Amsterdam itinerary advice
 

Will be in Amsterdam for 4 (or 5) days pre-cruise. As its our first trip here, would appreciate some input on my first draft itinerary; Day 1: Rijksmseum (Buy tickets in Advance), Vondelpark. Day 2: Walking Tour or Bike Tour (yellowbike.nl), De Negen Straatjes (Nine Little Streets); Day 3: Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzetmuseum), Evening Canal Boat Tour; Day 4: Anne Frank House (Buy tickets in Advance) Night Concert at Concert Gebouw; Day 5: Daytrip Zanse Schans Windmills, Flower Market. Is there anything you feel I left out or is this too ambitious to start with? Thanks.

Red-light district is now said to be one of the most visited sights if not the most in Amsterdamned - safe to walk thru and very colorful and its legal -take a stroll down O Z Voorburgwal -the main drag - some sightseeing boats go thru there.

It may offend some folks' senses of morality but IMO it is a major Amsterdamned site! Been there since about Amsterdam first became a port -the so-called Sailors' Quarter.

For a balanced look at it:

http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/about-a...light-district

Best seen at its busiest at night.

I am surprised pal didn't also suggest his other Amsterdam standby of a coffee shop.
Just because an area is much visited doesn't make it worth visiting, unless, especially at night, you enjoy drunken British Stag parties, and seeing the exploitation of women.

Do you mean the Aalsmeer flower market? If so it is the opposite direction to Zaanse Schans, and you need to be there early.

You don't mention the Van Gogh or Stedelijk museums, which you could easily combine with say the Anne Frankhuis, or even the Rijks since they are neighbours.

I would suggest Enkhuizen and it's museum over Zaanse Schans. Further away but more interesting imho and far less touristy or overrun with coach parties. Or The Fodorite favourite of Haarlem, or even, for something completely different, Rotterdam.

I enjoyed Vondelpark, Leidseplein district, walking through the RLD and visiting on of the 'sex museums', and Tropenmuseum.

Do you mean the Aalsmeer flower market? If so it is the opposite direction to Zaanse Schans, and you need to be there early.>

I think she meant Amsterdam's floating flower market.

And yes whether a toker or not just popping into one of Amsterdam's legendary coffeeshops to see their unique legal operation where cannabis is sold from a posted menu and it is legal to smoke inside-these are all over and anyone can enter - thanks hetismij for bringing that up.

Folks in Colorado, Oregon and Washington among others now have their own versions of coffeeshops -dispensaries but still this is something that makes Amsterdam so unique - go pop in just to see what it is all about.

With 4-5 days I would get the Amsterdam Museum Pass which covers just about every major museum and zillions of smaller ones-even the Anne Frank House and lets you sidestep ticket lines at many.

Buy it at any participating museum- some lesser known ones -The Lord in the Attic - extant from times when certain religions were discriminated against so this church was discretely built on the top floors of a canalhouse - The Rubens Museum; the Maritime Museum showcasing Holland's great seafaring tradition and some major churches now museums- also the Zaanse Museum at Zaanse Schanse and if you go to Enkhuizen, which I concur is much neater experience than Zaanse Schanse, also valid at the museum and open-air museum of old Zuider Zee life there.

http://www.dutchmuseums.com/museumcard.php

Hi, I was just there for the 4th time in July. Remember the first day you will have pretty bad jet lag, if coming from US. maybe you are in Europe? I would consider getting a trolley ticket too for the number of days you might use it. Also, the Ann Frank house starts setting up the admitting times 3 months ahead to use the Museum card or you will be in a long line. Also I'd consider the Van Gogh Museum , as it is right next to the Rijks Museum and you need much of a day in the Rijks Museum if you are into Art. It is a very big museum and a fine one. The Resistance Museum has important info and displays, but needs a much better site/museum, and was a bit disappointing, it deserves better.. The Maritine Museum was much enjoyed by my son, I was crashing with jet lag. YOu don't mention your age, but you need to leave some time for simply stopping for coffee, and resting. Great city. Sue

Hi, I was just there for the 4th time in July. Remember the first day you will have pretty bad jet lag, if coming from US. maybe you are in Europe? I would consider getting a trolley ticket too for the number of days you might use it. Also, the Ann Frank house starts setting up the admitting times 3 months ahead to use the Museum card or you will be in a long line. Also I'd consider the Van Gogh Museum , as it is right next to the Rijks Museum and you need much of a day in the Rijks Museum if you are into Art. It is a very big museum and a fine one. The Resistance Museum has important info and displays, but needs a much better site/museum, and was a bit disappointing, it deserves better.. The Maritine Museum was much enjoyed by my son, I was crashing with jet lag. YOu don't mention your age, but you need to leave some time for simply stopping for coffee, and resting. Great city. Sue

PS I was also there for the start of a cruise, so I assume you might be older. If Rijks Museum is included in the tour, go earlier on your own, as you will not have much time to see it with a tour. Sue

I'm going to give you alternatives that will give you as much insight in Amsterdam but are smaller scale and more enjoyable imo, but are not "the sights". And a bonus tip for good coffee.


Day 1: Rijksmseum (Buy tickets in Advance), Vondelpark.
Rijksmuseum, yes. But don't only spend time with the paintings, also see their historical department. For instance, on show now is the "small wonders" exhibition, featuring microscopic carvings from the Middle Ages. The Rijks is the Dutch museum, with a truly national collection. Another museum you might enjoy is the Maritime Museum in the old Naval Arsenal in the eastern part of the city.
Vondelpark: when are you going? Because the Vondelpark in the rain can be skipped. Also, it's not that special, but nicely laid out. Stop for a coffee at Vondelpark paviljoen or, for a really quiet experience the tea room of De Roos in Van Eeghenstraat
http://www.roos.nl/theehuis/

Do stroll through the neighbourhood around Van Eeghenstraat, the address in Amsterdam that is the most chic and old money. Instead of a night concert, you might go for a lunch concert at Concertgebouw, which is nearby, and have lunch at Brasserie Keyzer, a venerable neighbourhood institution
http://brasseriekeyzer.nl

Lunch concerts at Concertgebouw are free
https://www.concertgebouw.nl/en/lunchtime-concerts




Day 2: Walking Tour or Bike Tour (yellowbike.nl), De Negen Straatjes (Nine Little Streets);
For people not accustomed to Amsterdam bike traffic, I would advise against biking, even in a group tour. A walking tour is an excellent idea, and if I may suggest, pick one that does the eastern part of the city centre, or one that focuses on "jewish Amsterdam" (in more or less the same area). If you choose the latter, usually a visit to the Portugese Synagogue is included. And in any case, the area east of the Red Light District is one of the most beautiful and under visited (if such a thing is a possibility) in Amsterdam. Give the RLD a miss, no matter what fond memories of it PalenQ may have.

Nine streets are great for a stroll, and a sit down for coffee or lunch, although the area is thoroughly commercialising and the independent shopkeepers that made the area attractive are being actively pushed out.

I like Libertine Cafe on Wolvenstraat for coffee or lunch. And Cafe De Pels is forever the place where famous Amsterdam bohemiens hang out.


Day 3: Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzetmuseum), Evening Canal Boat Tour;
If you visit the Resistance Museum (excellent choice), there is also the Plantage to discover. Do also consider to visit Hortus Botanicus with its Tearoom.
For a better canal tour, book the launch that Hotel Pulitzer uses: anyone can book, not only Pulitzer guests and it's a far better way than the big canal boats. Costs a little more, around 40 euros. Sails daily at 5 PM from across the Pulitzer Hotel on Prinsengracht
https://www.pulitzeramsterdam.com/nl/concierge/de-boot/



Day 4: Anne Frank House (Buy tickets in Advance) Night Concert at Concert Gebouw;

I'd say a concert at Concertgebouw will depend on your musical tastes. What will you do if there's a concert featuring Hindemith? The Concertgebouw Orchestra is one of the top orchestras in the world and the Concertgebouw one of the best venues in the world, which means that the really interesting concerts will sell out early. Mahler, by the RCO at Concertgebouw is a once in a lifetime experience, but will be fully sold out once tickets come available. Apart from this, many concert series are pre-sold. My advice is to check every night of your itinerary as early as possible to see what is available and book online if you see something that interests you. In the other case, just go to one of the lunch concerts, which will be of excellent quality.



Day 5: Daytrip Zanse Schans Windmills, Flower Market

Don't do Zaanse Schans, not worth it imo. Even though they have mills. However, hop on the ferry (behind Central Station) to the Buiksloterweg stop and from there take the #30 mini bus to Durgerdam and have a stroll on its waterfront and sit for a while in its only cafe.

https://maps.gvb.nl/nl/lijnen/30
That bus goes all the way to Holysloot and then returns on the same route: also something you might enjoy

Holysloot has its own Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/holysloot

Do you mean the flower market in Amsterdam? Always a disappointment.

And bonus: for the best coffee in Amsterdam and the nicest service, go to Latei, on Zeedijk.

Nine Streets is near the beautiful Herengracht Canal. Make sure you see it.

I must say, Negen Straatjes now is vastly different from Negen Straatjes 5 years ago. And it's not become better.

I've been to Amsterdam a number of times and always enjoy it, but on our last trip (last September) I had the impression that the bike (and other) traffic in the city had gone mad since my previous trip 4 years before. Maybe it's just that I was 4 years older, but I spent a good part of each meander around town (and we di meander, a LOT) being hyper-aware of bike riders and worried I was going to get mowed down.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Portuguese Synagogue, its museum, and the surrounding area, though, and the Albert Cuyp market (though it's not as pretty or showy as many other European markets) was a nice way to pass a couple of hours. The canal cruise was interesting, but the narration on ours bordered on hokey (easy enough to ignore, though). We traveled out to the Kröller-Müller Museum one day, and that is always a treat.

If OP means the flower market in Amsterdam they can visit that anytime, even on the way to the Anne Frankhuis.

I'm not sure there are any more bikes but there certainly are a lot more tourists.

StCirq: many tourists take to bikes because they've read on trip advisor it's the thing to do. I always try to discourage people here. I cycle in Amsterdam when I'm there, and it's crazy with visitors on bikes.

This is wonderful advice and I thank each of you for your input.

I agree with trying to find time for the Van Gogh Museum. If you are a history fan, the Amsterdam Museum is interesting.

And I also agree to think twice about riding a bike in town unless you are very experienced. They ride like maniacs there.

Red-light district - Dutch condemn it and are ashamed of it - yet it is by many accounts the number 1 sight for tourists!

Some kind of disconnect here?

I guess if I were Dutch I'd be ashamed of it too but it is a fact that this is a world unique thing - I think it is a thing that has to be seen - love it or hate it.

If it were not a top tourist draw I think Amsterdam would do away with it as many would like to see it go away.

Not ashamed of it. But would you visit the RLD in Chicago?
Prostitution is legal here, but that doesn't stop women being trafficked, exploited and treated as objects. Tourists visiting for the RLD are just as guilty of objectifying the women as the Johns are.
I just don't understand why people want to visit. Sorry. I wouldn't search out the RLD in any city in the world, and nor would most people, so why do they do it in Amsterdam?

We're not ashamed of it. But that entire area is built on the exploitation of women.

Incidentally, I was talking with the owner of the "smart fetish" bdsm "toys" store, because I'm doing photography for their website. She told me that the area (where they've been for over 30 years) is simply unrecognisable compared to what it was like. Many of their clients are professional dominants: you used to be able to just walk into the shop, now you have to make an appointment and they lock it to prevent drunk tourists coming in and photographing each other with the gear as background.