JC. Princen The Netherland Travel Guide | The city is known as the home of Anne Frank and Van Gogh, Amsterdam is brimming with stunning canals and sights to discover.
Arriving
Schiphol Airport is a 20-minute train ride away from the city’s centre. Amsterdam also has excellent train connections to other parts of Europe.
Day 1 Amsterdam Tour
Morning
Start the tour with a stroll through Dam Square, a bustling open space in the middle of the city. You can also go to the National Monument, an evocative war memorial built in 1956. After that, visit the Nieuwe Kerk, one of Amsterdam’s most stunning Gothic structures. Next stop is the magnificent Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace Amsterdam), built in the 17th century and was known as it was the Stadhuis (TownHall) at the time when Amsterdam was at its most prosperous. After that, head south towards the Begijnhof which is a collection of charming medieval almshouses that are arranged around an unassuming green.
Afternoon
Enjoy a stroll along the Singel which is the first out of four canals which make up the Grachtengordel, also known as “girdle of canals”. With a series of bridges with humpbacked crests that span the olive-green canals, this is Amsterdam in its most stunning form. Go to the Museum van Loon for an understanding of the life and manners of the Dutch merchant class before heading to Westerkerk and its towering high spire and awe-inspiring interior. From there, stroll across the road to the city’s top attraction and the Anne Frank Huis.
Day 2 Amsterdam Tour
Morning
Take the time to explore the city’s top museums. Plan to spend at least an hour or two in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam’s main art museum, which houses an impressive collection of Dutch paintings, including the amazing Rembrandts. Next, visit the magnificent Van Gogh Museum, devoted to the most famous of Dutch artists. After all that art and entertainment, you can relax in a cafe nearby or take a stroll in the lush vegetation of the neighboring Vondelpark.
Afternoon
After lunch, make sure to visit the city’s third main museum which is it’s the Stedelijk Museum, whose excellent collection of modern art is displayed in a luxuriously renovated gallery. If you’re feeling tired of museums, is beginning to set in, step outside the tourist zones to wander through the maze-like streets of the Jordaan or stretch your feet on the canal boat ride.
