Planning a short trip

I'm going to Amsterdam in 16 days!
I'm so excited, first of all because I don't fly away from Italy since September 2013, and then because it's my first time in Amsterdam. There's a lot to see and to do, I can't wait!
It doesn't matter if I have an exam on the 26th: I'm totally thinking about Holland and tulips (my beloved tulips) and bikes and mills and so on.
Since it will be a short trip, I have to schedule it precisely and know where to go and what to do everyday. My boyfriend and I will stay in Amsterdam only for four days and three nights, in Easter, so we don't want to waste time, we want to visit as much as possible.

Through the years I got used to this kind of trip, I saw London and Madrid in four days and Paris in three days, so I know that if you want to see as much as possible you can't give some extremely necessary things up.
These are my five tips to plan your short trip.

1. Find the places, museums and attractions you want to see absolutely.
It's really important to know exactly what's inevitable for you: it's your trip, you must decide for yourself. These inevitable places will be your starting point.

2. Get a map 
With a map of the city you can see where are the places you want to go, and see if there's something near to something else, you can schedule your days by staying in a precise zone. I think that the more you stay on public transport the more time you waste: try to plan precisely every day so that you don't have to move from a place to a far one. Now you have your "trip skeleton".

3. Buy a guide of the city and look on the Internet.
This is a good way to find new attractions or places, you can fill your plan with new these new thing to do. The guide is also useful because when you will be there you can have some short description of the places and, of course, advice for restaurant, shop and so on.

4. Choose a day for resting a little.
A short trip is really exhausting: you'll walk so much and sleep so little. I like to choose one day, usually in the middle of the trip, to visit a park or a relaxing place and stay there. You can have a pic-nic or simply lay on the grass and watch the nature, it will be a really good experience and it will be useful for your legs!

5. Write your plan in a diary
A diary is perfect for your trip, not only because you can mark your plan, but because when you will be there you will be able to write yor emotions, your thoughts or draw something. Moleskine store sells some city agendas with maps and informations. I was so unlucky because when I decided to buy the Amsterdam one, it was sold out.