Ever find yourself obsessively refreshing your weather app in the run-up to a vacation? I’m definitely guilty of keeping one eye on the elements when planning a trip away. But rainy days are all part of the travel experience – especially in Western Europe!
Luckily, Amsterdam is one city that can handle a little rain. Packed full of world-class museums, vibrant indoor markets and a blossoming foodie scene, there’s plenty to keep you entertained, come rain or shine.
1. Fill up on pancakes
Start your rainy day off the best way possible – fill up on pancakes and coffee. The Dutch do both impeccably well.
There are pancake houses dotted all over the city, providing the perfect sugary shelter from the rain. My personal favourite was Mook – a trendy little spot in Amsterdam West, serving up delicious organic pancakes to retro hip-hop beats (what’s not to love?)
Culture Trip have also published a handy guide to some of the top pancake restaurants in the city, if you need more inspiration.
2. Get your culture fix at the Moco Museum
Amsterdam is home to some of the best museums in the world and you could easily spend a whole weekend wandering around the likes of the Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt’s House and the Stedelijk Museum. But Moco Museum might just be the best of the bunch – and the most underrated.
This boutique museum showcases some of the world’s best modern and contemporary art, from the likes of Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Salvador Dali.
Until the end of September 2019, Moco is exhibiting the works of global street artist Banksy, as part of their brilliant ‘Laugh Now’ display. You can also step inside Roy Lichtenstein’s mind-boggling 3D room and explore the Moco Garden, with its pink confetti grass and giant gummy bear installation.
Visiting Moco is much cheaper than some of the city’s more high-profile museums and there’s no need to pre-book tickets, which makes it the perfect spontaneous stop on a rainy day.
Cost: €13.50 (€12 online) or €11 (€10 online) if you visit before 11am or after 5pm.
3. Visit the Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank House is one experience that should not be missed on any first-time visit to Amsterdam. Stepping behind the bookcase and into the world of Jewish teenager, Anne Frank, and her family is a humbling and fascinating experience.
Tickets sell out several months in advance and are only available online, so you absolutely must pre-book. 80% of tickets go on sale two months in advance and the remaining 20% are released on the official website on the day. No tickets are available on the door, despite what you may read online.
My advice would be to book yourself the museum visit + introductory program through the website. This was the only way we were able to get our hands on tickets, with just a few weeks’ notice.
For an extra €5, you’ll get an insightful half-hour introduction to the history of Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, which helps set the context for your visit. You’ll then be able to explore the museum and house at your own pace.
Cost: €10 for the museum visit only or €15 for the museum visit + introductory program.
4. Discover a Secret Church…
One of the lesser-known attractions in Amsterdam is Museum Ons’Lieve Heer Op Solder (Museum Our Lord in the Attic), located in one of the oldest parts of the city.
Originally built in 1663, this ordinary looking canal house-turned-museum, takes you through narrow hallways, winding stairways and ornately decorated rooms up to a beautiful church, tucked away in the attic. This clandestine church provided a secret place of worship in the 18th century when Catholicism was banned in the Netherlands.
It’s an unusual and interesting period of Dutch history and a beautiful building to explore, whilst sheltering from the rain.
Cost: €8 (or included in the iAmsterdam card)
5. Browse De Hallen
De Hallen is set in a magnificent former tram depot that has been transformed into a cultural hub, full of quirky galleries, boutique fashion stores, and one of Amsterdam’s leading independent cinemas. The whole area is sheltered so this is the ideal place to head to, if the heavens open.
Situated within De Hallen is one of Europe’s best indoor foodmarkets: Foodhallen. Lined with stall after stall of delicious, freshly cooked street food, local beers, and perfectly crafted deserts, it’s a great place to take a break from sight-seeing and indulge in some global cuisine.
Here, you’ll find every type of food you can think of, from Mexican to Dim Sum to the best Vietnamese street food I’ve had outside of Hanoi (make a beeline for Viet View and order the veggie bowl. You’ll thank me later!)
Cost: FREE to visit
6. EYE Filmmuseum
Shipping containers-turned-coffee shops and mural-covered warehouses… Amsterdam Noord is the definition of “cool” and is well worth a visit on any city break. Catch the free ferry to Buiksloterweg from Centraal Station – it only takes a few minutes to make the crossing and you’ll spot the futuristic EYE Filmmuseum building a mile off. Once inside, the museum will transport you through the history of cinema, with immersive movie-reel rooms, live film pods, as well as four giant cinema screens showing art-house films.
Whilst you’re in the Noord area, be sure to check out Pllek – a chilled out restaurant/bar located about 30 minutes along from the museum. It’s the perfect place to relax on a rainy day, with comfy sofas to curl up in and a great selection of local beers to keep you happy.
If the sun does make an appearance during your visit, Pllek even has a little beach area where you can kick back in a deck chair, with panoramic views back towards the city centre.
Top tip: If you want to avoid the 30-minute walk in the rain, you can always catch the free ferry back to Centraal Station and then get the next free ferry to NDSM Wharf. From here, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to Pllek.
Cost: €10 online or €10.50 directly from the Box Office (and included in the iAmsterdam card) Additional charges apply for film screenings and special exhibitions.
7. Learn about Vincent Van Gogh
We very nearly skipped the Van Gogh Museum during our visit to Amsterdam. I’ve never been a huge art gallery fan and the price at €18 a pop seemed particularly steep… But thankfully, our wonderful AirBnB host persuaded us to make a visit to Amsterdam’s most popular museum and this turned out to be one of my favourite attractions in the city (and one of the best museums I’ve ever visited!)
The museum maps out the tragic life and death of Vincent Van Gogh, taking you on an immersive experience through his childhood, rise to artistic fame, and subsequent mental breakdown. It also houses the largest collection of Van Gogh’s works in the world, including the original “Sunflowers” painting.
Cost: €18 (or included in the iAmsterdam card) Tickets are only available online and you do need to book in advance.
8. Visit the Bloemenmarkt
Your visit to Amsterdam isn’t complete unless you’ve seen tulips. Lots and lots of tulips.
Yes, Amsterdam is all about the flowers and the floating flower market or “Bloumenmarkt” (the only dutch word I knew before my visit, thanks to ‘Friends!’) is a lovely place for a wander, if the weather makes a turn for the worst.
It’s a bit of a tourist trap these days, with an Instagrammable flower ceiling and decadent floral archways stealing all the attention… but it’s a nice place to take shelter and pick up a few souvenirs, nonetheless.
Cost: FREE to visit.
There are plenty of rainy day activities to keep you busy in Amsterdam, no matter what time of year you visit. And of course the city’s architecture and canals are so beautiful in their own right, that they are worth getting wet for!
And if you’re looking for the perfect day trip from Amsterdam (and you want to see a windmill!) then check out my guide to visiting Haarlem.
