From Rembrandt and Van Gogh to canal cruises, hidden courtyards and free rooftop views. Our guide to Amsterdam’s top sights explains what each place is really like, which tickets you must book ahead and how to avoid the queues.
Last checked: September 2026
Timed tickets are now the norm in Amsterdam. Book these in the order below and build the rest of your trip around them.
| Attraction | Book ahead? | How to get tickets | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Frank House | Always, often weeks ahead | Only via annefrank.org, released Tuesdays 10:00 for six weeks later | Canal Ring (Jordaan side) |
| Van Gogh Museum | Always | Timed online tickets. Check availability | Museumplein |
| Rijksmuseum | Recommended | Timed entry, under-18s free. Check availability | Museumplein |
| Royal Palace | Recommended | Time slot online; closes for royal events, so check the calendar | Dam Square |
| Canal cruise | In summer and at weekends | Compare cruises, most with free cancellation | Several departure points |
| A’DAM Lookout | For sunset slots | Tickets and swing | Noord, free ferry from Centraal |
| Heineken Experience | At weekends | Timed tickets. Check availability | De Pijp |
| Vondelpark, Begijnhof, NEMO roof | No | Free, just walk in (Begijnhof until 17:00) | Various |
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The national museum of the Netherlands tells 800 years of Dutch history and art. Highlights include Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, Vermeer’s The Milkmaid and the Gallery of Honour.
Tip: Arrive at 9:00 and head straight to the Gallery of Honour before the tour groups. The museum garden is free to walk through.
The largest collection of paintings and drawings by Vincent van Gogh in the world, arranged to follow his life from the Dutch countryside to Arles and Auvers.
Tip: Tickets are online only with a 30-minute entry slot. In spring and summer, book at least one to two weeks ahead.
The canal house where Anne Frank and seven others hid during the Second World War. You walk through the secret annex and see Anne’s original diary.
Tip: Tickets are sold only on annefrank.org, every Tuesday at 10:00 for six weeks later, and popular slots go within minutes. There is no ticket desk.
The largest museum of modern and contemporary art and design in the Netherlands, with works by Mondrian, Matisse, Malevich and the CoBrA artists.
Tip: Combine it with the Van Gogh Museum next door; the Stedelijk is usually much quieter in the afternoon.
A hands-on science museum in a green, ship-shaped building by Renzo Piano. Great for families and curious adults.
Tip: Even without a museum ticket you can climb the sloping roof, the highest public square in the city, for free views over the harbour.
The house where Rembrandt lived and worked for almost twenty years, restored with his studio, cabinet of curiosities and etching demonstrations.
Tip: Included in the I amsterdam City Card, and a short walk from Waterlooplein market.
Built as the city hall in the 17th century and designed by Jacob van Campen, the palace on Dam Square is still used by the Dutch king for state visits and receptions.
Tip: The palace regularly closes for royal events. Check the calendar before you go and book a time slot.
A hidden medieval courtyard behind a small door off the Spui. It is home to Amsterdam’s oldest surviving house, the wooden Houten Huis from around 1420.
Tip: People still live here: keep your voice down and visit before 17:00, when the gates close.
The 17th-century canal belt of Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. The Nine Streets cut across it with independent shops.
Tip: Walk it early in the morning, when the canals are still and the streets are empty.
A canal cruise is the easiest way to understand how Amsterdam was built. You pass the merchants’ houses of the Golden Age, the “Seven Bridges” on the Reguliersgracht and the wide water of the Amstel.
The I amsterdam City Card includes a one-hour canal cruise.
Classic, open-boat and evening cruises, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The observation deck on top of the 100-metre A’DAM Tower in Noord, with 360° views over the IJ, the old centre and the polders. Brave visitors can ride “Over the Edge”, a swing over the side of the roof.
Tip: Take the free ferry (line F3 to Buiksloterweg) from behind Centraal Station: it drops you right at the tower.
A self-guided tour through Heineken’s former brewery, with interactive rooms and a tasting at the end.
Tip: Choose a morning time slot for a calmer visit. You must be 18 or over to drink.
The sloping roof of the NEMO Science Museum is a public square with an interactive energy exhibition and one of the best free views in town.
Tip: Go on a clear day for views across the historic centre and the harbour.
Amsterdam’s most famous park: lawns, ponds, an open-air theatre in summer and cafés, a short walk from Museumplein.
Tip: Free and open day and night. Pack a picnic on a sunny day and join the locals.
A former gasworks turned green park with cultural venues, cafés and events at the Westergas site.
Tip: Combine it with a walk through the Jordaan, which starts just across the canal.
One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, founded in 1638, with historic glasshouses and a butterfly house.
Tip: A peaceful break between the Plantage museums and the zoo.
Historic windmills, green wooden houses and craft workshops on the river Zaan. Walking around the village is free; you only pay to enter the mills and museums.
Tip: The train from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans takes under 20 minutes. Arrive before 10:00 to beat the coaches.
Seven million bulbs in flower in one of the world’s most famous spring gardens. In 2026 it was open from 19 March to 10 May.
Tip: Book a combined entrance and bus ticket: there is no train station at the gardens.
The I amsterdam City Card gives you free entry to more than 70 museums and attractions, unlimited GVB public transport (tram, bus and metro), a one-hour canal cruise and 24-hour bike rental. It is sold for 24 to 120 hours.
It pays off if you plan to visit three or more paid museums a day, such as the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Rembrandt House, and use public transport a lot.
Not included: the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. You still need to book those separately.
Free entry to 70+ museums and attractions, plus public transport and a canal cruise.
For most first-time visitors: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House, a canal cruise and a walk through the Jordaan and the canal ring. Add the A’DAM Lookout if you want views.
As early as possible. Tickets are released every Tuesday at 10:00 for visits six weeks later and are only sold on annefrank.org. Popular times can sell out within minutes.
Yes. They are next to each other on Museumplein. Allow 2–3 hours for the Rijksmuseum and 1.5–2 hours for the Van Gogh Museum, and book both time slots in advance.
It can be if you visit several paid museums a day and use public transport. It does not include the Van Gogh Museum or the Anne Frank House.
Visit the big museums, take a covered canal cruise, explore the Heineken Experience or head up the A’DAM Lookout, which has an indoor deck.