Every summer my short stint as an Amsterdam tour guide begins with great intentions. We start at the Dam Square, stroll for an hour and soak in the good vibes from enjoying our afternoon wander. We check out the secret garden Begijnhof, dip into the art hall from the Amsterdam Museum, wander to the Flower Market and through the Canal Ring’s 9 Streets. Maybe we talk about weed and the Red Light District, and I always ramble off a to-do list for nightlife.

In the past, as we edged closer to the Anne Frank House, a cloud would roll over our heads. I would beg the museum gods to show mercy on my tour group, but starting in May, we were usually met with an entry line that rivaled the Louvre and Uffizi. Once July would come, my groups of first-timers to Amsterdam wouldn’t even try to get in.

But a new ticketing system at the Anne Frank House has added a ray of hope, especially for those that are good at planning ahead. Read on to find out how to make sure you see this essential attraction in Amsterdam.

Related:
• Read this before booking your hotel in Amsterdam
• When (and when not) to visit Amsterdam
• The 10 best cheap hotels in Amsterdam

Tips for visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

An article in The New York Times reported that attendance at Europe’s top museums has caused enough congestion that directors are running out of ideas.

But that doesn’t mean you have to give up. In fact, a ticketing system —introduced in 2016 and revised many times in recent years — has changed visitors’ strategies. We are here to let you in on a few insider tips and answer questions like: How can you skip the line? When is the best time to go? Can I get tickets in advance? Here are your best options.

1. Reserve online and pick your time slot

The only way to get tickets to the Anne Frank House these days is to reserve them online. There are no more tickets at the door. As soon as you have your Amsterdam dates inked in the calendar, go to the Anne Frank House website and use your credit card to buy those tickets. Commit to a time slot and stick with it.

All available tickets are released on Tuesdays for visits six weeks later. Once they are sold out, there is no way to get on a waitlist. Once you’ve booked a date and time, you cannot reschedule.

There used to be a policy that after 3:30 p.m., the museum would open up to visitors without advance tickets. But this is no longer the case.

Tip: Do NOT arrive in Amsterdam and try to reserve a ticket for the following day. Chances are they will be sold out, as there is only a selected amount available online. You’ll need to be diligent in getting the tickets you want the month prior to your visit.

2. Know the museum rules for getting tickets

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. (Amsterdam time) each Tuesday for available dates six weeks out. So if you plan on going to the Museum on October 4, 2024 the earliest you can buy tickets is the first Tuesday, August 20, 2024. The 10 a.m. time in Amsterdam converts to 4 a.m. in New York and 1 a.m. in Los Angeles.

The Anne Frank House is now open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round, with some limited hours on certain dates for holidays. The museum closes for Yom Kippur and will close this year from October 1–3 for maintenance.

Related:
• Cheap hotels near the Anne Frank House
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3. Early bird really does catch the worm

If you didn’t have a chance to get Anne Frank House tickets before your trip, don’t give up hope! You may be able to find available tickets online. And if you don’t get tickets during your trip, you’ll just have another reason to return!

Related: 10 Tips for dining on a budget in Amsterdam

The view from above. Photo: migulski

4. Making the most of your time before your visit

If you have extra time before your entry time, I encourage visitors to picnic or enjoy a coffee break. Across the street from the Westerkerk is an Albert Hein grocery store, even a bakery or two. Grab a cup of coffee, a sandwich, snack, or whatever looks good.

You can also plan the rest of your day because they have Wi-Fi that you can connect to while you wait for your entry time.

Related: Top rookie mistakes to avoid in Amsterdam

 5. Off-season relief

If you are visiting Amsterdam after late September, patron traffic stays calm and cool until tulip season emerges early April and bus coaches come rolling in again. You’ll have a better chance of getting an online ticket less than a month in advance.

At €16 a ticket (€7 for kids 10-17), the Anne Frank House is a good deal of history at a lower price than most museums in Amsterdam. If you plan to see more museums during your trip, an Amsterdam museum pass may also be a cost-effective option to see multiple sites, including the Anne Frank House, for one fee.

Looking for alternatives to the Anne Frank House? Check out 20 free things to do in Amsterdam and smart alternatives for big attractions.

Good luck!

Do you have any tips for visiting the Anne Frank House? Let us know!

The post Amsterdam: Buying tickets to the Anne Frank House appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It’s also important to find a good location to stay and know how to navigate the city’s biggest attractions, so you don’t get stuck in long lines for half your trip. To help shrink your chances of starting an Amsterdam adventure on the wrong foot, here are five rookie mistakes to avoid.

1. Sleeping in the Red Light District

No, we don’t mean literally on the streets or benches of course, because there are a handful of hotels that offer acceptable rooms in the Red Light District. But many accommodations here can be a grim experience. The stairs to your room are small and steep. Some staircases have handles on the walls to pull up with. Add the mission of carrying your suitcase, and it becomes a fearful climb up Jacob’s ladder. Rooms in the Red Light District can be cramped, damp and in need of serious renovation. Why? This is the oldest part of Amsterdam, and there are strict laws on modernizing historic sites from 500 years ago.

Check our hotel list for some great finds inside and outside the Red Light District. Don’t be afraid to venture outside the center for comfort and contemporary; neighborhoods like Museumplein, the Jordaan and De Pijp are just as scenic and enjoyable.

Related: Simple tips for finding affordable hotels in Amsterdam

2. Long waits in the Anne Frank House line

As a guide in the summer, most of my tours ask to end at the Anne Frank House. Like clockwork, as soon as we arrive at the entrance a disappointing sigh falls among the group. Their eyes set upon the long line, and I hear startled mumbles of “Oh no!” and “I can’t believe it!” It’s so bad, people actually post YouTube clips about this line. By summertime it’s a crazy wait that averages about 2 to 3 hours, and that’s on a weekday.

My advice: don’t do it. I know that’s a taboo tip, and Anne Frank’s diary is an important WWII story, but there’s more than the Anne Frank House that commemorates Jewish culture in Amsterdam. The Jewish Historic Museum, The Dutch Resistance Museum, the National Holocaust Memorial, the Portuguese Synagogue and even a Children’s Jewish Historic Museum are all located in the Jewish Quarter of the city. These museums exhibit in English and are brimming with educational experiences. They are worth a visit and probably a better use of your time if you’re only in town for a short time.

If you can’t be persuaded, or if Anne Frank is your only chance for a famous WWII monument, there are ways to avoid the wait. Buying your tickets online will send you to a shorter line. Otherwise get there an hour or two before closing. In July and August the museum stays open until 10 PM and until 9 PM in April to June, September to October.

3. Taking a bus tour

Amsterdam, Brussels and Bruges are the most walkable cities in Europe. They’re small, quaint and impossible to sightsee by bus. Okay, maybe not impossible, but definitely unnecessary and incongruent to the city layout. The Amsterdam center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, mostly intact from the 1600s and 1700s. Trying to absorb this vibe via a 21^st century tour bus just doesn’t mesh. The buses don’t fit, and you’ll end up sightseeing in circles around Amsterdam.

Opt for renting a bicycle before a bus. If you are into the “hop on hop off” strategy, there are boat tours that offer the same service as a bus would, but by beautiful canal cruises. Need to take a seat for a while? The electric tram system here runs all throughout scenic routes. And for €2.80, the tram is a lot cheaper.

Related: The perfect weekend trip for the first-time visitor in Amsterdam

Grocery stores don’t take credit or debit cards in Amsterdam, but Albert Hein stores do have ATMs. Photo: Alix G

4. Using a credit card for groceries

It sounds crazy but it’s true: you can’t pay by credit or debit in supermarkets here. If you’re from the EU, your Maestro debit card works fine, but North Americans have a different debit system that won’t match. Luckily most Albert Hein supermarkets (our main grocery chain) stock an ATM or two inside. Withdrawal before you shop: the best exchange rates are via ATMs anyway.

5. Going to the Amsterdam Dungeon Museum for the kids

This attraction isn’t really special to Amsterdam, nor is it cheap. And yet families wait for hours because they can’t think of another “kid friendly” destination. Try NEMO, the hands-on science museum that’s doubles as a playground of interactive stands. In addition, the Artis Zoo is a huge deal for kids in The Netherlands. Equipped with a planetarium, insectarium and aquarium, it’s not the average zoo. (Not to mention the unusual additions of black spider monkeys, penguins and zebras.)

The post Visiting Amsterdam: 5 first-time mistakes to avoid appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

In Amsterdam we’ve taken a close look at the two major cards—the Museum Card and I amsterdam Card—in the past to find out which is a better deal. We’ve also given you the inside scoop on the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket. In recent years, the I amsterdam City Card has expanded their geographic coverage with a few more attractions in Haarlem, Enkhuizen and the mills and museums in Zaanse Schans and Volendam/Marken. In other words, if you plan on venturing outside of the city center during your stay, the I amsterdam City Card now has even greater appeal.

The long list of existing benefits for the 24, 48, 72 and 96-hour cards include everything from free admission to the Van Gogh Museum to a free 760-minute canal cruise. Study the rest of the offers, and see if you already had a handful of these attractions on your checklist. The prices are not exactly cheap (€59 for the 24 hours, €74 for 48 hours, €87 for 72 hours and €98 for 96 hours), but you also get unlimited travel on city buses, trams and metro, so if you like to get around the city by public transportation, consider that factor too.

New for 2018: Admission for the Rijksmuseum and the possibility to book time slot tickets for the Van Gogh Museum.

Haarlem

Benefits include free admission to two museums in Haarlem: Frans Hals Museum, featuring an impressive collection of Haarlem Old Masters of the Golden Age including the 17th-century collection by Frans Hals, and Teylers Museum, the oldest museum in Holland with a fascinating collection that has remain unchanged since the 18th and 19th centuries.

Enkhuizen

Fans of maritime history will enjoy The Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen that features a large collection of wooden boats as well as an outdoor village that captures life in rural Holland during the late 19th century.

Zaanse Schans

To get a taste of traditional Dutch life, a visit to Zaanse Schans, about 20 km north of Amsterdam, offers windmills, museums and a slower slice of life. The I Amsterdam City Card now offers free admission to many of the mills and museums in Zaanse Schans including a windmill museum, a clock museum, and even a ferry from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schaans (only in summertime).

Bottom line: If you’re planning on seeing a lot of the top sites in and around Amsterdam, Haarlem and Zaanse Schans, take a good look at the I amsterdam City Card. It might be just what you need to save big on your next trip to Amsterdam. You can order the card online here.

The post I amsterdam City Card: Expanded savings within the metropolitan area appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.