If you’re wondering the best way to spend three days in Amsterdam, this rambly guide is here to help.

After all, I know first hand the struggle of navigating Amsterdam’s infinite sea of choices… whether your idea of a good time is boozing on a boat with bottomless cheese, or getting drunk on museum fumes instead.

… So, to ensure this itinerary fits your needs no matter your interests, I’ve designed it in a choose-your-own adventure type of format, with activity suggestions broken up by neighbourhood after five trips full of sweet, sweet research. 

I hope you find it helpful!!

Day 1: Amsterdam’s Greatest Hits

The focus on this first day isn’t to exhaust yourself by hopping from museum to museum. Instead, your main goal today is to soak in Amsterdam’s unique vibe, and fall in love with the city slowly but surely. Let’s go!

Breakfast

To kickstart your first day in Amsterdam, we need to make sure you’re properly fuelled, because I’m gonna be real with you: today’s itinerary is intense.

So, no matter what you grab for breakfast, make sure it’s filling and fuelling, preferably with a coffee or ten to go with it.

If you wanted to be as Dutch as humanly possible, I’d advise you simply eat bread.

Yes, the Dutch love their bread, whether topped with cheese, spreads or chocolate sprinkles, and you really can’t get more Dutch than that.

Yogurt and milk with muesli is also a popular choice, and you’ll easily find all these options at any hotel breakfast buffet or supermarket. If you want a warm breakfast though, the good news is Amsterdam is a modern city that (like most cities) has fallen hopelessly in love with brunch spots, so there’s no shortage of places to grab a more filling bite.

I’d recommend searching up places near your accommodation because there truly are SO many options, but I really enjoyed Greenwoods Singel on my last visit.

Morning

Time to get our bearings! Your first morning in Amsterdam will be filled with a lot of sightseeing and canal ogling, because let’s be real, there’s no better way to appreciate the beauty of Amsterdam.

We’ll be tackling some of the city’s busiest and most touristy sections first, because the later we wait in the day, the busier they’ll be. Crowds are inescapable in Amsterdam, but the more you can have the streets and canals to yourself, the better!

Here is the walking route I recommend following on your first morning:

• Damrak – one of THE most quintessentially ‘Amsterdam’ photos – get THE shot first to start your day so the pressure’s off
• Dam Square (via the very pretty De Beurspassage) – Amsterdam’s main square is filled with endless pigeons but worth a quick stop, I guess
• Onwards to De Negen Straatjes (the Nine Streets), a beautiful section of Amsterdam known for being packed with vintage and designer boutique stores, as well as cute cafés. This is truly one of the prettiest parts of the city to stroll around and fall in love with the views, so I’d say the best thing to do is wander around, popping into boutiques as you go and (inevitably) taking ten million photos of canals.

If you want a bit more structure to your exploration though, there are a number of fun things you can do here, including museums if you’re interested, like…

• Houseboat Museum | Buy Tickets: If you want to have a nosey and see what all those cool Amsterdam houseboats look like on the inside, you can in this very small museum
• Museum of the Canals: | Buy Tickets: This museum is actually a really interesting way to learn more about the history of Amsterdam’s canals
• Huis Marseille: The city’s first photography museum, which is located inside a gorgeous 17th-century canal house. The garden is also well worth a look
• Laura Dols: If you’re into vintage clothing, make sure you check out this shop which specialises in fashion from the 1950s

Ultimately though, after all your frolics, I want you to end up at the world-famous Amsterdam Bloemenmarkt, known as the world’s only floating flower market.

I have to say: this is an incredibly touristy place, and we’re only stopping by to check it off your list. I personally wouldn’t do much shopping here, but it’s fun to look at all the tulip-y souvenirs and duck into the Dutch cheese shops offering liberal free samples.

If you don’t completely fill up on those, it’s time for…

Lunch – Fried Dutch Delights

Alright, you’ve fed your eyes (and maybe your brain too if you opted for a museum visit)… now it’s time to feed your stomach!

For this, I recommend a quicker ‘on the go’ lunch, because there’s a lot more to see today. Luckily, the Dutch are master snackers, so there’s no shortage of quicker options to choose from.

Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx is a reliable pick serving up crispy fries in an absurdly delicious sauce. Or, if you want a very quirky novelty experience, you can also grab something quick from a hot vending machine. Look up ‘FEBO’ to find one near you.

Or if you’d prefer a sit-down meal, many bars will have a variety of Dutch snacks to try, like…

• Frieten: Dutch fries, also known as patat, usually served with mayo
• Frikandel: A sort of minced-meat sausage that’s deep-fried – they taste better than they look!
• Bitterballen: Small balls of stew crumbed and deep-fried, usually served with mustard
• Kroket: Basically a larger version of bitterballen, shaped like a sausage
• Kaassoufflé: Cheese that’s crumbed and deep-fried
• Kibbeling: Small pieces of fish that are marinated and fried

Do save room for some sweet treats though! Some popular sweet street foods you can find around Amsterdam include…

• Stroopwafels: The ultimate Dutch treat, two very thin waffles sandwiched together with caramel syrup
• Poffertjes: Sort of like mini puffed up pancakes, usually served with powdered sugar
• Oliebollen: You’ll usually only see oliebollen in winter, they’re deep-fried balls of dough (sometimes with sultanas inside) served with powdered sugar

Afternoon – Museumplein

Next stop: Museumplein, home to four major art museums along with a big open grassed area where events sometimes take place. It’s also just a nice place to sit and people watch when the weather is good. In winter, this is where an ice-skating rink is set up in front of the Rijksmuseum.

If you feel especially passionate about squeezing a museum in, there are plenty of excellent options riiiiight here, though I’ve mainly designated tomorrow to be the ‘museum day’, because today’s all about the vibes.

If you have the time and stamina for a museum visit though, some popular picks here include…

• Rijksmuseum | Buy Tickets: The National Museum of the Netherlands, filled with Dutch art and history exhibitions, along with a gorgeous library. This museum is huge though, so you could easily spend hours here if you’re trying to see everything.
• Van Gogh Museum | Buy Tickets: An art museum completely dedicated to Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, with the largest collection of his works in the world, showing how his style evolved during his lifetime.
• Stedelijk Museum | Buy Tickets: A modern art museum that kinda looks like a bathtub from outside and is filled with contemporary art from around the world on the inside.
• Moco Museum | Buy Tickets: A smaller modern art museum, most famous for containing a number of works by famed graffiti artist Banksy.

Sunset – Canal Cruise

While it might seem touristy, you cannot visit Amsterdam and not spend some time actually on the canals – it’s just one of the most unique and beautiful ways to experience the city!

There are plenty of different canal cruises to choose from but my personal recommendation is to make sure you go at sunset when everything is just that little bit extra magical (at least if the weather is cooperating). Not all Amsterdam canal cruises are created equal though, so make sure you try to get one that’s not completely closed in (unless you’re visiting in the middle of winter) so you can get nice photos.

Most of these cruises take between an hour to an hour and a half, often with a bar on board so you can have some drinks. You could even do a fancy wine and cheese-tasting cruise or one on a boat that’s been covered in flowers!

Dinner – Something Dutch

To be completely honest with you, Dutch cuisine doesn’t have the best reputation… not even among Dutch people, but when in Amsterdam, you should try some classics at least once!

For traditional Dutch dishes, Moeders is a popular tried and true classic, offering up traditional dishes like erwtsensoep, stamppot, and hachée, in a cosy restaurant lined with photos of mothers.

But, there are plenty of other places serving up Dutch comfort food around the city. Some dishes to have on your radar include…

• Stamppot: A big sausage is placed on a pile of potatoes mashed with other vegetables (usually kale or endive which makes it look a bit green) and covered in gravy
• Hutspot: A dish of boiled and mashed carrots, potatoes and onions, often served with gravy and sometimes with sausage or carbonade
• Erwtensoep (or snert!): Traditional Dutch split pea soup, usually so thick your spoon can stand up in it, often including chunks of pork and other vegetables too
• Hachée: A rich meat stew with gravy, usually served with potatoes

Evening – Red Light District (If Desired) OR Cozy into a Brown Cafe

I know – how have we spent a whole day in Amsterdam without visiting the Red Light District?! Well, I decided to save that for the evening.

This is the most infamous part of the city, where prostitution is legal and you’ll see sex workers standing in red-lit windows all over the place. There are also erotic shows, erotic shops, bars, and even museums about the industry.

And I get it – the Red Light District is a big part of Amsterdam’s unique allure so you should definitely stop by to take a look if you’re interested, but it’s not the best place to hang out by any means.

If you’re looking for something cozier, I can recommend visiting a brown cafe instead. These bars usually feature a lot of wood (which is why they’re called brown) and most closely resemble a traditional British pub. They’re a great place to have a drink and some nibbles and maybe even strike up a conversation with a friendly local.

My recommendation? In ‘t Aepjen right by the Red Light District is a fun one – it’s reportedly the oldest bar in Amsterdam and filled with monkey statues, because it used to be popular among sailors who would often pay for their drinks with live monkeys they’d brought back from overseas!

Café De Dokter is another cozy (though tiny) pick.

Day 2: History and Culture Day

Alright, by now you should have already fallen hopelessly in love with Amsterdam, so today we’re going to get some culture in you so you learn something too. Get ready – it’s another heavy one!

Morning – Anne Frank House or Another Big Amsterdam Attraction/Museum

After caffeinating sufficiently over breakfast, it’s time to tackle one of the bigger Amsterdam attractions.

My personal recommendation would be to visit the Anne Frank House, where local Jewish girl Anne Frank and her family hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, and where she penned her famous diary which would later be published as “Diary of a Young Girl.” This museum is in the exact building where Anne hid and wrote her diary, with everything recreated to look exactly as it did while she and her family (and some others) were in hiding.

Do be aware that you can only book tickets through their website and reservations open up every Tuesday morning, six weeks ahead of when the booking can be made. So you really have to be on top of things if you want a ticket as they sell out fast!

With a spot as popular as this, honestly you’ll be taking whatever you can get in terms of time slots, but if you can, aim to grab a ticket for the very first time slot of the day. With tickets sold out every single day, going first-thing is your only bet at seeing the space somewhat empty.

If you aren’t able to secure tickets to this, or you’d rather do something else, then I’d recommend picking another ‘big’ Amsterdam attraction like the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum as these tend to be the least busy if you’re able to nab the first entry slot.

Some popular options might be…

• Rijksmuseum | Buy Tickets: If you only have time for one museum in Amsterdam this is an excellent choice, as it includes pieces by Van Gogh and Rembrandt, as well as other big names.
• Van Gogh Museum | Buy Tickets: If you’re a super Van Gogh fan then you might want to just see his work at this museum dedicated to his life and art.
• Heineken Experience | Buy Tickets: If you like beer, and Heineken in particular, then you might like to tour the former brewery, with tastings included, of course!
• Rembrandt House Museum | Buy Tickets: Rembrandt van Rijn is one of the other ‘big’ names in Dutch art, and here you can view exhibitions all about his life and work in a building he once lived in.
• Amsterdam Museum | Buy Tickets: And if you’re interested in the history of Amsterdam itself, this is an excellent museum all about the city.

Lunch – Food Tour

Honestly, I find food tours such a fun way to explore a new destination, but this is especially true in Amsterdam, where many of the typical must-tries are ones that newbie visitors mayyyy not want to eat a giant portion of (think pickled herring for instance).

Here are some picks for popular food tours:

• This food tour through the Jordaan district will take you to six different places to taste delicious treats in a beautiful area
• This highly rated ‘Secret Food Tour‘ of Amsterdam also takes participants to six places, with a special secret tasting at the end (and even includes some Dutch Jenever)
• Or this walking food tour goes to ten different places for tastings across three different neighborhoods!

Alternatively, you can DIY your own food tour by getting some more of Amsterdam’s most popular street foods, like…

1. Fries from Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx
2. Pickled herring from Stubbe’s Haring, a food truck that’s very popular with locals
3. Cheese from Henri Willig, with locations all over the city

Afternoon – Another Museum or Activity

Once you’re too full to walk, it’s time to tackle another shamelessly touristy museum or activity!

Around the Museumplein, you can visit…

• Rijksmuseum, home of Rembrandt’s famous painting “The Night Watch,” as well as a gorgeous library
• Van Gogh Museum, home to many of Van Gogh’s paintings, including popular favorites such as Sunflowers (1889) and Almond Blossoms (1890)
• Stedelijk Museum, a very cool and unique modern art museum
• Moco Museum, another modern art museum, with pieces by Banksy and some cool sculptures in the garden
• Diamant Museum, there’s even a museum on a side street dedicated to diamonds!

Around Jordaan, you can visit…

• Pianola Museum, a quirky museum dedicated to self-playing pianos
• Amsterdam Cheese Museum, definitely a ‘cheesy’ pick, but fun if you like cheese and want to learn a bit more about Dutch varieties and history, with tastings included
• Amsterdam Tulip Museum, right by the cheese museum is another dedicated to that Dutch symbol – the tulip, with history about the famous flower
• A hofje, this area is also home to some very beautiful and peaceful enclosed gardens, known as hofjes. Be mindful of residents but take a peek inside Karthuizerhof or Het Raepenhofje (if they’re open)

Or, if you’re open to going a little farther afield, the Jewish Quarter has a number of interesting attractions, like…

• Joods Museum, all about the history of Jews in Amsterdam, with a special junior museum for children as well
• Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam, a grand synagogue constructed in 1675 which can be visited (with an audio guide) outside of worship times
• National Holocaust Museum, a sobering but important museum about how the Holocaust impacted the Netherlands
• Auschwitzmonument, a moving memorial to the victims of Auschwitz, located within a pretty park

As does Amsterdam Noord, where you can find…

• EYE Film Museum, dedicated to the history of the moving image, with a huge collection of movie posters and films
• This is Holland, a unique 5D flight simulator which takes you on a journey through the whole country
• A’dam Toren (Amsterdam Tower), the big tower you can see from Amsterdam Centraal which has a viewing platform on top (along with the ‘highest swing in Europe’), a restaurant, a bar, a hotel and an underground nightclub
• STRAAT Museum, an awesome museum located in a former ship-building warehouse that’s now filled with huge pieces of graffiti art by artists from around the world

PRO TIP: Just before closing is actually an excellent time to visit some of the more popular museums around here,

If you feel all museum’d out, you can consider another Amsterdam activity like…

• A guided bike tour on colorful bikes covered with flowers
• A stroopwafel making workshop
• A space-cake cooking class!

Dinner – Rijstafel

Alright, since last night you tried some classic Dutch cuisine, tonight it’s about another classic ‘Dutch’ fave – Indonesian rijsttafel!

Literally meaning “rice table,” a rijsttafel offers a wide variety of small Indonesian dishes served with rice and sides, allowing diners to sample many different flavors in one meal.

Despite its culinary appeal, the tradition has fairly dark colonial roots. It emerged during the Dutch occupation of Indonesia, where colonists used elaborate rijsttafels to showcase the wealth and exotic goods of the colony, often as a display to impress guests.

Nowadays there are lots of great restuarants in Amsterdam where you can sample this still popular meal, including:

• Restaurant Long Pura in the Jordaan
• Restaurant Blauw near the Vondelpark
• Aneka Rasa in the Red Light District

Evening: Enjoy some Jenever

If you’re not too stuffed with food to move after dinner, I suggest trying out another Dutch specialty, the liquor known as Jenever (or Genever).

Jenever (sometimes called “Dutch gin”) is a traditional spirit from the Netherlands, considered the ancestor of modern gin. It’s made from distilled malt wine and flavored with juniper berries, giving it a rich, smooth, and slightly herbal taste. There are two main styles: oude (old) and jonge (young), which differ based on their recipe and distillation methods, not age.

Locals have been drinking it for centuries – usually served in a small tulip-shaped glass, filled to the brim. Some old tasting houses (proeflokalen) around the city offer a cozy, historical atmosphere that feels like stepping back in time.

You can probably get some jenever in any old bar in the city, but if you want to take it up a notch, head to one of these places:

• Proeflokaal A. van Wees: A traditional former distillery that’s now a cozy tasting house
• Bols Cocktail Experience: A combination of museum about jenever and a bar, where you can sample some jenever after you’ve toured the museum or even make your own cocktails in a workshop
• Dutch Courage: A modern cocktail bar that’s dedicated to jenever, with more than 150 varieties to try and a selection of jenever-based cocktails

Day 3: Venturing Outside Central Amsterdam

Finally, it’s time to get away from the central core of Amsterdam and see more of what the city has to offer! This will very much be a ‘build your own adventure’ type day, so feel free to swap my morning or afternoon recommendations.

Alternatively, if you feel you’ve explored enough of Amsterdam, you can spend your third day enjoying one of Amsterdam’s many amazing day trips.

• Zaanse Schans: a very cutesy neighborhood not far from Amsterdam known for its traditional green wooden buildings, with seven different museums and eight historic windmills standing on the banks of the River Zaan | Book a Tour
• Edam, Volendam and Marken: Three traditional fishing villages above Amsterdam that are very difficult to get to via public transport, but filled with cute architecture, cheese markets and museums | Book a Tour
• Giethoorn: A gorgeous town that has large parts only accessible via footpath or whisper boat, with pretty bridges and thatched cottages throughout. It’s a fair distance from Amsterdam though, so the most efficient way to visit if you’re short on time is via a tour | Book a Tour
• Rotterdam, The Hague and Delft: If you don’t have a lot of time you can also see the highlights of the nearby modern city of Rotterdam, the home of Dutch parliament and the royal family in The Hague and the home of Delfts Blauw china in Delft all in one day | Book a Tour

Breakfast – Coffee Somewhere Beautiful

Alright, caffeination is once again the priority, so shove some bread down your gullet (as the Dutch like to do) and get thee to a cafe.

Luckily, Amsterdam is full of gorgeous coffee spots (and coffee ‘shops’ serving weed, if that’s how you want this day to go).

But let’s prioritize coffee for now.

There are truly TOO many options for me to list them all, but here are some of the most popular and beautiful cafes you can visit:

• Café Americain: A stunning Art-Deco style grand café on the Leidseplein, with stained-glass windows, pendant chandeliers and a menu serving food, cocktails and even deluxe afternoon tea – although the breakfast menu is particularly yummy
• Café Luxembourg: One of the most famous grand cafés in the city (The New York Times even called it “one of the world’s great cafés”), also constructed in an Art-Deco style, with a breakfast menu including classics like avocado toast along with a “Luxembourg Breakfast”
• Dignita Hoftuin: This is a beautiful glasshouse-style spot in the garden behind the H’ART Museum (formerly the Hermitage Amsterdam). Not only is the space very lovely and peaceful but their menu is very creative and delicious – try the white chocolate raspberry pancakes if you really want to indulge!

Morning – Noord

Alright, time to see a new side to Amsterdam!

Across the water from Amsterdam’s Centraal Station, you have the glorious Amsterdam-Noord (North) neighborhood, which is very hip and home to some of the most unique attractions in the city, along with quite a large residential area.

Depending on your interests, you have two main options for this morning’s Noord adventure:

OPTION A: NDSM-Werf

This section is a little further away, about a ten-minute free ferry ride from Amsterdam Centraal. NDSM-Werf used to be a shipbuilding yard, but today the many old warehouses have been converted into quirky arts spaces and cool spots to eat.

A highlight is the STRAAT Museum, dedicated to massive pieces of street art, but you’ll also spot plenty of street art in the outside areas too.

Make sure you stop off for a drink at Pllek, a restaurant made from shipping containers with an artificial beach looking out over the River IJ. You can also catch the Pancake Boat (more on that in the lunch section) from here.

OPTION B: This is Holland (and its attractions)

Alternatively, directly across the river from Amsterdam Centraal (and only about a 3-minute free ferry ride) is a section of the Noord neighborhood home to some very cool attractions including the EYE Film Museum, A’dam Toren (Amsterdam Tower) and This is Holland.

My recommendation is to definitely check out This is Holland (a 5D flight simulator which takes you on a virtual tour of the whole country) and the viewing platform on top of Amsterdam Tower, where you can even swing over the edge if you’re brave enough! If you’re into movies then you might also like to visit the EYE Film Museum.

You could even explore further inland in this area to find some cool off-the-beaten-path parks, attractions and cafés, including the WONDR Experience, Oedipus Brewpub and Skatecafe Karin & Yvonne which houses a skate ramp inside.

You can of course save the other for the afternoon, or just speed run both in the morning – up to you!

Lunch – Dutch Pancakes or Apple Pie

SO healthy! And wonderful!

If you haven’t yet tried Dutch pancakes or apple pie at this point of your trip, now’s the time. Dutch pancakes are commonly eaten at lunch or dinner rather than breakfast, so you have the country’s blessing.

As for apple pie? It’s a filling anytime treat… and once you see the portion sizes they do here, you’ll see why I didn’t allocate any extra time or room for other foods.

As for where to secure your sweet treats, some popular spots in Noord include…

• Café ‘t Sluisje: A fair way inland from This is Holland is this charming and laidback waterside café, which is well-known for its huge portions of apple pie and whipped cream. It also very much feels like you’ve left Amsterdam and gotten out into a village in the countryside.
• Pannenkoekenboot Amsterdam: Leaving from NDSM-Werf is the Amsterdam pancake boat, where you can gorge yourself on all-you-can-eat Dutch pancakes while cruising along the river!

Or if you’re heading back to the other side, some very popular places include…

• Het Papeneiland: A historic café which contains a secret passageway and vies for the title of best apple pie in the city. Bill Clinton famously visited and liked the pie so much he bought an entire one to take with him!
• Winkel 43: Another popular spot that is often called the best apple pie in Amsterdam, which is actually only a short walk away from Het Papeneiland, so maybe you could try both, for research’s sake…

Take your sugar rush and press onwards to your next destination…

Afternoon: A Niche Nerdy Thing YOU’RE Interested In

Amsterdam is filled with museums and attractions. You could truly not do them all in a year, let alone three days… so for our final afternoon in the city, it’s time to prioritize! Let’s do something that YOU are personally very interested in.

The amazing thing about Amsterdam’s museum selection is that you’ll find something no matter how niche your interest, from cats and pipes to houseboats, science, maritime history, and more.

Here are some fun ideas:

If you’re interested in science, you can check out…

• NEMO Science Museum: just as impressive inside as it is from the outside (where the exterior famously resembles a giant ship or submarine rising from the Oosterdok), this museum is filled with hands-on exhibits that are particularly fun for children
• Bodyworlds Amsterdam: if you’re not grossed out by medical procedures then this very unique museum uses real preserved human bodies posed in different actions to show visitors how the amazing human body works on every level
• Micropia: an offshoot of Artis Zoo, Micropia is the world’s first museum that focuses on the fascinating world of microorganisms

If you’re interested in art, you can check out…

• Rembrandthuis: in a building where Rembrandt van Rijn once lived, here you can learn more about this Dutch master’s life and works
• H’ART Museum (formerly Hermitage Amsterdam): an art museum with pieces from around the world, with regular fascinating temporary exhibitions
• Museum van Loon: a 17th-century canal house that’s filled with beautiful paintings, porcelain, and furniture as well as an impressive garden

If you’re interested in unique Amsterdam history, you can check out…

• The Jewish Quarter and its attractions: like the Joods Museum and National Holocaust Museum
• Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder: a chapel hidden away in the attic of a 17th-century house in the Red Light District
• Red Light Secrets Museum: all about the history and inner workings of Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District

Or if you’re interested in something you won’t really find anywhere else, you can check out…

• De Kattenkabinet: a small museum in a historic canal house that’s packed with art focusing on cats!
• The Amsterdam Pipe Museum: all about the history of pipe-smoking, with fascinating artefacts and a pipe shop
• Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum: get into the Dutch weed tradition with this museum all about the uses of cannabis, which includes a live garden

Or, if after allllll that, you want to just chill, a trip out to Vondelpark might be just what you need. Other nice relaxing green spaces in the city include…

• Westerpark: a very large park in the west, home to a former gasworks that now houses Fabrique des Lumieres, shops, cafés, an indie cinema and even a club, if you want something else to do after relaxing in the outdoors!
• Oosterpark: a fairly small park not far from Artis Zoo, with some sculptures to view, a children’s wading pool and a small lake
• Rembrandtpark: further west from Vondelpark you’ll find this expansive park, with lots of walking/cycling paths among the different areas, sculptures and lakes, as well as a children’s petting farm

Dinner – Something Memorable

Ooh, vague! I know.

But by now, you should have already ticked off all the major must-dos food wise off your list… so the focus for your final meal in the city should be on something unique and special.

Booking a beautiful canalside restaurant, for instance, will guarantee that you end the trip on a high note. Some popular options include…

• Restaurant Café Van Puffelen: Don’t be confused by the ‘café’ in the name, this is a very classy restaurant with a canal-side terrace and a menu featuring delicious dishes from around the world
• Amstel Restaurant: The restaurant inside the gorgeous five-star InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam Hotel is very classy, and located right down next to the water. The menu is Mediterranean, with one of the most extensive wine lists in the whole city
• Wolf Atelier: A very trendy and modern restaurant in a former railway bridge above the water not far from Centraal Station. Choose from 4 or 5 course tasting menus, or even an incredible 15-course menu!

Or you could go for a unique ‘experience’ dinner, like…

• This three-course dinner in the former 1st class waiting rooms at Amsterdam Centraal Station
• A three-course dinner in the dark
• A four-course dinner cruise along the canals
• Dinner in the skybar/restaurant Madam in Amsterdam Tower

Or, if you want to do something on a budget, a picnic with a view might be the way to go. Here are some of my favourite free viewpoints in Amsterdam:

• NEMO rooftop: The rooftop of the NEMO Science Museum offers sweeping views across the Oosterdok towards Centraal Station
• Museumplein: Looking across the green space towards the impressive Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum and Moco Museum buildings
• Vondelpark: Anywhere overlooking the water would be lovely

I Hope You Enjoyed This Guide on How to Spend Three Days in Amsterdam!

Armed with this 3 Day Amsterdam itinerary, I hope you’ll be able to make the most of every second you have in this epic gem of a city. Safe travels!