This destination has so much to offer and is one of my favourite cities in the Europe. I had the pleasure of spending two days in the city in May of 2013 before boarding a cruise ship setting out for Northern Europe, and will again be spending time there in October 2015 before a river cruise. I can’t wait to explore more of the city!
The first sightseeing cruise of the Amsterdam canals took place in 1621 for Queen Elizabeth, Stuart of Bohemia. Now, a canal cruise is a must-do attraction. From the comfort of a glass topped boat, you will cruise past 17th century warehouses, churches and the narrow houses for which Amsterdam is so well known on your 60 minute cruise.
The incredible museums are one of the main tourist attraction in Amsterdam. The most popular ones being the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum, but there is much more. Amsterdam has over fifty museums which attract millions of visitors each year.
Anne Frank’s house is another major attraction in the city. We found that the best way to visit the house was on a tour; we were able to walk right in, ahead of the line-up outside. Without a pre-bought ticket you can spend up to an hour or longer in line. We had watched the movie the week before our trip and it was a very sobering experience to walk thru the rooms of the attic.
The Redlight district is also a very interesting destination within the city to visit. We took a walking tour through the area and I would recommend this to everyone. You will get the history of the area and much more of an understanding to why it is an important and safe part of Amsterdam.
One of my daughter Alicia’s favourite things about Amsterdam are the tasty treats of “Stroopwafels,” which are two waffle cookies put together with sweet syrup filling in the middle, and I have to admit I enjoyed a few of them too!
Amsterdam should definitely be on your list of must see cities.