Things to know when driving Amsterdam
Whether you’re pottering along an old cobbled street lined with historic buildings or cruising between flat fields of swaying flowers, this is a great area for driving. If you have a rental car in Amsterdam you’ll be able to get to all areas of the city, the outlying towns and the countryside beyond.
It’s easy to get around because the road network is modern and efficient.
You’ll find an informal ring of motorways around the city itself. This is very handy for swiftly reaching all the different parts of the city without having to battle through the busier center.
As the national capital, Amsterdam is obviously a transport hub for northern Europe. You’ll find an array of important trunk roads heading off in all directions. The A1 motorway will allow you to drive west through Apeldoorn to the German border and on towards Osnabruck. The A2 motorway meanwhile gives you fast access to the south of the country, passing Utrecht and Eindhoven, before crossing into Belgium just beyond Maastricht.
In Amsterdam itself, there’s a comprehensive road system that crosses the various waterways with scores of bridges. Be careful when driving in the heart of the city, however, as the cobbled streets can become crowded with cyclists and pedestrians.
The city has the same driving regulations as the rest of the Netherlands, which aren’t enormously different from most of continental Europe. The Dutch drive on the right and stick to predictable speed limits: 31mph in built-up zones, 62mph on open country roads and 80mph on motorways.
More About Traveling Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s canals, cafes, and galleries make it one of the most interesting European cities to visit. You’ll soon find the city is packed with a whole host of memorable things to do, whether you're there on business or pleasure.
Amsterdam art
The Dutch are proud of their artistic history from the northern Renaissance onwards and the capital city is full of places where you can see masterpieces by Dutch artists. Head for Museum Square in the south of the city for a world-class selection. Inside the impressive Van Gogh Museum, you’ll find the world’s largest collection of his work, including his famous Self Portrait, Sunflowers, and Wheatfield with Crows.
You can stroll across the Square to the Stedelijk Museum that houses an acclaimed collection of modern art including Dutch artists like Breitner, Jongkind, and yet more Van Goghs. And if you still feel artistically inspired, The Rijksmuseum is the country’s largest and most visited art gallery. Also located on the Square, you’ll find 8,000 items on display, including paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer.
Discover the history of the city
The Dutch capital is packed with historic sights too. You’ll be able to stroll inside Anne Frank’s house to see how the teenage wartime diarist lived and walk inside the home and studio of 17th-century artist Rembrandt. You’ll find the pretty Begijnhof courtyard of religious houses that are hundreds of years old grouped around a garden. In the 400-year-old Royal Palace, you can see grand staterooms full of antiques. The building itself was built on thousands of wooden piles sunk into the watery ground beneath. Alongside, you’ll be able to explore the Nieuwe Kerk, a 15th-century Gothic church used for Dutch Royal weddings and coronations.
Modern Amsterdam
Today’s Amsterdam is a city renowned for its free-and-easy atmosphere. You’ll soon discover the bohemian café culture and contemporary music and art scene in scores of small independent galleries and café-bars across the city. Amsterdam is also a great place to go shopping, with everything from high-end fashion boutiques to quirky little individual stores situated on Nine Street. And if you’re looking for something to entertain a family, try the Nemo Science center. The modern green-panelled building stands on a narrow strip of land amid the watery landscape and provides five floors of science-themed interactive fun.
Days out of the city
The Dutch capital is surrounded by the flat scenery of the North Holland province. If you head north of the city you’ll soon be driving through small villages, which lead to the string of the undeveloped Wadden Islands that stand off the Dutch coast and stretch all the way to the German border. They’re easily reached by ferries and make a pastoral alternative to the bustle of the capital city. To the west of Amsterdam, it’s not too far to the coast regions - Zandvoort is the closest resort to Amsterdam and boasts traditional amusements and a lovely, wide, sandy beach.
