Things To Do

Hill Street Blues on Nieuwmarkt is spacious by coffeeshop standards, with a decent range and a chilled atmosphere. Popular with expats and regulars who like having room to stretch out. The Nieuwmarkt location puts you right between De Wallen and the old Jewish Quarter. See our full coffeeshops guide.

Mediterrane in the De Wallen area has a laid-back Mediterranean theme and a mellow vibe. Good for an afternoon session somewhere central without the full tourist circus that hits the bigger-name coffeeshops. See our full coffeeshops guide.

Coffeeshop The Doors near Leidseplein is named after the legendary rock band and draws a mixed crowd of tourists and regulars. The central location is convenient if you are already in the Leidseplein area. See our full coffeeshops guide.

Grey Area on Oude Leliestraat in the Jordaan is tiny — room for maybe 20 people — and run by an American expat who genuinely loves what he does. The strains here have won multiple Cannabis Cup awards and the budtenders know their stuff inside out. It fills up fast on weekends so go early

1e Hulp (First Aid) on Marnixstraat is a neighborhood coffeeshop that most tourists walk right past. No frills, fair prices, and a local crowd who come regularly. If you want to see what a coffeeshop looks like when it is not trying to impress anyone, this is it. See our full coffeeshops guide.

The Bulldog is Amsterdam’s most famous coffeeshop chain, running since 1975. The original location on Leidseplein is massive and always packed with tourists. It is professional, well-run, and has a big menu — but it is not where locals go and the prices reflect the prime location. Think of it as the entry-level Amsterdam coffeeshop

The Erotic Museum on Oudezijds Achterburgwal is a small museum in the heart of De Wallen. It is smaller and more explicitly focused than the Sex Museum on Damrak, with displays of erotic art, photography, and historical curiosities spread across a few floors of a canal house. Honestly, it is a bit tired. The displays

Bonkerk Tattoo is a tattoo studio near Zaandam, just north of Amsterdam. Known for custom work and experienced artists, it draws clients from across the Amsterdam area. If you are looking for a tattoo souvenir from your Amsterdam trip, this is one of the more reputable options in the region. Book in advance — walk-ins

The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands national museum and arguably the single best museum in Amsterdam. If you only visit one museum in the city — and plenty of people only have time for one — this is it. The building itself is a landmark, designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. After a massive

The Sex Museum (officially Venustempel, Temple of Venus) on Damrak is one of those Amsterdam attractions that tourists either seek out deliberately or stumble into by accident. Either way, it is more interesting than you would expect from a place with a 6 euro entry fee. Opened in 1985, it is the oldest sex museum