Dam Square - one of the main squares in the city, if you're visiting for at least 2-3 days you may…read morepass through on most itineraries. Based on how Amsterdam is laid out in a semi-circle, this is in the inner part of its radius, so relatively speaking close to the center. What might bring you here? Some of the notable landmarks and buildings are: - the Nationaal Monument: a WWII memorial sculpted of white travertine marble erected in tribute to the fallen civilians and soldiers. Figures representing suffering, resilience and the victory of peace are carved as reliefs on this obelisk. Two lion statues symbolizing the Dutch nation are placed close by. The statue was unveiled May 4, 1956 which is The Netherlands' WWII Remembrance Day. - the Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam (Royal Palace Amsterdam): since the 17th C, this palace has been used for official state receptions and events, and was temporarily closed when I visited in November 2025, though re-opened December 17 thru January 4 for the holidays. Adult tickets normally €13.50, discounted tickets available for students, certain groups and pass holders, and include a free 45-min audio tour. For more info: https://www.paleisamsterdam.nl/en/ - De Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church): a medieval church turned into modern event space, they host a variety of happenings--most commonly museum exhibitions, as was the case when I visited, though also royal weddings and music recitals. Tickets are €22.50 for adults, discounted tickets available for students, certain groups and pass holders, and include a free audio tour. Takes about an hour to go thru the tour, maybe an extra 30 minutes to check out the church building itself. For more info: https://www.nieuwekerk.nl/en/ - Madame Tussaud's Amsterdam: a branch of the world-renowned wax museum where you can see close replicas of famous celebrities. €24 online price €27 at the door. - Ripley's Believe It or Not: g-map description "museum with kitschy oddities on display" sounds about right. Go to be amazed and entertained though also take the exhibits with a grain of salt. €22.50 for adults, €13.50 for kids. - Kalvarstraat: this thoroughfare perpendicular to the south east edge of Dam Square is a main shopping destination with retailers lining the street. - Magna Plaza shopping mall: while not directly next to the square it's a block west and the neo-Gothic architecture is a treat. Given the amount of things to do in the relatively compact city that is Amsterdam, I would put this area as a "nice-to-stop-by" if you have the time, if the palace is open for visit, or there's an interesting exhibit at De Nieuwe Kerk. It's a more touristy area and weekend crowds can be significant so keep this in mind if you're looking for a calmer, quieter experience.

I stumbled on the square by accident. I received directions of where the mall was, where Louis…read more Hutton was located and stumbled upon the square. It's a huge wide open area, in which, it's heavily populated with tourists and people shopping. All the touristy places are here and they had a large monument which I was told was a memorial for their fallen heroes after the World War. I would definitely say this should be an essential stop on your trip to Amsterdam and get some photos!

AVOID AT ALL COSTS, especially if you are a tourist. This is a neighborhood coffeeshop where I…read morelive. I had been there before with friends and had no problems. However, this weekend, some friends wanted to stop in to a coffeeshop after a Westerpark event so we went to Coffeeshop 137. We ordered one item which was 6,50 euros and paid with a 50 euro bill. The budtender returned 3,50 euros in change and then insisted that he had been given a 10 euro bill. There was some argument and then he asked that we sit down while he served other customers and then we would deal with the issue. He said that we can watch the security video, which was aimed directly at the cash register where the transaction took place. He went into the back room, then returned 5 minutes later saying he watched the video and was definitely given a 10 euro bill but would not let us see the video. He then counted the drawer and said it was where it was supposed to be which is strange because (1) he didn't run a report or have any other information regarding the cash level in the drawer; (2) is irrelevant to us because he didn't give the wrong change, he was simply stealing, and (3) we wouldn't know where the cash drawer was supposed anyway since we are not employees. He then accused us of being drunk and kept asking if we were American, which should be irrelevant. He then called some of his friends who were very large and intimidating. They threatened a physical altercation with us. These were not employees of the coffeeshop, nor were they police officers, nor were they security guards. They were simply friends of the employee that he called for intimidation and attempted to physically remove us from the property. We called the police but there is no non-emergency line that we know of in Holland and we didn't want to use emergency police resources. So we decided instead to come back the next day to speak with the owner/manager. We did research and discovered that this is a common scam in Amsterdam for employees of coffeeshops to rip off tourists this way. The same employee was there along with two others and we explained the situation calmly to the other employees. The original budtender who had been there the night before immediately got defensive and began yelling. He had to be calmed down by the other employees. The other employee promised to have the owner call us by the end of the week after which time we advised we would involve the police. I will update my review accordingly. There is nothing I hate more than people who take advantage of other people for personal gain. There is nothing special about this coffeeshop and there is a much better one, Coffeeshop Relax, just around the corner.

Small but chill Coffeeshop. Felt very comfortable here and did not feel rushed like we have in…read moresome of the more popular and "touristy" coffee shops. Will definitely be back here several times throughout our trip. Coffee is not great but the product is worth the trip!