Posts Tagged ‘amsterdam’
6 Things to Do in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands. It’s their largest city located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. With a population of 1.36 million it’s the sixth largest metropolitan area in Europe. It’s a bustling city with plenty to keep you occupied, whatever your interests are.
If you’re interested in art, museums, history, keeping active or even shopping Amsterdam has the perfect array of activities to enjoy. There are fantastic canals to enjoy, many different art galleries and museums and it’s a great city to cycle around. Make sure you really explore the area and make the most of your stay.
Amsterdam is suitable for many different types of trips away; whether it’s with your family and children or a group of friends going away together. Because of the wide variety of activities in the area there’s always something for everyone to enjoy. In this article we’ll look at 6 things you can enjoy in the city of Amsterdam.
Explore the city by foot
When you first arrive in the city you’ll want to get to know the local area. One of the best ways of doing this is by foot. It’s completely free to do and you’ll start to learn where everything is and build a map in your head. The city is designed to be walked with over 1000 bridges to cross and stunning architecture to admire.
Explore the city by bike
In the Netherlands you’ll see more bikes than cars; it’s their way of life. It’s the fastest way to get around the city, beating the public transport with no problem! Amsterdam is a busy city therefore cycling around it isn’t suited to everyone. As long as you’re confident on a bike you’ll soon enjoy the experience.
Visit the best museums
Amsterdam’s most popular tourist attractions are its museums. The best to visit are the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. It’s a great way to lean about Amsterdam and understand their history. You’ll see the finest historical artefacts and the works of the best Dutch artists.
Relax and socialise in Cafes
One thing the locals absolutely love doing is relaxing in the cafes. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, tea, happy hour or just to socialise. It’s incredibly relaxing to just sit and people watch and generally taking time out to enjoy your surroundings.
Explore by water
Amsterdam’s canals are beautiful and scenic to enjoy. It’s a great way to see the city from a different perspective and chill out on a relaxing cruise. There are different ways of exploring the canals; you can hire an open-top boat with a small group of people or relax in a cosy vessel that feels like a floating fine dining room.
Lose yourself in the best shopping area
If you’re a shopaholic you’ll fit in beautifully. You certainly won’t struggle to fill your suitcase with unique finds from around the city. Even if you’re on a limited budget or you don’t actually like shopping; consider window shopping to admire the beauty and magnificence.
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Window Shopping in Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s red light district is one of the city’s biggest attractions, as well as being one of Europe’s most unique and interesting areas. Like red light districts in many cites across the world, its origins date back to the 14th century when sailors arrived in port and were in need of some female companionship. What makes Amsterdam’s Red Light Zone different from others in the world, however, is that rather than try and criminalise and cover up the sex industry, Amsterdam has legalised and legitimised it – meaning a safer environment for industry workers and their customers alike.
Located just 10 minutes walk from Central Station, the Red light District consists of theatres, museums, bars, coffee shops, and perhaps the most recognisable Red Light District icon – the pouting prostitutes who stand in street-front windows, dressed in seductive lingerie and attempting to lure in passers by.
As the sun goes down, the red lights begin to glow, and the streets start to swell with tourists. Some are looking for some adult entrainment; many others are just intrigued as to what goes on in this unique part of the world.
Amsterdam’s liberal and forward thinking stance on prostitution has earned it equal amounts of praise and criticism. Many believe the selling of sex to be immoral, but Amsterdam points out that prostitution goes on in almost every city of the world and that by accepting it, rather than ignoring it, they have made the sex industry a safer place for workers and clients.
Hotels, apartments and other accommodation in Amsterdam can vary greatly in price, and while the areas around the Red Light District are especially popular, there is still a good mix from 5 Star luxury hotels to more modest budget options. Although the area is famous for its seedier side, there is much more on offer than sex; joining an organised tour will allow you to dig deeper into the intriguing world and enable you to learn more about the world’s oldest profession while getting the low-down on how the industry operates.
Another interesting new attraction that has only recently become available is the “Dine with the Dutch” option. Born out of tourist curiosity as to how local Dutch people live within the city, the Dine with the Dutch option allows tourists to visit a real Dutch local home, eat a traditional three course Dutch meal and experience genuine Dutch hospitality.
Whilst it may cause the more reserved amongst us to blush, Amsterdam’s Red Light District is one of the most important attractions of the city, bringing in thousands of tourists every week, and generating a huge amount of income for locals. Alongside the coffee shops, museum and galleries of the city, the Red Light District is a major attraction and a definite must-see, if only for the window shopping!