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Discover Amsterdam
Meetings and Conventions
Business
Live, Work and Study
Image from Koen Smilde Photography

Amsterdam local itinerary with the I amsterdam City Card

Experience Amsterdam and its surroundings like a local when you follow our Local itinerary. You’ll cycle along cobblestone streets, nibble savoury snacks and soak up the art and culture that’s made the city famous. There’s even a chance to take selfies in front of a windmill!

Day 1

9:00-10:00: Breakfast at De Koffieschenkerij

Oudekerksplein 27, 1012 GX Amsterdam

Wake up with a tasty breakfast at this hidden gem in the city's oldest church on a pretty street in the Red Light District. There's even a plant-filled terrace to enjoy on warm summer days and the baked goods are divine.

10:30-11:30: Museum Van Loon

Image from Tom Elst

Keizersgracht 672, 1017 ET Amsterdam

(regular price €13.50 – free with the City Card)

Start your day by learning all about life in 17th century Amsterdam as it is perfectly preserved in the grand canal house Museum van Loon. Paintings and antique furnishings fill each room, and there's also a coach house and landscaped garden.

11:30-12:30: Huis Marseille

Huis Marseille people looking at art
Image from Jan de Ridder

Keizersgracht 401, 1016 EK Amsterdam

(regular price €12.50 – free with the City Card)

Head down the street to this photography museum. The first institute of its kind in the Netherlands, Huis Marseille reveals the world around us through unforgettable images. When you're done, stroll through the beautiful back garden.

12:45-14:00: Lunch at Baton Brasserie

Herengracht 82, 1015 BS Amsterdam

Gear up for the rest of your day with lunch at this charming brasserie. Choose from a variety of sandwiches made from seasonal ingredients and served on freshly baked bread.

14:15-15:30: Amsterdam Museum 

Panorama exhibition at Amsterdam Museum aan de Amstel H'ART Museum
Image from Gert Jan van Rooij

Amstel 51, 1018 EJ Amsterdam

(regular price €18 – free with the City Card)

Dedicated to the history of the Dutch capital, this museum explores Amsterdam through a fascinating collection that starts in the Middle Ages and ends in the present. As the museum's main building is on renovation until 2025, the current Panorama collection is featured in the building of H'ART Museum, where you can see the chronological history of Amsterdam, from the 16th century as it is now.

16:00-17:00: Geelvinck Pianola Museum 

Pianola Museum interior
Image from Sinaya Wolfert

Westerstraat 106, 1015 MN Amsterdam

(regular price €9 – free with the City Card)

One of Amsterdam's miniature museums, this charmer is all about the pianolas, also known as player pianos. Here classic songs play as if by magic while you wander past the exhibits. It also has the world's largest collection of pianola scrolls.

17:30-19:30: Dinner at the Brouwerij Troost

Biking in the rain next to Brouwerij Troost
Image from Marie Charlotte Peze

For a truly local experience, head to Westerpark, where nature meets industry. The old Westergas gasworks now houses many creative businesses and great eateries. One of them is the award-winning Troost brewery and gin distillery. Sit back and relax on the terrace with a foaming glass of beer and a burger and indulge in a bit of people-watching.

20:00-22:00: Go to The Movies

There’s nothing like sinking into the velvet seat in a movie theatre. Experience Amsterdam’s oldest cinema at The Movies. There’s something on the agenda to suit everyone, but if you love alternative film and art house, look no further.

Day 2

10:00-11:00: Canal cruise

A couple on a boat in the water of the Groene Hart
Image from Koen Smilde

(regular price €19 – free with the City Card)

The best way to see Amsterdam is definitely by sailing through its interwoven canal network. Glide by some of the city’s most historical offerings, beautiful buildings and stunning landscapes on one of Amsterdam’s famous canal cruises.

11:00-12:00: Travel to the Sloten windmill

Hop on tram 2 from Amsterdam Centraal to Nieuw Sloten and enjoy the ride through the city to the outskirts. Exit at the Oudenaardeplantsoen stop. From there, it’s a scenic 15-minute walk to the windmill.

12:00-13:00: Molen van Sloten

24H Nieuw-West - Molen van Sloten, Brouwerij De 7 Deugden
Image from Amie Galbraith

Windmill van Sloten, Akersluis 10, 1066 EZ Amsterdam

(regular price €8 – free with the City Card)

Visit the only mill open to the public in Amsterdam. The Sloten Windmill is a reconstructed mill from 1847. Enthusiastic volunteers will give you a detailed guided tour through the mill and, if possible, show how the mill’s vanes rotate. Check out the 7 Deugden brewery next door for a special craft beer infused with spices and herbs.

13:30-15:00: CoBrA Museum of Modern Art

Dry Zen Garden door Shinkichi Tajiri
Image from Cobra Museum

Sandbergplein 1, 1181 ZX Amstelveen

(regular price €15 – free with the City Card)

Visit this museum in Amstelveen to see its collection of Cobra-movement art. Spanning 1948 to 1951, it was inspired by imagination, experimentation and breaking from the past. The colourful, playful pieces on display are sure to make you smile.

15:00-16:00: Travel to Amsterdam Centraal

Take the 347 or 357 Connexxion bus (not included in City Card) back to Amstelveenseweg and switch to the metro 51 metro to Centraal to return to the city centre. Or if you’d rather stay longer, take a walk in the nearby Amsterdam Forest.

16:00-17:00: Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

Ons Lieve Heer op Solder our lord in the attic museum church during Museumnacht 2018
Image from Joris Raaijman

Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38, 1012 GD Amsterdam

(regular price €16.50 – free with the City Card)

Take a trip back in time on a visit to the Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, also known as the Our Lord in the Attic Museum. When you pass through the door, you'll enter a wonderfully preserved 17th-century home that brings the past to life. In the attic, there's an ornate church created for secret Catholic worship in 1663.

17:15-19:30: Dinner at Hanneke’s Boom

Dijksgracht 4, 1019 BS Amsterdam

This rustic restaurant on the Oosterdok is a popular local hangout thanks to the outdoor terrace that offers beautiful waterside views. Take a peek into Amsterdam’s artsy side and don’t forget to try typical dutch snacks such as bitterballen and kroketten, which go perfectly with beer.

20:00-22:00: Bimhuis

Bimhuis
Image from Govert Driessen

Piet Heinkade 3, 1019 BR Amsterdam

(25% discount with the City Card on tickets bought on the day of the performance)

Grab a drink at the bar and end the day with a jazz performance from the leading European artists at Bimhuis.

Day 3

9:00-10:00: PANCAKES Amsterdam

Prins Hendrikkade 48, 1012 AC Amsterdam

Start your morning off right with a delicious breakfast at PANCAKES. Order your favourite sweet or savoury toppings, including Nutella, goat's cheese and bacon.

10:30-11:30: Amsterdam City Archives

Stadsarchief city archives de bazel building
Image from Dorain Kransberg

Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam

(regular price €10 – free with the City Card)

The historic De Bazel building, previously used as a bank, holds many of the city’s secrets, including a vast array of maps, historical records and drawings, as well as the beautiful art-deco Amsterdam Treasure Room intact with the bank vaults. The City Card grants you access to the exhibitions, which include a permanent collection of attractions, including the UNESCO World Heritage Stage.

11:15-12:30: Hortus Botanicus

This image can also be used for general promotion of Amsterdam, provided that the name Hortus Botanicus will be mentioned under the image.
Image from Barbara van Amelsfoort

Plantage Middenlaan 2a, 1018 DD Amsterdam

(regular price €13.50 – free with the City Card)

Founded in 1638, Hortus Botanicus was originally a herb garden for local pharmacists and doctors. Now it attracts visitors with greenhouses filled with lush tropical plants and flowers, some centuries old.

12:35-14:00: Lunch at De Plantage

Café-Restaurant de Plantage in the evening with sparkly lights.
Image from Maarten van der Wal

Plantage Kerklaan 36, 1018 CZ Amsterdam

Venture out onto the terrace or stay within the magnificent hall of De Plantage and delight yourself with their fantastic lunch selection, from shakshouka to ricotta-filled ravioli, while surrounded by the ambience and nature sounds of the Artis Zoo.

14:00-15:00: Verzetsmuseum

Image from Marie-Charlotte Pezé

Plantage Kerklaan 61, 1018 CX Amsterdam

(regular price €14 – free with the City Card)

Learn about the impact of World War II on The Netherlands in the Dutch Resistance Museum. The museum masterfully explores ordinary people's personal stories and journeys while evoking the climate of the war times.

15:15-16:30: Wereldmuseum Amsterdam

Tropenmuseum main hall of museum
Image from Rob van Esch

Linnaeusstraat 2, 1092 CK Amsterdam

(regular price €16 – free with the City Card)

Learn all about the cultures of the world in this beloved museum. Dedicated to exploring humanity and the things that unite us, the Wereldmuseum exhibitions ponder big questions without fear and bring cultural heritage to light in a new way.

17:00-19:00: Cycle around Amsterdam

(regular price €15 - free with the City Card)

Enjoy 24 hours of free bike rental from one of the spots included in your City Card and explore the city as the locals do. Let Amsterdam's winding cobblestone lanes lead you to unexpected adventures. If you aren't used to it, biking in the city centre can be stressful, so be careful and follow traffic rules. Feeling the pressure? Venture into parks such as the Vondelpark for a more relaxed time.

19:30-22:00: Distillery ‘t Nieuwe Diep

Image from Koen Smilde Photography

Sit in the sun at Distillery ’t Nieuwe Diep in the Flevopark and sample their freshly distilled jenevers and vodkas.