Amsterdam Travel Tips: Everything You Should Know Before You Go!

The Best Amsterdam Travel Tips

When I decided to write this post, the idea of putting all my best Amsterdam travel tips in one place seemed both the most sensible and the most senseless idea I've had yet for this, my little Amsterdam travel blog.

Weirdly enough, this is a combination I am not a complete stranger of and I tend to think that some of my best blog posts exist because I just said "Sod it! I'm going to write that!". And indeed, that is very much what has happened to get me to this point, writing a list of my very best 101(ish) Amsterdam travel tips.

There is a good reason this is exclusive content for your my lovely newsletter readers and subscribers. Many of you have landed in this virtual world because of finding an Amsterdam blog post of mine, and while I know others are here for other reasons, it's very true that most people find my blog on Google thanks to an article about Amsterdam because they are planning a trip to this beautiful, iconic and unique home city of mine. So, hello! Welcome! I'm so happy you're here.

For you, and for all my future readers doing their Amsterdam travel research, sit back, relax and maybe have a notebook ready, because below you will find everything you need to know about Amsterdam before you go. I've highlighted in bold my main pieces of advice (there are over 100 different tips, FYI!) and below are the main sections of this post so you know what to expect and you can scroll down to find what you really want to know:

  • General Tips for Planning Your Amsterdam Travel
  • Getting to Amsterdam: Tips & Advice
  • What to Pack for Amsterdam
  • Amsterdam Travel Planning - What You MUST Book in Advance
  • How to Get Around Amsterdam
  • Public Transport in Amsterdam
  • Where to Stay in Amsterdam: Tips & Advice
  • Tips for Staying Safe in Amsterdam
  • Best Tips for Spending Money in Amsterdam
  • Eating Out in Amsterdam - What You Need to Know
  • Best Things to Do in Amsterdam: Tips & Advice
  • Best Apps & Websites for Amsterdam Travel

With advice on when to travel to Amsterdam, an overview of Amsterdam's best neighbourhoods, my personal favourite hotels, tips for saving money, tips for what to pack, tips on what to do, and my best recommendations for places to eat, go out at night, and how to make sure you can always pay for things!

Tips for Planning Your Amsterdam Travel

Pick the best time to visit Amsterdam for YOU (and your travel companions) and for Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a densely populated capital city that is also struggling with over-tourism. Please be mindful of this with all aspects of planning your trip, but one way you can help ease the strain on the city is by visiting outside of peak season, which is typically in summer months. 

This post will help you decide when is the best time to travel to Amsterdam, and if you want more encouragement to know that ANY time of year is a great time to visit because there are always plenty of things to do, you should read about Amsterdam is like in summer, autumn, winter and spring in these seasonal Amsterdam guides.

Because Amsterdam is such a popular destination I would ALWAYS book your accommodation in advance so you don't end up here without a place to stay or paying over the odds for a last minute hotel booking. When researching your Amsterdam accommodation options, do lots of research reading reviews of hotels from real travellers. That's why in my lists of the best hotels in Amsterdam for all budgets and the best city centre hotels in Amsterdam, I've asked real travellers to tell you the highlights of each hotel.

Staying in the city centre can be very tempting because you want to be close to everything, but this can also make it hard for you to find a hotel (or Airbnb apartment) that suits your needs and is within your budget, because there is such a demand for city centre hotels. With this and the fact that the centre of Amsterdam can be very noisy and busy, I always say there are many advantages of staying outside of the Red Light District and the main ring canals and basing yourself in one of Amsterdam's city neighbourhoods. 

In this post I share with you Amsterdam's best neighbourhoods and why you should stay in one of them, as well as recommending some hotels in each. Needless to say the further out of Amsterdam's city centre the cheaper (and more spacious!) the hotels get and you can still be just a 10-minute train, tram or Metro ride away from the main attractions and museums. I write more about public transport below, but generally speaking, the trams, trains and buses in Amsterdam are reliable, safe and comfortable, so don't think you have to be in the city centre and paying more than you can afford on a hotel that isn't all that.

Also, don't forget that Amsterdam (and the whole of the Netherlands) is very flat so it's VERY easy to walk or cycle around the city. Again, I've got more tips for this below and you can read this post sharing tips for cycling in Amsterdam so you can stay safe (and keep others safe too!).

So, if you know roughly when you want to visit and maybe you've got an idea of where you want to stay, the next thing you have to do is plan how you're going to get to Amsterdam.

Getting to Amsterdam: Tips & Advice

Of course offering Amsterdam travel tips relating to how you get here is quite difficult considering you could be coming from anywhere in the world. But that said, I want to highlight a few of the different ways you can arrive in Amsterdam, and how some of these may be worth considering for any traveller even if you assume you know the best way for you to get to Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is one of Europe's biggest and busiest hubs, and so it's a relatively easy destination to fly to from all over the world. However, it's also true that it doesn't have planes arriving from EVERYWHERE and sometimes, the fact that it is such a well known and well connected airport means that people often don't think of any other way to get to Amsterdam other than flying. However, Amsterdam is well connected by trains, roads, ferries and even bus routes too so if flying to Amsterdam is looking expensive or inconvenient (because of awkward flight times), it's worth thinking outside the box a bit.

Getting to Amsterdam by Air:

Schiphol is also not the only airport in the Netherlands, albeit the biggest by a LONG way. A lot of low cost airlines fly in and out of Eindhoven Airport (a 70 minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal Station) and there are a number of popular business routes flying in and out of Rotterdam Airport (a 2-hour train away). Keep this in mind when researching how to get to Amsterdam if you can't find exactly what you want flying direct to Amsterdam Schiphol.

Below I'm sharing lots of tips for getting to and from, and spending time in, Schiphol Airport, but for now it's worth knowing that Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is a short distance away from the centre of Amsterdam by train or bus. Trains run every 10 minutes at peak times (possibly less at night or on Sundys/national holidays) and will cost you around €5,60 for the single journey and takes 14 minutes.

Before you go ahead and assume that you need to take the train from Schiphol to Centraal Station (Amsterdam's main station) I strongly advise checking for the nearest train station to your hotel as there could be a train direct to this station or you could shorten your journey by heading to one of these and then getting a tram, Metro or bus from that station. 

Buses take longer but are much cheaper and you may want to look at bus routes from Schiphol if you have a hotel outside of the centre of Amsterdam as this could be a more direct, easier and affordable route (i.e. you won't need to change to a bus or tram from Centraal Station).

Many hotels take part in the hotel shuttle buses that depart from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport so be sure to check the details of these with your accommodation prior to arrival. 

Taxis are available at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Departures but they are not cheap, and they're not always quicker as the traffic around the airport and getting closer to Amsterdam can be quite heavy, especially at rush hour (8-10am and around 4:30 - 7pm). You're looking at at least €35 to get you into within the suburban heart of Amsterdam and at least €50 to get your in the city centre. I have heard of people organising Ubers from the airport too and these are cheaper (when it's not busier) but I still think you should expect to pay at least €25 unless your hotel is close to the airport.

One very important piece of advice I want to emphasise is BEWARE SCAM TAXI DRIVERS at Schiphol. There is only one single official taxi rank which you can find by following the signs (including those on the floor all the way to the queue). This is staffed by people organising you into the next available car depending on what you need and where you're going. DO NOT go with anybody else offering you taxi services. In the last five years or so Schiphol has had a huge on-off problem with unofficial taxi drivers soliciting business from unknowing visitors and charging them €100s for what should be a €40-50 journey. These cars are often unlicensed and they can be very aggressive in how they gain your business. While the airport and authorities have clamped down on this practice considerably in the last few years, I still hear of it happening every now and again and still see some people trying to lure tourists at the airport occasionally. 

Getting to Amsterdam by Train:

One of the best ways to get to Amsterdam is by train. Not only will this take you all the way into the centre of the city but you will also cut out any of the stress of going through passport control and baggage reclaim (both of which can take a surprisingly long time sometimes at Schiphol), so if you're travelling to Amsterdam from mainland Europe, I urge you to look up trains to Amsterdam.

It's true that sometimes routes can be expensive and not very direct (so take a long time) but with the recent addition of direct Eurostar trains to and from London, rail connections with Amsterdam are set to improve all the time.

Getting to Amsterdam by Bus:

Another great way to get to Amsterdam and arguably the cheapest route to the city is by bus. Budget bus companies like MegaBus and FlixBus run several regular routes to and from Amsterdam, arriving and departing at all hours of the day. Yes, the journeys can be long and of varying levels of comfort, but if you want to travel to Amsterdam on a budget, this should definitely help you save some money. Getting an overnight bus to and from Amsterdam may also be a great way to save money and travelling time too!

Be careful to check where your bus arrives or departs from as most will not take you into the centre of the city. This can be a good thing as it could mean a shorter and cheaper journey to your accommodation, but also keep in mind that you will need to maybe allow enough time to find the bus station if you're leaving Amsterdam this way.

At the time of writing this (Feb 2020) FlixBus and MegaBus arrivals and departures are close to Amsterdam Sloterdijk Train Station (where trams also stop) and you can read where other bus an coach companies arrive and depart from here.

Getting to Amsterdam by Car:

By far my least recommended way to arrive in Amsterdam, it's of course technically possible to drive to Amsterdam. If you do decide to do this you will soon find out that Amsterdam is an expensive and inconvenient city to park in.

The most economical and eco-friendly way to park in Amsterdam is at one of the Park + Ride car parks, thus not entering the city limits with your car, however, this is still pricey and you're looking at paying at least €25 per 24 hours of parking. Some of these car parks are not always open too so be sure to do plenty of research before setting off to Amsterdam in a car.

If you have to bring your vehicle into the centre of Amsterdam for whatever reason, be aware that parking in Amsterdam's most central neighbourhoods is either prohibited or restricted (e.g. resident permits or Sunday parking only). Again, I would advise doing lots of research or checking with your accommodation prior to arrival. Most hotels with car parks will charge you for overnight parking too, so keep this in mind.

Lastly, on the topic of driving in Amsterdam and in the Netherlands in general, it's worth knowing that it can be VERY different from driving at home. Mainly thanks to the strict liability laws and road rules which prioritise pedestrians and cyclists (but sometimes not seemingly in that order!) over car drivers and vehicles, you will have to ALWAYS be on the lookout for cyclists and bike paths. I know it may seem I'm trying to put you off driving to Amsterdam, but speaking as a car owner in the city, it's often a lot more stress than it's worth!

What to Pack for Amsterdam

Deciding what to pack for Amsterdam really depends on what time of year you are planning to visit, who you are travelling with and what you plan on doing. In each of my seasonal guides for Amsterdam, you will find a paragraph on the typical weather in Amsterdam at that time, as well as some suggested things to pack to prepare for that.

However, there are some things that I think are always worth packing for Amsterdam where the weather can be as changeable as you can imagine:

  • Waterproof jacket, that is also ideally windproof as Amsterdam can also have quite strong winds.
  • Comfortable, waterproof shoes suitable for walking and possibly cycling.
  • Windproof umbrella (we have these ones and they've stood the test of Amsterdam's winds so far!) or if you're travelling light, a compact travel umbrella.
  • Sunglasses, because the sun does come out every now and again!
  • A hat (A warm woollen one in winter or a cap or summer hat in summer)
  • A scarf that can double up as another layer/blanket if you're going on an outdoor canal boat tour and the weather turns.
  • A smaller purse that can be zipped up and kept close to your body. (Amsterdam is safe but petty crime such as pick-pocketing and distraction theft is more likely to happen in touristy parts of town.)
  • Jeans/trousers (i.e. not just skirts or dresses) if you do plan on cycling as it just makes it much easier!
  • A foldable shopping bag! Because you will get charged for plastic or cloth bags in supermarkets and shops!
  • Mosquito spray! Yes, I really did just write that because Amsterdam has a lot more mosquitoes than you may imagine.

In terms of choosing what to wear for evenings out either at a restaurant, the theatre or in bars, it's good to know that Amsterdam doesn't really have a "dress code" as such. Unless you're going to one of the fancier hotel restaurants, I don't think many restaurants or bars in Amsterdam even have formal dress codes. As for nightclubs, you would have to check with each establishment but I would be surprised if any wouldn't let you in wearing jeans and trainers (unlike a lot of London nightclubs).

As a woman who likes getting dressed up now and again I like how I can put on one of brightest and most fun vintage dresses and heels one evening out to dinner or a bar with friends, but the next time I can just show up in jeans or trousers with trainers and both are very acceptable. The only thing that normally influences what I wear in Amsterdam is whether I'm going to be cycling or not, because it can be quite a talent to cycle in a long, floaty skirt and heels.

Amsterdam Travel Planning - What You MUST Book in Advance

With a number of world famous museums and attractions, it's not unusual to see queues forming outside places you want to go. It's really very easy to book a number of these places in advance, and actually there are a few places where you MUST book online and in advance in order to actually go at all.

I've summarised the places you must book in advance below and I've also included other Amsterdam museums and attractions that I strongly recommend booking if they're a priority for you to visit. If there are others you want to do, you can still book tickets online in advance for them, and this is a great idea as it will almost certainly save you time on the day and possibly money too!

It's worth knowing many museums, attractions, public transport and even a canal boat cruise are all included in an I amsterdam City Card - and your free entry will include skipping a queue - so definitely look into that before you book your museums in advance.

The following museums must be booked in advance if you want to ensure you go during your visit:

Anne Frank House release 80% of their tickets 2 months in advance. They then release the remaining 20% of their tickets on the day at 9am. You have to be online at the right time in order to then join a queue to get a chance of booking your tickets. For both types of ticket sales there are time slots that you have to honour or you may not be given access.

To get tickets to Anne Frank House on the day you have to be online and ready by 8:45 and then just wait and see. That said, some days not all tickets sell out immediately. It really does depend on the day of the week, the time of year you're visiting and how many tickets you want to buy.

Please note that the Anne Frank House is NOT included in the I amsterdam City Card.

For Van Gogh Museum, you are strongly advised to buy a ticket online and again these have time slots and start times that you must honour. They don't limit when tickets are released so you can book tickets for Van Gogh far in advance.

I believe they may reserve some tickets on the day for walk-ins (or rather queue-ers and eventual walk-ins) but the number of these will be very limited so please don't plan this as the way you go to the museum. The other good news is that the tickets for Van Gogh don't go quite so quickly as those for Anne Frank.

Van Gogh is included in the I amsterdam City Card but you still need to go online to secure the date and time of your visit. If you have an I amsterdam City Card (or other type of card that gets you free entry) you must register online for a free ticket to Van Gogh Museum (and then take your City Card or Museumkaart with you at this time along with your free ticket).

The following museums and attractions are those that I highly recommend booking in advance if you want to go during your visit as they can get booked up very quickly or you can often find queues waiting to get in.

How to Get Around Amsterdam

If you can, I will always advise visitors to Amsterdam to walk. It's a small city, is ridiculously flat and ridiculously pretty. This combination makes walking the best way to get your bearings and see the many sights - and spot other things in between.

Personally, I think Google Maps is the best possible map and guide to find your way around Amsterdam, but I do also think the Lonely Planet city guide with map is also a great analog way to do it too. Of course, it can also be fun just wandering around without a map!

However, if walking is a potential problem for you or you'd just rather not walk, then you can easily get around Amsterdam by public transport which in my opinion is generally really good. If this is also not an option, I go on to talk about taxis at the end of this section.

Cycling in Amsterdam

Of course, you can also do what the Dutch (and many other nationalities like me!) do and cycle. It may be strange to you to read this, but as a resident of Amsterdam (who cycles many kilometres in the city every single day) I don't really recommend cycling to visitors.

Unless you are a confident and proficient cyclist (not necessarily the same thing!), are familiar with cycling on Amsterdam's streets and/or have experience cycling in inner cities elsewhere, riding a bike in Amsterdam is not exactly easy or stress-free. Locals are also very unforgiving (which you may find out as a pedestrian!) and can spot tourists on two wheels a mile. It took me many months of cycling regularly to have the same confidence (or arrogance?!) but even now I can get overwhelmed by how busy the bike paths become in "rush hour" and also how aggressive some cyclists can be.

For these reasons but multiplied by however many people are there, I definitely don't recommend any cycling tours of Amsterdam, especially those that take you into the Red Light District or busier parts of the city. You will not feel welcome and you will most likely not see much because you'll be too busy trying to concentrate on not hurting yourself or anyone else. 

All this being said, if you want to simply ignore my advice and rent bikes anyway, please do read these tips for cycling in Amsterdam as they will explain some of those unwritten rules we locals know that most visitors don't!

Taxis (and Cars) in Amsterdam

I also DO NOT recommend getting around by car or taxi. Yes, for environmental reasons, but also because not everything is accessible by car and parking is limited and very expensive. 

Taxis are also very expensive but I do use them when the weather is terrible or late at night. You can get taxis fairly easily by going to a taxi rank (they are normally near hotels) or by calling 020 777 7777 (with the country code +31 if needed) and giving them your address and they will send a taxi as quickly as possible. It is generally not possible to flag down a taxi driving by on the street so don't waste too much time trying!

I also know lots of Amsterdammers who use Uber, but this isn't my preferred choice of transport to get around Amsterdam so I can't honestly recommend it to you either. 

Public Transport in Amsterdam

There are multiple modes of public transport in central Amsterdam; Metro (underground train), buses, trams and pedestrian ferry boats. I will talk about each a bit below before going on to highlight costs and prices, as well as how you get tickets, but for any information about public transport in Amsterdam including ticket prices, route planning and other important details you need to go the GVB website, which has several pages in English and special tourist guides in other languages.

I talk about the types of available tickets in the section under Metros, just below. Please do read this carefully as it will help you be best prepared to use public transport in Amsterdam. You can buy your tickets at Metro stations, on trams and on buses. You can also purchase tickets from a number of shops and other locations in Amsterdam; here is a map.

Metro

The Metro is almost laughably small compared with other capital cities' underground train networks with just four different lines, but it is a relatively efficient and reliable network that can get you across town or in and out of town quite quickly. That said, it's not comprehensive and there are huge chunks of the city that aren't close to a Metro station at all. 

Since the new North-South line opened in 2019, the Metro has become quite a bit more popular and it has made going from the south of Amsterdam to the centre of town, Centraal Station and of course, the North in record time.

Metros in Amsterdam are run by GVB and you pay for a time travel card to go on these trains (as opposed to a route). You can choose for a one hour, 24 hours or longer travel card and machines are available at all Metro stations where you can (usually!) use cash, pin cards (Maestro) and credit cards. Prices may vary but at the time of writing (Feb 2020), a one hour card is €3,20, and a 24-hour card is €8,00.

GVB travel cards bought for the Metro can also be used on trams and buses.

IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT or your ticket won't be valid and you then may not be able to use it again within the time period you paid for. You do this on the Metro by going through the gates and using your card to open them (and it will beep to tell you it's checked in or out).

Your tickets are not validated until the first time you check in on a Metro (or bus/tram), therefore you can buy several one hour (or longer) travel cards at one time and keep them ready for when you need them. This can save you time having to always use a machine. However, you must be VERY careful not to activate a card you are saving for later while it's in your bag or pocket (the readers can be sensitive!) as you can't "unvalidate" it, if that makes sense!

The Metro in Amsterdam is very accessible and wheel-friendly. All stations have lift access (providing they're working!) and the trains themselves are designed to make it easy for wheelchairs, buggies and even bikes to get on. The Metro is easily the best mode of public transport for wheelchair users and I just hope other modes of transport follow suit and get better!

Here is a map of the Metro routes in Amsterdam.

The Metros in Amsterdam start running at 06:00 and stop at midnight.

Trams

After the Metro, trams are potentially the quickest way to cross town and the tram network in Amsterdam is very comprehensive, with 15 different tram lines criss-crossing the city.

It's impossible to visit Amsterdam and not be aware of the blue and white trams dinging their way along the streets so you may as well hop on one and enjoy the ride. In fact, the number 2 tram line has been called one of the most scenic tram rides in the world.

Trams are run by GVB - the same company that manages inner Amsterdam public transport - so when you buy a GVB travel card for the Metro it can also be used on the trams. Depending on the tram line, you can purchase a travel card from the driver or a conductor who sits in the middle of the tram.

It's also essential to check in and check out when you're using the trams or you risk your ticket not staying valid. On trams, you do this by holding your ticket up to the circular readers next to the doors. Again you should listen for the beep to tell you it's been read.

It's important to look at the doors on the tram to know where you can get on and where you get off as they're not all for dual purpose!

Please note that sadly not all trams are accessible on wheels as some (the older style trams) have steps you have to walk up to get on board. Furthermore, the tram stops are not all designed for a "gap free" step up to the tram. This guide has more information about accessibility on tram lines.

Here is a map of all the tram routes in Amsterdam.

Trams in Amsterdam also start running at 06:00 and they stop by approximately 00:30.

Buses

The other mode of public transport in Amsterdam that is run by GVB (and therefore you can use a GVB travel card on) are buses. I don't use buses in Amsterdam very often, but when I have I've always been surprised how pleasant they are and how friendly the drivers are. (Coming from London it was always a bit hit and miss!)

Buses in Amsterdam are very useful to know about if you're staying far out of the city or if you want to visit areas of the city that aren't well connected by trams or the Metro (so the islands out in Eastern Docklands, and parts of North Amsterdam).

You can buy your GVB travel cards on a bus from the driver and you can use cash or a Maestro debit card, and possibly a credit card but I don't know for 100% certain as I have never done this.

Here is a map of all the bus routes in Amsterdam (and you'll also find them on Google maps, I believe).

Normal bus routes in Amsterdam start running at 06:00 and they stop by approximately 00:30.

Night buses run throughout the night from 12:30 to 07:00. Here is a map of night bus routes in Amsterdam, which are all valid with a valid GVB travel card. If you don't have a travel card, rates for night buses are different to the cost of a travel card (it's currently €4,70 in February 2020) and you should pay the driver when you board.

Ferries

GVB run a number of free ferries connecting Amsterdam Noord with the rest of the city, over the IJ water that separates it. These ferries are completely free and run from the back of Centraal Station to a number of points on Noord mainland. You can walk on and walk off the ferries and you they are all easily accessible - indeed, you'll be joined by lots of cyclists and scooter drivers as they also use the ferries.

You can check the next departure of the ferries on a special app called Pontveer, available for Android and iOS.

The ferries typically depart every 10-30 minutes depending on the stop and here is a map of all the ferry routes.

Some of the ferries run 24 hours a day (but less frequently at night) and others start around 06:00 but stop before midnight. Ferry departure times also vary  It's best to check on the GVB Route Planner before planning your journey.

Where to Stay in Amsterdam: Tips & Advice

Choosing the best place to stay in Amsterdam is a tricky thing to think about because there is so much choice. With so many neighbourhoods, so many hotels, so many Airbnbs to choose from it's hard to know where to start. So let me help you.

Firstly, decide if you want to stay in the centre of town or not. The centre of Amsterdam is busy, over-crowded and generally-speaking, hotels are either very expensive with tiny clean rooms, or very inexpensive with tiny not-so-clean rooms. Of course, it's not quite that black and white, and indeed there are some Amsterdam city centre hotels I highly recommend, but in general, if you don't want to spend over 300 Euros for a really comfortable hotel room, and you don't mind cycling, walking or hopping on a tram to get into the centre of town in under fifteen minutes, avoid the city centre. I have gone into greater detail above, but in general public transport in Amsterdam is pretty good in that it's relatively affordable (for a capital city), mostly very clean and reliable. And the city is small, flat and has many pedestrianised areas so great for walking too.

Personally, the things I like most about living in Amsterdam are all on the outskirts of the city, but I know that if this is your first visit to Amsterdam, you only really want to see the Red Light District and within the main ring canals, and you don't mind compromising on space, style or service (or all three) to keep it affordable, then definitely check out the options in this list of central Amsterdam hotels. Alternatively, you could try find a very central Amsterdam Airbnb, but often these are also very expensive and not always the biggest properties!

If you decide to stay outside of the city centre, take some time to read this Amsterdam neighbourhood guide to pick a neighbourhood that suits you. And then you can check out this list of the best Amsterdam for all budgets all over the city.

Once you have picked your neighbourhood, you should think about the kind of accommodation you want to stay in. With so many hotels, and Airbnb options too, there is a lot of choice so with a bit of research you can get great value for money. As with these previous travel tips I shared, I always try to book directly with a hotel company (and it never hurts to phone up to do so and find out if they have any special offers) but I also do a quick check on Booking and TripAdvisor to see if any booking agents are offering a cheaper price that what the hotel website lists.

A word of warning with Airbnbs, they are not as cheap as they used to be. Amsterdam local laws changed in 2017 making it illegal for people to rent out their spare rooms or homes for more than a total of 30 days each year (unless they had a special and expensive license) and thus those who enjoyed this source of income upped their prices or pulled their properties completely. You can still find other serviced apartments on Booking.com and on sites like HomeAway.com and I have heard good things about Zoku, as well as Yays apartments.

If you do stay in a self-catering apartment in Amsterdam, be sure to check out this post giving you lots of tips for getting prepared and settled in an apartment from knowing where to do your supermarket shopping through to what you need to know about rubbish and recycling.

Please note that all accommodation stays are subject to a compulsory tourist tax (which applies to hotels, hostels, Airbnbs and any commercial accommodation) that most people will be asked to pay upon arrival at the hotel. This is a fixed tax of 7% of whatever your accommodation price is PLUS €3,00 per night. Find out more information about the tourist tax here.

Tips for Staying Safe in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a very safe city (considered to be in the top 15 safest major cities in the world in a 2019 Economist report), but it is a city nonetheless and it is by far the most "dangerous" municipality in the Netherlands with instances of low-level and major crime every year. This article is the most balanced at breaking down the type of crime and safety risks you have to think about (or not, actually!) when living in or visiting Amsterdam.

For tourists, I would say your biggest concern are pick-pocketing, muggings and scams (like the aforementioned taxi driver scam that has now thankfully gotten better). Therefore I will always advise visitors to Amsterdam taking plenty of precautions to avoid getting stuff stolen from your pockets, bags or hands.

I can honestly say that I have never felt threatened or even close to  know how vulnerable you can feel as a visitor so here are some really quick tips and advice for helping you stay and feel safe during your visit to Amsterdam.

  • Petty crime is a problem in tourist heavy areas and occur more often at night, so the best way to avoid this is not heading into the centre of Amsterdam or other busy areas after dark.
  • Practice caution and safety with your belongings. Keep valuables out of sight, don't walk through the parks alone at night (indeed many of them close their gates after dark), zip up pockets and bags when possible, and if you have to use your phone, wait until you are in a public area that feels safe.
  • Use drugs and alcohol sensibly. A friend of mine recently visited Amsterdam and was walking through the Red Light District (very sober!) and saw a group of young men actively targeting drunk and possibly high tourists in terms of befriending them/chatting on the street while someone else would attempt to pick-pocket them. He reported them to the police, but it's clear that they will target those who aren't sober or hyper aware.
  • If you're cycling, listen to what the bike hire company say about locking up your bike. Always use a chain and loop it around the frame, front wheel and around something immovable or heavy. If you can't chain it to something else, chain it to another bike, or failing that just make sure the chain is through the frame and the front wheel. Bikes getting stolen is one of the "worst" crimes in Amsterdam and the more expensive the bike, the more risk (hence why most people in Amsterdam have rusty old bikes!).
  • Exercise all the usual caution with regard to ATMS. If it looks tampered with, avoid! Again, going to ATMS inside banks is the safest way to avoid those fitted with skimming devices.
  • Exercise caution with regard to any unsolicited offer made to you on the street. Be it for drugs, parties, club nights, tours, whatever, if somebody approaches you on the street, my best advice is to say no thank you and walk away. Amsterdam is a well set-up city with plenty of ways for you to find the things you want to do and see so you don't need anyone's help.
  • Don't be part of the problem! If I didn't make it clear enough, getting drunk or high in Amsterdam and acting irresponsibly (at any time of day!) is a sure-fire way to make yourself more vulnerable. It's also one way to potentially get yourself in trouble and/or piss off the locals. I'm reliably informed that there are non-uniform police offers walking the Red Light District and other busy tourist areas for everyone's safety, so think about this too.
  • Emergency Services are 112. If you need any of the emergency services (fire, ambulance, police) you should dial 112. All the phone operators speak English (and possibly other languages) and they will help you as needed.

Best Tips for Spending Money in Amsterdam

I really didn't know what heading to use for this section of these Amsterdam travel tips but basically here is where you'll find everything you need to know about spending money in Amsterdam. As with all places, there are subtle differences and some unwritten rules you need to know about when trying to pay for things in Amsterdam, so do have a read of the following and also check with your own bank/s what you can and can't use to make purchases in the Netherlands.

There are lots of ATMs all over Amsterdam but like in most cities, some will charge you for taking money out and others won't. My best advice (if it's not clear on the ATM itself) is to only use ATMs that are for the main Dutch banks (like ING, Rabobank, ABN Amro). This will also make life easier in terms of finding an ATM as you can just look in Google maps for a bank and most will have ATMs you can use.

It's up to your own bank what exchange rate you will get for getting money out in Amsterdam, and likewise, what they will charge you for this use. If you plan on using an ATM or card in Amsterdam it's best to call your bank and find out before you leave for Amsterdam, and in doing so you can also give them the dates of your trip so that you don't trigger any of their international banking alerts (thinking the foreign activity is fraud or a stolen card).

While paying for things with cash is an easy way to budget your Amsterdam travel, it's worth knowing that not all shops and businesses will accept cash. Many will be "Pin Only" (Alleen Pinnen in Dutch) and so I always suggest you check how you can pay for something before you actually go ahead and order or get to paying.

Using debit cards in Amsterdam can get a bit confusing and tricky. In the Netherlands, Maestro is the most common way people pay for things with a debit card, and this is generally called "pinnen". It's my experience that Visa Debit and other debit banking systems will only work in the Netherlands when you can also pay by credit card somewhere. (Don't ask me why, I'm just the messenger!). That said, I don't know for sure if you have a British or German Maestro card, if you can actually use it in the Netherlands in the same way.

Using credit cards in Amsterdam is generally acceptable and easy enough, however, not all shops will accept them. If in doubt, be sure to check before you get to the payment stage! You should look out for a sign displaying which credit card systems they accept or by asking a staff member.

The most important shop that doesn't accept credit cards is the largest Dutch supermarket, Albert Heijn. This can make life for visitors very stressful when they get to a check out with all the groceries bagged up and they can't even pay for them. 

Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most other places, but you may struggle more with American Express or Diners.

So, my best advice is to not rely on either just a credit card or just cash but to come prepared with a mix of both.

And if you're interested, tipping in Amsterdam isn't so much a culture as an etiquette and I wrote a long guide about when (and when not) to tip in Amsterdam and how much here.

If you don't have a credit card or don't want to get one, you may want to look at getting the kind of credit card where you can top-up some money on it prior to arrival in Amsterdam. You can even now get cards that are designed for foreign exchange transactions.

Eating Out in Amsterdam - What You Need to Know

While the Netherlands isn't exactly famous for its national cuisine, don't let that lead you to think that Amsterdam doesn't have a foodie scene. It DOES!!! One of the main reasons we fell in love with Amsterdam was how it had so much variety in its restaurants, cafes, and eateries, and at the time (back in 2012 and 2013 eating out and drinking in bars was relatively affordable too (under €20 per person for at least 2 courses and a bottle of wine). Nowadays, eating out has become more expensive (main dishes are around €15, 2-course meals are around €25 - 30, and a bottle of wine is usually €12-20), but it's also true that eating out in Amsterdam has just gotten better and better with more choice and more restaurants opening up.

For this reason alone, if you want to go out to specific restaurants while you're in Amsterdam I strongly recommend making a reservation. The most popular places get booked up quickly, especially for Friday and Saturday nights. 

That said, there are some places in Amsterdam where they don't take reservations and you may find yourselves queuing for some of Amsterdam's most popular (or Insta-famous!) restaurants and cafes so always, always check their websites in advance.

Most restaurants will open on Sundays, but not all. Mondays are also often days when restaurants close. So, again please do check out individual restaurants' websites. 

The Dutch have something of a reputation for eating early (around 6pm for dinner at home) and while this isn't strictly true for all Dutch families (we eat dinner earlier than many of our Dutch friends) it's valid that not all restaurants' kitchens will stay open all night. It's my experience that it's really not typical for dinner to still be served after 22:00 unless the restaurant specifically advertises late opening hours. Eating dinner between 19:00 and 21:00 is most "normal" so keep this in mind when booking dinner reservations.

Lunch can be anything from 11:30-14:30 and many places will have kitchens that stay open all afternoon (or indeed all day - but don't expect it as some will also close in between lunch and dinner).

Places serving breakfast will normally open around 8:00 or 9:00 at weekends, which I know isn't very early for some people so my best advice for those wanting an earlier breakfast is to research breakfast times at hotels in Amsterdam. 

If you are vegetarian or vegan, please do read my guide to vegan Amsterdam. Heck, even if you're not vegan or vegetarian give it a little look because it includes some of my favourite restaurants that just happen to be veggie or vegan.

I would say that Amsterdam is a forward-thinking and accommodating city and most restaurants that will happily cater to those with specific dietary requirements or food allergies. Please do notify serving staff or management if you have any allergies or intolerances, they will hopefully be honest and direct about how they can or can't cater to you. A few blogs worth checking out for more help is Glutenfree Amsterdam, this blog post on Lactose Free Restaurant recommendations (but it is in Dutch), Happy Cow (for vegan and vegetarian dining), Vegan Amsterdam, Vegan Food Amsterdam, and Healthy Living Amsterdam.

For restaurant recommendations, I always put forward fellow Amsterdam-based British writer Vicky's blog Amsterdam Foodie. It is easily the most comprehensive guide to where to eat in Amsterdam with hundreds of restaurant reviews. You can search by food type, restaurant location and even budget preference so please do bookmark this site.

There are TONS of different eating tours you can do in Amsterdam, including walking tours, canal boat tours with dinner and drinks and even private cooking classes. I did an Eating Amsterdam tour of Jordaan and really enjoyed it, although it's probably a little out of most people's price range and was quite a long tour (4+ hours).

If you want to know the best Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, I think it really can depend on what you like but personally I love bitterballen, stamppot, poffertjes and even the famous pickled herring. You also have to save enough space and time to go and try a slice of the famous best Dutch apple pie in Amsterdam. You'll almost certainly have to queue but it's worth it. I'm not the biggest fan of stroopwafels but I do know that you can get the most colourful and photo-worthy ones at Van Wonderen. 

If you are a foodie traveller, one of the best places you should go is Foodhallen where you can find lots of different street food style stalls in an indoor refurbished old tram garage. Many of the stalls are little outlets of bigger Amsterdam restaurants and so you can sample lots of different foods in one place and then go find their restaurant if you really like what you tasted. 

Another quirky place that is uniquely Dutch is FEBO, a strange take on fast food featuring Dutch specialities like bitterballen and croquettes served in holes in a wall that are heated up ready for you take once you've paid your money. It's named after Ferdinand Bolstraat, the street where the first FEBO opened (and it's still there today in the fantastic area of De Pijp).

Things to Do in Amsterdam: Tips & Advice

So, the best things to do in Amsterdam. Where do I start? Where does anyone start deciding what to do in Amsterdam because there really is so much to do!? 

Well, lucky for you, I do know where you can start. This Amsterdam bucket list should be a good place. It's basically a mixture of the best super famous and toruisty tings to do In Amsterdam along with a good mix of more unusual and off-the-beaten track things to do.

And then I would recommend checking out these Amsterdam one day itineraries, which should help you plan either a quick Amsterdam visit or a series of days inspired by what you really like to do in a place (e.g. there are itineraries for foodies, history junkies, art lovers, book lovers and more!).

Moving on from here, remember to check out these seasonal guides for Amsterdam in spring, summer, autumn, and winter to give you some ideas of the best things to do then as well as seasonal events to look out for.

if you're travelling to Amsterdam on a budget I would highly recommend working your way through this list of over 100 free things to do in Amsterdam (yes they are ALL free!), and then settle in to read this guide to visiting Amsterdam on a budget.

If you're a solo traveller, this solo travel in Amsterdam guide has some of the best things to do in Amsterdam alone OR some of the best ways to meet fellow travellers in Amsterdam, depending on what you like to do.

If you have kids you should check out two posts; Firstly, my guide to visiting Amsterdam with kids of all ages, and secondly, if you have teens or tweens, a guide to visiting Amsterdam with teenagers (also just a cool list of arguably the coolest things to do in Amsterdam).

In terms of tours, I have only done two tours in Amsterdam - a private walking tour of the Red Light District and a lovely food tour of Jordaan area of Amsterdam - and really enjoyed both. For booking tours I highly recommend booking with either GetYourGuide or Viator as they have real traveller reviews, work direct with museums and attractions to offer you the best price and offer a good variety of languages and options.

And if you want to make the most of your evenings and nights in Amsterdam, you need to check out this post listing over 30 different fun nighttime Amsterdam activities including the best bars, best live music venues, best night tours and best unusual things to do at night in Amsterdam.

Finally, if you plan on visiting at least 3 of Amsterdam's main museums or attractions, doing a canal boat tour AND using public transport, I strongly recommend investing in an I amsterdam City Card which could you get all of this for free. You can get the card delivered to your home address months in advance of your travel (you activate it when you first use it in a museum or on public transport) or you can get it delivered to your hotel if you are travelling in a few days or weeks. Read more of my honest review to understand why I think it's worth the price and what are the best things to do with your I amsterdam City Card.

If you're visiting Amsterdam as part of a tour of the Netherlands, then please do check out this list of the best cities in the Netherlands, the best day trips you can do from Amsterdam and also my city guide for Rotterdam if you want to go there.

Best Apps & Websites for Amsterdam Travel

My number one Amsterdam app is Buienradar, which will show you the forecasted weather on a map for the coming one hour, three hours and 24 hours. It's not always 100% accurate but it's pretty close and is the first app I check when I think about what I'm going to do that day.

If Buienradar is forcing you to be more organised than you really want to be, Drops is the app you want to send warning notifications when rain is scheduled for wherever you are at that time!

Google Maps, in my opinion, is still the best mapping app out there and I use it every day in Amsterdam to find places to eat or shop, and to plan my journeys (with bike, walking or on public transport). If you don't want to use mobile data while out and about in Amsterdam, I highly recommend downloading an offline version of Google maps so you have much less chance of getting lost while you're here!

The next app I use the most living in Amsterdam is Google Translate. While I'll probably use it for translating tax documents, you should use Google Translate to quickly scan menus (using your phone camera) or translate a funny word. While yes, most Dutch people speak excellent English, it may not always be possible to get an English version of a menu so get that app and never be caught out ordering something you don't like.

After Google Maps, I will probably use GVB Route Planner the most to plan my public transport journeys around the city and to find out about any disruption or cancellations on the network. Other Dutchies swear by 9292.nl but personally, I've not found it to do anything the other apps don't.

If you want to travel further afield by train, make sure you use NS's English version of their route planner.

While I've not used it myself, the Tranzer app apparently allows you to buy and store public transport tickets on your phone and you can also use it to book taxis.

Speaking of booking taxis, there is a central radio taxi company, TCA, that you can call at any time and request a taxi 020 777 7777. They will nearly always have a car with you within 10 minutes if you're in central or suburban Amsterdam. They also have an app you can use if you prefer.

Iamsterdam website is arguably the best resource of information about Amsterdam. I still use it myself to find out what's going on and what's new. It's also where you can 

In my opinion, GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites to use to book tours and activities in Amsterdam (and each have app versions if you prefer).

Airbnb Experiences have some cool and more unusual Amsterdam tours and experiences too.

There are a number of ways you can rent a bike in Amsterdam, and Flick Bike is one of them meaning you can organise and find rental bikes without even having to talk to somebody.

Aaaand if you do hire a bike and you get a flat tire or your bike's chain breaks, use FlatTire.nl to find an on-the-go repair person who can come to your location and fix your bike.

If you plan on hiring a boat yourself, you may want to download the VaarWater app by the national water company Waternet as it will give you a map that shows you where you can and can't go, best places to moor a boat and the prettiest waterways in Amsterdam.

As mentioned above, I think Amsterdam Foodie is the best website for researching great places to eat. I also recommend checking out Little Black Book for other restaurant recommendations including places that have just opened. It's also a good blog for finding out the most up to date weekend events listings.

If you want to book a last minute restaurant in Amsterdam, download the Spontaan app, and if you're travelling on a real budget and you're eco-conscious, you may want to look at the TooGoodtoGo app which lets you pick up super cheap and super yummy food that would otherwise be going in the bin that night. 

When wanting to order food for delivery, you can use Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Thuisbezorgd (the Dutch version of the Deliveroo). Some take-aways will still have their own delivery drivers but I like to use Deliveroo as you can search by postcode to see what's close by.

Want to know where you can find a drinking water tap? Use the Refill app, which will also work in many other countries on your travels. (PS The tap water in Amsterdam is not only completely safe, it's delicious!)

And if you often find yourself needing the toilet while out and about on your walks, you may want to know about HogeNood which lets you search for the nearest public WC to wherever you are. It can also tell you if there are baby-changing facilities, wheelchair accessible toilets and more.

One of the best sources of Amsterdam travel advice is the Amsterdam Travel Tips Facebook Group where I have met so many future and past visitors to Amsterdam. It's a mostly hugely positive group of those who love travelling to Amsterdam and those who like to help them!

I have a love-hate relationship with Reddit so don't use it very often, but the Amsterdam Subreddit is meticulously looked after and can be a great source of information about what's going on in the city right now as well as general travel tips.

If you want to meet up with others while in Amsterdam you could try looking for events on Meet-Up.

If you're coming to Amsterdam or the Netherlands especially for the tulips you will definitely need to keep an eye on Bloemradar, which will share live updates of which fields are in bloom from March.

For the most beautiful photos of Amsterdam to help get you in the mood, I highly recommend Amsterdamming blog.

Zeroish Living is a local blogger writing about sustainable lifestyle and zero-waste tips in Amsterdam including restaurants and shops that support this movement.

Sustainable Amsterdam is another great blog with more tips about sustainability in Amsterdam, but specifically digs deeper in issues affecting urban planning, business and community in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Mamas is a great resource for families living in or visiting Amsterdam.

And finally, bookmark this page and the one you are on! I am always updating my blog with new Amsterdam travel guides and tips, and likewise I often share them on my Facebook page, my Instagram and on Twitter.

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