Is Amsterdam guide in two days It will help you prepare a weekend getaway or the first two days of your visit to one of the most amazing cities in Europe.
Although Amsterdam has many things to see and do, if you optimize the routes well during these 2 days, we are sure that you can visit most of its tourist places as well as having the best cultural and leisure experiences that the city offers.
We recommend doing the itineraries on foot or by bicycle, since Amsterdam is one of the cities with the most bike lanes and the most accessible in the world in this healthy means of transport.
Based on our trip Amsterdam in 5 days we have made this practical guide to fully enjoy Amsterdam in 2 days.
How to go from the airport to the center or hotel of Amsterdam
Amsterdam has one of the busiest and most functional airports in the world, Schiphol Airport. Located 15 kilometers from Amsterdam at this airport, all kinds of conventional companies such as low cost land every day.
There are several ways to get to the city center or to your hotel from the airport.
- Train: It is the fastest way to get to the Central Station, located near the center of Amsterdam. The trains, operating 24 hours a day, leave every few minutes between peak hours, the price is around 5 euros and the journey lasts 20 minutes.
- Buses 197 or N97: It has a price similar to the train, although it takes about half an hour. Buses have a frequency of about 15 minutes at peak times, depending on traffic. It may be a good option if you are staying near the museum area, as it stops there.
- Taxi: Its price of about 50 euros can be favorable if you are several people and you have the hotel away from the center.
- Direct transfer: It is the most comfortable option with which the driver will wait for you at the airport with a sign with your name to take you directly to the hotel. You can book the transfer service here.
For more information on the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Amsterdam airport to downtown.
Where to sleep in Amsterdam
We can confirm that accommodation in Amsterdam is one of the most expensive in Europe, especially in the area of the historic center. Looking for a hotel far from the center to save if you want to know Amsterdam in two days, is not a great alternative, since you will lose a lot of time in traveling.
We recommend the area we stayed in during our trip, near the Singel canal.
The Singel Hotel, located 200 meters from the Central Station and 10 minutes from Dam Square is a great option. It also has a good value, has a 24-hour reception, free Wi-Fi and continental breakfast.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods we recommend you check this post of where to stay in Amsterdam.
Before starting the route through Amsterdam it is advisable to assess whether it is profitable to book the I amsterdam City Card. This tourist card offers free entry to the main tourist attractions and museums of the city such as Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum, as well as boat trips on the canals, a visit to Zaanse Schans and public transport.
For more recommendations you can consult this post that we talked about the essential tips for traveling to Amsterdam.
First day guide in Amsterdam
The route of the first day of Amsterdam in 2 days start by taking a walk on the Singel canal, one of the most beautiful in Amsterdam, next to the Herengracht canal. Strolling along the shore of the 4 canals that surround the historic center, crossing its bridges, seeing the beautiful facades of the historic buildings and houseboats, having a beer on one of its terraces, are just some of the best things to do in Amsterdam
If you have more time we recommend, in addition to these two channels, walk through Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht.
Amsterdam canals
The walk along the Singel Canal ends in Bloemenmarkt, the famous floating flower market in Amsterdam. In this market that opens at 9 in the morning, in addition to flowers of all kinds and colors you can buy the most typical souvenir of the city, the tulip bulbs.
Amsterdam Flower Market
If you travel in spring, the time of flowering of the tulip, you can not miss this excursion to Keukenhof, a place where you can walk among thousands of colored tulips.
After the visit to the market, the Amsterdam route in two days Continue walking to the museum area, Museumplein. In addition to the famous lyrics I amsterdam (They are now itinerant), in this place there are two of the best museums in Amsterdam and throughout the country, the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.
I amsterdam with the Rijksmuseum in the background
Having 2 days, if you are not an art lover, we recommend visiting only one and in this case we opt for Van Gogh, since inside the museum you will find some of the best works of the great painter as The sunflowers, Arles's bedroom or Potato Eaters.
A good option to know the history of the paintings, the life of the painter and avoid the lines, is to book this guided tour in Spanish with an art specialist or this one that also includes a cruise and the visit to the Rijksmuseum.
If you do not want to take a guided tour and want to avoid the long queues that form at the entrance we recommend you book this quick entry ticket to the Van Gogh museum or this ticket to the Rijksmuseum.
Keep in mind that the Vang Gogh museum opens every day from 9am to 6pm, except for Friday that closes at 10pm.
Van Gogh Museum
In good weather, after leaving the Van Gogh museum, you can buy food to take away in a store and have a picnic at the nearby Vondelpark. This park, the most popular in Amsterdam, is a good place to disconnect from the city, strolling among flowers, lakes and statues.
Vondelpark
After the walk, if you feel like eating in a restaurant or in bad weather, you can approach Leidseplein. This lively square, full of street performers, fashion shops and restaurants with a terrace is a good place to eat, among which we find most recommended to try Dutch homemade food are The pantry Y Stoop & Stoop Eetcafe, two of the best restaurants to eat in Amsterdam.
After eating and before entering the historic center you can take a one-hour boat cruise, to see some of the most important places in the city from another perspective, considered one of the best excursions in Amsterdam.
Walk through the Canals
If you prefer something more romantic you can leave the walk through the canals for the night and book this cruise with dinner or this candlelit ride where you will enjoy the views from the canals while trying a selection of cheeses and wines.
The afternoon of Amsterdam in two days You will pass it through the historic center where the first stop is Begijnhof, one of our favorite corners of the city and one of the essential places to visit in Amsterdam. This 14th-century beguinage, hidden near Spuiplein Square, is a haven of peace in which the Blessed sisters lived. In addition to the garden you can see the oldest house in the city, the Houten Huys and the Chapel of Begijnhof, the first underground church in Amsterdam. The visiting hours are from 9 am to 5 pm.
Begijnhof
After the visit you can approach Dam Square through the most commercial street in Amsterdam, the Kalverstraat. Dam Square, the most important in the city, is surrounded by interesting buildings such as the New Church or Nieuwe Kerk, the Madame Taussauds Wax Museum, the Royal Palace and the De Bijenkorf luxury store, places to which we advise you to lend attention while you walk. In addition, in the center is an obelisk in honor of the Dutch soldiers who died in World War II.
Dam Square on the Amsterdam route in 2 days
Leaving the square, you can take a nice walk through the narrow streets of the old town until you reach the Oude Kerk or old church. This church is the oldest building in the city and stands out for having the largest medieval wooden vault in Europe with 15th-century paintings. The visiting hours are from 10am to 6pm.
Oude Kerk
Oude Kerk is located in the Red Light District, famous for its nightlife, sex shops, tattoo shops and pierciengs and the red-light showcases from which prostitutes offer their services. In this area you can also find the best coffee shops, places where smoking hashish and marijuana are allowed, although strangely, alcohol and tobacco are prohibited. One of the most recommended is Hunter's Café, in which if you do not want to smoke, you can quietly have a drink or coffee and get to know this type of premises first hand.
A good option to learn about the interesting history of the Red Light District is to book a guided tour in Spanish or take advantage of one of the offers that includes the view of the neighborhood and a boat trip.
The Red Light District
This area of the Red Light District at night is not dangerous, so you can take a leisurely walk, although you should avoid taking pictures of the windows, since education is not something pleasant for the girls who are working.
If you do not do a boat cruise at night that includes dinner you can finish this Amsterdam in one day having dinner at one of the restaurants in the Red Light District like the original Martine's Table.
Map of the first day in Amsterdam
What to see in Amsterdam in two days
The route of the second day of Amsterdam in 2 days Start with a 3-hour bike tour with a Spanish guide where you will stop at all points of interest in the city. Without a doubt, to feel like a local nothing better than touring the city on a bicycle.
Although if you do not want to do the bike route, we suggest you book this free tour of Amsterdam with a guide in Spanish for free!
By bike through Amsterdam
After finishing the route in front of Amsterdam Central Station, you can go to the Henri Willig cheese factory. Taking into account that the cheeses of the Netherlands are considered one of the best in the world and that in this shop in addition to trying some of their specialties with a glass of wine or beer, you can buy all kinds of cheeses until you fill your suitcase, We believe it is one of the highly recommended visits in the city.
After the cheese tasting you will walk a little to see the crossing of Brouwerser canals with Prinsengracht, one of the most photogenic corners of the city.
Crossing of Brouwerser canals with Prinsengracht
After taking hundreds of photos, the route of the Amsterdam in two days Continue with a walk along the shore of the Prinsengracht canal until you reach the charming Jordaan neighborhood, our favorite neighborhood in the city. This neighborhood of narrow streets, gardens and the beautiful Brouwergacht canal, is a perfect place to walk and sit on one of its terraces.
You can also take the opportunity to eat here, in one of the most recommended restaurants in this area as Of Reiger, of local or Italian food The Lillotatini Maschera.
In this neighborhood is also the touching Museum of the Anne Frank House. During the visit you can see the area where Anna Frank and her family lived hidden for 2 years during the Nazi occupation of the city.
Anna Frank House
It is advisable to reserve the ticket on its official website, where you can choose the time of the visit.
Keep in mind that from 09h to 15: 30h only those who have the online ticket can enter the museum, while from 15: 30h those who bought the ticket at the museum box office can enter. The museum is open every day from 9am to 10pm, although in winter it closes at 7pm.
Next to the Anne Frank House is the Westerkerk church, which stands out for having one of the best panoramic views of the city from its 85-meter-high tower and which may be another of the day's stops.
After all visits, you can follow the Amsterdam route in two days walking along the shore of the Prinsengracht canal, where you will see the houseboats, including the Houseboat Museum, where you can enter to know what life is like inside one of these houseboats.
Amsterdam houseboats in two days
The Amsterdam route in two days continue with a walk along the shore of another of the canals that surround the historic center, the Keizersgracht canal that will take you to the Magere Brug or Puente Delgado, a wooden swing bridge, located on the Amstel river.
A curiosity that caught our attention walking through the streets of Amsterdam, is that the older houses have the facade a little leaning forward, in addition to having a hook at the top. The reason is that since the houses are so narrow, the furniture and merchandise were climbed upstairs by a pulley system, something that we invite you to meet and browse in the many houses of this style.
Amsterdam houses
If you go well on time you can approach the Waterlooplein Market, a flea market with a lot of history located in the old Jewish quarter.
In addition, other interesting places in this area, if you have more days, are the Israeli Portuguese Synagogue, the Hermitage Museum or the Rembrandt House Museum.
To finish this Amsterdam in 2 days you can reach the lively Nieuwmarkt square, to dine at one of its most famous restaurants such as Cafe Bern or the Cafe Piazza.
If you have more days you can consult the Amsterdam guide in 3 days.
Map of the second day of Amsterdam in two days
Do you want to organize a trip to Amsterdam?
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Book the best tours and excursions in Amsterdam in Spanish here
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Amsterdam guide in one day
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Rent your car in Amsterdam at the best price here
The best offers of Flights to Amsterdam here
The best hotels at the best prices in Amsterdam here
Book the best tours and excursions in Amsterdam in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Amsterdam transfer here
Amsterdam guide in one day
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Rent your car in Amsterdam at the best price here
