Amsterdam

When to go

What to see

Rijksmuseum, 2.5 to 3 hours. 24 EUR. Book ahead online two weeks in advance. Skip the line for the Night Watch and then wander the dollhouses and Delftware. Do not queue at the ticket office. You can buy online in 2 minutes.

Anne Frank House, 1.5 hours. 16 EUR. Tickets open exactly six weeks before the date and sell out within hours. I have seen people cry at the door because they cannot get in. If you miss tickets, try the last slot of the day, people do cancel. No last-minute tickets at the door.

Van Gogh Museum, 1.5 to 2 hours. 21 EUR. Same rule: book ahead. The Sunflowers room is small and always packed. Go at 9am or after 4pm for a quieter experience.

Canal Cruise, 1 hour. 18-25 EUR. Skip the big tourist boats. Take a small electric boat from Those Dam Boat Guys or a private sloop. You pay 30 EUR but you get 10 people max and a captain who tells real stories.

Jordaan, free, allow 2 hours to wander. Skip the main streets. Go into the side alleys. Look for the hidden courtyards (hofjes) like Begijnhof. Green courtyards from the 1600s right in the city.

Albert Cuypmarkt, free entry, 1.5 hours. Open Mon-Sat until 5pm. Best street food in the city. Try the stroopwafel fresh off the press for 2 EUR. Do not buy the pre-packed ones at souvenir shops.

A'DAM Lookout, 15 EUR plus 5 EUR for the swing. 20 minutes up, 10 minutes down. The swing is fun for 30 seconds. The view is better from the free top floor of the public library (OBA) near Centraal Station. True.

Skip the Red Light District at night if you want a quiet dinner. Go during the day for 15 minutes. It is a street like any other. The hype is overdone.

3-day itinerary

Day 1: The big museums

1. 9:00-11:30 Rijksmuseum (you booked ahead). Start at the Night Watch on the second floor. Then go down to the medieval section. It is empty and beautiful.
2. 11:45-13:15 Van Gogh Museum. Right across the square. Eat at the museum cafe. Their tomato soup is 7 EUR and good.
3. 13:30-15:00 Vondelpark. Walk or rent a bike. 15 minutes from the museums. Sit at the pond. Watch the herons.
4. 15:30-17:30 free time. Head to the Foodhallen for lunch (indoor food market, 10-15 EUR per dish) or walk the Spiegelgracht antique shops.
5. Evening: dinner in De Pijp. Try the ribs at Cafe Thijssen or Indonesian rijsttafel at Restaurant Blauw. Budget 35-50 EUR per person.

Day 2: Canals and Jordaan

1. 9:00-10:30 Anne Frank House. You booked six weeks ago. If not, skip and do a canal walk instead.
2. 10:45-12:30 Jordaan walk. Start at the Noorderkerk. Walk down Prinsengracht. Turn into the Eerste Leliedwarsstraat for boutiques. Find the Tulip Museum (free, tiny, 10 minutes) if you want.
3. 12:30-13:30 lunch at the Noordermarkt. Monday morning is the organic market. Saturday is the flea market. Good cheese and bread for 8 EUR.
4. 13:45-15:00 canal cruise from the Anne Frank area. Book with Those Dam Boat Guys. 30 EUR. Worth every cent.
5. 15:30-17:30 9 Straatjes (9 Streets). Shopping district. Cute but pricey. A coffee at Screaming Beans is 4 EUR and excellent.
6. Evening: dinner in Jordaan. Cafe de Reiger does classic Dutch dishes for 22 EUR main. Reservations advised.

Day 3: Neighbourhoods and free stuff

1. 9:00-11:00 Albert Cuypmarkt. Eat a herring at the stand near the Ferdinand Bolstraat entrance. 3.50 EUR. Raw with onions. Trust me.
2. 11:15-12:45 De Pijp. Walk the Eerste van der Helststraat. See the Sarphatipark. It is the cooler, cheaper version of Jordaan.
3. 13:00-14:30 free ferry to NDSM. Take the free ferry behind Centraal Station. 15 minutes to the north. Street art, flea market on weekends, cafes in shipping containers. Skip the overpriced A'DAM Lookout.
4. 15:00-17:00 Amsterdam Oost. Park at Oosterpark. See the Tropenmuseum (16 EUR, 1.5 hours) or just walk the Dappermarkt for more street food.
5. Evening: last dinner. Go to Cafe de Jaren for the canal terrace. Pasta 18 EUR. Or get a cone of fries from Manneken Pis near the Dam. 4 EUR with sauce.

Where to stay

Getting around

The city is small. 45 minutes walk from one end to the other. Trams cost 3.40 EUR for a single ride via contactless card. A 24-hour GVB pass is 9 EUR and works on trams, buses and metro. Do not buy the I Amsterdam card. It is a waste of money. You pay for things you would not do.

Bike rental is 12-20 EUR per day. Use the bike lanes. Do not cycle on the pavement. Locals will yell at you. Do not walk in the bike lanes either. I have seen tourists hit.

Uber is available but expensive. A 10 minute ride costs 12-15 EUR. Taxis are worse. Use public transport or your feet.

Budget

Budget traveler (backpacker): 85-100 EUR per day. Dorm bed 40-50 EUR. Street food and self-catering 25 EUR. Museum visits 15 EUR. Free walks and parks.

Mid-range (typical tourist): 130-180 EUR per day. Double room in a 3-star hotel 150-200 EUR. Two museum tickets 45 EUR. Lunch and dinner with drinks 60 EUR. Tram pass 9 EUR.

Comfortable (no worries): 250-350 EUR per day. Boutique hotel 250-300 EUR. 3-course dinner 80 EUR. Canal cruise 30 EUR. Taxis 30 EUR.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Do not queue for the Rijksmuseum ticket office. You can buy online on your phone while standing in the queue. The online line moves 10x faster.
2. Do not buy drugs from street dealers in the Red Light District. They sell fake or dangerous stuff. Coffeeshops are legal and regulated. That is where you go.
3. Do not take a taxi from the airport. The train to Centraal Station is 5.50 EUR and takes 15 minutes. A taxi is 50 EUR and takes the same time in traffic.
4. Do not eat on Damrak. The restaurants there are average and charge triple. Walk 5 minutes into a side street.
5. Do not assume all museums are open on Mondays. The Rijksmuseum is open, the Van Gogh is open, but many smaller museums close. Check before you go.
6. Do not take a canal boat with an open bar. You will see the city through a hangover. Take a daytime tour first.