Local guides · written in Amsterdam
The Amsterdam most visitors walk straight past.
First-hand guides to courtyards, neighbourhoods, rainy-day plans and quiet corners - written on the ground, with photographs of the actual places.
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36 guides published so far
Neighbourhoods9 min read
Where to Stay in Amsterdam for a First-Time Visit: Honest Neighbourhood Picks
A local's honest read on Amsterdam's eight main visitor neighbourhoods - vibe, price tier, who each one suits, and how long it takes to walk to Anne Frank House from each.
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Practical7 min read
Van Gogh Museum Tickets in Amsterdam: 2026 Prices, Sold-Out Fixes, and What to Do
Van Gogh Museum tickets are timed-entry only, sell out days in advance, and are not included on the I Amsterdam City Card — here is what to do about it.
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Practical6 min read
OV-chipkaart vs OVpay in 2026: What Tourists Actually Need to Know
The OV-chipkaart is being retired by the end of 2027 and replaced by OVpay and a new OV-pas - here is what that means for getting around Amsterdam as a visitor right now.
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Practical8 min read
King's Day in Amsterdam 2026: The Honest Survival Guide
King's Day is 27 April in Amsterdam — orange, packed canals, free markets and a citywide party. Here is where to actually be, where to skip, and how to survive it.
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Practical8 min read
Keukenhof from Amsterdam in 2026: Tickets, Dates, and the Honest Way to Get There
The 2026 Keukenhof season ran 20 March to 10 May and is now over — here is what it actually costs, how to get there, and the calendar for 2027 (18 March to 9 May).
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Practical6 min read
Is the I Amsterdam City Card Worth It in 2026? An Honest Breakdown
Real 2026 prices, what the I Amsterdam City Card actually covers, what it doesn't (Anne Frank, Van Gogh, Heineken), and the simple maths to work out whether it pays for itself for you.
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Practical6 min read
Can Tourists Go to Coffeeshops in Amsterdam in 2026? The Honest Update
Yes - as of May 2026 tourists can still buy cannabis in Amsterdam coffeeshops, but a new city council is debating a city-centre tourist ban after the March 2026 elections. Here is what is actually true today.
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Practical8 min read
The Best Time to Visit Amsterdam in 2026: An Honest Month-by-Month Breakdown
May and September are the sweet spots; July and August are too hot, too crowded and too expensive. Here is the honest month-by-month picture for Amsterdam in 2026, with a quick table at the top.
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Practical10 min read
Best Day Trips from Amsterdam in 2026: 10 Honest Picks
Ranked, with hedged 2026 train fares and travel times - from the 15-minute Haarlem hop to the 2.5-hour Bruges grind. Which day trips are actually worth a day of your trip, and which are not.
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Practical7 min read
How to Get Anne Frank House Tickets in 2026
All Anne Frank House tickets are released every Tuesday at 10:00 CEST for the date exactly six weeks later, sell out within hours in peak season, and are not sold at the door - here's exactly how the system works and what to do if you missed the window.
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Practical8 min read
Amsterdam Transport & City Card Comparison 2026: Which Pass Is Right for You?
Honest 2026 comparison of the I Amsterdam City Card, Amsterdam Travel Ticket, GVB day passes, Holland Pass, Museumkaart and OVpay - what each one covers, what it costs, and the catch in each one.
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On the water8 min read
Amsterdam Light Festival 2026-27: Map, Cruises, and What's Actually Worth Seeing
Confirmed dates for the 15th edition (26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027), the three honest ways to see it, and which boat cruise to actually book.
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Practical9 min read
Amsterdam Events Calendar 2026: What's On Month by Month
Verified 2026 dates for King's Day, Pride Canal Parade, ADE, Light Festival, Keukenhof and the rest — month by month, with a quick filter on which are actually worth planning a trip around.
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Hidden gems2 min read
7 Hidden Courtyards (Hofjes) in Amsterdam Most Tourists Walk Right Past
Amsterdam's hofjes are quiet almshouse courtyards tucked behind unmarked doors. Here are seven you can visit for free, with the etiquette to do it respectfully.
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Practical2 min read
What to Do in Amsterdam When It Rains (From Someone Who Lives Here)
Amsterdam rains a lot. Here is a tested list of indoor things to do - museums beyond the obvious, covered markets, and the cafés where locals actually wait out the weather.
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Neighbourhoods2 min read
A Half-Day in Amsterdam-Noord: The Free Ferry and What to Do Once You're Across
Amsterdam-Noord sits a free two-minute ferry ride from Centraal Station. Here is how to spend a half-day there - the film museum, the swing, the food, and the harbour walk.
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On the water3 min read
Where to Swim in and Around Amsterdam: The Local Spots
An honest guide to outdoor swimming near Amsterdam - the official lakes and beaches, the new Marineterrein spot, and why you should never swim the canals.
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Outdoors3 min read
Amsterdam's Best Parks Beyond Vondelpark: A Local's Picks
Vondelpark is wonderful but always packed. Here are the Amsterdam parks locals actually use - Westerpark, Frankendael, Amstelpark, Diemerpark and more.
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On the water3 min read
Kayaking and SUP on Amsterdam's Canals: A Local's Guide
Where to kayak or paddleboard in Amsterdam - rental prices, guided canal tours, the quiet wetlands routes, and the safety rules paddlers need to know.
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On the water3 min read
Renting a Boat in Amsterdam to Drive Yourself: A Local Guide
How to rent a self-drive boat in Amsterdam without a licence - what it costs, which operators to use, and the canal rules you need to know before you cast off.
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On the water6 min read
Amsterdam Canal Tours Compared in 2026: Which Are Actually Worth It
A local's honest comparison of Amsterdam canal cruises - big audio-guide boats versus small skippered tours, 2026 prices, and which ones to skip.
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Nightlife3 min read
Culture After Dark: English Theatre, Comedy and Cinema in Amsterdam
A local guide to Amsterdam's evening culture in English - the long-running comedy of Boom Chicago, English-language theatre, and the city's best arthouse cinemas.
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Nightlife3 min read
Late-Night Amsterdam: What Is Actually Open After Midnight
A practical local guide to Amsterdam after dark - the late-night food, bars, shops and transport that genuinely stay open once most of the city has gone to bed.
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Nightlife3 min read
Clubbing in Amsterdam: Where to Dance and How the Doors Work
An honest local guide to Amsterdam's club scene - the venues that matter, how the door policy really works, and why some clubs party until well past dawn.
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Nightlife3 min read
Live Music in Amsterdam: Paradiso, Melkweg and Venues Worth a Ticket
A local guide to seeing live music in Amsterdam - the legendary Paradiso and Melkweg, plus the jazz, classical and smaller venues that locals actually go to.
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Nightlife4 min read
The Best Bars in Amsterdam: Cocktails, Natural Wine and Craft Beer
An honest, local guide to drinking well in Amsterdam - the speakeasies worth booking, the natural wine bars in De Pijp, and where to find genuinely good Dutch beer.
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Food & drink3 min read
Cheap Eats in Amsterdam: Broodjes, Fries, Herring and More
Amsterdam can be expensive, but eating well on a budget is easy. A local guide to the best cheap eats - fries, herring, broodjes and meals under 10 euros.
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Food & drink3 min read
Amsterdam's Food Markets and Street Food: A Local Guide
From the Albert Cuyp to Foodhallen and the Ten Katemarkt - where to find the best street food in Amsterdam, what to eat and when to go for the freshest stalls.
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Food & drink3 min read
Indonesian Food and Rijsttafel in Amsterdam: Where to Go
Rijsttafel is one of the great things to eat in Amsterdam. An honest local guide to the best Indonesian restaurants, what to order and how much to pay.
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Food & drink3 min read
Where to Eat in De Pijp: The Neighbourhood's Best Food
De Pijp is Amsterdam's best eating neighbourhood. A local's honest guide to the restaurants, wine bars and market stalls actually worth your time and money.
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Food & drink4 min read
The Best Brown Cafés (Bruine Kroegen) in Amsterdam
A local's guide to Amsterdam's bruine kroegen - the small, wood-panelled pubs where the city actually drinks. Honest picks, jenever notes and which to skip.
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Neighbourhoods4 min read
A Local Guide to Oud-West: What to See, Eat and Do
Oud-West is where Amsterdam locals actually hang out - food halls, markets, parks and cinemas. Here is how to spend a day in the city's most liveable neighbourhood.
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Practical3 min read
The Best Day Trips from Amsterdam by Train
Haarlem, Utrecht, Zaanse Schans and more - the best day trips from Amsterdam by train in 2026, with real journey times, fares and how to pay.
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Practical4 min read
Cycling in Amsterdam as a Visitor: Rentals, Rules and Safety
An honest guide to cycling Amsterdam as a tourist - where to rent, the rules locals expect you to know, and how to stay safe among the trams and traffic.
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Practical5 min read
Schiphol Airport to Central Amsterdam in 2026: Every Option Compared
Train, Airport Express bus, taxi or rideshare from Schiphol to central Amsterdam in 2026 - real prices, journey times, and which one is right for you.
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Practical4 min read
Getting Around Amsterdam: Trams, Metro, Buses and How to Pay
How Amsterdam's trams, metro and buses actually work in 2026 - what they cost, and how to pay now that OVpay and contactless have replaced the old chip card.
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The best of Amsterdam is the courtyard you weren't looking for, and the café you ducked into out of the rain.
Get Around Amsterdam
Browse by mood
What are you in the mood for?
Hidden gems
1 guideCourtyards, doorways and corners the crowds walk past.
Food & drink
5 guidesMarkets, brown cafés and where locals actually eat.
Nightlife
5 guidesBars, live music, clubs and the city after dark.
On the water
5 guidesCanal boats, kayaks and swimming spots.
Outdoors
1 guideParks, waterfronts and the city on foot.
Neighbourhoods
3 guidesWhere to wander, district by district.
Practical
16 guidesWeather, transport and plans that survive contact with reality.
Why trust these guides
Written by someone who actually lives here.
No recycled top-ten lists, no affiliate-bait. Every guide is first-hand, and every photograph shows the real place - sourced from Wikimedia Commons and credited to its photographer.
- First-hand
- Every guide walked and checked in person.
- Credited photos
- Real places, real photographers, named.
- Honest links
- Affiliate links disclosed - and never change a pick.
- Kept current
- Spotted something stale? One email fixes it.