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Amsterdam 3 days itinerary (anything missing??)

Hi all, finishing planning july trip; first stop Amsterdam!!!! Let me know what you guys think (too much, too little) and any good places to eat around those areas (on a budget :) )

july 3 (tuesday) - we arrive to Amsterdam at 8am. Check in hotel. Go to Royal Palace area (just outside to find our walking tour)
walking tour (many hours to choose, so 10am, 10:30am or 11 am) is about 2 hours, after that Canal Tour (any tips for this) and finish the night at red light district (our hotel is in this area).

wedn 4 - Anne Frank house (tickets for 9:15), Rent bikes and tour Jordann area, walk around Begijnhof and finish in the flower market

thurs 5 - Van Gogh (tickets for 9:30am), Vondelpark, Rijksmuseum, metro to De Gooyer Wind Mill and Leiden Square at night.

Good, bad, too much, missing something?? Any tips for the Rental Bike and Canal tour???
just in case we are a group of 3 in our mid 30.
Gracias

Posted by
1230 posts

A few thoughts: depending on how comfortable you are on bikes, you may find that renting them for 2 days is helpful and fun. The rental shop will give you a lock that is very easy to use, and like the locals, you can just pull up somewhere, put the kick-stand down and put the lock on. Easy peasy.
Because the Van Gogh and Rijks are neighbors, and Vondelpark is big, you could ride from your hotel to the Van Gogh and then to and through Vondel, stopping for lunch, and then back to the Rijks. Also, riding around the Jordaan won't take long - its a relatively small area where walking may be better so you can poke around the many shops and canals (in which case you could lock your bikes and return to them). But then getting from the Jordaan to other areas could be more efficient and adventurous

Im always leery of recommending biking because not everyone is comfortable on bikes, and biking in Amsterdam takes that to another level entirely. But if you are interested, and once you get the hang of it, I think biking around Amsterdam is where you will fall in love with the city... unless you hate biking there because it can be so stressful. We always rent bikes, and that includes my 12-14 yo kids. But they are very experienced bicyclists.
I also find that when biking using a paper map helps me find my way around more easily as I can see a larger area in one glance. Yes you will look like tourists, but you will look like tourists anyway.

As for sites, I loved the Old Church in the Attic.
Have fun!

Posted by
8163 posts

Visit a coffee shop if you like marijuana. Otherwise you have enough here. It is going to be really crowded there to ride a bike unfortunately

Posted by
1529 posts

I'm always amazed when someone recommends biking in Amsterdam. My husband and I are very experienced cyclists, but would not consider biking IN Amsterdam. We have biked in Brugge, Salzburg, around Lake Constance and will bike the Mosel this summer. Amsterdam is crazy crowded with pedestrians and cyclists and I would find it WAY to stressful. I find being a pedestrian a bit stressful there:). The locals who are used to biking daily go very fast and deliberate in their movements. As a pedestrian you have to be vigilant.

And to answer your question - you're plan sounds very good. One of my favorite sights in Amsterdam is the church in the attic which is in the red light district so you may be able to add to your day 1 itinerary.

Posted by
2195 posts

Sounds like a good itinerary. We loved our time in Amsterdam, especially the Van Gogh museum.

We didn't rent bikes, we walked and took the tram. Amsterdam is easy to navigate.

Where to after Amsterdam?

Posted by
2774 posts

I like your itinerary a lot, but I would never attempt to bike in Amsterdam if it was crowded.

We really enjoyed the Pancake Bakery. It is about two blocks or so from the Anne Frank Huis on Prinsengracht.

Posted by
16 posts

Carroll - We leave friday at 2pm, so I have in the itinerary going for Pancakes that morning

DougMac - we are leaving friday to Madrid (Toledo, Segovia, Cordoba, Seville) and then Portugal

Jill and Jessica - thanks for the tips about the bikes, I think in the park will be a good idea. When we see how crazy is over there, probably will decide to adventure on a bike or not. About the Church, just saw the pics and information and definitely will see it, probably the first day.

thank you guys sooo much!!!

Posted by
2195 posts

DougMac - we are leaving friday to Madrid (Toledo, Segovia, Cordoba, Seville) and then Portugal

Wonderful! That's on our bucket list. Our grandson wants to go to Spain. My mother's maiden name is Domingos - My third great grandfather was shanghaied in Portugal and jumped ship in Virginia. That helps explain my olive complexion and ability to tan well. They family jokes about their "Latin" blood, it is a nice balance to the stoic Austrian side of the family.

Posted by
35 posts

For your canal cruise I recommend Those Dam Boat Guys. Small boats with knowledgeable and entertaining guides. I also do not recommend doing both VG and Rijks on the same day-art overload, or biking in Amsterdam.

Posted by
11569 posts

I would not visit Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum the same day, too much to take in, overload.