Amsterdam knows no low season. There’s the eternal high season, and then there are two peak seasons: April (tulips!) and July (summer!). Despite the city stopping in recent years to limit the number of tourists, the Dutch capital continues to attract visitors by the millions. And understandably so — you’re meandering along the canals one minute, mingling with a van Gogh the next. It’s all fun and games, until you’re elbow to Dam Square.
Finding a little latitude in Amsterdam is far from impossible — it just takes a little strategy. Here are six ways to get started.
Be your own captain
The best way to enjoy Amsterdam is, quite undeniably, from the water. More often than not, a canal tour makes for the first stop on the itinerary. But instead of boarding a tour boat that fits nearly a hundred people, why not be your own captain instead? Throughout the city, there are stations where you can rent small electric boats to suit the size of your group. Get it Sloepdelen (70 euros per hour, or about $77), whose boats fit up to 12 people, or frown (€95 for two hours), with boats for up to six people. No license is required, as long as you are over 18 and remain sober. It’s not just you, the canals and the Amstel River, but a small boat allows you to explore smaller, more unique canals that the big tour boats can’t reach. Or, alternatively, hop on at night when the sun goes down, as bridges and street lights illuminate the dark city.
Do you really want the water yourself? Motor a little outside the city, to, say, Ouderkerk aan de Amstel — a small town on the Amstel River, about six miles south of Amsterdam — where it’s very quiet.
Explore the Jewish quarter
It is unusual for people to travel to Amsterdam for one reason, and one reason only: the Anne Frank’s house. As amazing as the experience is, it books up months in advance.
There are ways beyond the Anne Frank House to explore Amsterdam’s rich World War II history. Explore the Jewish Quarter, which remains steeped in Jewish history and culture. The organization Joods Cultureel Kwartier creates custom walking tours (€90 per guide, with a maximum of 15 people) throughout the district to suit your interests.
Alternatively, be your own tour guide. Explore the sights like Portuguese Synagogue (adult entry: €18), the Museum of Resistance (adult entry: €14), or the National Holocaust Names Memorial, released in 2021 (free entry). It’s a neighborhood full of history, culture and stories — with fewer tourists.
Skip the TikTok line
Since the spring of 2023, the Negen Straatjes neighborhood has been characterized by a seemingly endless line of people. The culprit? TikTok. Certain food items have gone viral — whether it’s Japanese sandwiches, loaded fries or specific chocolate cookies. So viral, in fact, that venues were forced to hire crowd managers to handle the phenomenon that was quickly named “TikTok lines.”
There are so many perfect alternatives to satisfy your cravings that don’t require a 90-minute wait. Stop by Zero Zero on de Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, which serves decadent, homemade schiacciata, a Tuscan bread similar to focaccia. For a more sumptuous meal, sit down Pulitzer Garden, the secluded courtyard at the Pulitzer Hotel, along the Prinsengracht canal. Or go for the Amsterdam classic: an order of bitterballen, Dutch fried meatballs, and an Amsterdam-brewed beer at Café in Luxembourg at ‘t Spui square.
Find bright flowers and green cheer in the Amstelveld
Few places in Amsterdam are as crowded with tourists as the floating flower market in Singel. Cute, sure, but instead you might want to check out a little-known square called Amstelveld for green-thumb tourism.
In the heart of the city center, the Amstelveld is taken over by a plant and flower market every Monday. Quiet, somewhat touristy and surrounded by quaint canals, the Amstelveld is loved by local residents.
The Amstelveld is also home to some great places for al fresco dining, such as Brasserie Nell and the smaller Cafe Marcellawhether you are in for a full meal or just a quick cup of coffee.
Explore the north
There is a small body of water, the IJ, that divides Amsterdam’s city center from its northernmost neighborhood, Amsterdam-Noord. From behind the main train station, Amsterdam Centraal, a free ferry can be taken to cross the water. Once there, the hustle and bustle of the city center fades away, almost making it seem like a different city altogether.
It makes for a perfect quick hideaway from the hustle and bustle of central Amsterdam. Explore this area with a bicycle rental (€10 for three hours), wander the street art and vintage halls at NDSM site, or just relax in one of the many cafes by the water. Enjoy Café de Ceuvelfor example, or the restaurant of Eye Film Museumwhich, on the Noord side, offers a spectacular view of the IJ and the city.
Leave town for the day
When you take a country as small as the Netherlands and add a good rail system, the whole country is yours to roam. There are many beautiful small cities that are easier to manage than Amsterdam, both in terms of size and number of tourists.
Just thirty minutes by train is Utrecht (€8.80), with its magnificent Dom Tower — the tallest church tower in the country — and the Oudegracht, the canal that stretches across the city.
Or explore Haarlem, the small city less than 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train (adults: €4.90). Visit the Frans Hals Museum (adults: €16) and enjoy the art of Dutch masters, or wander through the city’s many secluded courtyards. And from Haarlem, even the beach is within reach. Getting to Bloemendaal aan Zee takes just 20 minutes by bus. Alternatively, the coastal haunt Zandvoort aan Zee is only a 10-minute train ride away (adults and children: €2.60).
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