This post contains affiliate links which means that at no additional cost to you, if you click on one of the product links, we may earn a commission. Thank you to I amsterdam for providing us with the I amsterdam City Card for this trip. It made our vacation in Amsterdam much more convenient visiting all the wonderful museums and utilizing the excellent transit system. We highly recommend getting a City Card for your visit!

Amsterdam is known for all of its coffee shops and the Red Light District but we wanted to skip all that and explore this city in a different way. Amsterdam has many wonderful museums and so many great sites to see. So much so that we actually ran out of time and didn’t get to explore everything we wanted.

One of the things we loved most about Amsterdam was how easy it was to use their transit system. Most of the time, we rode the tram around the city as it would almost always take us within steps from our final destination. Plus, there are service desks all over the place to help the tourists navigate - even on the tram! We have never seen this level of service for the tourists and really appreciated it. The information desk on the tram saved us a couple of times when we were first trying to navigate the city.

Since we were on a mission to visit as many museums and attractions as we could, it was super convenient to have the I amsterdam City Card so that we didn’t have to constantly worry about how much a ticket would cost from one location to the next. We picked up our card at the I amsterdam Store within Amsterdam Centraal and it was automatically activated on our first use. Not only did the City Card give us transportation convenience, but it also gave us access to numerous museums for free or at a discounted rate. Plus, the card offered a free canal cruise and discounts at many restaurants.

Here are our top 7 things we think you should definitely experience in Amsterdam on a weekend in Amsterdam:

1. Anne Frank House

If you know Anne Frank’s story, you have to visit this museum. It’s surreal to see the actual bookcase that led to the secret hideaway or the decorations on the wall that Anne pasted herself. Because you are stepping foot inside the actual hideaway the space is very small and we also learned some things about Anne and her family that we weren’t aware of before.

The main entrance to the Anne Frank House tends to draw a crowd and if you walk past the museum entrance, you’ll see the actual exterior entrance to the secret annex. The building is located on a canal so it’s a very busy and popular area. The museum itself is very popular so make sure you plan ahead. You’ll need to book your tickets online weeks in advance. Tickets are released two months in advance so the earlier you can get them the better. 

Address: Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands (MAP)
Hours: Sun - Fri 9AM - 7PM; Sat 9AM - 10PM

2. Moco Museum

Moco Museum is a fun boutique museum with artwork from recent artists like Banksy and Kaws. There are some tight quarters in this museum so it’s best to visit at off-peak times if possible. We visited a couple of hours before closing and it was plenty of time to explore all the floors. The entire space is a great place to snag some fun photos and it’s even encouraged to do so. Candy saw a sign hanging in their bathroom of a photo contest for the best photo taken in the museum. The exhibits change from time to time, so you might experience something different from what we did in these funky rooms.

You’ll get a 25% discount with the City Card.

Address: Honthorststraat 20, 1071 DR Amsterdam, Netherlands (MAP)
Hours: Sun - Thu 9AM - 7PM; Fri-Sat 9AM - 8PM

3. A’DAM Lookout

If you want a 360-degree view of Amsterdam, head to A’DAM Lookout in Noord. It’s a quick ferry ride over and the ride is free (you can even board with your bike or mini car)! You can enjoy drinks and snacks while taking in the views or go up to the rooftop and take a ride on Europe’s highest swing.

Going up to the rooftop costs €12.50, but if you want to also enjoy a couple of drinks you can get a Lookout Premium Ticket for €19.50. We purchased the premium ticket and enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine while we were up there. I think our favorite part was riding the elevator to the top because they play some ridiculous techno music along with a crazy light show.

Address: Overhoeksplein 5, 1031 KS, Netherlands (MAP)
Hours: Open Daily 10AM - 10PM, Last admission 9PM

4. Rijksmuseum

This is a gigantic Dutch national museum dedicated to the arts and history of Amsterdam. There is a wide variety of paintings, sculptures, models, and furniture to view at this fascinating museum.

What we really liked about Rijksmuseum was the information cards they provided next to some of the paintings. They would point out all the details and what was significant about the painting which made the experience more interesting. Make sure to check out their historic library and the beautiful gardens.

The museum is located right at Museum Square; therefore, other popular attractions are within its immediate vicinity. It’s a gorgeous area and the entrance to this museum is completely free with your City Card.

Address: Museumstraat 1, 1071 Amsterdam (MAP)
Hours: Open Daily 9AM - 5PM

5. Photography Tour with David

David is a professional photographer and will give you great tips on how to use your camera for that perfect photo in Amsterdam. He will also take you to the hidden gems of Amsterdam and snap some awesome shots of you along the way.

The tour runs for 2.5 hours and we really felt that we got so much more than what we paid for. This was probably one of the best photography tours we’ve done on our travels and we highly recommend it!

6. Albert Cuyp Market

This is the place to get a taste of all the iconic Amsterdam foods like stroopwafels, fries, and chicken (Amsterdam knows how to do chicken) at a great price. It’s also a great place to go shopping for souvenirs, clothes, flowers, food and more.

We tend to skip markets as they are typically overpriced, but this market was the complete opposite. Everything was so cheap! We purchased a basket of tender chicken wings for only €2.50 and even the stroopwafels were cheaper and tasted better than the ones we ate around the city.

Address: Albert Cuypstraat, 1073 BD Amsterdam, Netherlands (MAP)
Hours: Mon - Sat 9AM - 5PM, Closed Sunday

7. Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of his paintings and it takes you through a journey of his life. We explored an impressive amount of Van Gogh’s work and didn’t realize he did SO many versions of self-portraits.

We learned how he evolved from dark-colored paintings to much more vibrant paintings, which was such a fascinating contrast. We were only familiar with his famous lighter palette paintings like the “Sunflowers”, which we got to see in the museum.

The Van Gogh Museum is free with the City Card but you must book a time slot online before you go.

Address: Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam, Netherlands (MAP)
Hours: The museum is open daily; however, their hours vary. Check for times HERE.

More Things To Do

Houseboat Museum

You will see houseboats all over Amsterdam and even David (the photographer we did the tour with) lived on a houseboat. This museum gives you a unique opportunity to see what it’s like to live on one of those boats you see on Amsterdam’s canals.

I Amsterdam Sign

We heard that the sign has become such an icon that it no longer sits in one location. We thought we would see it near A’DAM Lookout or the Rijksmuseum, but it was not at either of those locations. If you must get pictures with this famous sign, check iamsterdma.com/the-letters for its current location.

Canal Cruise

There are many canal cruises to choose from in Amsterdam and you’ll get lovely views with whichever tour you decide to go with. Even if it’s cold outside, there are covered boats as well. The City Card offers one free canal cruise with one of their partners.

Where Can I Buy The I amsterdam City Card?

We got our card at the I amsterdam Store which was located inside Centraal Station. Some of the other locations are:

• I amsterdam Visitor Center at Stationsplein (this is across from Centraal Station)

• I amsterdam Visitor Center Schiphol Airport, Arrivals 2 at Schiphol Plaza

• Online at I amsterdam

Where Did You Stay?

We stayed in two different hotels during our time in Amsterdam. Both were excellent hotels with top-notch service. The first hotel we stayed at was the Intercontinental Amstel Hotel, which is a historic hotel with luxurious amenities and located on a quieter side of the city. The second hotel we stayed at was a hip modern boutique called the Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam. This hotel is located in Old Amsterdam and within minutes from Centraal Station.