Rijksmuseum, to pay your respects at Ann Frank House, or simply to sample the famously, ahem, laid back caf&eacute; culture, you&rsquo;ll want to get to the heart of the action fast. Chances are you&rsquo;ll be arriving by plane, so we&rsquo;ve put together a quick guide to the travel options that will get you from Amsterdam&rsquo;s Schiphol Airport to the city center in a heartbeat. Read on for the gen&hellip;

<h2>Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in Brief</h2>

There&rsquo;s only one international airport in Amsterdam which, if nothing else, should minimize the chances of getting lost, or of pitching up at the wrong city airport on your return leg. The name Schiphol is said to derive from the wetlands on which the airport now stands, where &ndash; as lore would have it &ndash; many ships were once lost (the literal English translation is &lsquo;ship hole&rsquo;), though there&rsquo;s no actual evidence to support such wild claims. In any case, it&rsquo;s pronounced (roughly) as &lsquo;shipple&rsquo;. You&rsquo;ll likely get funny looks from Dutch cabbies if you ask them to drive you to &lsquo;ship hole&rsquo;.

The airport lies around 9km south-west of Amsterdam city center in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer and is one of the busiest on the planet, thanks to its convenient location for connecting flights in and out of Europe. After clearing passport control and grabbing your bags, you can reach the city center in under 20 minutes. How? Here&rsquo;s how.

<h2>Amsterdam Airport to City by Public Transport</h2>

<h4>By Train</h4>

Arguably the very best way to get to Amsterdam from Schiphol Airport, the fast train can cost as little as &euro;4.90 one way and will hurtle you straight into Amsterdam Centraal Station in 17 minutes or less. Make your way through Arrivals and down under the terminal to the station, where Sprinter and Intercity trains depart every 4-10 minutes between 5.30AM and midnight, with a smattering of services continuing through the wee small hours to boot.

Book tickets online in advance to nab that bargain sub-&euro;5 price. You can then print your ticket or store it on your phone or in the NS travel app for convenience. Alternatively, a single use OV-chipkaart costs &euro;5.90 from the ticket counters and machines on Schiphol Plaza, one floor above the station.

<h4>By Bus</h4>

Schiphol is also very well served by bus services though, peculiarly, you&rsquo;ll have to shell out a little more than you would if you caught the train instead. It&rsquo;s &euro;6.50 for the 27-minute (traffic permitting) ride from Schiphol Plaza to Leidseplein aboard the Connexxion Amsterdam Airport Express Bus 397. Tickets can be purchased online, on the bus or at various ticket points throughout the terminal.

<h4>Top Tip</h4>

If you plan to use public transport a fair bit while you&rsquo;re in town, an OV-Chipkaart is good for use on trams, buses, trains and the subway. Minimum top-up is &euro;20, but you&rsquo;ll save overall if you&rsquo;re transport-hopping enough of the time. OV-Chipkaarts are available to buy online and at ticket offices and yellow vending machines in the airport.

Similarly, the Amsterdam Travel Ticket gives you unlimited use of Amsterdam&rsquo;s public transport network, with 1-, 2- and 3-day passes available at &euro;18, &euro;24 and &euro;30 respectively. It even includes the Connexxion Amsterdam Airport Express Bus 397. Buy yours online, at airport Connexion counters and from the Holland Tourist Desk at Schiphol Plaza.

<h2>Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to City by Private Transfer</h2>

Tickets schmickets. If you really can&rsquo;t be bothered negotiating public transport or simply fancy gliding up to your holiday digs in style, perhaps a cab may be the travel option for you. Make a beeline for the Taxistandplaats (or plain taxi stand to you and me) just outside Schiphol Plaza. It&rsquo;s well signposted and anyway you can&rsquo;t really miss the lit taxi signs atop the city&rsquo;s licensed cabs with their distinctive blue plates. Any cab without these, a company logo and a clearly displayed list of tariffs is likely an unlicensed scammer looking to fleece you for twice (or more) what you&rsquo;ll pay for a taxi from the official stand. Avoid these dodgy dealers at all costs.

Chances are you&rsquo;ll have to wait in line at peak times, but you should be able to pick up a cab at any time of night or day, reassuring if you&rsquo;re arriving on the redeye.

Amsterdam Airport taxis are metered, but you can also agree a price with your driver before setting off. Note also that it isn&rsquo;t essential to take the first cab in the line. If you have a preferred licensed company, just look for their logo and head to the first of their cars that you can see on the rank.

The cab ride can take anything from 15-40 minutes depending on what time of day you&rsquo;re traveling and how busy the roads are.

<h2>Amsterdam Airport to City by Rental Vehicle</h2>

Hertz, Alamo, Enterprise, Sixt, Avis&hellip; you&rsquo;ll find all the usual suspects and more at Schiphol. Prices are competitive due to the proliferation of options, and driving in and around Amsterdam is fairly straightforward and generally stress-free although, like anywhere, the streets and ring road around the city center tend to get somewhat congested at peak times.

Central Amsterdam is easy to navigate on foot (or by bike! Or by canal boat!) so a car is certainly far from essential. But if you want to get out of town while you&rsquo;re here, having your own vehicle does give you the freedom to take day trips on your own timetable. Hit up the likes of medieval Utrecht, the windmills of Zaanse Schans, or Keukenhof&rsquo;s 79 kaleidoscopic acres of vibrant Dutch blooms for the win.

<h2>Save on attractions, tours and activities in Amsterdam</h2>

Save on admission to Amsterdam attractions with <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Go City</a>. Check out @GoCity on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gocity/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for the latest top tips and attraction info.

We investigate all the best ways to get from Schiphol Airport to the heart of Amsterdam, including licensed cab, rental cars and the express train.

Amsterdam Airport to City Travel Options (Schiphol) | Go City®

Explore without a hitch with our guide to staying safe in Amsterdam!

From avoiding petty crime to staying safe on the go, get the lowdown on how to explore Amsterdam like a pro.

Is Amsterdam Safe?

Amsterdam is a city on many people's bucket lists. With plenty of unique things to do, see, and experience, everyone should try it at least once! But is Amsterdam safe? Let's talk about it! Including: <ul><li>How safe is Amsterdam?</li> <li>Common threats to safety in Amsterdam</li> <li>Neighborhoods to avoid</li> <li>Is Central Amsterdam safe?</li> <li>Is public transport safe in Amsterdam?</li> <li>and more!</li> </ul><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/how%20safe%20amsterdam.jpg" alt="Image of Boy, Male, Person, Teen, Adult, Female, Woman, Backpack, People, Crowd, City, Man, Urban, Traffic Light, Parade, " loading="lazy"><h3>How safe is Amsterdam?</h3> Amsterdam is one of Europe's most celebrated cities, and as such, it's a popular tourist spot. People from all over the world come to Amsterdam to see the sights, experience the nightlife, and perhaps partake in some of the city's unique vices. But how safe is Amsterdam? Well, the good news is that it's considered one of the safest cities in the world, ranking 6th in <a href="https://safecities.economist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Economist's Safe Cities Index 2021</a>. This takes many things into account, including personal safety, environmental safety, and even digital security. However, it's worth noting that Amsterdam's 'personal security' ranking has it 2nd in the entire world. So if we're simply taking that into account, you can't get much safer! This is despite, or perhaps because, of the city's approach to sex work and cannabis use, which other cities often demonize. Maybe they should take a leaf out of Amsterdam's book if they want to boost their safety rating! <h3>Common threats to safety in Amsterdam</h3> Amsterdam's most frequent crimes are petty theft. And, like most tourist hotspots around the world, vacationers are usually the target. There are three main types of theft you could potentially experience in Amsterdam. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/pickpocket.jpg" alt="Image of Accessories, Bag, Handbag, Purse, Adult, Male, Man, Person, Coat, " loading="lazy">Pickpocketing Pickpocketing is one of the biggest ones directed at tourists, and as the holiday season kicks in between June-August, the number of chancing thieves increases. The sneaky ruffians! They tend to operate in the city's central areas, where many of the city's tourist attractions are based. But this is the same in any major tourist city, so if you've been abroad before, you probably know how to stay safe. For those in the back who are too nervous to raise their hands, let's go over some top tips to stay safe anyway! <ul><li>Keep your bag, purse, or clutch close to you at all times</li> <li>Try and avoid carrying large amounts of cash - most places will accept card, even if it's from a different country</li> <li>Don't leave coats, jackets, wallets, or phones unattended when you're having a drink, getting a bite to eat, or going up to the counter to collect your order</li> <li>Be aware of distraction techniques. Thieves often work in pairs, so while one may strike up a conversation, ask directions, or 'accidentally' fall into, the other may well be attempting to swipe your goodies</li> <li>Avoid using paper maps when out and about. If you know where you want to go, use your phone's GPS and then stick an earbud in and listen for directions. You'll blend right in</li> </ul> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/bike%20theft.jpg" alt="Image of Pants, Adult, Male, Man, Person, Bicycle, Vehicle, " loading="lazy">Bike theft Arguably the most common form of theft in the country for residents, bike theft is big in Amsterdam. It's hardly surprising in a city that has more bikes than people, but it's sadly a fact. Many residents resign to buying cheap bikes so they don't have to heavily insure them, or risk their expensive two-wheeler being nicked. While getting around Amsterdam on a bike is brilliant, it might not be your preferred mode of transport if you're visiting the city. Still, if you're bringing a bike or planning to rent while you're out there, here are some tips to keep it safe! <ul><li>Use two different locks to lock it up</li> <li>Splurge on a solid, decent lock. If not two, then at least one, arguably with a steel chain as their more difficult to cut</li> <li>Avoid U-shaped locks</li> <li>Attach the frame to a pole, or one of the city's many bike racks</li> <li>Take a picture of the bike and the frame number should the worst happen, it will help the police potentially track it down</li> </ul> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/car%20theft.jpg" alt="Image of Adult, Male, Man, Person, " loading="lazy">Theft from cars Thieves may break into cars and steal valuables. So, if you're renting a car while you're over, keep all your valuables hidden, or stashed away in your accommodation. This includes phone or satnav chargers, as they may point towards more valuable items within. <h3>Neighborhoods to avoid</h3> While Amsterdam is almost completely devoid of violent crime, it doesn't mean it's some kind of 1950s paradise where you can leave your front doors unlocked! And, while most neighborhoods are about as safe as each other, there's one area in particular you may want to avoid. Given its relative distance from the center of the city, you may never even come across it on your vacation. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/zuidoost.jpg" alt="Image of Outdoors, Building, Aerial View, " loading="lazy">Amsterdam Zuidoost Amsterdam Zuidoost, or Amsterdam Southeast, is the city's most poverty-stricken area. And, while there are ongoing plans to renovate the area and improve livability for residents, it's sadly the most crime-saturated part of the city. However, this is predominantly due to theft rather than violent crime. Most violent crime is shared between criminal organizations, so residents or tourists are hardly ever involved. However, Amsterdam Zuidoost is still relatively safe to visit during the day, though you may have little reason to. We recommend you avoid going there at night, or travel in groups of two or more if you must! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/redlight.jpg" alt="Image of Canal, Outdoors, Water, Neighborhood, Path, Sidewalk, City, Urban, Metropolis, Road, Street, Person, Bicycle, Vehicle, " loading="lazy"><h3>Is Central Amsterdam safe?</h3> Amsterdam's most popular tourist destination, Amsterdam Central is where you'll find the red light district, myriad cannabis cafes, bars, clubs, and multiple tourist attractions. Overall, it is considered a very safe part of the city. With pickpocketing peaking there, it is worth keeping your belongings safe and following our guidelines above. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/trammin.jpg" alt="Image of Railway, Terminal, Train, Train Station, Vehicle, City, Metropolis, Urban, Cable Car, Car, " loading="lazy"><h3>Is public transport safe in Amsterdam?</h3> With a huge network of buses, subway trains, taxis, and trams, Amsterdam gives you multiple ways to get about. Public transport is considered very safe, but be aware of pickpockets. Keep your bags and coats close at all times, and don't flash wads of cash! Like any city, there's always a higher chance of crime at night, so bear that in mind. However, as Amsterdam is such a compact city, you might choose to walk or cycle everywhere anyway! So, is Amsterdam safe? We'd say so! Put your anxiety to rest and go enjoy the city! Looking for things to do while you're there? <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/blog" rel="noopener" target="_blank">We've got you covered</a>.

Visiting Amsterdam and wondering if it is safe? Here's everything you need to know.

Is Amsterdam Safe? | Go City®

Spoiler: any time is a good time to visit A'dam!

Looking to visit Amsterdam? Take a look at our recommendations for the best time to plan a trip.

Best Time to Visit Amsterdam

Famous for its iconic canals, its impressive wealth of historical and cultural hotspots, as well as some of the best nightlife on the continent, Amsterdam consistently draws in visitors from all around the world.

Unlike many more seasonal European destinations, there&rsquo;s no definitive best time to visit Amsterdam. Since just about everything that the city has to offer is more or less evergreen, visitors can experience Amsterdam&rsquo;s top attractions at any point in the year.

That being said, the period in which you choose to visit will largely impact your overall experience. Some months offer more of a bustling atmosphere, while others will be quieter. As such, the best time to visit will ultimately come down to your personal preferences.

&nbsp;

Average Temperature: 36 - 61&deg;F &bull; Average Rainfall: 9 - 12 days/mth &bull; Average Sunshine: 4 - 7 hours/day

Spring marks the early shoulder season of the year, as tourism rates trough somewhat between the festive period and high season. Some consider this one of the best times to visit Amsterdam, as the absence of larger crowds provides the opportunity to experience the city&rsquo;s top attractions at your leisure.

Visiting Amsterdam in spring also bears the fruit of lower hotel rates and airfare, along with much more likely admission to your choice of venues without the need to book ahead. That&rsquo;s not to say that the city is ever truly quiet at any given point, though. If you&rsquo;d like to experience the city&rsquo;s renowned busy atmosphere, you&rsquo;re likely to find most popular bars and clubs throughout Amsterdam simply brimming with life.

What&rsquo;s more, while the weather won&rsquo;t be quite as pleasant as in summer, you can expect typically mild days with some fairly regular sunshine throughout this period. That being said, an umbrella is always advisable, as the chance of at least one day of significant rainfall per week can&rsquo;t be ruled out.

Things to do in Spring

Few things reflect Amsterdam in spring more than tulip season. One of the staple icons of the Netherlands, tulips provide a burst of color to many window displays and gardens throughout the country. To truly experience them in full bloom, take a trip to <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/bus-excursion-keukenhof" style="text-decoration:none">Keukenhof</a> in nearby Lisse, where you&rsquo;ll find the country&rsquo;s biggest and best tulip displays.

Springtime sees Amsterdam host a variety of major events, from the <a href="https://www.huishoudbeurs.nl/" style="text-decoration:none">Huishoudbeurs</a> lifestyle expo to the <a href="https://www.worldpressphoto.org/contest/" style="text-decoration:none">World Press Photo</a> exhibition. Likely the most hotly anticipated event is the <a href="http://www.kunstrai.nl/en/" style="text-decoration:none">KunstRAI</a> art fair, the longest-running of its kind in the Netherlands, which brings together artists and art aficionados alike from a variety of creative disciplines to revel in their shared interests.

&nbsp;

Spring (March – May)

Average Temperature: 50 - 64&deg;F &bull; Average Rainfall: 9 - 10 days/mth &bull; Average Sunshine: 5 - 7 hours/day

For many, summertime is when Amsterdam truly comes into its own. While you can experience the vast majority of the city&rsquo;s top attractions and activities year-round, the Dutch capital never thrives to quite the same extent as it does throughout summer.

Known for its vibrant nightlife and bustling cultural hotspots, this is the period that really gives credence to Amsterdam&rsquo;s famous electric atmosphere. What&rsquo;s more, these are the rare few months in the year in which you can expect genuinely pleasant weather as opposed to the capital&rsquo;s usual mild, wet and windy climate.

June marks the early days of the tourism peak season, with many individuals and couples seeking to get their fill ahead of the bigger waves of families and summer holidaymakers yet to come. These waves later begin to taper off in September, with families and professionals replaced once again by those opportunistic few seeking to ride the final few glorious weeks of high season.

The consistently high tourism rates of this period can be somewhat of a double-edged sword. On one hand, most attractions, bars, caf&eacute;s, clubs and restaurants throughout the city are guaranteed to be filled with visitors, making for a typically vibrant atmosphere, which many find to be the core appeal of Amsterdam. On the other hand, that also makes it more difficult to find a space in any given venue, not to mention the heightened hotel rates and airfare.

Things to do in Summer

Aside from the idyllic weather and jubilant atmosphere of Amsterdam in summer, the city is also host to some of the year&rsquo;s most hotly anticipated events. Live music is the name of the game here, with the <a href="https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-and-do/whats-on/festivals/overview-cultural-festivals/vondelpark-open-air-theatre" style="text-decoration:none">Vondelpark Open Air Theater</a>, <a href="https://www.amsterdamroots.nl/en/" style="text-decoration:none">Amsterdam Roots Festival</a>, <a href="https://www.northseajazz.com/en/" style="text-decoration:none">North Sea Jazz Festival</a> and <a href="https://www.milkshakefestival.com/" style="text-decoration:none">Milkshake Festival</a> all offering their own unique programs drawing from a variety of genres.

Summertime is also the prime time to experience the theater scene of the Dutch capital. <a href="https://www.hollandfestival.nl/en/" style="text-decoration:none">Holland Festival</a> starts the ball rolling as the country&rsquo;s largest performing arts festival, followed shortly by <a href="https://overhetij.nl/" style="text-decoration:none">Over Het IJ</a> held on the waterfront. Toward the end of summer, the <a href="https://tf.nl/" style="text-decoration:none">Dutch Theater Festival</a> and <a href="https://amsterdamfringefestival.nl/?lang=en" style="text-decoration:none">Amsterdam Fringe Festival</a> celebrate the beginning of the new theater season with a rich program of performances taking place throughout the city.

Few events in summer outshine the <a href="https://pride.amsterdam/en/" style="text-decoration:none">Amsterdam Pride</a> festival, though. As the city that first set the now global trend, Amsterdam goes all out with its multi-day festival in celebration of equality, diversity and personal identity. The event draws in millions of revelers from around the world, dressed in all manner of vibrant outfits, ultimately climaxing with the famous Canal Parade.

&nbsp;

Summer (June – September)

Average Temperature: 39 - 57&deg;F &bull; Average Rainfall: 7 - 9 days/mth &bull; Average Sunshine: 2 - 3 hours/day

By October, Amsterdam&rsquo;s tourism rates have usually begun to dip significantly once more, marking the second shoulder season of the year. While the city should still maintain its usual buzz, this period provides a moment of respite following the sometimes suffocating crowds of high season.

As if somehow aligned with the city&rsquo;s flow of tourism, the climate in Amsterdam takes quite a rapid plunge in fall. Temperatures will typically be mild at best, sunshine hours begin to dwindle once again and you can usually expect at least a day of rainfall per week. But for many, this exact weather is part of the season&rsquo;s whole charm. It&rsquo;s hard to deny the romanticism of cycling through the puddled streets of Amsterdam lined with piles of golden fallen leaves.

Things to do in Fall

With Amsterdam now in a quieter state, fall serves as the perfect time to truly explore the unique streets and squares throughout the city. Cycling is unparalleled as the best means of getting around, with much of the city set up to benefit cyclists above all. Many <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/macbike-bike-rental" style="text-decoration:none">rental shops</a> throughout the city offer rates of around &euro;10/day.

Aside from the city&rsquo;s iconic streets, you&rsquo;ll most likely want to explore some of Amsterdam&rsquo;s famed cultural hubs. Take some time to browse the vast historical collection of the <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/rijksmuseum" style="text-decoration:none">Rijksmuseum</a>, awe at the master works housed throughout the <a href="https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en" style="text-decoration:none">Van Gogh Museum</a>, and retrace the city&rsquo;s complex past at the <a href="https://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/en" style="text-decoration:none">Amsterdam Museum</a>.

&nbsp;

Fall (October & November)

Average Temperature: 31 - 45&deg;F &bull; Average Rainfall: 7 - 11 days/month &bull; Average Sunshine: 1 - 2 hours/day

Winter in Amsterdam is very much a mixed bag depending on the exact time you choose to visit. Many find this the ideal season to visit the Dutch capital, but often for quite varying reasons. While most of the period is characterized by the year&rsquo;s lowest turnover of tourists, this is somewhat overshadowed by the brief spike in interest surrounding the festive period.

December as a whole serves as a mini high season for Amsterdam, with many flocking from around the world to see the city transformed into a veritable winter wonderland. Festive lights and decorations adorn many popular streets as the city ushers in a month of holiday celebrations, beginning with vibrant Sinterklaas parades and ending in a euphoric New Year&rsquo;s Eve.

As the following months roll on, tourism rates quickly taper off to low-season levels once again. Should you be able to brave the typically colder, wetter and windier days throughout winter, this is one of the best periods to experience the city at its quietest and most genuine.

Things to do in Winter

If you happen to visit Amsterdam in December, you&rsquo;ll find no shortage of festive attractions and activities. Most popular is always <a href="https://iceamsterdam.nl/" style="text-decoration:none">Ice*Amsterdam</a>, which places a large ice rink and Christmas market at the center of the busy Museumplein. The <a href="https://www.hetamsterdamsewinterparadijs.nl/" style="text-decoration:none">Amsterdam Winter Paradise</a> takes this a step further, offering a variety of indoor and outdoor winter activities, from carnival games to snow tubing.

December is also the height of the <a href="https://amsterdamlightfestival.com/en" style="text-decoration:none">Amsterdam Light Festival</a>, during which a variety of creative light installations pop up throughout the city. These displays come alive in the evenings, giving the city even more of a magical atmosphere. <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/100-highlights-cruise" style="text-decoration:none">Canal tours</a> make for a fantastic way to tour the light installations, while also experiencing Amsterdam from a new perspective.

Should you find yourself on the lookout for some unique holiday gifts or post-holiday deals, Amsterdam is home to a veritable bounty of great retail hubs. The <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/w25hycbtSi7ZVeV48" style="text-decoration:none">Negen Straatjes</a> in the canal district offer a variety of charming independent stores, but <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/BQSrDeKcj1mffrbo6" style="text-decoration:none">Kalverstraat</a>, <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/L6VMKqP9wovxT6c38" style="text-decoration:none">Leidsestraat</a> and their adjoining <a href="https://www.kalverpassage.nl/en/" style="text-decoration:none">Kalverpassage</a> shopping center are your best bet for just about all of your shopping needs.

Winter (December – February)

Why not make the most of it and grab an <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" target="_blank">Amsterdam pass</a> and save while you sightsee!

Looking to visit Amsterdam? Take a look at our recommendations for the best time to plan a trip. Read more on the Go City® blog.

Best Time to Visit Amsterdam | Go City®

From top attractions to vibrant nightlight, check out our guide to spending the weekend in Amsterdam!

Looking to visit Amsterdam? Take a look at some of our recommendations for spending a weekend in the Dutch capital.

Weekend in Amsterdam

Home to some of Europe’s most important cultural hotspots and one of the best nightlife scenes on the continent, Amsterdam truly offers something for everyone. With many of its top attractions and best venues housed within a compact city center, you’d be hard pushed to find a better European city break than a weekend in Amsterdam. <h3>Nightlife</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/Temp-720x405%20(2)-min_17.jpg" alt="Image of Light, City, Metropolis, Urban, Neon, Lighting, Person, " loading="lazy">Few destinations in Europe are as lauded for their vibrant nightlife scene as Amsterdam, and that isn’t without good reason. Much of the city center is replete with charming restaurants, classy bars and bustling clubs, making it a perfect weekend destination for young tourists looking for some of the best evening atmosphere on the continent. One of the most popular areas to start a night of drinks is the infamous Red Light District, known officially as <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ukmPwrtv79nKXSy47" target="_blank" rel="noopener">De Wallen</a>. Aside from renowned after-dark shows and other such hedonistic appeal, the area is also home to a host of popular pubs and bars. Most notable are the <a href="https://g.page/cafe_hillstreetblues?share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Café Hill Street Blues</a>, with its grungy, street-art interior, and <a href="http://cafeoldsailor.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Old Sailor</a>, adorned with all manner of traditional nautical instruments. Another regular haunt at the beginning of the evening is the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Tz1e9Am7LMwafBBW8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jordaan</a> area, for its vast selection of trendy bars and cafés. Among these are the vibrant speakeasy <a href="http://www.bar-oldenhof.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bar Oldenhof</a>, the warm and cosy <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/yXANDtFDxZNgzAfF6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">De Zotte</a> and the stylish <a href="https://www.jdwilliamswhiskybar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD William’s</a> whisky bar for more of an intimate evening. If you’re looking for a true weekend of partying in Amsterdam, then you’re bound to find yourself looking for some of the city’s most vibrant clubs. Some of the most bustling and tourist-packed clubs can be found on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/nC86szuzxvABh5Ei7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leidseplein</a> and <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/bnq18KdMCCk275bcA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rembrandtplein</a>, with the likes of <a href="https://www.paradiso.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paradiso</a>, <a href="https://www.melkweg.nl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melkweg</a> and <a href="https://escape.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Escape</a> truly taking the cake. <h3>Retail Therapy</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/Temp-720x405%20(1)-min_22.jpg" alt="Image of Flower, Flower Arrangement, Plant, Flower Bouquet, Shop, Shopping Mall, City, People, Person, Urban, Handrail, " loading="lazy">A weekend in Amsterdam is the perfect opportunity to try to pick up some local bargains, a souvenir or two or even some high-class European fashion. Spread throughout the city are a number of spots where you can quench your shopping thirst, from quaint streets lined with traditional independent stores to sprawling malls populated by top brands and retailers. While exploring the city’s famous canal district, you’re bound to stumble across the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/xsXA9tuWKCWJvhsV7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Negen Straatjes</a>, or ‘Nine Streets’. These narrow, historical streets are home to a variety of charming cafés and restaurants, alongside a variety of stores from unique independent businesses to chain boutiques. If you’re serious about shopping, though, then <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/bNTpyen3cvVYx3gg8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalverstraat</a> and <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/tRwJTZ46kLjL8hJ99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leidsestraat</a> are the places to be. Undisputedly the beating heart of Amsterdam’s retail offerings, the two are also connected by the <a href="https://www.kalverpassage.nl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalverpassage</a> shopping mall, offering smooth passage between streets alongside a variety of top retailers. For more of a typical mall experience, the <a href="https://www.magnaplaza.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magna Plaza</a> is a stunning building inside and out, lined with a handful of charming shops offering everything from souvenirs to fashion products. <a href="https://www.debijenkorf.nl/international" target="_blank" rel="noopener">De Bijenkorf</a> is your one-stop shop for all things luxury, with its vast collection of haute couture brands complemented by a selection of luxury beauty treatments. <h3>Cultural Hotspots</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/Temp-720x405-min_23.jpg" alt="Image of Art, Painting, Mural, " loading="lazy">While many come to Amsterdam for a weekend of partying and pleasure, that isn’t to say you can’t enjoy more of a quiet and cultured trip away from the raucous crowds. One of Amsterdam’s greatest boasts is its vast selection of world-class museums and art galleries dedicated to its wealth of complex national history and celebrated artistic output. Taking pride of place is the renowned <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/rijksmuseum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rijksmuseum</a>, whose sprawling Renaissance- and Gothic-style halls boast an impressive collection of historical artifacts and famous artworks. The most important museum in the Netherlands, its collection chronicles over 800 years of Dutch history, complemented by the works of such artistic legends as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh. Nothing reflects Dutch artistic accomplishment quite like the <a href="https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Van Gogh Museum</a>, standing as a tragically ironic juxtaposition to the artist’s anonymity in life. The museum houses over 1,400 of the Post-Impressionist painter’s works, from paintings to letters, amounting to the most complete collection in the world by far. The various grand artistic claims of the Netherlands often overshadow its extensive and complex history. The <a href="https://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amsterdam Museum</a> serves to remedy that, documenting the development of the Dutch capital from original settlement to the modern metropolis we know today, exploring periods of nautical domination and ground-breaking progressiveness. Easily the most visited historical site in Amsterdam, though, is the <a href="https://www.annefrank.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anne Frank House</a>, housing a museum dedicated to the victims of Nazi persecution within the very same canal house in which the family of the famous wartime diarist escaped German capture. Although the site now stands empty of most original furnishings, it remains a potent reflection of life during one of the darkest periods in recent European history. <h3>Iconic Activities</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dtljonz0f/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/gc-v1/amsterdam/Temp-720x405%20(3)-min_7.jpg" alt="Image of Water, Waterfront, Vehicle, Watercraft, Boat, Canal, Outdoors, Barge, Person, Nature, Scenery, Car, Neighborhood, Boating, Water Sports, " loading="lazy">Although Amsterdam is largely famous for its iconic streets, squares and waterways, it also offers a variety of engaging activities for visitors of all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re a family looking for a great day out or a couple with a taste for Dutch pilsners, there’s plenty on offer to keep your weekend trip jam-packed. On the topic of Dutch pilsners, few have quite the same worldwide reach and rapport as Heineken. Those with an interest in the brand or Dutch beers in general are likely to find the <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/heineken-experience" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heineken Experience</a> a real thrill. Visitors are offered a tour of the Heineken brewery along with insights into its entire production cycle, rounded off in style with a refreshing bottle of the beer at the heart of it all. If you’re looking to explore the best sights in the city, there are few better ways to do so than atop its iconic canals. Various operators offer <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/100-highlights-cruise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">canal boat tours</a> throughout the popular canal district, complemented by local insight into some of the city’s top attractions. Alternatively, a <a href="https://gocity.com/amsterdam/en-us/attractions/hop-on-hop-off-boat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hop-on, hop-off boat tour</a> offers much the same, with the added benefit of allowing you to get on and off at various points to better discover the areas that most interest you. Something bound to offer families, couples and individuals alike a great day out is the <a href="https://www.artis.nl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ARTIS Royal Zoo</a>. Combining a gorgeous botanical garden filled with endangered plant life with a vast zoological garden housing over 900 animals from all corners of the globe, the site is a great place to discover many of the wonders of the natural world, or simply sit down for a picnic and rest on a pleasant day.

Looking to visit Amsterdam? Take a look at some of our recommendations for spending a weekend in the Dutch capital. Read more on the Go City® blog.

Weekend in Amsterdam | Go City®

Bold, colorful, powerful – discover modern masterpieces.

From Banksy to Basquiat, the Moco Museum brings modern art to life with message-driven works and expressive flair. Looking for cool things to do in Amsterdam or planning a cultural day with kids? Moco hits different. 

Why Moco Museum Amsterdam is the coolest art stop 

Amsterdam&rsquo;s packed full of history, with legendary artists like Van Gogh and Rembrandt etched into the nooks and crannys of its culture. But sometimes it&rsquo;s nice to know the present is still pulling its weight, right? A visit to the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/moco-museum" target="_blank">Moco Museum Amsterdam</a> proves that although art has changed, it&rsquo;s just as powerful as&ndash;and maybe even cooler than&ndash;the greats. Here&rsquo;s why we love it...&nbsp;

Admire Banksy&rsquo;s work in the &lsquo;Laugh Now&rsquo; exhibition and come face-to-face with his raw commentary on modern society via graffiti and satire.&nbsp;

Marvel at legends like Warhol and his Pop Art masterpieces, and Haring with his bold and whacky cartoon figures, in &lsquo;Meet the Icons of Modern Art&rsquo;. Discover their stories and how they became insanely popular in the contemporary art scene.&nbsp;

Be moved by Yayoi Kusama&rsquo;s polka dots and embark on an immersive journey of psychology and spirituality in &lsquo;The Digital Immersive Art&rsquo; exhibition. Journey into Kusama&rsquo;s mind and let the work challenge your perceptions of the world.&nbsp;

There are some truly stunning works throughout. With permanent and temporary exhibitions, you&rsquo;re always going to find that &lsquo;wow&rsquo; moment. It&rsquo;s deep, it&rsquo;s funny, it&rsquo;s inspiring, but words don&rsquo;t really do this place justice &ndash; grab a pass and see for yourself.

Legendary Artists 

The Moco is small but mighty, with each room offering a&nbsp; unique experience, complete with interactive exhibits. Experience infinite reflections in the &lsquo;Diamond Matrix&rsquo;, see how light sparks ideas, links souls, and maps the future in &lsquo;Connect the Dots&rsquo;, and enjoy immersive meditation and connection in &lsquo;Universe&rsquo;. Through the new art movement Connectivism, you&rsquo;re encouraged to reflect forward and imagine what the future could look like. Trippy.&nbsp;

And you can absolutely do the Moco with the kids! Modern art means bold colors and playfulness that&rsquo;s way more engaging for younger eyes than most galleries. Maybe your little one could be the next Pop Art icon.&nbsp;

Immersive and Colorful

Mocos are all about inclusivity and making art accessible for everyone. Whether you&rsquo;re an art lover or casual observer, take a moment to reflect among some of the greatest modern art in the world. Think thought-provoking pieces, intimate spaces, contemporary themes, and a calm atmosphere. Treat yourself to a moment of peace.&nbsp;

Reflection

Find the museum on Museumplein, Amsterdam&rsquo;s hub for all things arty. Wanna see some classics? Hop over to the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/rijksmuseum" target="_blank">Rijksmuseum</a>! Anything and everything Van Gogh on your to-do list? It&rsquo;s easy to head to the Van Gogh Museum after you&rsquo;re finished at the Moco. Then grab a stroopwafel and chill in Museumplein Park &ndash; deliciously serene.

Dream Location

<h3>Enjoyed this?&nbsp;</h3>

Discover some more&nbsp;<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/three-top-amsterdam-attractions-you-cant-miss" target="_blank">top Amsterdam attractions</a>&nbsp;or check out what makes&nbsp;the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/why-the-museum-rembrandthuis-is-a-must-see-in-amsterdam" target="_blank">Museum Rembrandthuis a must-see.</a>

Step up your sightseeing with Go City&reg;&nbsp;We make it easy to explore the best a city has to offer. We&rsquo;re talking top attractions, hidden gems and local tours, all for one low price. Plus you&#39;ll enjoy guaranteed savings, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

See more, do more, and experience more with Go City&reg; &ndash; just&nbsp;<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/passes" target="_blank">choose a pass</a>&nbsp;to get started!

This quiet corner of the city brings Rembrandt’s world right to your fingertips. 

From hands-on demos to hidden history, Museum Rembrandthuis is one that shouldn’t be missed. 


Why the Museum Rembrandthuis Is a Must-See in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a lot of fun, but every sightseeing trip needs a moment of repose. If you want a break from the busy bicycles and canal crowds but don&rsquo;t want to waste those precious vacation hours, we suggest paying a visit to the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/museum-het-rembrandthuis" target="_blank">Museum Rembrandthuis</a>. Here&rsquo;s why we love it...&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

How about a little backstory? Because this isn&rsquo;t just any museum - this is where Rembrandt actually lived and worked from 1639 to 1658. Crazy right? The building was in pretty bad shape in the early 20th Century, but was meticulously reconstructed and restored in 1907, then opened to the public in 1911. Today, it offers visitors a glimpse into Rembrandt&rsquo;s life and stands as an authentic representation of the artist&rsquo;s home and studio. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
A visit to the museum offers a rare chance to stand in the actual home of such a famed artist and walk in his footsteps, not to mention it&rsquo;s the only museum in the world dedicated to Rembrandt - talk about a unique must-see!

Historical lowdown

So what&rsquo;s inside? Well, aside from authentic interiors that make you feel like Rembrandt himself could walk around the corner at any minute, the museum is filled with his paintings, and collections of art and objects he acquired from all over the world.&nbsp;

From the moment you enter you&rsquo;ll follow his life story through a multimedia tour. See him at his highs as a celebrity artist, and his lows when he became bankrupt and had to leave his house. Learn more about the exhibits with the free audio guide (available in ten languages) so you miss nothing.

What to expect 

Kids will love it here. Not only does the museum feel like stepping into a time machine, but it offers free daily etching and painting demonstrations! In the studio where Rembrandt created his masterpieces, see how he and his pupils made their paint. In the etching loft, get hands-on with the techniques he used and make your own works of art. Plus, there&rsquo;s a free discovery trail for kids!

Great for families

Had your fill of Rembrandt? The museum is near Waterlooplein so it&rsquo;s easy to pair with a stroll around the oldest flea market in the Netherlands or a canal-side lunch. Want even more Rembrandt? Head over to the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/rijksmuseum" target="_blank">Rijksmuseum</a> and admire his most famous paintings on display. It&rsquo;s a little bit further away (about a 15-20-minute walk or a short tram ride).&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Whether you&rsquo;re an art lover, on the hunt for some family fun or simply looking for a calm pitstop to add to your itinerary, Museum Rembrandthuis is a must-see.&nbsp;

What else is around?

<h3>Enjoyed this?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>

Check out some more <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/three-top-amsterdam-attractions-you-cant-miss" target="_blank">top Amsterdam attractions</a> or discover more <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/things-to-do-near-the-rijksmuseum" target="_blank">things to do near the Rijksmuseum.</a>

Step up your sightseeing with Go City&reg;&nbsp;We make it easy to explore the best a city has to offer. We&rsquo;re talking top attractions, hidden gems and local tours, all for one low price. Plus you&#39;ll enjoy guaranteed savings, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

See more, do more, and experience more with Go City&reg; &ndash; just&nbsp;<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/passes" target="_blank">choose a pass</a>&nbsp;to get started!

Three thrilling attractions. One unforgettable day in the heart of Amsterdam.

Ready for sky-high views, spooky thrills, and A-list selfies? Tick off these thrilling Amsterdam attractions all in one day.

3 Top Amsterdam Attractions You Can’t Miss 

It might be tempting to while away all your time on canal boats snacking on stroopwafels, but there are a few absolute gems you should experience on an Amsterdam adventure. &nbsp;

We&rsquo;ve chosen three popular haunts we reckon top the list for family-friendly sightseeing. So gather the troops, maybe grab another stroopwafel for the road, and go check out these top picks.&nbsp;

THIS IS HOLLAND&nbsp;

Don&rsquo;t have time to visit the whole of the Netherlands on your trip? We&rsquo;d recommend a visit to <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/this-is-holland" target="_blank">THIS IS HOLLAND</a>: a 5D flying theatre experience that lets you see the Netherlands from above, complete with special effects that make it feel like you&rsquo;re really soaring. This one-hour experience across four shows packs a punch, leaving you with a new perspective of this beautiful country and its history. &nbsp;

THIS IS HOLLAND

Best bits:

<ul>
	<li>
	The history bit &nbsp; 
	The experience kicks off with an overview about the history and landscape of Holland &ndash; a nice warm-up before you&rsquo;re swept off your feet (literally...)&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>
	Water and the Dutch&nbsp; 
	Find out how the Dutch turned their watery homeland into a powerhouse of innovation.&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>
	The Flight Experience&nbsp; 
	Time for the fun bit! Soar over the sights in a 5D flight simulation and smell the roses (well, tulips actually). Special effects like scent, wind and mist enhance the sensation of flying as you pass a smattering of windmills and major landmarks. &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>
	Holland Lounge&nbsp; 
	Once you&rsquo;ve touched down, head over to the cozy Holland Lounge to get more info on your fave bits from the flight. Grab a refreshment and catch your breath after your whirlwind experience.
	</li>
</ul>

THIS IS HOLLAND is on the edge of the vibrant Amsterdam-Noord area, where you&rsquo;ll get a stunning view of the IJ River. Plus, <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/adam-lookout" target="_blank">A&#39;DAM LOOKOUT</a> is right next door, should you be craving more panoramic views. The area is kind of a must for your social feeds.&nbsp;

Things to do in the area

Hop on the ferry back into the city centre, where <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/the-amsterdam-dungeon" target="_blank">Amsterdam Dungeon</a> awaits. The scare factor very much depends on the person &ndash; you might get away with the slight heebie jeebies, but if you&rsquo;re anything like us you&rsquo;ll need a stress ball and a night light close to hand &ndash; either way it&rsquo;s not recommended for kids under 10 so just bear that in mind.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Your journey begins in the heart of Amsterdam around 500 years ago. Descend into the dungeon and prepare for a truly terrifying experience. If you&rsquo;re a fan of theatrics, you&rsquo;ll enjoy interactions with scarily good actors. If that isn&rsquo;t your style, skulk near back and enjoy from afar!&nbsp;

The whole tour takes around 60 minutes across multiple shows. Come face-to-face with Golden Age punishment in The Torture Chamber, discover the truth behind the urban legend of The Flying Dutchman, meet the murderous Helena in Murder on the Zeedijk, plus many more frightful scenes.

The Amsterdam Dungeon

The Amsterdam Dungeon is right in the thick of it, smack in the city centre of Amsterdam, so there are countless eateries, sightseeing opps, and attractions to fill up your day. In fact, the last spot on our list is right next door...&nbsp;

Walk five minutes from the Amsterdam Dungeon and meet your fave celebs! Well, not really, sorry. You&rsquo;ll have to settle for their waxy counterparts, but a visit to <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions/madame-tussauds-amsterdam" target="_blank">Madame Tussauds</a> can be as exciting as a stroll on the red carpet.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Create unforgettable memories with popular lifelike wax figures across multiple themed zones including A-list, music, MARVEL&copy; AVENGERS, and movies. Get up close and personal (and snap all the selfies you like) with the likes of Dwayne &lsquo;The Rock&rsquo; Johnson, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and plenty more famous faces.&nbsp;

Done playing meet-the-celebs? Take it one step further with a couple of immersive experiences. Step into a movie and recreate that iconic bike-flying scene from E.T.&mdash;yes, with the little guy in the basket. Hop on the saddle and snap that legendary pic. Fancy being a world-class footballer? Take a shot and celebrate with Ronaldo&mdash;you&rsquo;ll practically hear the crowd roar. The stage is yours to make dreams reality.&nbsp;

Madame Tussauds

Relax with a drink in Madame Tussaud&rsquo;s pub Caf&eacute; De Gouden Bitterbal while rubbing shoulders with some of Holland&rsquo;s biggest icons. When your visit is over, don&rsquo;t forget you&rsquo;re in Amsterdam&rsquo;s famous Dam Square! Shop &lsquo;til you drop, soak up the sights, and reflect on a day well spent.&nbsp;

<h3>Enjoyed this?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>

Find out what the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/best-time-to-visit-amsterdam" target="_blank">best times of the year to visit Amsterdam</a>&nbsp;or check out <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/getting-around-amsterdam" target="_blank">how to easily navigate the city.</a>

Step up your sightseeing with Go City&reg;&nbsp;We make it easy to explore the best a city has to offer. We&rsquo;re talking top attractions, hidden gems and local tours, all for one low price. Plus you&#39;ll enjoy guaranteed savings, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

See more, do more, and experience more with Go City&reg; &ndash; just&nbsp;<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/passes" target="_blank">choose a pass</a>&nbsp;to get started!

From museums to monuments, opportunities for cultural enrichment abound in this thriving university city.

Amsterdam is quite the playground for students, with equal opportunities for stimulating gray matter (world-class museums, galleries and libraries) or deadening it (pub and club discounts). Join us as we explore all the best things to do in Amsterdam for students, including popular hangout spots in Vondelpark, free shows at the Concertgebouw, and Dutch Golden Age art in the mighty Rijksmuseum.

Things to do in Amsterdam for Students

You&rsquo;re a student and you&rsquo;ve gone to the Netherlands to expand your mind, sharpen your knowledge and broaden your horizons, right? Right. In which case, good news: Amsterdam is home to more world-class museums than you can shake a very big tulip at. And yes, there&rsquo;s even <a href="https://amsterdamtulipmuseum.com/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">a Tulip Museum</a>, should you be that way inclined. But before stopping to smell the flowers, make sure to tick off Amsterdam&rsquo;s big three. These, as you are almost certainly now wondering, are the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum, all of which are conveniently located pretty much next door to each other in the city center&#39;s Museumplein park.

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The Rijksmuseum. The largest and most important museum in the Netherlands covers some 800 years of Dutch history, and is where you can eyeball masterpieces of Dutch Golden Age art by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh et al.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The Van Gogh Museum. If starry nights, self-portraits and sunflowers are your thang, you&rsquo;ll be in clover here among the planet&rsquo;s biggest collection of van Gogh paintings, drawings and letters.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The Stedelijk Museum. This striking Dutch neo-renaissance building houses an eye-popping collection of contemporary art and design, starring Picasso, Pollock, Rothko, Kandinsky and many more.</li>
</ul>

Cultural Enrichment for Amsterdam Students

It&rsquo;s a truth universally acknowledged that cash-strapped students love a discount. And discounting is exactly what the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam pass</a> is all about. You can save up to 50% on admission to all of the above museums, plus several more cultural and historical <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam attractions</a>, including the Anne Frank House, National Maritime Museum, canal cruises and city tours, and entry to the former home of some dude called Rembrandt. Students like to let loose and have fun too, right? Good news: the Amsterdam pass also has you covered for cool immersive museums, beer-related experiences and more. Hit the buttons below to find out more and bag your pass&hellip;

Student Savings with the Amsterdam Pass

Scratch the surface of any major university city and you&rsquo;ll find plenty of ways to conserve cash, so long as you&rsquo;re carrying your international student identity card (ISIC). This includes savings of 20-30% on entry to several Amsterdam museums, among them the Rembrandthuis (pictured), the Amstelkring Museum and the flamboyant Golden Age confection that is the Royal Palace on Dam Square.

Amsterdam&rsquo;s numerous bars, pubs and clubs also run frequent discounts to entice students in. Not that students require much encouragement to enter establishments that are serving beer. The ISIC will secure discounted entry to some of the city&rsquo;s most legendary club nights, including at the Paradiso and Melkweg, where students (and non-students) can dance themselves dizzy until dawn.

More Student Discounts in Amsterdam

Now the part you&rsquo;ve all been waiting for. Because, let&rsquo;s face it, nothing tastes as sweet as a freebie. So without further ado, here are a few of our favorite free things for students to do in Amsterdam.

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc"><a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/en" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">The Eye Filmmuseum.</a> Step outside Amsterdam Centraal train station and gaze across the river. That eye-catching deconstructed-concorde-looking object directly opposite? That&rsquo;d be the wild modern architecture of the Eye Filmmuseum, a love letter to Dutch and international cinema. There are student discounts for the various screenings and exhibitions, of course. But it&rsquo;s also free to enter the building, meaning you can ogle vintage movie posters and enjoy widescreen views back across the water from the caf&eacute;.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc"><a href="https://www.amsterdam.nl/stadsarchief/amsterdam-city-archives/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">The Amsterdam City Archives.</a> This extraordinary Art Deco building contains &ndash; on some 50 kilometers of shelving &ndash; nearly 1,000 years of Amsterdam&rsquo;s municipal history. We&rsquo;re talking documents relating to ancient bridge tolls, the Heineken brewery archives, a police report about the theft of Anne Frank&rsquo;s bike, and much more. It&rsquo;s a fascinating time capsule of Amsterdam&rsquo;s storied past and, best of all, entry to its reading room, treasury, film room and most exhibitions won&rsquo;t cost a dime &ndash; a godsend for fiscally challenged students with a thirst for knowledge.</li>
</ul>

Free Amsterdam Attractions for Students

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Free shows at the Royal Concertgebouw. The 19th-century Concertgebouw is an Amsterdam icon, with crisp pindrop acoustics that are the envy of nearly every opera house on the planet. Inevitably then, the majority of performances here are well out of the price range of most students. But don&rsquo;t let yourself be defeated so easily! Savvy savers can access free lunchtime recitals in the hallowed Main Hall (or pay a nominal transaction fee for performances in the Recital Hall) &ndash; <a href="https://www.concertgebouw.nl/en/lunchtime-concerts" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">register for tickets well in advance for the win</a>.</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc"><a href="https://www.oba.nl/oba/amsterdam-public-library/central-library.html" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam&rsquo;s OBA Public Library.</a> Any student worthy of the name will be making regular use of the Netherlands&rsquo; largest library &ndash; seven floors and some 1.5 million books &ndash; anyway. But it&rsquo;s worth a (free) visit for the views from the top floor alone. Grab a book and a coffee and take it all in from the panoramic terrace, with a view that includes much of Amsterdam&rsquo;s city center, plus the river and the hulking copper-green hull of the nearby <a href="https://www.nemosciencemuseum.nl/en/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">NEMO Science Museum</a>, from where &ndash; coincidentally &ndash; top-floor terrace views also come gratis.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The Vondelpark. Amsterdam&rsquo;s largest public park has several things going for it, including (but not limited to) a) a central location; b) proximity to student-magnet Museumplein; and c) it is of course free to visit. Take a morning constitutional to admire statues and sculptures that include an original piece by Picasso, no less. The park is also great for picnicking and/or hanging out beneath the chestnut trees puffing on a doobie, should you be that way inclined. Last, but not least, shows at the excellent Openlucht Theater run regularly &ndash; and for free &ndash;&nbsp;between May and September. Roll up for stand-up comedy, classic plays, contemporary dance and much more park-based fun.</li>
</ul>

Students can save a packet with the Amsterdam pass from Go City, which can save you up to 50% on dozens of Amsterdam attractions. <a href="http://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" target="_blank">Click to find out more and choose your pass.</a>

Our guide to Amsterdam’s top student attractions includes the Rijksmuseum, the Eye Filmmuseum and the legendary Paradiso and Melkweg nightclubs.

Things to do in Amsterdam for Students | Go City®

Explore the many jewels of Amsterdam’s Museum District, take a stroll through the Vondelpark, visit Anne Frank’s House, and more!

The Rijksmuseum is the jewel in Amsterdam’s sightseeing crown, but there are plenty more splendid attractions within just a few minutes’ walk of this must-see art museum. Discover the ostentatious Royal Palace, sip amber nectar at the Heineken Experience, meet the Dutch royal family in Madame Tussauds and more in our guide to all the best things to do near the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam…

Things to do near the Rijksmuseum

The national museum of the Netherlands is also the country&rsquo;s largest, and boasts a collection of Dutch, European and international art that, in terms of sheer quality, puts it right up there with the likes of the Louvre and St Petersburg&rsquo;s State Hermitage.&nbsp;

You&rsquo;ll find the Rijksmuseum in (where else?) the Museum District, right in the heart of the city. Step inside to experience world-renowned works of art including the museum&rsquo;s centerpiece: The Night Watch. This Dutch Golden Age masterpiece by local lad Rembrandt is so awe-inspiring that it has a gallery all to itself! Elsewhere in the museum, you can ogle similarly stunning landmark pieces by the likes of Vermeer, Tintoretto, El Greco, Rubens, and van Dijk.

The Rijksmuseum and many more must-see <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam attractions</a> are included with the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam pass</a> from Go City, which can save you up to 50% on regular admission prices. <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Click here to find out more.</a>

And so, without further ado, here&rsquo;s our pick of all of the *other* great things to do near the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam&hellip;

A Short Guide to the Rijksmuseum

If you&rsquo;re going to take in just one show when in Amsterdam, make it a performance at the 19th-century Royal Concertgebouw, just the other side of the Museumplein from the Rijksmuseum. The pin-drop acoustics inside the grand auditorium are considered some of the best on the planet for classical music performances, and it&rsquo;s where you can hear symphonies by the renowned Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra exactly as they&rsquo;re meant to be heard. Book your seat well in advance, and nab tickets for free weekday lunchtime recitals for the win.&nbsp;

The Royal Concertgebouw

Still in the museum district, the Stedelijk is where it&rsquo;s at for modern and contemporary art and design &ndash; think Matisse, Warhol, Pollock, Picasso, Rothko, Kandinsky and Lichtenstein, to name just a few. Expect paintings, sculptures, installations, graphic design and more. The nearby Moco Museum, set in a striking townhouse overlooking Museumplein, brings us bang up to date with iconic pieces by Banksy, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and others.

Pro-tip: admission to both galleries is included with the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Go City Amsterdam pass</a>.

The Stedelijk and Moco Museums

We&rsquo;re in the capital of the Netherlands, so of course there has to be a museum dedicated to the work of the Post-Impressionist Dutch maestro. You&rsquo;ll find the Van Gogh Museum just a few minutes walk from the Rijksmuseum in (where else?) the Museumplein. Inside, the world&rsquo;s largest collection of van Gogh artifacts &ndash;&nbsp;including paintings, sketches and letters &ndash; features trademark van Gogh motifs galore, including sunflowers, almond blossoms, irises, wheat fields and, of course, selfies.

Don&rsquo;t miss dark early masterpiece The Potato Eaters, then brighten your day by bathing in the pin-perfect artistry of Sunflowers and Self Portrait with Pipe. You can also view notable works by van Gogh&rsquo;s influences and contemporaries, including paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec and Monet, and sculptures by Rodin. Be sure to pick up reproductions of your favorite van Gogh pieces in a dozen different formats (print, poster, notepad, mug) at the excellent gift shop.

The Van Gogh Museum

All that art and culture left you thirsty? You&rsquo;re in luck. Fans of the amber nectar will be in seventh heaven at the Heineken Experience, a tour and &ndash; yes &ndash; tasting experience at the original Heineken brewery, just along the canal from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Step inside this monolithic red-brick edifice, where guides will whisk you around the decommissioned brewing equipment, including Insta-perfect giant copper stills, and clue you in on the beer-brewing process.

You&rsquo;ll get a chance to see, touch and sniff raw ingredients like hops before &ndash;&nbsp;thirst well and truly worked-up &ndash; the tour concludes in the tasting room with not one but two complimentary glasses of the good stuff. Proost!

The Heineken Experience

You&rsquo;re never far from world-class art in Amsterdam, and there&rsquo;s plenty more eye candy to ogle in the city&rsquo;s largest urban park: the Vondelpark. Take a walk 15 minutes west of the Rijksmuseum to check out the abstract (and huge!) concrete Picasso sculpture Figure d&eacute;coup&eacute;e (aka L&rsquo;oiseau/The Bird), and the towering bronze statue of park namesake Joost van den Vondel.

There&rsquo;s plenty more you can see and do here, too. Stroll the park&rsquo;s 120 acres to seek out its 70-or-so sculptures and statues, stop to smell the flowers in the spectacular rose garden, and scratch your selfie itch at the riverside Riekermolen windmill.&nbsp;

In summer, the park&rsquo;s magical Openluchttheater hosts live open-air events from theater to stand-up comedy and kids entertainment, while picnicking families sprawl in the shade of lofty poplars.

The Vondelpark

Set on the banks of the Prinsengracht canal a couple of clicks north of the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House is &ndash; perhaps unsurprisingly &ndash; the most moving of all of Amsterdam&rsquo;s museums. Visitors can step inside the warehouse&rsquo;s secret annex, the Frank family&rsquo;s hiding place during World War II, as described in heartrending detail in Anne Frank&rsquo;s Diary of a Young Girl.

There&rsquo;s also an insightful exhibition that explores the Holocaust, viewed through the lens of Anne&rsquo;s diaries. Harrowing but essential stuff.

Anne Frank House

Not far from Anne Frank House, Dam Square is home to several more must-see <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam attractions</a>, not least the neo-gothic Nieuwe Kerk. Admire its splendid 15th-century architecture and striking stained-glass windows and be sure to catch the regular exhibitions and recitals held here.

Right next door, the Royal Palace (pictured) is a flamboyant throwback to the Dutch Golden Age that&rsquo;s still used for official royal receptions to this day. You can take audio tours of this baroque confection when it&rsquo;s not being used by people with more money and influence than you. The kind of people, in fact that you can meet at Amsterdam&rsquo;s outpost of Madame Tussauds, where King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are rendered in wax alongside Hollywood A-listers, Dutch sporting legends, and Marvel&rsquo;s Avengers.

Looking for more things to do near the Rijksmuseum? Save on your sightseeing with the Amsterdam pass, which can cut the cost of entry to tours, activities and attractions in half! Hit the buttons below to find out more and to bag your Amsterdam pass...

Dam Square

Our pick of the best attractions near Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum includes Anne Frank’s House, the Royal Concertgebouw and modern art at the Stedelijk and Moco museums.

Things to do near the Rijksmuseum | Go City®

Take to the water on a morning canal cruise, admire masterpieces of Dutch art, enjoy breakfast with a view, stroll the peaceful Vondelpark and more.

Our guide to the best things to do in Amsterdam in the morning includes shopping in the picturesque Negen Straatjes neighborhood, getting up close to Van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers, gorging on gorgeous Dutch pancakes, and calling at the former home of some dude called Rembrandt.

Things to do in Amsterdam in the Morning

Can you really say you&rsquo;ve experienced Amsterdam if you haven&rsquo;t breakfasted on traditional Dutch waffles and pancakes until your shirt buttons pop? No, dear stroopwafel-loving reader, you cannot. Hit up the likes of Pancakes Amsterdam and The Pancake Club for a taste of the good stuff, all fluffy Dutch pancakes and cute little poffertjes (mini pancakes). Or grab a coffee and sticky-sweet stroopwafel on the go from a bakery or specialty coffee house. You&rsquo;ll find the best cups of morning joe at the likes of Coffee &amp; Coconuts, Bocca Coffee Roasters and Screaming Beans. Want breakfast with a view? Local canalside favorites including Caf&eacute; &#39;t Smalle, De Wasserette and Caf&eacute; Marcella have you covered.

Breakfast like a Champion

This one&rsquo;s a no-brainer. Amsterdam&rsquo;s canals are as iconic a symbol of the Netherlands as tulips, clogs and windmills, and morning is one of the best times of day to experience them. Sure, you could take a stroll alongside cobbled canalside walkways, snapping Insta-perfect selfies in front of cute floral window boxes and vintage bicycles. But nothing beats taking to the water in the soft morning light and bobbing gently past colorful houseboats, Dutch Golden Age townhouses, and bucket-list <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam attractions</a> like the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank&rsquo;s House, Westerkerk, and famous Magere Brug (aka the Skinny Bridge).

Cruise the Scenic Amsterdam Canals

For a relatively small city, Amsterdam packs one heck of a punch when it comes to galleries and museums. That&rsquo;s partly down to its penchant for quirky small-scale curiosities like the surreal Kattenkabinet (which celebrates the life of a cat named John Pierpont Morgan) and the smokin&rsquo; Amsterdam Pipe Museum, but primarily thanks to the impact of Dutch art down the centuries. We recommend an early start at the below bucket-listers if you hope to beat the crowds&hellip;

The Rijksmuseum. The chances of achieving unobstructed views of Dutch Golden Age masterpieces including Rembrandt&rsquo;s Night Watch and Vermeer&rsquo;s Milkmaid are vastly increased by arriving at the Netherlands&rsquo; national museum early. Doors open at 9AM, so you&rsquo;ll even have time for a quick coffee and stroopwafel on the way.

The Anne Frank House. Enter the secret annex described in Anne Frank&rsquo;s diary at this canalside Prinsengracht museum, one of the most popular, and certainly the most moving, in Amsterdam.

Visit World-Class Museums

The Rembrandt House Museum. Nowadays considered an absolute GOAT, Rembrandt was still just a moderately successful jobbing artist when he lived in this Jodenbreestraat house in the mid-1600s. Now you can wander the very in which the young maestro worked, ate and slept, and see many of his etchings and even some pots he used for mixing painting materials.

The Van Gogh Museum. From one Dutch master to another, this collection of Van Gogh paintings, drawings and letters is the largest of its kind in the world, and features Post-Impressionist masterpieces galore including many of Van Gogh&rsquo;s signature subjects: sunflowers, starry skies and self-portraits. Morning viewings are highly recommended.

<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/van-gogh-museum-vs-rembrandthuis-museum-comparison-amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Read our comparison of the Rembrandt House Museum and Van Gogh Museum here.</a>

Amsterdam&rsquo;s green spaces are tailor-made for mindful morning constitutionals that take in monuments, public art and classic Amsterdam architecture. Try a serene stroll around the city&rsquo;s largest, Vondelpark, admiring sculptures that include a monumental Picasso piece and a nine-foot bronze statue of park namesake Joost van den Vondel, and pausing to smell the roses in the park&rsquo;s central garden. Amstelpark, with its riverside Riekermolen windmill, is perfect for scratching that selfie itch and particularly glorious in spring when its rhododendrons are at their most fabulous. Meanwhile, Amsterdamse Bos is where it&#39;s at for wild woodland strolls and the chance to spot marsh harriers and, um, Scottish Highland Cows in the morning mist. Or go uber-urban at the Westerpark, with its Insta-tastic industrial architecture and picturesque duck ponds.

<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/things-to-do/amstel-park-or-vondelpark-comparison" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Read our guide to Vondelpark and Amstelpark here.</a>

Enjoy a Peaceful Park Perambulation

Amsterdam&#39;s pretty cobbled alleys and canalside streets are perfect for chi-chi boutiques, indie art galleries and cute old curiosity shoppes. You&rsquo;ll find plenty of all of these in the achingly picturesque Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) neighborhood. Here&rsquo;s where to sniff out sensual scents in posh perfumeries, unleash your inner child at old-fashioned chocolate shops, pick up cool kitchenalia in kitschy home accessory emporia and shop for shoes (and clogs) at designer boutiques and Amsterdam souvenir shops respectively. Fresh produce including fruit, cured meats and aromatic Dutch cheeses are the aim of the game at bustling Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp (try saying that with a mouthful of rich, nutty Gouda), while it&rsquo;s all about petal power at the blooming lovely floating flower market on Singel canal, a picture-perfect place to start your day.

Shop ‘til you Drop

It stands to reason that, whichever <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam attractions</a> are top of your list, the best time to visit most of them will be morning, when your fellow sightseers are still busily stuffing their faces with stroopwafel after delicious breakfast stroopwafel, or indeed enjoying a well-deserved vacation lie-in. Don&rsquo;t fear: there&rsquo;ll be time enough for all that once you&rsquo;ve ticked off your must-sees. The <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Amsterdam pass</a> from Go City can save you up to 50% on admission to nearly 50 Amsterdam attractions, including the aforementioned Rijksmuseum, canal cruises, Rembrandt&rsquo;s House and &ndash; yes &ndash;&nbsp;even the mighty Amsterdam Pipe Museum. You can also take in thrilling aerial views of the canals from the A&rsquo;Dam Lookout, sample a drop of the amber nectar at the Heineken Experience (no, 11AM is not too early!), say hey to celebrity waxworks at Madame Tussauds, and much more.

Hit the buttons below to find out more and bag your Amsterdam pass.

Beat the Crowds at More Top Amsterdam Attractions

Our top picks for morning activities in Amsterdam include a stroll through the Vondelpark, a trip to the Rijksmuseum, and a cruise on the famous canals.

Things to do in Amsterdam in the Morning | Go City®

Boutique shopping, café culture, world-class art/pipe/tulip/canal museums and other things to do during an Amsterdam downpour.

Amsterdam is beautiful inside and out, meaning there’s still plenty of fun to be had when the heavens open and it’s just too damp to cruise the canals or whiz along slippery cobbled lanes on your bike. So don your wellies and mac and dive into our list of all the best things to do in Amsterdam when it rains…

Things to do in Amsterdam when it Rains

If you&rsquo;re looking for ways to wait out an Amsterdam cloudburst, the city&#39;s glut of fine museums and galleries should be your first port of call. There are around 75 of the things across the city, a fine testament to Amsterdam&rsquo;s cultural and historical impact, especially when you consider its relatively diminutive size as European capitals go. Here are some you definitely shouldn&rsquo;t miss&hellip; 
&nbsp;

The Best Rainy Day Museums in Amsterdam

<h2>The Rijksmuseum</h2>

A Dutch icon and no mistake, the Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands, and also its largest, housing an epic collection that focuses strongly on (no surprises here) Dutch art, and particularly the Dutch Golden Age (1588&ndash;1672). The quality of the collection is astounding, covering nearly 800 years and starring instantly recognizable pieces including The Milkmaid by Vermeer, Self-Portrait by van Gogh and &ndash; the museum&rsquo;s crowning glory &ndash;&nbsp;Rembrandt&rsquo;s masterpiece The Night Watch. Major European artists like Rubens, El Greco and Tintoretto are also represented, as well as international sculpture, furniture, textiles and pottery.

If Post-Impressionism is your thang (and specifically Post-Impression of the sunflowers, self portrait, wheatfields and starry skies variety), then the Van Gogh Museum is for you. Containing some 1,300 of the maestro&rsquo;s paintings, drawings and letters, this is the largest van Gogh collection anywhere on the planet. Highlights include Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, Almond Blossom, and Self-Portrait as a Painter.&nbsp;

<h2>The Anne Frank House</h2>

Museums don&rsquo;t come much more moving than the house where the Frank family hid out during World War II. Visitors can enter the secret annex described in Anne Frank&rsquo;s Diary of a Young Girl. This unassuming extension of the canalfront warehouse on Prinsengracht now houses an exhibition exploring the Nazi persecution of Jews and the Holocaust, viewed through the lens of Anne&rsquo;s harrowing diaries. <a href="https://www.annefrank.org/en/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Booking &ndash;&nbsp;especially on rainy days &ndash; is recommended.</a>

<h2>The Rembrandt House Museum</h2>

Rembrandt van Rijn was just a moderately successful jobbing painter and etcher when he lived on Jodenbreestraat in the mid-17th-century. Now, nearly 400 years later you, dear reader, can wander the very rooms in which the man who became the icon of the Dutch Golden Age once ate, worked and slept. Interiors have been painstakingly recreated to period standards, with carefully curated 17th-century furnishings to match. You can also ogle a near-complete collection of Rembrandt etchings here, as well as relics including his funeral medallion and pots he used to mix clay and quartz when preparing canvases. Paintings by Dutch contemporaries including Ferdinand Bol and Pieter Lastman also adorn the walls.

The heavens have opened, the canals have turned an unappealing brown, and the streets are awash with torrents of rainwater. What better way to boost your spirits than with a bit of traditional Dutch therapy? We&rsquo;re talking shopping, caf&eacute; culture and delectable Dutch pancakes&hellip;

Negen Straatjes (or Nine Streets to non-native speakers) is a compact canal-straddling city center neighborhood that&rsquo;s chock-full of upscale shopping and dining opportunities. Grab your pocket poncho, umbrella and credit cards and immerse yourself in a rainy-day paradise of perfumeries, chic boutiques, old-fashioned chocolatiers and jewelry stores. Choose from more than 400 cheeses (including dozens of Dutch varieties) at Kaaskamer, get your caffeine fix at Screaming Beans, and satisfy even the sweetest tooth at the Wonka-esque Chocolaterie Pompadour. Hay is where it&#39;s at for funky home accessories while Rain Couture&rsquo;s contribution to staying stylish in bad weather can not be understated.

Rainy Day Shopping (and Eating) in Amsterdam

All that (wet) pavement-pounding deserves a substantial lunch and, while there are plenty of super-smart fine-dining joints to choose from in Negen Straatjes, we favor a cozier environment and comfort food as befits the gloomy weather. Try the self-explanatory Pancakes Amsterdam on Berenstraat for a taste of the good stuff, or strike out for the city&rsquo;s popular&nbsp;bruin caf&eacute;s (brown caf&eacute;s), so called for their traditional wood-paneling and frequently smoke-stained ceilings. Some of the best brown caf&eacute;s date back decades, if not centuries, and provide great spots to shelter with coffee and a slice of appeltaart. Try stalwarts like Caf&eacute; &#39;t Smalle, Caf&eacute; Slijterij Oosterling and Caf&eacute; de Wetering for the win.

Mmmm... Pancakes!

There are dozens more <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam/attractions" target="_blank">Amsterdam attractions</a> to help keep you occupied on rainy days. Beer lovers will be in clover at the world-famous Heineken Brewery, where tours include an introduction to the brewing process and &ndash; crucially &ndash; a refreshing taste of the amber nectar. Or you could catch a movie at the delightful Tuschinski Theater, a stunning Art Deco and Art Nouveau edifice that&rsquo;s beloved of locals for both its extraordinary architecture and its ultra-plush cinema seats.

Dodge the downpours in some of Amsterdam&rsquo;s more quirky museums. The Nxt Museum, a vast industrial space that immerses visitors in thrilling audio-visual projections, has to be experienced to be believed. Then there&rsquo;s the bafflingly surreal Kattenkabinet, which commemorates a cat named John Pierpont Morgan by way of dozens of kitty-related paintings, prints and other weird ephemera including &ndash; you guessed it &ndash; bad cat taxidermy. Peruse the private pipe collection of someone who clearly really really likes smoking at the Amsterdam Pipe Museum, get your fix of floral fragrances at the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, and experience the wonderful world of Amsterdam&rsquo;s canal system &ndash; but indoors &ndash; at the fascinating Museum of the Canals.

More Things to do in Amsterdam when in Rains

Don&rsquo;t let a little rain dampen your sightseeing spirits! <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" target="_blank">The Amsterdam pass from Go City</a> includes entry to several of the indoor attractions mentioned in this article (plus a few outdoor activities too!) and could save you up to 50% on standard entry prices. Among the dozens of attractions, tours and activities included on the Amsterdam pass are the Rijksmuseum, the Heineken Experience, Madame Tussauds, a canal sightseeing cruise, and the Amsterdam Tulip Museum. Find out more and choose your perfect pass by clicking on the buttons below&hellip;

Want More Amsterdam Rainy Day Ideas?

Our guide to indoor activities in Amsterdam includes the Anne Frank House, traditional Dutch cafés, the Rijksmuseum and the former crib of some guy called Rembrandt.

Things to do in Amsterdam when it rains | Go City®

Step into the wonderful world of Amsterdam by night, when the city’s canals and cobbled lanes come alive with atmospheric lighting and the buzz of lively social gatherings.

Sure, Amsterdam comes with a slightly, shall we say, seedy reputation, but there’s so much more to this city’s vibrant nightlife than just red lights and cannabis cafés. Join us on our journey through all the best things to do in Amsterdam at night.

Things to do in Amsterdam at Night

Our guide to a great evening out in Amsterdam includes:

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Canal cruises</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The famous red light district</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Cycle rides along atmospheric cobbled alleyways</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The Van Gogh Museum</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Live music at the Melkweg and Concertgebouw</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">Drinks atop the A&rsquo;DAM Tower</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The Amsterdam Light festival</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">The hottest club nights in town</li>
	<li style="list-style-type:disc">&hellip;and more!</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

Read on for the very best of Amsterdam&rsquo;s after-dark activities&hellip;

<h2>Cruise Amsterdam&rsquo;s Canals</h2>

It&rsquo;s a city built on water, so it stands to reason that the best way to see Amsterdam is on a gentle cruise along some of its 100 kilometers of picturesque canals. Naturally, the canals are at their most magical by night, when the city lights reflect on the water and major landmarks, including Anne Frank&#39;s House, the Rijksmuseum, the Skinny Bridge and the Westerkerk are beautifully illuminated. Cameras at the ready for Insta-perfect canalside houses from the Dutch Golden Age, and the hundreds of colorful houseboats that bob on the water.

<a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Evening (and daytime!) canal cruises (plus dozens more activities, tours and attractions) are included with a Go Amsterdam pass. Find out more and get yours now!</a>

<h2>Explore Amsterdam&rsquo;s Live Music Scene</h2>

Rock? Classical? EDM? Amsterdam&rsquo;s got you covered. The grand 19th-century confection that is the legendary Concertgebouw is, thanks to its pin-drop acoustics, one of the finest (and most popular) venues on the planet in which to experience live classical concerts. For that reason, be sure to book your seat well in advance. You might even have a religious experience at the Paradiso, a converted church compete with balconies and stained-glass windows which has hosted names including Nirvana, Bowie, James Brown and Lady Gaga, to name just a few. Or mosey over to the Melkweg, a former dairy with a similarly impressive pedigree: Prince and U2 have both graced the stage here down the years.&nbsp;

Visit Amsterdam in deepest, darkest winter and not only will you be wowed by the city&rsquo;s spectacular Christmas lights and festive markets: there&rsquo;s also the Amsterdam Light Festival to enjoy. This eye-popping visual feast hits town in December and sticks around through January, bringing illuminated artworks and installations to major plazas, parks, gardens and canalside streets. Expect highly Instagrammable exhibits by contemporary designers, artists and architects from the Netherlands and beyond. You can join a walking tour or grab a map of the exhibits and plot your own meander through this magical winter wonderland.

Dedicated clubbers will find much to enjoy in Amsterdam&rsquo;s many mega-venues, where you&rsquo;ll find the world&rsquo;s top DJs banging out the tunes until the sun comes up. Club nights at the aforementioned Paradiso and Melkweg are local faves, while Club Prime, set in the heart of the old town, draws an international crowd to its cavernous halls. Then there&rsquo;s Cafe Amsterdamned, the industrial chic of Gashouder and LGBTQ+ stalwarts like FunHouse and Taboo. Dive in and dance yourself dizzy &lsquo;til dawn!

Amsterdam&rsquo;s sex industry is well regulated and sex work has been legal here since 2000. Even with that caveat, we&rsquo;re aware the red light district won&rsquo;t be for everyone! But, if you do want to see the city&rsquo;s oldest profession in action, it is safe to do so, and may well be the quintessential Amsterdam experience. Stroll the medieval canalside streets, where neon lights glare, ladies ply their trade in the windows, and adults-only shops dot the lanes. Those with more than a passing interest can discover more in the fascinating Erotic Museum and Red Light Secrets Museum, while former sex workers also run brothel tours in the area. When the hustle, bustle and lurid sights get too much, simply duck down a side street and seek refuge in a Dutch caf&eacute; or Asian restaurant.

Culture vultures (and vampires) rejoice! Many of Amsterdam&rsquo;s best museums stay open late on the weekend. The Van Gogh Museum, for example, is open until 9PM on Fridays, and just happens to contain the largest collection of the maestro&rsquo;s work on the entire planet. We&rsquo;re talking sunflowers, starry nights, wheat fields, self portraits and more. There&rsquo;s art of a more contemporary stripe at the bleeding-edge Moco Museum, open 9PM Friday&ndash;Sunday and available on the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Go Amsterdam pass.</a> Visiting in November? Your luck&rsquo;s in, for this is when more than 50 of the city&rsquo;s leading museums and galleries open late (very late), with the added attraction of live music and DJs, special events and other surprises.

Riding the cobbled canalside streets on two wheels is practically a rite of passage for visitors to Amsterdam, and the cycling infrastructure here is second-to-none. Over 500 kilometers of dedicated lanes criss-cross the city, allowing hopeless romantics to pedal their way from medieval lane to swoonsome sunset bridge, night market to cute candlelit side-street bar. Don&rsquo;t know where to begin? Fear not: there are dozens of guided cycling tours available, taking in illuminated monuments, off-the-beaten-track Amsterdam attractions, and hip bars and eateries.

<h2>Get a Bird&rsquo;s-Eye View of Amsterdam</h2>

Way up top of the waterfront A&rsquo;DAM Tower is a 360-degree sky deck: an epic lookout point with easily the best aerial views of the port and canals in town. Thrill-seekers can have hairs raised on the swing deck which &ndash; true to its name &ndash; launches willing punters out high above the cityscape on a giant swing. Or, if you prefer to steady your nerves, the popular 22nd-floor MA&rsquo;DAM sky bar is a safe bet for craft cocktails and sweeping starlit views across the twinkling city. Access to the A&rsquo;DAM Lookout is included with the <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Go Amsterdam pass.</a> The swing (and cocktails) cost extra.

Our guide to Amsterdam’s finest nighttime activities, including canal cruises, light festivals, classical concerts and late-night dates with Vincent van Gogh.

Things to do in Amsterdam at Night | Go City®

Guide to Amsterdam's Red Light District

<h2>One of the most talked about parts of the city, the Red Light District in Amsterdam is a must see.</h2>

Iconic or infamous - whatever the stereotypes, there&#39;s a lot more to this historic&nbsp;neighbourhood than its reputation suggests. Learn more with our guide to the Red Light District, Amsterdam and discover the history of the De Wallen district.&nbsp;

<h3>What is the Red Light district?</h3>

Situated in De Wallen, Amsterdam&rsquo;s medieval city centre, the Red Light District is a lively part of town that unlike most European city centres offers a whole list of usually taboo services. Everything from prostitution to legalized drugs, as well as sex shows and shops.

Having a close proximity to the city&rsquo;s harbour, the area has long been a destination for those looking for services of a sexual nature whether it be sailors, soldiers or gentlemen since the middle ages. However, gone are the days when it was something to be ashamed of and now sex work is recognised as a legitimate form of employment.

You may question where the name has its origins. The name &ldquo;Red Light District&rdquo; comes from the use of neon red lights featured in the doorways of parlours. Street prostitution is illegal in the Netherlands so for many, the use of a red neon light in a doorway is a smart trick to attract customers.

<h3>What&rsquo;s on offer in the Red Light District?</h3>

The <a href="https://gocity.com/en/amsterdam" target="_blank">Amsterdam Pass</a> will give you an&nbsp;in-depth tour&nbsp;into the city&rsquo;s most controversial neighbourhood with a plethora of intriguing tales and noteworthy facts of the area. Starting at 7pm, these tours start as the sun sets and the area becomes alive.

Apart from the obvious offerings that spring to mind, the Red Light District also has a host of interesting shops, museums and shows. The majority of these may revolve around vice but there are also opportunities to enjoy fashion and culture.

With a number of former prostitute&rsquo;s windows being transformed in the area, visitors can see a flurry of exhibition spaces and studios housing fashionable clothing stores, with cool shoe and streetwear brands lining the streets.

<h3>Did you know?</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Regulation of sex workers health was not a recent government policy. Ever since 1810, when Napoleon controlled Amsterdam, prostitution was subject to health regulation with sex workers needing to pertain a permit to acknowledge they were healthy. Unfortunately this wasn&rsquo;t to protect the workers from venereal diseases but rather soldiers, who were more likely to be the source.</li>
	<li>There is estimated to be around 25,000 sex workers working in the Netherlands with the majority residing in the Red Light District.</li>
	<li>Despite De Wallen being most famous for its Red Light District, it is also home to the city&rsquo;s Chinatown if you&rsquo;re looking for some tasty food from the Far East.</li>
	<li>Dotted throughout the neighbourhood are small sculptures and works of art relating to the area&rsquo;s sordid found fame.</li>
</ul>

<h3>How to act in the Red Light District</h3>

<ul>
	<li>For years the Red Light District was a rough place to visit but after the legalisation of prostitution in 2000, the efforts of authorities have ensured that it has become a safe and vibrant place for tourists to visit.</li>
	<li>However, there are some unwritten rules to follow. The women (and some men) working here are doing exactly that, work, so it is best not to film them directly or take pictures. In fact, earlier this year it was made illegal to stand and stare at sex workers when in a tour group.</li>
	<li>Drinking and taking drugs on the streets in the area are also frowned upon and should be restricted to the numerous bars and coffee shops in the area. You are also reminded to not yell or cause disturbances while there.</li>
	<li>Due to the areas affinity with all things vice, you are advised to refuse all offers from traders regarding drugs and bicycles. The police impose hefty fines on both the seller and buyer when caught.</li>
</ul>

<h3>How to get to the Red Light District Amsterdam?</h3>

As a popular destination you can take any one of these trams to arrive there: 2, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 24 Dam.

Being at the very centre of the old town, it&rsquo;s hard to get lost but be sure to carry a map wherever you go. De Wallen, also known as&nbsp;Rosse Burt&nbsp;is popular part of the city for many who will happily point you in the right direction.

There's more to Amsterdam's Red Light District than the stereotypes. Discover the historic neighbourhood with our Red Light District Guide on the Amsterdam Pass

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