🌅 At sunset
Free ferry to NDSMCross the IJ from Central Station at dusk: shipyard, street art and views.
✦ Your self-guided tour
Amsterdam
Discover the city at your own pace, with your route and your trip essentials in one place.
6 stops · about 2 h 11 · audio guide12 languages
Highlights
6 stops · about 2 h 11 · audio guide
Photos
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (each author credited) and Google.
Amsterdam: your route
Pay once. Access is saved on this device and sent by email.
6 stops · about 2 h 11 · audio guideTransport on the route: about €11.00
Included: the full route, audio guide in 12 languages and the travel tools. Not included: museum and monument tickets, transport tickets.
💡 Good to know in Amsterdam
Practical tips before you step out.
Luggage
Leave luggage at the airport left-luggage desk or a partner storage point on the route (marked ★). Carry only essentials and your passport.
Internet
EU SIM cards roam at no extra cost. From outside the EU, a 1‑day data eSIM is cheap; airports and many cafés have free Wi‑Fi.
Payments
Many places are card-only; metro and trams take contactless.
Tipping
Tipping is optional: round up or 5–10%.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink.
Safety
Don't walk in the red bike lanes: cyclists won't stop.
Sockets
Type C/F sockets, 230 V.
Toilets
Toilets in stations, shopping centres and museums; in a café, buy a drink first.
ⓘ Practical information compiled from official and public sources in October 2026. Not yet checked on the ground in this city — if something has changed, use “Report a problem”.
Safety in Amsterdam
Emergency numbers, common scams and how to get help. Free for everyone.
Emergency112
Police (non-urgent)0900 8844
Hospital and pharmacy search around the city centre — share your location for results near you.
Look for: Apotheek ✚
Show this to someone nearby
Help! Ik heb hulp nodig. Bel alstublieft de politie of een ambulance.
Common scams and risks
Bike lanes
Red-paved lanes belong to bikes, and they don't slow down. Look both ways before stepping off the pavement.
Pickpockets
Crowded trams, metros and queues are their workplace. Bag in front and zipped; phone never in a back pocket.
Street drug offers
Men whisper offers of drugs in the old town. It's illegal, usually fake and can lead to trouble. Just ignore them.
Fake police
Plain-clothes "officers" ask to check your wallet. Real police don't. Ask for ID and offer to go to a police station.
👜 Watch your wallet in
Centraal Station · Dam · Tram 2 / 12 · De Wallen
🌙 At night, take extra care in
De Wallen · Zeedijk
Keep a photo of your passport on your phone, carry just one card and some cash, and stick to busy, well-lit streets.
ⓘ Practical information compiled from official and public sources in October 2026. Not yet checked on the ground in this city — if something has changed, use “Report a problem”.
General guidance. If you're in danger, call 112 now. · Amsterdam
Everything in Amsterdam
All the useful things in one place.
🆕 Today in Amsterdam
Friday 23 October · updated automatically every day
10° – 12°🌂 Rain likely
0 travellers this week0 comments · 2 posts
Experiences in Amsterdam
Moments, fun and events, picked for you.
Your interests
🕐 Flexible — check opening times
Stroopwafel at Albert CuypDe Pijp's street market, Monday to Saturday.
🕐 Flexible — check opening times
VondelparkThe city's great park: bikes, ponds and playgrounds.
🌙 At night
Canals at duskA boat ride as the bridges light up.
🕐 Flexible — check opening times
ConcertgebouwOne of the world's best concert halls. Check for short lunchtime concerts.
🕐 Flexible — check opening times
Swing at A'DAM LookoutSwing over the edge at the top of the tower, Amsterdam below.
🏛️ History & culture of Amsterdam
How the city came to be, in a few minutes of reading.
Amsterdam (Dutch: [ˌɑmstərˈdɑm] ; lit. 'Dam in the Amstel') is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands. As of 1 January 2026, it had a population of 941,873 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the urban area and 2,480,394 in the metropolitan area. Located in the Dutch province of North Holland, Amsterdam is colloquially referred to as the "Venice of the North", for its large number of canals, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Amsterdam was founded at the mouth of the Amstel river, which was dammed to control flooding. Originally a small fishing village in the 12th century, Amsterdam became a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, when the Netherlands was an economic powerhouse. Amsterdam was the leading centre for finance and trade, as well as a hub of secular art production.
Read the full history
Amsterdam has a long and eventful history. The origins of the city lie around 1000 CE, when inhabitants settled at the mouth of the Amstel and began peatland reclamation. After the All Saints' Flood (1170), a dam was built in the Amstel to protect the lower lands from floods.
In 1275, Amsterdam was granted a toll privilege by Count Floris V which exempted it from a bridge toll. This made Amsterdam popular for international traders to sell goods at lower prices. During the Middle Ages, it developed into one of the largest trading cities in the world. The 17th century was a Golden Age, Amsterdam was the most important trading hub in Europe and the leading financial center of the western world. Amsterdam is colloquially called the "Venice of the North" for its numerous canals. It is also ranked as a top sin city due to the adult entertainment. As the capital city of the Netherlands, it is the largest with over 930,000 inhabitants in 2024.
💬 What travellers say about Amsterdam
Tips, experiences and questions from people who've been there.