Things to do in Amsterdam, splurging
The Rijksmuseum and Anne Frank House by day, Zoldering and Beulings by night.
This is Amsterdam for people who eat well at home and want to eat even better here. Three days move between the Grachtengordel, Museumplein, and the Jordaan, with a fine-dining table most evenings, good coffee every morning, and enough culture to earn the splurge. It suits two people who plan ahead, book early, and are happy to walk the canals between a rijsttafel lunch and a destination dinner.
Day 1: Negen Straatjes and the old centre
The day starts with coffee and a canal-house church, builds through an Indonesian rijsttafel, and closes at a polished cocktail bar after an Italian dinner.
- 9:30 AM
Lotti's
Brunch in the Hoxton's canal-house dining room on the Herengracht, an easy start to a day on foot.
Map - 10:15 AM
- 12:30 PM
Sampurna
Order the full rijsttafel, a dozen small Indonesian dishes, at this Singel corner by the flower market.
Map - 2:15 PM
Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder
A complete secret Catholic church hidden inside a 17th-century canal house, one of Amsterdam's great surprises.
Map - 7:30 PM
- 9:30 PM
LuminAir
Cocktails on the 11th floor of the DoubleTree by Centraal, with the old city rooftops below.
Map
Day 2: Stedelijk, Rijksmuseum, Zoldering
Modern art at the Stedelijk, the Rijksmuseum in the afternoon, and Zoldering for the kind of modern French dinner that justifies the flight.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:30 AM
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
The connoisseur's pick on Museumplein, modern and contemporary art without the Instagram crowds.
Map - 12:30 PM
The Seafood Bar
Bright De Pijp fish bar: oysters, a pot of mussels or proper fish and chips at the counter.
Map - 2:30 PM
Rijksmuseum
See Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid in the Gallery of Honour, the heart of Museumplein.
Map - 7:30 PM
Zoldering
Utrechtsestraat bistro reworking French classics, with two serious wine lists to match.
Map - 9:30 PM
Kaasbar Amsterdam
Dutch farm cheeses ride past on a little conveyor train, each with a wine or beer to pair.
Map
Day 3: Jordaan, the Anne Frank House, Beulings
The most emotionally weighted morning of the trip leads into an Italian lunch on the canals and an acclaimed dinner before a last jenever at a proper brown café.
- 9:30 AM
Uncommon Bar
Minimal Oud-West coffee bar for a strong flat white and a pastry before the Anne Frank House.
Map - 10:30 AM
Anne Frank House
The Secret Annex preserved exactly as it was, the single most emotionally important hour in the city.
Map - 12:30 PM
Bussia
Long Italian lunch on the Reestraat, minutes from the Anne Frank House: fresh pasta and a Piedmont red.
Map - 4:30 PM
De 9 Straatjes
Nine short lanes between the canals packed with independent boutiques, vintage and design shops.
Map - 7:30 PM
Beulings
Small dining room on the Beulingstraat cooking one set menu around the season; book weeks ahead.
Map - 9:30 PM
Café 't Smalle
Classic brown café on a Jordaan canalside terrace, jenever, beer, low light, wood panelling; a perfect closer.
Map
Where to stay
The Dylan
Canal-house hotel on the Keizersgracht, steps from every day of this plan, with rooms and service that match the spending level of the trip.
Ambassade Hotel
Library bar, Grachtengordel address, and a loyal following among people who want character over corporate finish.
Make Amsterdam your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Rijksmuseum: a few days ahead
- Van Gogh Museum: weeks ahead
- Anne Frank House: weeks ahead
- Eye Filmmuseum: a few days ahead
- A'DAM Lookout: a few days ahead
- STRAAT Museum: a few days ahead
Skip these
- Heineken Experience is an expensive marketing walk-through. Try Brouwerij 't IJ instead.
- Shop-front 'museums' on Damrak and in De Wallen are gift shops with a ticket desk. Spend that money at the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh.
- Avoid trap restaurants on Damrak, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein. Eat in De Pijp, Jordaan, Oud-West, Oost or Noord.
- Skip Zaanse Schans at midday and the big recorded commentary canal boats when a small boat costs similar.
The full Amsterdam travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around