A'DAM Toren Lookout

My coworker Sander proposed to his girlfriend on top of the A'DAM Toren at sunset. She said yes. He says the view "did half the work." Having been up there multiple times, I believe him.

A'DAM Lookout is the observation deck on top of the A'DAM Tower in Amsterdam Noord, directly across the IJ river from Centraal Station. The view is a complete panorama of Amsterdam — the canal belt, the old city, the harbor, the skyline stretching out to the horizon. On a clear day you can see all the way to the coast. At sunset, the light hits the canals and the rooftops and the whole city turns golden. It is genuinely one of the most beautiful views I have seen anywhere.

Getting there is part of the experience. You take the free ferry from behind Centraal Station — it is a 2-minute ride across the IJ, and as you cross, the Amsterdam skyline unfolds in front of you. From the ferry terminal, the A'DAM Tower is right there. You take an elevator up and step out onto the rooftop terrace.

The main draw for some people is "Over the Edge" — a giant swing on the edge of the rooftop, 100 meters above the ground. Yes, it is Europe's highest swing. Yes, you swing out over the edge of the building with nothing below you but Amsterdam. My friend Jake did it and screamed the entire time. He then immediately wanted to go again. It costs extra (around 7 euros on top of the lookout ticket) and it is worth it if you are not afraid of heights. If you are afraid of heights, watching other people do it is also entertaining.

Even without the swing, the lookout is worth the visit. The 360-degree terrace has viewing points in every direction, with markers showing you what you are looking at. The rooftop bar — Madam — serves cocktails and has DJs on summer evenings. My coworker goes there specifically for sunset drinks and says the combination of cocktails, music, and that view is "unfairly romantic."

The revolving restaurant — Moon — is one floor below the lookout. It does a full rotation during dinner, so you see the entire city over the course of your meal. It is a splurge, but a memorable one. My coworker's proposal dinner was at Moon, with the sunset through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Pretty solid move.

Practical advice: go close to sunset. The golden hour view is incomparably better than midday. Check the sunset time, buy a ticket for about an hour before, and you will get the daylight views, the sunset, and the beginning of the city lighting up at dusk. My coworker says this timing is "non-negotiable."

Tickets for the lookout are around 14-16 euros. Over the Edge swing is extra. You can buy combination tickets online and it is slightly cheaper. Lines can form in summer, especially around sunset, so buying online in advance is smart.

One note: it can be windy up there. Really windy. Amsterdam is already a windy city and 100 meters up amplifies it significantly. Bring a jacket, even in summer. My friend wore a sundress and spent the entire time trying to keep it from becoming a flag. She was not amused. The rest of us were.

If you are visiting Amsterdam and want one big "wow" moment, the A'DAM Lookout at sunset is it. The view puts the whole city into perspective — you can see the canals, the parks, the neighborhoods you have been exploring, all laid out below you. My coworker says it is the moment Amsterdam stops being a series of streets and becomes a whole city. He is not wrong. And he is still happily married, so the view clearly works.