Amsterdam Itinerary — 4 Days on Foot and by Bike

Morning

Land at Schiphol (AMS)

Schiphol sits 15 km southwest of the centre. Follow signs down to the train platforms under the terminal.

Train to Amsterdam Centraal

NS runs Schiphol to Centraal in about 15-20 minutes, several times an hour. Buy at the yellow machines or tap a contactless card.

Afternoon / Day

Check in: Pulitzer Amsterdam

Prinsengracht 323, on the canal ring. Twenty-five restored 17th and 18th-century houses knitted into one hotel around a hidden garden.

Lunch at Café Luxembourg

Spui 24. Grand café open 10:00 to 22:00 daily; take a table in the glass conservatory and order the kroketten.

Walk De Negen Straatjes

The nine lanes bridging Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht - independent shops, no chains. The hotel sits inside them.

Coffee at Café Papeneiland

Prinsengracht 2, where the Prinsengracht meets the Brouwersgracht. Brown café since 1642: Delft tiles, worn wood, apple pie baked in house.

Evening

Dinner at Moeders

Rozengracht 251. Open since 1990, walls papered floor to ceiling with photos of mothers. Dutch classics - stamppot, hutspot. Reserve online.

Nightcap at Café Chris

Bloemstraat 42. A Jordaan brown café pouring since 1624, and one of the oldest bars in the city; afternoons and evenings only. Bitterballen and a small beer.

Morning

Pick up bikes at MacBike

Kerkstraat 27A, the Leidseplein branch. Open daily 09:00-18:00. Check how the brakes work before you set off, and ride on the red asphalt only.

Rijksmuseum

Museumstraat 1. Open 09:00-17:00 every day of the year; everyone must book a start time. Go straight to the Gallery of Honour first.

Afternoon / Day

Lunch at Loetje

Johannes Vermeerstraat 52, three minutes off Museumplein. Order the biefstuk in its own gravy - that is the entire point of Loetje.

Albert Cuyp Market

Albert Cuypstraat in De Pijp, Monday to Saturday 09:30-17:00, closed Sunday. Fresh stroopwafels off the iron and Dutch cheese by the wedge.

Van Gogh Museum

Museumplein 6. Entry is by timed slot - book online, and do it weeks ahead in April.

Evening

Vondelpark loop

Ride the full circuit from the Museumplein entrance, then out the north end toward Oud-West. Roughly 20 minutes at Dutch pace.

Dinner at Foodhallen

Hannie Dankbaarpassage 16, inside the old tram depot at De Hallen. Around twenty stalls under one roof, open to 23:00 - split up, order separately, meet at a table.

Morning

Breakfast at Winkel 43

Noordermarkt 43, a six-minute walk up the Prinsengracht. Corner terrace catches the early sun; the apple pie is the one people queue for.

Train to Haarlem

Amsterdam Centraal to Haarlem takes about 15 minutes on the NS intercity. The old town is a five-minute walk out of the station.

Grote of St.-Bavokerk

Grote Markt 22. Open Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays. The 1738 Müller organ inside was played by Handel and by Mozart, aged ten.

Afternoon / Day

Lunch at Jopenkerk

Gedempte Voldersgracht 2. A working brewery inside a deconsecrated church - copper tanks under stained glass. Grand cafe downstairs.

Frans Hals Museum

Groot Heiligland 62, in a former almshouse. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-17:00, closed Mondays; tickets are dated and timed.

Teylers Museum

Spaarne 16. The oldest museum in the Netherlands, open to the public since 1784 - fossils, instruments and Michelangelo drawings by daylight.

Evening

Train back to Amsterdam

Haarlem to Centraal, about 15 minutes. Trains run late into the evening.

Dinner at Restaurant Greetje

Peperstraat 23-25, looking at the Montelbaanstoren. Dutch regional cooking taken seriously, dinner only, small room. Book ahead.

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Morning

Anne Frank House

Enter at Westermarkt 20, around the corner from Prinsengracht 263. Tickets are online only, date and time stamped, and released every Tuesday at 10:00 CEST for six weeks ahead.