Bottom line: three to four days is enough to feel you've really seen Amsterdam. The core is very compact — you can cross it by bike in about 20 minutes — and the historic canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Jordaan, Museum Quarter and De Pijp are all within 25 minutes' walk of each other. Must-sees: the Rijksmuseum (Rembrandt, Vermeer originals), the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House (book weeks ahead in peak season; no same-day tickets). For food, don't miss Indonesian rijsttafel (a 10–20 small-dish colonial-era feast) and raw herring from a street-side haringhandel stand. If it's your first European city trip with only 4–5 days, Amsterdam's scale makes it an easier starting point than London or Paris.