Amsterdam Travel Guide - Hotel reservations and accommodation

Amsterdam has gained the reputation of being the fourth favorite tourist destination of Europe, next only to Paris, London and Rome. The underlying reason of this fact is Amsterdam clusters a huge amount of tourist attractions, ranging from the controversial Red Light District and the cannabis coffee shops (locally referred to as the brown coffee shops) to the plethora of museums and galleries. Amsterdam is, by force of these considerations, one of the most gay and art friendly city of Europe. A further attraction which contributes to the increasing popularity of Amsterdam is the city is one huge hub of the diamond trade of the world. Adding the fact the capital of the Netherlands is the place where the famed Heineken beer started off in its conquest of the world, one can easily conceive the appeal Amsterdam exerts on tourists. But above all, Amsterdam exudes an overall air of otherworldliness by force of its hundreds of channels and bridges, a laced infrastructure oblivious of what water and land mean, allowing locals and visitors alike to move and almost float freely in and around the city. Indeed, a genuine Venice of the North.

Short History of Amsterdam

First mentioned under the name of Amstelledamme (literally, the dam across the Amstel River) in 1275, Amsterdam had became a city proper in the early 14th century. Amsterdam saw a fairly rapid economical development which culminated in the Amsterdam’s becoming, during the 17th century, the wealthiest city in the world. The period is often referred to as the Golden Age of Amsterdam, the main historic event to take place then being represented by the founding of the first stock exchange in the world. The second Gold Age of the city began in the late 19th century. The gloomiest historic moment of Amsterdam was, perhaps, the World War Two, and the immediately subsequent interval. Anne Frank is a symbol of the torments the Jewish population of Amsterdam (and of the world, for that matter) had to endure during the Nazi occupation.

Accommodation in Amsterdam

There is a certain picturesque dash enveloping the establishments which offer accommodation solutions in Amsterdam. This air outranks the typical categories usually used for judging a hotel: luxury, budget, accessibility, proximity to attractions and so on. Yet, practical tourists do take into consideration such aspects and Amsterdam does comply with virtually all whims and budgets in terms of accommodation. Ranging from mainstream hotels to apartments from rent, from residences to camping sites, the accommodation solutions are fairly abundant in Amsterdam. Despite such wealth, making reservations in due time is still the smart move to do when planning a stay in the capital of the Netherlands.

Eating out in Amsterdam

Amsterdam does not have a gastronomic print proper. It is, on the contrary, a place of multicultural cuisine, with plenty of ethnic restaurants, taverns and bars able to serve dishes ranging from Greek specialties to Indonesian delights. For a taste of Dutch cuisine, however, one might always resort to the all-inviting fish stalls Amsterdam is replete with. An overall depiction of Amsterdam in terms of eateries refers to its being able to accommodate with tourists in search of gastronomic thrills regardless of the price, with budget visitors, with people who simply want a snack late at night and with people who want to try a generous meal in an ambience exuding stile and elegance. Tourists’ only difficult task is to choose from the more than 1000 eating venues in Amsterdam. As a unique pastime activity, visiting one of the cannabis coffee shops (brown coffee shops) and sampling the famed Heineken beer are fine alternatives.

Amsterdam Tourist Attractions

There are more than 30 museums and art galleries in Amsterdam, few religious establishments, and plenty of modern attractions and hotspots. If visiting them all often seems to be impossible, one should always mind not to overlook the following. In terms of museums and galleries, one should visit, for instance, the Artis Zoological Museum, the Artis Geological Museum, the Netherlands Maritime Museum, the Jewish Historical Museum, the House of Anne Frank, the Erotic Museum, the Hash Marihuana Hemp Museum, the Tattoo Museum, the House of Rembrandt, the State Museum (Rijksmuseum), the Van Gogh Museum, the Museum of History, the Hermitage Amsterdam Museum. As to religious edifices, one can easily notice their scarcity. However, the Old Church, the New Church, the South Church, the North Church, the West Church are the most significant. While in Amsterdam, tourists are also advised to visit the Achterburgwal, the Jewish Quarter, the Diamond Centers, the Red Light District, the Dam Square, the Begijnhof, the Vondelpark, the Rembrandtpark, the Amstelpark, the Port and the Botanical Garden.

Events and Festivals in Amsterdam

There is no day in Amsterdam to pass without happenings. The most significant events to cover cultural and artistic topics refer to the Netherlands Transgender Film Festival, the Art Amsterdam, the Torentjid Festival, the Amsterdam Roots Festival, the World Press Photo, the Holland Festival, the Amsterdam Puppet Theater, the ITs Festival, the Julidans, the Comedytrain International Festival, the Vondelpark Summer, the Modern Art Market Thorbeckeplein, the Art Market on the Spui, Tangomagia, the Amsterdam Literature Festival (Weerwoord), the Pink Film Days, Imagine, the Modern Art Market Thorbeckeplein, the International Documentary Film Festival, the Fringe Festival. Further more, the PINKster Tennis Tournament, Jumping Amsterdam, AutoRAI, Dam tot Damloop and the Amsterdam Marathon are the most important sports events. However, the Queen’s Day and Vrijmarkt, the Open Garden Days, the Taste of Amsterdam, the Canal Hopper, the Millionaire Fair, Supperclub (New Year’s Eve), Huishoudbeurs, HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show, 5 Days Off, the Joordan Festival, the Amsterdam Dance Event, the Leather Pride, the PINT Bokbierfestival, the Cannabis Cup, the Canal Parade, and the Amsterdam Pride are just as popular in Amsterdam.

Other Destinations nearby Amsterdam

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