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Oh Amsterdam! One of the most beautiful cities in Europe I ever laid eyes on. The first time I went there, in June 2019, I spent 7 days, and loved it so much that I booked another flight for July and stayed for another 11 days, spending half of it on my own as a solo-traveller.

When I visited I absolutely fell in love with the energy and vibrancy of this place. It is simply captivating. From the seemingly endless winding canals to the Dutch architecture, to the narrow alleyways, to the street art, to the coffee shops, to the hustle & bustle of city life (I can go on and on) – these all contribute to making this Dutch capital one of the most instagrammable places in the entire world.

I do not over-exaggerate when I say that I fell in love. Walking along the canals this past summer were my favourite pastime. And despite having seen each canal multiple times, I always felt compelled to snap a photo of them again and again. There was always something new to behold. Each time I saw them I felt like I was seeing its beauty and reverence for the first time.

This post is for all of you who’ve got Amsterdam on your bucketlist. To whet your appetite for travel to this Dutch city, and to accelerate your chances of having the most amazing, most breathtaking time, and leave with an IG grid full of enviable photos, here are the top 9 places you must see first, before you go anywhere else in Amsterdam.

BTW, before we dive in, don’t forget to grab your FREE “Globetrotter Girlie” Travel-Packing Checklist – a handy dandy tool to get you perfectly prepped for your next adventure!

Hope you enjoy this post, and that it inspires you to visit Amsterdam! Sending you much love!

1. The Narrow Houses of Damrak

Before even going to Amsterdam I had researched the top things to see when I arrived and the narrow houses of Damrak immediately caught my eye. It was definitely on my list of places to see when I went, but the day that I stumbled upon it, I was actually looking for somewhere else. I was actually heading for a boat cruise throughout Amsterdam with my sister.

So you can imagine my utter surprise when I realized I had walked exactly into the direction of Damrak, the departure point where you get a lot of Amsterdam canal boat tours. This spot is situated opposite to Amsterdam Centraal. To say that I was overwhelmed with excitement would be an understatement!

I couldn’t help put take a few photos of the houses (and myself) from different angles before jumping onto the last boat of the day.

These narrow houses of Damrak – tall, thin, slanting gable houses perched along the water, overlooking the Amstel River – are hands down my favourite place in Amsterdam. More than anywhere else.

If you’re wanting to go to Amsterdam I know for a fact that Damrak should be on your photo bucketlist. And if it’s not, what are you waiting for?!

Damrak is an avenue located in the centre of the city, walking distance between Amsterdam Centraal Station & Dam Square. If you’re lucky, you can see the reflection of the houses in the water on a cloudy day! But beware, this area is so popular, especially during high season (the difference in body count between my trip in June to my trip in July was astounding!) that you’ll always be surrounded by people. It is apparently one of Amsterdam’s busiest streets.

I absolutely love this area!

And you will too.

Don’t leave the city without snapping shots of this iconic view.

2. IAmsterdam Sign

OMG! A photo op with the IAmsterdam Sign is an absolute must! You cannot leave Amsterdam without either your grid or your stories or your videos being graced with a sign like this! These 2m tall, 23.5m wide letters are usually moved throughout the city, so by the time you read this im not sure where they’ll be, but when I arrived in June, literally high off of the fact that I was in a new city, we were met with an IAmsterdam sign right there at the Arrivals doorway! As we exited the doors of Schipol Airport we looked at each other in shock!

Immediately we pulled out our phones and got our photo poses ready. And of course we weren’t alone. There were new arrivals posing with the sign, leaning on the letters, and, even siting on the various sign letters. It was pretty cool to have that be our first memory in Amsterdam.

We easily took about 100 photos with this sign, from multiple angles, before we ever called an Uber.

This sign is undoubtedly the city’s iconc slogan. I even spotted a 2nd sign whilst on a ferry to the NDSM Wherf at the A’Dam Lookout, another bustling hot spot for tourists & photo ops! Apparently, the sign at the Schipol Airport Arrivals is a permanent one, but all others move around the city so make sure to do your research on the most current locations lest you be disappointed.

3. Every Canal Bridge (Ambrug bridge / Prinsengracht Canal / Herengracht Canal / Keizersgracht Canal etc.)

Oh my word! I cannot emphasize how beautifully instagrammable every single canal is in Amsterdam. My sister told me that a photo op at Ambrug Bridge was a MUST! It is so full of character! So that was the first bridge we ventured to as amateurs getting a feel of the city.

Once I got my bearings and discovered the wonderful world of Dutch canals, whilst in Amsterdam for the 1st time, I actually made it my mission to wander along each of the three main canals that wind down the city just so that I can take 1000s of pictures of each one before I left. I was mesmerized! These 3 main canals are the Prinsengracht, the Herengracht and the Keizersgracht, dug in the 17th century during the Netherlands’ Golden Age as a Trade Empire.

Prinsengracht (Prince’s Canal) is a 2010 UNESCO World Heritage Site and is probably the canal you’ll visit most as it is home to the infamous Anne Frank House. This canal is sooo pretty!! During the summer, the views were truly to die for! Here you’ll find a stretch of 18th century canal houses that are so quaint and seemingly out of a fairytale.

The second main canal, Keizersgracht, is the widest canal in the inner city. Dug in the 1600s, it is also known as the Emperor’s Canal, named after The Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I of Austria.

Lastly, Herengracht Canal is actually one of the most important, prestigious canals in the city because this is where you’re going to find the posh restaurants and hotels. Back in the day, during the 17th century, living along this canal were the wealthiest merchants, bankers, most influential politicians and the posh socialites of the time. Because of who lived there, Herengracht used to be known as the “Gentleman’s Canal”. How cool is that!

Together, these three canals make up the Grachtengordel, or canal belt, which winds through Amsterdam. And what I love most is the fact that along each bridge you’ll find parked bikes (so Dutch!), a basket of flowers or love locks scattered along the bridge.

Take a walk along these 3 canals, bask in the narrow homes and hotels dotted along the bank, the boats on the water, the peacefulness of the water and the beautiful green trees that line the streets, and YOU WILL NOT be disappointed. Any point is simply stunning. Make sure to have your camera ready!

These canal views never get old!

Everytime I saw one, it were as if I was seeing it for the first time.

They are all literally picture perfect.

4. NDSM Wherf

Address: NDSM-Plein 28, 1033 WB Amsterdam, Netherlands

During my first trip to Amsterdam, I spent my last day at the NDSM Wharf before my flight out, and I’m so happy I did!

To get to the NDSM Wharf you take a free ferry from Amsterdam Centraal and journey approx. 8 mins over to the other side.

NDSM Wharf is really a special place. It’s an island off the coast of the city, and a world of its own. You can find homes made out of containers, piled one on top of the other; you can find all types of cuisines and restaurants; you can find businesses; you can find street art; you can find bars; and they even have live events there.

There’s a raw, rugged, industrial feel to this place. I stumbled upon this huge wall mural of Anne Frank, who to me is like the beloved daughter of Amsterdam, whilst I was there, which took my breath away. NDSM Wharf is full of gems. The graffiti here covers almost every wall!

I felt the sense that this community was self-sustaining.

This place is a must see if you want to be amongst the millennial creatives, musicians, artists and hipsters who hang out here in this vibrant atmosphere.

Plus, there’s even a beach! When it’s hot outside, you can lounge at Pllek beach with a nice cold Dutch beer and relax with some friends whilst losing yourself, mesmerized by the view of the water.

During my day there I dined at a waterfront restaurant called ‘Loetje Aan’t IJ’ and feasted on some Dutch croquettes before my departure. But I don’t know what I liked more, the views of the IJ River or the food.

5. Wake me Up When I’m Famous Sign (De Pijp)

Address: Frans Halsstraat 64, 1072 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands

De Pijp (The Pipe) is such a cool area! Talk about trendy! Wander throughout the narrow streets and you’ll be in awe of how many instagrammable opportunities you find.

This is Amsterdam’s lively Latin Quarter where you can find quaint, close-knit, pretty homes, cafes, and restaurants specializing in every type of cuisine.

On a rainy day in De Pijp, my sister and I stumbled upon a cute ice cream parlour run by a Surinamese woman, and also had the most delicious, mouth-watering Japanese food at a nearby restaurant.

But one of the highlights of De Pijp is its Wall Gallery – the infamous Wake Me Up When I’m Famous Sign.

Sit on the bench in this artsy spot and pose to your heart’s content. That’s what I did!

Your IG grid will thank you for it.

6. Rembrandtplein

Address: Rembrandtplein 1017 CT Amsterdam, Netherlands

Yes, Rembrandt has a square built to honour his life and legacy. It is a tourist hotspot, believe me! Teaming with restaurants, street performers, shops and lots of people, this is an amazing place to catch the hustle and bustle of city life.

Located in the middle of the square you’d find Rembrandt’s monument. His famous painting “The Night Watch” is also reinterpreted with life size bronze sculptures in the centre of the square as well.

But what I loved most about this spot was the number of coffee shops and bars situated right around the square. Here’s the perfect place for snapping a few shots of Amsterdam’s ‘coffee’ and party culture. I may or may not have partaken in this atmosphere whilst there 🙂

7. Rijksmuseum

Address: Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam, Netherlands

Located in Museumplein (love that in Amsterdam all of the top museums are located in its own square), you’ll find the Rijksmuseum – home of Holland’s largest, most prestigious and infamous artworks. In here you’ll find the works of Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Frans Hals and many more. Whether you are inside or outside of the museum, you will be presented with so many beautiful backdrops for your IG photos.

Home to Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”, any photos you take inside of this museum will be to die for. The art is premier, and the interior design is in one word “majestic”. I remember standing in awe, with my mouth agape, as I marvelled at the art, architecture and murals that travel from ceiling to floor.

Safe to say, I’m a sucker for art and history!

But I went just as gaga for Rijksmuseum from the outside! The gardens, the statues, the architecture, the bike lanes, the arches…just wow!

This majestic 19th century building is beautiful – an enviable must!

8. Amsterdam Centraal

Address: Stationsplein, 1012 AB Amsterdam, Netherlands

I absolutely love Amsterdam’s Centraal Station! Not only is the architecture rustic and medieval but capturing photos of the thousands of bikes parked at the Station is worth it! In Amsterdam there are more bikes than people, and when you visit the Station and walk past the bicycles parked there, you’ll begin to see that it’s true. For a realistic view of Amsterdam’s bike culture, come right here!

9. Corner of Sint Olofssteeg

Address: Sint Olofssteeg 1012 JD Amsterdam, Netherlands

The corner of Sint Olofssteeg is so eye-catching! As someone who’s always looking out for an out of the ordinary photo op, I just had to add this to the list of must see instagrammable spots. Truly, pictures don’t even do it justice.

It offers a unique, mysterious perspective of the canals, canal houses and the usual Dutch architecture. There is no sidewalk around the buildings so the most you can do is peek around the bend where the water breaks toward the right, streaming downward between the homes which seem to float on the water.

Something about this view captured my heart. The restaurants and bars along Sint Olofssteeg paled in comparison.

In Conclusion…

If you wish to experience a warm welcome into Amsterdam, be sure to visit these top 9 spots before you go anywhere else! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

There are many more instagrammable places that I didn’t even have the chance to see although they were on my bucketlist e.g. a visit to Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s 19th century green park (my ideal vision was lazing in the grass with a good book and picnic for one…bliss!), the Brouwerij’t (Brouwerij Het Ij) and Molen Van Sloten Windmills, the tulip paradise – Keukenhof Gardens, and the A’dam Lookout, home to Europe’s highest “over the edge” swing where you can capture panoramic views of Amsterdam for miles.

I didn’t have the opportunity to go to these places just yet so I couldn’t talk about them from an insider’s point of view – hence why they aren’t on the list. However, when I do visit, I’ll be sure to update!

Nevertheless, these 9 spots were a great start.

I don’t regret a single one.

Over to You…

Is Amsterdam on Your Bucketlist?

Have you been to any of these instagrammable spots?

If so, what are your fave instagrammable places or the must see spots you’re dying to see with your own eyes?

Share your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to hear all about them!

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THE TOP 9 MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE, MUST-SEE SPOTS IN AMSTERDAM FOR THE FIRST TIME VISITOR