UK Based Travel & Disabled Blogger

Search

3 Days In Amsterdam: A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam

If you love European city breaks, then you may want to consider a trip to Amsterdam. We had a great time exploring the beautiful Dutch city during our three-night city break. I was pleasantly surprised at how wheelchair accessible Amsterdam is and the amazing tram system.

Here is what we got up to during our 3 days in Amsterdam in my ultimate wheelchair users travel guide to Amsterdam, including where to stay, how to get around in a wheelchair and wheelchair accessible things to do in Amsterdam.

A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam

Emma sitting outside the bloemenmarkt with a tulip wall mural behind her and a row of bikes.

Wheelchair Accessible Hotel in Amsterdam

It’s always a little daunting when looking for a wheelchair accessible hotel, especially when visiting a city for the first time. There are so many factors to consider, including the hotel’s location, the accessibility of public transport and distance from the hotel, the hotel’s accessibility, and more.

While researching hotels in wheelchair accessible hotels in Amsterdam, I came across a travel agency, Accessible Travel Netherlands, and after speaking with them, decided to book the Corendon Vitality Hotel with their help.

Corendon Vitality Hotel Amsterdam

It’s a stylish, modern, and comfortable hotel with the best beds ever. There was a train station close by as well as a tram stop with fantastic wheelchair access.

Our accessible ‘vitality’ room had a roll-in shower, and I requested the use of the shower chair. The room also had an automatic door system, automatic curtains, and a smart TV with lots of cool features, such as the ability to order food and drink in the room.

The hotel has a fitness centre and spa, which is ideal if you’re looking to unwind after exploring the Amsterdam sights.

Accessible hotel room in Corendon Vitality Hotel Amsterdam. Accessible hotel room in Corendon Vitality Hotel Amsterdam. Accessible bathroom in Corendon Vitality Hotel Amsterdam.You can read the full review and see more photos of our wheelchair accessible hotel in Amsterdam here: https://www.simplyemma.co.uk/corendon-vitality-hotel-amsterdam-wheelchair-accessible-hotel/

Address: Aletta Jacobslaan 7, 1066 BP Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amenities/facilities: Free Wi-Fi, fitness centre, spa, restaurant, bar, 24/7 shop, room service, car parking.

Wheelchair Accessible Things to Do in Amsterdam

Day 1 in Amsterdam

Breakfast at the hotel

After a late start to the day, we headed down to the hotel’s restaurant for some breakfast and fuelled up on lots of goodness before heading out for our first day in Amsterdam.

Take the tram to Spui Square

We made our way to the tram stop, and after getting a little confused with what line we should be getting, a lovely woman helped us out. We took tram line 2 to Spui Square, which took around 25 minutes.

Browse Spui Square Market

As we stepped off the tram into Spui Square, we realised there was a book market happening. We have since found out that this book market takes place every Friday. It is a small and compact market with lots of books and prints for sale.

There are also a few bookstores and cafes which make this a nice area to browse and stop for some lunch.  Caffe Esprit was a lovely cafe with an outdoor seating area overlooking the square.

If we weren’t full from breakfast then we would have stopped here for some lunch and vegan cake.

Emma sitting in her wheelchair in the middle of the book market at Spui Square in Amsterdam.

Simply Emma Tip: This area is cobblestoned so prepare for a bit of a bumpy ride. Thankfully the area isn’t too big, so shouldn’t be too bad.

The Bloemenmarkt

The Bloemenmarkt is a floating flower market along the southern canal belt. It’s the only floating flower market in the world and has existed since 1862, so it’s pretty cool to visit.

If you’re looking for any type of flower (wooden and real), bulb, or souvenir, then this is the place for you. Not going to lie, I was slightly tempted to buy orange wooden clogs for my nephew (his favourite colour).

The flower market is full of colour and will brighten even the dullest of days. Despite how old the flower market is, I was happy to see there were ramps for easy access down to the different levels.

The bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam
Colourful wooden tulips at the bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam
The Bloemenmarkt floating flower market stalls in Amsterdam.
A wheelchair ramp in the Bloemenmarkt floating flower market stalls in Amsterdam.

Walk along the Canals and quaint streets

After visiting the Bloemenmarkt, take a stroll along the canals and quaint streets. We enjoyed this as it allowed us to admire the beauty of the buildings and gave us a real feel for Amsterdam. There was more of a local feel as opposed to a touristy one.

Emma admiring the view overlooking the canal and watching the canal boats sail past.
A shot from a bridge overlooking a canal with canal boats and colourful buildings in Amsterdam.
Emma sitting in her wheelchair on a canal bridge in Amsterdam. There are a line of colourful buildings down each side of the canal.
Emma driving her powered wheelchair through the quiet quaint streets of Amsterdam.

Dam Square and The Royal Palace

Dam Square is right in the heart of Amsterdam and is bustling with lots of people. Its central location makes it a great area to explore and visit many sights and attractions, such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Madame Tussauds, the National Monument, and of course, The Royal Palace.

With plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants, food stalls, and street performers, you won’t be short of things to do. You can’t miss the sea of bikes here. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen so many bikes in my life as I did in those three days in Amsterdam.

The Royal Palace in Dam Square, Amsterdam. A sea of bikes in Dam Square, Amsterdam.

Simply Emma Tips: This is a cobblestoned area, so if you need a break from the bumps, why not head inside the Royal Palace for a free audio tour? Carers will receive free admission.

Dinner at one of the many restaurants

There are plenty of restaurants in and around Dam Square to choose from. However, we opted to dine a little outwith the Dam Square area in a quieter spot. We stopped off at an Italian restaurant (I forgot its name) for some pasta.

Since it was a nice night, we decided to sit outdoors, but thankfully it had parasols and outdoor heaters as the temperature dropped and became quite cold.

While enjoying our pasta, we discussed what we wanted to do next by studying the map. Allan literally got inside the map to figure out where we were and where to go next.

On the left is Emma in a restaurant eating pasta. The photo on the right is Allan standing on a map of Amsterdam.

Body Worlds Museum

Body Worlds Museum was a short walk from the restaurant, so it was a perfect attraction to visit after a filling dinner. We arrived around 6:45pm so we had to keep track of the time as it was closing at 8pm.

Body Worlds was created by Gunther von Hagens’ and there are a few other exhibitions across Europe, Canada, and North America. The theme of Amsterdam’s Body Worlds exhibition is “The Happiness Project”.

Throughout the five floors of the exhibition, you discover the secrets of happiness and how it affects our bodies. You learn about how exercise, food, sex, prenatal development, and more impact our happiness and health.

This is shown through fascinating interactive displays and over 200 real human bodies. Yes, real bodies!

The bodies are skinned and put through a process of plastination before being put on display. You get to see how our organs, brains, arteries, muscles, and more work.

A wall sign reading 'Many paths lead to Happiness'.3 Days In Amsterdam A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam

Address: Damrak 66, 1012 LM Amsterdam, Netherlands

Facilities: Accessible toilet, lift and gift shop

Day 2 in Amsterdam

Breakfast at the hotel or grab something on the way

Take Tram to Cornelius

Hop on the tram and stop off at Cornelius. From here, you can take a lovely stroll through some residential homes on the way to Vondelpark. These homes were beautiful and grand.

Wander around Vondelpark

It’s always good to escape the bustling city streets by taking some time out to enjoy the tranquillity of a park. We always make sure to do this when visiting a city.

Despite being Amsterdam’s most famous park, Vondelpark wasn’t as busy as I had imagined. It is a beautiful and peaceful park with so much space (120 acres to be exact).

There are several restaurants and cafes, an open-air theatre, a rose garden, playgrounds, a pond, and much more in this stunning greenspace to fill many hours of the day.

After a wander around the park, we stopped off for something to eat at Groot Melkhuis within the grounds of Vondelpark, and it was lovely.

Vondelpark gate to the parkEmma sitting in her wheelchair while looking over the pond and admiring the water fountain in Vondelpark, Amsterdam. Emma sitting in her wheelchair with the pond and water fountain in the background in Vondelpark, Amsterdam. Emma sitting in her wheelchair in an outdoor restaurant in Vondelpark, Amsterdam. 3 Days In Amsterdam A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam 3 Days In Amsterdam A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam

Simply Emma Top Tip: Take a picnic or grab some lunch at one of the restaurants or cafes. It’s a beautiful park. Enjoy your time there!

Visit Museumplein and the iconic iAmsterdam Sign

Some would say that you never visited Amsterdam if you didn’t take a photo in front of the iAmsterdam sign. Well, you will find the iconic sign in the Museumplein, which is a public space in the Amsterdam-Zuid borough.

If one iAmsterdam isn’t enough for you, then head for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to find the second sign, but there is also a third sign that changes locations. A smaller version of the sign is located in the courtyard of the Amsterdam Museum.

Museumplein is a lovely area surrounded by various museums waiting to be explored. You can choose from the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art and the Van Gogh Museum.

If you are short on time, I would suggest just one or possibly two museums, as they are pretty huge with a vast artwork collection.

Exterior photo of rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Emma sitting in her wheelchair next to the huge iAmsterdam sign in Museumplein, Amsterdam.

Simply Emma Top Tip: The iAmsterdam is always going to be busy, so it’s impossible to get a selfie without people photobombing, but grab a free spot and go for it anyway.

The Stedelijk

We wanted to visit The Moco Museum which is a beautiful 1904 townhouse displaying works by graffiti artist Banksy. Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair access, so we decided to visit the Stedelijk instead.

Stedelijk offers wheelchair accessibility throughout, with lifts and accessible toilets. The museum is full of modern and contemporary art. Our favourite was the light exhibitions, as they were mesmerising to watch.

One of the light displays in the stedelijk museum, Amsterdam.Emma admiring a Pablo Picasso painting in the stedelijk museum, Amsterdam.Accessible toilet in the stedelijk museum

Simply Emma Top Tip: I struggled to find accessible public toilets while wandering the streets, so I always made use of the accessible toilet in any museum or attraction I visited. All museums have an admission price, so you can’t just enter the museum to use the toilet without paying the admission prices, which are quite pricey.

Address: Museumplein 10, 1071 DJ Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dinner at Vegan Junk Food Bar

While planning our trip to Amsterdam, we researched the best veganrestaurants,s and the Vegan Junk Food Bar kept coming up in almost every search. We knew it was ‘a must’ for us.

We had been looking forward to eating here for such a long time, and it didn’t disappoint. It was fairly busy when we arrived, so we agreed to wait 15 minutes until a table became free. There was a water fountain just outside the restaurant, so we sat by there for a short wait.

Once seated inside, we began looking at the delicious options on the menu. Not going to lie, it was difficult to choose as there were so many amazing options. Allan opted for the Daddy McChik’n, while I opted for the Original VJFB.

I wanted to go for something like what Allan ordered, but there was no way I would be able to hold the massive burger in my hands. We also ordered a side of nuggets and sweet potato fries. It was amazing!

Vegan Junk Food Bar restaurant in AmsterdamEmma enjoying a vegan burger at Vegan Junk Food Bar in Amsterdam. Emma is wearing a blue and orange striped cardigan.

Simply Emma Top Tip: There is not a wheelchair accessible toilet in this restaurant. If you are able to walk once out of your wheelchair then you may manage to leave your wheelchair outside the toilet door, otherwise, it won’t be possible to use the toilet here.

Address: Marie Heinekenplein 9, 1072 MH Amsterdam, Netherlands

Selfie with the ‘Wake me up when famous’ bench in De Pijp

Just a 5-minute walk from Vegan Junk Food Bar is the ‘Wake me up when famous’ bench in De Pijp. This is a cool, bohemian part of Amsterdam. It had a more relaxed vibe, with shops, restaurants, and cool little places to eat and drink.

De Pijp is also where you will find the famous bench, so it would be rude not to get a selfie, right?

Emma sitting next to the 'Wake me up when I'm famous' bench in De Pijp, Amsterdam.

Address: Frans Halsstraat 64, 1072 BT Amsterdam

Day 3 in Amsterdam

Picnic in Rembrandtpark

You are flying home today, but you still want to squeeze in a few more things before you have to head to the airport. I suggest visiting a local supermarket like Albert Heijn Sierplein, which is about a 15-minute walk from the Corendon Vitality Hotel.

We bought food, drinks and snacks for our picnic and headed to Rembrandtpark for the afternoon. Rembrandtpark is located in the “New West” district and was the perfect spot for our picnic in the sun.

We picked a quiet, secluded spot to enjoy our food beside a pond and even had some ducks for company. Oh and a few wild parrots too.

After our picnic, we wandered around the park and stumbled upon De Uylenburg, which is the oldest petting zoo in Amsterdam. As we were walking by one of the sheep came up to the fence and fell in love with Allan.

Rembrandtpark sign at the entrance to the park Having a picnic lunch next to a pond in Rembrandtpark A green wild parrot sitting in a tree in RembrandtparkA sheep from the petting zoo at Rembrandtpark in Amsterdam.

Simply Emma Top Tip: Stop off at a supermarket along the way for some snacks and enjoy them in the park. Relax with the parrots and watch people come and go.

How to get around Amsterdam in a wheelchair

Wheelchair accessible taxi Amsterdam

Due to arriving late at night we opted to pre-book a wheelchair accessible taxi with Salders. The taxi driver was lovely and took us to our hotel, the Corendon Vitality, where we stayed for three nights.

It was a large Ford van with plenty of space inside for my wheelchair. I would imagine it could possibly take two wheelchairs, as there was space behind me. Our taxi driver ensured I was secured with belts across my body and wheelchair tie-downs.

Emma driving into a wheelchair accessible taxi in Amsterdam with an electric lift.

On Foot/Wheels

Before my trip to Amsterdam, I imagined there would be cobblestones everywhere. However, I was pleased to discover that wasn’t the case. Don’t get me wrong, there were cobbles in some areas, but on the whole, it was relatively flat, allowing for a smooth drive in my powered wheelchair. Crossing the roads was easy, and I always managed to find lowered curb drops.

Emma crossing a road in Amsterdam and using the wheelchair accessible lowered curb cuts to drive onto the pavement.
Emma crossing a road in Amsterdam and using the wheelchair accessible lowered curb cuts to drive onto the pavement.

Wheelchair Accessible Trams in Amsterdam

Getting on the tram was easy, as the tram conductors immediately put the ramp in place for me to enter and exit. I also found the conductors extremely friendly and helpful compared to other European cities I’ve visited. It makes such a big difference when the staff are helpful and smile.

There is a dedicated wheelchair space directly next to the door, so it’s easy to get on and off. Just let the conductor know what stop you are getting off at so they can get the ramp prepared for you. I honestly found the tram super easy and convenient to use.

Emma boarding a tram via a portable wheelchair ramp in Amsterdam.
Emma sitting in her wheelchair on board a tram in Amsterdam.

Bonus Tips

  • Accessible toilets: I found it difficult to find accessible public toilets while out and about. I recommend using toilets when visiting attractions/museums etc.
  • GVB travel cards: You can buy a GVB card for 24, 48, or 72 hours for unlimited travel on the bus, tram, and metro.

3 Days In Amsterdam: A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam

There you have it: 3 days in Amsterdam packed with wheelchair accessible things to do, where to stay, and how to get around Amsterdam in a wheelchair.

If you have any more suggestions for things to see and do in Amsterdam or places to eat and drink, please share them in the comments below.

More on this topic…

Corendon Vitality Hotel Amsterdam | Wheelchair Accessible Hotel In Amsterdam
10 Wheelchair-Friendly Things To Do In Amsterdam

Where Next: You Might Also Enjoy

3 Days in Vienna: Ultimate City Guide to Vienna for Wheelchair Users
5 of the Safest Cities to Navigate With a Disability

Don’t miss a thing!

Follow me on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube’ | Pinterest

Save ’A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam’ to read later

3 Days In Amsterdam_ A Wheelchair Users Travel Guide to Amsterdam pinterest image

Sharing is caring!

Meet Emma

Meet Emma

Hello I’m Emma. My mission is to show you the possibilities of accessible travel through my travel guides, tips and reviews. I also share personal stories, live event reviews and more.

Like what I'm doing?
Search

19 Responses

  1. Last time I visited Amsterdam I didn’t have my Smartdrive yet. And all the bridges around the canals where exhausting. Most of the cute little shops at the canals aren’t accessible, which was disappointing.
    Well… you can probably tell I’m not a big fan of Amsterdam. 😉 I prefer Rotterdam (did you know you don’t need a ramp to get in the trams and metro in Rotterdam?)

    1. Thanks for your comment Jacqueline. I’ve heard a few things about Rotterdam, so I will have to check it out sometime. It is a shame that the cute little shops aren’t accessible – I totally agree. Thanks again 🙂

    2. I couldn’t agree more with you. For manual wheelchair users I found Amsterdam exhausting because of all the bridges over the canals. I wouldn’t recommend it for people traveling alone. Despite all this, I enjoyed the trip.

  2. Hi Emma,

    We LOVE your blog! We have been recommending it to our customers, THANK YOU for all you do to inspire others.

  3. Hi Emma, wow this was so nice to read and took me back to my trip to Amsterdam in 2016. I also spent three days there and agree with everything you say. I do not have a powered wheelchair as I can still move my legs but cannot balance on them. Can I send you my 3 day trip documentation so you can compare the experience with your own?

    Thank you again xxx

    1. Hi Morag. Thank you so much for your comment. It’s great to know that you enjoyed reading this post and it brought back memories of your trip to Amsterdam.

      I would love to see your itinerary of the things you did in Amsterdam. Please send it to my email if you can to hello@simplyemma.co.uk.

      Thank you again for getting in touch 🙂

  4. Hi Emma. Many thanks for sharing your Amsterdam experience.It sounds great!!

    We are going on 31st August with a group of friends.

    We’re staying in the Hampton by Hilton@Arena Boulevard which is about 10-15 minutes the train from the centre.

    We have booked tickets for a Blue Boat canal cruise, Body Worlds, the Heineken Experience , Ripley’s Believe or Not, and the Van Gogh museum

    However, we have found it exceedingly difficult to find a reasonable priced restaurant which has a disabled toilet, so much that we have booked a Chinese restaurant next to our hotel, for one night. I must have asked about 40 restaurants, I’ve received about 20 replies, and 3 have been positive

    We have never been to a major city and found it so difficult to book a restaurant. The attitude of a lot of the restaurants is also quite disappointing too, clearly not understanding that a person in a wheelchair also may need a toilet! A lot of replies were blaming the age of the building

    Hopefully we will be sorted by the time we arrive in Amsterdam, as if there isn’t enough other stuff to sort out before you go on holiday!

    Many thanks

    1. i hope you enjoy your time there, and later you can share your experience, i wil go in october, so i would glad if we can chat

    2. Hello Goody!

      Thank you for your comment! How did your trip to Amsterdam go? Did you have a great time? It would be great to hear how it all went. Did you manage to find some restaurants that were accessible?

      Thanks again and I look forward to hearing about your trip 🙂

  5. Love your advice and tips. Planning events and holidays as a wheelchair user can be a such a military operation at times! Thinking of visiting Amsterdam later in the year. So great to read about your trip! Did you find it straightforward travelling in to the city centre from the hotel you stayed at?

    Mandy x

    1. Hi Mandy

      Thank you for your lovely comment – much appreciated. That’s great you are thinking of visiting Amsterdam this year. I have a full review of that hotel, just you haven’t seen it, I hope it is helpful for you.

      https://www.simplyemma.co.uk/corendon-vitality-hotel-amsterdam-wheelchair-accessible-hotel/

      There was a tram stop located near the hotel which we used for getting around. I’m sure it took around 20mins to get to the city centre from our hotel.

      Let me know if you have any more questions and I’d be happy to help if I can 🙂

  6. I love this article. Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities. We lived in Europe in 1988-89 and visited friends in Holland many times.

    Emma, your postings are so helpful and positive. They encourage me to continue to travel.

    1. Thank you so much Allan. Your kind words and support really means a lot to me. I appreciate it!

      Wow! That must have been great to experience living in Europe. Keep on travelling 🙂

  7. O my, Emma, such a helpful blog! I will ‘copy’ many of your Amsterdam travel tips. I am travelled ng in a Mobility scooter alone – it’s to get some confidence back. I travelled alone lots when I was still walking. I’m only 1/2 way through your blog -Oooo….Laura x

    1. Thank you so much Laura for your lovely comment. I appreciate your kind words and I’m delighted you found this helpful. How did you get on visiting Amsterdam? Did you have a good time? What did you enjoy the most? Thanks again 🙂

  8. Hi Emma – it’s Barcelona in March (2-5th). I promised to tell you about it – I changed my mind about Amsterdam when I saw the Barcelona vids and blogs you sent. I can’t wait……..I tried to stay at MIC but it wasn’t available for those dates. So I’m staying in a new hotel in the city centre – Ayre Caspe. A solo adventure!!
    Laura

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.