In a nutshell
- Are you in Amsterdam for a day? How cool! You can do a lot in Amsterdam even in a short time.
- From our own experience, we’ll show you the perfect route that allows you to see the most beautiful places to visit in Amsterdam, streets and canals in one day without stress.
- So stress-free that you can even take a 1-hour canal cruise!
- Hungry or thirsty in between? We’ll also share the best restaurants and cafés on the route with you.
Getting to Amsterdam
Even if it may not seem like it at first: Amsterdam is a very manageable city. So you can take it easy when you arrive and have enough energy for the whole day.
Arrival by train
If you are traveling to Amsterdam by train for the day, you will arrive at Amsterdam Centraal station. Central Station is the perfect location to start your day of sightseeing on foot.
From Amsterdam Centraal, it’s just a 10-minute walk to the central Dam Square in the city center.
You could also hop on the streetcar at the station and take a ride to the city center. However, the journey also takes 10 minutes and we find that you simply get a better feel for the city on foot.
Arriving by car
If you are traveling to Amsterdam by car for the day, we recommend the Q-Park Nieuwendijk parking garage. You can even reserve a parking space there in advance.
Just like the train station, the parking garage is only a 10-minute walk from Dam Square.
However, you should know that parking in Amsterdam is not cheap. The average daily rate is 60 euros.
Read more about parking in Amsterdam:
How to Get to the Center?
The easiest way to get from A to B in Amsterdam is on foot.
We recommend starting your route for the day at the central Dam Square. Dam Square is the perfect starting point for your sightseeing.
It’s only a 10-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal station to Dam Square. And these 10 minutes you just walk straight across Damrak. Mega easy!
Even if you arrive by car and park in the recommended Q-Park Nieuwendijk parking garage, it’s still a 10-minute walk to Dam Square. The best way to walk is via Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal.
Read all our travel tips for Amsterdam
The Perfect Route for 1 Day in Amsterdam
We have drawn the perfect route for Amsterdam in one day with all the stops on a map.
With this route, you have covered the most important streets, sights and canals of Amsterdam without having to stress on the way.
You can tailor the time you spend at the various stops to suit you and take breaks in between at one or more of the cafés and restaurants we recommend.
We have marked the sights in blue and cafés and restaurants in yellow.
You can also download the map with our route as a PDF.
Sightseeing: What to Do in One Day in Amsterdam?
Amsterdam has so many highlights! Where do you start and where do you end? Especially when time is limited?
Don’t panic! We got you. You can manage these Amsterdam sights on our itinerary stress-free in one day:
Dam Square with Royal Palace
Dam Square is the perfect starting point for your sightseeing in Amsterdam in one day. It is centrally located between the central station and the canal belt.
Here you can visit the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk and the National Monument.
The Dam is also home to the beautiful Madame Tussauds building and the eastern square is surrounded by highly recommended restaurants, bars and cafés.
Restaurant/café tips: we love sitting in the sun at the Majestic, watching the hustle and bustle on the Dam and eating delicious food. If you simply want a coffee to go, we recommend Lucy’s.
Prinsengracht and Anne Frank House
From Dam Square, you can walk to the Prinsengracht in 15 minutes. The Prinsengracht is one of the most famous canals in Amsterdam.
But not because it is the most beautiful canal, but because it is home to the Anne Frank House and the Westerkerk.
You should definitely visit both in one day in Amsterdam. Whether just from the outside or also from the inside is entirely up to you and your time management.
However, you should know that the Anne Frank House is only accessible with a pre-booked ticket and will take up a lot of your time.
You can visit the Westerkerk free of charge during opening hours.
Restaurant/café tips: at the Westerkerk you will find the quaint Café Kalkhoven with delicious, strong coffee. If you’re hungry, stop by Restaurant Jansz between the Anne Frank House and 9 Straatjes. It serves snacks and sandwiches.
9 Straatjes
The Prinsengracht is directly adjacent to the 9 Straatjes. This is a small shopping district consisting of 9 streets – as the name suggests.
These include the Reestraat, the Berenstraat and the Runstraat.
There are great boutiques, lots of souvenir stores and really good cafés here. Perfect for buying souvenirs, browsing and taking a break.
Restaurant/café tips: at Screaming Beans you get the best coffee in the 9 Straatjes. Our favorite restaurant here is Fou Fow Udon. The udon noodle soups are incredibly good.
Museumplein and Rijksmuseum
The Museumplein is a 20-minute walk from the 9 Straatjes. This is a large square where you will find many of Amsterdam’s art museums.
In addition to the Van Gogh Museum and the Moco Museum, the Rijksmuseum is also located here. It is probably the most important museum in the city.
It would take you several hours to visit the Rijksmuseum. But since you don’t have the time, it’s enough to see the building from the outside.
The Rijksmuseum is one of the most popular photo motifs in Amsterdam for a reason.
Restaurant/café tips: less than a 10-minute walk south of the Rijksmuseum you will find the Corner Bakery. A small, cute corner café with super tasty snacks and a large selection of drinks. We’ve also had breakfast here.
Canal Cruise from the Rijksmuseum
You should definitely not miss out on a canal cruise through Amsterdam. Not even if you are only in Amsterdam for 1 day.
Our favorite canal cruise with a small open boat starts and ends directly at the Rijksmuseum. So you can plan it perfectly into your itinerary. However, you must book it in advance.
The boat trip lasts 1 hour and takes you to some really beautiful photo spots.
During this time, you will see some of the sights from a different angle, get lots of exciting information and can simply sit back and enjoy.
Book an open boat canal cruise online
Read all about the Open Boat Tour here:
Hidden Gem: Begijnhof
A little Amsterdam insider tip should, of course, not be missing. In this case, it’s the Begijnhof.
If you walk from the Museumplein and Rijksmuseum back to the city center, you’ll be there in 20 minutes.
The Begijnhof is a super beautiful, quiet place with houses that are almost 700 years old and pretty green spaces.
The Beguines lived here until the 1970s. A religious community for women. Even today, only women live in the houses around the farm.
You can take great photos here and admire the typical Amsterdam architecture at your leisure. Really exciting.
Restaurant/café tips: between the Begijnhof and the Singelgracht is the perfect place for croissant lovers. At Croissanterie Egstorf, you can get many different croissants and fresh stroopwafels with caramel. Also great as a snack on the way home.
Red Light District Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s red light district is located in the De Wallen district. It sounds wicked at first and not really suitable for sightseeing, but it is very popular with many tourists. And not just at night.
You should definitely take a stroll through the streets of De Wallen if you’re in Amsterdam for a day.
The red light district is only a 10-minute walk from the Begijnhof and leads directly to the Central Station and the Q-Park Nieuwendijk parking garage. So not only can you easily fit it into your itinerary, you can also make it the perfect end to the day.
We recommend that you simply walk from the southern part of the district to the northern part.
You have the opportunity to make various stops along the way. For example, you can visit Amsterdam’s first coffee shop “The Bulldog”, spontaneously go to the Red Light Secret Museum or visit the famous Oude Kerk.
It all depends on how much time you have left until your return journey.
Restaurant/café tips: between De Wallen and Amsterdam Central Station is the café Hill Street Blues – a really cool graffiti lounge where you can have a drink and a bite to eat. There are also quaint bars all over De Wallen, such as the Old Sailor.
If you don’t want to explore Amsterdam or the red light district completely on your own, you also have the option of taking a short city tour of Amsterdam.
Our Top Amsterdam Hotel Tips
Not going straight back, but staying one night in Amsterdam? Then we have 3 really great hotel recommendations for you:
Volkshotel Amsterdam: hip hotel with great connections to the city center and a rooftop bar. Our personal recommendation.
Bob W Noord: super fair prices, located in Amsterdam Noord, but very well connected. Especially great if you need a hotel with cheap parking in Amsterdam or you are in Amsterdam with kids. Our second personal recommendation.
Inntel Hotels Amsterdam: modern 4-star hotel in penthouse style with a view of the Amsterdam harbor and great value for money.
The Hendrick’s: the perfect boutique hotel for first-time visitors. Central location, excellent value for money and mega delicious breakfast.
You can find more hotels in Amsterdam here:
What Else You Should Know for 1 Day in Amsterdam
Is one day in Amsterdam enough?
We think: one day in Amsterdam is better than no day in Amsterdam at all.
However, one day is not enough to fully experience the wealth of sights and activities in Amsterdam.
Although you can visit the most important sights, you will have to forgo more in-depth sightseeing and visits to museums.
It’s best to travel to Amsterdam again at another time or make a whole Amsterdam weekend trip out of one day.
Is it worth taking a canal cruise in one day in Amsterdam?
Yes, totally! You should definitely take a canal cruise! Even if you’re only in Amsterdam for 1 day.
This way you can sit down and relax while still making the most of your time and seeing a lot of the city.
The route we suggested above already includes a 1-hour canal cruise on an open boat.
However, you still need to book this in advance.
Is it worth visiting a museum in one day in Amsterdam?
We are crazy about the museums in Amsterdam. Mainly because there is so much choice and everyone can find something to suit them.
But if you’re exploring Amsterdam in one day, you probably won’t have time for that.
You should first prioritize the most important sights, which we have also suggested at the top of our itinerary.
If you still have time at the end, we recommend the Red Light Secret Museum, for example. Super interesting!
You can visit it spontaneously, the entrance fee is comparatively cheap and you’ll be through in no time.
How much money do you need for a day in Amsterdam?
If we deduct the journey by train or car and a possible overnight stay in Amsterdam, then we recommend around 120 euros for a day in Amsterdam.
On our recommended route above, you don’t pay admission to any sights or attractions, but you do pay the cost of the canal cruise in advance, which is just under 22 euros.
Then there’s the cost of food and drink. Let’s say you go for a coffee and a snack, maybe an ice cream on the way and in the evening you want to treat yourself to a proper meal. Then you’re looking at around 50 euros for food.
Then maybe a few nice souvenirs or Stroopwafels for home? We like to budget 20 to 30 euros for shopping.
And if you have more time than you thought and still want to visit the Red Light Secrets Museum, for example, add around 15 euros for the museum visit.
Do you need a train ticket for a day in Amsterdam?
If you are only in Amsterdam for 1 day, you don’t need a GVB ticket for public transport in Amsterdam.
You can easily walk from the central station and the central parking garages to the city center and can also reach all the important sights on foot.
Do you have to buy museum tickets in advance?
If you would like to visit a museum during your day in Amsterdam, we recommend a small museum that won’t take up too much of your time.
For example, the Rembrandthuis, the Red Light Secrets Museum or the Hemp Museum.
You don’t need to buy a ticket in advance for these small museums. You can get them spontaneously at the ticket office.
We advise against the time-consuming museums such as the Anne Frank House and the Rijksmuseum if you are only in Amsterdam for one day.
However, if you are traveling to Amsterdam for these two museums, you should definitely book your tickets online in advance.
The Anne Frank House does not have a ticket contingent on site and there may be longer waiting times at the Rijksmuseum if you buy tickets spontaneously.
Is a Citypass worthwhile for 1 day in Amsterdam?
If you are only in Amsterdam for one day, the Citypass is not worthwhile. Basically, such a pass is only worthwhile if you really want to visit a lot of attractions with an admission ticket.
Is it worth a hop-on hop-off in one day in Amsterdam?
We generally advise against the hop-on hop-off buses in Amsterdam because they don’t go through the historic city center.
The hop-on hop-off boats are a really great alternative to normal canal cruises through Amsterdam.
However, they are also more expensive because you can use them as often as you like for 24 or 48 hours.
If you are only in Amsterdam for one day, we would recommend a simple canal cruise to save money.
When is the best time to travel to Amsterdam?
We recommend spring (tulip season) and late summer.
April, May, September and October are great months to visit Amsterdam.
These were our tips for a day in Amsterdam!
Have you already been to Amsterdam for a day and have some cool tips? Then please share them with us and write us a comment. We look forward to it!