Amsterdam, the 'Venice of the North', and indeed, the inner city is a miracle of architecture of the 17th century and listed on the Unesco list of World Heritage. And it is not a museum, but still alive, well and changing all the time. And there is so much more: museums, worldclass performances and a multi cultural and liberate atmosphere. Amsterdam is used to receive tourists from all over the world and welcomes them.
Amsterdam is also the capital of The Netherlands, a small country...
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Reason to go there
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank (June 12, 1929 - ca. March 1945) was a German-born Jewish girl who wrote a diary
while in hiding with her family and four friends in Amsterdam during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II. No diary is more famous than hers. She lived in 'Het Achterhuis' at the Prinsengracht which is a museum
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You can do some great souvenir shopping at the "Bloemenmarkt" (Flower market)
The Dutch aren't particularly well-known for their cuisine, what with every menu topped with fried dough (bitterballen) and buttermilk (karnemelk). But take a quick look around any street in Amsterdam and you'll find a plethora of cafés nonetheless.
Before we go any further we're going to agree on some terminology, otherwise things could get weird real fast:
Coffeeshop : for...
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Dutch narcotic laws divide drugs into two groups – soft drugs and hard drugs. While hard drugs (cocaine, LSD, morphine, heroin) are banned as in other countries, the soft drugs – cannabis in all its forms (marijuana, hashish, hash oil) has been admitted for personal use only.
Please also note that coffeeshop means a place where cannabis is openly sold and smoked, while café means a coffee and tea drinking place[more]
Cycling is how everybody moves around so that is what you should do too. Biking in Amsterdam and in fact, in The Netherlands, is very Dutch. So experience this wonderful mode of transportation when you are here.
Although Amsterdam has a busy flow...
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At the Dam square you will find the Royal palace, the National Monument and many pigeons to feed.
There are many salesmen at the square who sell seeds to feed the pigeons. But be careful, sometimes they put seeds in your hands without asking. Soon the pigeons will come to...
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This isn't probably wildly spoken of but the fashion... hair included... in AMS is eclectic and fun. After awhile you'll be mixing and matching what you brought with you in ways you never imagined possible.... oh and the shoes are fantastic for men and women!
"The Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular, has an impressive ‘gay’ reputation to keep. The first gay wedding in the world was held here, in Amsterdam, after which many other cities and countries followed suit, an example to the world which I’m proud of. The Gay Games that were held here were also a great success. Amsterdam has many gay possibilities."
With this quote from Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam till 2010, here's a big welcome to The Gay Capital of Europe.
The...
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He is called one of the best football (soccer) players in Europe ever. Johan Cruijff was born in Amsterdam in1947. He played for a long time for Ajax, the professional football club of Amsterdam. After his career as a football player Johan Cruijff became the coach of Barcelona in Spain. He is still very popular in the Netherlands. His bold sayings are often quoted by managers. His best known saying is: "Each disadvantage has its advantage." Ajax is probably the best soccer club in the...
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A terrific view in unexpected place. This very new library opened in august 2007. It is really everything you would expect from a modern library: a beautiful huge building, with books in intimate settings. Finding your way is a bit puzzling, but that is part of the fun. They have books in many foreign languages and you can take them upstairs to the restaurant with one of the best views in town, food is good and cheap. If you are lucky there is a nice exposition or some beautiful piano playing in the lobby.
The best known Dutch painter is Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. The Night Watch is his best known painting and can be seen in the Rijksmuseum. It is located at Museum Square ("Museumplein"), close to the Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum[more]
The canals are in the middle of the centre and they give the city a special atmosphere. The tours on the so called "rondvaartboot" are quite good and you get a good background on the history of the city. Going on a candlelight tour is very romantic.
Let's not be hypocritical: a lot of people come to Amsterdam to visit the 'red lights district', situated between Zeedijk/Warmoesstraat and Oudezijds Achterburgwal, right in the oldest part of Amsterdam. Locals call it: 'De Walletjes'.
The main attraction here is of course the (female, though not always) sexy dressed prostitutes, who offer themself from behind their windows to tresspassers. This openly situation is quite unique in the whole world. Prostitution is legal in The Netherlands...
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You see, it has absolutely nothing to do with the Heineken brewery. (of which almost every tourist has heard of).
No. If you want to taste the best brewn beer of Amsterdam, you go to Brouwerij 't IJ.
Easiest way of doing that is to take Tram 10 in the direction of Azartplein. Your stop: Hoogtekadijk.
The brewery is hard to miss, since it is situated next to a very large mill (one of those famous Dutch symbols).
Don't get confused by the trendy looking bar/restaurant on the corner,...
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There many wonderful small museums in Amsterdam... even if you are not a museum hound check a few out just to see the interiors of these gorgeous old buildings and to get a glimpse of the gardens that you will never see from the street. Buy an Amsterdam Pass (http://www.amsterdam.info/pass/) and run in and out of as many as you like here are a few suggestions:
FOAM (photography)
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and street art... the spectacular tradition of Dutch art translated today into wonderful brochures and posters and murals and stickers and stencils around... don't miss the array... at almost every cafe there are visuals you'd certainly pay money... it's definitely part of the beauty of the city!
Amsterdam is the best walking city ...great in any weather! Criss-crossing the town never gets boring and there are many distinct neighbourhoods to wander through in every direction... great for photographers as well as writers!
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