Amsterdam - The Laid Back City
Amsterdam earned its name when a dam was put in place on the River Amstel during the thirteenth century. Popular belief is that The Hague is the capital of The Netherlands when in reality it is Amsterdam.
The City has gained a justifiable reputation as the perfect city break destination, although with such a lot to do and see, a weekend might not be enough days to justify the trip. With such a huge range of prices, there are cheap Amsterdam hotels to fit any taste or pocket. A very enjoyable way to enjoy the sights and sounds of Amsterdam is to take a boat trip along the canals. There are four main canals and 1,281 bridges and many cruise companies who offer all sorts of themed journeys around what is the city’s intricate water system. A large number of water excursions are available all year round. One suggestion that you might wish to think about is to set by a day to explore a selection from the many museums in Amsterdam and buy a ticket on the museum boat where you will be taken in style to all of the popular museums. One stop is that of Rembrandts Museum at the Jodenbreestraat. Here you will marvel in disbelief at the original collection of 250 etchings and a number of sketches and drawings by the great Dutch master Rembrandt. Apart from Rembrandt’s house, you will cruise the canal waters over to the house of Anne Frank. The house is currently a museum, but was originally the home of the Frank family. Afraid of capture by German invasion forces, the whole family spent years in hiding. The daughter, Anne, wrote her engrossing diary during the 2 years of hiding. The house (her home) has been saved by the Anne Frank Foundation and was onverted to a museum in 1962.
The famous Rijksmuseum contains the country’s finest collection of art and history including paintings, Asian art, dolls houses and the history of Netherlands exhibition. The leading exhibit at the museum is built around the celebrated works from the country’s wonderful Golden Age with artists such as Steen, Rembrandt and Vermeer.
For an unforgettable art experience, situated halfway between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum is that of the Van Gogh museum. A wonderfully detailed exhibition of Vincent Van Gogh’s life is exhibited within the walls of this landmark and you will see over 200 of his masterpieces. As well as his paintings are his hundreds of drawings together with overwhelming amounts of written documentation by the vastly misunderstood artist. Totally unmissable for fans of modern art, impressionist fans and fans of Holland!
Amsterdam’s red light district is famous throughout the World. It can be found in the region of the Oude Kerk region where a number of the city’s most impressive buildings can be found. The Red Light area runs between Warmoesstraat and Nieumakt square. Stag Nights are a regular happening in the De Wallen area, particularly drawn there by the reputation for window prostitution and sex shops. This region is particularly interesting because it is where people come to be themselves. It is a lively energetic place where you can find a huge variety of people, a perfect cup of coffee, a great choice of shops and lots of excellent places to eat.
Touring in and around Amsterdam can be quite pleasant. The roads are wide and modern and the city can be considered an excellent centre for touring around the nearby regions and countries. Costs for Amsterdam car hire are very reasonable and you will save money by booking car hire online.
Dam Square is the place to return to time after time because it is a tourist meeting place generally and a great place to appreciate people watching and street entertainment while you sip a well-deserved cappuccino! There is such a wealth of visitor attractions in Amsterdam that visiting a mere sample of them could set a family back a small fortune. Amsterdam offers its treasured tourists the Amsterdam Card saving its users lots of Euros!. Developed by the Amsterdam Tourist Board, the card entitles you to free admission to all of the leading museums together with a free canal boat trip and reduced price vouchers to lots of shops and restaurants. Furthermore, the Amsterdam Card gives you free travel throughout the city. You can obtain an Amsterdam Card for 24, 48 or 72 hours. A 24-hour card costs EUR 31 (GBP 25), 48 hours EUR 41 (GBP 33) or 72 hours EUR 51 (GBP 41) and can be obtained from Tourist Information (VVV).
In the centre of the regularly all too crowded centre of the city is a haven of parkland nicknamed ‘the town’s pride and joy’. Amsterdam’s wonderful botanical gardens, Hortus have occupied this spot for more than 400 years and are maintained with pride by its devoted keepers. A haven of quietness for the times when life in the city gets a bit too fraught!
Should you are visiting Amsterdam in August, you will love the colourful ‘Gay Parade’. The Gay Parade takes place each August and consists of a procession of brightly painted and wildly decorated boats. Its a wonderful photographic opportunity not to be missed and is best enjoyed by spectating from any of the bridges that cross the Prinsengracht Canal.