Aaron S.
Yelp
Dam Square is one of the most recognisable points in the city, it's famous for housing many of the city's most notable and iconic buildings, it's just a short walk down Damrak from Centraal Station. This huge open plaza is the heart of Amsterdam.
It does get very busy with tourists, so might not be the most comfortable place to hang around during the peak of summer, as tourists and locals alike love to come here and hang out, using it as a meeting point.
There are several benches here where you can sit, the benches are especially handy if grabbing fries from Manneken Pis nearby, with the nearest location on Nieuwendijk, so you can sit down and enjoy your fries, but beware of the vicious and hungry pigeons!
The Royal Palace is the most iconic of the buildings here, which has hosted historic events, more recently including the coronation of King Willem-Alexander in 2013, it also includes the likes of Madame Tussauds and Nieuwe Kerk, as well as other places to eat and drink, and stores including the flagship De Bijenkorf department store.
It's a place up there with the city's canals, Centraal Station and De Wallen as the main places to visit while in the capital of The Netherlands.
Due to the size of the square, it can also be used for large gatherings and protests, not all of them good, during my December 2023 trip, there were many hostile anti-Israel protestors. The city should certainly invest in better policing and security to make sure it doesn't get out of hand to keep everyone safe.
4*