What to do in Amsterdam?
Architecture Museums
For people who like architecture, Amsterdam is the most incredible outdoor museum in the world. But what about inside? There are still several places to see what it must have been like to live in Amsterdam back in the day; two museums are among my favourites. The first is Our Lord in the Attic, a preserved seventeenth-century house with a magnificent shelter church in its attic. The second is Museum van Loon. This hidden gem shows the splendour of a seventeenth-century canal house inhabited by some of the wealthiest and most illustrious residents. Also, if you’re looking for a quiet cup of coffee, the carriage house at the other end of the garden is generally not busy; my own secret oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Another exciting place to visit in the city centre that often gets overlooked is the Royal Palace on the Dam; its main hall remains one of the most luxurious in Europe. Expect an audio tour that takes you along marble Greek gods, giant seventeenth-century floor maps, and a range of royally decorated rooms. Finally, for those who want to learn more about Amsterdam’s iconic early twentieth-century art-deco architecture, it’s worth considering Museum Het Schip; the 3 pm tour is in English.
Art Museums
My own favourite museum remains the Rijksmuseum. It shows over 8000 objects in 80 rooms, narrating over 800 years of history. This enormous building does not just contain world-famous artworks such as Rembrandt’s Nightwatch or Vermeer’s Milkmaid, but also features several extravagant seventeenth-century dollhouses and, my personal favourite, century-old woollen whaler hats that were extracted from Spitsbergen’s (close to the North Pole) permafrost. Other solid choices are the Van Gogh Museum, which mainly displays works by this painter, and the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam’s go-to venue for modern art. For even more modern art, you can also try the MOCO museum (beware, it has a reputation for being much too busy) and STRAAT museum, a collection of street art in an industrial location.
Canal Tours
Canal tours are among the most popular attractions in the county, and a few years ago, a tour with Flag Ship Amsterdam‘s salon boats was declared the number one Trip Advisor experience in the world. In this way, it beat such activities as cruising along Hawaiian islands, a half-day cooking class in Thailand, and quad riding across Dubai’s desert dunes. I’ve never done any of these things, so I cannot compare. However, Amsterdam undoubtedly takes on a new character from the water and if you’re only here for a few days taking a trip through the city’s ancient maze of waterways will certainly enrich your visit. Aside from Flag Ship Amsterdam, which generally offers boat rides that lasts 60 minutes and include snacks and drinks, another well-reviewed and reputable company is Those Dam Boat Guys. This operator uses smaller boats to accommodate more personal experiences. With Those Dam Boat Guys, you can expect a lot of irreverent humour and an opportunity to enter some canals other larger boats can’t reach. Their tours last a little longer, about 90 minutes. Besides these two companies, the city has many offerings in larger sardine-can-type boats. Such boats have toured the canals for decades and offer audio tours in various languages. They’re aimed at accommodating mass tourism and are generally less expensive. If it were me, I’d pay extra to be in a smaller boat with either of the companies mentioned above, but for people who want to do Amsterdam on a budget, the boat companies next to Central Station may just provide the perfect match.
Time Travel Amsterdam 