Amsterdam is a central hub when traveling through Europe. What many people don’t realize is that the city is 1000% worth staying in, not just passing through. Use this 3-Day Amsterdam Travel Guide to explore your activity options. Many of them are free, which makes it an incredibly affordable destination within Europe. 

Arrival

Take a train from just about any major hub in Europe to Amsterdam Centraal Station. Or fly into the main airport Schiphol. Book your accommodations somewhere in zone 3 or 4, close enough to the train and far enough into the city to be closer to the activities. For transportation, you can walk to just about everything or you can pay a small fee for public transportation trolleys or ferries.

Day 1: Canal Cruise and Rijksmuseum Gardens

Start slow and get acquainted with your surroundings. Take a cruise through the canals and see the city layout from the water level. Tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable and will answer any questions you have about planning for the rest of your trip.

Visit the Rijksmuseum square and explore its many fountains and lush gardens for free. Take the iconic selfie with the “I Amsterdam” sign, or pay 19 Euros to go inside the museum and see more cultural icons.

Walk a few blocks down the way to the Heinekken Experience if you’re looking for another activity.

Day 2: Van Gogh Museum and Vondelpark

I’m a sucker for anything Van Gogh or Rembrandt and both are conveniently located in Amsterdam. You are not allowed to take photos in the museum, so thank you to this sneaky Google photographer.

The museum is absolutely GORGEOUS. We spent about 3 hours just taking our time reading all the plaques and standing in front of the pieces of art that you only see in textbooks. There is so much information about the time period, the artist’s inspirational mentors, along with many of his sketches and incomplete works. Tickets are 19 Euros at the door.

Just a few minutes walk away is Vondelpark, the equivalent of NYC’s Central Park in Amsterdam. There are a whopping 120 acres to explore on foot or rented bicycle with different art installations along the way.

Day 3: History Tour – Anne Frank’s House and Narrowest House in Amsterdam

Part of Amsterdam’s charm is found in it’s long history. During the first 2 years of World War II, the neutral Netherlands were invaded by German Nazi troops.

Jewish families like Anne Frank’s soon went into hiding. Today, you can visit the Secret Annex turned museum where she spent 2 years of her life. You’ll be able to read portions of her widely published diary, understand the background history, and see for yourself the conditions the family was forced to endure before being caught and sent to Nazi Concentration Camps.

Museum tickets cost 10.50 Euros and must be purchased online for a specific time slot reservation. You’ll need to plan ahead to fit this activity in your calendar.

If this doesn’t fit into your budget, you can still walk along the canal where Anne’s home is located and see the nearby clock tower that she wrote about from her window.

Another 10 minute walk away, you can visit Singel 7, one of the narrowest houses in all of Europe at only a little over 3 feet wide. There are several narrow homes in the city and the belly-laughing entertainment comes from walking (and tripping) up as many tiny staircases as possible.

By using this Amsterdam travel guide, you’ll cover all the ground you need to be filled with the culture and history of this incredible city.