The Top 10 Things to do in Amsterdam for Couples

There are few more romantic travel destinations for those in love. Here’s our couples’ guide to the top 10 things to do Amsterdam.

You’ve arrived at one of the best hotels in Amsterdam city centre for couples – what’s next? There’s no better way to enjoy the architectural wonders of Amsterdam than a canal tour; it’s one of our most popular Amsterdam activities for couples. Departing the quay outside the neo-Gothic façade of Centraal Station, cruises take in some of the city’s best-loved sights, including the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge), the gargantuan facade of the Rijksmuseum and majestic 17th-century townhouses lining the Golden Bend on Herengracht Canal.

A glimpse of futuristic Amsterdam also comes as you float past the buzzing IJ waterfront, home to the spectacular contemporary architecture of EYE Film Museum and NEMO Science Museum.

Couples looking for a little more romance can also take a luxury moonlit turn around the canals while sampling cocktails or enjoying a dinner and champagne as the boat glides smoothly along glittering waters.

Bike riding is a passion in Amsterdam and the streets bordering the city’s 165 serene canals form part of a network of easily navigable cycle tracks. Whether you’re exploring at your own pace or joining an organised tour, you’ll soon fall in love with the city – and each other all over again – as you pedal through its distinct districts.

Hiring a bike (or perhaps a tandem?) on Amsterdam breaks for couples gives you flexibility to become urban explorers for a few hours, and there are rental pick-up points located near Centraal Station and Waterlooplein. Alternatively, join a guided cycle ride for a whistle-stop tour of the fairy-tale architecture and landmarks of the city centre.

In summer, Amsterdam moves outdoors. A fun thing for couples to do in Amsterdam is picnic in one of the city’s peaceful parks. Our favourite spots to lay down a picnic rug include the meadows and lakesides of the Vondelpark, especially when the Open Air Theatre season kicks off in summer, with a jam-packed schedule of comedy, rock concerts and cabaret – and amazingly it’s all free.

There’s plenty of leafy shade in the urban oasis of Sarphatipark, while Het Amsterdamse Bos – three times as large as New York’s Central Park – has many secret nooks and crannies for romantic couples’ picnics amid its lush woodland tracts.

And where to pick up your picnic goodies? You’ll never go hungry in Amsterdam, but two sources of delicious foodie treats are the Foodhallen – Amsterdam’s gastro hot spot – for anything from boutique beers to bite-sized spicy bitterballen croquettes, and Albert Cuyp Markt, the city’s biggest street bazaar and a lively spot to pick up waffles, doused herring, falafels, sashimi and dim sum dumplings.

One of our top recommendations for couples in Amsterdam is to tour the Museum Quarter, with its mighty triumvirate of art institutions dominating the vast public square of Museumplein. Here you’ll find the renowned Van Gogh Museum, with the largest collection of the artist’s paintings in the world – works you’ll recognise in all their vivid colours and textures from countless reproductions.

To discover masterpieces from the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age, nip across Museumplein to the Rijksmuseum. The grande dame of Amsterdam’s art museums hosts iconic canvasses such as Vermeer’s The Milkmaid and Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. You’ll see superb exhibitions of modern and contemporary art in the Stedelijk Museum, while Moco Museum Amsterdam – a relative newcomer on the block – brings the art-loving story up to date with installations from Banksy, Jeff Koons and Tracey Emin.

When you’re here in spring, a visit to the explosion of colour at Keukenhof Gardens makes a perfect Amsterdam day trip for couples. Opening for six weeks, The Netherlands’ most visited gardens are carpeted in a glorious wash of jewel-coloured blooms.

Delicate crocuses open spring’s best-loved show, flowering at the end of March. Daffodils and hyacinths bloom mid-April and finally the tulips burst into life, lasting until mid-May. The resulting colours and vivid patterns across the landscape will have you reaching for your camera, as millions of spring flowers bloom in shades from palest pink to darkest red. This extraordinary horticultural feat sees seven million bulbs newly planted each year at Keukenhof; learn how it’s done on a free guided tour of the gardens.

Not got the time visit Keukenhof? For the backstory on the tulip madness that almost scuppered The Netherlands in 1637, visit the fascinating Amsterdam Tulip Museum on Prinsengracht Canal.

One of the best things to do in Amsterdam for couples is to disappear into the warren of romantic backstreets and tiny squares in the old-world Jordaan.

Built in the 17th century, this photogenic district of narrow cobbled streets, and even narrower canals lined with leafy trees and slender gabled townhouses, is today the stomping ground of trendy contemporary art galleries and vintage-clothes stores. It’s also home to the Antiekcentrum Amsterdam, a treasure trove of quality blue-and-white Delft porcelain, silverware, crystal chandeliers and antique jewellery. And of course, on the border of the Jordaan is the Anne Frank Museum, one of the best Amsterdam attractions for couples – or any visitor.

For all the world like a mini-Marais in Paris, the Jordaan also offers up an array of canal-side cafés in which to while away happy afternoons drinking coffee and sampling pannenkoeken – pancakes filled with apple syrup and flavoured with cinnamon.

There’s a local café for every conceivable occasion in Amsterdam. Little beats the romance of shared canal-side pitstops at Amsterdam’s grand cafés. Among our top picks are the light-flooded Café de Jaren, with its impressive bank of bottles behind the bar, international menus and views over the River Amstel.

When looking for things to do in Amsterdam, young couples should seek out laid-back brown cafés (similar to a British pub) like unpretentious Café Welling for its draft beer and Sunday jazz sessions, or Café de Sluyswacht, set in a wonky wooden house dating from 1695 and a fine vantage point for watching the boats on Oudeschans Canal, a chilled wine in hand.

For late-night forays into Amsterdam nightlife for couples, don’t miss Café Restaurant De Kroon for the vivid contemporary art on its walls and its terrace overlooking Rembrandtplein.

• Café de Jaren: Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-20, 1012 CP Amsterdam, open Thursday to Saturday 10am–11pm; Sunday to Wednesday 10am–10pm.
• Café Welling: Jan Willem Brouwersstraat 32, 1071 LK Amsterdam, open daily 4pm–1am.
• Café de Sluyswacht: Jodenbreestraat 1, 1011 NG Amsterdam, open daily 1pm–1am (Sunday until 8pm).
• Café Restaurant De Kroon: Rembrandtplein 17-I, 1017 CT Amsterdam, open Wednesday and Thursday 5pm–1am; Friday and Saturday 5pm–4am.

Spoil each other with unusual gifts in one of Amsterdam’s fabulously cool enclaves of design. Our favourite place to start a couples’ Amsterdam shopping trip is De 9 Straatjes (Nine Little Streets), a one-stop destination between Singel and Prinsengracht canals where chic boutiques sell stylish clothes, artisan jewellery and vintage fashions.

If you’re collectors of unique treasures, the Spiegelkwartier (Mirror Quarter) is a posh little locale near the Rijksmuseum, with more than 70 stores selling quality antiques, oil paintings and authentic Delftware porcelain.

But you don’t have to spend a fortune on your Amsterdam souvenir. Many couples go to Amsterdam and pick up saffron-coloured rounds of Gouda cheese at famous delicatessens like Amsterdams Kaashuis, tulip bulbs from Singel Flower Market and genever gin sourced from traditional tasting houses such as De Drie Fleschjes.

Ornate gabled houses backing tree-lined streets. Flower-adorned bridges crossing canals illuminated with twinkling lights after dark. What city could be more romantic than Amsterdam? And don’t forget the Dutch capital is also at the heart of the global diamond industry, making it the ideal spot to surprise your other half with a glittering carat or two. There are plenty of high-end stores selling diamonds and precious stones to suit all budgets, with our favourites including Royal Coster Diamonds and Gassan Diamonds, where you can choose your own gems and watch them being cut.

When you’re all set to ask for your beloved’s hand in marriage, you’ll be looking for a romantic backdrop to your proposal. Top spots include the Seven Bridges viewpoint on Reguliersgracht, the tranquil courtyard of the beautiful Begijnhof almshouses or near the exotic glasshouses in the lush Hortus Botanicus gardens.

To make your proposal an even more special occasion, book a stay at one of the best Amsterdam hotels for couples, the 5-star Sofitel Legend The Grand, nestled between two canals in Centrum, one of the best Amsterdam areas to stay.

With a world of cuisines at your fingertips in Amsterdam – from Indonesian rijsttafel feasts to über-hip Korean eateries and Surinamese roti joints – where should you head for that special romantic evening out? The city is also a powerhouse of fine dining, showcasing innovative restaurants like Michelin-starred De Kas, where organic tasting menus are created by chefs Jos Timmer and Wim de Beer in a light-flooded glasshouse.

Another of our recommendations is Bridges in Amsterdam Centrum. Here Executive Chef Raoul Meuwese conjures up classic French cuisine and multi-course tasting menus in elegant surrounds, or you can join the Chef’s Table in the kitchen to watch the brigade perform their gastronomic magic.

• De Kas: Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE Amsterdam, open Tuesday–Sunday 12pm–4pm, 6pm–12am.
• Bridges: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 147,1012 EX Amsterdam, open lunch Friday to Sunday 1pm–3pm; Dinner Thursday to Monday 6.30pm–10pm. Reservations only.

As you’ll see, the answer to the question, “Is Amsterdam nice for couples?” is a resounding “Yes!”. The city offers a wealth of memorable experiences that you’ll both treasure for a lifetime. The only problem is working out how to fit everything in!

P.S. Wherever your adventures take you, and whatever delightful beverages you may enjoy, we encourage you to drink responsibly. Here’s to a journey filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories!