Visiting Amsterdam

Amsterdam has long been considered as one of the most grand, exciting and interesting cities that the world has to offer. It is made up of an intriguing mixture of different "faces," which reveal themselves readily enough to the visitor who wants to see and experience all facets of this jewel of a city. In addition to being a popular destination for travelers from around the globe, and being the capital of Holland, it is also a mecca of social and cultural distinctions.

One of the most lovely and inviting features of metro Amsterdam is the many beautiful and peaceful canals that meander through the center of the city. This wonderful maze of waterways, which is rare in large metropolitan areas, has earned this Netherlands metropolis the honorary title of "the Venice of the North." Visitors are often mesmerized by the view of this clean and modern city that they are able to enjoy as they gently and quietly glide through different neighborhoods that are connected by this network of canals.

Amsterdam has been a long-favored destination of tourists from all parts of the globe and more and more visitors continue to be drawn to this fascinating place. As a place that has more than seven centuries of history, which includes plenty of periods of trial and tumult, this magnificent city endures in part through its willingness to embrace the many people who have congregated and settled here.

There is a vibrant and fascinating melting pot of various lifestyles, customs, traditions and heritages that are evident in various districts, attractions, sights, arts and commerce found within the boundaries of Amsterdam city, and also the surrounding areas which have been influenced as well. Overall, this has all created a wonderfully unique and distinct culture all its own. As well, there are many four and five-star Amsterdam hotels available to the world traveler. There is truly something for everyone in the contemporary urban environment that makes up the largest city in the Netherlands.

Amsterdam NL is also known as the "city of Rembrandt," the world-renowned master painter. Rembrandt spent his days and created his masterpieces in the historic Jewish neighborhood of the city where visitors can still go to see the home where he lived and worked. Several of the museums throughout the city also give honor to Rembrandt and his work, as well as other well-known artists of the ages. The Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam is another venue honoring yet another Dutch artist.

The colorful and picturesque buildings found throughout Amsterdam Netherlands are a hallmark of this city and is one of the strongest attractions for those who visit Amsterdam. Especially in the old city center, one is dazzled by the beauty of the architecture and the unique and charming feeling that these neighborhoods evoke. One of the best ways to view these neighborhoods is by taking a leisurely boat ride down the various canals, which gives the tourist an incomparable view of these endearing sites that have been lovingly and carefully maintained through the centuries.

One of the cultural aspects of this European city that it has become fairly well known for is the very tolerant position the city takes on prostitution and the use of soft drugs, both of which are legal. The Amsterdam red light district, which is where the prostitution trade operates openly, has even become a part of many city tours. This is part of the "laid-back" attitude that has been in part responsible for the general, easy-going lifestyle that has attracted so many people and which has often converted visitors into residents.

The nightlife in Amsterdam has been described by many to be diverse and vibrant and for some people it is the main reason why they are drawn to the city. There are more restaurants, clubs, pubs and venues for entertainment to be seen than a visitor could ever hope to experience in one short trip. And, for people who love to shop no matter where they roam, there are also many world-class shopping opportunities in this vast city.

When one is making travel plans to visit the Netherlands, the easiest arrangements that you will make for your trip will likely be choosing from the many Amsterdam hotels available. The reason for this is that there is a terrific number of wonderful Netherlands hotels, resorts, inns and hostels that visitors to the area can choose from. Within the center of Amsterdam city, there are locally owned hotels as well as many "name brand" hotel chains that are familiar to all travelers.

For travelers who might be making their first ever trek into Europe, seeking out the world-wide hotels chains can be a good way to begin your European experience, since there will be many amenities and services that will be so familiar. And, when traveling, especially to a destination for the very first time, familiarity helps the tourist to feel more comfortable right away and comfort is always the aim of the quality hotels that you will find.

The first thing you should do is get a travel card so you can use the trams, buses and metros. Yes there is a metro even if trivial pursuits doesn't seem to think so. These tickets are for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours and allow you to get around the whole city very easily.
My suggested eating place is the indrapura restaurant where the staff are great. Try one of their three rijsttafels and don't worry they will explain it all to you.
While you are in Rembrandtsplein have a look at the 3D reconstruction of the Nightwatch, . Another interesting place is Rembrandts house, two tramstops away, where you can see where the master lived and worked. I do not recommend this to people who have difficulty with stairs and it is a typical dutch canal house with spiral staircases.
If you would like more information on Amsterdam visit here.

On your Amsterdam travel, note that you can stroll around the city on foot, by bike, by tram, or by bus or metro, as these are the usual mode of transportation around the city. A recently introduced feature is the Amsterdam Transport Pass that is valid for all day travel on the metro, canal bus, tram and night bus.

For those who are budget conscious and like to travel off the peak season when everything is usually about 50 percent off you can do that in Amsterdam as well. Anyone that is interested in visiting Amsterdam will be impressed with the 'gezelligheid' or friendliness of the Dutch people, who have a tendency to act informally with the tourists wherever or whenever they come across them, be it when they are eating out in restaurants or going to visit the shops. In fact, there are so many places to visit that tourists will always have somewhere or something interesting to go and see, whether that is visiting the historic museums, going to listen to the different concerts, walking through the parks, eating at restaurants or visiting some of the popular cafes of Amsterdam.

Waterlooplein is the host to Amsterdam's largest flea-market, the merchandise has become more geared towards visiting tourists with lots of second-hand apparel and smoking paraphernalia, but for cheap clothes it's still hard to beat. Even if you have no desire to attend any of the nightclub shows, visit the sex shops or patronize the entertainers, you shouldn't miss out on at least strolling through Amsterdam's Red Light District, it truly is a unique and fascinating experience. People in Amsterdam have a different understanding of things compared to the rest of us, such as a very wide acceptance of some drugs and paid sex.

You can't really talk about Amsterdam and not mention some of the other aspects it is famous for and that are its tolerance to sex and low class drugs. Before your Amsterdam vacation it is interesting to know that there is actually an apparent contradiction to the positive aspects of the city, and this embodies much of the spirit of Amsterdam. Majority of the people of Amsterdam are able to speak English fluently, but do attempt to say at least please and thank you in Dutch.

If you are planning a trip to Amsterdam and you happen to appreciate great art, then you may want to make sure to visit at least a few of the many noteworthy museums in the city. One of the treasured museums stops for most people is the famed Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam, which has been hailed as a remarkable place to experience. The museum is located near the heart of Amsterdam city and one of its claims to fame is the fact that it holds the largest collection of original works by the master painter, Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch, Post-Impressionist artist.

The Van Gogh Museum provides visitors the unique opportunity to closely follow the artistic developments of the genius painter and to see the progression of both his style and also the subject matter that held his interest and evoked his creativity. At the same time, with the many pieces of art by his contemporaries on display, it is an unparalleled way to compare Van Gogh's paintings to the works created by the hands of other masters of 19th century art.

It seems that Vincent Van Gogh became acutely interested in Japanese style prints during the time that he lived in Paris, which was from 1886 through 1888. During that period of time, he acquired an amazing array of Japanese woodcuts and today this collection, numbering close to 500 prints, can be viewed at the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam.

This unique and amazing collection is presented in what is called the Print Room, which is located in the exhibition wing of the Van Gogh Museum. This is an exhibit which is parallel to the major exhibition of the collection of Siefgried Bing, the art dealer from whom Van Gogh purchased most of the Japanese prints. The presentation of Van Gogh's work in the Print Room also includes a number of works by Van Gogh that were strongly influenced by the Japanese art he was so enamored with.