Free Things to Do in Amsterdam: 23 Places That Won’t Cost You a Euro
Amsterdam isn’t exactly famous for being cheap. Museum tickets, canal cruises, food, and accommodation can quickly add up, particularly if you’re spending several days in the city. But some of the Amsterdam experiences we enjoyed most didn’t cost us anything. During our five days in Amsterdam, we also spent some time waddling along the canals, looking for hidden sculptures, exploring parks, crossing the IJ, discovering historic buildings, and finding little details we probably would have missed if we were rushing between paid attractions. And that’s what this list is about. These aren’t 23 random free attractions pulled together from the internet. They’re places we actually came across during our Amsterdam trip, from famous landmarks to some very strange little discoveries. So, if Amsterdam is already testing your travel budget, here are some things you can still see without spending another euro.
23 Free Things to Do in Amsterdam
Now to the good part: what can you actually see in Amsterdam without spending a single euro? Quite a lot, as it turns out. From famous landmarks and canals to parks, markets, street art, and some rather unusual hidden finds, these are the free places we discovered during our five days in Amsterdam. Some were already on our list, while others we stumbled across during our waddles.
Free Things to See in Central Amsterdam
1. Amsterdam Oersoep. Start with one of Amsterdam’s more unusual public art pieces. Amsterdam Oersoep transforms a passage into something you could easily mistake for a paid attraction. Look up as you walk through and take in the mirrors, mosaics, and references to Amsterdam’s history. This is exactly the kind of Amsterdam stop we love: quick, unusual, and completely free.
2. National Monument on Dam Square. You will probably pass Dam Square anyway, so stop for a closer look at the National Monument. The white monument commemorates Dutch victims of World War II and later conflicts and stands right in one of Amsterdam’s busiest areas.
3. De Waag. Sitting on Nieuwmarkt, De Waag looks almost like a small castle squeezed into the city. Dating back to the 15th century, it originally formed part of Amsterdam’s city walls. You don’t need to spend anything to appreciate it. We stopped outside, looked around, and took a few photos before continuing our waddle.
4. Amsterdam Centraal. Don’t treat Amsterdam Centraal as somewhere you only rush through to catch a train. Opened in 1889 and designed by Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum, the station is worth stopping to admire from outside. We passed through several times before finally giving the building itself the attention it deserved.
Amsterdam’s Best Free Activity: Waddle the Canals
5. Amsterdam’s Canals. Waddling along Amsterdam’s canals was one of our favorite things we did during the entire trip. No entrance ticket, no time slot, and no route you need to follow. Pick a canal and start walking. Bridges, houseboats, and rows of narrow houses do the rest.
6. Historic Gable Stones. While waddling around the older streets, look closely at the buildings. Amsterdam’s historic gable stones once helped identify houses before street numbers became common. We found a collection along Sint Olofssteeg, including stones decorated with pictures and symbols. It became one of those small Amsterdam details we probably wouldn’t have noticed if we weren’t wandering.
7. Aluminum Bridge. Amsterdam has no shortage of bridges, but the Aluminum Bridge gives you another little landmark to hunt down while exploring the canals. You don’t need to build an itinerary around it. Simply add it to a canal waddle through the area.
8. Find Amsterdam’s Crooked Houses. Once you notice them, you can’t stop noticing them. Amsterdam’s houses lean, tilt, and sometimes look as though they’re supporting each other. Finding the wonkiest one quickly becomes free entertainment.
9. Find One of Amsterdam’s Smallest Houses. Amsterdam’s narrow houses are already famous, but some take the idea further. Add one of the city’s tiny houses to your walking route and see just how little space Amsterdam’s historic builders managed to work with.
Free Parks & Squares in Amsterdam
10. Johnny Jordaanplein. Make a quick stop at Johnny Jordaanplein, where statues celebrate musicians connected with Amsterdam’s Jordaan neighborhood. It won’t take long to see, but it adds a little local culture to a waddle through the area.
11. Vondelpark. When your feet need a break, head to Vondelpark. Amsterdam’s best-known park gives you plenty of space to walk, sit beside the water or simply watch Amsterdam life go by. We loved having somewhere to slow down between all the museums and sightseeing.
12. Museumplein. You don’t need a museum ticket to enjoy Museumplein. The large public space sits between some of Amsterdam’s biggest museums, including the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum. The Rijksmuseum gardens are also free to visit, giving budget travelers another taste of Amsterdam’s museum district without buying admission.
13. Weteringplantsoen. For something much smaller, take a break at Weteringplantsoen. Amsterdam has plenty of little green spaces tucked between streets and canals, and they can be perfect when you want to sit down with a takeaway coffee and watch the city for a while.
Free Amsterdam Food Stops… Sort Of
14. Amsterdam Cheese Museum. This was easily one of our favorite budget stops because it involved cheese. The Amsterdam Cheese Museum combines a cheese shop with a small museum area. When we visited, we browsed the shop and tried different cheeses before heading downstairs to learn a little more about Dutch cheese-making. And yes, we eventually bought cheese. Free attraction, not-so-free exit.
15. Amsterdam Tulip Museum Shop. Here’s an important distinction: the Amsterdam Tulip Museum itself isn’t free. Adult admission is currently €7. However, you can still stop at its shop while exploring the Jordaan. It’s filled with tulip bulbs, gifts and flower-themed souvenirs, so you can have a quick look without paying museum admission.
16. Foodhallen. You don’t need to pay admission to wander through Foodhallen. Take a lap, check out the food stands, and decide whether anything tempts you. Of course, this only stays free until you get hungry. We failed at that part and ended up ordering loaded sausages and sweet potato fries.
Free Things to Do in Amsterdam-Noord
17. Take the Free Ferry Across the IJ. Even getting to Amsterdam-Noord can become part of the experience. The ferries behind Amsterdam Centraal are free, making this one of the easiest ways to see the city from a different perspective. We used them several times during our trip.
18. Explore NDSM. Once across the IJ, NDSM is one of our top free places to explore in Amsterdam. The former shipyard is filled with industrial buildings, street art, and creative spaces. Waddle around and see what you find. I amsterdam specifically highlights NDSM as one of the city’s best places to see street art for free.
19. See the Eye Filmmuseum. On another trip across the IJ, stop beside the Eye Filmmuseum. Its white angular building is worth seeing even if you don’t buy an exhibition or cinema ticket. You can enter the building and explore its public areas, but don’t advertise the whole museum as free: its exhibitions and screenings generally require admission.
Free Hidden Gems & Weird Things in Amsterdam
20. Oudemanhuispoort Book Market. Book lovers, add this to your list. Hidden inside a covered passage, Oudemanhuispoort has a long tradition of selling second-hand books. Browse old books, prints, maps and other finds without paying anything unless something follows you home. For us, simply looking through everything felt like a little treasure hunt.
21. Waddle Through the Red Light District. You don’t need a tour to walk through De Wallen, Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Beyond what the neighborhood is famous for, this is also one of Amsterdam’s oldest areas, filled with canals, narrow streets and historic buildings. Just remember one important rule: never photograph sex workers in the windows.
22. Find the Little Woodcutter. This was exactly the kind of Amsterdam attraction we were after. Hidden high in a tree near Leidseplein is a tiny bronze figure known as the Little Woodcutter, sitting on a branch while appearing to saw through it. He’s small enough that you can easily walk straight past him. Finding him is half the fun.
23. Find the City Hall Urinal. Yes, Amsterdam sightseeing can apparently include looking for a historic public urinal. The city’s old public urinals remind you that Amsterdam’s free attractions don’t always come in the form of monuments and museums. It’s weird, quick, and certainly something different to add to your walk.
Bonus: Find the Love or Generosity Sculpture
We saved this one for our final morning in Amsterdam because it was still sitting on our list. The Love or Generosity sculpture required a dedicated waddle, but that’s exactly what made it fun. Amsterdam is filled with public art that you can find simply by walking around, and hunting for these smaller pieces became part of our trip.
Are Amsterdam’s Free Attractions Actually Worth It
A waddlin’ yes from us; in fact, some of the free things we did gave us a better feeling for Amsterdam than attractions where we had booked a specific time slot. Waddling along the canals, looking at crooked houses, finding hidden sculptures, exploring NDSM, and sitting in parks gave us time to experience the city between the museums and reservations.
Amsterdam’s official tourism site also maintains a substantial list of free activities, from outdoor art and churches to free museum sections and the Rijksmuseum gardens. And when you’re visiting a city where your travel budget can disappear surprisingly quickly, a day filled with things that cost €0 is very welcome.
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Can You Spend a Whole Day in Amsterdam for Free
Absolutely. Start around Amsterdam Centraal, waddle through the historic center and Dam Square, explore the canals, and hunt for gable stones and crooked houses. Continue toward Vondelpark or Museumplein, then return to Centraal and take the free ferry across the IJ. Spend the afternoon exploring NDSM or walk around the Eye Filmmuseum and Amsterdam-Noord waterfront before taking the ferry back. You might have to pay for food and transport to get around, but your sightseeing bill can genuinely stay at €0.
All the Amsterdam Spots We Saved on Our Map
To make planning easier, we put together a map of all the places we wanted to see during our Amsterdam trip, including both free and paid attractions. We didn’t manage to visit every single one, but this was the map we used to plan our waddles around the city and decide what to see next.
Amsterdam can be expensive, but exploring Amsterdam doesn’t have to be. Some of our favorite moments during our five days in the city cost us nothing. Between the canals, parks, architecture, public art, markets, and waterfront, there is plenty to fill your itinerary without constantly reaching for your wallet. We found many of these places simply by waddling from one attraction to another, and some of the smallest discoveries became memories we still talk about. So, mix those paid museums and canal cruises with the free side of Amsterdam. Look up at the buildings. Cross the IJ. Hunt for tiny sculptures. Browse an old book market. Sit in a park. Follow a canal without knowing where it leads. Amsterdam doesn’t always need a ticket or a reservation. Sometimes, you need a pair of comfortable shoes and somewhere new to waddle.
Travel Bold. Eat Well. Waddle Wild.
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