Amsterdam is one very famous European destinations and is a perfect getaway if you’d like to discover more about Europe. Do not worry if you only have a couple of days to spend in the capital of Netherlands, with my Amsterdam 3 day itinerary you can plan ahead a fun trip there to discover the charm of this city.
Discover Amsterdam in 3 Days: Travel Guide
Table Of Contents
Back in the summer, I went with my friend to Amsterdam, you know that beautiful city that is the capital of the Netherlands.
It might seem to be a short trip, but it’s crazy how much you can do, sightsee and walk in such a short period and how much you can see from museum and even a few hours day trip outside the city to see the famous windmills of the Netherlands and the cheese factory to learn more about it and, of course, try some delicious cheese.
This could be a short resume of our 3 days trip to Amsterdam including the best things to do during that time, but, obviously, we’re not going to stop here!
DAY 1 PARIS TO AMSTERDAM – DISCOVERY
Waking up at 5:30 isn’t fun. But hey, it was worth it. Besides the great thing about travelling really 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 and there are plenty of pub/restaurants that offers an English breakfast. Of course, you could find some much more traditional food (and cheaper) but we choose the closest option to us.
Here are my firsts impressions of Amsterdam for the first few hours I spent in Amsterdam: I expected that they were gonna be bikes and tramway everywhere, but I swear this is CRAZY.
The Centraal seems like chaos somehow due to this crazy bikes and the tramway.
However, the tramway system is very effective and easy to navigate and there’s a lot of food stall 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 teeny tiny 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 nice day and the park isn’t too far from the Centraal and 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 nonetheless an experience. However I didn’t really feel confortable watching ladies waiting through the windows of their shops.
DAY 2 RISJKSMUSEUM AND SNACKING TRADITIONAL DUTCH FOOD
The first day was a beautiful day, however, on day two we weren’t so lucky weather-wise as it started to rain first thing in the morning. So we decided on an indoor activity, it was either 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 interesting! Firstly for the way how the building looks like both on the inside and the outside, as well as every aisle in it. Secondly, it is filled with tons of cool and classy arts that all have a very interesting history behind them (and as usual you can find some very odd painting which I love). It was perfect planning on this rainy morning.
The whole visit lasted around 2h, and it’s the time it took for the rain to calm down.
We then went back closer to the Centraal side alleys exploring and in quest of 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 as it is a must see if you ever come to Amsterdam!
DAY 3 DAY TRIP TO THE COUNTRYSIDE
This was probably my favourite day by far, I mean Amsterdam is an awesome city, sure, it does change a lot from Paris due to its architecture and layout, but it’s nonetheless still a city. So, a change of scenery felt really good. Besides, what’s more, typical than a windmill tour when you’re in the Netherlands!
On our way to our half day trip we saw Paleis op de Dam. The royal Palace of Amsterdam which is quite a sight from outside!
However, as much as I was sceptical to follow a group because we decided to go for the visit with Tour & Tickets instead of going by ourselves for once, it went really smoothly and was well planned.
My main concern was that we would be too restricted but not at all! We had our fair amount of time to explore all the spot we visited and our group was really nice.
During this tour we visited the following spot:
We first took a bus to Volemdamn to do a tour of the windmills, the scenery is everything you would see on a postcard with a lot of traditionnal windmills filling the horizon. It’s also very interesting to see how they works from the inside and go up 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 is one the biggest clog maker since 1651. While I don’ 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 of the cheese factory has to be one of my highlight of this day trip. You wouldn’t imagine how many different kind of Gouda there is! Baby gouda with honey mustard is absolutely divine!
Now I regret that I didn’t plan a budget to bring some delicious cheese back home with me.
And that’s how it ends! 3 full days in Amsterdam with a lot of exploring and walking around this beautiful canals city that is the capital of the Netherlands.
Amsterdam Tips:
It’s pretty easy to circulate around the city centre so you can walk from one landmark to another. The tramway system is very well done and there’s a lot of buses as well to go to most of the famous spot in the city.
You can get a one-day ticket GVB for 8€. There’s also a multi-day ticket available from 2 up 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 attended to do so to say I could cross “Biking in Amsterdam” from my bucket list, but the traffic just kind of made me rethink so. It must be very nice 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 quickly can wear you out if you wear the wrong type of shoes.
Where we stayed :
We decided on the West Side Inn was a bit outside the central but easy to access with the tram and really calm unlike the heart of the city. Of course, it was also cheaper, so, win-win really if you’re on a budget. You
The room was spacious and the beds comfy, only the bathroom design was a bit weird and not really practical, but you can quickly overlook 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
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.