Amsterdam City Break — Canals, Rijksmuseum & Anne Frank House
Amsterdam
Holidays
165 canals, world-class museums, the Anne Frank House and a café culture that is uniquely Dutch — just 1h15 from London
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Flight Time
1h15 from London; direct flights from most UK airports
Best Time
April–May (tulip season) and September–October — mild, fewer crowds
Country
Netherlands
Suppliers
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Amsterdam Holiday Guide
Amsterdam is one of the world's most liveable and loveable cities — a compact, walkable city of 165 canals, 1,500 bridges, world-class museums and a café culture that is uniquely Dutch. Built on a network of concentric canals in the 17th century (the Dutch Golden Age), Amsterdam's canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful urban landscapes in the world.
The Rijksmuseum (Rembrandt, Vermeer, the Night Watch), the Van Gogh Museum (the world's largest collection of Van Gogh's work) and the Anne Frank House (where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for two years) are three of the most visited museums in Europe. The Jordaan neighbourhood — a maze of narrow streets, independent boutiques, brown cafés and the Noordermarkt — is the most charming part of the city.
Amsterdam is best explored by bike — the city has more bicycles than people and an extraordinary cycling infrastructure. Hire a bike from one of the many rental shops near Centraal Station and you'll see the city as the Dutch do. Amsterdam is 1h15 from London by air and 3h55 by Eurostar (changing in Brussels).
Popular Areas in Amsterdam
Average Temperatures
Jan
4°C
Feb
5°C
Mar
9°C
Apr
13°C
May
17°C
Jun
20°C
Jul
22°C
Aug
22°C
Sep
18°C
Oct
13°C
Nov
8°C
Dec
5°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Amsterdam
The world-class museums, iconic canals, vibrant markets and unique Dutch café culture that make Amsterdam one of Europe's most rewarding city breaks.
Rijksmuseum — The Dutch Golden Age
The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands' national museum and one of the greatest art museums in the world — a vast neo-Gothic palace housing over one million objects, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch, Vermeer's The Milkmaid and hundreds of other masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age. The building itself, redesigned by Cruz y Ortiz and reopened in 2013, is extraordinary. Book tickets online to skip the queue. Allow at least 3 hours — a full day is better. The museum café is excellent.
Van Gogh Museum — The World's Largest Collection
The Van Gogh Museum, adjacent to the Rijksmuseum in the Museumplein, houses the world's largest collection of Vincent van Gogh's work — 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 750 personal letters, tracing his development from the dark Dutch period (The Potato Eaters) through the luminous Arles period (Sunflowers, Bedroom in Arles) to the final tortured works at Auvers-sur-Oise. Book tickets online well in advance — the museum sells out weeks ahead in summer.
Anne Frank House — A Profound Experience
The Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht canal is one of the most visited and most moving museums in the world — the actual hiding place where Anne Frank, her family and four others hid from the Nazis for two years and three months before being betrayed and deported to Auschwitz. The secret annexe, accessed through a bookcase, is preserved exactly as it was. Anne's original diary is on display. Book tickets online months in advance — the museum sells out completely and does not sell tickets at the door.
The Canal Ring — UNESCO World Heritage
Amsterdam's 17th-century canal ring (the Grachtengordel) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful urban landscapes in the world — four concentric canals (Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht) lined with 1,550 monumental buildings, crossed by 1,500 bridges and reflected in the dark water. The best way to see the canals is by boat — canal cruises run from multiple points in the city. The Herengracht (Gentlemen's Canal) is the most elegant.
The Jordaan — Amsterdam's Most Charming Neighbourhood
The Jordaan, west of the main canal ring, is Amsterdam's most charming and authentic neighbourhood — a maze of narrow streets and smaller canals lined with independent boutiques, art galleries, antique shops, brown cafés (bruine kroegen) and the best restaurants in the city. The Noordermarkt on Saturday morning (organic food and vintage clothing) and the Lindengracht market on Saturday are excellent. The Westerkerk, where Rembrandt is buried, is at the heart of the Jordaan.
Cycling Amsterdam — The Dutch Way
Amsterdam has more bicycles than people (900,000 bikes for 800,000 residents) and the best cycling infrastructure in the world. Hiring a bike is the best way to see the city — you'll cover far more ground than on foot, see the city as the Dutch do and access neighbourhoods that tourists rarely reach. Bike hire is available from numerous shops near Centraal Station from around €12/day. The Vondelpark, the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) and the tulip fields of the Bollenstreek (30 minutes south) are all excellent cycling destinations.
Amsterdam Food — Stroopwafels, Herring & Indonesian
Amsterdam's food scene reflects its history as a global trading city — Dutch classics (raw herring with onions, stroopwafels, bitterballen, poffertjes, Dutch cheese) sit alongside an extraordinary Indonesian cuisine (rijsttafel — a feast of 20+ small dishes, a legacy of the Dutch colonial period) and a thriving modern restaurant scene. The Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp is the best street market. The Foodhallen (a covered food market in the Oud-West) is excellent for a quick lunch.
Amsterdam Nightlife — Brown Cafés & Gin Houses
Amsterdam's nightlife is centred on its legendary brown cafés (bruine kroegen) — dark, cosy, wood-panelled pubs that have been serving Dutch beer and jenever (Dutch gin) since the 17th century. The Proeflokaal (tasting house) tradition — small bars serving Dutch jenever and liqueurs — is unique to Amsterdam and the Netherlands. The Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are the main nightlife squares. The Paradiso (a concert venue in a former church) and the Melkweg are two of the best live music venues in Europe.
Explore Amsterdam on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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