Hidden GemsFree
Begijnhof
Centrum
A hidden courtyard of 14th-century almshouses and a tiny wooden house, a calm oasis just off the busy Kalverstraat.
- Suggested time: 30 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Open-air; daytime; please keep quiet
Amsterdam
23 places, 7 of them free and 9 tours and activities. Canal-ringed streets, world-class art and endless bicycles.
Hidden Gems~£15
Our Lord in the Attic (Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder)
Oudezijds Voorburgwal
A secret 17th-century church built in the attic of a canal house when Catholic worship was banned.
- Suggested time: 1h 15m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily; hours vary
Hidden Gems~£12
Hortus Botanicus
Plantage
One of the world’s oldest botanical gardens, with a butterfly house, palm house and a 2,000-year-old ancient cycad.
- Suggested time: 1h 15m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Outdoor lovers
Daily; hours vary
Hidden Gems~£15
Foam Photography Museum
Grachtengordel
A canal-side museum with rotating exhibitions from famous and emerging photographers.
- Suggested time: 1h 15m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily; late on Thursdays and Fridays
Hidden GemsFree
Westerpark and Westergasfabriek
Westerpark
A former gasworks site turned park and cultural hub, with cafés, cinemas and a Saturday-market feel.
- Suggested time: 2 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Outdoor lovers
Open-air; venues open daily
Hidden Gems~£14
Oude Kerk
Red Light District
Amsterdam’s oldest building, a medieval church in the middle of the Red Light District with a startling contemporary art programme.
- Suggested time: 45 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily; hours vary
Hidden GemsFree
NDSM Wharf
Noord
A former shipyard, now a creative quarter of street art, warehouse festivals and beach bars, reached by a free ferry.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Nightlife fans
Open-air; venues open daily
Must See~£16
Rembrandt House Museum
Jodenbreestraat
The 17th-century house where Rembrandt lived and worked, with etchings and a working studio.
- Suggested time: 1h 15m
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily; hours vary
Planning Amsterdam? 11 places to eat are one tap away.