Cheap Things to Do in Amsterdam

Regardless of the fluctuating dollar-to-euro exchange rate, the Netherlands is an expensive country to visit. Besides flowers, cheese, and wine, everything seems pricier in Amsterdam than in a major American city. Here, though, are some cost-free exceptions.

Music to the Ears

Give your ears a free tune-up at one of the many free lunchtime concerts scheduled during the culture season. Check venues' monthly calendars, but as a general guideline, classical performances take place at 12:30 on Tuesdays in the Muziktheater and the Muziekgebouw and on Wednesdays in the Concertgebouw. Arrive a half hour early to guarantee your seat. Less in demand, though a no less lovely way to pass 30 minutes, the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and various churches also hold recitals for the public.

Cultural Capital

Linger in the glassed-in corridor outside the Amsterdam Historical Museum (entrance at Kalverstraat 92), known as the Schuttersgalerij, where Amsterdam's wealthy civic guards, peers of those in Rembrandt's The Night Watch, gaze down at you from 15 huge Golden Age paintings.

Even if you're not searching for your Dutch ancestors in its 20 mi (35 km) worth of digital records, the Amsterdam City Archives merits a visit. A permanent exhibition of artifacts and ephemera documenting the city is displayed throughout the building; the former bank in itself is worth the tour.

There's no entrance fee for the Hollandsche Schouwburg, but this memorial to the 104,000 Dutch Jews who were killed in World War II may take a toll on you. Once a popular theater, and later, a deportation center, a visit here is a somber experience, albeit a salient way to learn about an unforgettable chapter in Amsterdam's history. Besides the permanent exhibition on Jewish persecution, there are various multimedia presentations and a digital monument.

Free Spirit

Seeking a meditative moment? By day, any of Amsterdam's public parks is ideal for a stretch or a stroll. The centrally located Vondelpark is a visitor's favorite (outfitted with its own Picasso sculpture), though Saphartipark in the Pijp has an impressive jungle gym for adults who like to exercise al fresco. The city's man-made forest, the Amsterdamse Bos, is a haven for cyclists, Nordic walkers, kayakers, and even some urban tent-toters.