In a nutshell
- Are you planning a weekend trip to Amsterdam? Amazing! 3 days are perfect to explore the city.
- So that you can see and experience as much as possible, we have put together a 3-day itinerary based on our own experience.
- With this program you can see the most important attractions in Amsterdam, cool hidden gems and eat in restaurants that are really good – and all without stress!
- You want to book our recommended activities directly? No problem. We have selected the right tickets for you.
Table of Contents
Amsterdam 3 Days Itinerary at a Glance
For a first overview, we have created a map with our itinerary for what to see in Amsterdam in 3 days.
Day 1 in Amsterdam
- Canal belt and canal houses
- Dam Square
- Royal Palace
- Nieuwe Kerk
Arriving in Amsterdam by train
If you are traveling by train, you will arrive at Amsterdam Centraal station.
The central station is super central – as the name suggests. From here, you can either walk to your hotel or take the tram.
If you want to travel by train, you can choose between a ticket for several days or a one-way ticket.
You don’t have to buy or book a one-way ticket anywhere. Simply get on the train, hold your debit card, credit card or cell phone up to the card reader at the door and you’re checked in.
Don’t forget: When you get off the train, you must hold your card up to the card reader again to check out. This is the only way to pay the correct amount for the route you have traveled.
A public transport ticket for several days is only worthwhile if you want to explore Amsterdam outside the city center.
You don’t need a train ticket for our 3-day itinerary in Amsterdam.
Arriving in Amsterdam by car
If you are traveling to Amsterdam by car for a weekend, we recommend booking a hotel with parking. For example, the Volkshotel or the Inntel Hotel.
Parking in Amsterdam is not only stressful, but also extremely expensive. In Amsterdam’s central parking garages, you usually pay a daily rate of 60 euros.
And you can get around the city better on foot than by car anyway.
First orientation in the center
After checking into the hotel, it’s best to use your time to get your bearings in the city center. Then you will know much better where to go on day 2.
Dam Square is a great starting point for getting your bearings in Amsterdam.
Here you find the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk, the National Monument and the beautiful, historic building that now houses Madame Tussauds.
All the buildings on Dam Square are so beautiful to look at from the outside that it is not even necessary to go inside.
However, if you are already in the mood for a visit, we recommend booking your tickets for the Royal Palace or Madame Tussauds online in advance. This will save you time and money.
Book Royal Palace tickets online
Book Madame Tussauds tickets online
The canal belt, starting with the Singelgracht, is only a stone’s throw away from Dam Square.
Strolling along the canals gives you a first feeling for the city, and you can take some really great photos.
Of course, you will also find restaurants and cafés along all the canals in the city center for a short break or a delicious dinner.
Our restaurant tips: Fou Fow Udon on the Prinsengracht, Broodje Bert on the Singelgracht and The Avocado Show on the Keizersgracht.
Day 2 in Amsterdam
- Prinsengracht
- Museum visit (e.g. Anne Frank House or Grachtenmuseum)
- Shopping in the 9 Straatjes
- Rijksmuseum
- Canal cruise through Amsterdam
- Amsterdam red light district
The morning: Sightseeing
Day 2 of our 3 days itinerary in Amsterdam is the full sightseeing program.
Your first port of call is the Prinsengracht. You were probably here yesterday on your first walk.
The Anne Frank House and the Westerkerk are waiting for you on the Prinsengracht.
If you’re in Amsterdam, you should definitely visit the Anne Frank House. However, you need to book your ticket 6 weeks before your Amsterdam weekend trip via the official website.
Tickets always sell out superfast and weeks in advance. There is no daily contingent on site.
If the Anne Frank House is already fully booked, or you would like to visit another museum, we recommend the nearby Grachtenmuseum. Or you can go to the Rijksmuseum in the afternoon – you can find out more about this below.
Book Anne Frank House tickets online
Book Grachtenmuseum tickets online
Midday: Food & Shopping
At lunchtime you get a little break from sightseeing. In the 9 Straatjes.
The 9 Straatjes are a cute shopping district in the canal belt. There are great souvenir stores, various boutiques and really good cafés and restaurants for a lunch break.
Our café tip: Screaming Beans in Runstraat has the best coffee in the 9 Straatjes. We promise!
Not far from the 9 Straatjes, on the Elandsgracht, you will find a really cool hidden gem in Amsterdam: the Antiekcentrum Amsterdam.
Behind an inconspicuous house façade, a huge market hall awaits you, where various traders sell antiques and rarities.
We come here every time we are in Amsterdam and have already bought something.
The afternoon: Rijksmuseum & canal cruise
Once you’ve fortified yourself and picked up a few souvenirs, you can continue sightseeing in the afternoon.
You’ll walk about 20 minutes from the canal belt to the southern end of the city center. To the so-called Museumplein.
Museumplein is home to some of Amsterdam’s most famous art museums. Including the large Rijksmuseum.
The Rijksmuseum is an absolute must for art lovers. However, the museum is so huge that you can easily spend 3 hours there.
If you have the time: Cool! Go for it. Tickets for the Rijksmuseum are often still available spontaneously. At the ticket office with a waiting time or online via GetYourGuide.
Book Rijksmuseum tickets online
If you don’t have time for the Rijksmuseum or simply aren’t interested, it’s not a big deal. You can also take a look at the beautiful building from the outside and take great photos.
There’s also the canal cruise waiting for you!
The Open Boat Tour is our favorite canal cruise in Amsterdam.
The tour starts at the Rijksmuseum and takes you along the beautiful canals for an hour. You can sit back and relax and get to know Amsterdam from a different angle.
Canal cruises are simply the better city tours in Amsterdam.
And the great thing about this boat tour is that it doesn’t involve the usual crowds. And on top of that, there’s a bar on board. Mega cool.
It‘s best to book your tickets online in advance. When booking, you also decide on a time period. This is great for planning.
Book an open boat canal cruise online
The evening: Amsterdam nightlife
Day 2 of your Amsterdam weekend trip is best rounded off in De Wallen. But please don’t be shocked if we tell you what De Wallen is now. Just trust us. It’s going to be cool!
De Wallen is one of the oldest districts in Amsterdam and is home to Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District.
That doesn’t mean you should go to strip clubs and peep shows – unless you want to. It also means that you can simply stroll through the streets or have a drink in a pub.
In the evening, the Red Light District is packed with tourists and there is so much to see. Neon signs, coffee shops, museums, bars and clubs and even a big old church – the Oude Kerk.
Our restaurant tip: If you want to eat around De Wallen in the evening, we recommend In de Waag. The restaurant is in the old city gate from 1488 – super cool! If you fancy a few drinks, you can go to Old Sailor.
If the more raunchy nightlife of Amsterdam doesn’t appeal to you, you can take a walk along the canals before or after dark as an alternative.
This is when many of the lights are switched on and the canal belt looks even more romantic than during the day. The Magere Brug between Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht is particularly pretty.
Day 3 in Amsterdam
- Amsterdam harbor
- A’dam Lookout with the highest swing in Europe
- Cool rooftop bar with panoramic view
Last day: Amsterdam harbor & view
In most cases, the day of departure is only half a day. But even then, you can still experience something really cool in Amsterdam.
First of all, it’s time to check out of the hotel and head to Central Station.
Our tip: At the central station, you have the option of storing your luggage in a locker until your departure. This is often less stressful than having to go back to the hotel later. Storage costs 10 euros per locker. There are large and small lockers. You can find more information on the station website.
Once you’ve got rid of your luggage, it gets really exciting again. And that’s on the A’dam Lookout. This is a 360° sky deck on a 22-storey building in Amsterdam’s harbor.
And it’s home to the highest swing in Europe! With an unforgettable view of Amsterdam, you can swing 100 meters above the city on the edge of the skyscraper.
You can reach the A’dam Lookout by taking the free F3 ferry to Buiksloterweg. The crossing from the station side to the other side takes just 2 minutes. The ferries run 24/7.
And after the swinging, or even if the swinging is a bit too scary for you, you can also enjoy a delicious meal at A’dam Lookout and round off your Amsterdam weekend trip with a drink in the rooftop bar.
Book A’dam Lookout tickets online
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Amsterdam?
If you are still looking for a good hotel in Amsterdam, then we can warmly recommend these 4:
Volkshotel: Our (first) personal recommendation! Super modern hotel with great connections to the city center and its own rooftop bar – also a great family hotel in Amsterdam.
Bob W Noord: Our (second) personal recommendation! Located in Amsterdam Noord, but very well connected. Especially great if you need a hotel with cheap parking in Amsterdam or are in Amsterdam with kids.
Inntel Hotel: Modern 4-star hotel in penthouse style with a view of the Amsterdam harbor and great value for money.
The Hendrick’s: Great boutique hotel for first-time visitors to Amsterdam. Central location, great value for money and mega delicious breakfast.
FAQ about 3 Days in Amsterdam
How many days should you stay in Amsterdam?
It’s best to travel to Amsterdam for 3 to 4 days.
Then you’ll have plenty of time to see all the main sights and try out some great Amsterdam activities.
Of course you can also discover Amsterdam in one day. We have the perfect route for you here:
Is the I Amsterdam Card worth it for a weekend in Amsterdam?
Yes, if you want to do classic sightseeing in Amsterdam, the I Amsterdam City Card is also worth it if you are only in Amsterdam for a weekend.
Please take a look at our I Amsterdam City Card review. We also have a concrete calculation example for 3 days in Amsterdam.
When is the best time to travel to Amsterdam?
The best time to travel to Amsterdam is from August to October.
Then the perfect travel weather awaits you and Amsterdam is less crowded than in high season.
You can find out more about the travel time for Amsterdam here:
What do you absolutely have to do in Amsterdam?
A canal cruise through Amsterdam is an absolute must-do in 3 days in Amsterdam!
The pretty canals make up Amsterdam’s cityscape and seeing Amsterdam from the water is a really cool experience.
Our favorite is the 1-hour open boat tour.
How much does an Amsterdam trip cost?
A short trip to Amsterdam for 3 days and 2 nights for 2 people costs an average of 830 euros.
Included in this total are:
- almost 500 euros for the hotel with breakfast,
- 2x about 20 euros for a canal trip,
- another 2x 20 euros for museum entry,
- then 2x 25 euros for the A’dam Lookout with swing,
- also around 2x 100 euros for food.
Not included are:
- the arrival and departure,
- spending on souvenirs and other shopping,
- the possible visit to a show in the red light district,
- another museum visit,
- and the possible costs for lockers at the main station.
Should you spend 2 or 3 days in Amsterdam?
3 days in Amsterdam are definitely better, as you have more time to explore the city.
Anyway, 2 days in Amsterdam are better than no day in Amsterdam.
Is 3 days in Amsterdam enough time?
Yes, for a short trip to Amsterdam, 3 days are perfect.
However, the more time you have, the better it is. There is so much to see in Amsterdam!
Now you know what to do in 3 days in Amsterdam
Have you ever been to Amsterdam for 3 days and have a cool travel tips for Amsterdam? Then let us know. We’d be delighted if you wrote a comment!