Today I want to share my itinerary for spending 3 days in Amsterdam with you. This famous city in the Netherlands is one of my favorite European getaways from London, and spending a few days in town is a good way to experience the big sights and smaller places locals love. I’m here now and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I’ve included a map as well.
3 Days in Amsterdam
With its narrow houses and canals galore, Amsterdam is one of the most unique cities in Europe. Famous for everything from world-class art museums to delicious food, it’s worth a special trip.
I’ve been here a number of times, and on this visit I’m in Amsterdam to catch up with local friends. They’ve planned a fun itinerary that covers the main attractions and their favorite spots in the city.
I hope my guide inspires you to visit Amsterdam and see the highlights for yourself.
How to Get to Here
If you want to follow in my footsteps, you have a couple options for how to get to Amsterdam from London. Many airlines offer regular services from the city’s airports, and the flight can take as little as 1 hour and 10 minutes.
You can also take a direct train from London to Amsterdam. They depart from St Pancras International, and the scenic journey takes around 4 hours. If that appeals, you can book train tickets here.
When you take into account the travel time to the airport, the total journey time is around the same whether you fly or go by rail. I’ve taken the train on this trip, and it’s been great to see the countryside unfold as I speed through the continent.
Where to Stay
I’m staying with my friends on this trip, but there are lots of great places to call home-away-from-home in Amsterdam. Whether you’re looking for a hotel or an apartment rental, you’re spoiled for choice.
On a previous trip, I enjoyed a stay at the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel. It’s in a central location near the famous Vondelpark, and a few steps from the Leidseplein. The guest rooms are modern and comfortable, too. If that appeals, you can book a room here.
You can see other options for places to stay in Amsterdam here. With so many choices, you’re bound to find somewhere that fits your travel style and preferences.
Day 1
My 3 days in Amsterdam start with an 8:15am train from London. Four hours later, I arrive at Centraal station in the heart of the Dutch city. My friend meets me right outside the train, and we head off to find lunch.
Lunch
She takes me to a casual place right in the station. Julia’s has salads, pasta, and other Italian fare, not to mention stunning views across the river IJ.
Garden Party
After lunch we head to my friend’s house in Amsterdam Noord. I unpack and get settled in, then we head back out with her husband. The three of us are off to enjoy a unique local experience with Dutch friends in Sloten, which is in the southern part of the city.
One of them has inherited a garden house, which is something I’d never heard of before. Essentially it’s a tiny summer home in a garden plot that sits in a larger green space full of allotments.
Our Dutch friends tell us that the phenomenon started in the early 20th century, when locals wanted somewhere to grow fresh vegetables in the city. Today they’re coveted property, with long waiting lists to get one.
We arrive in the early evening, and the garden is drenched in golden light. Our friends welcome us, give us a tour of the small home, and show us what they’ve been planting in their garden.
Afterwards we all gather around a big communal table for drinks and dinner. Some other friends from London join us later, and the seven of us enjoy an evening garden party that lasts until the sky gets dark. It’s a great way to start the trip.
Day 2
The next morning my friend and I go out to do some sightseeing. We begin with a walk through the Noorderpark, one of Amsterdam’s big green spaces. It’s packed with pretty gardens, cafes, and water features.
From there we head into the city center, and soon we find ourselves on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. This long street is home to everything from De Nieuwe Kerk church to the Royal Palace and the striking neo-Gothic facade of the Magna Plaza.
After taking in the architecture, we head to The American Book Center, an English-language bookshop in Amsterdam. It happens to be right next to the open-air Amsterdam Book Market, a Friday institution with long rows of stalls selling secondhand and rare titles.
After browsing the stalls, we walk around the historic area on the canals in the heart of the city. We cross bridges and meander down streets packed with Amsterdam’s iconic houses as we make our way along the waterways and take in the boat tours.
Eventually we find ourselves on the Amstel River, where we enjoy great views across the water. We stand and watch the boats for a while before hopping on the metro at Waterlooplein to go to lunch.
Lunch
Lunch is at an all-day brunch restaurant called Lova. Nestled between the Jordaan and Westerpark, it serves Brazilian-inspired dishes. It’s buzzing when we arrive, and the outdoor tables and indoor dining room are both packed.
We manage to snag a table, and we enjoy friendly service as we take a look at the menu. There’s everything from sandwiches to short rib on it, and we have a hard time choosing what to order.
Eventually we settle on a couple signature dishes, and I tuck into a delicious meal of cornbread with poached eggs and mushrooms.
Vondelpark
After lunch we continue our day with some more sightseeing in Amsterdam. We walk over to the Vondelpark, the city’s most famous green space. It’s buzzing today, and we meander along the paths before settling in on the grass by the Picasso sculpture.
Shopping
Once our feet are rested, we head over to Canela, a shop that sells mouth-watering cinnamon rolls. We pick up a box of them for breakfast the next morning.
Afterwards we walk down Nieuwendijk, a historic pedestrianized street that runs all the way from Dam Square to the Singel canal. All the big-name shops are here, and we do some browsing before heading back to my friends’ place to freshen up for dinner.
Dinner
Back in the heart of the city, my friends take me to Pesca. This seafood restaurant in Amsterdam has a unique concept.
Instead of showing guests straight to their tables, the host sends us over to the “fish market.” This counter is packed with all kinds of fresh fish and seafood arranged over beds of ice.
A server talks us through the menu of starters and mains, and we pick out what we want to eat for dinner. There’s everything from shellfish to fish and chips to choose from.
From the “fish market” we’re sent to the “wine bar,” where we order a bottle of white to enjoy with our food. Afterwards a host takes us to our table, where settle in for a feast. It’s both delicious and novel, and we enjoy the whole experience.
Day 3
The next morning we tuck into our cinnamon rolls from Canela before heading back into the city center for some more fun.
Shopping
First we do some shopping around the Prinsengracht canal. It’s the longest of the city’s 17th-century waterways, and it’s home to everything from the Anne Frank House museum to the Westerkerk church, which has the highest bell tower in Amsterdam.
My friend takes me to an antiques shop called Kramer Kunst & Antiek. There she points out the iconic blue-and-white ceramic houses KLM gives to passengers when they fly business class. They’re collectibles, and she shows me everything from popular ones to special-edition numbers.
Rijksmuseum
From the shop it’s a short walk to Museum Square, where we head into the Rijksmuseum. Along with the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum, it’s one of the most famous art museums in Amsterdam.
We’ve pre-booked tickets (they sell out), and after waiting in line outside the museum, we head through the door and take in the collection. With limited time, we go straight to the Gallery of Honor. This room is packed with masterpieces by important artists from the 17th century.
The focal point of the room is The Night Watch. This work by Rembrandt is the most famous Dutch painting of all time.
After taking in the art in the Gallery of Honor, we make our way through a number of other rooms in the museum. There are 8,000 objects telling the story of 800 years of Dutch art and history here, and it’s amazing to see.
A highlight is the Cuypers Library. It’s the largest and oldest art history library in the Netherlands, and it’s great to take in the shelves and spiral staircases from the balcony.
Lunch
From the museum we walk through pretty streets to get to lunch at Zero Zero. This place does amazing sandwiches, and we tuck into fluffy focaccia stuffed with everything from veggies to meat. It’s a great reward after a busy morning of sightseeing.
3-Day Amsterdam Itinerary
From lunch we head back to my friends’ place so I can pick up my bag and head to the train station. I say good-bye with a heavy heart, but given how close Amsterdam is to London, I know I’ll be back before too long.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my itinerary and that it’s inspired you to visit the city yourself. If you want more inspiration, you can take a look at my blog post about how to spend 2 days in Amsterdam and my guide to train trips from London to Europe. If you found this post helpful, buy me a coffee!
Amsterdam Trip Map
As promised, I created an interactive Google map of my 3 days in Amsterdam. You can find it here. It’ll help you plan your getaway and make the most of your time in the Netherlands.
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