DK Amsterdam

Eyewitness Travel Guides

by DK Eyewitness Travel

Welcome to Amsterdam – a city where the past and present collide.
Whether you want to cruise the narrow waterways, wonder at the works of the Old Masters in the Rijksmuseum, or cycle through the bulbfields, your DK Eyewitness travel guide makes sure you experience all that Amsterdam has to offer.

Rich in heritage, Amsterdam's perfectly preserved 17th-century canal-side mansions invoke the city’s former wealth. But Amsterdam is so much more than it's past. Bubbling with creativity and liberalism, the streets are awash with cutting-edge art, theatre and food. And while night owls flock to the buoyant bars and performance art venues, families will find a huge mix of attractions and activities that won't fail to keep the kids entertained.

Our newly updated 2023 guide brings Amsterdam to life, transporting you there like no other travel guide does with expert-led insights, trusted travel advice, detailed breakdowns of all the must-see sights, photographs on practically every page, and our hand-drawn illustrations, which place you inside the city's iconic buildings and neighborhoods. DK Eyewitness Amsterdam is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime. 

Inside DK Eyewitness Amsterdam you will  

- A fully-illustrated top experiences our expert pick of Amsterdam’s must-sees and hidden gems.
- Accessible itineraries to make the most out of each and every day.
- Expert honest recommendations for getting around safely, when to visit each sight, what to do before you visit, and how to save time and money.
- Color-coded chapters to every part of Amsterdam, from Central Canal Ring to the Museum Quarter, Plantage to Noord.
- Practical the best places to eat, drink, shop and stay.
- Detailed maps and walks to help you navigate the region country easily and confidently.
- Nieuwe Zijde, Oude Zijde, Central Canal Ring, Museum Quarter, Eastern Canal Ring, Jordaan and the Western Islands, Plantage, Noord, Beyond Amsterdam.

Touring the country? Try our DK Eyewitness The Netherlands. Want the best of Amsterdam in your pocket? Look out for our DK Eyewitness Top 10 Amsterdam.

About DK

At DK Eyewitness, we believe in the power of discovery. We make it easy for you to explore your dream destinations. DK Eyewitness travel guides have been helping travelers to make the most of their breaks since 1993. Filled with expert advice, striking photography and detailed illustrations, our highly visual DK Eyewitness guides will get you closer to your next adventure. We publish guides to more than 200 destinations, from pocket-sized city guides to comprehensive country guides. Named Top Guidebook Series at the 2020 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, we know that wherever you go next, your DK Eyewitness travel guides are the perfect companion. 

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference, Guidebook

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[PuPilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Az 1998-as kiadás van meg, és hát nagyon érezni rajta, hogy ez mennyire a net kora előtt íródott. :) Telefonáljunk körbe, meg telefonfülke (alig jutott eszembe a neve is), meg még euró se volt... Szóval érdekes dolgok, amik már nem érvényesek, elavultak. Amúgy persze a megszokott minőség, sok kép, részletes, sétaútvonalak, praktikus dolgok megtalálhatók benne, az nem változik, ahogy a műemlékek se. Kicsit talán túl részletes is.
Volt benne egy nagyon aranyos dolog: Poezenboot, a kóbor macskák hajója. :D Na ezt megnézném!

[zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely feel more prepared (and excited) for Amsterdam after reading this.

[Niamh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, I'm a fan of DK Eyewitness. The Steve Rick books are good also but more in the electronic format because they have great links to different restaurants and things to do. Eyewitness books are great if you want a paper map and guide to walk around with.

[Raidah Intizar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mi and Ba brought me this book as goodies from Amsterdam. Thankfully, it's english. But yet, i'll learn dutch language.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick reference book that helped me prepare for a trip to Amsterdam. Found the book to be very accurate and gave me some great places to visit. Highly recommend this one for a trip to the Netherlands.

[Mark Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a nice read!!!!

[Emily S · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 version. Good stuff.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I have no idea if the information is correct--I'll find that out after my trip. The reason I added this to my list is that it was so astounding that the edition I read (2009) was so poorly edited. Slews of printing mistakes, words broken up where they shouldn't have been, sentences dropped off . . . became a bit of a distraction.
Needless to say, this will not take away from my trip--just felt compelled to comment on it.

[Maggie Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

2014 edtion: A great book to read before your trip. Good details about the history and culture of Amsterdam as well as maps of the area. The sugguested itineraries (2-3 days) are helpful since there is so much to see & do in Amsterdam. I liked the detailed information (floor plans and visitor checklist). Best to read ahead, plan your day and it leave in your hotel room since it is too heavy to carry around with you.

[Jdetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't your typical travel guide....there aren't large sections devoted to every lodging and dining option in the city. Instead, it's relatively short and zeroes in on the few attractions that are considered worthwhile, which seems a sensible plan. It never gets overwhelming and still provides a very comprehensive look at the city.

[Darlene Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book includes many maps, walking tours and city maps. History and tourist attractions, museums, restaurants and shopping featured with color photos. I read this to armchair travel along with a friend who was there in person. DK does an excellent job on tourism books. Slick map inside back cover to go into your backpack for easy reference if you plan a trip.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to Amsterdam and this book was my life saver. We found our hotel from this book and used the map from the book to help us found our way around. There were a few things that was said in the book that were not up-to-date but that happens. Overall this book paid for itself.

[Ladie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought the kindle version to read before & reference during trip to Holland 2019. A great help for general background info and for making better choices for our self-guided tour in the areas we visited.

[Milan/zzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great companion on my Dutch adventure :)

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice maps, great concise neighborhood focused pages. Perfect for copying select pages to take on the trip.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice colorful guide to this popular tourist attraction. This book is a little too large and heavy to carry all day in a pocket but a small pack would easily handle it.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in typical DK Eyewitness style it helps to break down Amsterdam zone by zone, singling out the best sights to visit.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great companion during my visit in Amsterdam. The Eyewitness Travel guides are always worth buying.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The DK Eyewitness Travel Guide series are my favorite travel guides. I appreciate the practical information and really like that they have full-color pictures of the sites.

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful but nowadays you can get much better information on the web...

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trochę ciężko się czyta ten przewodnik

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides are the best! I have one for everywhere I've traveled.

[Steve Clark]

Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd (1995)

[Martin Ridgway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find these the most useful of the general travel guides, less studiously hip than Lonely Planet or Rough Guide; clearer; better illustrated; and a good balance between general and specific.

[Roya · Rating 2 out of 5]

This guide was only marginally helpful and lacks reliable practical advice,. This was a disappointment because generally, Eyewitness guides are very good.

[Gayle Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Travel book in preparation for my heritage trip to the Netherlands, my ancestral country.

[Cassandra]

This is part of my next itinerary!

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for Christmas, before my trip to Ghana and my weekend layover in Amsterdam. It was pretty helpful when it came to suggesting some museums to go see. I honestly didn't use it a whole lot when I was in the city though. The pictures really are lovely.