Free Things to Do in Amsterdam

Everyone tells you Amsterdam is pricey, and a beer by the canal or a ticket to the Rijksmuseum will happily back that up. The city is also full of things that cost nothing at all, and most of them come down to knowing where to look.

Cross the IJ for free

The ferries behind Centraal Station run 24 hours a day and are completely free. They take you across the IJ river to Amsterdam Noord in about five minutes, which makes them the easiest way to leave the tourist centre behind and see a completely different side of the city. The NDSM Wharf, a former shipyard turned creative hub, is a short bike ride from the ferry terminal, and at weekends there is often a flea market.

Walk through the Jordaan's courtyards

The Jordaan is full of hofjes: hidden courtyards behind unassuming doors. Most are still residential, while several are open to visitors during the day. The Karthuizerhof on the Karthuizerstraat and the Claes Claesz Hofje on the Eerste Egelantiersdwarsstraat are two of the most beautiful, and you can walk in quietly, enjoy the garden and walk out again, with the gate open to anyone who keeps the peace.

Visit the city's free museums

Several of Amsterdam's museums are free to walk into. The Civic Guard Gallery at the Amsterdam Museum, the passage between Kalverstraat and the Begijnhof, is always open and hung with enormous group portraits from the seventeenth century, so it feels like a smaller and calmer version of the Rijksmuseum. The Begijnhof itself, through the door at the end of the gallery, is one of Amsterdam's most peaceful spots, a medieval courtyard of small houses around a garden and a chapel, free to enter and easy to walk straight past.

Explore the markets

The Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp is the largest street market in the Netherlands, with over 250 stalls open six days a week, and looking costs nothing at all. The people-watching alone is worth the trip. For something more local, the Noordermarkt on Saturday morning is where Amsterdammers buy their organic produce, cheese, and bread.

Listen to the city

The Concertgebouw, one of the best concert halls in the world, offers free lunchtime concerts on Wednesdays. The quality is world-class and the acoustics are legendary, so arrive early, because the seats fill up fast. And then there is the simplest free thing of all, which is walking. Amsterdam is a city built for it, and every canal, every bridge and every narrow street has something to discover. The best of this city waits around the next corner, free to anyone passing by.