Amsterdam is best seen from a bike saddle: canals, gabled houses and bridges strung with lights. The Dutch almost all speak English — but a few words of Nederlands still delight them.
- The canal ring by bike — the UNESCO-listed Grachtengordel. Rent a bike, ring your bell, and loop the Herengracht and Prinsengracht like a local.
- The Rijksmuseum — Rembrandt's Night Watch, Vermeer's quiet interiors, 800 years of Dutch art. Two hours minimum; the Great Hall alone is worth it.
- Anne Frank House — the secret annex, unforgettable and sobering. Tickets sell out weeks ahead and only online — book the moment you plan your trip.
- The Jordaan — the prettiest neighbourhood: narrow streets, brown cafés, courtyard gardens (hofjes) and Saturday markets. Order a "koffie, alstublieft."
- Vondelpark — the city's green lung. On a sunny day the whole of Amsterdam picnics here; join them with cheese, bread and a stroopwafel.
Try "dank je wel" (thanks) and "proost!" (cheers) and you'll fit right in. Meet a Dutch speaker below — even a little Nederlands makes the canals feel like home.
