If you had only 24 hours to spend in Amsterdam, or anywhere else, how would you spend them?

This is not a simple article to write. I could come up with multiple variations of this 24-hours itinerary in Amsterdam, based on different variables. There are so many things to take into consideration: the season, for example, or if it’s your first time in the city or you are returning, and I’m quite bad at making decisions.

Clearly, 24 hours is too little time to see all of Amsterdam, and I’d have to choose only some parts of it. So, where I should tell someone to go? I could tell them about the beautiful canal belt, the Amstel River and its beautiful bridges, the hip Noord neighbourhood or the cosmopolitan de Pijp. I could send them shopping on the 9 Streets, at the Bijenkorf or in the Oud-Zuid. Suggest that they spend the day visiting museums, or just relax on a terrace by the water. There are quite a few possibilities.

In the end, I decided to simply imagine my perfect day in Amsterdam. What would it look like if I no longer lived here and came back just for a day? There may be a touch of nostalgia in this post, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a route that would make a tourist happy.

7.30 a.m.  Morning in the city centre

Although I’m not an early bird, I would make an effort and start my day early, around 7.30 a.m., before the city wakes up entirely. For me, any great day starts with a great coffee, so I would find the nearest Coffee Company or speciality coffee shop that is already open, to get my caffeine dosage. Depending on where in the city I would be, I could go to Lot61, Back to Black, Good Beans or Espressofabriek. I’d have a piece of cake with it – I won’t say no to calories because I’ll need them for this active day I have ahead! I’m not a big breakfast kind of person, but just in case I’m very hungry, there are plenty of good ones I can choose from.

Since it’s so early in the morning, I would head straight to the city centre. It will be less crowded at this time of the day, meaning I’ll be able to properly enjoy its beauty. I would start my walk in the old city centre, the area between Zwanenburgwal, Kloveniersburgwal and Oudezijds Voorburgwal. Maybe up to Oudeschans. As I do every time, I would walk around these old streets and admire the tilted houses, the organised architecture and think about how, in the past, people would moor their boats here, coming home from a day of fishing or from the market. You can almost go back in time if you walk these streets very early in the morning.

Then I’d head towards the Dam Square, quickly admire the Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk, take a few snapshots with the pigeons, and continue towards the canal belt area. In the morning, before the traffic on the canals begins, the water is still and it’s like a mirror reflecting the beautiful canal houses.

I would be seen zig-zag-ing the bridges between the four main canals: Singel, Herengracht, Keizergracht and Prinsengracht, for the next hour or so. I would find my way to the neighbouring Jordaan, and then to the Brouwersgracht, one of my favourite streets in Amsterdam.

12.00 a.m.  Lunch in the Haarlemmerbuurt area and afternoon visiting Southern neighbourhoods

From here, there can be only one place that I can go and definitely not miss: Prinseneiland and Westerdok area. I will go to see the beautiful houses with red and black shutters, sit on a bench near the water, listening to the birds. Maybe I’ll even have lunch on the Westerdok, eating something I bought from the nearby shops on the Haarlemmerdijk (like a sandwich from Le Sud, Small World or STACH). This will have to be decided based on that day’s cravings.

From here, I would take a tram to the Museumplein and then wander a bit through the Oud-Zuid neighbourhood. I’d eat some macarons from Patisserie Linnick, and go straight to De Pijp neighbourhood, for a quick visit to the Albert Cuyp Market and surroundings.

16.00 a.m.  Pausing for a while in a hidden garden, in Frankendael park

Then, another tram would take me to Watersgrafsmeer and more precisely to the Frankendael Park. I would walk through its small forest and then have a coffee or a hot chocolate at the Merkelbach restaurant. Maybe I’ll even have an apple pie while sitting in the garden, with a cup of fresh tea. I find this place very relaxing and cosy, it will be perfect to rest a bit after the long walk.

17.00 p.m.  Oost (East), artisanal beer and Indonesian dinner

Then I’d follow Middenweg all the way up to Oosterpark and go to Brouwerij ‘t Ij for a taste of my favourite beer: their I.P.A. I would go back to the center following the Entrepotdok. For dinner, my choice would definitely be an Indonesian restaurant, like Blauw or Long Pura.

10.00 p.m.  Drinks and dancing!

If I can still move after dinner, I would go for another drink somewhere. If it’s a summer day, but even if it’s not, I would go for a late drink and some dancing at Roest or Pllek. And what will be left from my 24 hours I would spend sleeping in nice houseboat, dreaming in the slow swinging rhythm of the boat, waking up next morning with the view over the canals at my window, maybe even feed the swans, if I have time before leaving from this beautiful city!

Oh wait! I forgot the pancakes and the poffertjes! The poffertjes with cherries and chocolate from the Pancake Bakery cannot be missed! I guess I’ll add them to the list named: extra things to do in Amsterdam in 24 hours, if you still find time in between all the walking! Next to a walk close to Amstel River, and a visit to Noordermarkt. OK, I’ll stop here, otherwise I will need more than 24 hours. I hope you’ll find this post inspiring for your days in Amsterdam!

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