Car rental in Amsterdam is essential if you’re going to spend some time exploring the charming outskirts of the city, getting to those places you can’t access on foot or by public transport, or heading out into the rest of Holland. However, it’s worth noting that driving in the center itself can be quite difficult. The streets are narrow, cobbled, busy and chock full of cyclists.

We’d recommend that you get as close as you can to the heart of the city, park up and proceed on foot. You’ll find plenty of park and ride facilities expressly for that purpose. There are also numerous parking lots and garages throughout Amsterdam.

Speed limits are clearly signposted and are 50kph in built-up areas and 130kph on freeways. Freeways have no tolls throughout the Netherlands. Seat belts are essential for the driver and all passengers. The Rijksweg 10 – or A10 – is Amsterdam’s ring road, running for 32km around the city’s periphery – the speed limit on here between 80 and 100kph depending on the section, and there are plenty of exits.

If you need to access Schiphol Airport, simply drive south-west on the A4. Staying on the same freeway will take you to The Hague, from where you can join the A13 south-east for Delft and Rotterdam. A drive north on the E22 will take you to the Afsluitdijk causeway, spanning 32 kilometers and connecting Den Oever to Zurich village across an expanse of the North Sea.

Another great drive from Amsterdam is south on the A2 to Utrecht. Connect there on the A12 and head west to Gouda to sample the famous cheese. Whichever way you head, you’re sure of a pleasant drive and wonderful views.

Amsterdam isn’t just about canals and culture – but it’s hard to avoid these two key components of this glorious city. As you wander the old center you’ll emerge from a quiet street onto a vista of lights dancing on the water as people idle over beautiful bridges, enjoying the colors of dusk.

The Old Masters and the new

The Netherlands have played a key role in the history and development of art, both old and new, and you can discover copious examples throughout the city. Pre-book online if you’re visiting the Rijksmuseum, to give you a good chance of skipping the lines. It’s the premier museum in the country, stacked with works from Vermeer, Durer, Van Dyck and a Van Gogh self-portrait. The main draw has to be the peerless Rembrandt collection, which includes ‘Night Watch’. His 1661 ‘Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul’ also draws the crowds.

Discover more Van Gogh at the museum that houses the world’s largest collection of his work, including ‘Sunflowers’, ‘The Bedroom’ and ‘Wheatfield with Crows’. A stunning place to get lost for a day exploring the untold impact of this genius. Get a glimpse of more contemporary but still powerful art at the Stedelijk. Here you can see work from the De Stijl Movement, Mondrian, Chagall, Lichtenstein, Rothko and Matisse.

Dear Diary

Among the good-looking buildings of Prinsengracht, canal-side, is one that tells of Europe’s darker history and one young girl’s struggle against its tide. The Anne Frank House and Museum is open every day, and tells the story of the Jewish girl and her family, hiding from the Nazis for over two years. Of the eight who hid here, only one survived the war, Anne’s father, and her diary is a powerful artefact that he published in 1947. 

The Singel life

The Singel canal is the inner canal in Amsterdam, and a walk next to it or a cruise down it will let you see many of Amsterdam’s most famous landmarks. The floating flower market stalls of the Bloemenmarkt are a treasured sight, especially in spring and summer. Look out for the world’s narrowest house at Singel 7, the Old Lutheran Church finished in 1633 and the Munttoren Tower, which once formed part of the city walls in medieval times. You’ll also pass under the Torensluis - the widest and oldest bridge in Amsterdam, built in 1648. An evening cruise on the Singel can be a highlight of any visit.

Grab a handful of sauce-covered frites, park up your rental car in Amsterdam and find out why this medieval city is still revered in the modern-age. Place yourself in Dam Square and head out from there – to see the dappled sunlight on canals or the gardens of the huge Vondelpark – with its Picasso sculpture – you’ll find this a city full of captivating corners.