Amsterdam Guide: What to see and do in Amsterdam

What are the best places to visit in Amsterdam?
1- Rijksmuseum
One of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam, and certainly one of the best places for art lovers.

The Rijksmuseum (National Museum) was founded in 1798 to house the country's huge collection of art and antiquities. The museum's impressive collection includes one million cultural artifacts dating from the 13th century to the present, including more than 8,000 major paintings spread across more than 200 rooms in this sprawling building.

Additionally, the museum features a library with more than 35,000 books and manuscripts, as well as numerous fascinating exhibits dealing with the development of art and culture in the Netherlands.

2- Museumplein
The Museumplein is located in the Oud-Zuid district of Amsterdam, known for its luxurious properties, luxury boutiques and the city's most popular park, the Vondelpark.

The area took shape in the 1880s after the construction of the Rijksmuseum, and the square was remodeled in 1999. There are outdoor events and celebrations in the square throughout the year, including a skating rink from November to February.

3- Jordaan neighborhood
Jordaan is the most popular of Amsterdam's neighborhoods and is known for its combination of residential areas with garden courtyards, markets, boutiques and restaurants.

The area is also home to many fun things to do, from taking a leisurely stroll through the many quaint streets to spending time visiting the major tourist attractions found here. In this neighborhood is one of the places that attracts the most visitors in the city, the Anne Frank House.

If you visit on a Saturday morning, Lindengracht turns into a huge open-air market, where you can find local crafts, produce, flowers and treats.

In the Jordaan area you will also find the most fashionable restaurants and cafes in the city. They are the ideal place to sit and enjoy people-watching.

4- Anne Frank Museum
This 17th-century canal house, where Anne Frank, her family and four others hid from the Nazis for two years, is now a museum and educational center. There is a permanent exhibition on Anne's life and times and you can visit the cramped 'secret annex' they called home.

One of the best known and most important historical sites in the world, it is a chilling and somber reminder of the horrors of World War II.

5- Dam Square
Dam Square is one of the most touristy areas in Amsterdam, and for good reason. Its most prominent feature is the 17th-century Royal Palace, former home of the Dutch royal family.

Dam Square is also home to major tourist attractions such as the New Church, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, and the National Memorial Statue, dedicated to Dutch soldiers who lost their lives in World War II.

This huge public square, naturally, is lined with numerous cafes, restaurants, and shops, and is usually packed with vendors selling food and souvenirs.

6- Royal Palace of Amsterdam
The Royal Palace of Amsterdam serves as the King's residence when he is in town. Its construction was a monumental task when it began in 1648 and required the sinking of 13,659 piles to support the gigantic structure.

The exterior is strictly classical, while the interior is lavishly furnished, its apartments decorated with a large number of reliefs, ornamentation, marble sculptures and friezes.

The largest and most important room is the Council Chamber, sumptuously decorated and one of the most beautiful cabins in Europe. Guided tours of the Royal Palace are possible.

7- Vondel Park
The lung of the city, Vondelpark. It is a huge 47-hectare park inaugurated in 1865.

Locals come here to run, bike, play sports, or just relax, and there are plenty of activities for those looking to spend the day.

8- Keizersgracht
Also called the channel of the emperor. The Keizersgracht is the second of Amsterdam's three main canals that together form the Grachtengordel, or canal belt, and lies between the inner Herengracht and the outer Prinsengracht.

9- Van Gogh Museum
Opened in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum has the largest collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh in the world.

This includes 200 paintings, more than 500 drawings, and 750 letters, as well as pieces by contemporaries and influences such as Rodin, Monet, Signac, Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, and Gauguin.

Van Gogh's work is hung chronologically, presenting five different periods: Nuenen/Antwerp (1880-86), Paris (1886-88), Arles (1888-1889), Saint-Rémy (1889-90), and Auvers-sur- Oise (1890). There is much to savor, but Sunflowers, Almond Blossoms, Bedroom in Arles and Wheatfield with Crows are must-sees.

The Van Gogh Museum is the most popular in the Netherlands.

10- Het Rembrandthuis Museum – Rembrandt House
The house where Rembrandt lived and worked from 1639 to 1658 has been preserved and now functions as a museum for one of the masters of the Dutch Golden Age.

The house was first built in 1606 and rebuilt around 1627. At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was in poor condition, but it was restored by the eminent architect Karel de Bazel and opened as a museum in 1911.

11- Begijnhof
Founded sometime in the early 14th century, the Begijnhof is an enclosed courtyard established as a Beguinage, a community for religious laywomen (beguines). Entering via a stairway from Spuiplein, it is an oasis of peace, with a green tree-lined square surrounded by fine gabled houses.

As wooden buildings were banned in 1521, the Begijnhof was rebuilt in brick in the 17th and 18th centuries.
With one exception, Het Houten Huis (1420) stands tall on the southwest façade and officially the oldest house in Amsterdam.

12- Foodhallen
What was an old tram depot, today houses the most important street food market in the city.

It has more than 30 food stalls and bars with different types of dishes such as tacos, gourmet donuts, smoked barbecue and much more.

13- Artis Zoo
Less than a five-minute walk from the botanical gardens is Artis, Amsterdam's excellent "royal zoo." This world-class attraction was established in 1838 and is one of the oldest zoos in Europe.

It highlights a variety of creatures from around the world in a shady garden dotted with numerous historic buildings. The aquarium, for example, was built in 1882 and features exhibits including a coral reef system and a fascinating peek under an Amsterdam canal.

14- Oude Kerk
The Oude Kerk (Old Church), built in 1306 and the oldest structure in the city, remains unchanged since Rembrandt's time. The first hall church in North Holland, this splendid piece of architecture became the model for many other churches in the region.

During the last few centuries it has undergone some changes, such as the large early side chapels that were added in the 16th century.

The interior of the church has features dating from before the Reformation, including three magnificent Dutch High Renaissance windows from 1555 and finely carved wooden choir stalls. These days the building is known as a venue for exhibitions of contemporary art.

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