Can you see the sights of Amsterdam in three days? We tried, and I’d say we were successful. The beginning of our two-week Europe itinerary gave us three full days and evenings to see as much as possible in Amsterdam and the surrounding area. Here’s an in depth look at our 3-day Amsterdam Itinerary.
Day 1: Amsterdam Sight-seeing, Heineken Tour
- I amsterdam sign
- Van Gogh Museum & the gift shop
- Heineken Experience Tour
- Scenic walks through the canals of Amsterdam
Arrival
Our 3-Day Amsterdam Itinerary began bright and early. After flying overnight from Toronto, we arrived in Amsterdam at Schipol Airport at 6:15 am local time. By the time we collected our bags, bought tickets to take the train to Amsterdam Central Station, caught the train and walked to our hotel (iBis Styles Amsterdam Central Station) it was 8:30 am. Fortunately we were able to check into our room right away, have a power nap, and hit the streets of Amsterdam by 10:00 am.
I Amsterdam Sign
We decided our first stop would be the I Amsterdam sign. Along the way we stopped for photos, because that’s what we like to do! Once we arrived at the sign we were a little deflated because it was insanely busy. I mean it was complete chaos! Even if we waited for hours we would not have gotten a good shot of the sign. It’s possible the time of day or even day of the week had something to do with this. Either way, we snapped a few quick photos and carried on.
Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum was nearby, so we stopped there. Tickets were sold out, so if you’re planning to go, make sure you purchase them in advance! We weren’t really looking forward to this, so we were OK to take a quick peek in the gift shop and move along.
Heineken Experience Tour
After the visit to the gift shop, we decided to try our luck with the Heineken Experience Tour. Even though neither of us drink Heineken, it was very interesting to hear the history behind it and see how it is made. The tour is very informative and we actually enjoyed it more than our visit to the Guinness Factory! If you’re in the area, make sure you visit. The best part of the tour was how generous they were with the beer. With each general admission you received a small beer on the tour, and two tokens for pints at the end of the tour.
Day 2: Zaanse Schans, Amsterdam Sight-Seeing
- Zannse Schans
- Scenic walk through the eastern neighbourhoods of Amsterdam
- Cafe Gollem Amstelstraat
- Pancakes Amsterdam
Zaanse Schans
We decided to do a half day tour of Zannse Schans to see the historic village. It was a fantastic tour! We were in a small group that departed from a hotel nearby. Our tour was 4 hours and included a clog-making demonstration, cheese-making demonstration and an up-close look inside a working windmill. This visit was a very unique look into a piece of Dutch history from the 18th and 19th century. This is a historic residential area filled with wooden houses, windmills, small shops, barns and wildlife. There are many people who still live in this little neighbourhood and they must have a very high tolerance for tourists – because this place was packed! If you stop by, you could easily spend more than 4 hours here especially if you stop for lunch and take a leisurely walk through the neighbourhood. Our tour took us back to Amsterdam by boat on a scenic river cruise. Definitely add this to your list!
Scenic stroll through Amsterdam / Café Gollem Amstelsrtaat
Once back in Amsterdam, we took a leisurely stroll through the eastern neighbourhoods and ended up at Cafe Gollem Amstelstraat. Here we tried a few local beers (fantastic selection) and rested our tired feet.
Pancakes Amsterdam
For dinner we decided to try out some famous pancakes. I had the apple and cheddar and my husband had the ham and cheddar – both were fantastic. They were the size of dinner plates and we underestimated how filling these would be. A must-try if you’re in the city.
Day 3: Anne Frank House, Red Light District
Anne Frank House
On our fourth day we visited the Anne Frank House. I remember reading the Diary of Anne Frank in grade nine, and it’s one of those books that leaves an impression on you. It was an incredibly sobering walk through history. The bookcase that hid the entrance to the secret annex was still there and as you climbed the stairs it felt like you were transported back in time. This museum was one of my trip highlights and if you have the chance to visit you should add this to your itinerary. Tickets go on sale exactly two-months in advance online. I set a reminder on my phone and purchased them exactly two-months before the day we planned to visit. Make sure you buy your tickets in advance to avoid long lines or disappointment, as this attraction often sells out.
Jordaan Neighbourhood
After visiting the Anne Frank House, we wandered around the Jordaan neighbourhood. This district is known for the narrow canals, beautiful tall houses and hip boutiques, pubs and eateries. This is one of the most beautiful areas of the city (in my opinion!) and every photographers’ dream.
Red Light District
Later in the evening we ventured to the Red Light District of the city and it was quite an interesting experience! Crowds of people in narrow alleys, women in windows to do some business, and pick-pockets on the prowl. We saw a pick-pocket group do a triple hand-off of whatever they stole from some unfortunate tourist. Make sure you are cautious, especially if you visit this area in the evening!
3-Day Amsterdam Itinerary Summary
I think it is possible to see this fantastic city in 3 full days if you do your planning in advance! Stay tuned for future posts on specific activities and most importantly… what you need to eat in Amsterdam.
17 comments
You have nicely detailed what all we must do in Amsterdam in 3 days. I did a similar itinerary with slight alternatives. I chose Kinderdijk windmills instead of Zaanse Schans. However, both are really beautiful and like a day-tour from Amsterdam. Also the iamsterdam sign near the Rijkkmuseum is always crowded, I got my photos clicked in front of the sign that is at the Schiphol airport. Anne Frank House is a must. I loved the plan.
I didn’t realize there was a sign outside the airport! We didn’t actually leave the airport… just went directly to the trains underground… next time though!!
This is the kind of trip that I am into. Visiting as many places as I can yet enjoying every bit of it. This is a great list and oh! Amsterdam is really pretty.
It’s my travel style too. I like to see as much as possible because I never know if I’ll make it back.
Amsterdam looks really beautiful, and it’s nice to see that people go there for more things than just the red light district, or the shops with marijuana inside them, xD the city has so much more to offer and it’s a must visit at least once.
Yes there is so much do see and do there. Very pretty city.
Zaanse Schans is the most charming village ever! So happy to see you’ve included it in your itinerary, it’s not very common for people to make it a part of their visit to Amsterdam. I was there 5 years ago and loved it! Heineken Experience was pretty cool too. I couldn’t get a good shot of the I Amsterdam sign because of the crazy amount of crowds there like I see in your picture too! But I loved the city.
It’s a great city! The trip to Zaanse Schans is so fun and actually doesn’t take too long.
A great itinerary for Amsterdam. Some of my favorites are already there. I would surely do Anne Frank’s house and Zaanse Schans. And I love those shoes. And who would want to miss out on Jordaan neighborhood!
Thank you! I loved the shoes too. The visit to Anne Frank’s house is a must see in my opinion.
A very nice and detailed post about spending 3 days in Amsterdam. I can understand the feeling when you were at I Amsterdam sign. So many people! The city is full of interesting things. Thanks for such a useful and helpful itinerary.
Thank you! Yes, far too many people at the Amsterdam sign. Will have to go back in the middle of the night one day.
Never been to Amsterdam, although, traveled to Rotterdam a lot. I wonder what I would like more. Amsterdam looks a little more touristic, but at the same time, it has older houses and more things things to do.
Amsterdam was very touristy, but you can find things to do off the beaten path to avoid some of the touristy spots.
We have never been yet in Amsterdam but there is a plan for 2019. This is one of the few capitals in Europe we have skipped till now. But, we want to see this place absolutely.
Awesome – hope you have a fantastic time in 2019!
You managed to do so much in 3 days in Amsterdam! I did do quite a few of these when I visited a few years ago, including the Anne Frank museum and the red light district. I didn’t get to do the Heinkenen experience though 🙁 I will have to go back for that, cos I really enjoyed the Guinness Experience in Dublin, so will definitely enjoy the Heinkenen one! X