Flights to Amsterdam

From Schiphol into the city

The railway station is directly below the arrivals hall, and trains to Amsterdam Centraal take 15 to 20 minutes. Tap in and out with a contactless card, or buy a ticket from the machines. Bus 397 runs to Museumplein and Leidseplein for hotels in the south of the city, and taxis wait outside. Schiphol is one of Europe's busiest airports, so leave extra time for security on the way home.

Museums and the canal ring

The Rijksmuseum holds Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid, and the Van Gogh Museum stands nearby on Museumplein. Tickets for the Anne Frank House are released online in advance and sell out quickly, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. The 17th-century canal ring is UNESCO-listed, and a canal cruise is an easy introduction, followed by a walk through the Nine Streets' independent shops.

Neighbourhoods, parks and markets

The Jordaan has narrow lanes, brown cafés and Saturday markets, while De Pijp is home to the Albert Cuyp market and its stroopwafel stalls. Vondelpark is the place for a picnic or bike ride, and a free ferry behind Centraal crosses the IJ to the A'DAM Lookout and the creative venues of Amsterdam Noord. Keep to the pavement, as cycle lanes are busy, and look both ways for bikes as well as trams.

When to plan a visit

Spring brings tulips and King's Day on 27 April, when the city turns orange. Summer evenings are long and lively, and winter has an outdoor light festival and Christmas markets. Hotels are busiest at weekends and during big events, so book early, and expect a tourist tax on top of room rates.

Want to add a day trip to the tulip fields? Call 020 7871 4545 and we'll time your flights.