Day 1 - Canals and the center
Start at Centraal and walk the Grachtengordel canal ring, then the Anne Frank House with a timed ticket. Afternoon at the Rijksmuseum for Rembrandt and Vermeer. Evening along the Jordaan with bitterballen and a local beer at a brown cafe. Sleep central to keep walks short.
Day 2 - Art and markets
Morning at the Van Gogh Museum, then the Albert Cuyp market for stroopwafels and herring. Afternoon a bike ride to the Eastern Docklands or a boat tour of the ring. Evening at a canal-side restaurant for stamppot or fish. Catch a film or jazz set if energy holds.
Day 3 - Day trip and exit
Take a short train to Haarlem or a bike to a windmill village like Zaanse Schans. Lunch of cheese and bread by the water. Return for a final museum or a slow coffee. Keep the evening open for your flight or train. A last fries stand sends you off warmly.
Daily food picks
Try haring raw with onions, stroopwafels warm from a stall, and bitterballen with mustard. Frites with mayo are the national snack. Brown cafes pour Dutch beer and serve hearty plates. Pancakes come sweet or savory at dedicated houses. Markets are the cheapest, freshest lunches in the city.
Getting around & budget
Buy a 72-hour transit pass covering tram, bus, and ferry, and rent a bike for at least one day. The center is walkable and flat. Budget 90 to 150 euros daily with a mid-range hotel and museum entries. Book Anne Frank and Van Gogh ahead, because lines and sell-outs are common in season.
