In Two Days

Before you leave your hotel on the second day, try getting tickets to the ballet or opera at the Muziektheater for an evening performance. See the Anne Frankhuis first and go early because there's always a line (although during summer, when the museum is busiest and open until 9pm, it's better to go in the evening). Start: Trams 13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt.

1. Anne Frankhuis

The Prinsengracht canal house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis during World War II seems haunted by tragic ghosts, yet suffused with her brave spirit.

2. Westerkerk

A bronze statue of Anne Frank graces the square outside the 17th-century Protestant church where Rembrandt was laid to rest. Head up the steeple for heavenly views of the city.

3. Homomonument

This monument to the world's persecuted gays and lesbians takes the form of three rose-colored granite triangles, recalling the shape of the badge the Nazis forced homosexuals to wear.

4. De Prins

Though it's in a heavily touristed area, De Prins has kept the finest qualities of a quintessential Amsterdam eetcafé. Prinsengracht 124. tel. 020/624-9382.

5. Houseboat Museum

Ever wondered what it would be like to own a houseboat? Find out aboard the vintage canal-barge Hendrika Maria. Be sure to duck when you go below.

6. Amsterdams Historisch Museum

Amsterdam manages to stay on the cutting edge of just about every trend even while remaining immersed in more history than is easy to digest. That's where the Historical Museum's breezy traipse through 800 years comes in handy.

7. Kantjil & de Tijger

Nothing is more typical of Amsterdam than its love affair with Indonesian cuisine. This elegant eatery is a master of the genre. Spuistraat 291-293. tel. 020/620-0994.

8. Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market)

The famed floating flower market stands partly on barges permanently moored on Singel and partly on shore -- so that "floating" tag is more marketing-driven than real. By any name, the flower market is a colorful sight.

9. Muntplein

This misshaped "square" doesn't quite cut it as a visitor attraction, despite boasting the medieval Mint Tower with its graceful spire and tinkling carillon. Most visitors are preoccupied with staying alive at this busy tram intersection.

10. Rembrandtplein

A city square that makes up in sheer tackiness for what it lacks in sophistication. Actually, that's not quite fair. There are a few decent cafes and the determination to have a good time can be infectious, or at any rate loud. Don't miss Rembrandt's so-so statue and the cheesy bronze representation of The Night Watch.

11. Café Schiller

While it can seem too cool for Rembrandtplein -- perhaps the reason it's often empty -- Schiller has Art Deco style and a calm-oasis character some locals find engaging. Rembrandtplein 36. tel. 020/624-9864.

12. Magere Brug

The "Skinny Bridge" over the Amstel River has about as many tales associated with its creation as lights that illuminate it at night. In daylight or darkness, the view from this wooden drawbridge is memorable.

13. Muziektheater

A synthetic-modern architecture has earned the city's opera and dance venue the biting epithet of "False Teeth." The Amsterdam-based Netherlands Opera and National Ballet, and the regularly visiting Netherlands Dance Theater (from The Hague) do their impressive best to keep it real on the inside.

14. Breitner

For pre- or post-Muziektheater dining, and even during the performance (if you didn't attend), Breitner puts on a pretty refined show. Amstel 212. tel. 020/627-7879.