- Book the Anne Frank House online, as tickets are released six weeks ahead
- Trains from Schiphol reach Centraal in about 15 minutes
- Allow for 12.5% tourist tax plus 21% VAT on rooms in 2026
- Eurostar runs direct from London in about four hours
Amsterdam suits a weekend away perfectly. It's compact and flat, world-class art is within walking distance of the canals, and getting there from the UK takes about an hour by plane or around four hours by direct Eurostar. The catch is that it's popular and the main museums sell out, so book a few key tickets before you go.
Before you go
- Anne Frank House: Tickets are sold online only. They are released six weeks ahead and go fast. Set a reminder.
- Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum: Book timed tickets online. Adult entry is roughly €20 to €25 at each. Both are free for under-18s.
- Getting in: Trains from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal take about 15 minutes and run around the clock. You can tap in with a contactless bank card. If you're coming by Eurostar, check the timetable. Engineering works at Amsterdam Centraal sometimes cut or reroute services at weekends.
- Tourist tax: In 2026, Amsterdam adds 12.5% of the room price, on top of a 21% VAT rate on hotel stays. The city plans to raise the tourist tax from 2027, so factor it into hotel comparisons.
Day 1 (Saturday): museums and the canal ring
9am, Rijksmuseum. Arrive at opening time and head straight to the Gallery of Honour for Rembrandt's The Night Watch and Vermeer's The Milkmaid. Allow two to three hours. See our Rijksmuseum guide for what else not to miss.
12.30pm, Museumplein and lunch. Grab a sandwich and sit on the grass, or walk into De Pijp for a cheap lunch.
2pm, Albert Cuyp Market. This street market runs Monday to Saturday. Try a warm stroopwafel made in front of you.
3.30pm, Van Gogh Museum or Vondelpark. Art lovers should book the Van Gogh Museum. Otherwise, wander through the Vondelpark, Amsterdam's favourite green space.
6pm, canal cruise. A one-hour boat trip is touristy but genuinely the best way to understand the 17th-century canal ring, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Smaller open boats are more fun than the big glass-roofed ones.
Evening. Have dinner along the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes), then go for a drink in a brown café, a traditional wood-panelled pub.
Day 2 (Sunday): Jordaan, history and the north
9am, Anne Frank House. Your timed visit takes about an hour. It's moving, and you'll want quiet time afterwards. Read our Anne Frank House guide before you go.
10.30am, the Jordaan. Explore the narrow streets, hidden courtyards (hofjes) and independent shops. The Noordermarkt holds an organic farmers' market on Saturday mornings and a flea market on Monday mornings, but on Sundays the cafés are the draw. Try apple pie at Winkel 43.
1pm, Amsterdam Noord. Take the free ferry from behind Centraal station to the north bank. Go up the A'DAM Lookout tower (paid) for views. Or take the longer ferry to NDSM, a former shipyard now full of street art and cafés.
4pm, Begijnhof and the old centre. Back in the centre, step into the calm Begijnhof courtyard, then walk through the Dam and the old centre on your way to the station.
Weekend at a glance
| Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Rijksmuseum | Anne Frank House, Jordaan |
| Lunch | De Pijp | Jordaan café |
| Afternoon | Albert Cuyp Market, Van Gogh or Vondelpark | Free ferry to Noord, A'DAM Lookout or NDSM |
| Evening | Canal cruise, Nine Streets | Begijnhof, home |
Tips for a smoother weekend
- Watch for bikes. Never walk in the red cycle lanes, and look both ways twice.
- Don't drive in. Parking in the centre is very expensive. Use park-and-ride if you arrive by car.
- Use public transport day tickets if you'll make several tram trips. Otherwise, tapping in with a card is fine.
- Respect the rules in the old centre. Drinking in the street and noisy groups are increasingly fined.
By train or plane?
Flights from many UK airports take about an hour, and there's a fast train from Schiphol into the centre. Direct Eurostar trains from London St Pancras reach Amsterdam Centraal in roughly four hours, with stops in Brussels and Rotterdam. Read more in European city breaks by train from London, and compare with Eurostar vs flying to Paris.
For more on the country, see our Netherlands guide. Planning another quick break? Try Rome in 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Is a weekend enough for Amsterdam?
Two days covers the main museums, a canal cruise and the Jordaan. Add a day for Haarlem, Zaanse Schans windmills or the Keukenhof gardens in spring.
How far ahead should I book the Anne Frank House?
Tickets are released online six weeks in advance and often sell out within days for weekends. Book as soon as your dates are fixed.
What is the tourist tax in Amsterdam?
In 2026, it is 12.5% of the room price excluding VAT, charged on top of 21% VAT. The city plans to raise it from 2027.
Is Amsterdam expensive?
Hotels are among the priciest in Europe, especially at weekends. Food, transport and walking the canals are reasonable. Staying midweek or slightly outside the centre helps.
Written by
Emma City breaks & deals editor
Emma plans city breaks the way other people plan the weekly shop: on a budget, with a spreadsheet and a backup plan. She covers city guides and deal-hunting.
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