Amsterdam is a flat city with no hills which makes it great for cycling and walking. So if you want to catch some panoramic views of Amsterdam, you will need to visit some of these locations.
Nemo
The Nemo science exhibition has a very large rooftop cafe with puzzles and games for children. Access to the rooftop is free.
SkyLounge
The SkyLounge cafe at Hilton Doubletree near Amsterdam central station has a small yet sophisticated open terrace which is open to the public. It also has lots of seating indoors, again with great views.
Amsterdam library
Amsterdam library offers La Place, a great rooftop cafe/restaurant with views across Amsterdam. It also has free internet access and seating areas with the possibility to charge up laptops & phones.
Church Towers
The church tower of the Oude Kerk is open to the public for guided tours between April and September. There is no lift and the climb involves narrow spiral staircases and step ladders. It’s not for visitors with mobility issues and children under 10 are not permitted.
The Zuiderkerk church tower is currently undergoing restoration and will be closed from December 2014 until March 2017.
The Westerkerk Church Tower dates back to 1638 and reaches a height of 85m meters. It is located on Prinsengracht, near Anne Frank House and offers a great panorama of central Amsterdam. The viewing platform is around half-way up and is reached by climbing the spiral staircase and then some tricky ladder steps. Entry is by guided tour only running every 30 minutes. The guides are local university students and all speak very good English. Tickets can be purchased at the base of the tower and reservation is not possible. Children aged between 1-5 are not allowed to climb the tower and the maximum group size is 6 persons.