Amsterdam City Guide: Something For Every Traveller

Get lost in the beauty of the city’s architecture

Attracting over 7 million international travellers annually, Amsterdam is known to cater to every traveller’s taste. The canals that criss-cross the city and impressive architecture are just some of its many enticing facets. Amsterdam has over 1,500 bridges with some of them lighting up at night. With street maps on almost every corner, Amsterdam is one of the best cities to just get lost in - pick a starting point and walk around.

Immerse yourself in the culture, the locals, and the fashion here. Find yourself being astonished by the old, archaic exteriors of buildings; architecture reminiscent of the Netherlands’ rich history. But, take a second and peer into the houses and gasp in surprise at how modern and sleek the interiors are - it truly is a city for architects to fawn over.

A diverse range of museums to satisfy all art lovers

This city has one of the best collection of museums in Europe, ranging from masterpieces of art to vodka to porn to one of the most depressing yet resonating museums. For 54.95 EUR (60 USD), the Museum Card allows you access to all 400 museums across the Netherlands. You can buy it at most major museums and as it’s valid for an entire year, most students get one if they’re visiting the Netherlands on a regular basis.

With the highly recommended Van Gogh Museum, known for its engrossing beauty, you may want to visit it twice - which the card allows you to do at no additional charge. The Rijksmuseum is another must-see for any traveller. Featuring a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age (17th century), some of the artists represented range from Rembrandt to Vermeer to Jan Steen. The museum also boasts a substantial collection of Asian art, which can be a welcome break from the European painters.

If you’re running short on time and can only visit one museum, the Anne Frank museum is the one. Be prepared for long lines unless you’re in line early before 10.00am. But, an entire museum dedicated to Anne Frank in the house she hid in during World War II is at once heartbreaking and will resonate with you for a lengthy period of time.

Red Light District has more than what its name suggests

Next on the Amsterdam itinerary should be a walk-through of the Red Light District. If prostitution makes you uneasy, go during the day. Consisting of several canals and side streets, prostitution is limited to certain streets but the entire district is named as such to avoid confusion. The architecture and shops here are second to none as you’ll find yourself immersed by a building’s facade more so than the person writhing in the glass panel behind you.

If you ever feel unsafe, which is very rare, the entire area has a heavy police presence and several security cameras. It is also monitored 24/7 by security cameras and police. The most potentially harmful people are drunk men on stag parties who, when ignored, are just “flies on the wall” in another buzzing part of a glorious city.