Cultural sights In Amsterdam
Amsterdam has a wealth of culture that has been revealed this year with its 2008 "Amsterdam Hidden Treasures" theme. It has proven itself to be an interesting and entertaining city with its wealth of arts, performance, history and fashion and it is well the most visited city in the Netherlands.
Amsterdam will keep any visitor entertained with their dam, semi-circular rings of canals crisscrossed by around 400 bridges and its many churches. These sights are highly worthwhile to spend time seeing, but the city is most famous for its museums. It is home to over fifty museums, including the renowned Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum. Some lesser known museums include the secret attic church, "Ons Lieve Heer op Solder," the new Bag and Purse Museum, the Amsterdam Tulip Museum and Anne Frank House.
A visit to the Oude Kerk, which is an old church with little houses that cling to its sides, is recommended. Its architecture is interesting as it has an octagonal bell tower which is built in a Gothic-Renaissance style. Dam square is another interesting place to visit as it is home to the dam that lies at the center of the city, as well as the beautiful Royal Palace. The Palace was originally built in the 17th century as the town hall and was later converted by Napoleon into a palace. It is still used by the Queen for official functions and is open to the public during the summer months. One of Amsterdam's hidden treasures can be found if you follow the narrow vaulted passageway that leads to Begijnhof. It is a quaint garden which is surrounded by old houses. It is host to a medieval church and the oldest house in Amsterdam.
You can take a boat cruise or canal tour along the beautiful canals of Amsterdam. You can do a bike, boat or walking tour of the city that will show you many of the historical sights that there are to see. You can visit the Concert building. The Concertgebouw is said to have among the best acoustics in the world and to be home to one of the world's greatest orchestras.
If you are visiting Amsterdam, you will have many accommodation options to choose from. You can stay in a luxury styled or a small boutique styled hotel. You can choose to stay in one of the hotels that can be found near a famous landmark or in one with a view over one of the canals. You can find self catering rental apartments that range from small single-roomed apartments to large luxury places situated along the banks of one of the canals. If you are a backpacker or have a tight budget, you may decide to stay in a youth cnter. These can generally be found conveniently located in the center of the city. During the summer months, campgrounds are opened. Some campgrounds offer bungalows in case of bad weather. Even though the campgrounds are outside the city, they are often in cycling distance from town so you can still visit the attractions.
Holland's capital treasure
Amsterdam is in the nominal capital of the Netherlands (otherwise known as Holland). It was founded in 1200 as a fishing village. The name Amsterdam was derived from the fact that it was built around the Amstel River. It was built around semi-circular rings of canals and it is famous for these canals to this day. It also boasts approximately 400 bridges over the canals. In fact, Amsterdam is fondly referred to as "the Venice of the North."
Amsterdam is known to be a welcoming city. It has people living there of all colors, races, religions and ages. It is a city that contains contrasts, but that all fit together in a harmonious way.
Amsterdam has an abundance of sights to see and museums to visit. In fact, it is famous for its museums and houses over fifty of them. If you visit Amsterdam in the summer, be sure to visit the Royal Palace as it is open to the public during the summer months. It is a 17th century building that is still used for official functions by the Queen. By the Palace, you will find Dam square. It is the center of Amsterdam and is always busy. The Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are popular areas. They are crowded by day with street performers, acrobatic arts and music and are crowded by night with people visiting the theatres, cinemas and clubs in the area. The Jordaan was built in 1612 and today is a village within Amsterdam that contains many restaurants and bars. The Red Light District is a cozy area that is always vibrant where you easily can find a nice place to eat and have some fun.
If you are looking for culture, spend some time in Museum Quarter. The main museums can be found in this area, such as Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum. The Concert Building is in this area, as are many of the exclusive shops that can be found in the city. The Botanical Garden is a teat to behold. Built in 1682, it is the oldest Botanical Garden in the world.
There are a number of holiday accommodation options available to visitors to Amsterdam. You can choose to stay in a hotel. These range from luxurious large hotels to small boutique style hotels. It is possible to find a rental apartment in most areas of the city. These self catering accommodation options are ideal for families or for people who are staying more than a few days in the city. Youth hostels are typically located near the center of the city and these are ideal for those traveling on a tight budget. Campgrounds are open during the summer months and these are a popular choice at that time of year.
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