Our Amsterdam Bucket List! These are the must-have experiences during your time in Amsterdam. Discover the best restaurants, foods to try, museums to visit, gardens in Amsterdam and more, as well as some special souvenirs we recommend you bring home.
We are foodies so a lot of the items on this Amsterdam bucket list involve must-try foods in Amsterdam! We also love art and culture, so we’ve included the best
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Amsterdam is one of our favorite cities and we are lucky that it is easily accessible from Paris and we can travel there often. This means that we have been able to check items off our Amsterdam bucket list over time which is so special!
If you have limited time, don’t worry! Pick your favorites from our Amsterdam bucket list and complete those. Head back to Amsterdam at a later date to keep working through the list and most importantly, have fun!
Amsterdam Bucket List (things you don’t want to miss!)
Whether you are only have 2 days in Amsterdam, or you’re enjoying a longer stay, check some of these fun activities off your Amsterdam bucket list!
#1 Take a canal cruise (#1 on any Amsterdam bucket list!)
One of the most fun activities you can enjoy in Amsterdam is taking a canal cruise.
Several different companies offer canal cruises and they rang a bit in length of the cruise, number of participants and the services offered on-board.
We loved this unlimited cheese and wine canal cruise in Amsterdam that has a whopping 19,600 positive reviews! What’s better than sailing the canals of Amsterdam by boat? Sailing the canals of Amsterdam while munching on cheese and drinking wine!
#2 Stay in a canal house.
Staying in a canal house in Amsterdam was on our bucket list for a long time before we finally did it this past December!
Although we had stayed in numerous beautiful hotels in the city, we really wanted the typical Amsterdam experience of staying in a canal house. It was so much fun.
There are only a handful of hotels in Amsterdam that are in canal houses. We recommend The Pulitzer Amsterdam for your unique and special canal house hotel experience.
Book your stay at the Pulitzer Hotel here!
#3 Splurge on a special hotel.
There are many special hotels in Amsterdam.
Some of the best, and the ones we recommend the most often, are The Dylan and The Pulitzer Amsterdam for special stays.
Sometimes staying in a special hotel is a big part of your trip to a place, especially if you want a certain experience, such as staying in an authentic canal house, or you are celebrating a special date like a birthday or anniversary.
Book your stay at the Pulitzer Hotel here!
Book your stay at The Dylan here!
#4 Visit the Van Gogh Museum.
One of our favorite museums in the world is the Van Gogh Museum. If you love Van Gogh and want to enjoy an incredible selection of his work, visit his museum where you can see some of his most famous masterpieces, such as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, The Bedroom, his Self-Portrait as a Painter and many more.
Read everything you need to know to book your visit and get a glimpse into our favorite paintings from our visits, in this post, Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam (Don’t Miss These Paintings!).
Book your ticket to the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam here!
Address : Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
#5 Visit the 9 Streets.
The 9 Streets is one of the most charming areas of Amsterdam.
It is an area comprising of nine shopping streets in the canal belt of Amsterdam, between Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Singel, and just behind the Royal Palace on Dam Square.
This is one of the most beautiful areas to explore in Amsterdam and one of the best area to go for shopping!
Address :
#6 Taste the best fries.
Fries are just one of those things you need to eat at least once in Amsterdam.
Even if you don’t typically love fries, it’s worth having fries in Amsterdam. They are so, so good!
The best fries are at Fabel Friet.
Our recommendation will always and forever be to get them slathered in their Piccalilli sauce (spicy mayonnaise like a Samourai sauce in Belgium), but their specialty is actually french fries topped with truffle mayonnaise and heaps of grated parmesan cheese which is absolutely exquisite too!
If you have enough time during your trip to Amsterdam, why not go back twice and try them both?
Address : several locations :
We’ve had the best chance of popping in without waiting on line at the Oude Hoogstraat 21, 1012 CD Amsterdam location
#7 Have a herring sandwich on-the-go.
One of the quintessential street foods in the Netherlands is the herring sandwich.
It’s fishy and slimy – which may or may not sound appealing to you – but it’s actually really good!
The sandwich is basically marinated herring with onions and pickles on a bun that reminds me of a hot dog bun.
We walked by the Frens Haringhandel herring sandwich stand and popped in to try one of their famous marinated herring sandwiches.
I thought it was tasty although it wasn’t my favorite food, Hugo absolutely loved it and has even tried to recreate it at home since got back to Paris!
Address :
#8 Visit the Rijksmuseum (a must-see on any bucket list for Amsterdam!)
The Rijksmuseum is the museum to visit to discover and experience the best collection of Dutch masterpieces.
Read everything you need to know to book your visit and get a glimpse into our favorite paintings from our visits, in this post, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (Don’t Miss These Paintings!).
Book your ticket to the Rijksmuseum here!
Address : Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam
#9 Try slagroom truffels at Lanskroon Bakery.
Slagroom truffels are cocoa dusted truffles filled with whipped cream (or slagroom in Dutch).
They are little bites of Heaven! We have been dreaming of going back to Lanksroon Bakery and ordering them again since we tried them there.
Address : Singel 385, 1012 WL Amsterdam
#10 Go for a walk around the Amsterdam canals (both day and night).
One of the best things to do in Amsterdam is to walk around, especially along the canals. Amsterdam is such a beautiful city and it’s so nice to take the time to experience it along the water.
Make sure you set aside during your trip to go for a nice long walk along the canals both during the day and at night because the experience is completely different.
Both day and night are beautiful and for the full experience, you really need to experience both!
#11 Stop for a specialty coffee at Back to Black (fuel to keep going as you experience your Amsterdam bucket list!)
This is our favorite specialty coffee shop in Amsterdam!
Stop here to get a tasty coffee, matcha, or chai to go and walk with your hot drink or stop and stay awhile to rest your legs, warm up if you’re visiting Amsterdam in the Winter, and engage in some people-watching.
Address :
#12 Visit the Rembrandt House Museum.
Read everything you need to know to book your visit and get a glimpse into our favorite things we saw and experienced during our visits, in this post,
Book your ticket to The Rembrandt House Museum here!
Address :
Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011 NK Amsterdam
#13 Pick-up an antique souvenir at Kramer Kunst & Antiek (no Amsterdam bucket list is complete without bringing home a special souvenir!)
I am always on the lookout for special souvenirs to bring home and to recommend. I think one of the most special souvenirs you can bring home from a place is an antique souvenir from that country.
If you love antique shopping too, you will be delighted by the selection of tiny treasures available at Kramer Kunst & Antiek located at Prinsengracht 807.
They have an entire wall of vintage Delft KLM porcelain houses if you are interested in buying one (or several!) during your stay.
The Delft houses are created in collaboration between KLM Airlines and BOLS Gin and given as gifts if you fly KLM business or first class. They are also very collectible – each one representing an actual house in the Netherlands and filled with BOLS Gin. Each house is numbered and there are 105 total.
We bought one as a special souvenir to commemorate spending Christmas in Amsterdam in a canal house and we treasure it (#53 in case you’re interested!).
You can read more about the history of the houses in the article A Brief History of KLM’s Delft House Collectibles.
Address :
Prinsengracht 807, 1017 KA Amsterdam
#14 Taste the cookies at Banketbakkerij Het Koekemannetje
As an American who has been living in Paris for over 20 years, I am always on the lookout for amazing cookies.
When we heard that there were amazing cookies at Banketbakkerij Het Koekemannetje, we knew we had to go and give them a try!
We were not disappointed. We loved them so much, in fact, that we went back three different times to buy cookies during our two-week stay in Amsterdam!
Address :
Runstraat 3, 1016 GJ Amsterdam
#15 Have hot wine at the Museumplein Christmas market.
If you are visiting Amsterdam during the holiday season, make sure you stop by the Museumplein Christmas market for a gluwhein (hot wine).
You can also go ice skating at the market!
Address :
#16 Buy some tulip bulbs at the flower market.
The flower market in Amsterdam is so charming and unique.
I love the idea of an entire indoor and outdoor market dedicated to flowers. I also love that you can get cut flowers to make your hotel room or rental apartment cozier (one of our travel hacks, especially when slow traveling!) or purchase flower bulbs to bring home.
Of course, the Netherlands is known for its tulips, but there are so many different types of flower bulbs to choose from at the flower market.
Flower bulbs make an excellent souvenir from Amsterdam and they will make sure to wrap them carefully and give you a special agricultural certificate so you can easily travel home with them in your suitcase.
Address :
#17 Taste the stroopwafels at Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels.
There are several different stroopwafels in Amsterdam claiming to be the best but these are our favorites!
Sold hot and gooey straight out of the waffle iron at the Albert Cuypmarket market, they are absolutely divine.
Head to their food truck to try a stroopwaffel made on the spot and buy a tin of their stroopwafels to bring home and enjoy later, or several tins to share with family and friends.
Address :
Albert Cuyp Straat, t/o 182, 1073 BL Amsterdam
#18 Go grocery shopping at Albert Heijn.
Is it just me or is part of the fun of travel going to foreign grocery stores?
I absolutely love seeing what products they offer that are different than what we can find in Paris. Oddly enough, in Paris it can be quite difficult to find Mexican products (like our favorite sauces!) and we discovered last time we were in Amsterdam that there was a bigger selection in the Netherlands. We definitely stocked up on Mexican ingredients to bring home!
Some fun items to get from Albert Heijn in Amsterdam are Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bars, Gouda cheese (and other Dutch cheeses), stroopwafel ice cream, and souvenir tins (often filled with stroopwafels).
See what other treasures you can uncover while you’re there!
Address : several locations.
#19 Go for “high wine” at the Dylan.
Have you heard of high tea? Well, let me introduce to “high wine”, high tea’s naughtier cousin.
Basically, lounge in a beautiful location while sampling several glasses of wine and eating snacks. Yes, it is as fun as it sounds!
The best “high wine” in Amsterdam is at the Dylan, served in the afternoon. The Dylan is such a stunning hotel and their bar is lovely. It’s the perfect spot to spend time, enjoy the gorgeous decor and taste some wonderful wine and snack.
Address :
Keizersgracht 384, 1016 GB Amsterdam
#20 Go for a drink at the Monkey Bar (In’t Aepjen).
This is our favorite brown bar in Amsterdam!
The Monkey Bar is a small bar in the heart of Amsterdam with an intriguing history.
Basically, in the 1600s, sailors would rack up large bar tabs they didn’t have the means to pay. To settles their tabs, they would leave behind their pet monkeys as payment.
The bar become home to so many monkeys, that eventually it also became infested with fleas. Customers started to complain of flea bites, which led the owner of the bar to gift all the monkeys to a wealthy client.
He brought them home, let them live in his large garden and his garden eventually because the Amsterdam Zoo!
That’s the story in a nutshell but for even more details about this absolutely fabulous brown bar in Amsterdam, read our post The Monkey Bar Amsterdam (In’t Aepjen).
Address :
#21 Have a bagel at Breadwinner.
Again as a New Yorker-turned-expat for the past 20 years, I’ve spent the better part of my adult life searching for good bagels in Europe!
Unfortunately, I never found them… that is until I stepped through the doors of Breadwinner Amsterdam on our last trip to Amsterdam.
Breadwinner was recommended by our local friends and we were so thankful to them for giving us their address. The bagels are the right texture (often what is wrong with bagels in Europe) and so delicious.
They have a variety of toppings to choose from from classic cream cheese, to classic smoked salmon, to cooked smoked salmon, to pastrami and more.
They have a selection of bagels to choose from as well, including my all-time favorite, everything bagels.
For really delicious, New York-style bagels in Amsterdam, head to Breadwinner!
Address :
Tweede Laurierdwarsstraat 50HS, 1016 RC Amsterdam
#22 Pick up a Delft treasure from a/the Heinen Delfts Blauw boutique.
In addition to the vintage Delft items you’ll find in the antique shops and markets around Amsterdam, you can purchase pieces from more recent Delft collections at the Heinen Delfts Blauw boutique.
Get some bowls, tea cups or other home items that you can bring back home with you and use while also remembering your trip.
We took our time looking through the pieces that are currently available and our favorite Delft transfer collections are the “Sharing Moments Monkeys” by Janny van der Heijden, the “Sharing Moments Nhaan” by Janny van der Heijden, and the “Paauw Blauw”, a Heinen Delfts Blauw collection.
We got some items from the “Sharing Moments Monkeys” by Janny van der Heijden collection and have loved using them since we got home and remembering our most recent, fabulous trip to Amsterdam!
Address : several locations, our favorite is :
#23 Go out for a traditional Dutch dinner at The Pantry.
The Pantry is our favorite traditional Dutch restaurant in Amsterdam!
It is centrally located, offer tasty, traditional Dutch food and great prices, has the loveliest staff and a great ambiance!
We love the traditional Dutch decoration inside the restaurant as well.
Our favorite items we tried were the goat cheese croquettes as a starter, the baked dish with beef, cauliflower, Old Amsterdam cheese, onion and mashed potatoes (the veggie version is delicious too!) and poffertjes for dessert.
Address :
Leidsekruisstraat 21, 1017 RE Amsterdam
#24 Celebrate moms everywhere (and eat tasty Dutch food at Moeder’s).
Moeder’s is a traditional Dutch restaurant in Amsterdam with a quirky theme – mothers!
The small restaurant is covered with photos of moms. The concept is really cute and the food is delicious.
If you happen to be celebrating Mother’s Day in Amsterdam, this is the place to do it!
Address :
Rozengracht 251, 1016 SX Amsterdam
#25 Go for a picnic at Vondelpark.
Vondelpark is beautiful. It’s the main park in Amsterdam and a wonderful place to go for a nice walk and picnic if the weather permits.
Address :
#26 Have an Indonesian dinner at Sampurna.
Indonesian food is a must-try cuisine in Amsterdam!
One of the best spots to indulge in authentic Indonesian food in Amsterdam, is at the lovely Sampurna.
The rich gold decor adds to the delicious culinary experience.
Try something classic like chicken sate.
Address :
#27 Sit in front of the fireplace, drink in hand, at Cafe de Wetering
There are many brown bars in Amsterdam, and we’ve tried several of them and loved them. However, there is something really special about the Cafe de Wetering.
Located in Amsterdam’s arts and antiques district, known as the Spiegelkwartier, you’ll find the beautiful Cafe de Wetering, set in a seventeenth century canal house. As if this weren’t enough to convince you to visit this brown bar, you can bring your beer or glass of wine upstairs to enjoy in front of their roaring fireplace. It is so charming and cozy.
Address :
Weteringstraat 37, 1017 SM Amsterdam
#28 Try poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes).
Somehow even after several trips to the Netherlands, we hadn’t discovered poffertjes.
I don’t know how we missed them, but I’m so glad that we discovered them on our most recent trip to Amsterdam.
Poffertjes are mini pancakes made in a special poffertjes pan (which, side note, looks like an escargot dish funnily enough!).
We loved these little pancakes so much that we decided to get a poffertjes pan to bring home. If you love to cook as well, this could be a really interesting souvenir to bring home. You can pop into any homeware/cookery store to get one.
#29 Try Surinamese food from.
Surinamese food is the cuisine from Suriname, a country located in Northern South America bordering the North Atlantic Ocean.
Surinamese food has diverse influences, including Dutch, Carribean, Indian, Chinese, African and European cuisines.
Tiny Suriname is a former Dutch colony that gained their independence in 1975. When they became independent, citizens of Suriname were given the choice to Surinamese or Dutch citizenship and about fifty percent of the population chose to be Dutch and to migrate to the Netherlands, bringing their tasty cuisine with them!
The best area to sample Surinamese cuisine in Amsterdam is the cluster of Suriname spots located around the Albert Cuypmarket in the De Pijp neighborhood.
Head to De Tokoman, Albina (Albert Cuypmarket 69) or Riaz (Bilderdijkstraat 193) for the best surinamese food in Amsterdam!
#30 Send yourself a postcard from Amsterdam
This is a fun one and a personal tradition of ours!
We send ourselves postcards from all our trips.
We love to get one (or sometimes several!) postcards during a trip and to fill them out with things we did, little notes to ourselves, fun anecdotes and more.
Then when we get home the card is waiting for us or we have the joy of receiving it when we get back from our trip.
It is an inexpensive and fun tradition that we have been doing for years. It’s so much fun to look back on hundreds of cards we have filled out during our travels over the years!
Where to stay in Amsterdam
- The Pulitzer – this is such a special place to stay if you want to have the experience of staying in an authentic canal house that has been converted into a luxury boutique hotel. The small hotel has rooms with canal views, a gorgeous hotel bar and fabulously chic restaurant.
- The Dylan – such a special hotel located in the heart of Amsterdam. This hotel is so elegant and chic. Enjoy the beautiful bar and 3-Michelin star restaurant.
- Eden Hotel Amsterdam – this affordable 4-star luxury boutique hotel is well-located and beautifully decorated.
- NH City Centre Amsterdam – you can always count on NH hotels to offer comfortable and clean lodging in great locations and the NH City Centre Amsterdam is no exception.
Don’t miss these other activities in Amsterdam!
- Book a canal cruise with unlimited cheese and wine – we’ve tried several canal cruises and this was our favorite!
- Visit the Van Gogh Museum – enjoy this gorgeous museum dedicated to Van Gogh’s work.
- Visit the Anne Frank House – learn more about Anne Frank’s story and see where she and her family hid.
- Visit Rembrandt’s House – experience the home where Rembrandt lived and learn about his life and work.
More Amsterdam posts to help you plan your trip!
- 2 Days in Amsterdam (what to see, where to stay, what to eat & more!)
- Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam (everything you need to know to plan your trip!)
- Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (plan your trip to the Rijksmuseum with this post!)
- Amsterdam in Winter (everything to see, do & eat on your Winter trip to Amsterdam!)
- Breadwinner Amsterdam (the best bagels in Amsterdam!)
- Best Museums in Amsterdam (don’t miss these fabulous museums during your trip!)
- Rembrandt House Museum Amsterdam (get to know the painter intimately by visiting his home and learning about his life)
- Monkey Bar Amsterdam (In’t Aepjen) (discover our favorite brown bar in Amsterdam!)
- Amsterdam Food Guide (everything you must try during your trip!)
Amsterdam Bucket List
We hope you enjoy this Amsterdam bucket list! What experiences have you had and what were your favorites? Anything else you would add to this list?
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