Amsterdam has been tagged with the reputation of a party central over the years. Although it's a small city, there are a lot of things to do and see for just about anyone.
It's no secret that Amsterdam is one of the most exciting places on this Earth to visit. With its rich history, artistic legacy, intricate canal system, and abundance of museums, you will find that there is so much to do and see in the time you are there to visit.
About Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, the climate is sub-oceanic, humid and rainy, influenced by the North Sea but also by the Atlantic Ocean, which is not far, so it has cold (but not freezing) winters, and quite cool summers. The average temperature in January and February is 3.5 °C (38.5 °F), while in July and August it's 17 °C (62.5 °F).
The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch. The majority of Amsterdam’s residents speak English well and are often fluent in one or two languages on top of that. You can usually get by effortlessly in Amsterdam without a knowing word of Dutch. For those keen to try, learning a a few words or phrases will always go a long way with the locals.
In Amsterdam, as well as in all the Netherlands and many other countries of European Community the accepted currency is Euro (EUR, €), no other currencies are commonly accepted, so you will have to change your dollars, sterling, yens, etc to Euros.
Fun facts about Amsterdam
1. The city is built on poles since Amsterdam is below sea level. Previously, they were wooden; nowadays, they are on concrete.
2. Amsterdam has more bridges than Venice.
3. About 2500 houseboats are being lived in along the canals of Amsterdam, and some are available for short term rental accommodations for tourists.
4. Amsterdam's nickname came from a Hebrew word, Mokum, which means "place" or "city." It's an often-used nickname that comes from the large Jewish population that used to live in Amsterdam.
5. Coffee shops in Amsterdam don't sell coffee. There are surely a lot of great coffee houses in the city but never ask for a coffee shop because it's a term used for places that sell weed.
Interesting facts about Amsterdam canals
- During the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, most of the canals in Amsterdam were built.
- If you are going to combine, the Amsterdam canals stretch for over 100 kilometers long (60 miles)
- There are a whole lot of bridges in Amsterdam. 1700 in total. It’s 1,300 more than there are in Venice. A lot of these bridges can open up for the taller ships to come through. Roughly, 80 of these bridges are situated in the historic canal ring.
- The canals of Amsterdam divide the city of Amsterdam into 90 different islands.
- Some of the locals inhabit the canals of Amsterdam on a houseboat! There are roughly 3,000 houseboats in Amsterdam.
- People sometimes swim in the murky Amsterdam canals, but it's not recommended because of the unknown hazards below the surface of the water.
- Queen Maxima joined in the Amsterdam City Swim back in 2012
- The historic canal belt is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.
History
Amsterdam, the greatest planned city of northern Europe, has always been a well-known name in world history and played a central role in the history of the Netherlands. In the 17th century Amsterdam was the center of the world economy, and nowadays the city is known for its tolerant character.
In the Beginning
Amsterdam was founded as a fishing village around the thirteenth century. Amsterdam developed a dam in the Amstel river at the end of the 12th century. The name Amstelledamme occurs for the first time in the toll concession of Floris V, Count of Holland, dated October 27, 1275. During the 14th, but especially the 15th century, Amsterdam underwent a rapid development, which laid the foundation for the Golden Age. The city developed quite rapidly and around 1613 the digging of the three main canals started. After the conquest of Antwerp by the Spanish in 1685, Amsterdam became the biggest and one of the richest cities of the world. During that time, it also became a leading center for finance and diamonds. A position that would be held until around 1700.
Amsterdam is quite heavy in art history. There's Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh – and in recent years, the city's major institutions have taken action to reach a historical mark with a surplus of significant refurbishments. These refurbishments bring its Golden Age and modernist treasures to the people in a way that has exceeded all expectations. Amsterdam's artistic scene dates back to the 13th century and offers something for everyone. Wander through their art and culture at famous museums, historical landmarks, and must-see exhibitions! Visit the Rijksmuseum, which showcases an extraordinary journey through 800 years of Dutch art and history projected via a four-floor extravaganza of 8,000 examples of painting, drawing, photography, jewelry, and fashion.
Amsterdam is an impressive architecture, a mix of 17th-century canals with UNESCO status, works of Dutch architect Berlage, and the architectural movement Amsterdam School and ingenious new projects in the city's business district The Zuidas and the neighborhood Eastern Docklands. Amsterdam is considered one of Europe's foremost architecture and design cities throughout the year, not just because of its 17th-century rings of canals. The city is where modern architecture organically became visible between the facades of old buildings. It's relatively not a very big city, and all the exciting places to visit are within a close distance. It's why lovers of Architecture likewise appreciate the city.
Although she was not born in Amsterdam, Anne Frank is still a very well known name associated with the city. Anne was born in Frankfurt but settled in Amsterdam with her family in 1933 to escape Nazi Germany. The Franks were a Jewish family and in July 1942 were forced into hiding in the back of an office building in Amsterdam to evade capture from the Gestapo. The Franks cleverly disguised areas in the office building and were able to remain undiscovered until August 1944. During her time in hiding, Anne kept a diary and wrote about her experiences. It is thought that Anne died in a Nazi concentration camp less than a year after her capture. Her diary was discovered in the hidden area of the office building in Amsterdam, it was later published and became one of the best selling books of all time. The hiding place that the Franks created is now a museum and is open to the public in the city of Amsterdam.
Culture
Truly cosmopolitan, the culture of Amsterdam is rich and diverse. It oozes out a European feel with the diverse interests in art, music, dance, theatre, film, photography and architecture.
Being a European capital, it is home to many world-famous museums and art galleries. The Van Gogh Museum boasts a beautiful collection of the famous Dutch painters. For classical and contemporary music lovers, Amsterdam hosts the Grachten festival annually by and on the canals. The city of Amsterdam values its art and culture with an intention to hold its communities together and nurture cultural development.
Remember Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Jan Steen and Hieronymus Bosch? These artists came from the Netherlands. Dutch culture has a profound impact on art. These prominent artists' paintings hang in museums and private collections around the world. Though many of them died in obscurity, the works they made lived on and have raised the painter to historical prominence. An art lover? Then Amsterdam is an excellent place to go!
Fun Facts about Windmills
- Windmills used to be so prevalent in the Dutch landscape, and more than 10,000 were used for industrial purposes. Later, they gradually disappeared as other sources were preferred, such as steam, then eventually diesel, and electricity.
- Did you know that the Dutch love the windmills so much, they dedicated a day in mid-May to celebrate it? They have a National Windmill Day. It's a time of the year when they decorate the windmills with flowers, figures of angels, or Dutch flags.
- Windmills have many functions. They are true all-rounders. Many people believe windmills were only used to make flour out of grain.
Fun Facts about Tulips
- Vincent Van Gogh had an extraordinary fascination with nature, but believe it or not, he never painted a single tulip in his life.
- Back in the 17th century, a tulip mania took place in the Netherlands. Some species of these tulips were so expensive they costed more than a house, and it's impressive to have tulips in your home. It's like a parked Ferrari in your garage today.
- Every year, there are around 2 billion tulips exported from the Netherlands.
- Each year, you can come to Dam Square and pick one of 200,000 colorful tulips in a specially constructed garden. This happens every third Saturday of January to celebrate the launch of the Tulip season.
- Tulips come in pretty much all colors of the rainbow except blue. Blue tulips are made real by Photoshop.
Amsterdam is an unforgettable place. Let us help you make your trip unforgettable too! Click on the link below to start planning.
Transportation
Amsterdam is an international travel hub with an international airport and train and bus stations. Whether you plan to arrive by plane, train or automobile, you’ll find that the city is well-equipped to receive visitors. It is served by Europe’s fifth busiest airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. It is well-connected to various cities across the world, There are ten railway stations in Amsterdam, out of which six are intercity stations- Amstel, Bijlmer ArenA, Sloterdijk, Zuid, Lelylaan and Amsterdam Centraal. There are regular train services from various countries in Europe, such as Belgium, the Czech Republic, Austria, Belarus, Denmark, France, Poland, Russia, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland. International trains serving these stations include the Nederlandse Spoorwegen from Berlin, the Thalys from Brussels and Paris/Lille, CityNightLine and InterCity Express from Cologne and Frankfurt.
You can also reach Amsterdam via ferry services from various countries. Amsterdam can also be reached by bus, through various cities in Europe. Most of the buses are provided by Eurolines. Buses from the UK are provided by Megabus and iDBus. However, the Netherlands does not have many internal bus services within the country.
If you've got some time to spare during a layover, there are a lot of things to see and do in Amsterdam during short or even long layovers. Thankfully, Amsterdams' Schiphol airport is situated very near the city center and will only take about 20 minutes to travel between the two destinations. Take note that Amsterdam's main travel hub, Central Station, has several neighboring tourist attractions. The infamous Red Light District is roughly a five-minute walk from the station. It showcases many important landmarks such as the city's oldest building, De Oude Kerk, and a charming, socially conscious craft brewery called Brouwerij de Prael.
It's best to explore the narrow, winding streets of Amsterdam's historic 17th-century city center by bike. There are up to 400 kilometers of bicycle paths leading just about everywhere in town, and it's no surprise that Amsterdam is a true cycling city. Renting a bike to get around town will surely acquaint you with the local scenery plus it's a cheaper option for public transport. Don't hesitate to ask expert guides and rental shops on how to get around the city as they offer great advice to inexperienced bikers.
Did you know?: There are around 800,000 bicycles in Amsterdam because the Dutch love cycling. But some can be considered a bit reckless with the bikes because every year, more than 10,000 bikes are fished out from different canals.
The Experience
To help you come up with somewhat of an itinerary for your vacation, we've decided to write out a list of the top 5 things to do while you're in Amsterdam.
The water tours of Amsterdam are some of the most desired. Since there are hundreds of canals throughout the nation that were created just for travel, there is no reason not to give this popular attraction a try. During your gentle water ride, you'll get to view some of the country's most detailed architecture and most beautiful landscapes.
Amsterdam takes great pride in its bulb flowers, especially tulips. Visit the amazingly vibrant bulb flower park in Lisse if you wish to see the tulips in all their glory. If you happen to miss the tulip season, don't worry. There are plenty of bulbed flowers that grow year-round at the park.
Check out paintings by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, or other world-renowned artists or revisit history by walking into the Anne Frank House, where you can see the secret annex where Anne hid during World War II.
Although it's famous for some risky behavior, there is much more to the city. Try out one of the district's fine restaurants, small boutiques, or find more responsible entertainment at any of the places not lit up with red lights. For a faster way to venture through, rent a bicycle. You'll find that you rent a bike nearly anywhere in the country.
Last but not least, you mustn't leave the country without trying some of its authentic Dutch cuisine or experiencing one of its cannabis coffeehouses. People travel all over the world to Amsterdam to encounter these coffee shops in person. In Amsterdam, marijuana is simply a way to unwind, and these coffeehouses are some of the most reputable and reliable sources to enjoy a delicious bite to eat and a puff of smoke as you dine.
Want to experience Amsterdam for yourself? Let us help you plan your trip and make it unforgettable! Click on the link below when you are ready to start planning.
Bucket List Items for Amsterdam
- Climb the Westertoren
- Go bungee jumping over the IJ at the Faralda Crane Hotel
- Walk around Dam Square
- Go to Museum N8 ("Museum Night")
- Go over the edge in "Europe's Highest Swing"
- Find out what glows in the dark
In the 13th century, Dam Square was created when a dam was built around the river Amstel to stop the waters from the Zuiderzee sea from flooding the city. In the 1960s, the square was famous for its Dam Square hippies. Presently, it is one of the main tourist sights, and you can expect lots of entertainment. Just a five-minute walk down the Damrak from Central Station takes you into this crowded square. There is always a lot going on, like food stalls, restaurants, and shops galore, which include the trendy Bijenkorf, Magna Plaza, and the Amsterdam Diamond Centre.
Amsterdam is a very appropriate city to travel with children. In Amsterdam, parents ride their bikes with the kids, the parks serve as a backyard for many children and taking your kids with you to dine in a restaurant, or a food market is the most common thing to do. This makes this city a kid-friendly destination for a city trip!
Family Travel Highlights
- Experience a bubble fountain on Frederiksplein
- Canal Pizza Cruise
- Harvest fruit, nuts, and other plants from around the city to eat at home
- Do an apple pie taste-test: Villa Zeezicht vs. Winkel 43
- Play giant chess
- Anne Frank Story & Private 2-Hour Neighborhood Tour
Photography Hot Spots
- Royal Palace
- Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge)
- Magna Plaza
- Amsterdam Public Library
- Reguliersgracht (Seven Bridges)
- Science center NEMO
- A'dam Lookout
Wanting to take some goodies home from your experience in Amsterdam? Here is a list of some great souvenir ideas.
Souvenirs To Buy
- Custom Clogs
- Dutch Licorice
- Puccini Chocolate Bonbons
- Nijntje Knuffel
- Blond Amsterdam Breakfast Set
- Pip Studio Bathrobe
- Guillotine Cheese Slicer
- Handmade Wallet
- Cowboys Belt
- G-Star Jeans
- Custom Pendant Necklace
- Ceramics
Fun Facts About Clogs
- The oldest pair of wooden shoes, dating back to 1230 to 1280, was discovered in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
- Clogs or wooden shoes come in three different styles (Wooden upper, Wooden overshoes, Wooden soled).
- Clogs were a popular choice of footwear during the 1970s up to the early 1980s for both men and women.
- In different styles of dance, clogs are the most common footwear of choice.
- Machine-made footwear was introduced in the early 20th century. Prior to that, all wooden clogs were handmade by skilled craftsmen.
Remember those blue and white milk jugs and kitchen tiles and the little girl and boy poised for a kiss, and these porcelain pieces are iconic symbols of the Netherlands. Potters from this side of the world make beautifully decorated, blue-tinged earthenware called Delftware since the 17th century. This type of ceramics is highly valued because of its historical significance and association with traditional Dutch design. The style of pottery is also sought after by most visitors to the Netherlands and can be spotted at some specialist stores throughout Amsterdam. These would be the perfect souvenir to bring back a piece of Amsterdam to your home!
Want to get your hands on some of these souvenirs for yourself? Let us help you plan your trip to Amsterdam! Click on the link below.
Cuisine of Amsterdam
Foods To Try
- Bitterballen
- Stroopwafel
- Thick Dutch fries
- Raw herring
- Kibbeling
- Croquettes from a vending machine
- Oliebollen
- Dutch Cheese
- Poffertjes
- Ontbijtkoek
- Stamppot
Interesting Facts about Gouda
- Gouda is one of the oldest recorded cheese in the world. Historians date the cheese back to the 12th century.
- The cheese is named after the Dutch city of Gouda, not because it is produced in this region, but historically, farmers from the surrounding area would bring their cheese to sell in Gouda on market days.
- It is traditionally made from cow's milk, although some artisan varieties use sheep's or goat's milk.
- A few Dutch farmers still traditionally make the cheese, using unpasteurized milk. This cheese is called boerenkaas (farmers cheese). Most Dutch Gouda today is industrially produced.
- Most Americans wrongly pronounce Gouda as ‘GOO-duh.' The correct pronunciation is "GAOW duh" or "HOW-duh."
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Created with an image by TheDigitalArtist - "eiffel tower paris france"