Top Amsterdam Unique Experiences

The best way to explore the UNESCO-listed Amsterdam Canal Ring is indisputably by boat. Get a different perspective of the Dutch capital while avoiding the crowds on land during this relaxing canal cruise that includes unlimited Heineken beer, wine, and soft drinks for a budget-friendly price. When the weather is good, enjoy an open-air boat ride as well as heated seats during the winter.

Explore the Dutch countryside on this guided bike tour from Amsterdam. Choose from a short or long route on either a standard bike or electric bike, which lets you cover more ground without breaking a sweat. Visit a mix of historical windmills, farmlands, classic Dutch landscapes, and UNESCO-listed canals. Plus, you'll stop to sample Gouda cheese, too.

Take a day trip out of the city and visit Holland’s famous windmills in the countryside around Amsterdam. On this tour you’ll see the canals and greenery of rural life in the Netherlands, and learn about the rich history of the area. Stroll around the historic village of Zaanse Schans and see the old shipyard, important here since the 17th century. In Volendam or Marken, see how wooden clogs are made!

Home to some of the world’s most iconic Van Gogh paintings, Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum attracts lines often in excess of two hours. Beat the crowds with this priority admission ticket that also includes an Amsterdam canal cruise, during which you get unobstructed views of the city's waterside attractions. This stress-free combo ticket is an ideal choice for first-time visitors with limited time in the Dutch capital.

Feel the pulse of Amsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen) and coffee shops on a walking tour with a local guide. Explore the cobbled lanes of the famous area, plus Zeedijk Street and Chinatown, and see red-lit windows, sex shops, and erotic theaters. Your guide separates facts from fiction about the area’s past and the legalization of prostitution in 2000.

Don’t waste time trying to hit the Dutch food hotspots alone, only to end up in tourist traps. Instead, join this comprehensive, intimate, and off-the-beaten-path food tour through Amsterdam, during which you stop at several distinct locations. Listen as your Amsterdam-local guide explains each foodstuff—such as Poffertjes (pancakes) or Gouda cheese—as you go. You also learn about the city's history, its former famous residents, and what daily life is like.

As the sun goes down over Amsterdam, enjoy its illuminated waterfront and history on an evening canal cruise. Settle in for a 4-course gourmet dinner with wine, beer, soft drinks. Drift slowly past historical attractions including the Anne Frank House and the Bloemenmarkt, while listening to informative commentary. The entire cruise is a feast for both your eyes and your tastebuds.

Experience the best of typical Dutch culture on a half-day tour to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam. With a knowledgeable guide, observe traditional cheese-making processes and taste some real Dutch farmer cheese; marvel at the exterior of a working windmill; try on some authentic wooden clogs for size; and admire the quaint and colorful architecture of Zaanse Schans village before returning to Amsterdam by comfortable coach. Gain fascinating insight into the unique culture of the Netherlands on this educational tour. If option selected, the tour includes an open departure ticket for a 1-hour Amsterdam Canal Cruise.

Discover the beautiful city of Amsterdam, known as the ‘Venice of the North,’ from the water on this sightseeing cruise. After reserving your preferred departure time, skip past any lines and set off on the UNESCO-listed waterways aboard a glass-topped canal boat. Glide under pretty bridges, past 17th-century buildings and landmarks like the Anne Frank House, and learn about the city’s history from the audio guide.

Experience typically Dutch landscapes of fishing villages, windmills, and craftsmen’s shops on an award-winning small-group tour from Amsterdam. Visit restored windmills in Zaanse Schans, and walk the dikes and harbor of Volendam, a pretty port lined with bright houses and sailboats. Sample locally-make cheeses and Dutch schnapps, and enjoy time to choose a restaurant for lunch.

Experience three icons of the Dutch countryside—windmills, cheese, and wooden clogs—on a day trip from Amsterdam. Journey to the North Holland towns of Zaanse Schans, Edam, and Volendam, where you can view working windmills at an open-air museum, visit a dairy farm or cheese weighing house, and step inside a clog factory. You’ll travel outside the city aboard a single-decker coach, allowing for a smaller group experience with your professional guide. If option selected, your ticket includes a ticket for a 1-hour canal cruise in Amsterdam.

Heighten your senses and pleasure your palate during a 3-course dining in the dark experience in Amsterdam. Enhance your sensory experience of food and drink while allowing blind waiting staff to deliver delicious dishes to your table. Select your meal from an illuminated selection outside and then plunge into the enveloping darkness of the dining room, allowing the visually impaired staff to guide and reassure you during your unique gastronomical experience. Rely solely on your taste buds as you devour three gourmet courses inspired by cosmopolitan international cuisine.

Leave behind the stuffy tour groups and get to know Amsterdam your way with this private tour. Starting from your point of choice, your local guide is at your disposal—do you want to check off iconic spots like the Van Gogh Museum? Prefer to taste your way through Dutch sweets? How about a stroll along the city’s serene canals? Your custom itinerary can include it all.

Immerse yourself in Dutch culture, history, and cuisine on a private 6- to 7-hour countryside tour. Comfortable and swift transportation takes you from the tourist crowds of Amsterdam and into the heart of Holland. Enjoy engaging commentary from your guide as you taste local cheese, stroll past windmills, and try on wooden shoes. Tour highlights include Zaanse Schans, the fishing village of Marken, Volendam, Church Broek, and more.

It's easy enough to explore Amsterdam on public transport, but the countryside is a different matter. Join your private driver/guide for a signature Dutch adventure, with onboard Wi-Fi and pickup direct from your accommodation. See historic windmills, taste cheese at a cheese factory, watch a shoemaker carving traditional wooden clogs, and fill up your camera roll with classic photos.

Discover the truth behind the famous Amsterdam Red Light District on a private 2-hour tour, a great way for first-time visitors to orient themselves in the Netherlands’ capital. As you stroll along the UNESCO-listed Amsterdam Canal Ring, you’ll pass Oude Kerk (Old Church) and explore Chinatown. Plus, stop to sample three Dutch specialities, including cheese, kroket (croquette), and stroopwafel (thin waffles).

The combination of foot, bike, car, and bus traffic on the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam can be overwhelming, so experience Amsterdam in peace from the water. Sit back and relax while you experience the city’s waterways from a unique vantage point. On this open-air canal cruise (weather-dependent), pass by sights including the Anne Frank House, Skinny Bridge and more, while your skipper will give you information about Amsterdam and provide some local tips.

Glide through the canals of Amsterdam on a dinner cruise that features great views of the illuminated city. Learn about Amsterdam’s history and culture from your onboard guide as you dine on a original New York pizza accompanied by beverages such as beer, wine, soft drinks, and water. Top off your meal with a delicious Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip ice cream as your boat winds through the picturesque waterways of the Dutch capital.

Unwind from a busy day of sightseeing on this evening cruise through Amsterdam's canal district. Admire the illuminated waterfronts as you glide through the city center, the Golden Bend, and Oosterdok, and listen to the onboard guide's insightful commentary. As you take in the sights, savor wine, Dutch cheese, and snacks while seated at a table aboard the boat.

During the Dutch Golden Age, some of the most recognizable paintings in the world were created. Step into a masterpiece and bring home the selfie to prove it. Choose your painting, then get into character and dress up to allow a professional photographer to capture the scene. Take home prints of the reenactment as the perfect memento to commemorate this unique Dutch experience.

Discover hidden corners in Amsterdam’s scenic waterways unreachable by many boats on this canal cruise. Aboard a solar-powered vessel, hear tales with your audio-guide while snapping photos of the historical waterfront sights. Pass highlights such as the Anne Frank House and the Golden Bend district with its grand manor houses. A variety of departure times makes this a convenient sightseeing activity.

Eating a meal with a local is an experience not many get to have. During this small-group meal, meet with a local in the heart of Amsterdam for a classic Dutch meal right on the Amstel River. Learn about Dutch cuisine and culture from your host and then sit down to a freshly prepared meal with incredible views of Amsterdam’s iconic canals.

Nibble your way through Amsterdam's international dining scene on a private tasting tour led by a local foodie guide. Learn about the international flavors that have influenced Dutch cuisine while grabbing bites at a local market. Savor handpicked local delicacies including the best fish in town, a sweet ‘stroopwafel’ and unique dishes typical of the city such as bitterballen. This culinary tour in Amsterdam is a cultural journey that takes you further than the food you’ll eat. Stop to admire the Banksy street art, De Pijp, and Museumplein and many other city highlights.