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How many days in Amsterdam? 3 days on foot, by bike and by canal
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Three days suits Amsterdam. The canal ring is small, about 3 km across, so you can walk almost everything, and the big three museums sit in two clusters: the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum on Museumplein, and the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht. The catch is booking: all three use timed tickets, and the Anne Frank House sells out weeks ahead.
Short answer
Two days covers the museums and the canals but not the neighbourhoods. With three, you add the Jordaan at a slow pace, Amsterdam-Noord across the IJ, and an evening that is not a museum queue.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Museumplein and Vondelpark
Morning. Book the Rijksmuseum for opening at 9:00 (about €25). Go straight to the Gallery of Honour for Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's The Milkmaid before the groups arrive; allow 2.5-3 hours.
Afternoon. Walk 3 minutes across Museumplein to the Van Gogh Museum (about €22, timed slots only, no tickets at the door). Its 200 paintings are arranged by period over four floors; 90 minutes is enough. Then walk into Vondelpark, 5 minutes away, for a break.
Evening. Eat in De Pijp, 15 minutes on foot. The Albert Cuyp market (closed on Sundays) has stroopwafels made to order; in the evening, Indonesian rijsttafel at a neighbourhood restaurant costs about €30-40 per person.
The Rijksmuseum's garden and its underpass passage, where cyclists ride through the building, are free; you can see both without a ticket.
Day 2: Anne Frank House, the Jordaan and the canals
Morning. Walk the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes), small shopping lanes between the main canals, then go to the Westerkerk, whose tower Anne Frank could see from her hiding place.
Afternoon. Anne Frank House (about €16) sells tickets only online, released about 6 weeks ahead; there are no tickets at the door. Allow 1 hour; the rooms are small and the visit is quiet. Then wander the Jordaan: Bloemgracht, Egelantiersgracht and the hidden courtyard gardens (hofjes) such as the Karthuizerhof.
Evening. Take a canal cruise at dusk: open boats from small operators (about €20-30 for 75 minutes) are better than the large glass-roofed ones. Then have a beer in a brown café such as Café 't Smalle on the Egelantiersgracht.
Cyclists have priority on the red bike lanes and do not slow down. Look both ways before stepping off the pavement, even on a one-way street.
Day 3: Old centre and Amsterdam-Noord
Morning. Start at Dam Square and the Royal Palace, then walk through the Begijnhof, a quiet medieval courtyard with Amsterdam's oldest wooden house (free). Visit Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder, a whole church hidden in a canal-house attic (about €17).
Afternoon. From behind Centraal Station, take the free ferry to Amsterdam-Noord. The 15-minute crossing to NDSM wharf brings you to a former shipyard with street art and flea markets; the 3-minute ferry to Buiksloterweg brings you to the A'DAM Lookout tower with its rooftop swing over the edge.
Evening. Return for dinner in the canal ring or in Haarlemmerdijk's restaurants, 10 minutes west of Centraal Station.
The Red Light District (De Wallen) is a residential area: photographing the windows is forbidden, and since 2023 the bars close earlier and smoking cannabis in its streets is banned.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, combine the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh in one morning-to-afternoon block on Day 1, and spend Day 2 on the Anne Frank House, the Jordaan and a canal cruise. You lose Amsterdam-Noord and De Pijp.
Got extra days?
On a 4th day, take the 15-minute train to Haarlem, a smaller, calmer version of Amsterdam with the Frans Hals Museum, or the 20-minute train to Zaanse Schans for its windmills. From late March to mid-May, the Keukenhof tulip gardens near Lisse are the big draw.
Where to stay in Amsterdam
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Amsterdam-Noord / Oost | Cheaper hotels, free ferry or tram to the centre in 10-15 minutes. | €120-180 |
| Mid-range | De Pijp | Lively, local, 10 minutes' walk to the museums, Noord/Zuid metro line. | €170-260 |
| Mid-range | Jordaan | The prettiest canals and cafés, quiet at night. | €180-280 |
| Comfort | Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) | Canal-house hotels on the Herengracht and Keizersgracht. | €300-550 |
Getting around
Walk the centre and use trams for Museumplein and De Pijp. Tap a contactless card on and off on GVB trams and metro; a 1-hour fare is about €3.40, and day tickets start around €9. Do not hire a bike unless you are confident in traffic: cycle lanes are busy and fast. From Schiphol, trains reach Centraal Station in about 15-20 minutes for roughly €6.
What to eat in Amsterdam
Dutch food is simple and best eaten on the move. Try raw herring with onions from a herring cart (haringhuis) such as Stubbe's by the Singel, about €4; bitterballen (fried ragout balls) with mustard alongside a beer in any brown café; and warm stroopwafels made to order at the Albert Cuyp market. For a sit-down meal, the Indonesian rijsttafel, a legacy of colonial history, brings 12-20 small dishes to the table and costs €30-45 per person. Apple pie at Winkel 43 on the Noordermarkt is a Jordaan ritual, especially on Monday and Saturday market mornings. Supermarkets such as Albert Heijn sell good sandwiches and salads for €4-7 when you need a cheap lunch between museums.
Best time to visit
April to May for tulips and King's Day on 27 April, when the whole city becomes a street party. Summer highs are a mild 21-23°C but it is crowded and hotels are at their most expensive. September is excellent. Winter is cold, wet and dark by 16:30, but the canals are atmospheric and the light festival runs in December and January.
Month-by-month weather for Amsterdam →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €65 | €115 | €220 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Sights & tickets | €20 | €40 | €60 |
| Local transport | €5 | €9 | €20 |
| Total per person, per day | about €120 | about €220 | about €410 |
Approximate 2026 prices. Amsterdam charges one of Europe's highest tourist taxes, a percentage of the room price (about 12.5%), usually not included in the price shown on booking sites.
Before you go
Common questions
When do Anne Frank House tickets go on sale?
Online only, about 6 weeks ahead, on Tuesdays. A small number of extra tickets are sometimes released on the day online. There is no ticket office.
Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it?
It includes the Rijksmuseum, a canal cruise and public transport, so it can pay off if you visit two or three paid museums a day. It does not include the Anne Frank House.
Can I visit Amsterdam without a bike?
Easily. The centre is walkable and trams cover the rest. Hire a bike only for a quiet ride in Vondelpark or out to Noord's countryside.
Is Amsterdam expensive?
Hotels are among the most expensive in Europe, especially at weekends. Food is moderate: lunch is €12-18, and supermarkets such as Albert Heijn are good for picnics.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, from experience planning Netherlands trips. Prices are approximate for 2026; confirm on the official Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House and GVB websites before booking.
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