Best photography spots Amsterdam 

Amsterdam is an incredibly photogenic city and an Instagrammer’s dream: with its varied and beautiful architecture, picturesque canal-filled cityscape and iconic landmarks, taking some great travel photos is one of the most important things to do in Amsterdam for many visitors. For most people, however, a holiday is not just one big photo shoot and although it’s important to capture those once-in-a-lifetime memories, it’s an aside to enjoying the experience of visiting Amsterdam and ticking off all the must-dos in the city. Here, we take you through some of the city’s most photogenic spots that are well worth visiting, with some great Instagram shots an added but brilliant bonus! 

Here we take you through some of the best Instagram spots in Amsterdam. 

Rijksmuseum 

The Rijksmuseum is the Dutch national museum and is dedicated to the history and art of The Netherlands and its colonies. Aside from the beautifully displayed masterpieces inside, the building’s stunning architecture and pretty gardens are perfect for budding photographers. The building is an iconic Amsterdam landmark and well worth a visit, regardless of whether or not you actually go inside. If you do want to explore the history and art of the Netherlands and enjoy jumping into the country’s rich and diverse history and culture, you can get reduced-price tickets here. 

Canal Belt 

Amsterdam’s 17th century canal belt is arguably the most picturesque part of the city. With its stunning canal-side architecture, beautiful bridges (which are lit up during the Amsterdam Light Festival), visiting the canal belt is one of the most popular things to do in Amsterdam. The best way to see these beautiful sights and get the perfect shots is definitely by boat. And after uploading a couple of snaps of you sitting back in a luxurious boat with a glass of wine in hand and the breeze in your hair, your friends are sure to be green with envy! Check out our partner Starboard Boats’ brilliant Amsterdam boat rental cruises for more information, in our opinion they run the best private boat tour amsterdam has to offer!

And if beautiful canalside buildings and pretty bridges are your thing, but you want to escape the crowds on foot, look no further than one of Amsterdam’s most iconic neighbourhoods…

De Jordaan

The Jordaan is an historic neighbourhood in the centre of the city, built in the early 17th century to house the working classes and immigrants. With its quaint old brown cafés, historic streets with wonky, leaning houses and classic Amsterdam bridges, the Jordaan is an Instagrammer’s dream. The neighbourhood has retained quite a unique vibe and as you walk through the beautiful streets of the quarter, you’ll feel a world away from the crowded, touristic parts of the city. Given its status as a home for artists and young professionals, the Jordaan also has a number of trendy cafes and bars serving up picture perfect cocktails and brunches – the perfect places to refuel after exploring one of the city’s coolest neighbourhoods.

For the real foodie-focussed instagrammer, however, the best place to check out has to be…

The Foodhallen. 

Housed in an old industrial space within De Hallen (a fantastic cultural space complete with a cinema, gallery, events space and gallery), the Foodhallen is home to some of the best (and most photo-friendly!) food in Amsterdam. Far away from the tourist waffle or cheese shops, the Foodhallen is a must-do for the gastronomicaly-minded instagrammer visiting Amsterdam, who wants to explore a local favourite! 

And if exposed brick and a trendy industrial feel is your style, then you can go one step better...

Check out up and coming Amsterdam Noord! 

Just a short ferry trip across the water from Central Station, Amsterdam Noord has a pretty unique feel, with raw, industrial architecture and a variety of cool bars and clubs (check out NDSM for some of the area’s best hipster hangouts). If you want to snap some great photos from a different perspective, head up the ADAM tower (an Amsterdam Instagram hot spot with the city’s best aerial views and the highest swing in Europe!). 

For other waterside pictures, the River Amstel (from which Amsterdam or Amstel Dam as it was originally known, takes its name) is a great place to start. Along this important river are several of the best photo spots in Amsterdam. The Magere Brug (illuminated with 1200 lightbulbs in the evening!) is one of the most romantic spots in the city, as well as one of the most photogenic. At night (and particularly during the Amsterdam Light Festival), with beautifully lit waterside architecture reflecting on the calm waters, the Amstel is truly a spectacle and offers some pretty incredible photographic opportunities. 

The city’s green spaces

Although Amsterdam is a bustling capital, there are plenty of green spaces to unwind and take it all in. Vondelpark is a beautifully green park, with tree-lined paths, tranquil lakes with impressive water fountains and quaint flower gardens (the Rose Garden is particularly photogenic when in bloom). 

For the plant lovers amongst you, Hortus Botanicus is the city’s botanical garden nestled in the picturesque Amsterdam Oost district, just a short distance east of the city centre. This incredible collection of exotic and beautiful plants from around the world are housed in a classic glass house that really takes you back to the past, when explorers and plant collectors would return to the Netherlands with the spoils of their adventures. With house plants being a top trend on Instagram, this is the perfect place to really get one up on the competition and watch those likes pouring in! 

And if you’re really wanting to get wild in Amsterdam, the Artis is the city’s brilliant zoo, just a stone’s throw across the road from Hortus Botanicus, and is the perfect place to get some great photos of a range of beautiful animals from across the world. If you really want to add to the experience, a coffee shop and zoo tour is one way to see things from a unique perspective but the photos might come out a little blurrier than expected! 

Windmills 

Windmills are an icon of the Netherlands. These historical structures are dotted across the Dutch countryside and are something that many people visiting Amsterdam want to see. Although Amsterdam is a modern city, there are still a few windmills that can be visited in the city itself – De Gooyer and De Bloem are two great examples which are perfect spots for some fantastic photos. 

Amsterdam’s best events 

If you want to get some really unique photos of what’s going on in Amsterdam in the summer (or the rest of the year for that matter!), there are always some pretty exciting events taking place in the city. Amsterdam has some pretty incredible events happening throughout the year, from National Holidays like King’s Day (where the whole city dresses up in orange and hits the streets for a huge party in honour of the King’s birthday!), to Gay Pride – where hundreds of thousands join the party along the city’s canals! These festivities are the perfect opportunity to get some colourful photos whilst you party! 

For the more culturally-inclined, art festivals such as the Amsterdam Light Festival offer opportunities to take some incredibly artistic photos whilst enjoying one of the world’s finest exhibitions of contemporary art. With unique light installations around the city’s beautiful canal belt, jumping aboard one of Starboard’s luxury boats gives you the chance to take some fantastically creative photos of the art against the stunning backdrop of the illuminated cityscape at night. 

If you’re visiting Amsterdam and want to make the most of the city, whilst capturing those memories and showing your friends the best of your travels, Amsterdam is the perfect place to get that camera clicking. Whether you’re on a boat enjoying the canal belt, or a sightseeing tour with a twist, contact We Are Amsterdam to make your trip perfect – and don’t worry, all our tours are flexible enough to ensure that you get plenty of pics along the way!