Amsterdam sights make this city perfect for a weekend getaway or a vacation longer. Summer is probably the most appropriate time to visit the capital city of the Netherlands, but its beauty can be explored at any time of year. So, here are ten reasons why a vacation in Amsterdam should not be missed.
1. Heineken Brewery
The Heineken Brewery is no longer brewing for some time, but tourists can see the entire process of one of the best beers in the world. In exchange for an entry fee of € 15, tourists get three large beers and a gift which varies during the visit at the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam. The three pints of beer that every tourist gets make a very good deal. In the Heineken factory tour, visitors can enjoy a number of attractions such as glass stairs, cinema and even a studio where they can record music. You will also see the huge barrels where beer ferments.
2. Albert Cuyp Square
Albert Cuyp Squre is situated on the street with the same name and it is one of the most chaotic and popular squares in Amsterdam. It has become a real tourist attraction and so it is always full of visitors. However, locals continue to frequent it. Albert Cuyp Square is ideal for shopping in Amsterdam but also for a little walk.
3. Torture Museum
The Torture Museum is considered the most horrendous, interesting and unusual museum where several medieval torture instruments are presented in a dark atmosphere for the visitors to make an idea about the criminal justice system five hundred years ago.
4. Red Light District
Red Light District of Amsterdam is a major tourist attraction. It consists of a network of trails that are a large number of small rooms rented by women who offer their services from behind a special window or glass doors. These rooms are generally decorated with red lights. The whole area has a predominantly entertainment for adults, sexual accessories stores, adult movie theaters and a museum of sex. Also, in the Red Light District of Amsterdam there is the cannabis museum and a multitude of coffee shops offering a wide range of products for smoking.
5. Van Gogh Museum
A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience during a vacation to Amsterdam. The museum contains the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world. The exhibit offer visitors the opportunity to observe closely the evolution of the artist’s paintings or to compare it with other artists of the nineteenth century. The museum also offers its visitors other art exhibitions on various topics of the nineteenth century.
6. Tulip Museum
The tulips were brought to Holland in the mid XVI century by the Ottoman Empire. Until today, tulip flowers remained Dutch favorite and are even one of the symbols of the country. A small private museum, right across the street from the Anne Frank House, shows the history of the Dutch fascination for tulips and sells several types of bulbs of this flower.
7. Nemo Technical Museum
Nemo is the largest science center in the Netherlands. With five floors full of exciting things, it is ideal place for those curious. All you can find in Nemo is about science or technology (exhibitions, films, workshops and demonstrations etc.).
8. National Museum of Amsterdam
A major tourist attraction, the Rijksmuseum (National Museum) is housed in a historic building and it is the largest museum in the Netherlands. The National Museum is the largest museum in many ways such as the size of its collections, the building in which it is located, budget and number of employees.
9. Vondel Park
Vondel Park is the largest park in Amsterdam and one of the most popular parks in the Netherlands, a sight that cannot be missed in vacation in Amsterdam. Vondel Park is visited every year by over 10 million people. It is situated near the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museums.
Vondel Park is loved by residents, but also by tourists and during summer it is full of people enjoying pleasant moments relaxing. Free concerts are offered often and there is also an outdoor theater in the park. Other attractions of the park are the statue of the poet Vondel, the dome and film museum which has a very popular terrace.
10. Anne Frank House
Anne Frank was one of the Jewish victims persecuted by the Nazis during the Second World War. After Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, the persecutions against the Jews were more serious. Anne Frank’s family tried to escape by hiding. In July 1942, Otto Frank, Edith Frank and their daughters Margot and Anne hid in the building of the Prinsengracht. Later the Dann family joined.
