Are you planning a short trip to Amsterdam? Want to know what to do in Amsterdam in 5 days? This 5-day Amsterdam itinerary includes all the best things to do for first-time visitors, including the most popular hotspots and hidden gems.

Spending five days in Amsterdam is the ideal amount of time to experience all that the city has to offer. From exploring the best attractions to enjoying a day trip in the countryside, Amsterdam provides the perfect blend of big-city exuberance and small-town manageability.
I think most people don’t expect to find that many cool things to do in Amsterdam, making it all about red-light districts and coffee shops. Long story short: it’s not. Amsterdam is a sensational European hub of art, architecture and history and there’s so much more to the city, so planning is essential to experience everything.
Case in point, let’s move on to the itinerary, shall we?
Best Things To Do In Amsterdam in 5 Days
Day 1: Arrival, Canal Tour, Dam Square
Goedemorgen and welcome to Amsterdam! I hope you had a smooth flight. Have you exited customs and received your baggage? Now, you have two options to get from the airport to the city center:
- Option 1: Look for a taxi. This is the more expensive option, as cab fare from the airport runs approximately €40 each way.
- Option 2: Take the train from the airport to Central Station. It’s easy to find, and you can easily purchase tickets at a vending machine for around €5.
Once you’ve checked in at your hotel and dropped your bags, it’s time to start exploring.
A good way to familiarize yourself with the city is by taking a canal tour. Make sure to choose a small boat, as you’ll be able to travel through many small canals that the larger canal tour boats can’t access. You’ll learn some history and see how the city is structured – plus, the view from the water is stunning. You can check out the specific tour I went on here, but you’ll find several operators just outside Central Station.
Just a short walk from the Central Station is Dam Square, built nearly 750 years ago. This is where the river Amstel dam was initially located, giving Amsterdam its name. The square is used nowadays for official events, festivals, concerts, and an occasional market. It’s a great place to hang out and watch the city go by. There’s much to explore in this area, and the many streets leading away from the square can take you to every part of the city.
If you walk down Warmoesstraat, one of Amsterdam’s oldest streets, after a couple of minutes, you’ll reach the beautiful Oude Kerk, a gothic church founded in the year 1213. This church is situated right in the middle of Amsterdam’s red-light district. It might be interesting to explore the district and see what the fuss is all about.
During the day, the red-light district in Amsterdam looks like any other part of the city, with its classic beautiful buildings and charming canals. However, at night, the red lights turn on and the entire neighbourhood fills up with curious tourists. You probably have to see it for yourself — at the very least, you’ll get a good laugh out of it! It’s also a good place to start if you’re looking for coffee shops. Regardless of whether or not it’s your scene, it’s still pretty interesting.
Day 2: Anne Frank House, De 9 Straatjes, Flower Market
By now you will have probably noticed that Amsterdam is a scary city to be a pedestrian, so you may as well join the locals and hop on a bike. I rented mine from Black Bikes but there are tons of stores throughout the city.
Bike your way to the lovely Jordaan District. If I lived in Amsterdam, this is where I would want to live. This residential area is probably the most missed attraction in Amsterdam and hardly any tourists enter this maze of restaurants, cafes, and stores. It’s very nice, so make sure to take your time to explore it.
In the Jordaan district, you’ll find a famous little house known for its tragic past and stories from only a few decades ago – the Anne Frank House. This is arguably Amsterdam’s most important and visited landmark. The lines are hours long, so I can’t stress enough the importance of buying tickets online before your trip. It is amazing just to be there and acknowledge the power that this one girl’s story has over so many people who visit her house every year. It was a highly emotional and enlightening experience, at least for me.
After your visit, head to De 9 Straatjes (“the nine little streets”). Here three major canals (Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Prinsengracht) divide the canal district into nine small but picturesque streets that are big on personality. The Nine Streets are a vintage lover’s paradise and are full of designer boutiques, art galleries, jewellery shops, speciality stores, and cosy cafés.
Keep biking along the Singel until you find yourself between Koningsplein and Muntplein.
See those boats floating? That is the famous flower market. Here you will find various types of flowers and gardening equipment. Plenty of locals come here in the spring for tulips, and roses, and in December for Christmas trees too. You can easily spend hours walking through the various stalls.
Midway through the market, you may come upon the ‘De Kaaskelder’ (The Cheese Cellar) offering cheese tasting. If you are visiting Amsterdam, this is one of the best places to do some cheese tasting.
A great way to end the day is by visiting one of the numerous nightclubs in the Rembrandtplein area. The atmosphere changes almost every night, so the best approach is to stroll around, listen to the music from each venue, and then make a decision. If it’s a Friday or Sunday night and you’re in the mood for dancing, it’s good to note that the smaller clubs usually feature the best DJs.
Day 3: Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum and Vonderlpark
On day 3 of your five days in Amsterdam, you should explore the city’s art scene. Head to Museumsplein, where you can visit the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum. It’s up to you which one you visit first, but it’s important to buy your entrance tickets for the Van Gogh Museum in advance to avoid waiting in line for more than 3 hours. Trust me, buy the tickets. Here’s the link.
The Rijksmuseum features a wide range of styles and periods, with a focus on the Dutch Republic’s golden age. It showcases masterpieces by renowned artists such as Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Mondrian across 80 galleries, telling the story of 800 years of Dutch art. The museum houses celebrated masterpieces, including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. Additionally, the exterior of the Rijksmuseum is visually striking and is often considered one of Amsterdam’s most iconic buildings.
Now, let’s hit up the Gogh. Perhaps the most obvious must-see museum in Amsterdam.
This museum is entirely dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh and showcases many of his most famous paintings, like The Sun Flowers, The Self Portrait, and many more. The museum also features some works of other impressionists and post-impressionists and lets visitors appreciate some of Van Gogh’s personal letters to his colleagues.
In the afternoon, you can give your brain a break and walk to Vondelpark, the “green lung” of Amsterdam. This place is loved both by locals and tourists enjoying a sunny day, dog-walking, jogging, people-watching, or just lazing about in the grass.
Day 4: Zaanse Schans, Rembrandthuis, Magere Brug
A visit to Amsterdam wouldn’t be complete without seeing some world-famous windmills. Start your day with a trip to the famous Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum where the 18th and 19th centuries are brought back to life in The Netherlands. To reach Zaanse Schans, head to the Central Station, take the train to Uitgeest, and get off at the fourth stop Koog-Zaandijk. You will arrive in about 15 minutes.
For a detailed description of what a day-trip to Zaanse Schans looks like, check out this article.
After lunch — does cheese & chocolate count as lunch? — make our way back to the city.
Just a short walk from Amsterdam’s Central Station is the picturesque Rembrandthuis. This museum lets you peek inside the famous painter and art dealer’s life. As was common at the time, Rembrandt used his home as his office, and buyers met in his living room to purchase paintings that are now priceless treasures displayed all around the world.
Continue walking south along the canal’s west side and you’ll soon reach a fascinating bridge between Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, the Magere Brug. This is one of Amsterdam’s most famous bridges and one of the most lovely, I might add.
Did you know this wooden bridge before 1871 was once so narrow that it was hard for two pedestrians to pass each other?
Toast an exciting and busy day of intensive sightseeing and art-watching with a drink at a cocktail bar or a refreshing Dutch beer.
Day 5: Doei-doei Amsterdam!
There’s no better way to spend your last morning in Amsterdam than by taking in the canal lifestyle and pulling up a chair at a cute café.
It’s time to say goodbye to this wonderful slice of the world. I hope you enjoyed your time in Amsterdam – although I know you did!
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Tags: 5 days in Amsterdam; Amsterdam in 5 days; Amsterdam 5 days itinerary