Need ideas for visiting Amsterdam in 3 days? Here is my program to enjoy the Amsterdam city tour itinerary, walks in a pleasant atmosphere and setting and a short trip to the picturesque villages of Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken (accessible from Amsterdam).
Amsterdam in 3 days - reminder of DAY 1
For your first day, you can find the walking itinerary of Amsterdam 's must-see sights , which I've detailed and included a map of in the article: Amsterdam Itinerary DAY 1
The visits of my walking tour of the 1st day are the following:
- Dam Square with visit to the Royal Palace
- The beguinage with the oldest house in Amsterdam
- Negen Straatjes (9 alleys district)
- Houseboat Museum
- Leidse Square
- Visiting a museum: Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum or Stedelijk Museu: Remember to book in advance
- Vondelpark
- Red light district
Amsterdam in 3 days - reminder of DAY 2
For a full weekend in Amsterdam with the DAY 2 itinerary, I suggest you discover the details (route + map) in the following article: Amsterdam Itinerary DAY 2
The visits of my 2nd day walking tour are as follows:
- Departure from the train station for a boat trip on the canals
- Jordaan district
- Anne Frank House Tour
- The flower market on the Singel
- Break at Magere Brug
- Discovery of the Jewish quarter (Jodenbuurt)
- The Old Church (Oude Kerk)
- Return hotel
Finally, for those who will have the chance to visit Amsterdam in 3 days , here is the program for DAY 3.
DAY 3 - Zaanse Schans in the morning
Zaanse Schans is a charming little postcard village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . It has all the clichés of Holland: windmills, canals, wooden houses, flowers, cheeses, clogs.
You can take a day trip that includes Zaanse Schans and the charming villages of Volendam and Marken . See Civitatis for booking information.
Otherwise, you can organize the visit by yourself as follows:
Where is Zaanse Schans in relation to Amsterdam?
Zaanse Schans is located 20 km from Amsterdam in the heart of the Zaanstreek region, known for its many lakes and waterways.
Click on "More options" in the map to follow the GPS
How to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam?
A major tourist attraction in the Netherlands, Zaanse Schans is very well connected to Amsterdam. You can get there either by bus or train.
Go to Zaanse Schans by train
From Amsterdam Central Station, take train 4056 Uitgeest and exit 4 stops further at Zaandijk Zaanse Schans (20-minute journey) then continue on foot for a little over 1 km.
Go to Zaanse Schans by bus
Simply go to Amsterdam Central Station and take bus line 391, which runs between Amsterdam and Zaanse Schans . The advantage of taking the bus is that it drops you off directly at the site.
There are departures from 6 a.m. (8 a.m. Sunday) and every 15 minutes. The journey is a little longer than by train because it lasts about forty minutes.
What to see in Zaanse Schans?
Zaanse Schans is a very old village (17th century) which has preserved pretty wooden houses and 8 windmills.
This village is so "cute" that it is invaded by mass tourism and that, suddenly, it can be visited a bit like an amusement park. But, personally, I find that the visit is still worth it.
You can therefore visit, among others:
- Some windmills;
- Some museums;
- A traditional house;
- A shoe factory,
- A weaving workshop,
- A cheese factory.
And by renting a bike, you can also ride around to discover the landscapes and the mills without the crowds.
DAY 3 – Lunch in Volendam
My program takes us at lunchtime to Volendam which is a small fishing port where we take a boat to go to the peninsula of Marken.
There, we visit a Gouda factory and taste excellent waffles:
Where to catch the ferry to Marken?
On the port of Volendam, you can buy your tickets to reach Marken by Ferry in a small kiosk:
DAY 3 - Marken in the afternoon
Marken is a charming village on a small peninsula that can be explored on foot in a day. It is located very close to Amsterdam, about 17 km away. It can be reached in less than an hour from Amsterdam or with the Civitatis excursion.
Where is Marken in relation to Amsterdam?
Marken is located on Lake Markermeer and is connected to the mainland by a 1,6 km dyke which can be crossed by car, bicycle or on foot.
Click on "More options" in the map to follow the GPS
How to get to Marken from Amsterdam?
From Amsterdam, buses depart every 30 minutes for Marken. To catch one, go to the bus stop behind the Central Station. Take bus 314 to Schouw Splitsing and then bus 315 from Marken Monnickendam to Marken – Minneweg. A bus ticket, costing approximately €8, is valid for travel throughout the area all day.
Alternatively, the village visit is also included in the Civitatis excursion.
What to see in Marken?
You must visit Marken to discover charming old wooden houses . Until the 17th century, houses were built on terpens , which were mounds of earth that the inhabitants built themselves. This protected the houses from flooding. Later, houses were built on stilts. These typical houses have been well preserved and constitute a unique heritage in the world.
If you have time, you can also visit:
- an old wooden shoe factory,
- a museum of traditional costumes,
- the lighthouse from 1839 "Paard van Marken" (Marken's horse) which still functions.
Amsterdam in 3 days - Cheap hotel
If you're looking for a cheap and well-located hotel in the center of Amsterdam, you'll quickly realize how difficult it is to find one. Here's the small hotel I managed to book for my stay: the Hotel Internationaal . It's a very simple hotel, but superbly located right next to the train station and relatively inexpensive compared to other hotels in the city center!
More information about this hotel
Or see my hotel recommendation in my Amsterdam travel tips.
A 4-day trip to Amsterdam? Here's my itinerary for visiting Amsterdam in 4 days.