How to Tour Amsterdam in a Day — 10 Free or Low Cost Things to Do in Amsterdam, Netherlands!

What if you only had a day to to visit Amsterdam?  Here's how I spent mine, complete with 9 things you must do BEFORE visiting the coffee shops!

In this post Team Member Sally shares how she spent her day in the heart of Amsterdam — visiting the canals was on the top of her list!

It is said that many tourists come to Amsterdam for a week but can only account for the first day… Maybe true, maybe not. 

Well, I cannot speak for ‘them.’ They know the narrative better. Because Amsterdam is considered one, if not the, most permissive places in the world, some things there are merely your responsibility to try.

On my recent trips through Europe, I had one day to spend in Amsterdam. I made the decision not to use a travel guide, since my time was limited. Instead, I just made my way through the city, seeing what I could find — without any plans, set tours or pre-reservations.

Because Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination, many of the hot spots are crowded and require tickets in advance.

Some of them are also quite expensive. My goal was to just enjoy my day, without spending a lot of money. And Amsterdam is the perfect city for it, if you know where to go.

Oh, one more thing before we get started — make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes!

There are many mass transit options for getting around Amsterdam, but you will see so much more on foot (or by bike) and will be in complete control of where you stop. 

By the way, here's something you probably didn't know — according to Lonely Planet, Amsterdam is one of the best regions in the Netherlands for traveling with children!

If you’re like me and only have a short day trip, or plan on “losing time” in Amsterdam, here are things you should do on your first day! Of course if you have more time to spend, you can spread them out.

My day in Amsterdam started at Centraal Station, which I found to be extremely gorgeous and grand. It was hard to believe that I was at a train station.  

Amsterdam Centraal Station is known to have been designed by the same architect who designed the Rijks Musem (which I didn't get to visit this trip) — P.J.H. (Pierre) Cuipers. So obviously it has that museum-like vibe. And you get to visit this one for free!

I posted on Instagram a few photos of myself in front of the facade of this gorgeous building, and I got several comments in the line of why I was not high on weed already! I had just arrived.

I knew that I had come to the right place — not for the cannabis of course (it's just not my cup of tea, but to each their own) — but for the many activities I had lined up...

Enjoy a Cruise on the Beautiful Canals

With 1281 bridges this is definitely a sight to write home about.

I enjoyed the cruise along the canals…the weather was perfect. I got to learn the history of the canals — not only did I hear it from the professional tour guides, but I had my own very able personal guide who for sure did not disappoint.

If you are on a tight budget (or the lines are too long for you to wait), walking along the canal is also extremely enjoyable.

If you are among the few who don’t like being on the water, you can just sit at those cute restaurants along the canals and enjoy the experience on land over some beer — win-win, right?

There is just a lot to see, for example… you can see locals fish for bikes. 

You heard me right, yes…fish for bicycles. It is estimated that 12,000-15,000 bikes are fished from the canals every year.

As I sat watching I couldn’t help but wonder how they got there. I asked and was told there are more bikes in Amsterdam than people and sadly some people treat the canals like their own private garbage dump. For shame!

Rent a Bicycle and Explore the City

While you can find American fast food chains in Amsterdam like McDonalds, Taco Bell and Dunkin' Donuts, leave those for the locals. Instead, go for what the locals eat when they aren't trying to get a taste of America.

Don't leave Amsterdam before you try these local delicacies: kroket (Dutch for croquet but theirs usually aren't round ), frikandel, bitterballen and kaassoufflé.

And oh my, the Stroopwafels - delicious Dutch waffle cookies!  I got mine dipped in mouthwatering Belgian chocolate.

These foods usually sold in snack bars are just yummy. I personally loved biting into these greasy foods after a long day. 

For those who prefer the healthy option, there is raw herring with finely cut raw onions — something really popular to eat in Amsterdam. It’s actually pretty good. I tried and loved it.

One of the things I found most interesting were the narrow houses along the canals. 

Amsterdam is known for having very narrow houses. The story goes back to the 17th century where dwellers were taxed based on the width of their houses. This led the locals to build houses that were very narrow at the front, this, however, cannot be said about the rear. 

The winner of this battle of the narrowest is of course ‘’Singel 7 House’’, in which the facade measures the width of only one meter (just a little over 3 feet wide). True story.

What is common in all the houses is the hook which is not for aesthetic value. Because the staircases are narrow, dwellers hook large objects and pull them through the window.

You can also visit the Rembrandt Square (Rembrandtplein in Dutch), which was originally called the Botermarkt. 

The square has an iron statue of Rembrandt, the famous Dutch painter, in his very casual pose accompanied by The Night Watch statues which were influenced by his most famous painting.

Rembrandt Square is a popular place where many people flock to take pictures — and of course I was one of them!

Visit the Famous Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House is one of the most visited museums in Amsterdam with an estimate of about 1.27 million visitors from all over the world per year.

Perhaps, this is one of the most-read stories about a young girl who kept a diary on daily accounts during the 2nd World War. 

The house is located in Prinsengracht and was opened to the public in 1960.

Sadly, I did not manage to get inside the building as you have to book tours of the Anne Frank House in advance. This is not just a random stop. It saves me something for next time.

Mill Around the Red-Light District

You can even book a tour with the world's two oldest sex workers, Louse & Martine Fokken — they're retired now, so it's all just sightseeing but you can get your picture taken with them. Or just go for a more traditional guided walking tour through the Red Light district.

Be warned, if you are looking for a cup of Java, it's not like walking into a local Starbucks!

In Amsterdam, coffee houses (koffiehuis in Dutch), coffee bars and espresso bars are for coffee. Coffee shops are for marijuana (but you can get a cup of coffee too).

Coffee shops in Amsterdam are given permits to sell Cannabis (but do not sell any alcohol). Licensed sellers will have a green and white sticker in the window, so if you are looking to avoid the weed or want something stiffer to drink than coffee, you want a café without that sticker. 

Alright so let me be clear on this one, I am not saying that you the only reason to visit the coffee shops is for the marijuana, but it is part of the experience that you need to be prepared for.

If you do not smoke weed, then don’t do it… don't even be tempted to try some after walking the whole day inhaling some secondhand smoke on the streets. 

Nooo… do not do it.

What you can do at the coffee shop though is try some ‘’space cake’’ with some special flavors and have a good laugh to go along with your mood…I AM KIDDING. But if you decide to indulge, make sure you know what to expect if it's your first time trying cannabis edibles. Since I didn't try it myself, I can't tell you about it but some "newbies" have not enjoyed the experience.

Again, to each their own.  

A famous misconception is that marijuana is legal in the Netherlands — technically it's not, but it is tolerated in small scale. There are a lot of taxes generated from the coffee shops, and at the same time the authorities prevent any shady drug dealing on the streets. So this is a win-win situation for the city.

I would, however, recommend visits to the coffee shops after you have explored all other things. There is a reason I put this at the bottom of my list.

By the way, you can Douwe Egberts coffee, one of the most popular brands in Europe, here in the States.

Don’t get excited and miss out on other important things to do in Amsterdam!

This post is only based on the things I got to do in Amsterdam on my visit.

There are tons of other things I haven’t mentioned but considering I had come from Enschede that morning and needed to drive back, I did not even have a full day. All in all, I enjoyed the little time I had.

For example, while I did walk along Damrak Avenue (since that's where the Central Station is), I didn't get see to the Royal Palace or the Amsterdam National Monument. I didn't have time to go to Van Gogh, Rijks, Heineken Experience, or Madame Tussauds museums.

By the way, if you are a museum lover and only have a day, I would recommend choosing only one museum, and then spend the rest of the day enjoying the rest of the city. There's so much you will miss outside, if you try cram visiting several museums all at once.