Three days in Amsterdam work best by area: the Museum Quarter on day one, the centre, the Jordaan and the Anne Frank House on day two, and the Zaanse Schans windmills on day three. At official adult prices, the five main tickets on this route cost €110.50. A 24-hour I amsterdam City Card does not save money here: with it, the same route costs €138. Book the Anne Frank House first, because its tickets go on sale six weeks ahead.
Prices were checked on 18–19 October 2026. Each stop shows the official price first, then the cheapest tour or ticket option we found.
Day 1: the Museum Quarter
Two of the city’s big museums sit in the same area, and both sell timed tickets. Book both slots before you travel, with about two hours between them.
Morning
Rijksmuseum tickets
Take the 9:00 slot. The Rijksmuseum opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00, and the museum says you can see the highlights in about an hour. Adults pay €25, and under-18s go in free, but everyone needs a time slot. Entry is also free with the I amsterdam City Card. Our Rijksmuseum tickets guide has the details.
Late morning
Van Gogh Museum tickets
Adult tickets cost from €25 in the official shop, and under-18s go in free. The official opening hours were not confirmed on the pages we could read. A third-party guide lists Monday to Thursday 9:00–17:00, Friday until 21:00 and weekends until 18:00, so check the slots for your date. See our Van Gogh Museum tickets guide.
Afternoon
Vondelpark
After two museums, take a break in Vondelpark, in the same part of the city, before the canal cruise in the evening.
Evening
Amsterdam canal cruise
Board a canal cruise from Stadhouderskade or the Rijksmuseum stop. Stromma’s 100 Highlights cruise costs €14.50 from Damrak, Central Station or Leidseplein, and €17.50 from the Rijksmuseum departure (about 1 hour 15 minutes). Blue Boat’s 75-minute cruise from Stadhouderskade costs €26, with an audio guide in 19 languages. Bring your own earphones on Stromma, or buy them for €1.50.
Over 18? Heineken instead. The Heineken Experience is a self-guided tour of about 1.5 hours, with one beer at the end, for €24.95. It is for adults 18+ only: no minors, even with a parent. From Monday to Thursday and on Sunday the last entry is at 17:15, and on Friday and Saturday at 18:45.
Day 2: the centre, the Jordaan and the Jewish Quarter
Plan this day around your Anne Frank House slot. Tickets are sold only on annefrank.org, every Tuesday at 10:00 Amsterdam time for visits six weeks later.
Morning
Begijnhof
Start at the Begijnhof, a courtyard in the centre. It is free, but it is residential, so keep your voice down. We could not confirm its opening hours: sources conflict. From there, walk to Dam Square.
Late morning
The Jordaan and the Westerkerk
Walk on to the Jordaan and the Westerkerk. Plan them before or after your Anne Frank House slot, so the day doesn’t depend on one fixed time.
Your booked slot
Anne Frank House tickets
An adult ticket costs €16.50, including a €1 booking fee, and the visit takes about an hour. The house opens daily from 9:00 to 22:00, with a few exceptions, so an evening slot is fine if the daytime ones are gone. The City Card gives no discount here. The “tours from” price below is for a walking tour outside the house: no reseller sells entry. Read our Anne Frank House tickets guide before you book.
Jewish Quarter walk: if you want the wider wartime story, the Anne Frank and Jewish Quarter walking tour on Tiqets costs €32.50 for about two hours. It does not include entry to the Anne Frank House.
Day 3: the Zaanse Schans windmills
Half day
Zaanse Schans day trip from Amsterdam (windmills)
Take bus 391 from Amsterdam Centraal, or the train to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans. The village itself is free. The Zaanse Schans Card costs €29.50 and includes the Zaans Museum, the Weaver’s House, the Windmill Museum, two windmills of your choice and an audio tour. The Zaans Museum alone costs €17, or nothing with the City Card or Museumkaart. It opens daily 10:00–17:00, and it takes card payments only. If you’d rather not sort out the transport, a Tiqets round trip with an audio guide costs €19.50, and a guided half-day tour €37.50.
Zaanstad council approved a €17.50 tourist entry fee for the village. It was due on 1 April 2026 but has been postponed to spring 2027 while a court case is pending. We will update this guide before then.
Back in Amsterdam, spend the afternoon on anything you missed. Free options include the Begijnhof and the walk along the canals.
What this itinerary costs
What this trip costs
| Rijksmuseum ticketsAdult | €25.00 · I amsterdam City Card |
| Van Gogh Museum ticketsAdult | €25.00 |
| Anne Frank House ticketsAdult | €16.50 |
| Amsterdam canal cruiseStromma 100 Highlights, adult (Damrak / Central Station / Leidseplein, 1h–1h10) | €14.50 · I amsterdam City Card |
| Zaanse Schans day trip from Amsterdam (windmills)Zaanse Schans Card, adult | €29.50 |
| Total at official prices | €110.50 |
|---|---|
| With I amsterdam City Card | €138.00 |
Entry tickets at official adult prices, checked 18 October 2026. Transport, food and tours are extra.
The total covers official adult entry tickets only: €25 for the Rijksmuseum, €25 for the Van Gogh Museum, €16.50 for the Anne Frank House, €14.50 for the Stromma cruise and €29.50 for the Zaanse Schans Card, €110.50 in all. Transport, food, the Heineken Experience and tours are extra.
Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it?
Not on this route, but it can be on a different one. The honest way to use it is as a 24-hour card on day 1: it costs €67 and covers the Rijksmuseum (€25) and one canal cruise (€14.50), so €39.50 of tickets on this route. It also includes unlimited GVB trams, buses, metro and ferries, 24-hour bike rental and free entry to over 70 museums and attractions, such as A’DAM Lookout.
What it does not cover:
- Anne Frank House: no discount, per the museum.
- Van Gogh Museum: not included, per third-party sources. We could not confirm this on the official site.
- Zaanse Schans Card: not included. The card covers only the Zaans Museum (€17).
So the card pays off only if you add at least €27.50 of other included museums, attractions or transport on the same day. Longer cards cost €94 for 48 hours and €115 for 72 hours. Children up to 11 can use it only with an adult.
Tips for the 3 days
- Book in this order: the Anne Frank House (six weeks ahead, Tuesday 10:00), then the Van Gogh Museum, then the Rijksmuseum. All three use timed slots.
- Free entry for under-18s at the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, but book them a slot too.
- Heineken: 18+ only, so skip it if you travel with teenagers.
- Zaanse Schans: bring a bank card, because the Zaans Museum doesn’t take cash.
See all our Amsterdam guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is 3 days enough for Amsterdam?
Three days covers the main sights if you group them by area. Spend one day in the Museum Quarter, one in the centre, the Jordaan and the Jewish Quarter, and half a day at the Zaanse Schans windmills.
How much do Amsterdam's main sights cost?
At official adult prices checked in October 2026, the Rijksmuseum costs €25, the Van Gogh Museum from €25, the Anne Frank House €16.50, a Stromma canal cruise €14.50 and the Zaanse Schans Card €29.50. Together that is €110.50.
Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it for 3 days?
Not on this route. A 24-hour card costs €67 and covers the Rijksmuseum and one canal cruise, which cost €39.50 together. The Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House are not included, per our sources. It pays off only if you add more museums and transport on the same day.
When should I book the Anne Frank House?
Six weeks ahead. Tickets are sold only on annefrank.org and released every Tuesday at 10:00 Amsterdam time for visits six weeks later. They sell out very fast, according to the museum.
Do I have to pay to enter the Zaanse Schans?
Not as of October 2026. The village is free. A €17.50 tourist fee has been approved but postponed to spring 2027 while a court case is pending. Museums and windmills charge separately.
Sources
- Rijksmuseum — Opening hours and prices
- Van Gogh Museum — Official ticket shop
- Anne Frank House — Tickets
- Stromma — 100 Highlights canal cruise
- Blue Boat — City Canal Cruise
- Heineken Experience
- Zaans Museum — Zaanse Schans ticket
- De Orkaan — Zaanse Schans fee postponed (in Dutch)
- I amsterdam City Card — Official sales portal
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