 By iCheapAirfares Staff: Amsterdam, the capital of Holland, is sometimes referred to as the “Venice of the North” because of its dynamic array of canals carving throughout the city. Many of the buildings and canal houses in central Amsterdam date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. A dam was built on one of the city’s main canals, Amstel Canal, in the early years. It was from this dam, Amstel Dam, that the city’s name, Amsterdam, originated.
Amsterdam has a rich selection of museums, 37 in all. The Van Gogh Museum has 200 of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings, including hundreds more sketches and even letters. The Rijksmuseum, Holland’s National Museum, is under construction until 2009, but partially open in the meantime. The Anne Frank House is located in the canal house that the Frank Family hid from the Nazis in during World War II. The Amsterdam Historic Museum details the building of the canals and the way of life throughout the last 1,000 years. The Rembrandt House and Willet-Holthuysen will give you a peak into the lives of the rich and famous in 17th century Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is a very open and accepting city. In the Red Light District, prostitutes sit in storefronts while pedestrian traffic window shops. In coffee shops, marijuana can be purchased by the gram and smoked at the bar. It is also a very gay/lesbian friendly city with occasional parades and numerous businesses catering toward this demographic.
Many of Amsterdam’s 730,000 citizens use bicycles as their main method of transportation so remember to stay off the bike lanes. This can be difficult when visiting the city for the first time because you’ll be in such awe of the beautiful canals, house boats and tipping canal houses that you’ll aimlessly stray into the paths. Go!
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Dampkring
Stay at the Hotel Amstelzicht
Rembrandt Square