01

Day 01

The Centre, Canals & Golden Age

The medieval core, the Royal Palace, a canal cruise, and a rooftop view.

1. Morning

   Dam Square & Royal Palace

   Start at Dam Square, the Royal Palace, and the Nieuwe Kerk while the centre is quiet. It's the ideal orientation point for a first full day in the old town.

2. Late Morning

   Begijnhof

   Slip into the Begijnhof, a hidden medieval courtyard with the city's oldest wooden house, then browse the Spui booksellers a few steps away.

3. Lunch

   Grachtengordel canals

   Lunch at a café along the Herengracht or Keizersgracht, with gabled merchant houses and passing boats beside you before the afternoon cruise.

4. Afternoon

   Canal cruise

   Take a canal cruise through the UNESCO-listed 17th-century canal ring for the definitive Golden Age primer, gliding past the Golden Bend and hundreds of bridges.

5. Late Afternoon

   OBA Oosterdok rooftop

   Ride to the top floor of the OBA Oosterdok central library for a free panorama over the harbour and rooftops, best in the late-day light.

6. Evening

   Dutch dinner

   Close the day with Dutch classics such as stamppot or a plate of bitterballen at a traditional brown café in the centre.

02

Day 02

Museum Quarter & Vondelpark

The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, and the Stedelijk plus Vondelpark greenery.

1. Morning

   Rijksmuseum

   Begin with Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's masterpieces in the Gallery of Honour. Arriving at opening helps you outpace the day's crowds.

2. Late Morning

   Van Gogh Museum

   Move across Museumplein to the Van Gogh Museum for the world's largest collection of the artist's work, from the Sunflowers to the Bedroom. A timed ticket keeps waits short.

3. Lunch

   Museumplein lawns

   Enjoy a casual or picnic lunch on the Museumplein greens, framed by the Rijksmuseum on one side and the Concertgebouw on the other.

4. Afternoon

   Stedelijk Museum

   Walk next door to the Stedelijk for modern and contemporary art, from Malevich and Mondrian to bold postwar design.

5. Late Afternoon

   Vondelpark

   Stroll or cycle through Vondelpark, the city's leafy central park, with its ponds, open-air theatre, and rose garden.

6. Evening

   De Pijp dinner

   Dine in De Pijp, whose streets around the Albert Cuypmarkt cover everything from Surinamese roti to modern Dutch cuisine.

03

Day 03

The Jordaan, Anne Frank & the Nine Streets

Canals, the Anne Frank House, boutiques, and celebrated independent dining.

1. Morning

   Anne Frank House

   Begin at the Anne Frank House to see the Secret Annexe and the original diary. Tickets sell only online and far ahead, so book a morning slot in advance.

2. Late Morning

   Westerkerk & the Jordaan

   Admire the Westerkerk, the tallest church tower in the city, then wander into the intimate lanes and canals of the Jordaan.

3. Lunch

   De Negen Straatjes

   Settle in around the Nine Streets for lunch, a compact grid of canals lined with cafés, vintage shops, and design boutiques.

4. Afternoon

   Noordermarkt & Jordaan boutiques

   Explore the independent shops and galleries around the Noordermarkt and Westerstraat, plus the hofjes, quiet almshouse courtyards tucked between the streets.

5. Evening

   Jordaan dinner

   Head deeper into the Jordaan for dinner along its canal-side streets, home to some of Amsterdam's most beloved neighbourhood restaurants.

6. Evening

   Brown café nightcap

   Finish with a drink at one of the Jordaan's historic brown cafés, soaking up the neighbourhood's cosy, lived-in atmosphere.

04

Day 04

The Plantage & Eastern Islands

A hands-on science museum, a maritime collection, a botanical garden, and a windmill brewery.

1. Morning

   NEMO Science Museum

   Spend the morning at NEMO, the copper-clad science museum designed by Renzo Piano, with hands-on exhibits and a rooftop terrace over the harbour, a highlight for all ages.

2. Lunch

   Kadijksplein cafés

   Grab lunch near the Plantage on Kadijksplein or the Entrepotdok, where waterside cafés line the old warehouse quays.

3. Afternoon

   Het Scheepvaartmuseum

   Visit the National Maritime Museum in the former admiralty arsenal, and board the full-size replica of the Dutch East India Company ship Amsterdam moored outside.

4. Late Afternoon

   Hortus Botanicus

   Wander the Hortus Botanicus, one of the world's oldest botanical gardens, with its palm house and butterfly greenhouse, or visit neighbouring Artis, the country's oldest zoo.

5. Evening

   De Gooyer windmill

   Walk to De Gooyer, the tallest wooden windmill in the Netherlands, and enjoy a Dutch craft beer at Brouwerij 't IJ at its foot.

6. Evening

   Plantage dinner

   Have dinner in the Plantage or nearby Eastern Docklands before heading back toward the centre for the evening.

05

Day 05

Amsterdam Noord & the IJ

Waterfront viewpoints across the IJ, creative wharfs, film, and shopping to close the trip.

1. Morning

   A'DAM Lookout

   Take the free ferry behind Centraal Station to the A'DAM Tower and its rooftop Lookout, home to Over the Edge, Europe's highest swing, with panoramic city views.

2. Lunch

   NDSM Wharf

   Ride the ferry west to the NDSM Wharf for lunch at its harbourside eateries, set among the former shipyard halls.

3. Afternoon

   STRAAT & NDSM street art

   Explore the street art at NDSM, including the STRAAT museum in a giant warehouse, one of the city's most creative post-industrial corners.

4. Late Afternoon

   EYE Filmmuseum

   Cross back toward the A'DAM side to the EYE Filmmuseum, a striking white building on the IJ waterfront with film exhibitions and sweeping views over the water.

5. Evening

   Kalverstraat & P.C. Hooftstraat

   Back across the IJ, finish shopping in the centre along the Kalverstraat, or seek out designer boutiques on the P.C. Hooftstraat near the Museum Quarter.

6. Evening

   Centre farewell dinner

   End your trip with an Indonesian rijsttafel or a canal-side dinner in the centre; reserve ahead for the city's standout tables.