Walking in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is one of the best cities in the world to walk round
Walking in Amsterdam is a wonderful experience. It is flat, relatively compact and you can reach many of the most popular attractions and places of interest easily through walking.
Amsterdam has an excellent public transport system consisting of trams, the metro and buses. There are also the canals that many visitors use to get around too. Learn about all the public transport ticket options in Amsterdam with our specialist page.
But for environmental and pure enjoyment factor, riding a bike or walking is still our favourite way to discover the city.
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Is Amsterdam easy to walk around
Amsterdam is pretty flat so there are no long hills to drain your energy, some of the streets are cobbled though, which is something to be aware of in terms of your footwear choice.
There are many places to see in Amsterdam and it is easy to plan your route to make sure you do not miss anything. Walking is the best way to make sure you discover and enjoy the hidden gems as well as enjoy the ambience of the city.
You can leave your hotel or Airbnb and take a stroll along the Canal Ring, a Unesco World Heritage site and discover cafes restaurants, churches, shops and attractions. Multiple walking tours focus on areas of Amsterdam or types of attraction such as museums, churches, flower markets, red light district and more.
Most visitors to Amsterdam by car will leave the car on the outskirts of the city in one of Amsterdam’s Park and Ride facilities and take public transport into the centre as it so easy to get around.
Amsterdam is compact, flat and not easy to drive around. This makes it a perfect city to explore through walking.
Where to walk in Amsterdam
You can pick up a map of Amsterdam upon arrival from the tourist information office and Centraal Station. Many visitors will now use an app on their phones or Google maps to help them get around too.
Although you may have first arrived in Amsterdam at Centraal Station it is still an attraction worth exploring in its own right. A stunning gothic renaissance styled building that echoes the Rijksmuseum and backs onto the river where you can pick up the free ferries.
From here you can walk the Damrak route through to Dam Square. Dam Square has many historical buildings to enjoy including the Royal Palace, the National Monument and De Nieuwe Kirk
Red Light District Amsterdam
The Red Light District is situated in a picturesque part of Amsterdam, in the historic centre and has many attractions other than the most well known and obvious. The architecture here is one of the oldest in Amsterdam and has a real charm to it, with old leaning buildings reflecting in the canals below. Walking through it during the day is a whole different experience to walking through at night and most visitors will do both.
Waterlooplein Market
Waterlooplein market is a good place to walk through, offering over 300 stalls that sell antiques, books, clothes and more. Looking at other markets in Amsterdam, the Floating Flower Market will overwhelm your senses with colour and fragrance.
Jordaan District and Amsterdam parks
In terms of parks, there are over 30 to indulge your need for open green space. Rembrandtpark, Vondelpark, Oosterpark are amongst the most popular. You can also walk around the Hortus Botanicus, one of the oldest in the world.
The Jordaan neighbourhood is one of the nicest parts of Amsterdam and most famous to walk around, boasting cobbled streets with a distinctive atmosphere, full of restaurants, bars, galleries and speciality shops. Enjoy the 9 Streets on a relaxed walk that combines the canals and pretty streets, great for photography.
Then of course there are the museums. You may find walking around the vast museums and then walking back to your hotel quite tiring which is where the Amsterdam public transport helps out. After a long day walking, returning to your hotel via a canal boat or tram is quite the pleasure.
What to be careful of when walking in Amsterdam
We’ve walked round Amsterdam a lot. On our most recent visit in October 2024, we tracked our steps and averaged 12 miles (19 kilometers) every day.
Admittedly we visited a lot of attractions and museums, but whenever possible we will always walk round Amsterdam.
Having said this, three things became apparent on our recent visit.
First up, it was raining on a couple of the days and it is incredibly easy to slip over.
The roadside kerbs are made of a beautiful dark grey granite which looks lovely against the cobbled streets. But, get them wet and they can be like walking on ice. After a few wild slips, we made sure to step over the kerbs completely and not take the risk. Just be careful of them when its rained.
The second is not something we actually did, but could see how easy it could happen. Especially in the age of people wandering along looking at their phones.
On the edges of the pavement are entries to the basements of the canal house properties. These are not tucked away, but rather stick out a bit into the pavement, creating what could be described as a hole waiting to accept the unsuspecting traveller. This is certainly a reason not to get too distracted by your phone when walking along.
Finally, there are the bikes. Amsterdam is a city of bikes. We certainly embrace this and there is nothing nicer than seeing all the bikes streaming through the city. But for the walker, bikes are invariably quiet and it is not always easy to spot them coming.
When crossing roads in Amsterdam, you need to look out for cars, bikes and trams. But you’ll see way more bikes than anything else. Just keep your eyes peeled as it can be very easy to step in the way of bike.
Walking Amsterdam at night
As with any city, if you take the normal safety precautions and avoid walking alone in parks or dark alleyways and be generally more alert, then Amsterdam at night is a very safe city. Parts of the city are best seen at night, the most obvious being the Red Light District.
Amsterdam guided walking tours
Discovering Amsterdam on your own by foot is easy and very pleasurable. There is always something to be said for creating your moments and finding hidden gems, but on a short break it is not always easy to discover everything yourself.
This is where the vast amount of Amsterdam guided walking tours come into their own. Walking round with a local knowledgeable guide makes the best use of your time and gives you more personal insight than a guide book. You’ll also be taken straight to the hidden gems and can focus on what interests you.
The other added benefit is meeting like minded travellers, making friends and creating a more social experience of your time in Amsterdam. Walking tours are increasingly popular in the new normal of Covid social distancing, as most of the time you are outside where it is easier to socially distance and feels safer too.
Some popular walking tours are listed below:
