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Amsterdam Around
Amsterdam TEN YEARS on from my last visit to the "Venice of the North" I found myself back in the city of cheese and clogs. For a diverse
set of reasons, Amsterdam has remained high up the list of hot cultural
destinations for many others and myself. The overriding impression for
Let's get this straight from the start. The Dutch love their bikes and your best bet whilst in town is to join them by hiring your own set of two wheels to scour the streets. Cars are a complete no-no in the city, so the only other options are the slow moving trams, having a stroll or taking a canal trip aboard one of the many competing tourist barges. Be warned though, make sure you know the time of the next sailing, we waited by the canalside for over an hour for our sightseeing trip. Art lovers flock to Amsterdam to immerse themselves in the cities rich variety of public galleries. Foremost of which is the Rijks Museum, home to Rembrandt's most famous work The Nightwatchman. For me though the best art is seen on the streets in the form of the unique and beautiful architecture. Aside from the olde-worlde terraces, I have a fondness too for the some of the bolder modern buildings springing up across the centre.
Other tips include The Attic, a Catholic church surreptitiously tucked away in an anonymous townhouse on Oudezezijds Achterburgwal and the child diarist Anne Frank's House, which has recently been restored. Of course even the clean living among us retain a healthy curiosity for the alternative side of life. Amsterdam satisfies here too with its nefarious collection of coffee shops, each of which seems more at ease doling out dope than caffeine. If cannabis is not your cup of tea join the thousands of happily married couples and tour groups who take to the streets at night. The incongruous gangs of curious voyeurs peek in the windows as the ladies of the night display their goods for all the world to see in the city's notorious red light district. For all its picturesque trappings Amsterdam is far more than merely a tinselled up tourist town. It is a living breathing city with a sometimes sweet, sometimes sharp edge. Well worth adding to your list of upcoming weekend breaks.
Amsterdam
City Info: Flights
to Amsterdam: For more info about Amsterdam's Nemo: http://www.newmet.nl/building.html Click here for more travel features Hotelgenie.com carefully selects all hotels in this guide to bring you a choice of fine, character-rich establishments, many at exclusive discounts. |
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