What to Book in Advance in Amsterdam (and when to book)
Last Updated on 13th September 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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Amsterdam is a stunning city that is well worth the stop over on any trip through Europe. However, thanks to its endless charms, gorgeous canals, and status as the capital of the Netherlands, this also means that the city can get pretty busy throughout the year. Here’s what to book in advance in Amsterdam in order to secure tickets and avoid disappointment!
If you’re planning a visit to Amsterdam, then be sure to check out our suggestions for how to spend one day in Amsterdam, how to spend two days in Amsterdam, the best hidden gems of Amsterdam, and our top Amsterdam travel tips.
Contents
What to book in advance in Amsterdam
Van Gogh Museum
A must-do in terms of Art museums in the Dutch Capital, the Van Gogh Museum is probably one of the first places to come to mind when you think about cultural spaces in the city.
Dedicated to Van Gogh and his contemporaries, the museum boasts over 200 paintings by the iconic artist and is in the top 30 most visited museums in the world. To help inspire your visit, you can check out this virtual tour of the Van Gogh museum.
If you prefer to be guided by a professional through the largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings then I would recommend booking at least a couple of weeks in advance as there are only two of this tour a day and these can sell out during weekends quite easily. Book the tour here in advance
If you would rather visit the museum at your own pace, 1 to 2 weeks in advance should give you enough time to pick the starting time that suits you best. Book less than a week in advance and you’d risk no being able to get in at all. Book your ticket here in advance
If you’ve spent any time on social media over the past year or so and have researched things to do in Amsterdam, then you have no doubt come across Van Stapele cookies. These viral sweets are simply delicious, though have become wildly popular!
Now, this one may surprise you, but if you turn up in person to Van Stapele cookies, then you’ll probably end up wasting quite a bit of time queueing to acquire the delicious cookies. If you want to save some of your precious time, then you can actually order cookies ahead of time on the Van Stapele website!
Go on a bike tour
When you think about a city that is best explored on a bicycle, then there is a big chance that you’ll end up thinking about one located in the Netherlands, with Amsterdam being the main contendor.
If you’re not used to cycling in big cities (and on the other side of the road if you’re from the UK or Australia!), then I would recommend going on a tour to avoid having to worry about using a sat nav and you won’t have to worry about missing any of the main landmarks. The pricing may vary depending on the size of the group.
Book in advance at least 1 week in advance to have a chance to find a slot either in the morning or the afternoon. Tours usually last for 3 hours and the route is mainly flat, though be sure to wear comfortable and suitable shoes, such as trainers.
Cruise along a canal
One of the main reasons that Amsterdam is so famous is thanks to its historic canals, which form rings around the city centre. And while the city can get pretty busy on the streets during peak season (ie summer), a great way to avoid all of the crowds is by going on a canal cruise.
There are different tours, some are for smaller groups of up to 10, and some are for larger groups of up to 20. There are also a number of different themed tours to suit a variety of different tastes and budgets:
- Book your private tour here in advance (up to 10 people)
- Book your group tour here in advance (up to 20 people)
- Evening Canal Cruise with Pizza and Drinks
- Dinner Cruise with 4-Course Menu
- Classic Boat Cruise with Cheese & Wine Option
- Open Boat Canal Cruise with Onboard Bar
- Evening Canal Cruise
- River Cruise With All-You-Can-Eat Dutch Pancakes
Day trip to Giethoorn
When visiting Amsterdam you are probably going to be on foot, as renting a car can be a bit of a nightmare in terms of parking, driving around the city, etc. As such, what happens if you want to take day trips to visit the surrounding region?
Well there are a number of great transportation options available, or alternatively you can book onto guided tours where all of the details are taken care of for you. One of the most charming day trips from Amsterdam is to the village of Giethoorn, which is widely considered to be the “Venice of the Netherlands“.
There is a tour that allows you to do that but I would strongly recommend booking at least 3 weeks in advance between April and September to secure your spot. Book the tour here in advance.
Stedelijk Museum
So far, we have predominantly covered outdoor activities, but Amsterdam is also very well suited to be visited during fall and winter, thanks to the number of museums around the city.
Stedelijk Museum features modern art and design collections and the benefit of booking in advance is that you can get a skip the ticket line ticket and have it available to you on the GetYourGuide app. Book your museum ticket here in advance.
Anne Frank House
If you would like to discover more about the story of Anne Frank, then make sure to book a guided tour through the Jewish quarter ahead of time like this one. Book your visit at least two weeks ahead of your trip in order to secure a place.
Please bear in mind that none of those tours include admission tickets to the actual house. These need to be purchased on the side, several weeks in advance in order to secure a ticket. Book your admission tickets to the house here in advance
Rijksmuseum
Yet another museum worth visiting in Amsterdam is the Rijksmuseum. To help plan your visit, the museum has a number of virtual activities which you can enjoy from the comfort of your home including seeing some of the most iconic masterpieces up close and learning about the restoration history of some of the cultural hub’s most important pieces. Discover the Rijksmuseum at home here.
Located not far from the city centre (around a 20 minute walk walk), like with most of the museums in Amsterdam, then there are a few different options are available: Private tour, medium-sized groups (up to 14) and timed-entrance tickets. I would recommend booking a couple of weeks in advance for guided tours.
- Book your private tour here in advance
- Book your group tour here in advance
- Book your admission tickets here in advance
There is also the interesting option to bundle up the two main museums of Amsterdam, the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum via this tour on GetYourGuide: this should absolutely be booked advance if you want to check out both museums.
Moco Museum
Another famous modern art museum that is located right between the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum is the Moco Museum. This independent museum is dedicated to contemporary art, and while it certainly is not as busy as some of the more famous museums in Amsterdam, you can still book your tickets in advance if you so prefer.
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace is one of 3 palaces in the Netherlands which is available for use by the Royal Family. Located in the heart of the city centre, bear in mind that it can be closed for several weeks in a row because of major renovations or other purposes and so be sure to check if it’s actually open during the date and time you want to visit. Book your tickets here in advance
Fabrique des lumières – Dalí & Gaudí exhibit
This digital Art centre launched in March 2023 and is home of Dalí and Gaudí works until the end of September 2023. The cultural space is meant to reopen in January 2024.
Make sure to book your tickets in advance to skip the line and discover or re-discover the famous Gaudí designs of Barcelona thanks to amazing light projections on walls up to 16 meters high. Book your tickets here in advance
The Upside Down museum
A unique concept which is particularly famous among social media users is the Upside Down Museum, where you’ll be treated to a whole host of unique optical illusions. You don’t even need to use your smartphone to keep a souvenir of your visit as there are digital photos download available there. Book your tickets here in advance
AMAZE Amsterdam
In a similar genre as per the Fabrique des lumières but way more contemporary, this is another audiovisual experience, known for being particularly immersive. Some days can be sold out even months in advance so feel free to book your tickets in advance to avoid any disappointment. Book your tickets here in advance
Heineken Experience
Visit the first built brewery of the world-famous Dutch beer brand with a couple of drinks and a tasting included. The Heineken Experience is easily reachable from the city centre and isn’t too far from the main museums listed above in this post.
If you want to visit you should be sure to book at least a week or two ahead of your preferred time to visit. Book your tickets here in advance.
There is also a VIP experience which is very popular with a very limited availability especially for the 4pm slot (10 AM and 1 PM are not as busy) and so I would strongly recommend booking at least two months in advance to secure tickets for weekends (Friday to Sunday). Book the VIP experience in advance
