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Short and narrow streets embedded in a small town atmosphere with canals and more than a 1000 bridges to cross make Amsterdam unique. The beautiful 17th-century canals of Amsterdam are important to the city. In the summer, they are used as a playground for boat trips and in the winter, the frozen canals are frequently used for ice-skating. Since July 2010 the canals are also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tasty food, plenty of entertainment options, well-organized transportation and comfortable accommodation; tourists will find everything they are looking for during their holidays in Amsterdam. Sit at a café for hours and inhale the café culture in cozy bruin cafés and eetcafés in one of the most captivating cities in Europe.
The city
The largest city in the Netherlands was a small fishing village in the late 12th century. Today, Amsterdam is an important financial and cultural centre and the location chosen for the headquarters of important international companies, such as Philips and ING.
Culture is alive in the small but active city of Amsterdam. Visitors to the city don’t even have to go inside a museum to enjoy art, since this is a city with a living street art culture. On almost every corner of the town you’ll find images of all shapes and sizes:
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graffiti, stencils, sculptures and stickers.
Tourists have many museums to choose from in Amsterdam. Don’t miss the work of the Dutch post-Impressionist painter Van Gogh. The Van Gogh Museum holds 200 paintings and 500 drawings by the artist. Rembrandt’s “Night watch” is one of the pieces to discover in the Rijksmuseum, that holds one of the most outstanding collections of the world. Another interesting museum to visit is The Stedelijk Museum, which has an amazing collection of 20th-century artists.
Prinsengracht 263 is the address of the museum that tells an emotional story of the diarist Anne Frank. This young Jewish girl and her family had to escape from persecution in Germany in 1933, during World War II. The museum on Prinsengracht 263 was once the house where Anne and her family hid for two years and from where she wrote her famous diary.
The best Contemporary art can be enjoyed in the area of Jordaan, within walking distance of the Anne Frank museum. The area provides 40 specialist galleries occupying former homes or shops.
One cannot visit Amsterdam without going to the Bloemenmarkt, the famous market place for tulips. Bulbs of rare tulips and other decorative flowers can be purchased also in The Tulip Museum, open since 2004. Discover everything about the history of tulips, their cultivation and the so called “tulip mania”, which included speculation in tulip bulbs. During the tulip season, don’t miss the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful flowers in the world in an excursion through the flower fields and the delightful Keukenhof Park.
Attend festivals, multimedia concerts and exhibitions in the Concert Hall, The Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ and discover new cheese flavors at the Wegewijs emporium. Why not go for a charming picnic and meet the locals in the Vondelpark, the largest green space in Amsterdam? After the picnic, visit the flea markets to discover the multi-ethnic spirit of Amsterdam. Find everything you need in the Albert Cuyp market, the biggest market in Holland that began trading in 1904. Football fans can enjoy seeing the local team Ajax play in The Amsterdam ArenA.
If you have time go on an interesting excursion to Antwerp to see the market square and its outstanding cathedral. Continue with a guided city tour to Brussels to discover the secrets of the city of the EC Headquarters.
Amsterdam is world famous for its busy night life. Modern large clubs and small cozy cafés are mixed with bigger discotheques, for those who want to dance the night away. This Dutch city arranges many festivals such as the annual Amsterdam Gay Pride, the culture festival Uitmarkt and the Holland Festival. Amsterdam houses one of the biggest club festivals for electronic music in the world, the Amsterdam Dance Event. Electronic Dance Music festivals are also often held in the well known Heineken Music Hall.
The best way of seeing the city is by foot or by bike. Nearly half of all traffic movements in Amsterdam are by bike. Even well dressed people with suit and tie can be spotted on this locally preferred form of transportation. Don’t be surprised to see extra passengers balancing precariously on the bike.
The best time to see the city is during the beautiful tulip season (between early April to mid-May) and during the summer months. The Netherlands has a mild and maritime climate with warm and wet summers that include colder, rainy periods. The winters can be fairly cold, with rain and snow.
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