Traveling to Amsterdam on a Backpacker Budget is becoming quite the challenge these days. The charming Dutch capital is widely associated with civil liberties, legal weed, picturesque canals, bicycles, arts, flowers, cheese, and more, but nowadays the buzzword is over tourism. Amsterdam is taking a stand and its people are fighting to preserve the city, even going so far as to stop advertising it as a tourist destination. If you are visiting Amsterdam, be aware of these issues, and try to leave as little a footprint as possible.
A byproduct of high demand and over-tourism is rising prices throughout the city. This makes it tough as a backpacker on a budget in Amsterdam, and the fun vibes and bustling nightlife will have you parting with some stacks of euros for sure. Are you looking for where to stay in Amsterdam on a budget? Things to do in Amsterdam for cheap? The costs of traveling in Amsterdam? The Bros got you covered.
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Where to Stay in Amsterdam
Backpackers traveling on a budget will be wondering where to stay in Amsterdam. If you’re looking to stay in the city center, prices will undoubtedly be higher. The city center is where the Amstel River ends and connects with the large network of canals that give the city the nickname, “Venice of the North.” Booking.com is a good place to start your search. Sort your search results by price, ratings, and consider the location when comparing options.
For hostels in the city center, we recommend the Flying Pig Downtown Hostel or St. Christopher’s at the Winston. Both hostels are close to Centraal Station in the city center, walking distance from many tourist attractions. Prices for a bed in a dorm room are currently ranging from $17-$35 USD during the week and $42- $50 USD on the weekend. There are chill zones, indoor smoking rooms, outdoor beer gardens, bars, DJs, pool tables, free breakfast, free walking tours and all sorts of activities at the hostels.
If you’d like to get into the heart of Amsterdam away from the tourist concentrated city center, check out the Flying Pig Uptown Hostel. Same owners as the Downtown, so you already know what to expect. Here you can stay in an old Amsterdam mansion overlooking Vondelpark for $14-$20 USD during the week, and $35-$40 on the weekend. If you want to travel deeper and cheaper in Amsterdam, connecting with a local at the same time, check out Couchsurfing!
Currency in Amsterdam
The currency in Amsterdam is the euro. We suggest taking out smaller amounts of cash from an ATM, and using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees when applicable. You’ll earn miles or points on your credit card every time you swipe. When you do take out cash, if you sign up for a checking account from a bank like Charles Schwab, they will reimburse all of your ATM fees at the end of each month. This way you can take out smaller amounts of cash, and not worry about the fees. Instead, spend those extra euros on Dutch cheese, frites, pickled herring, a bicycle rental, or a mouthwatering stroopwafel, instead of bank fees.
Things to Do in Amsterdam
Ride Bicycles
It’s estimated that there are 850,000 residents in Amsterdam and 847,000 bicycles. That’s a lot of bikes whizzing around some winding narrow streets. The Amsterdammers know it’s the best way to get around the city quickly. People of Amsterdam mostly use beater-type bicycles that get them from A to B, since the city has one of the highest theft rates in the world. It’s common to see people riding in the winter snow and hitching rides home from the bar on the back of a bicycle from a friend.
Bicycles are life and riding one is one of the best things to do in Amsterdam on a backpacker budget. Your hostel staff will know where you can rent bicycles, but Mac Bike and Bike City will give you a solid setup. We rented bicycles for the day for $10.75 each. Here are some tips on the rules of the road.
Chill by the Canals
There are a ton of reasons people come to Amsterdam, but can we all agree that it’s really the wondrous 17th-century canals that make this city so attractive? Take a stroll around the horseshoe grid of canals, check out the swans in the water, sit on the ledge with a baguette, some cheese, and a street beer. Fantasize about living in one of the houseboats.
Take a ride on the canal in your own pedal boat. These canals are the result of some of the best city planning in human history. They were built for defense, transport, and water management, as Amsterdam is about 6 and a half feet below sea level. We’d argue they were built for all of us to admire.
BROS TIP: “Gracht” is a Dutch word for a canal so the streets with “gracht” in the name are streets situated on a canal. All the canals have their own flair and wandering around is the Bro’s way to go. The Herengracht, Reguliersgracht, Prinsengracht & Keizersgracht and the Magere Brug (skinny bridge) are all good spots. Another perk of walking along the canals? It’s free!
Catch a Buzz at the Coffee Shops
If you are looking to get higher than a rocket ship, Amsterdam is the right place. There’s no shortage of coffee shops selling weed with whatever potency, flavor, or type of high you are looking for. You can buy papers, lighters, space cakes (be careful with the edibles!), hash, you name it! It’s really a pot smoker’s heaven. Order a pre-rolled joint or a couple of grams from the menu and roll up your own doobie.
The coffee shops provide judgment-free, laid-back zones to take a smoke break before heading back out into the chaos of the bicycles and city life. A few coffee shops the Bros recommend are Basjoe, Barney’s, Easy Times, Amnesia, Dampkring & Tweede Kamer.
BROS TIP: Have fun, but don’t be an idiot. If you’ve never smoked weed before, don’t eat an entire space cake. Marijuana is strong these days, so know what you’re getting yourself into. Don’t make the rookie mistake of getting way too high and making a scene. Just chill out, know your limits and you’ll be riding high on easy street.
Eat the Food
As you walk out of a coffee shop in a haze, the “munchies” are sure to be kicking in. Luckily in Amsterdam, there are tasty treats and things to eat that can be found all over the streets.
- Stroopwafels – Hot pressed wafer cookies with hot caramel in the middle. Pure heaven.
- Cookies – Just go to Van Stapele Koekmakerij. Don’t ask questions.
- Poffertjes – Think mini fluffy pancakes with powdered sugar.
- Candy – The people of Amsterdam love their licorice.
- Cheese – There are cheese stores everywhere. There’s even a cheese museum. Enjoy endless free samples of some of the best cheeses you can find in the world. Be sure to try the Gouda!
- Frites – Located next door to Belgium, it’s no wonder fries are so popular in the Netherlands as well. It’s always up for debate who’s serving the best in town. We found ourselves going back for more at Manneken Pis, with frequent stops at Chipsy King for their cheaper prices.
- Herring – When in Amsterdam, do as the locals do. Find a fish stall selling herring with onions and pickles. Observe the locals around you and mimic their eating style. Even if you don’t think you’ll like it, try it! Never try, never know!
- Febo – Fast food in an automated walk-up window format? Yes, please. Sure it’s a novelty, but it’s cheap and good so the Bros are in. Try the bitterballen and kroketten!
- Albert Cuyp Market – Largest and most popular street market in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Selling foods including fruits, vegetables & meats. Clothing, flowers and accessories can also be found here. It’s also a great spot to find many of the foods on this list. Open every day except Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
BROS TIP: When ordering frites at Chipsy King, do yourself a favor and ask for a combo of Samurai & Joppie Sauce that will blow your mind. You may even get a nod of respect from the dude serving up your fries.
Learn about Amsterdam
The Dutch capital of Amsterdam has a rich history and 2.4 million people live in its metropolitan area. During the 17th century, Amsterdam was at the center of the Dutch Golden Age, where it became the wealthiest city in the western world. One way to learn about the city is to take a free walking tour offered by many of the hostels. You’ll gain knowledge and insight from a local as you explore the city on foot. Be sure to tip the tour guide at the end.
The city is known for its museums and its arts, so there are many opportunities to get your learn on. The Museumplein is where you can find the Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum which displays masterpieces from the likes of Rembrandt and Vincent Van Gogh. Even if you don’t have a deep knowledge of art, you’ll recognize a few Rembrandt’s. The dude was crushing art out there in the 1600s.
Looking for some history? There’s the Anne Frank House, where the Frank family hid from Nazi persecution during World War II. If you’re looking for something else, there’s a sex museum, a torture museum, and a hash museum. Want to see the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam, and one of the oldest courtyards in the city? The Begijnhof was founded during the Middle Ages and the old wooden house dates back to 1528.
Nightlife and Events
Amsterdam offers a wide range of nightlife and social activities for a backpacker on any type of budget. For live music, check out the Melkweg. It’s an awesome venue housed in a former milk factory that attracts amazing artists from all over the world. Alternatively, the Paradiso is another great location for live music, located in a former church.
If live music and clubs aren’t your scene, there are still numerous nightlife options for you in Amsterdam. Instead of going to the touristy and overrated Heineken Experience, get off the beaten path, rent a bicycle and ride over to Brouwerij’t IJ. Located in a former bathhouse, this small brewery offers a great selection of beers with an incredible atmosphere. Sit outside with a flight of beers and the De Gooyer Windmill, a National Monument, standing tall above you.
For an old-school Amsterdam experience, get a drink at a bruine (brown bar). These neighborhood pubs got their name because of their dark wood and smoke-stained walls. It’s easy to lose track of what year it is and what country you are in after a few pints in one of these classic Amsterdam watering holes. Sit outside the brown cafe with a cold one and watch the endless stream of bicycles go by…yep, you’re still in the Netherlands!
Some other spots we hit up in Amsterdam were the Sugar Factory, Satellite Sports Cafe, and Wonder Bar 2.
- The Jordaan is an upscale neighborhood with art galleries, restaurants, and boutique shops.
- The Negen Straatjes translates to “nine streets” where there are a variety of privately owned shops selling candy, sneakers, clothing, books, and much more.
- The Leidseplein is a square packed with restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. During the day or night, there’s sure to be a lot of action here and in the surrounding area.
- The same goes for the Rembrandtplein. The square is named in honor of famous artist Rembrandt van Rijn, who owned a house nearby. Rembrandtplein has impressive statues representing his famous painting, The Night Watch. These two squares are touristy so keep in mind prices will be a bit higher in this area if you are looking to cut costs traveling in Amsterdam.
There’s also tons of events popping up all the time, giving plenty of options to backpackers on a budget in Amsterdam. The national holiday of the Netherlands is King’s Day, and it lands on April 27th each year (April 26th if the 27th is a Sunday). The holiday is known as Koningsdag and marks the birthday of King Willem-Alexander.
Orange will be everywhere (oranjegekte), as people will be decked out in the color partaking in festivities, celebrations, concerts, games, and the nationwide free-market (vrijmarkt), where people for one day are allowed to sell their used goods on the streets without permits or value-added tax.
BROS TIP: The Bros “go-to” move in European cities is to grab a street beer! Pop into a local supermarket for cheaper prices and enjoy a cold beer by the canal before exploring more of the city.
Vondelpark
Vondelpark is a 120 acre public park in Amsterdam. The park gets 10 million yearly visitors and it’s easy to see why. A perfect day in Amsterdam can be spent in Vondelpark with a bicycle, a backpack full of snacks, and a good book.
Red Light District
The Red Light District is home to the world’s oldest profession. Prostitution is legal here and is designated by the red lights adorning the windows in this neighborhood. It’s a weird area, attracting a mix of tourists, working girls, and seedy individuals. Definitely check out the area, but be respectful.
These girls are working for a living and don’t need you taking pictures to show your friends back home. This is the quickest way to get your iPhone thrown into the canal. Losing an expensive phone for a dumb photo is a bummer to anyone traveling in Amsterdam on a backpacker budget.
Dam Square
Dam Square lies in the historical center of Amsterdam. Today it’s mostly tourist central. There’s the impressive Royal Palace, a World Ward II National Monument, the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), and a Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. There are some interesting street performers, and a few carnivals, known as kermis, throughout the year. It’s cool to people watch for a bit, but you’ll be eager to get away from the crowds the square attracts before long.
Flower Market
The Bloemenmarket is Amsterdam’s famous floating Flower Market. It’s located on the Singel Canal and the market has been around since 1862. Browse around, smell the flowers and maybe pick up some tulip bulbs for someone back home.
Getting In & Out of Amsterdam
Getting around while in the city is a breeze thanks to Amsterdam’s extensive modern transportation system. Bicycles, buses, trams, metros, and trains can get you anywhere.
Most European cities are well served by bus companies, and Amsterdam is no different. We use Flixbus when we are traveling around Europe. Seats can be reserved easily online in a few minutes to the next city on your Euro trip. The bus should drop you off right in front of Centraal Station. From here you should have no problem walking or hopping on a public transportation connection to your destination.
Always skip the taxi, cheap and easy-to-use public transportation helps keep down costs traveling in Amsterdam for any backpacker on a budget.
Amsterdam is well connected to the Euro Rail network and has trains running to and from most major European cities daily. Most international trains arrive and depart from Centraal Station.
The main airport that serves the city is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. NS Dutch Railways can take you into the city center via a 20 minute train ride for about $6 – $7 USD.
Costs Traveling in Amsterdam
The Bros want to share our costs traveling in Amsterdam because we think this honesty can inspire people to travel to new destinations they otherwise thought were out of reach. By sharing our stories and by showing exactly how much some of these experiences actually cost, we hope we can help someone out there take the steps to transform their travel goals into reality.
See below to check out exactly how much it cost us during 8 days of travel in Amsterdam on a backpacker budget. We splurged a bit, as it was the end of 3 months backpacking Europe. We celebrated while looking forward to touching down in Thailand.
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READY TO TRAVEL TO AMSTERDAM ON A BACKPACKER BUDGET?
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Great info 🚴🎪🌷🍟🍺
I am really enjoying your travels. You guys are bringing back many fond memories that I have of the places you have visited.