Netherlands
Amsterdam
Our notebook to help you plan your trip to Amsterdam: the right season, where to stay and our ideas to make the most of it.
A compact little city of canals that you can easily explore on foot or by bike. Brick façades, small bridges, waterside cafés: there's charm on every corner.
Best weatherIn spring and summer: long days and mild weather.
A question?
Wéa answers about this destination: neighbourhoods, seasons, ideas.
When to go
Every season has its charm. Here's how to choose yours, depending on what you want to experience.
Tulips and King's Day
Tulip fields bloom around the city (Keukenhof is open from mid-March to mid-May), and on 27 April, for King's Day, the canals turn orange.
Canal-side summer
The days go on forever: you cruise the canals by boat, picnic in Vondelpark, and Zandvoort beach is only 30 minutes away by train.
Museums and festivals
Fewer crowds at the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, and in October the Amsterdam Dance Event gets the whole city buzzing.
Winter lights
The Amsterdam Light Festival lights up the canals, the brown cafés are super cosy, and hotels cost less than in spring.
Where to stay
The right neighbourhood depends on what you're after. Here are our favourite places to stay.
Centrum
Right in the heart of the city: really handy for transport and close to the main sights.
Jordaan
Lanes, canals and little boutiques. Charming and calm in the evening, perfect for a first visit.
Museumkwartier
A stone's throw from the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and Vondelpark. Elegant and well connected.
De Pijp
A lively area with its cafés and the Albert Cuyp market. Young and full of energy.
Our favourites
What we love there: its history, its landscapes, its flavours and its festivals. Take your time, it's all there to enjoy.
The canal ring
Dug in the 17th century, the canals of the centre are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best way to discover them: a boat trip or a walk, between flower-decked bridges and gabled houses.
Ideal for a first discovery
Rembrandt and Van Gogh
At the Rijksmuseum, you can admire Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's paintings. Right next door, the Van Gogh Museum holds the largest collection of his work in the world.
Ideal for art lovers
The Anne Frank House
On the Prinsengracht, you visit the annex where Anne Frank wrote her diary during the war. A powerful, moving moment: remember to book your ticket online in advance.
Ideal for understanding history
Bikes and markets
Here, everyone gets around by bike: rent one and do as the locals do. Stop at the Albert Cuyp market and try a warm stroopwafel, Amsterdam's caramel waffle.
Ideal for living like a local