Three Day Amsterdam Itinerary
Updated: Sep 24
I spent three days in Amsterdam and absolutely loved exploring this beautiful city. I was lucky enough to visit in tulip season so also got to explore some tulip gardens and fields. Amsterdam is a relatively small city, so you definitely don’t need three days to see everything. However, three days will give you time to take a day trip and take things a bit slower during your visit. This blog post will give you the best three day Amsterdam itinerary, including all the best things to do in Amsterdam and some of my favourite places to eat.
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The Best Things to Do in Amsterdam for a Three Day Itinerary
Visit the Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank House is by far one of the most famous attractions in Amsterdam, and because of that, you will need to book tickets in advance. They are released on their website on Tuesday at 10am CEST 6 weeks before the week you want to visit. What they don’t advertise, however, is that they have a second release on Tuesday at 10am CEST the week before. This is how I got my ticket. They cost €16 (approx. £13.50) for an adult.
It is a really nicely done museum, and you get an audio guide included with your ticket. However, it is quite small, so you will be able to go through and see everything in an hour.
Walk around the Canals
The canals are what makes Amsterdam so famous. There are so many beautiful areas to see them and some great photo opportunities. I thought the Jordaan area, west of the centre, was the most picturesque. The Nine Streets is on Google Maps and is the best place for photos. I’d recommend going in the morning - before 10am it is very quiet and makes it a very peaceful place to walk.
Van Gogh Museum
Vincent Van Gogh is probably the most famous dutch painter there is. The Van Gogh Museum is worth the visit to see some of his most well-known pieces, as well as some of his other works which are equally as beautiful. The audio guide takes you through his life really well, and you will learn a lot during the visit.
Damrak
Damrak is another famous photo stop. It’s right in the centre, however, in a really busy place and surrounded by shops, so it is not as great to walk around.
Canal Boat Tour
Canal boats are everywhere in Amsterdam. You can choose to rent one yourself or take an organised tour through the city. Many of them provide drinks, and some even serve food. It's a good way to see Amsterdam from another perspective.
De Pijp
De Pijp is a neighbourhood that benefits from being not touristy at all. It’s a much quieter place to walk, and you can also visit Albert Cuyp market which has plenty to look at.
Museum District
The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum are both here, among others. You can go into the gardens of Rijksmuseum for free, but if you want to go inside either of them, you’ll need to book tickets in advance.
Bloemenmarket
Bloemenmarket is a flower market in the centre of Amsterdam. It’s very busy and full of tourists, but still good to see in the spring time when the tulips are on sale and it’s all colourful!
Athenaeum Boekhandel Spui en Nieuwscentrum
This is a very long name for a lovely bookstore in the centre of Amsterdam that has an English book section too.
Keukenhof Tulip Gardens
Visiting Keukenhof is a very seasonal activity in Amsterdam as the gardens are only open mid-March to mid-May, with peak tulips usually mid-April. You’ll need to book a ticket online in advance and organise transport. Try and get there first thing in the morning. It opens at 8am, and by 9:30 it’s absolutely heaving with tour buses and people which completely destroys the atmosphere. But once you’re in, you’ll be treated to a beautiful curated garden surrounded by tulip fields. For a full guide on visiting Keukenhof including transport logistics, see my guide here.
Waterloopein
This is another market in Amsterdam for clothes and some food, right by the canals.
Day Trip to Utrecht
If you’ve run out of things to do in Amsterdam, take a day trip to Utrecht. It’s called little Amsterdam for a reason. The train only takes 25 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraal, and costs €20.30 (approx. £17.10) for the return trip.
Walk along the canal, visit the cute shops, and see Dom Tower and church which are beautiful. Utrecht library is also cool to visit (and has a free toilet), as is Broese bookshop. If you’re up for a bit more of a walk, you can head to Boekenkast Street Art to see a giant bookshelf mural. It’s slightly out of town but only about a 20-23 minute walk from the centre station.
Blue Tile Painting Workshop
Taking a blue tile painting workshop was one of my highlights of Amsterdam. I booked a class where we spent around 3 hours painting tiles in the famous Dutch style. They give you stencils and plenty of guidance, so if you aren't artistic, you will still leave with something you are proud of! The women who ran it were fantastic, and I can highly recommend it. I booked on Get Your Guide.
Where to Eat in Amsterdam
You will be spoiled for food in Amsterdam. Here is a list of my favourite (vegetarian and vegan friendly) food spots. If you're looking for more vegan options, you can see more in my post here.
Food Hallen: lots of different food stalls, with vegan options at most of them! I had Vietnamese which was great, and it’s a nice atmosphere
Van Holland Stroopwafels: this is pretty much the only place for both fresh and packaged vegan stroopwafels!
Have a Roll: incredible vegan cinnamon rolls
Saint Jean: a very famous vegan bakery - be prepared to queue out of the door - but worth it. Across the street is a deli/bakery with more savoury things like sandwiches and soups. It’s all delicious. There isn’t much seating though, especially at the bakery, so don’t expect to sit, especially in peak hours.
Soup Enzo: this is a chain which has lots of different soups and salads to choose from, and vegan options as well. It’s also reasonably priced.
Soil Vegan Cafe
Margo’s: this is another vegan bakery with really good pastries
Albert Heijn: this isn’t a food place but the main supermarket in the Netherlands. It has lots of well-labelled vegan products if you’re looking for a cheaper breakfast or lunch.
I loved Amsterdam and would recommend anyone to go visit. Hopefully this provides you with a great three day itinerary for Amsterdam, and plenty of tips on how to spend three days in the city (and beyond). Remember to always look after the places you visit and only leave your footprints behind :)
Want some more Europe inspiration? See some of my other posts here:
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