Museumplein ("Museum Square") is the public area located by the Concertgebouw concert hall and…read morethree major museums -- the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, and Stedelijk Museum. Near transit, shops, and restaurants, Museumplein is a nice place to go for a walk or eat lunch on a nice day. I particularly enjoyed the beautiful tulips in the planter -- cheaper than Keukenhof! [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands]

Great space for catching some sunshine or meeting friends. From the concert house to the…read moreRijksmuseum with the Van Gogh on the side. Also a big Albert Heijn at the Concert Hall end. The US consulate is also located to the far end of the plein. For those of you who read this far, "plein" roughly means "square" in Dutch.

Dam Square - one of the main squares in the city, if you're visiting for at least 2-3 days you may…read morepass through on most itineraries. Based on how Amsterdam is laid out in a semi-circle, this is in the inner part of its radius, so relatively speaking close to the center. What might bring you here? Some of the notable landmarks and buildings are: - the Nationaal Monument: a WWII memorial sculpted of white travertine marble erected in tribute to the fallen civilians and soldiers. Figures representing suffering, resilience and the victory of peace are carved as reliefs on this obelisk. Two lion statues symbolizing the Dutch nation are placed close by. The statue was unveiled May 4, 1956 which is The Netherlands' WWII Remembrance Day. - the Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam (Royal Palace Amsterdam): since the 17th C, this palace has been used for official state receptions and events, and was temporarily closed when I visited in November 2025, though re-opened December 17 thru January 4 for the holidays. Adult tickets normally €13.50, discounted tickets available for students, certain groups and pass holders, and include a free 45-min audio tour. For more info: https://www.paleisamsterdam.nl/en/ - De Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church): a medieval church turned into modern event space, they host a variety of happenings--most commonly museum exhibitions, as was the case when I visited, though also royal weddings and music recitals. Tickets are €22.50 for adults, discounted tickets available for students, certain groups and pass holders, and include a free audio tour. Takes about an hour to go thru the tour, maybe an extra 30 minutes to check out the church building itself. For more info: https://www.nieuwekerk.nl/en/ - Madame Tussaud's Amsterdam: a branch of the world-renowned wax museum where you can see close replicas of famous celebrities. €24 online price €27 at the door. - Ripley's Believe It or Not: g-map description "museum with kitschy oddities on display" sounds about right. Go to be amazed and entertained though also take the exhibits with a grain of salt. €22.50 for adults, €13.50 for kids. - Kalvarstraat: this thoroughfare perpendicular to the south east edge of Dam Square is a main shopping destination with retailers lining the street. - Magna Plaza shopping mall: while not directly next to the square it's a block west and the neo-Gothic architecture is a treat. Given the amount of things to do in the relatively compact city that is Amsterdam, I would put this area as a "nice-to-stop-by" if you have the time, if the palace is open for visit, or there's an interesting exhibit at De Nieuwe Kerk. It's a more touristy area and weekend crowds can be significant so keep this in mind if you're looking for a calmer, quieter experience.

I stumbled on the square by accident. I received directions of where the mall was, where Louis…read more Hutton was located and stumbled upon the square. It's a huge wide open area, in which, it's heavily populated with tourists and people shopping. All the touristy places are here and they had a large monument which I was told was a memorial for their fallen heroes after the World War. I would definitely say this should be an essential stop on your trip to Amsterdam and get some photos!

What a beautiful place! We got to learn about the history of windmills, and walked inside one. The…read moreone we walked inside had settings of how people lived inside the windmills in the past. The only warning is for people who are not mobile, you will not be able to go inside the windmill. You will not be able to climb up and down the windmill. Highly recommend!

Must see in the Netherlands! Historic UNESCO site with working amazing working windmills. This…read morewalking tour can include a boat tour will take you up close and inside one of the mills to see how people lived (and still live) running one of these mills. I was surprised how fast they actually spin. From far away they look so graceful, but up close, they are really moving! We were told that some of the families that ran these mills were pretty big, life must have been tough because there is very little room inside. Rooms are small to begin with, tiny beds, no bathroom or cooking area.

The architecture inside the palace is stunning! You have to do a free bag check for any bags. The…read moreinside isn't super big but is still sizable and it would be easy to spend an hour or two thoroughly looking at everything and listening to the audio guide. There are numbers to guide you through the things of note in the palace in order which I appreciated.

Wow! So much more than I expected. Tour is about 75 minutes. The stonework is, hands down, the…read moremost impressive I've ever seen. Absolutely incredible and worth every penny of the 13.50 euro entrance fee. It was pretty busy and the tour was a little confusing, but don't let that keep you away.

Check out the windmill in Delft! If you go when they are open you can climb all the way to the top…read moreand even stand on the platform and look out onto the whole city of Delft. There is a lot of history with this windmill, which you will definitely hear from one of the many volunteers who keep the windmill running. They are very friendly and very knowledgeable. If you go on a Thursday, that is their milling day so you can watch them grind the grains and package them. The stairs are very narrow, and eventually turn into straight ladders. So be prepared for some climbing.

A visit to see this windmill is a must in Delft. It is the only mill left out of 18 that once…read moreoperated here. You can visit the shop to purchase bread and other items or ingredients to make your own. The mill is free to visit but check out their website for the days that it is open to visitors. Unfortunately only the shop was open when we visited.

This Markt is reliably suffused with quality goods. Looking for fresh produce? Got it! Need cheese?…read moreThere are so many options! After fresh bread? There are at least two bakery stalls. Let's not even get into the snacks and sweets or the textiles and housewares. There's a butcher and a fishmonger. You can do all of your shopping and never set foot in a corporate store. It's a bit crowded and the pedestrian traffic isn't well organized for those of us using canes or walkers so be prepared for a some bumpy terrain.

I bought a beautiful laundry baskets at Haarlem Saturday Grote Markt. I was so happy to finally…read morecome across some quality baskets that will last a long time. You can easily find them a few steps away from the lovely Texel wool and cotton sheets market stall. They are located on the very end before you walk into the market. You will see some beautiful color mats, baskets and bags for a very good price. No where have I seen these types of quality baskets in the shops.

Cute park quite close to the center of Amsterdam. Despite the rainy weather, it was nice to walk…read morethrough here and easy to see that this could be a popular spot for locals. Big leafy trees, a pretty fountain and benches for sitting in the shade to watch the kids on the playground. It is at one end of the busy shopping Utrechtsestraat. And yes, the number 4 tram goes right through the park. [Review 12075 overall, 1858 of 2019.]

Frederiksplein is a small park near the city center. Not really something you would go out of your…read moreway to visit, but it might be a nice place to wait for a tram or a bus, and there are many tram and bus stops in this area.

This is a great little center to learn about the water dikes in the Netherlands. It's small but has…read moregreat views, a self guided tour with lots of exhibits in multiple languages (English on paper) and friendly staff. We wanted to avoid the large theme park style and prices of the other waterworks center further north and this was perfect for a 1 hour visit.