Trips to Amsterdam
What to know about Amsterdam
Amsterdam is renowned as one of Europe's most popular tourism hotspots. As the heart of the Netherlands, the capital city receives more than 5.3 million international visitors a year. Most of these travellers originate from Europe, but the allure of Amsterdam also brings in a fair share of international tourists from the USA and Australia, too.
Amsterdam boasts famous museums such as the Rijksmuseum, The Rembrandt House, and the Tropenmuseum. Tourists marvel at the city's abundance of classic architecture with sites like the Royal Palace, Magere Burg, and Oude being just a few examples of the beauty on offer. With multiple concert halls, fantastic public transport infrastructure, and plenty of fine dining restaurants as well as street food vendors to cater to the foodies, Amsterdam's stellar reputation as a tourism hotspot comes as no surprise.
Flying with us, here at Opodo, means that you get to experience all of the magic Amsterdam has to offer with some of the best price plans in the world. Whether you're looking to stay for a weekend or take an extended trip when you travel to Amsterdam, Opodo can take your bucket-list dream of visiting Amsterdam and turn it into a cost-effective reality.
Here is a tip for you: booking your flight and hotel at the same time and not separately can make you save up to 40%. Take advantage of a flight + hotel package in Amsterdam to your destination and save time searching for hotels separately. If you have already purchased your flight and you’re only looking for a hotel, you can find it here.
What to do in Amsterdam for a weekend
If you're planning a short trip and you're worried about how to cram everything in and make the most of your limited time in Amsterdam, rest assured. We've done the homework for you and laid out our top options for day plans, nightlife, and opportunistic last-minute experiences to give you an idea of how many days to spend in Amsterdam to cover the top attractions.
Day 1: Taste Amsterdam’s bitterballen
To start with, we'd highly recommend kicking off by experiencing some local food if you travel to Amsterdam. If you’re on the go, then it’s hard to beat the crispy meatball treat called bitterballen. Fried and enjoyed with spicy mustard, these have the perfect kick to get you on your journey. Vegetarians can also keep an eye out for patat, a regional take on fries served with ketchup, curry sauce, and chopped white onion.
With some food in your belly, it's time to recharge and savour the sights with a bike ride. Amsterdamse Bos, Hortus Botanicus, Sarphatipark, and Vondelpark are just a few examples of the many beautiful parks to enjoy.
Day 2: Explore De Pijp
With a full second day ahead of you, check out some of Amsterdam’s famous museums and cultural sites. No matter the season, there are always plenty of exhibitions going on. Whether you're going with a guided tour or travelling by your own compass, it’s best to plan out your route and sites ahead of time so you don’t miss out.
If you’re after a broader taste of Amsterdam’s food potential, then De Pijp offers many fantastic restaurants and cafes. De Pijp is set around the Albert Cuyp Market, which first opened in 1905 and has been going strong ever since. Those looking for an amazing flea market can also check out Waterlooplein, an atmospheric bazaar and the perfect place to pick up a memento with some history.
As the sun sets, three popular choices stand among the best for nightlife. These include the Jordaan district, Rembrandtplein, and Dam Square. Offering everything from party culture to relaxed nightcaps, keep these places in mind and you'll be set.
Day 3: See the views from the A’Dam Tower
If you haven’t already, a cruise down the canals can be a great way to sign off on your Amsterdam experience. For a view of the city, the A’Dam Tower also offers spectacular sights, where the daring can swing out over the edge. Whatever strikes you, just remember to keep an eye on the clock, as it's easy to get caught up and risk missing your flight!
In order to discover the beautiful landscapes of the surroundings, you can always rent a car in Amsterdam and travel the open road.
FAQs on travelling to Amsterdam
What’s the name of Amsterdam Airport?
Amsterdam's international airport is Schiphol.
Which airlines offer direct flights to Amsterdam?
Some of the bigger airlines that travel to Amsterdam without any stops include:
- Air Canada
- Air Europa
- Air India Limited
- Air Serbia
- Azul
- Batik Air
- Batik Air Malaysia
- British Airways
- Cebu Pacific
- Copa Airlines
- Divi Divi Air
- Emirates
- Iberia Airlines
- Iberia Express
- Icelandair
- LOT Polish Airlines
- MIAT Mongolian Airlines
- Play
- Qatar Airways
- Traveller Assistance
- TUI Airways
- United Airlines
How can I request assistance for children travelling alone?
To request assistance for children travelling alone, you should contact the airline you booked with. Policies between airlines can be quite different, so be sure that child travelling assistance is available on the airline website before completing the purchase process.
How can I travel with an assistance dog?
To travel with an assistance dog, you should first check airline policy before booking. If the airline allows support animals, you should enquire further with their support systems via phone or online messaging. The links will be available on the airline's website.
How do I find cheap flights to Amsterdam that have flexible change policies at Opodo?
Our search function at Opodo features a tab that can be pressed to sort flights by cost. Once on this page, click or press on a flight you're interested in to be brought to the details page. This page will display the types of fares and the different Flex plans available to check and change the different levels of policy change availability.
How can I book cheap hotels on Opodo in my destination city?
The search function at Opodo features a tab that includes both flight and hotel booking in a straightforward package. Using this feature will help you figure out where is best to stay in Amsterdam by showing accommodation results which can be sorted by cost, before heading on to choose your tickets and finalise bookings.
What baggage do I need to check on my flight?
Heavy baggage and items of larger sizes too big to be placed in overhead storage will need to be checked in on flights. The limits of these sizes and weights will vary per airline and can be checked on airline policy websites.
How can I check in with Opodo?
Opodo provides itineraries to be printed out so travellers can check in at the airport. We also offer online check-in with supported airlines like Ryanair, British Airways, Vueling, easyJet, Lufthansa, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Emirates, and Jet2.
Do I need to pay a cancellation fee if I cancel my flight from my departure city to Amsterdam?
This will depend on the ticket you booked. Flexible fares tend to be more expensive but offer lower cancellation fees. Cheaper tickets tend to include higher cancellation costs.
How do I know if my flight is eligible for compensation?
Flights booked from Opodo are open to compensation if the flight arrived at the final destination at the last 3 hours behind schedule, and if the reason for the delay was the fault of the airline.
Key Amsterdam airport information
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is often bustling with tourists and provides second-to-none facilities such as:
- Duty-free shopping (including brands like Gucci, Burberry, House of Tulips, BLOEM! and Bottega Veneta)
- A pharmacy
- Smoking areas
- Massages
- Lost and found areas
- An Internet centre
- Baggage sealing services
- VIP services
- Acclaimed eateries (Tastes from the Lowlands and Say Cheese!)
- ATMs and currency exchanges
In addition, Schiphol aids disabled travellers along their journey, on request. We'd recommend flagging this with your airline before you embark on your trip, just to make sure they're equipped to support you from the get-go!
The best time to visit Amsterdam
The best time to travel to Amsterdam will depend entirely on your general availability, reasons for visiting the city, and budget, with each time of year offering different advantages and disadvantages.
For example, if you want to make the most of the good weather and appreciate the vibrancy of an action-picked metropolis, you'll likely want to visit between April and September. During this time the weather is mild, and Amsterdam happens to host some incredible events including The Open Garden Days (Open Tuin Dagen), Kwakoe Zomer Festival, a Gay Pride Canal Parade, and the Pluk De Nacht – Open Air Film Festival.
If you're up for exploring Amsterdam but want to avoid long queues and extremely busy streets, we'd recommend the September to November period. With fewer festivals, there might not be as many big outings at this time, but the restaurants, museums, and atmosphere will remain in full swing.
If you're on a budget, November, January, and February are considered to be the cheapest months to travel to Amsterdam. The weather will start to turn the later you arrive during this time, however, and the temperatures are known to get quite cold. On the plus side, when the canals freeze, they open up ice skating rinks!
