Amsterdam events this weekend & beyond

About Amsterdam

Amsterdam rewards visitors who plan ahead. The big three — the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum on Museumplein, and the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht — all run timed-entry ticketing, and the Anne Frank House in particular sells out weeks ahead. Book your slots first, then build the rest of your trip around them.

Between museum visits, the city is best explored on foot or by boat. Drift past gabled canal houses on a one-hour cruise from around €16, browse the independent boutiques and brown cafés of the Jordaan, then head south to De Pijp for the Albert Cuyp Market, the city's largest street market, and the Heineken Experience nearby. With trams, ferries and 500+ kilometres of bike lanes, getting between neighbourhoods rarely takes more than 20 minutes — and Vondelpark, the city's green heart, sits conveniently between Museumplein and the western canal belt.

Top things to do in Amsterdam

• Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum on Museumplein
• Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht canal
• One-hour canal cruise through the UNESCO-listed canal ring
• Albert Cuyp Market and the Heineken Experience in De Pijp

Local tips for visiting Amsterdam

• Anne Frank House tickets are released six weeks ahead and sell out fast — set a reminder for the release date and book the moment slots open.
• Museumplein covers the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Moco Museum within a five-minute walk, so schedule two in one day with a lunch break between.
• Look left, right and behind for bikes before crossing any street, and never walk in the red-paved cycle lanes.
• Take the free GVB ferry behind Centraal Station to NDSM Wharf or A'DAM Lookout for skyline views across the IJ.

Frequently asked questions