Amsterdam Must See Sights

Monograms provides travelers access to a Local Host®, so you will have someone on hand to answer those vacation questions pertaining to Amsterdam. No waiting in line at the concierge desk or trying to ask your waitress at breakfast directions to the shopping district. Simply ask your Local Host® about Amsterdam and you'll be on your way in no time. Plus, your Local Host® will share local Amsterdam insights and share suggestions for getting off the beaten path, leaving you more time to create lasting vacation memories that are yours alone.

Meet a Local Host®

Hello, my name is Léon. I was born and raised in Amsterdam, Capital of the Netherlands. After traveling and studying Tourism, I now welcome Monograms guests to Amsterdam. As a Local Host, meeting people from all over the world, and getting to know different cultures, makes my job more than enjoyable.

Dam Square

Take a stroll to Dam Square, sit at one of the terraces and people watch to get a feel for the city. You’ll see bicycles are a favorite means of transport - there are nearly as many bicycles as citizens.

Anne Frank House, The Rembrandt House

If you’ve read her Diary, you’ll want to see where Anne lived and wrote her remarkable and poignant story. The Anne Frank House, as well as the attractive Rembrandt House where the Master lived, are both on walking routes your Local Host will be pleased to tell you about to discover more of Amsterdam at your own pace.

Heineken Beer Brewery Museum or T’IJ Brewery

See the famous Heineken Beer Brewery Museum. Or maybe the more recently opened T’IJ specializing in biological ingredients; the second largest wooden windmill in the Netherlands stands next door.

National Gallery, Maritime Museum , Van Gogh Museum, Bags & Purses Museum

Amsterdam has several splendid museums, these are just a few, ask your Local Host for more details according to your tastes. The Van Gogh collection has some 200 paintings, 550 sketches, and hundreds of letters from Van Gogh to his brother, Theo.

Hortus Botanical Gardens

The Hortus has an expansive collection of more than 6,000 varieties of plants illustrating over 350 years of Dutch horticultural history. From the "coffee plant that fathered all the coffee in Brazil" to a nursery created exclusively for tropical palms, it’s a heavenly destination for plant-lovers the world over.

Markets

With over thirty weekly markets, there’s plenty of choice. Wander through the Albert Cuyp market, the Flea market on Waterlooplein, or see the Floating Flower Market on the Single.

Zoo, Planetarium, Vondelpark

Families may wish to visit the Artis Zoo and Planetarium or the Vondelpark where the locals go walking, biking, relaxing and pick-nicking. During the summer season concerts and plays are held in the park’s open air theater.

Shopping, P.C. Hoofstraat, Jordaan

Wander along the P.C. Hooftstraart near the Museum quarters to shop or browse for exclusive goods. Good buys in Holland include diamond jewelry, wooden articles such as clogs, embroidery and Delft pottery. In the 17th century, Amsterdam's canal diggers, bridge builders and stonemasons called Jordaan home. Now eccentric, one of a kind, shops, chic restaurants and painstakingly manicured courtyards make this a unique spot.

Pancakes, Poffertjes and Pea Soup

When you’re ready for a snack, try one of the local pancakes, there are over 300 varieties! Or maybe sample the similar poffertjes. Then there’s the many varieties of Dutch cheese. Pea soup is another specialty made with peas, potatoes, carrots, celery, smoked bacon, and sausage.

Rijsttafel

The rijsttafel is a unique fusion of Indonesian and Dutch culinary traditions from colonial times. It was a Dutch custom to eat leftovers on Sundays, the Indonesian people decided to reinvent this by cooking everything fresh. The main dish of a rijsttafel is noodles or rice with several small side dishes like meat, fish, vegetables. Tiny plates of food, arranged from mild to very, very spicy fill the table. Round off with a sip or two of Jenever, the Dutch liquor made from wheat or fruit.