Three days is the right amount of time for a first visit to Amsterdam. It is enough to see the great museums, take a canal cruise and still wander the canals. This plan groups the sights by area so you spend your time looking rather than travelling. It assumes you book the timed tickets in advance, which matters here: the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum sell nothing at the door.

Before you go

  • Anne Frank House. Tickets are sold only on the museum’s own website, released every Tuesday at 10am CET for visits six weeks later. Set a reminder.
  • Museums on Museumplein. Book a time slot for the Van Gogh Museum (online only, €25 in 2026) and the Rijksmuseum (€25, start time required). Under 18s go free at both but still need a ticket.
  • Transport. Tap in and out with a contactless card on trams and the metro, or buy a GVB ticket: €10 for a day or €21.50 for 72 hours in 2026. The train from Schiphol to Centraal costs €5.50.

Day 1: the old centre and the canals

Start at Amsterdam Centraal and walk down the Damrak to Dam Square, the heart of the city, with the Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk on one side and the National Monument on the other. The palace opens on set days only, so check its calendar.

From the Dam, slip into the old centre. Our Lord in the Attic, a complete Catholic church hidden in the roof of a 17th-century canal house, is one of the most surprising museums in the city and takes about an hour. Nearby is the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest building.

After lunch, take a one-hour canal cruise from the piers opposite Centraal or along the Damrak. It is the easiest way to understand the UNESCO-listed canal ring, and in winter you can book an evening cruise along the Amsterdam Light Festival route instead (26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027).

Day 2: Museumplein and De Pijp

Spend the morning on Museumplein. Take the first slot at the Rijksmuseum and go straight to the Gallery of Honour for Rembrandt’s The Night Watch and Vermeer’s The Milkmaid before the crowds arrive. After a coffee break, cross the square to the Van Gogh Museum for your booked slot; allow two to three hours. Moco and the Stedelijk are next door if you have energy left.

In the late afternoon, walk ten minutes east into De Pijp. Browse the Albert Cuyp Market (closed on Sundays), try a fresh stroopwafel, and either tour the Heineken Experience in the old brewery or simply join the locals in one of the neighbourhood’s bars and restaurants for dinner.

Day 3: the Jordaan, Anne Frank and the IJ

Begin with your booked visit to the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht; allow an hour to an hour and a half, and expect steep stairs. Afterwards, climb the tower of the Westerkerk next door if it is open, or simply walk through the Jordaan, the old working-class district of narrow canals, hidden courtyards and small shops. On Saturdays the Noordermarkt has a farmers’ market.

Have lunch in the Nine Streets, the shopping lanes between the main canals, then walk back to Centraal and take the free ferry across the IJ. A’DAM Lookout gives a 360-degree view from about 100 metres up, and brave visitors can ride the swing over the edge. Stay for sunset, then take the ferry back for dinner in the centre.

If you have more time

A fourth day makes room for the windmills of the Zaanse Schans, about 17 minutes north by train, or for a half day in Haarlem. Families will enjoy NEMO Science Museum and ARTIS Royal Zoo, and art lovers can add the Rembrandt House. In spring, Keukenhof is open from 18 March to 9 May 2027.

Practical tips

  • Keep out of the red bike lanes when walking, and look both ways for bikes before crossing.
  • Many museums are free with the I amsterdam City Card or the Museumkaart, but the Anne Frank House is not included in the City Card.
  • Amsterdam’s tourist tax is 12.5% of the room price excluding VAT in 2026, added to your hotel bill.