Amsterdam Destination Guide

Amsterdam is a city of architectural treasures, churches, diamonds, museums, music, theatre and waterways. The canals are the lifeblood of the city and they divide Amsterdam neatly into easily manageable districts. There are 165 canals in the city, almost one on every street corner! Start out with a Amsterdam canal tour to get a true feel of the city. With more than 50 in the city, the museums are Amsterdam's most visited attractions. Of special note are the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. The Heineken Experience is not to be missed either; we recommend that you end the self-guided multimedia tour with a sampling of the brew!

Vondelpark is the ‘green lung' of the city. It is 120 acres of lush green gardens, lakes, playgrounds, a bandstand, and cafés. Amsterdam is also home to Artis, the oldest zoo in the nation.

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Museums in Amsterdam are a storehouse of Golden Age paintings, theatre and film memorabilia, press and photography treasures, science and shipping artefacts, and some unique ones such as the Ajax museum, the Houseboat museum, and of course Amsterdam's trademark erotic and torture museums.

The three most important museums are located in the sophisticated Museum Quarter or Museumplein, just south of Leidesplein. They are the internationally renowned Rijksmuseum or National Museum, the Van Gogh Museum featuring the largest collection of the master's work, and the Stedelijk or Municipal Museum with the richest collection of modern art.

While in Amsterdam, one cannot skip a visit to Anne Frank's House in the Jordaan quarter. This is where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II and where she wrote her famous diary. The diary and other articles from her life are on display here.

The Hermitage Amsterdam is the largest dependency of the Hermitage Museum at St. Petersburg in Russia. Of the two permanent exhibitions on display here, one chronicles the relations between the Netherlands and Russia and the other relates the history of the building Amstelhof housing the museum. Other temporary exhibitions are put up every six months or so. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Vodka Museum are two other interesting sights.

The NEMO Science and Technology Centre is a great place to take children, and for adults of course. The centre faces the port and portrays a voyage of discovery between reality and discovery. The interactive exhibits allow you to carry out experiments and understand the nuances of science and technology.

The Oude Kerk or Old Church is Amsterdam's oldest parish church. It stands in Oudekerksplein in the De Wallen or red light district of the city. The church roof is Europe's largest wooden medieval vault and the acoustics of the building are magnificent, making it a venue of choice for many concerts. The church was built on a cemetery and the floor is made up entirely of gravestones.

This 17th century Golden Age building was built in the classical style to serve as a city hall. One of four palaces in the Netherlands today, it is used by Queen Beatrix to host official functions during state visits. The palace is open to the public when the queen is not in the city.

Originally built as a sanctuary for the Begijntjes, a Catholic sisterhood, the Begijnhof is an enclosed courtyard with a number of beautiful houses overlooking green gardens. One of the houses is the Het Houten Huis, Amsterdam's oldest surviving house. The English church dominates the southern edge of the property.

Or Artis is the country's oldest zoo and located in central Amsterdam. The zoo grounds also have the century-old Aquarium, the Botanical Garden, the Geological Museum and Planetarium, and the Zoological Museum. The zoo is home to about 700 animals, many on the verge of extinction. The zoo grounds are a peaceful haven in the middle of the fast paced city.

The Red Light District, or 'De Wallen', is one of the most popular tourist attractons of Amsterdam. The area is a network of alleys across several canals in the oldest part of the city, and is an example of the liberalism and freedom of life in Amsterdam.

Almost half of Amsterdam's original canals have been filled to meet various urban requirements, but the city still has 65 miles of ancient canals. Amsterdam is the world's most watery city. A canal cruise is very high in the city's list of attractions. You can dine, dance and enjoy almost every form of entertainment while on a cruise. An Amsterdam canal tour is a great way to see the city from another angle.

Leidesplein is one of the busiest places in Amsterdam. A great place to watch people, street performances, and eat and drink. A statue of Rembrandt marks Rembrandtplein. The square is surrounded by pubs, discos, and some sleazy bars. Dam Square is at the city centre. Once a spot that witnessed a number of turbulent events, the square is a peaceful place now with hundreds of pigeons and tourists strolling around. The Royal Palace dominates the square. As its name suggests, Museumplein holds Amsterdam's three most famous museums. Waterlooplein is also at the city centre and its daily flea market is very popular among both the locals and visitors. The Rembrandt House Museum and the Hermitage Museum are close by.

Other than visiting museums, admiring the architecture, shopping and canal cruising, Amsterdam has a lot to offer. You can go climbing, trekking, take unique walking tours, go golfing, sailing, swimming, cycling, visit the beaches, explore the cultural scene, or get pampered in a spa! Amsterdam has a lively nightlife too.

The 19th century concert hall Concertgebouw is home to the internationally famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the equally renowned Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra. Known for its exceptional acoustics, the hall is a much sought after venue for grand concerts. The theatre and ballet is equally appreciated in Amsterdam. Catch a show by the globally acclaimed National Ballet at the Muziektheater.

Amsterdam's four beaches are Blijburg, Citybeach, Nemo Beach, and Noord. Other than the Vondelpark, Amsterdam has many more green spaces to relax or jog in. Amstelpark, Amsterdamse Bos, Beatrixpark, Frankendael, and Sarphatipark are some of the other lovely city parks.

Take the one and half hour Jordaan Walk from Dam Square to Egalantiers Canal in Jordaan. Catch the charming scenes of Jordaan's neighbourhoods and some of the city's best canal scenery.

Amsterdam comes alive at night. Restaurants, pubs, cafés, theatres, casinos, and clubs thrive behind Dam Square, at Leidesplein and at Rembrandtplein.

Amsterdam is the largest city in Noord Holland, a province on the North Sea in Northwest Netherlands. There are several towns and cities around Amsterdam in Noord Holland and the other provinces that are worth a visit to complete the ‘Amsterdam Experience.'

Haarlem
The provincial capital of Noord Holland, Haarlem is also known as Bloemenstad or flower city, as it is the original tulip bulb-growing district. It is still a major tulip-trading centre. Among several churches and museums, Teylersmuseum, the oldest museum in the country, is also in Haarlem. The city's International Organ Festival in June draws international musicians. The St. Bavo's Church organ is played at the festival, the same organ that Handel and Mozart played in their time.

Alkmaar
The most famous attraction of this city is its traditional Friday cheese market that demonstrates how merchants traded cheese in the good ol' days. To actually buy local cheese, you have to visit the small stalls lined up in front of the medieval weighing house. The Holland Cheese Museum is housed in the weigh house. Some trivia for Beatles fans - John Lennon's first guitar was from Alkmaar!

Hoorn
The 20 kilometer long heritage railway Museumstoomtram Hoorn Medemblik begins at Hoorn and ends at Medemblik. Visitors can still enjoy the meandering tram ride through history. The magnificent 7742 Bello is the only surviving light steam engine of the Netherlands.

Enkhuizen
Like Amsterdam and Hoorn, Enkhuizen was one of the harbour towns from where the Dutch East India Company conducted its overseas trade. The town still has one of the largest marinas in the nation. Many visitors finish the ride on the Museumstoomtram with a ride on an old fashioned steamer to Enkhuizen, complete with saloon-deck sails.

Utrecht
Host to the annual Netherlands Film Festival, Utrecht is second in culture only to Amsterdam. The city aims to become Europe's cultural centre by 2018. The Dom Tower, part of the historic Dom Church, is the city's tallest building. The Oudegracht or old canal is the other landmark of the city. Unique wharf basement structures create a two-level street along the canal. This historic city still houses many old churches and six impressive museums.

Volendam
The old fishing boats and the traditional costumes of the residents are what draws tourists to Volendam. The high pointed bonnet worn by the womenfolk is often featured in postcards although in reality, there are probably just about 50 elderly women who still wear the bonnet as part of their daily attire.

Edam
The famous Edam cheese originated in the town of Edam. The commercial cheese market that thrived here until 1922 was revived in 1989 and the selling and buying process is enacted for tourists. The market is held on Wednesdays in July and August from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Hilversum
The town of Hilversum is the largest town in the Het Gooi region, known for being home to the rich and famous of the Netherlands. The green and picturesque town is home of the Dutch open golf tournament, KLM Open. Media city Hilversum is also the principal centre for radio and television broadcasting in the Netherlands.

Almere
A city in the Flevoland province, Almere is barely 35 years old. The city is visited for its architecture and a modern art museum. Shop in Almere-Stad and visit the beach in Almere-Haven.

Castricum
Located just a 28-minute train ride away from Amsterdam, Castricum's attractions are its beach, the dunes and the lake of Alkmaar-Uitgeest. Surfers and swimmers love the peaceful North Sea beach.

Bergen
Another beach town on the North Sea, Bergen especially attracts tourists from Germany. Museum Kranenburgh displays the work of several famous local painters, writers and architects. The annual music festivals, Holland Music Sessions in August and the Kunsttiendaagse arts festival in October, attract numerous visitors. The Schoorlse Duinen area north of Bergen has the nation's highest and widest dunes. At some places, they reach 59 metres above sea level and are more than 5 kilometres wide.

Zeist
The 18th century Slot Zeist castle is the most famous landmark of Zeist, a town in the Utrecht province. The castle houses a museum and on the lovely castle grounds, walk along the Slotlaan - a long alley with broad red stoned walls and lots of shops. Zeist is conveniently located within an hour's driving distance from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Amersfoort, and the Hague.

Amersfoort
This 750-year old city in Utrecht is one of the country's best-kept secrets. The city has a well-preserved medieval centre and one of the city's most famous landmarks is the 98-metre tall Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren tower, one of the tallest medieval church towers in the Netherlands. Oh yes, and the traffic lights. Amersfoort is probably the only place in the world with traffic lights that show a woman crossing, or waiting to cross, a street!

Muiden
This charming little town is an hour's cycling distance from Amsterdam. There are trains and buses for the less active! The 13th century Muiderslot castle on the IJmeer is a must visit. Muizenfort is one of the 45 forts that make up the fortifying Stelling van Amsterdam. West Battery is another small fort next to a peaceful beach. Take a ferry to the island of Pampus that has another one of the 45 forts.

Amstelveen
Although a separate town, Amstelveen is often perceived as an extension of Amsterdam. The town is home to several modern art museums such as the Museum Jan van der Togt with its unique collection of glass. Spend a relaxing afternoon at the Amsterdamse Bos Park.

Leiden
Leiden, an old university town in the western province of Zuid-Holland, is where the Dutch Constitution was written. One of the city's most famous residents was renowned painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Several churches, the country's oldest university campus, the rich Museum of Antiquities, and one of the world's oldest botanical gardens - the Hortus Botanicus - are what attract visitors to Leiden.