Top 5 attractions in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is small and easy to walk, but its museums work almost entirely on timed tickets booked online. These are the five we would put first, with a note on how far ahead to book.

1. The Rijksmuseum

The national museum of the Netherlands, with Rembrandt's Night Watch, Vermeer's Milkmaid and room after room of the Dutch Golden Age. Allow at least two or three hours.

• Book a timed ticket before you go. Book Rijksmuseum tickets.
• The museum stands on Museumplein, a short walk from the Van Gogh Museum, so the two fit into one day.

2. The Van Gogh Museum

The largest collection of Van Gogh's work in the world, from his dark early paintings to the sunflowers and the bright colours of his last years in France.

• Tickets are sold online only, for a set time, and weekend slots go quickly. Book Van Gogh Museum tickets.

3. A canal cruise

The 17th-century canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the best way to see its gabled houses and bridges is from the water. Most cruises last about an hour.

• Cruises leave from Central Station and many points around the centre. Book an Amsterdam canal cruise.
• An evening cruise shows the bridges lit up.

4. The Anne Frank House

The canal house where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Second World War, including the secret annexe behind the bookcase. It is one of the most moving visits in Europe.

• Tickets are sold only on the museum's own website, released a few weeks ahead, and they sell out fast. Book as soon as you know your dates.
• There are no tickets at the door.

5. The Jordaan and the Nine Streets

West of the main canals, the Jordaan is a former working-class area of narrow streets, small bridges, cafés and markets. Next to it, the Nine Streets are full of independent shops. Both are free and best explored on foot.

• Watch out for bike lanes: they are often red, and cyclists have priority.
• Vondelpark, near Museumplein, is the place for a break from the crowds.

How to fit it in

Two days are enough for all five: Museumplein (Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh) on one day, the Anne Frank House, the Jordaan and a canal cruise on the other. Book the Anne Frank House first, as soon as tickets for your dates appear, then plan the museums around it.

Links to Klook in this guide are affiliate links: if you book through them, we may earn a commission. You pay the same price. Prices and cancellation terms are on each ticket page.