Famous for its Red Light District, hash cookies and waterways, Amsterdam has much, much more to offer the tourist.
Here are eight things you might like to include in your Amsterdam itinerary:
Heineken Museum
Take and tour and watch how one of Europe’s most popular beers is brewed.
Diamond factories
Many of Amsterdam’s diamond shops offer tours, giving visitors a chance to watch experts polishing the facets of diamonds followed by a visit to a private sales room, with the opportunity to purchase one of these beautiful stones.
Canal cruises & hire
Tourist cruises leave from a number of docks around Amsterdam, taking visitors on an hour-long city introduction cruise. Boat hire is also available for those who’d rather do it themselves.
Van Gogh Museum
Features 200 of the oft-troubled artist’s paintings.
Rijksmuseum
Built especially to house the country’s great art collection, it contains several thousand paintings by the Dutch masters Rembrandt, Hals, Vermeer and Steen.
Rembrandt’s House
A reconstructed house of the Dutch artist, featuring some of his etchings.
Anne Frank’s House
Visit the hideaway of a young Anne Frank during the Nazi occupation.
Bicycle hire
Bikes are everywhere in Amsterdam and tourists can easily join in the riding trend. Bike hire is available throughout the city and a number of companies offer guided bicycle tours which are a great way to get your bearings and see some sights.
If you have some extra time and fancy seeing the Dutch countryside, Edam (home of the cheese), Delft (birthplace of Vermeer and home of the Royal Dutch Delftware factory), The Hague (The Netherlands’ seat of government) and Keukenhof Gardens (the world’s largest bulb garden), are all within close proximity.
Amsterdam is a city known for its sustainable travel (and living) ideals. Learn more about how you can travel responsibility in Amsterdam in this article.
~ Photos courtesy Rod Davis