Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Amsterdam
Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. With its universities, academies, and research institutes, along with more than 40 museums, numerous theaters, and entertainment venues, Amsterdam is also the country’s leading cultural center.
In addition, the city is famous for its many well-preserved historic homes, laid out in a pattern of concentric segments in the shape of a fan and built on piles driven through an upper layer of mud into the firm, sandy bottom up to 18 meters below.
All told, some 6,750 buildings dating from the 16th to 18th centuries are crowded into an area of 2,000 acres, dissected by 160 canals (grachten), themselves home to numerous houseboats. Many picturesque bridges link the city’s 90 islands, eight of them old wooden bascule bridges, including the Magere Brug (Mager Bridge), one of the city’s most frequently photographed.
Discover the best places to visit in the city with our list of the top tourist attractions in Amsterdam.
1. Rijksmuseum
One of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions – and certainly its most important art repository – the Rijksmuseum (National Museum) was founded in 1798 to house the country’s huge collection of rare art and antiquities. The museum’s impressive collection includes a million cultural artifacts dating from the 13th century to the modern day, among them more than 8,000 important paintings spread across 250 rooms of this sprawling building.
In addition to its paintings, the Rijksmuseum boasts a well-stocked library of more than 35,000 books and manuscripts, as well as numerous fascinating displays dealing with the development of art and culture in the Netherlands. Of special note are its collections of traditional handicrafts, medieval sculpture, and modern art styles.
A variety of themed English language guided tours are available. For a special experience, try the fun art history canal cruise taking in many of the sites represented in the Rijksmuseum’s collections, or book a table at the museum’s Michelin-starred restaurant. Guided tours are available, and to avoid line-ups (nearly 2.5 million people visit each year), book tour tickets in advance online.
Address: Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam
Official site: www.rijksmuseum.nl/en
2. Anne Frank House
On the Prinsengracht stands Anne Frank House (Anne Frank Huis). Dedicated to the all-too-short life of one of the world’s best-known Holocaust victims, this is the actual home in which Anne’s family hid for much of WWII. They were Jewish refugees from the German city of Frankfurt, and it was here that Anne wrote the diary that became an international bestseller after the war, just a few years after her death at age 15 – and just two months before the war ended.
Much of the home has been kept as it was during Anne’s time, and it serves as a poignant monument to a tragic period of history. A word of caution: tickets do sell out up to two or more months in advance, so be sure to plan ahead and purchase your tickets ahead of time online (see the website address below).
Next door to the Anne Frank Museum, Amsterdam’s West Church (Westerkerk) is one of the most popular churches in the city. Completed in 1630, this attractive Renaissance church is unusual due to its many internal and external Gothic features. Its 85-meter tower, popularly known as „Langer Jan” (tall John), is the highest in the city. On the tip of its spire is a large replica of the emperor’s crown, placed there in memory of Emperor Maximilian of Austria. Inside the tower, a carillon proclaims the hours.
Other highlights include a fine organ dating from 1622, along with an interesting marble column placed there in 1906 in memory of Rembrandt, who was buried outside the church (he was later reinterred inside the church).
Address: Prinsengracht 263-267, 1016 GV Amsterdam
Official site: www.annefrank.org/en/
3. Van Gogh Museum
A must-visit for art fans and historians, the spectacular Van Gogh Museum has been one of Amsterdam’s top attractions since it opened in 1972. Dedicated to the often troubled life and extraordinary artistry of one of the country’s most-revered painters, this modern Gerrit Rietveld-designed structure is home to the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh paintings and artifacts, much of it donated by his brother, Theo, and other family members.
Boasting an impressive 200 paintings, 500 etchings and drawings, as well as 700 letters written to (and by) friends and family, the collection is split into key periods of the artist’s life: his realistic works (1880 to 1887), including the famous The Potato Eaters, and his Impressionist period from 1887 to 1890, which saw the creation of perhaps his best-known work, Vase with Sunflowers.
A highlight of a visit is the amazing „Meet Vincent Van Gogh Experience,” a fascinating multimedia presentation of the painter’s life and times through vivid digital reproductions of his work.
Also of interest are works by Van Gogh’s contemporaries, including such leading artists as Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. If time allows, be sure to check the availability of the museum’s educational workshops in such disciplines as painting and photography.
Address: Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ, Amsterdam
Official site: www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en
4. Jordaan
Jordaan is the most popular of Amsterdam’s neighborhoods and is well-known for its mix of residential areas with garden courtyards, lively markets, and upscale boutiques and eateries. The area is also home to plenty of fun things to do, from taking a pleasant stroll along the many picturesque streets to spending time visiting the many top-rated tourist attractions located here.
Although best known as the location of Anne Frank House, the area is also home to lesser-known treasures like the Woonboots Museum, a floating museum dedicated to houseboats, and the interesting (honestly!) Amsterdam Cheese Museum.
On Saturday mornings, Lindengracht turns into a huge open-air market, where you can find local crafts, produce, flowers, and goodies perfect for filling a picnic basket. Monday mornings, it is Westerstraat that fills with 200 vendors’ stalls, this time selling a wide range of goods in a flea-market-style bazaar. Jordaan’s restaurants and cafés have become the trendy place to sit and people-watch while enjoying traditional Dutch folk music.
5. Vondelpark
The largest and most visited park in Amsterdam, Vondelpark occupies 120 acres and contains no end of fun things to do. In addition to expanses of green space dotted by peaceful ponds and traversed by ample paths, the park is home to a lovely rose garden featuring more than 70 different types of the flower.
It also has a variety of sculptures and statues, playgrounds, and other recreational facilities, including rollerblade rental and the Vondelpark Open Air Theater, which serves as a venue for musical and stage productions from May through September.
If you haven’t packed a picnic, don’t worry: the park is also full of cafés where you can enjoy a snack or a full meal.
6. Dam Square
Dam Square is one of the most tourist-packed areas of Amsterdam, and for good reason. Its most prominent feature is the 17th-century Royal Palace (Koninklijk Palace), former home of the Dutch royal family and present-day venue for royal functions.
Dam Square is also home to top tourist attractions such as the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk); Madame Tussauds wax museum; and the National Memorial Statue, which is dedicated to Dutch soldiers who lost their lives in World War II.
This huge public square is, naturally, lined with numerous cafés, restaurants, and shops, and is usually full of vendors selling food and souvenirs. Tourists will also find a Ferris wheel, perfect for getting a different perspective, as well as plenty of entertainment, ranging from street performers and buskers to first-rate music festivals.
7. Royal Palace of Amsterdam
Formerly the Town Hall, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam (Koninklijk Paleis van Amsterdam) serves as the King’s residence when he’s in the city. Its construction was a monumental task when started in 1648 and required the sinking of 13,659 piles to support the mammoth structure. Based upon the architecture of ancient Rome, the exterior is strictly classical, while the interior is magnificently furnished, its apartments decorated with a wealth of reliefs, ornamentation, marble sculptures, and friezes, along with ceiling-paintings by Ferdinand Bol and Govert Flinck, pupils of Rembrandt.
Other highlights include one of the finest furniture collections in the world; the City Treasurer’s room with its marble fireplace and ceiling paintings by Cornelis Holsteyn; and the Hall of the Aldermen, also containing paintings by Bol and Flinck. The largest and most important room is the Council Hall, sumptuously decorated and one of the most beautiful staterooms in Europe.
English language guided tours are available, and useful audioguides are included with admission.
Location: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147, 1012 RJ Amsterdam
8. Rembrandt House Museum
Rembrandt, along with his wife Saskia, spent the happiest (and most successful) years of his life in the house on the Jodenbreestraat, now home to the Rembrandt House Museum (Museum Het Rembrandthuis). It was here, in the Jewish Quarter, that he found models for his Biblical themes, and where he painted the sights from his many outings along the canals.
Rembrandt lived here for 20 years, and the house has been furnished in 17th-century style with numerous etchings and personal objects. English language guided tours are available.
Just a two-minute walk away is Zuiderkerk (South Church), where three of Rembrandt’s children are buried, as well as one of his pupils. Constructed between 1603 and 1611, it was the first Protestant church to be built in Amsterdam after the Reformation and was designed by architect Hendrick de Keyser, who is also buried here.
After extensive restoration, it is now a center for local cultural activities and events. Another Rembrandt-related destination in the city is Rembrandt Square, home to numerous cafés and restaurants, along with a statue of the famous painter.
Address: Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011 NK Amsterdam
source: https://www.planetware.com/
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