This blog post contains an Amsterdam itinerary for perfect 3 Days and more if you want in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a perfect city for a short weekend trip with your friends. Easy to reach from Germany, Paris, or Brussels, and easily one of the coolest cities in Europe, or even the world, in my opinion. The city of handsome men and intense history, with more canals than Venice, and stroopwafels and special brownies.
The best time to visit Amsterdam is probably in spring or fall, when it is neither too cold nor too hot. During springtime, of course, you have the best opportunity to visit the tulip fields.
Living in Amsterdam is freaking expensive, but a weekend trip isn’t! So take your most important things (including your bestie) and jump onto one of the overnight trains going to Amsterdam!
But now let’s start with this Amsterdam Itinerary:
Day 1:
After a, hopefully, decent amount of sleep on the train, you will arrive in the morning at Amsterdam’s main train station. I hope that you didn’t pack too much for only a weekend! Because now you still have time before you can check into the hostel.
First stop is brunch at Mortimer, with amazing sourdough bread and eggs. They have a cute first floor where you can sit and catch up on all the fun things that happened since you guys saw each other last time.
After that, just walk around the city and catch the vibe at places like Dam Square, see the Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk, and walk a bit along the Canal Belt.
The Easy Stay Hostel that I would recommend is directly in the center of Amsterdam, not far from the train station and all the surroundings, and is super cheap. We stayed at the Easy Stay Hostel for a night and should have booked longer. I have to warn you, it is very small, and they have those super tight Dutch stairs without an elevator. But you are directly next to the famous part of the canal with the iconic row of houses, which is totally worth it in my opinion.
If you have more money or need a bit more comfort, but don’t want it to be that expensive, you can also stay at the Ibis in Amsterdam Zuid, a bit outside the city. It’s no problem to reach it by train, you’ll be in the city center in half an hour, and it’s cheaper than staying directly in the city. It is also very new and clean. The area is known for its industrial look, so it’s very modern and cool and the complete opposite of Amsterdam Central.
After checking in, you can check out Tony’s Museum right next to the hostel. Their chocolate is just fabulous, and you can design your own chocolate bar. They even often have specials that you can only buy there. A must do from this Amsterdam Itinerary!
In the evening, you can also visit Anne Frank’s House. It looks very normal and you wouldn’t recognize it from the outside. Important: book tickets beforehand because they are always sold out.
Later in the evening, you should definitely go to the cutest little bar in Amsterdam, which is directly at one of the canals and called Café ’t Smalle, and the vibes are so cool. We actually went there twice on our weekend in Amsterdam because we loved it so much!
My experience with Amsterdam’s top tourist attraction: If you are ready for the night and want to have a special evening, then maybe get yourself a special treat from The Bulldog, which has special brownies. They don’t taste good, but they do the job. This is something I obviously wouldn’t say you have to do in Amsterdam, but if you want to try it out, then do it somewhere safe and with people you feel comfortable around! If you don’t want to, don’t feel pressured to do it, just don’t! And I have to tell you, that I absolutely hated the smell everywhere in Amsterdam! Least favorite thing about this city!!!
Day 2:
In Amsterdam, you can walk everywhere because it really isn’t that big. But if you need to get somewhere faster, just rent a bike and join this amazing bike-friendly city yourself. Just be aware, it can be more stressful than a sale at Zara.
Today, you should check out the Van Gogh Museum if you’re interested in art. After that, grab lunch at the Foodhallen, and you have to try the little Dutch pancakes called poffertjes.
With the bike, you can easily ride to the NDSM Wharf for cool street art and great cafés to try. Today is the day to go a bit off the unbeaten path in Amsterdam.
In the evening: Do a canal tour (a must!). We actually did one with free drinks and, how should I say, it was totally worth it! This is highly recommended by me, just because it is really beautiful to see Amsterdam from the canals, and you get so much information as well. There we learned that it was intentional that the houses are tilted a bit. And also how much one of those houses costs, etc. Really interesting fun facts, and we enjoyed our free drinks. After that, we were… let’s just say… nicely buzzed.
For dinner, you should go to Ganesha, which has the absolute best Indian food I have personally ever had in my life. We loved it so much! The flavors were insane.
Afterwards, walk around the Red Light District with your bestie. I think it is really interesting to see, and there are so many tourists, it’s actually insane. Also, in general, how everyone looks and the stores are so interesting to see. At least that’s what I thought.
Overhyped: Polarberry. You don’t need to buy those for an insane amount of money. I know, that’s not very shocking. I know.
Day 3:
The last day of this Amsterdam itinerary, before leaving this amazing city and going back to your everyday life loop. This day will be filled with some shopping and walking along the canals. Very important: buy souvenirs for family and friends. It is just the best to visit Amsterdam and walk around the area. Amsterdam is really not big, so perfect for a stroll here and there.
You should also try the viral Van Stapele cookies. I know everyone talks about them all the time, but these were really the best cookies ever. In the shopping district, there’s also this beautiful arcade called “De Passage” that you have to see!
If you like matcha and maybe need a break from all the people walking around, then you should go to this place: “De Drie Graefjes, American Bakery, Vestiging Dam.” The place has good matcha according to my friends and sweet desserts. I personally don’t really like matcha, but my friends liked it a lot!
There is also Henri Willig not far away, where you can taste-test all different kinds of cheese flavors. Some are very weird, but I was pleasantly surprised by many.
Try Kam Yin, which is directly in the center, with great Asian food and very fast service. Perfect for lunch or dinner before your train ride home.
Here are more tips in this Amsterdam Itinerary for budget travelers:
General Budgeting Tips You Shouldn’t Forget:
- Book the tickets for Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum in advance! It’s cheaper and you’ll have no problem with availability.
- If you’re planning on seeing more museums, then you should consider buying the I Amsterdam City Card.
If you have more time in Amsterdam, here are my tips for day trips:
- Zaanse Schans: Famous for its windmills, it’s a traditional village not far from Amsterdam.
- Haarlem: Also a lovely little city with fewer tourists than Amsterdam, if you want to see more of the Netherlands.
- Zandvoort: Perfect for a beach escape in the summer or the Formula 1 race!
- Keukenhof Gardens: This is where everyone is in spring during tulip season. Of course, very beautiful to see that many tulips in one place.
I hope you enjoyed this Amsterdam itinerary and if you are doing an interrail trip, don’t forget to also check out Paris and London, which is not far away by train from Amsterdam and a perfect route. Here you can find more tips and things to do for those cities as well:
– London: https://www.blog-lifetoremember.com/budget-trip-to-london/
– Paris: https://www.blog-lifetoremember.com/paris-things-to-do/
If you have any other recommendations that are budget-friendly, please let us know in the comments: “What’s the best deal or travel hack you found in Amsterdam?”
Have a great trip and live a life to remember!
Emma
About the Author:
If Emma were a word, she would be „daydreaming“ - the kind of daydreaming that feels more active than dreamy. No matter where she is, you’ll catch her thinking about the artsy city of Melbourne, wishing to take a walk through Central Park, dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights, and so on. The list is long. What’s adorable and also very impressive is that Emma doesn’t stay lost in the haze of her dreams; it won’t be long before the first opportunity appears, and she’ll be on her way to fulfill them.
Emma
About the Author:
If Emma were a word, she would be „daydreaming“ – the kind of daydreaming that feels more active than dreamy. No matter where she is, you’ll catch her thinking about the artsy city of Melbourne, wishing to take a walk through Central Park, dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights, and so on. The list is long. What’s adorable and also very impressive is that Emma doesn’t stay lost in the haze of her dreams; it won’t be long before the first opportunity appears, and she’ll be on her way to fulfill them.
