This guide of Amsterdam in 3 days It will help you tour the vast majority of the most charming and interesting places in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
In the previous two days you will have enjoyed the city walking through the historic center, the Jordaan neighborhood, the canals of Amsterdam, the Vondelpark, and several markets and museums, among many other things, which we are sure, will have made you fall in love already from the city.
On this last day we recommend taking a trip around the city to visit some of the most beautiful villages in the Netherlands such as Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Edam and Marken.
During our trip in Amsterdam in 5 days we visited these villages and we loved them, so based on our experience we have prepared this guide on what to see in Amsterdam in three days, hopefully it will be useful for your trip.
Tips to save in Amsterdam
Following this series of tips in Amsterdam, an expensive city, can help you save a few euros.
- Rent a bike for about 10 euros a day and use its thousands of kilometers of bike lane to reach all tourist attractions.
- Book this free tour of Amsterdam Free! With a guide in Spanish to know the history and not miss anything about the city.
- A good time to travel to Amsterdam is from April to June, when there is less chance of rain and accommodation prices have not skyrocketed.
- Rate if we find it profitable to book the I amsterdam City Card. This card offers free admission to the main tourist attractions and the best museums in Amsterdam such as Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum, as well as a visit to the town of Zaanse Schans, boat trips on the canals and public transport.
- Upload to the free viewpoints of the NEMO museum and the Amsterdam Public Library.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot. You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
For more recommendations you can consult this post of tips to travel to Amsterdam essential.
Where to sleep in Amsterdam
The best area to stay in Amsterdam, with a good location and a reasonable price, is the area around the Singel and Herengracht canals. It is in this area where one of the most recommended hotels in the city, the Singel Hotel, located 200 meters from the Central Station and 10 minutes walk from the old town. Although it is rare in the old houses of the city, this hotel has a lift, as well as free Wi-Fi, 24-hour reception and continental breakfast.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods we recommend you check this post of where to stay in Amsterdam.
How to go from the airport to the center or hotel of Amsterdam
There are several options to make the transfer from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to the city center or to your hotel.
- Train: It is the cheapest and fastest option. They work 24 hours, depart every 15 minutes between 6 am and 1 am, and leave you in 20 minutes at the Central Station.
- 197 or N97 buses: It has a price similar to the train, 5 euros, although it takes about 10 more minutes. They leave every 15 minutes between 6 am and 1 am and stop in the museum area.
- Cab: Its price of 50 euros only makes it advisable if you are several people or you have the hotel away from the center.
- Direct transfer: It is the most comfortable option, with which the driver will wait for you at the airport with a sign with your name to take you directly to the hotel. You can book the transfer service here.
For more information on the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Amsterdam airport to downtown.
First day in Amsterdam
The first day of Amsterdam in 3 days Start by taking a walk along the Singel canal to the floating flower market, Bloemenmarkt where you can buy the famous tulip bulbs, one of the most typical gifts in the Netherlands.
Not far from the market is the area of the Museumplein that houses the two most important museums in the city: the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, in addition to the photogenic letters of the I amsterdam right in front of the first (now they are itinerant).
We recommend visiting the Van Gogh museum, where you can enjoy some of the great painter's masterpieces as Potato Eaters, The sunflowers or Arles's bedroom.
A good option to avoid queues and learn about the history of Van Gogh's paintings, is to book this guided tour in Spanish with an expert in art or this one that also includes a visit to the Rijksmuseum and the canal cruise.
Flowers market
Near the Museumplein is Vondelpark, the most popular park in the city, perfect for walking and picnicking in good weather.
After a walk in the park, you can approach Leidseplein, a lively square where street performers perform and where you can also eat in one of its good restaurants such as The pantry or Stoop & Stoop Eetcafe.
After lunch and before entering the historic center you can do a one-hour boat cruise, one of the best things to do in Amsterdam.
Although a more romantic and special option is to postpone the cruise for the night by booking this cruise with dinner or this boat trip by candlelight with cheese board and wine included.
The Amsterdam route in three days continue in the afternoon entering Begijnhof, an ancient beguinage that hides inside the Houten Huys, the oldest house in the city, and the Begijnhof Chapel, the first clandestine church in the city.
Begijnhof
After the visit you can walk to Dam Square along the Kalverstraat shopping street. This square, the most popular in the city, is surrounded by important buildings such as the Royal Palace and the New Church that we also recommend you visit.
Leaving the square you can make a route through the historic center, entering the Old Church and ending at dusk in the Red Light District, known for its lively nightlife, in which alternative shops and sex shops are the protagonists in addition to some of the best known coffee shops in the city as Hunter's Café.
A good option to get to know the curiosities and history of the Red Light District is to book a guided tour in Spanish or take advantage of one of the offers that includes the view of the neighborhood and a boat cruise.
Also, a good alternative to finish this Amsterdam in one day, if you do not do the cruise that includes food, is to dine at the restaurant Martine's Table, one of the best restaurants to eat in Amsterdam.
(Extended information of the first day's route here)
Map of the first day in Amsterdam
Second day in Amsterdam
The second day of Amsterdam in 3 days Start with a bike ride with a guide in Spanish through the main points of interest in the city. Although if you do not feel like riding the bike you can do this free tour of Amsterdam with a guide in Spanish on foot, also highly recommended. Keep in mind that both tours have a duration of 3 hours.
Amsterdam streets
Finished the route by bike or on foot, in front of the Central Station, you can go to the cheese shop Henri Willig to make a tasting or buy several types of delicious Dutch cheeses, which will surely be one of the best gifts you can take from the city.
When you leave the store you can walk to the crossroads of Prinsengracht with Brouwerser, one of the corners of Amsterdam postcard, which we recommend not to miss.
If you keep walking along the shore of the Prinsengracht canal you will arrive at the next stop of the Amsterdam in 3 days, the charming Jordaan neighborhood where in addition to walking through its streets, we recommend you visit the shocking Anne Frank House Museum, one of the essential places to visit in Amsterdam.
Keep in mind that it is advisable to buy the ticket on its official website, so as not to run out of site.
A good option to know the relationship between Amsterdam and the Nazi regime is to book this tour of Anna Frank through the Jewish quarter.
In this area you can take the opportunity to eat in one of its recommended restaurants such as Of Reiger, of local food, or The Lillotatini Maschera, of Italian food.
The Jordaan Neighborhood
The Amsterdam route in 3 days Continue walking along the Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht canals, until you reach the Magere Brug drawbridge, where you will see many houseboats during the tour, including the visitable Houseboat Museum.
Walking in the center direction from the bridge, you can also pass through the Waterlooplein Flea Market, located in the old Jewish quarter and if you have more time, in this area you can also visit the Rembrand House Museum, the Israeli Portuguese Synagogue or the Hermitage Museum.
The second day of this Amsterdam in 3 days it ends in the lively Nieuwmarkt square, having dinner at one of its best known restaurants like the Cafe Bern or the Cafe Piazza.
(Extended information on the route of the second day here)
Map of the second day of Amsterdam in three days
What to see in Amsterdam in 3 days
On the third day of Amsterdam in 3 days we propose a visit to the villages of Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Edam and Marken, one of the best excursions in Amsterdam.
These villages, located among the most beautiful villages to see in Holland, are within walking distance of Amsterdam, making them a perfect destination for a day trip.
Zaanse Schans
The town of Zaanse Schans is famous for having in its lands some of the most beautiful and well-maintained windmills in the country, built in the 17th century and of which several are still preserved today. Inside you can see all the machinery that was used to grind all kinds of products driven by the wind, in addition to having the unique experience of entering a mill.
Another visit that you can not miss in Zaanse Schans is the clog factory, where you can see the whole manufacturing process of this typical Dutch souvenir.
As you can see, the whole of this part of the town with mills and wooden houses, looks like an open-air museum and is one of the most visited places in the whole country, so we advise you to include it in your trip, now We are sure, it will be an unforgettable memory.
The next visit that we recommend you to do is Volendam, a beautiful fishing village in which it is a delight to walk through its old town and its promenade where the colorful facades of the houses stand out.
Volendam
From the beautiful port of Volendam you can take a ferry that will take you to Marken, a small town isolated from the world, where you will find small houses with garden, orchard and farm animals, which make it a paradise for those seeking tranquility , despite tourism.
You can book here the ferry ticket to Marken in advance and here the one back to Volendam.
Marken
Finally, Edam is like a miniature Amsterdam, full of canals and from which you cannot leave without entering a store to take your famous Edam cheese, a unique and exquisite souvenir of this day in the surroundings of Amsterdam.
To visit the 4 villages you have several options that will depend on the time you have.
- If you only have one day a good option is to book this tour to Volendam, Marken, Edam and Zaanse Schans or this excursion to the mills of Zaanse Schans, both by bus and with a guide in Spanish.
- If you have more time we recommend to spend one morning at Zaanse Schans and another day to do the villages of Volendam, Markem and Edam with ease.
To get to Zaanse Schans you can take the train at Amsterdam Central Station that will take you in 15 minutes to Zaanse Schans station, Koog-Zaandijk. From the station you only have to take a short 10-minute walk, crossing a drawbridge from which you will reach the mill area.
To get to Volendam you can take bus 316 at the Central Station that makes the route Amsterdam, Edam and Voledam. We recommend buying the Waterland Card, with which for 10 euros you can use for a day the bus that travels throughout this area. The journey from Amsterdam to Volendam by bus is 30 minutes, the one from Volendam to Edam is 15 minutes and the one from Edam to Amsterdam is another 30 minutes.
Edam
If you have more days you can do other of the most recommended tours in Amsterdam such as the excursion to the fairytale city of Bruges or the excursion to Rotterdam, Delft, The Hague and Madurodam, located among the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands.
