Best Books About Amsterdam [Top 10 Recommended] [2024 Update]

What are the best and most beautiful books about Amsterdam, including beautiful photos and the history of Amsterdam? Read on for our top 10 with best recommendations …

The top 10 books about Amsterdam and the surrounding area

Dive into the history of the Dutch capital, or go in-depth with specific topics about what happened in Amsterdam. You are bound to learn something that you did not know yet. We start our recommendations with the top 10 best books about Amsterdam of all time. This list has been updated this year, including all the recent titles.

Best Books About Amsterdam	Author
Rituals	Cees Nooteboom
Rembrandt’s Whore	Sylvie Matton
Amsterdam: A Brief Life of the City	Geert Mak
Last Call	Harry Mulisch
On the Water	HM van den Brink
Yoga for People Who Can’t Be Bothered to do it	Geoff Dyer
The Book of Revelation	Rupert Thomson
The Ministry of Pain	Dubravka Ugresic
My ‘Dam Life	Sean Condon
The Diary of a Young Girl	Anne Frank

The updated top 10 list: the best books about Amsterdam

Rick Steves Pocket Amsterdam

This is a handy, compact guide for those who are visiting Amsterdam for a week or less. Discover walks, accommodation, restaurants, and practical information on travelling within the city of Amsterdam.

Essential Amsterdam Travel Tips: Secrets, Advice & Insight for the Perfect Amsterdam Trip (Essential Europe Travel Tips Book 2)

If you are looking for secret spots in Amsterdam that not many other tourists will be able to find, then this is your book. We like this guide, because it also included budget-friendly options.

Mission Amsterdam: A Scavenger Hunt Adventure (Travel Book For Kids)

This book will make sure that your children’s have their own unique experience during your stay in Amsterdam. Go on a scavenger hunt of Amsterdam’s most famous sights. They will remember this trip forever.

National Geographic Walking Amsterdam: The Best of the City (National Geographic Walking Guide)

There are eleven routes in this Amsterdam walking guide. The maps that are included will be handy when looking up specific directions after going to a museum or taking a break. The pictures are very characteristic and represent the heart of Amsterdam and its people.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam: Highlights of the Collection (Amsterdam Museum Guides) (Volume 1)

When you visit the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, be sure to take this guide with you. You will be able to see all the masterpieces and artworks that are worth taking a moment for.

Rick Steves Amsterdam & the Netherlands

In our opinion this book is a good combination for those who want to visit not only the capital of the Netherlands, but also want to discover the rest of the country. You will find maps, tours and tips for a stay in the Netherlands that lasts at least a full week, but preferably more.

Amsterdam: A History of the World’s Most Liberal City

Everyone who goes to Amsterdam for the first time is overwhelmed by the city and how it differs from where you come from. To learn more about Amsterdam and its history, read Russell Shorto’s book on one of the most cosmopolitan places on the planet.

Amsterdam: A Novel

This is not a guide on Amsterdam, but a novel about two men who meet on a woman’s funeral. They both dated this woman, as it turns out, and they eventually end up in Amsterdam together a few weeks after the funeral.

The Rhine: Following Europe’s Greatest River from Amsterdam to the Alps

Read about the history of the Rhine and what its effect was on Europe. The Rhine is 800 miles long, and it has influenced those who live near the river and the countries it flows through.

Fodor’s Amsterdam: with the Best of the Netherlands (Full-color Travel Guide)

If you are more interested in the tips that locals have on experiencing Amsterdam, then we think this is the best book on this top ten list. Maps and itineraries also include other large cities in the Netherlands, like Rotterdam, Delft, Haarlem and the Hague.