Authored by Phoenix Hutton

The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is a beautiful city with an amazing variety of things to see and do. And if you love travel photography, getting the perfect shot will most likely be at the top of your list.

From it’s seventeenth-century buildings and canals, to impressive museums and joint-smoking alien sculptures, few cities meld history with modern urban flair like Amsterdam, and this is a fantastic place to travel as a photographer.

Best known as the home of Anne Frank, Amsterdam’s friendly residents invite you to visit the city that takes its name from its famous canals built on the Amstel River.

The following are great photography locations for shooting throughout Amsterdam. Head here if you’re looking to travel like a photographer and not a tourist.

Pro tip: Want to post your photos while you’re traveling? Stay connected with TEP wireless; a pocket-sized, portable WiFi hotspot for high speed internet anywhere in Europe. Portable wifi in Amsterdam is a really great way to get unlimited internet, to post as many photos as you want to!

The Best Places to Take Amazing Photos in Amsterdam

De Krijtberg

De Krijtberg is a Roman Catholic church in Amsterdam, located at the Singel. While you’ll need to check the opening hours, the beautiful St. Francis Xavier is a spectacular place to photograph.

Visitors should plan their trip to capture the gorgeous stain-glass windows from inside this chapel constructed between 1880 and 1883. The brightest stain-glass windows were installed in this neo-Gothic chapel during the 1930s.

Begijnhof

In 1346, the Catholic Church established Begijnhof, where women could live while caring for the city’s poorest residents. The area which is built around a central court is the oldest residential area in Amsterdam.

Most of the homes are now privately owned. This neighborhood features the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam which was constructed in 1528.

Canals

Most houses and Amsterdam hotels have a canal very close to them. One of the most photogenic is the Keizersgracht, which translates to the Emperor’s Canal.

Iconic photos can be captured at Leidsegracht. Take advantage of the golden hour to capture great pictures of this location that was constructed in the late 1700s.

Alternatively, head to Keizersgracht at Reguliersgrach where you can capture seven bridges in one image. Do not overlook the nearby buildings where many famous people have stayed including Peter the Great, President John Adams, and Daniel Fahrenheit.

Central Station

First opened in 1889, this Gothic/Renaissance Revival station serves over 260,000 people each day. Try to get to the top of the building where visitors find a metal platform providing a great place to see the city.

Stop at the white wooden coffeehouse in front of the building that serves as a tourist information stop to see amazing handicrafts created by local artists.

Rijksmuseum

Since 1885, the Rijksmuseum has been welcoming visitors wanting to learn about the country’s arts and crafts. Works by Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, and Frans Hals.

The fragmented building sitting just south of the main museum contains many excellent examples of Dutch art that were collected from various older buildings in the Netherlands.

Bloemenmarkt

The first flowers sold in Amsterdam came from floating boats in 1862. Today, visitors find 15 florists on barges that are permanently moored near Singel Street.

Book an Amsterdam taxi to take you there early in the day because the market gets very busy later. Visitors can even find tulip bulbs that can be shipped overseas.

A’dam Lookout

Located very near Central Station, the A’dam Lookout observation deck offers unobstructed views of this historical city. The tower also offers a 328-foot swing, the highest in Europe, allowing visitors to swing over the edge of the building.

Visitors can also dine in the beautiful revolving restaurant located on the 19th floor. The building’s elevator whisks guests up 20 floors in 20 seconds.

Royal Palace

The poet Contantijn Huygens described the Royal Palace, which is still used by Dutch royalty, as the eighth wonder of the world. When builders built it between 1648 and 1655, builders used 13,659 wooden piles to make sure that it did not sink in the sand.

Visitors can enter the palace when royalty is not present. Once inside, guests can view an Atlas statue weighing more than 2,200 pounds.

Anne Frank House (Exterior)

When people visit Amsterdam, one place that everyone must stop is the Anne Frank House where she hid out during World War II. It was in this home that she penned her famous novel.

While photography inside the house is prohibited (for many visitors, a visit to the Anne Frank House is an emotional experience, which could be disturbed by photography and filming, and this could also be harmful to the sometimes fragile original artifacts), you can take great aerial photographs of the building from tower of Westerkirk church, or straight on from across the canal. The area surrounding the house lends itself to a beautiful canal scene.

Note that Guests need to purchase their tickets online or plan their visits very late in the day. The house contains a lot of information about her life, which will immerse you in her inspiring story.

Hortus Botanicus

This lovely garden was established in 1638 so that doctors could get the important herbs and plants that they needed to get people well from the plague.

Today, the garden contains over 6,000 species of plants including a 2,000 years old agave cactus and a 300-year-old Eastern Kape giant cycad. Visitors can also stroll through three hothouses representing three different tropical zones on the earth.

OUR FAVORITE AMSTERDAM CITY GUIDES: CLICK TO LOOK INSIDE↓

Lonely Planet Amsterdam

Rick Steves’ Pocket Amsterdam

History of the World’s Most Liberal City

SPREAD THE WORD! PIN THIS TO YOUR TRAVEL PINTEREST BOARDS ↓

The following are great photography locations for shooting throughout Amsterdam. Head here if you’re looking to travel like a photographer & not a tourist.

The following are great photography locations for shooting throughout Amsterdam. Head here if you’re looking to travel like a photographer & not a tourist.

Phoenix Hutton is a traveler and photography enthusiast. For the last few years, she has found a way to combine both of her passions – working as a freelance photographer enabled her to take over the globe.

Phoenix likes to share her insights with other adventure-seekers. You can read more of her articles on Luxury Travel.

Photo credits: Featured photo by Moyan Brenn. De Krijtberg by Jorge Láscar. Begijnhof by Bert Kaufmann. Keizersgracht by Massimo Catarinella. Central Station by Kyle Hasegawa. Rijksmuseum by Elyktra. Bloemenmarkt by yeowatzup. The Royal Palace by Marek & Ewa Wojciechowscy. Anne Frank House by Bogdan Migulski. Pinterest images by Moyan Brenn.