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Amsterdam's Best Hidden Gems: 13 Secret Spots from Attic Churches to Rooftop Bars

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Amsterdam's Best Hidden Gems: 13 Secret Spots from Attic Churches to Rooftop Bars

Amsterdam's world-famous museums and monuments will keep culturally-minded sightseers busy for weeks. But look beyond the headline attractions and you'll uncover some sparkling hidden gems. From secret cafés and offbeat music venues to rooftop bars and a museum in an underground bank vault — here are the best non-touristy things to do in Amsterdam.

Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder — A jaw-dropping secret hidden in plain sight: a fully intact clandestine Catholic church tucked into the attic of a 17th-century canal house, built during an era of religious persecution. It's one of Amsterdam's most extraordinary historic sites.

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NEMO's Roof — The rooftop of NEMO Science Museum doubles as one of the city's largest free terraces, complete with stepped seating, water features and sweeping views over Amsterdam's city centre. In summer it's the perfect spot for sunbathing, picnics and sunset-watching.

De Koffieschenkerij — Hidden in a wing of the Oude Kerk (Amsterdam's oldest building), this tearoom serves coffee and homemade cakes amid ancient stone walls and stained-glass windows — a serene oasis away from the Red Light District bustle.

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Mezrab — In the Oostelijke Eilanden neighbourhood, this cultural hub hosts weekly English-language storytelling nights drawing tellers and listeners from across the globe — a uniquely Amsterdam way to tap into the city's multicultural soul.

REM Eiland — Once a pirate radio broadcasting platform, this structure now floats on the IJ river as a restaurant and events space with panoramic river views through floor-to-ceiling windows.

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Other gems worth seeking out: the Amsterdam City Archives, the cult cinema LAB111 housed in a former pathology lab, the floating Houseboat Museum, multicultural performance venue Podium Mozaïek, organ-music-dedicated Orgelpark, and craft breweries Brouwerij de 7 Deugden and House of Bird.

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