City Breaks in Amsterdam

Amsterdam at a glance

Amsterdam is the largest city in the Netherlands and is undoubtedly the cultural centre. Known for its friendly, free-spirited liberalism, Amsterdam is home to a creative mix of outstanding museums, picturesque canals, the red-light district and millions of bicycles.

The city is made up of around 90 islands with over 400 linking bridges, many of which are beautifully lit at night. Steeped in old world charm, Amsterdam is home to more than 7,000 historically registered buildings, many of which exist along the city’s narrow waterways. Lots of these historic homes and businesses have been lovingly preserved, some have been converted into museums and hotels, so that they continue to be a part of the Dutch landscape. 

Things to do in Amsterdam

• Rijksmuseum: The Netherland’s premier art museum, with masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals.
• Anne Frank Huis: explore the secret annexe used as a hideaway by Anne Frank and her family.
• Van Gogh Museum: a chronicle of the painter’s life, this museum houses many of his most famous paintings, including ‘Sunflowers’.
• Vondelpark: A large city park just south of the Leidesplein, where there are often free concerts and an open-air theatre in summer.
• Oude Kerk: a majestic 14th century church with a world-famous organ.
• Rembrandt House Museum: Rembrandt bought this house in 1639 and the fascinating interior looks much the same as it did when he lived there.
• Jordaan: A lovely area to wander round, with lots of picturesque canals, cosy cafes and speciality shops.
• Canal Tour: A great way to see the city is to take the ‘hop on, hop off’ canal boat which takes you around most of the sights.
• Albert Cuypmarkt: the city’s largest market boasts a variety of stalls selling Dutch cheese, fruit and vegetables, as well as clothes and household goods.

We can book many tours to make your trip to truly memorable, visit our Osprey Experiences page for more information or contact on our team.

Getting around

Canal tours offer a unique perspective of many of the city’s historic buildings and bridges, while the city’s narrow streets are best navigated by bike. Known as a cyclist friendly city, it is estimated that there are more bikes in Amsterdam than people. It should come as no surprise then that special traffic lanes and signals have been devised for cyclists in the city.

Dining in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is filled with all kinds of international cuisine, however, there are many Dutch foods that visitors must try. Open-air cafes in the summer time are atmospheric and are great to pass time and people watch. Dutch cheese is a firm favourite, with many charming shops selling a delightful selection of gourmet and aged cheeses.

Must-try local dishes:

• Stroopwafel - The UK supermarkets stock these thin waffles, but the freshly made ones in Amsterdam are amazing. Buttery waffles sandwich the gooey caramel syrup.
• Oorlog French Fries - A firm street food favourite, crispy fries are served in a paper cone topped with mayo, peanut sauce and raw onion.
• Herring - A typical fish in the Dutch diet, the herring is also a street food favourite, served with onions.

Osprey Holidays top tip

Tickets for Anne Frank Huis can only be purchased online directly from the museum. 80% of tickets go on sale at noon exactly two months in advance and are for a specific date and timeslot. The remaining 20% of tickets go on sale at 09:00 on the day. There is a high demand for tickets and all timeslots usually sell out. The museum is open until 22:00 during the summer months and 19:00 in the winter. 

Click here to book