BEST THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM FOR FIRST TIMERS W/ MAP (2024) | 20+ Must-Dos, Hidden Gems & More!

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Looking for the best things to do in Amsterdam and Amsterdam activities that are a bit more off the beaten path? This Amsterdam travel guide includes tips, ideas & tourist traps in Amsterdam to avoid, plus insights into Amsterdam hidden gems.

[HappytoWander]

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy today's video all about the best things to do in Amsterdam. Let me know in the comments if there are any other activities you'd add, and as I mentioned in the video, you can find the link for my free map at the end :)

[Yourhighnessnona]

As a local, this is hands down the best video on Amsterdam there is. Really good stuff!

[zilla]

YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER !!!! I’m heading here in April and this map is perfect ! Thank you 😁

[sunflowerfields]

OMG... I need to take notes! I only have 3 days in Amsterdam but I already booked the Anne Frank House (yes, I stayed up until 1:00am to get the tickets 6 weeks in advance) and I'm going on the wine and cheese boat ride. Don't care how touristy it is. Cheese Museum is on my list, well... because cheese. :) You have some great ideas to add! I will be looking into them for sure. You will NOT find me in the pigeon place nor will your find me swinging from any high places either virtually or for real. Nope. I'm SO excited to go and see the beautiful city! Stroopwaffels and fries are going to make up a large part of my diet there. I can't resist. You've given me some really great ideas of places to see while I'm there. Ever thought of being a tour guide? You're amazingly knowledgable. As for figuring out how to see the tulips, it's mind boggling almost to the point where I don't know if I want to bother. 😳 That was one of the huge reasons I wanted to visit Amsterdam but now I'm thinking maybe not.

[butenbremer]

Thank you much for addressing the Anne Frank House!! Not many Youtube travel related channels covering AMS have done so in the past. Anne Frank was a GER girl born in Frankfurt, the city I've been residing in for 30+ years now. I don't remember the number of times I visited that important site of World When I was in school, it was mandatory for GER students to read "The Diary Of Anne Frank" in either GER or History class. This is such a wonderful video on my most favorite city in all of Europe! 😍🥰I'm GER btw...

[sandravansuch]

Probably the best video I have seen on Amsterdam! You cover so much and explain it so well both verbally and visually. The street art area looks so cool, Anne Franks home is on my list, and you gave so many things I would not have known to look into doing. I will bookmark this video for when I make it there. How many days to you thing it takes there to get through most of these spots you mention? Going to look for other videos you have done because of the great content you put out. Thanks!

[omayraguerra]

Thanks, my husband and I are planning to go October 2 till October 7, we appropriate your video.

[tracyaskew]

Amsterdam is one of my absolute favorite places to visit. I've been about 5 times. The food is sooo good...I have a BITTERBALLEN addiction!! Madurodam (Miniture park) is nice and the Van Gogh Museum is a must.

[catchang]

Thank you for the thoughtful commentary and recommendations. Super helpful video

[azrahnvazkor]

Hi, largest park in Amsterdam is Amsterdamse Bos and not Vondelpark. But I agree Vondelpark is nicer for a tourist to visit.

[carolgeorgethies]

There is a wonderful yarn store Stephen & Penelope also

[ems]

amazing video, pronunciations, information, the whole lot!

[Xyphren]

Very good overview travel video! Covered a lot of different areas. Good jumping off point for more research

[figureskating]

Thanks for your lovely video. It is very helpful. We are planning to go in two months and this video has helped us. You have a beautiful speaking voice. Any suggestions for cheap souvenirs. We saw one video that showed keychains for 1 euro and was wondering if there were more like that in Amsterdam. Thanks for your assistance.

[MrOoofah]

I'm an American expat living in Amsterdam Zuid for many years.

My thoughts?
1. Amsterdam is not typical Dutch. It’s a tourist magnet full of tourist bars/cafes and too many drunk morons from the UK and USA. You don’t know the Netherlands if you’ve only visited Amsterdam!

2. Make sure to visit other cities to know The Netherlands...I suggest Utrecht, Delft, Rotterdam, Maastricht, Amersfoort.
3. Unless you’re wealthy, avoid hotels here. Very $$$ and often noisy anywhere near the city center. Less expensive hotels out West, or near Station South(Zuid).
Best value? Get a hotel within 15-25 minutes train ride from Amsterdam-eg Haarlem if visiting Amsterdam.

4. Avoid summers-too $$$, crowded and noisy. Spring and Autumn have good weather and fewer crowds.

5. Get an OV Kaart or museum pass!

[beaudacious_]

Awesome video, so many things I had no idea about!

[nefariou]

Many thanks for this video (and the Amsterdam Travel Tips for First Timers video), it was instrumental in my holiday planning!
Especially: the rijksmuseum grounds, floating flower market, beginhof, albert cuyp market, vondelpark and travel/booking tips.

A few things I'll mention in case they save anyone else time: ndsm/art museum was completely empty when we went, zero art (aside from the anne frank picture outside) so the ferry to NDSM Werf was a complete waste of time for us.
The free rooftop views suggested: the Nemo Science museum and Library, were in my opinion a waste of time, we spent hours going to central station, walking to these places and going up to the roofs, only to find the views were massively underwhelming. The view from the library is blocked by concrete and a glass panel, and the whilst the nemo roof is not obscured, you're so far out from central amsterdam there's nothing really viewable, except i suppose the roof of the old church - from a distance.

Also, you suggest trying the different fried snacks, but hunting around for them in amsterdam seems like a lost cause, aside from the chips it's next to impossible to find these things. I looked every place we walked past. Even in the albert cuyp market, aside from stroopwaffles and herring and chicken, it's just falafel, falafel, falafel everywhere.

Also special thanks for the map, it was very useful, especially with the ability to toggle the layers of what to show!

[gabster]

Question - should I learn some Dutch before traveling to Amsterdam? I have a year before I go, so now is the time to learn if I should!

[rgpjmlm]

This is such a great video! How many days would you recommend for a first timers visit?

[Rick-ow]

Have Been Amsterdam 5 times between between 2000 -2009 !