Last updated on December 4th, 2023 at 09:52 am
Amsterdam is a famous European destination and is a perfect getaway if you want to discover more about Europe. Do not worry if you only have a few days to spend in the capital of the Netherlands; with my Amsterdam 3-day itinerary, you can plan a fun trip there to discover the charm of this city.
With this travel guide, you’ll get all the highlights of what to do in Amsterdam in 3 days.
Discover Amsterdam in 3 Days: Travel Guide
Back in the summer, I went with my friend to Amsterdam, that beautiful city that is the capital of the Netherlands.
It might seem to be a short trip.
Still, it’s crazy how much you can do, sightsee and walk in such a short period and how much you can see from the museum and even a few hours day trips outside the city to see the famous windmills of the Netherlands.
The cheese factory to learn more about it and, of course, try some delicious cheese.
This could be a short resume of our three-day trip to Amsterdam, including the best things to do during that time, but we won’t stop here!
Amsterdam is an easy trip to plan, and you don’t have to break the bank to plan a trip to the capital of the Netherlands; if you’re looking to save a few euros, it’s worth checking the numerous passes the city offers for activities and transports, or you can drink tap water in Amsterdam!
How To Get To Amsterdam
Amsterdam by train
The train is my favourite way of transportation; you can easily reach so many destinations in Europe by train. Amsterdam is reachable by the Thalys from Paris, Bruxelles. You can also travel by Eurostar if you’re coming from London. This makes you arrive directly into the city centre, saving time!
Amsterdam by Plane
Without a layover, Amsterdam can be reached by plane from many destinations worldwide. Schipol airport is the Netherlands’ main airport, only 9km from the southwest of Amsterdam, and it’s effortless to reach the centre either with a shuttle or catching a train at Schipol Station;
Where to stay in Amsterdam
It is recommended to stay in the city centre or the Old Centruum for the main attractions, cute cafes and restaurants, we visited a bit outside of the city to pay a lower price but wished we had chosen one of those areas instead.
You can check out those beautiful Amsterdam boutique hotels for a great experience and quality stay.
DAY 1 PARIS TO AMSTERDAM – DISCOVERY
Waking up at 5:30 isn’t fun. It was worth it. Besides, the great thing about travelling early in the day means you have one more full day wherever you are going.
But first thing first, before exploring and after being awake for so long, you need some fuel! If you stay close to the Centraal, it’s pretty touristy; plenty of pubs/restaurants offer an English breakfast. Of course, you could find much more traditional food (and cheaper), but we choose the closest option.
If you’re looking for better options, check out this list of yummy breakfasts in Amsterdam!
Here are my first impressions of Amsterdam for the first few hours I spent in Amsterdam: I expected there would be bikes and tramways everywhere, but I swear this is CRAZY.
The Centraal seems like chaos somehow due to these crazy bikes and the tramway.
However, the tramway system is very effective and easy to navigate, and there are a lot of food stalls stacked all around the city with delicious Dutch snacks.
We decided to walk to our hotel instead of using the tramway. Looking back on it, while I enjoyed walking, it was a bit painful with our luggage, even though they were small.
By walking to our hotel, we went through Vondelpark, which we used as a break stop as it was such a lovely dad. The park isn’t too far from the Centraal and is worth a visit.
When the sunset, we went back into the city and headed to the infamous Red Light District as I had heard a lot about it, and while I’m not the target for this place, it was an experience. However, I didn’t feel comfortable watching ladies waiting through the windows of their shops.
DAY 2 RIJKSMUSEUMEUM AND SNACKING TRADITIONAL DUTCH FOOD
The first day was beautiful; however, we weren’t so lucky weather-wise on day two as it started to rain first thing in the morning. So we decided on an indoor activity. The Torture Museum or the famous Rijksmuseum.
We settled on the Rijksmuseum as my friend visited it on her previous visit and vigorously recommended it.
I’m glad she did.
The visit to the Rijksmuseum was so enjoyable! Firstly, the building looks like both on the inside and the outside and every aisle in it. Secondly, it is filled with tons of cool and beautiful art with a fascinating history behind it (and as usual, you can find some very odd paintings, which I love). It was perfect planning on this rainy morning.
The visit lasted around two hours, enough for the rain to calm down.
We then returned closer to the Centraal side alleys, exploring and searching for something traditional for lunch! We had Frikandel and another Dutch street food snack with, obviously, a corner of fries.
We then moved on to the flower market, a must-see if you ever come to Amsterdam!
DAY 3 DAY TRIP TO THE COUNTRYSIDE
Day 3 was probably my favourite day by far; Amsterdam is a great city. Sure, it does change a lot from Paris due to its architecture and layout, but it’s still a city. Besides, what’s more typical than a windmill tour when you’re in the Netherlands?
So, a change of scenery felt good.
On our way to our half-day trip, we saw Paleis op de Dam. The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is quite a sight from the outside!
However, as much as I was sceptical about following a group because we decided to go for the visit with Tour & Tickets instead of going alone for once, it went smoothly and was well planned.
My main concern was that we would be too restricted, but not at all! We had a fair amount of time to explore all the spots we visited, and our group was lovely.
During this tour, we visited the following spots:
We first took a bus to Volemdamn to tour the windmills; the scenery is everything you would see on a postcard, with many traditional windmills filling the horizon. It’s fascinating to see how they work from the inside and go up to them for a better view!
A part of this tour included a visit to a clog-making factory, as clogs are what Amsterdam is also famous for, as the Netherlands has been one the biggest clog makers since 1651. Whildon’tdon’ have many interests in clogs; it’s always fun to learn more about the craft and traditions of a country.
I’m not going to lie; the visit to the cheese factory has to be one of the highlights of this day trip. You wouldn’t imagine how many different kinds of Gouda there are! Baby gouda with honey mustard is divine!
I regret that I didn’t plan a budget to bring some delicious cheese back home with me.
If you’d like to get more inspiration on what to do outside the city, here is a list of day trips from Amsterdam.
And that’s how it ends! Three full days in Amsterdam with a lot of exploring and walking around the beautiful canals of the city, the capital of the Netherlands.
Planning a Trip to Amsterdam Tips:
It’s pretty easy to circulate the city centre to walk from one landmark to another. The tramway system is very well done, and there are a lot of buses to go to most of the famous spots in the city.
You can get a one-day ticket GVB for 8€. A multi-day ticket is available from p to 7 days if you stay longer in Amsterdam.
It is also possible to rent a bike to travel around the city if you’d like; I wanted to say I could cross “Biking in Amsterdam” off my bucket list, but the traffic made me rethink. It must be charming in the country, the city, not so much in my opinion.
Make sure to pack some good shoes; you will walk a lot in Amsterdam, and while the streets are well made, it can quickly wear you out if you wear the wrong type of shoes.
Where we stayed :
We decided that the West Side Inn was outside the central but easy to access with the tram and calm, unlike the city’s heart. Of course, it was also cheaper, so it’s a win-win if you’re on a budget.
The room was spacious, and the beds were comfy; the bathroom design was weird and impractical. Still, you can quickly overlook it as this accommodation has everything else it needs, located close to the city centre without all the noise, not too pricey and quite cute!
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Discover Amsterdam in 3 Days: Travel Guide
✈ Best Travel Ressources To Plan Your Next Trip
If you need help planning your next trip, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered! Here are my favourite websites and apps to plan a trip!
✈ How To Find Flights?
My favourite website for booking flights is Skyscanner; it is a good comparator for finding the cheapest flights.
Google Flight is also a good help when it comes to comparing flights.
✈ Where To Book Accommodations?
The best sites to book accommodations are Booking.com or Expedia. They both allow you to collect points for a discount; it’s worth comparing the two as they often have different pricing for the same hotels.
Another perk of Booking.com and Expedia is that you can sometimes get bundle deals for flights and accommodations, which can help you save a lot of money.
✈ Best Sites To Book Activities
My go-to website when I need to book an activity is GetYourGuide when I can’t get a ticket directly on the website or if it’s easier to go through them.
I always check if the price is the same, though, as the whole point is for it to be easier but not more expensive.
You can also check out Klook if you need to book more than just activities and would like to get everything from the same website—(i.e. transport cards, car rental, hotel…).
✈ Other helpful travel resources
– Radical Storage: If you need a place to keep your luggage for an extended period when you travel, I recommend using them. It was a great help when we needed a place to keep our luggage safely while we left the city for a few days.
– TheTrainline: If you love to travel by train like me, then TheTrainline needs to be your go-to website for train travel in Europe. It is very reliant and easy to use.
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Disclaimer: This resources box contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you book anything through my links at no additional cost. These links help me support the blog and generate more content. Happy travels!
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mewxx says
Your trip looks like it was a lot of fun <3 Amsterdam is so beautiful, it's a place that I've always wanted to go to ^_^ x
mewxx says
Your trip looks like it was a lot of fun <3 Amsterdam is so beautiful, it's a place that I've always wanted to go to ^_^ x
SendingPostcardsHome says
You can surely do a lot in 3 days.. we were able to complete our entire list of things to do in three and half days! ?
SendingPostcardsHome says
You can surely do a lot in 3 days.. we were able to complete our entire list of things to do in three and half days! ?
Ashley says
The Netherlands is my next destination as soon as we can travel internationally again! I will definitely use your travel tips when visiting. This is a great read :).
savannahrose1321 says
I was supposed to go to Amsterdam in March, but COVID ruined it? I can’t wait to reschedule this trip!
Olivia says
I love Amsterdam! There is so much to do and see over three days. I’m bummed I missed the cheese factory – definitely adding that to my list next time I’m there!
Ildiko says
Fun blog. I loved the Rijksmuseum as well. But also the Van Gogh Museum is incredible. The cheeses are so delicious.i tried them at the shops but never went to the cheese factory. The flower market is so impressive. Never seen anything like that.
Krista says
Amsterdam is a lovely city to visit. I’ve been twice but still feel like there is a lot more to explore.
Krista says
I’ve been to Amsterdam a couple of times, but really need to go back and explore the city more. Love this itinerary you’ve put together!
Ophelie says
It’s so fun for me to read your article as I lived in Amsterdam for 2 years! I loved it there, it’s such a charming city! Once you get used to biking in the city it’s actually very practical and I can highly recommend it! I also wrote a few articles about Amsterdam if you want to get extra tips for your next trip there :D!
Shalzmojo says
Ii think Amsterdam must be one of the most yearned to be traveled cities in the world. Definitely on my bucket list and your post makes me wanna travel there ASAP.
Lina says
Amsterdam is such an awesome city! I was there almost 4 years ago and we had an amazing time. Vondelpark is a beautiful place and I also recommend doing a boat tour on the canals 🙂
Clumsy Girl Travels says
Amsterdam is one of my FAVORITE city’s. I can’t wait until travel is safe so I can visit again.
The Jetset Boyz says
Vondel Park sure is a great place to visit all year round, even in Winter. It’s a pleasant escape from the hubbub of Amsterdam – you could spend hours wandering around (it is 47 hectares in size!) or relaxing on a park bench watching the world go by.
* Every Friday there is the Friday Night Skate that starts in front of the Filmmuseum. Anyone can join in, free of charge, just bring your skates.
* June until August there are free music and dance performances in the open air theatre.
Elena Pappalardo says
Loved this helpful Amsterdam itinerary! I especially loved reading about the countryside; so nice to escape from the busy city as well!