Solo Female Travel in Amsterdam: What I Loved, What I’d Skip & Why I’d Go Back

Solo female travel in Amsterdam is an absolute dream – and after four visits, I finally have the honest, unfiltered guide I wish I’d had the first time. I love this wonderful little city. It’s filled with darling narrow homes, lovely 17th-century canals (where you can get a tour), art, and, of course, bikes.

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Solo Female Travel in Amsterdam: What I Loved, What I’d Skip & Why I’d Go Back

Experiences I Loved

Riding the F2 IJpleinveer Ferry to Amsterdam-Noord – 6-minute free public transport with lovely views!
The Oude Kerk – I loved walking through this church. I must have spent an hour there. Fair warning: it’s ironically right in the center of the Red Light District. You might see more than you meant to. 😅
Street Markets! – I stumbled upon one, as mentioned in my last post, and had the best time browsing vintage Dutch items and pastries.
The Stedelijk Museum – The contemporary art and design collection features great pieces by artists you should know: Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and several works by their very own Van Gogh.
The Royal Palace of Amsterdam – My sister and I visited together a few trips ago, and it was such a fun experience – complete with audio guides!

Things I’d Skip Next Time

The Van Gogh Museum – This one is subjective, but personally, I don’t love Van Gogh. The museum is always sold out, and you can find many of his pieces elsewhere in the city. I know it’s a shock given that I have a degree in Art History, but – Van Gogh? Not my fave.
Anne Frank’s House – Maybe controversial, but it’s simply because I know it will wreck me emotionally. I won’t just be sad – I’ll be deeply depressed for the remainder of my stay. I read her diary in school and it left me upset for weeks. My empathic heart will not bounce back. IF YOU CAN HANDLE IT – DO IT. I’ve even found an amazing walking tour. I’ve heard it’s absolutely worth it – but I just can’t.
The Red Light District – I went to the Oude Kerk (worth it!) and then we bounced. We were super uncomfortable. I also thought it was just sexy shops with lingerie on mannequins – until one of the mannequins MOVED and winked at me. Again, maybe worth a stroll for the curious, but it just wasn’t on my to-do list. That said, there are several tours that might be worth it purely from a historical standpoint.

Bucketlist for When I go Again

Rent a bike! – I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t rent a single bicycle on any of my trips, but it’s something I’d love to do. There are so many great tours like this one and this one (in the countryside!) that I’d do in a heartbeat.
Half Day Guided Keukenhof Tulip Garden Tour – Amsterdam is known for its tulips, and I would love nothing more than to finally see them in person.
Canal Cruise – I genuinely don’t know why I never did one of these. You get a tour guide, learn all about the city’s history, and instead I just… walked everywhere. Next time I’ll be on either this tour, this one, or this one!
Take a Day Tour to Giethoorn, Afsluitdijk, Zaanse Schans to see the Dutch Windmills – Another top-of-the-list item. I once took a bus from Amsterdam to Brussels, but I would have loved a day trip to the nearby small towns instead – especially to see the windmills and visit a Dutch cheese factory! 🤤

Thank you so much for reading all about my past travels to Amsterdam. It’s such a lovely and unique city. In the future, my dream is to hit up a few of the small towns around it, but I bet I won’t be going solo. Not a bad thing – I’ll just have to be very persuasive!

Are you headed to Amsterdam? I’d love to know what’s on your itinerary!