Do you only have 1 day in Amsterdam? Shame on you! But never fear, you can still take a large sip of this beautiful city. The incredibly good public transport system, and compact central city, help make this possible. I will take you through my ideal 24hrs – from lunchtime to lunchtime – in the amazing city of Amsterdam.
I’m not going to recommend 24 hours of solid tourist attractions, but offer some enjoyable activities that show you my favourite areas of Amsterdam.
Grab yourself a 24 hour iAmsterdam City Card if you want to hit the main attractions.
1 day in Amsterdam – itinerary
12 Midday – start in the Fashion District
Explore the boutiques in the streets behind the Concert Hall, and take lunch at the stylish bistro, Verhulst (Johannes Verhulststraat 35HS). Try their veal croquettes or uitsmijter (open-faced ham & cheese sandwich with fried eggs on top).
2pm – Museumplein
Take a wander past the Concert Hall to the Museumplein – a lovely green space surrounded by museums and the iconic IAmsterdam sign. If you fancy a bit of culture, I recommend the Stedelijk modern art museum – even the architecture is bold and gorgeous.
4pm – The 9 Streets
Wander through the arches under the Rijksmuseum (and visit too if you have time) and head up to De 9 Straatjes. The 9 Streets are made up of the 9 streets that run vertically between Prinsengracht and Singel and horizontally between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsegracht. Want picture-postcard views of the canals – this is the spot to grab them!
5pm – Genever tasting
Make your way to De Admiraal genever tasting rooms on Herengracht, and tuck into a range of ould and jonge genevers. As well as some beautiful genever liqueurs – such as bitter orange and forget-me-not. Genever is distilled using malt-wine and is the predecessor of English gins (the English tried to copy the recipe, but making the malt-wine defeated them, so gin was born instead). De Admiraal is one of my favourite places to eat and drink in Amsterdam.
7pm – Dinner at De Belhamel
Take yourself up to the enchanting French restaurant, De Belhamel, on Brouwersgracht, for some romantic canal-side dining. Watch the world go by as you sit in the candlelight with views down the Herengracht. It really is wonderfully picturesque in Summer. If you visit Amsterdam in winter, enjoy the Belle Epoque interior of the restaurant itself. Try the dutch sirloin if you can.
9pm – Leidseplein
Fancy some cheap drinks and some people-watching? Meander back down De 9 Straatjes to Leidseplein. Now this area is a heaving beast of tourist restaurants touting for business and clubs, great for people-watching. There is a bar called Café Het Hok on the corner of Lange Leidsedwarsstraat and Leidsekruisstraat. The drinks are cheap and it has a great vantage point to watch the mêlée! It also has chessboards inside if you fancy a geek-out, and glühwein in Winter.
11pm – Live music
You could either head to bed at this point OR get yourself to the Bourbon Street Music Bar (Leidsekruisstraat). You pay a cover, drinks are expensive, and it’s likely to be busy as heck; but the atmosphere is crazy good and the music is top quality.
*** Fall into bed at an undisclosed time ***
9am – Breakfast at Bakers & Roasters
Drag yourself out of bed and make your way to Bakers & Roasters for breakfast. They have 2 locations, in De Pijp (Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat), or Centrum (Kadijksplein). I’ll assume you’re heading to the De Pijp one, as you will no doubt be lodging either in De Pijp; or in the Museum Quarter (because that’s where the cool cats hang out). You sometimes have to wait for a table at B&R, because it’s so damn popular; but only because it’s so damn good. It is a crazy fusion on New Zealand comfort breakfast food combined with Brazilian flare and flavours. Huervos Rancheros for breakfast anyone? Seriously, it’s amazing!
11am – Markets
Get your fine self down the road to the Albert Cuyp Market. This huge open air market where you can buy anything from clothes to tat to toothpaste. You’ll also find amazing restaurants and food stalls with cuisine from around the world. Try some Surinamese, Syrian or Moroccan treats whilst in the neighbourhood.
12 Midday – Chill
If you have to rush to the airport at this point; the airport bus leaves from just next to the Concert Hall, a mere 10 minute walk from De Pijp. But if you have more time, grab a number 10 tram from Weteringcircuit / Weteringsch and head up to Elandstraat, to an outdoor bar called Waterkant. Drink gin in the sun and watch the boat parties drift by on the Singelgracht – it is heaven.
1 day in Amsterdam – 24 hour guide
While I would always recommend more than 1 day in Amsterdam, sometimes that isn’t possible. Hopefully this 24 hour guide can give you either a kick-start itinerary or some advice on how to make use of this short time in Amsterdam.
Short breaks and 24 hour guides are my speciality, so please get in touch if you need advice, or check out my other 24 hours guides!
All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!).
