Free Walking Tour Amsterdam: Museumplein to the Amstel

Start with Rembrandt and Vermeer on Museumplein and end on a white drawbridge over the Amstel, past a hidden medieval courtyard and the house where Anne Frank wrote her diary.

13 Stops 6.7 km ~1 h 32 min walking
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Route map for the Amsterdam walking tour
Stop 1 of 13
400 m·5 min
Rijksmuseum
Head south-west across Museumplein toward the Van Gogh Museum
Welkom to Amsterdam. I'm Alex, and the story of this city begins with a river people decided to stop.
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What You Walk: 13 Stops, 6.7 km, Museum Quarter to the Amstel

13 stops from the Rijksmuseum to the Magere Brug, 6.7 km with 1 h 32 min of pure walking. From outside it takes about half a day; add the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House and it becomes a full day.

Six stops are free, among them the Bloemenmarkt, the Begijnhof courtyard and Dam Square. The art museums, the Anne Frank House, the palace, both big churches and Rembrandt's house charge admission. Map and GPS route are free in your browser; the optional AI Tour Guide leads the walk as a conversation.

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This short shows highlights of the route. All 13 stops follow below.

The Route

Amsterdam Walking Map: Museumplein to the Magere Brug

13 stops 6.7 km 1 h 32 min walking
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The 13 stops along this route

  1. Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Rijksmuseum
  2. Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Van Gogh Museum
  3. Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Bloemenmarkt
  4. Begijnhof in Amsterdam, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Begijnhof
  5. Westerkerk in Amsterdam, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Westerkerk
  6. Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Anne Frank House
  7. Royal Palace Amsterdam, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Royal Palace Amsterdam
  8. Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Nieuwe Kerk
  9. Dam Square in Amsterdam, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9Dam Square
  10. Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour
    10Oude Kerk
  11. De Waag in Amsterdam, stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour
    11De Waag
  12. Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, stop 12 on the self-guided walking tour
    12Rembrandt House Museum
  13. Magere Brug in Amsterdam, stop 13 on the self-guided walking tour
    13Magere Brug
  14. That's the full route.

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The Amsterdam Walking Tour Stop by Stop, from Vermeer to the Amstel

  1. 1

    Rijksmuseum

    Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour

    The palace-like building in front of you has housed the Rijksmuseum since 1885. It was designed by the Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, and it holds the national overview of Dutch art and history, with the 17th-century masters at its heart: Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals.

    Is it worth going in? If you care about painting at all, yes, and it is the one museum on this route to give real time to. Admission is charged, and arriving when the doors open lets you see the big rooms before they fill and still walk most of the route afterwards.

    From here it is 400 m, about five minutes, to the Van Gogh Museum across Museumplein. On the way you pass the Moco Museum, a small private gallery of modern art.

    Hours
    Daily 09:00–17:00, no closure days (open on all holidays)
    Price
    EUR 25 adult; EUR 12.50 reduced
  2. 2

    Van Gogh Museum

    Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour

    The Van Gogh Museum stands on Paulus Potterstraat at the edge of Museumplein. It is dedicated entirely to Vincent van Gogh: more than two hundred paintings, five hundred drawings and seven hundred letters, plus his own collection of Japanese prints that shaped his style.

    Adults pay admission, while young visitors get in free, which makes it an easy choice for families. If you are walking the full route in one day, two big museums back to back is a lot. A good alternative is to come back for a separate visit on another day.

    Now comes the longest leg of the walk: 1,540 m, about 21 minutes, north into the canal belt to the Bloemenmarkt on the Singel.

    Hours
    Mon–Thu 09:00–18:00, Fri 09:00–21:00, Sat–Sun 09:00–18:00 (shorter hours in some winter periods, e.g. Nov and early Dec 09:00–17:00 except Fri)
    Price
    25 EUR adults; free under 18
  3. 3

    Bloemenmarkt

    Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour

    The Bloemenmarkt is a row of stalls along the Singel that look like greenhouses from the street and present a closed front to the water. Behind that front, the market has a long history. It is first mentioned in 1620 on the Sint-Luciënwal and moved here in 1862. Back then it was a tree and plant market, and trees, plants and flowers were sold straight from boats moored in the canal, supplied daily by water from nurseries outside the city. Cut flowers hardly appeared until the 1960s, and towards the end of the 20th century the boats were replaced by the concrete bases you see today.

    Be realistic about what you find: today it is mainly bulbs and souvenirs, so much so that the city has capped the amount of souvenirs the stalls may sell. Browsing is free, and ten minutes are enough unless you are actually shopping for bulbs.

    From the market it is 490 m, about seven minutes, to the Begijnhof.

    Hours
    Mon–Sat approx. 09:00–17:30, Sun approx. 11:00–17:30
    Price
    Free (stalls sell goods, but browsing/entry has no admission fee)
  4. 4

    Begijnhof

    Begijnhof in Amsterdam, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour

    Step through the gate and the city noise drops away. The Begijnhof is the only hofje founded in medieval Amsterdam: a quiet ring of houses around a green, sitting almost a metre lower than the rest of the centre, at the old medieval street level. Nobody knows exactly when it was founded. In 1346 the beguines, religious women living in community without taking vows, still shared a single house; a court is first mentioned in 1389.

    Originally the court was entirely surrounded by water, with the back walls of the houses facing canals. The small gate on Begijnensteeg was the only way in, reached by a bridge until the ditch was filled in in 1865; the entrance from the Spui only dates from the 19th century. The Sacred Heart statue on the green was made in 1920 by Johannes Petrus Maas.

    The courtyard is free to enter; people still live here, so keep your voice down. Next you walk 1,190 m, about 17 minutes, across the canal belt to the Westerkerk on the Prinsengracht.

    Hours
    Courtyard daily 10:00–18:00, closed on King's Day (27 April)
    Price
    Free (courtyard)
  5. 5

    Westerkerk

    Westerkerk in Amsterdam, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour

    The Westerkerk stands on the Westermarkt at Prinsengracht 279, at the edge of the Jordaan neighbourhood. It was built for the Dutch Reformed congregation, which became Netherlands Reformed in 1816 and has been part of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands since 2004.

    The nave is free to visit, but it keeps limited hours. If your timing fits, step inside for a few quiet minutes; if not, the view of the church from the canal is reward enough.

    The Anne Frank House is just 70 m away, a one-minute walk along the Prinsengracht.

    Hours
    Mon–Fri 11:00–15:00, closed Sat–Sun. Also closed 26 December, 1 January, King's Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday.
    Price
    Free (church nave)
  6. 6

    Anne Frank House

    Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour

    At Prinsengracht 263 is the Achterhuis, the hidden annex where Anne Frank and her Jewish family hid during the Second World War and where she wrote her diary. The museum, with its entrance at Westermarkt 20, is built around it. It is run on a non-profit basis by the Anne Frank Foundation, funded by tickets and donations, and draws more than a million visitors a year, almost nine in ten from abroad.

    A visit is the most moving hour on this route, but it needs planning. Tickets are sold only on annefrank.org and are released well in advance, so book as early as you can. Tickets from third-party sites are overpriced or not valid, and commercial 'Anne Frank' walking tours do not get you into the house. Young people and children pay less than adults, and every ticket includes a booking fee and an audio tour. The rooms are small, so be aware if you are claustrophobic.

    From here you walk 800 m, about 11 minutes, east to the Royal Palace Amsterdam on the Dam.

    Local name
    Anne Frank Huis
    Hours
    Daily 09:00–22:00, with exceptions: 1 Jan 12:00–22:00; King's Day (27 Apr) 09:00–17:00; 4 May 09:00–17:00; 25 & 31 Dec 09:00–17:00; closed Yom Kippur (21 Sept 2026) and 22–24 Sept 2026
    Price
    16.50 EUR adults; 7.00 EUR ages 10-17; 1.00 EUR ages 0-9 (all prices include 1.00 EUR booking fee)
  7. 7

    Royal Palace Amsterdam

    Royal Palace Amsterdam, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour

    The broad classical building on the Dam was never meant as a palace. It was built between 1648 and 1665 as Amsterdam's city hall, designed by Jacob van Campen, and inaugurated on 29 July 1655. It is regarded as the most important historic monument of the Dutch 17th century, and the royal family still uses it for receptions and exhibitions.

    Inside, admission includes an audio tour; young visitors and Museumkaart holders enter free, and students with CJP or CKV pay less. Because it is a working palace it can close for state events at short notice. Go in if you want to see Golden Age civic grandeur from the inside, and have a backup plan in case the doors are shut.

    The Nieuwe Kerk is next door, 80 m away.

    Local name
    Paleis op de Dam
    Hours
    Open on 230+ days/year in 2026, when open: daily 10:00–18:00. Can close without prior notice for royal receptions/state events since it is an active royal palace.
    Price
    13.50 EUR adults (incl. audio tour); free under 17; 9 EUR students (CJP/CKV); free Museumkaart/Stadspas/ICOM
  8. 8

    Nieuwe Kerk

    Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour

    The Nieuwe Kerk stands at Dam 12, right beside the palace, separated from it only by the narrow Mozes en Aäronstraat. Together the two buildings frame the west side of the square.

    Admission is charged, with a reduced rate for students, and it costs as much as the Rijksmuseum, so ask at the ticket desk what is currently on show before you decide. If you only want one church interior on this walk, the Oude Kerk is cheaper.

    Walk 120 m, two minutes, out onto the open Dam itself.

    Hours
    Daily 10:00–17:00. Closed 27 April (King's Day), 3-4 May, 28 May 2026.
    Price
    EUR 25 adult; EUR 15 reduced; EUR 15 student
  9. 9

    Dam Square

    Dam Square in Amsterdam, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour

    Dam Square is the historic heart of Amsterdam and the stage for many events of national importance. Around it stand the Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk, and on the square itself rises the National Monument, where the country holds its annual remembrance of the war dead.

    The square is free and open at all hours. Take a moment to look back at the palace and the church together, then move on rather than eating here. Next is a 500 m walk, about seven minutes, into the old centre to the Oude Kerk.

    Hours
    Open 24/7 (public space)
    Price
    Free (public square)
  10. 10

    Oude Kerk

    Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour

    The Oude Kerk on the Oudekerksplein is the oldest surviving building in Amsterdam. Construction began in 1250, and it was consecrated in 1306 to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, which fitted a port city. Until the Alteration of 1578, when Amsterdam turned Protestant, it was a Catholic church called the Sint-Nicolaaskerk.

    Today it is also a centre for contemporary art: invited artists create installations made specifically for the church interior, recent names including Meredith Monk, Ibrahim Mahama and Christian Boltanski. If you like seeing old space and new art collide, it is worth the ticket; students and teenagers pay less, and children as well as holders of a Museumkaart or I amsterdam City Card enter free. Note that it closes while exhibitions are being installed.

    From the church it is 300 m, about four minutes, to De Waag on Nieuwmarkt.

    Hours
    Mon–Sat 10:00–18:00 (24 Dec closes 17:00), Sun 13:00–17:30. Closed 27 April (King's Day), 25 December, and during exhibition setup/breakdown periods.
    Price
    14.50 EUR adults; 7.50 EUR students/youth 13-17/CJP; free children 0-12; free with Museumkaart/I amsterdam City Card/ICOM
  11. 11

    De Waag

    De Waag in Amsterdam, stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour

    The turreted building in the middle of Nieuwmarkt is De Waag, the weigh house, from the 15th century. It began as a city gate in Amsterdam's walls and is the oldest surviving non-religious building in the city. Over the centuries it served as a guildhall, a museum, a fire station and an anatomical theatre.

    That last role links it to Rembrandt: the surgeons' guild, which met here, commissioned his Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp in 1632, and the painting shows this building. Viewing the outside is free at any hour. Inside is now a restaurant, which makes it a convenient place to sit down in the old centre.

    Rembrandt's own house is 380 m away, about five minutes on foot.

    Hours
    Exterior/square: 24/7. Restaurant: daily from 11:00 (kitchen 11:30–22:00, all-day dining menu).
    Price
    Free to view the building exterior (it stands in the public Nieuwmarkt square, unrestricted access)
  12. 12

    Rembrandt House Museum

    Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, stop 12 on the self-guided walking tour

    On the Jodenbreestraat stands the house where Rembrandt lived from 1639 to 1658, with his studio and his art dealership. He bought it on 5 January 1639 for thirteen thousand guilders, more than he could manage. After his bankruptcy it was auctioned in 1658 for eleven thousand. The house itself dates from around 1606 and was remodelled around 1627, probably under Jacob van Campen, the architect of the city hall you saw on the Dam. The city bought it in 1907, Karel de Bazel restored it, and it opened as a museum on 10 June 1911.

    For Rembrandt fans this is a rare chance to stand where he worked. Admission is charged, and as the last museum on the walk it makes a good final visit of the day.

    The final leg is 830 m, about 11 minutes, south to the Amstel and the Magere Brug.

    Local name
    Rembrandthuis
    Hours
    Daily 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:40. Closed 27 April (King's Day) and 25 December; early close 17:00 on 24 & 31 Dec; opens 11:00 on 1 January.
    Price
    23.50 EUR adults (full-price); 19.50 EUR adults off-peak 16:00–18:00
  13. 13

    Magere Brug

    Magere Brug in Amsterdam, stop 13 on the self-guided walking tour

    The walk ends on the Magere Brug, bridge number 242, a white double drawbridge over the Amstel that links Kerkstraat with Nieuwe Kerkstraat. Only cyclists and pedestrians may cross it. Tour boats pass underneath when it is down, and a few times a day it is raised for larger ships.

    The bridge has been a national monument since 2002, and in 2015 it received a Water and Heritage Awareness shield from ICOMOS. Cross it once, then stand on the bank and watch the river traffic for a few minutes: a calm finish after a day of museums and crowds.

    Hours
    Open 24/7 (public space)
    Price
    Free (public bridge)
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13stops 6.7km 1 h 32 minwalking 13languages
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Shorter Ways to Walk Amsterdam

Thirteen stops with several big museums rarely fit into one relaxed day. These splits keep the walking logical and let you spread the interiors over two outings.

Museums and canals: Museumplein to the Anne Frank House

Stops: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

For art lovers with one morning or afternoon. 3,690 m and 51 minutes of walking from the Rijksmuseum to the Anne Frank House. Admission at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House; the Bloemenmarkt, the Begijnhof and the Westerkerk are free. Realistically you pick one of the two art museums and book the Anne Frank House slot for the end.

The old centre: Dam to the Amstel

Stops: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

For history lovers or a second day. 2,210 m and 30 minutes of walking from the Royal Palace Amsterdam to the Magere Brug. Paid interiors are the palace, the Nieuwe Kerk, the Oude Kerk and the Rembrandt House Museum; Dam Square, De Waag and the bridge are free. Start after lunch and you reach Rembrandt's house in time for the cheaper late-afternoon entry.

Canals and old town without the big art museums

Stops: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

For anyone who would rather walk than queue for paintings. Starting at the Bloemenmarkt cuts the route to 4,760 m and 1 h 6 min of walking. You can keep it entirely free by staying outside everywhere except the Westerkerk nave on a weekday, or add just one interior such as the Oude Kerk.

How Long This Amsterdam Tour Takes, With and Without Museums

The walking alone takes 1 h 32 min, and the one long leg comes early, from the Van Gogh Museum to the Bloemenmarkt. After that the stops sit close together: the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House are a minute apart, and the palace, the Nieuwe Kerk and Dam Square form one cluster.

With ten minutes or so at each stop and no interiors, expect just under four hours. Two hours in the Rijksmuseum and an hour in the Anne Frank House turn that into roughly seven hours, so plan a lunch break around the Westerkerk and treat the rest of the museums as optional. The museum and canal half needs about half a day with one museum inside; the old centre half works as a relaxed afternoon of two or three hours with one interior.

Before You Set Off in Amsterdam

  • Start and finish: The recommended start is the Rijksmuseum, and the walk ends at the Magere Brug on the Amstel. You can join at any stop; the order shown is simply the one that flows best.
  • Best day and time: Start in the morning, once the Rijksmuseum has opened; that way you reach the Begijnhof and the Westerkerk while they are open. The Westerkerk keeps the shortest hours on the route, so it is the stop to time carefully.
  • Book ahead: The Anne Frank House is the one ticket you cannot leave to the day. Sort it out before anything else, then build the rest of the walk around your time slot.
  • Costs: The route, map and GPS navigation cost nothing. The AI Tour Guide starts with 100 free credits; after that you choose between this tour all-inclusive for €19.99 with no time limit, or €5 per hour.

Apple Pie, Bitterballen and Other Breaks Along the Route

The route passes close to the Jordaan and the canal belt, where the better food is. Plan your main break around the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House, roughly halfway, and keep a snack stop for the old centre.

PANCAKES.Amsterdam WesterkerkDutch pancakes, poffertjes and American-style stacks, right where you wait for your Anne Frank House slot. An easy lunch at the midpoint of the walk. (Next to the Anne Frank House)
Café PapeneilandOne of Amsterdam's oldest brown cafés, at Prinsengracht 2, all dark wood and local regulars. Order Dutch apple pie with a cappuccino, or a jenever if the day calls for it.
Winkel 43At Noordermarkt 43, known for the city's best-loved apple pie: get a slice with whipped cream and nothing else. Skip it on Saturdays, when the Noordermarkt market makes it too busy.
MoedersAt Rozengracht 251, walls covered in framed photos of visitors' mothers and plates that have not matched since 1990. Stamppot, pea soup and hachee in portions bigger than your head.
Bitterballen in a brown caféDeep-fried croquettes with a crisp shell and a hot, gravy-like filling, served with beer in any brown café. Café de Reiger at Nieuwe Lelestraat 34 and t'Smalle are good places to try them.
De Drie FleschjesA jenever tasting room on Gravenstraat, open since 1650. Order a kopstootje, a beer with a brim-full tulip glass of jenever, and slurp the first sip with your hands behind your back.
Vlaams Friteshuis VleminckxFresh-cut fries in heaping cones with 25 homemade sauces to choose from. A quick, cheap refill when you are walking.
Patisserie HoltkampA small bakery whose shrimp croquettes, filled with cheese and shrimp and served piping hot, have a loyal following.

Amsterdam Tourist Traps Between the Rijksmuseum and the Dam

  • Restaurants on Dam Square: Places directly on the square serve mediocre food at 50 to 80 percent above neighbourhood prices. Eat before you reach the Dam or after you have moved on. (Dam Square)
  • The free rose or bracelet: Someone hands you a rose, a woven bracelet or a ring they have just found, then aggressively demands money once you have accepted it. Simply do not take anything. (Rijksmuseum)
  • Crowds around street performers: Pickpockets work the crowds that gather around buskers. Watch your bag, and be wary of clipboard petitions or a stranger pointing out a stain on your back. (Dam Square)
  • Euronet cash machines: Free-standing Euronet machines in convenience shops have poor exchange rates and are sometimes skimmed. Use a bank's machine instead.
Walking tour route map of Amsterdam
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Ready When You Are: Your Guide Through Amsterdam's Old Centre

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What the AI Tour Guide Adds Between Rembrandt and the Amstel

Rembrandt runs through this route: his paintings at the Rijksmuseum, his Anatomy Lesson commissioned for De Waag, his house just around the corner. The AI Tour Guide picks up threads like that and carries them along the walk, telling you what became of Rembrandt after he lost his house, or who the beguines actually were and how they lived. It notices whether you lean towards art, war history or everyday life in old Amsterdam, shapes the conversation around it, and you can cut in whenever something catches your eye.

A Real Conversation A voice AI Tour Guide greets you, leads the whole route, and tells the stories and facts as you walk, asking what you want to see and keeping a real conversation going. Not a recording you press play on.
Map Navigation Follow the route on the map and walk at your own pace. You choose where to start and when to move to the next stop.
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Common Questions About Walking Amsterdam

Do I need to rent the audio tour at the Rijksmuseum?

No. The museum's official audio tour is free on your own phone, while the rental device costs extra on top of the ticket. Bring headphones and a charged battery.

Should I buy tulip bulbs at the Bloemenmarkt?

Only in autumn, when tulip bulbs can actually be planted; out of season they are old or dead. Ignore 'blue' tulip bulbs, which do not exist, and 'special' varieties that usually turn out to be ordinary red and orange tulips.

Should I buy canal cruise tickets from people with clipboards?

No. Sellers near Centraal Station and on Damrak ask far more than the price at the booth, and some of their tickets are worthless. Buy at the operator's booth.

Which towns near Amsterdam work as a day trip after this walk?

Haarlem is the closest at 17 km, and Utrecht and Leiden are both around 35 km away. For canals on a smaller scale, Delft has its own walking route too.

Is the tour really free?

Yes. The whole tour is free: the route, the interactive map and the navigation cost you nothing. Only the voice AI Tour Guide is optional and paid: you test it with 100 free credits, then you pay either €5 per hour or €19.99 for this whole tour, with no time limit. Admission to 7 of the 13 stops is not included: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Royal Palace Amsterdam, Nieuwe Kerk, Oude Kerk and Rembrandt House Museum charge their own entry fees.

Do I need to download an app?

No. Everything runs in your phone browser. Open the route and start walking, no download and no sign-up required.

Do I need to book the walking tour in advance?

No booking needed. This self-guided tour is available anytime. Open the route in your browser and start walking. The AI Tour Guide works instantly, no app, no reservation required.

What languages is the AI Tour Guide available in?

The AI Tour Guide speaks 13 languages, so you take the tour in your own language and can switch at any time.

Can I skip stops or change the route?

Yes. Skip any stop, spend extra time at places you like, or start the route from any point. It is your walk, you set the pace.
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