Top attractions and things to do in Amsterdam

Taking a cycling route

The Netherlands is a bicycle country with more bikes than people. The vast majority of the people in the Netherlands bike on a regular basis. They learn to bike from an early age as they go to school on one, go to work on their bike, visit friends on their bikes, do their groceries on their bike and even go out to their local pub on their bikes.

This is made easy by the government as the Netherlands has an extensive cycling infrastructure with separate bike lanes. And as the country is flat, biking around the city is a breeze. So as a tourist it can be fun to rent a bike and join in on the fun. Biking around the city is one of the most Dutch things you can do in Amsterdam. It’s easier to traverse the city on bike than on foot or by car. You can feel the atmosphere and see much more of the architecture of the city up close than with any other means of transportation.

A’DAM Lookout

The highest swing in Europe can be found on an observation deck in Amsterdam. On top of the A’DAM tower, which stands at an impressive height of 100 meters, you will find the A’DAM Lookout. This observation deck offers a panoramic view overlooking the city of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is known for its picturesque houses and historical canals. And there is nothing quite like seeing all this splendor from a swing, on top of a large tower with a great panoramic view over the city.  The swings are called ‘Over the Edge’, as you literally get to swing over the edge of the A’DAM Tower.

It does take a little bit of courage to go swinging at the highest possible point in Europe, but it will certainly create some lasting memories to take home. At Meet The Cities we think this is certainly one of the must-do attractions of Amsterdam. As you need tickets for this attraction, make sure to book your tickets in advance.

It should be noted that A’DAM Lookout also has a bar and restaurant with a 360 degrees view over Amsterdam. Here you can simply get a cup of tea, a refreshing drink or a cocktail, but you can also get some breakfast, lunch or dinner. So if you prefer to just get some lunch with a stunning view, that’s also possible.

Sightseeing tours

Amsterdam has been a world city for many centuries now, so it has plenty of things to see. It’s no surprise this is one of the reasons why there are so many sightseeing tours in Amsterdam you can join up with. Guided walking tours where you get to stroll through the atmospheric streets past the canals are still as popular as ever. But as Amsterdam is known for it’s abundance of historical canal rings water tours are even cooler. Tours where you can sail through the canals and see all the lovely parts of Amsterdam from the water are pretty amazing.

And even more impressive are tours that combine sights in Amsterdam with sights outside of Amsterdam, for example with the famous flower gardens in the Keukenhof or windmills in Volendam. But if that isn’t your cup of tea there are also bike tours. Museum tours. Red light district tours. Pub crawls. A world city like Amsterdam has plenty of surprises up its sleeve.

Taking a city tour is certainly one of the best things to do in Amsterdam as you join up with a guide to discover all the hidden secrets and alleys of Amsterdam that a normal tourist wouldn’t see. Learning about the city’s historical places deepens your travel experience and is a must-do for any visitor of the city.

Amsterdam Dungeon

The Amsterdam Dungeon is an interactive live action show about the history of Amsterdam. You walk into the dungeon and in the next 80 minutes you’ll experience shows about several aspects of the cities gloomy history. It’s available in English and in Dutch. Visiting the Amsterdam Dungeon is certainly one of the best things to do in Amsterdam, as the shows are well put together and a treat to anyone who wishes to experience the rich past of Amsterdam and people who are are simply looking for some great entertainment.

The Amsterdam Dungeon is a family friendly attraction and fun for people aged 10 years and older. It’s both an interactive and cultural experience that will shine some light – or darkness – on the past of the city. From the Spanish inquisition to old taverns. The performers draw you in and combine humour and spooky fear to get people involved in the story of Amsterdam.

Visiting historical and art museums

Amsterdam is a city with a long rich and cultural history. And the Netherlands itself is a country with a long maritime history controlling a global empire and is recognized for producing world class painters like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Mondriaan, Vermeer, Karel Appel and Escher. This has ensured Amsterdam has top class museums with vast art collections spanning time and cultures.

Amsterdam is often considered to be one of the museum capitals of the world. There are many museums across the city, but some of the best museums like the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum are located near the Museum Square (Museumplein). These museums attract millions of visitors per year because of their interesting and famous collections.

A visit to one or more museums in Amsterdam is besides a cultural and insightful activity also a fun way to spend your day as many pieces of art are sure to amaze you. Check out our museum page to discover what the best museums of Amsterdam are. Museums are the strong point of Amsterdam and at Meet The Cities we can’t can’t stress enough that you should visit them if you want to get the most out of your trip.

Artis

Artis Royal Zoo is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and one of the oldest zoos in Europe. With around 900 different species of animals the zoo contains a large collection of well known and exotic animals, with for example lions, panthers, elephants, meerkats, penguins, sea lions, wallabies, turtles, crocodiles, birds, vultures, lizards, madrils, sloths, camels and much more.

The full name of Natura Artis Magistra means “Nature is the teacher of art and science” in latin. Originally the zoo had an educational function and even today it’s goal is to stimulate love and care for nature and the zoo participates in international breeding programs.

Artis can be found in the heart of Amsterdam. It’s an exceptional zoo and a favorite thing to do in Amsterdam among the locals. Amsterdam is a busy world city, so this monumental zoo is a nice change of pace as you get to stroll around the animals with your partner or kids to rediscover the wildlife of our planet.

Heineken experience

As beer lovers will know Heineken is one of the most recognizable beer brands around. It’s also the biggest European beer brand. To celebrate this Heineken has it’s own museum in one of their old breweries. So if you are wondering what to do in Amsterdam, then why not drop by at Heineken for a nice refreshment.

The Heineken experience is a tour through the history of the Dutch beer brand Heineken. It’s an interactive tour where they explain about the history of the brand, how they brew their beer, see all the old bottles, commercials and play interactive Heineken games. And of course you get to drink some Heineken beer. A great experience if you love the world famous Heineken beer.

Body Worlds

Body Worlds is an exhibition of the human anatomy. Bodies of real human beings are exhibited in different poses to show what the inner workings of our body look like during everyday life. It is a rather interesting and educational attraction, as visitors will be shown how the body functions. The audio guides at the museum are recommended, as they really contribute to the immersion of the experience. Visiting Body Worlds is a thrilling and eye opening way to get acquainted with our inner selves.

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds is a museum where you can find wax sculptures of people who are famous in the Netherlands and across the globe. It’s a lovely family-friendly tour through the familiar. The collection of Madame Tussauds is ever changing. At the moment of writing you will even find the Marvel Avengers here.

But if you ever wanted to take a picture with Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage, Doutzen Kroes, Naomi Cambell, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Barack Obama, The Dalai Lama, Einstein, Bob Marley or one of the many other famous people immortalized here, then now you can.

Going to Madame Tussauds to check out celebs is always a great way to spend your time as it offers something for everyone. It’s also easy to reach as it’s located in a monumental building on the city square of Amsterdam in front of the royal palace. You can’t really miss it.

Amsterdam Arena

A true football fan is familiar with the Amsterdam Arena. It’s the biggest stadium of the Netherlands with it’s 53.490 seats. It’s the homebase of AFC Ajax. One of the most notable football clubs of the Netherlands, where heroes like Johan Cruijff and Marco van Basten played. Everyday English and Dutch language tours are held through the stadium, which is an attraction that sports fans will surely enjoy. Do note that the dressing rooms aren’t open during training and match days. The stadium is also used to house large pop concerts.

Reypenaer Proeflokaal

Holland is known for it’s world famous cheeses, Gouda cheese, Edam and many others. In Reypenaer Proeflokaal cheese tasting workshops are given under the supervision of a professional cheese taster, so you can learn about the different kinds of cheese, the textures and maturities. Tasting different cheeses with a fine glass of wine is of course a joy for any lover of Dutch cheeses.