NetherlandsNorth Holland
Amsterdam
Canals, museums, and bicycle pace
About Amsterdam
Amsterdam is best at street level, by bike or on foot along the canal rings. The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum reward booking ahead; the neighbourhoods reward getting lost on purpose. Browse the Nine Streets and the Jordaan's quiet courtyards, grab stroopwafels at the Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp, and settle into a brown café as the canal lights come on. When the centre feels crowded, take the free ferry behind Centraal to Noord for wide skies and converted warehouses.
Best time: April–May, September