Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is known for its artistic heritage. This beautiful city is famous for its elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades. All these are legacies of the Golden Age of this city during the 17th century. The city of Amsterdam is sometimes known to be the ‘Venice of the North.’ The city has a rich history as it was at first as fishing village. Gradually it became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age. The whole city has such a pleasant vibe, which makes the city a great tourist destination. There are lots of places to visit here. But these 5 places are such which you should never miss if you ever come here. If you don’t visit any other places but these 5, your Amsterdam travel will still be worth it.Use this list of five of the top Must Visit Places in Amsterdam as inspiration for future trips to this gorgeous part of Europe.
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The Top Must Visit Places in Amsterdam
Rijksmuseum
Probably one of the most accomplished museums in the world. This museum is the national museum of the Netherlands. It was founded in 1798 to house the rare and antique artifacts the Dutch had back at that time. By now, it has more than a million artifacts that belong to different eras of history, starting from the 13th century till the modern days. The museum has almost 8,000 paintings which are spread across the 250 rooms of this beautiful building. It even has a rich library consisting of rare 35,000 books and manuscripts. They also provide efficient guides to help you visit the place. A very big thing about this museum is that it has a Micheline-starred restaurant of itself! How many museums do provide that!
This spot should be on your Amsterdam bucket list if you’re a fan of art and history. You can spend a day marveling at the different installations inside the museum and learning more about the history and culture of the country.
2. Anne Frank House
You must have read the international bestseller ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’ This was apparently a diary written by a little girl named Anne Frank. Anne and her family used to live in Frankfurt, Germany. But during the WW2 when Hitler started Holocaust, they fled and came to Amsterdam as they were Jewish. They hid in a house in Amsterdam and this is the house that we are talking about. They were some of the most famous victims of the Holocaust and Anne wrote her experience in this diary. If you visit the place, you will get to see how they lived, as things are kept pretty much the same. Isn’t it pretty interesting to witness and get to know about a place where that brave little girl lived and experienced the destruction of WW2? This is why this house is a must-visit place.
The house won’t be open to tourists for the night, of course, so it’s best to book accommodation near the places you want to visit. This way, your trip will be worth it.
3. Van Gogh Museum
Without any doubt, this is a must-visit place for art lovers and historians. This place has the biggest collection of the legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh. Since 1972 after opening, this place has been one of the most visited places in Amsterdam. This museum tells the lifestyle of Van Gogh. It contains almost 200 paintings, 500 etchings & drawings of him. It also has another 70p letter written to and by his friends and families. All these are split into different sections according to different periods of the life of this legend. Don’t forget to experience the multimedia presentation on his lifestyle named – ‘Meet Vincent Van Gogh Experience.’
You can book your ticket in advance or purchase it on the day of your visit. Just be sure to pick a day that’s not too busy as other tourists may also want to see the museum.
4. Canals of Amsterdam
These are the canals which have made this city so famous. These canals are even declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. These canals were actually made to control the flow of the river Amstel & add acres of drylands to the city in 17th century. Soon the merchants realized that these canals were perfect to showcase their mansions. The canals are crossed over by thousands of bridges and are home to 2000 houseboats, including houseboat hotels! You’ve probably seen the canals of Amsterdam through tourist photos. In some cases, people who want to go around the area take a boat as it’s the most convenient form of transportation. If you want to make the most out of your visit, you can ride a boat and see the place. The tour operators will provide you with the perfect cruise for you.
5. Vondelpark
Vondelpark is the most visited park in Amsterdam. It occupies almost 120 acres of land, which makes it the largest park in Amsterdam. The park has a beautiful rose garden which has almost 70 types of flowers. The place is so green, along with the ponds, that you will have a feeling of inner peace when you come here. Not only that, you will also find various sculptures and statues. There is no shortage of fun things to do here. There are playgrounds, rollerblade rental & ‘Vondelpark Open Air Theatre’ which is actually a venue for musical and stage productions from the month of May to September. Also, there are lots of cafés and restaurants to have delicious food.
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How To Find An Accommodation In Amsterdam?
Once you’ve finalized which sites you want to see, the next thing you need to decide on is where you’ll stay. Amsterdam is one of the most popular cities in Europe. If you’re planning a trip here, book your accommodation in advance. Waiting until the last moment is not necessarily a good idea. You might end up having to book either an overpriced place or a subpar place if you wait too long. There are plenty of hotels, hostels, Airbnb, and short-term rentals in the city.
Homelike short-term apartments is a great alternative to Airbnb in the city. Booking.com is the preferred website for those who prefer hotels to apartments. The city also has plenty of coliving spaces for people who enjoy communal living and camaraderie.
