Although it is the capital and most populated city of the Netherlands, the country is not governed from Amsterdam, but from The Hague, where the government and parliament are located. Amsterdam is located in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Established in the 12th century as a fishing village by the river named Amstel, Amsterdam is the most important city in terms of culture and finance, and the largest city in the Netherlands in terms of population. Although the population in the city centre is around 800,000 according to the census, this figure is close to 2.5 million in the metropolitan area. 

The official language of Amsterdam, of which it is the capital of the Netherlands, uses the language they call Dutch, which is actually a dialect of Dutch, and different dialects of this language, called Dutch, are widely used and spoken in Belgium and other Western European Countries. Although the country's former currency is the Dutch Guilder, the Euro has been in circulation in the European Union since 2002.

When to go to Amsterdam?

 If you are one of those who are in love with snow landscapes, you can choose to go to Amsterdam in winter as well, but spring and summer months are ideal times for most travellers to travel to Amsterdam.

Summer in Amsterdam is usually above 25 degrees and these months are usually cool. Although the winters are not very harsh, it is possible to encounter frost events in some places. Throughout the country, snow falls the most in January and stays for an average of 1 month. To put it briefly, summers are warm and cool, although not overly hot, and winters are lightly rainy with occasional snow.

About Transportation

It would not be wrong to say that most of us think of bicycles when we think of Amsterdam. This city is also known as bike friendly and it is estimated that there are over 1 million bikes in the city. Having so many bicycles also brings bicycle theft. If you are planning to visit the city by buying or renting a bike, you should definitely have big locks with you because local bike owners try to protect their bikes in this way. It can be said that another reason why the use of cars in the city is not preferred is the high cost of parking fees.

Another touristic feature of Amsterdam is the water channels running through the middle of the city, which resembles Vienna. However, these water channels located in the city rather than Vienna are used for boat trips, not for freight and passenger transportation. The canals of the city are visited by the 40-50 person pleasure boats departing from the Amsterdam Main Train Station and a couple of other parts of the city. Apart from this, pedal boats for 4 people, also called private boats and water bikes, are also used for canal cruises.

What to see in Amsterdam

Amsterdam ranks 5th among the most visited city centres in the world and receives an average of 4.2 million tourists per year. We can say that the tourism structure of the city is mostly made up of museums. The most important of the many important museums in the city are the Rjiksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. In addition, Amsterdam Historisch Museum, Rembrandthuis, Anne Frank Huis, Hermitage, Tropenmuseum, Verzetsmuseum and Stedelijk Museum are also remarkable museums to visit.

 If you wish, let's take a detailed look at the places to visit in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Canals

Amsterdam is literally a city of canals (it has nearly 200 canals that intersect all over the city) and in that respect it resembles Venice a bit. Romantic but at the same time simple, canals that are very compatible with the texture of the city promise an unforgettable tour in the city to travellers coming to Amsterdam from all over the world.

If you want, you can wander the canals on foot or take a boat tour, and you can encounter another attractive aspect of the city of Amsterdam at any time and have a pleasant time. Taking a canal cruise is one of the most impressive ways to get around Amsterdam! In addition, the fascinating beauties of the canals have put them on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The Easiest Way to Canal Tour

Apart from a pleasant walk among the canals of Amsterdam, one of the most enjoyable and easy ways to explore the city to the fullest is to join the boat tours on the canals.

Short, long, with or without food, day or night… Although there are many tour alternatives you can join, the 1-Hour Canal Tour with GPS Audio Guide is one of the most preferred tours in the city.

Dam Square

If you are looking for lively and popular places where you can measure the pulse of the city while you are in Amsterdam, Dam Square has the features you are looking for. Let me state that this is not the only square you can see in Amsterdam, but Dam Square is the centre of the city.

There are many hotels, restaurants, cafes-bars, shopping centres and shops in and around the square. Moreover, everywhere is quite close to the square; Before you start walking around the city, you can come here and start your tour with many transportation vehicles or on foot. Its proximity to touristic and historical centres is another factor that increases the attraction of the square.

Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum is one of the museums where you can find dozens of them in the city! If you ask what distinguishes it from other museums, we can first say that the Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in Amsterdam.

The museum has different sections; While 20th century works are exhibited in the modern art section, you can see the works of Dutch masters such as Jan Steen, Rembrandt and Frans Hals in the Golden Age section. At the same time, there is a separate floor in the museum for artefacts from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Van Gogh Museum

Speaking of the Rijksmuseum about places to visit in Amsterdam, I would like to give you some information about the Van Gogh Museum, which is one of the most attractive museums of both the city and the world. Because, regardless of domestic and foreign discrimination, the museum is flooded with a very heavy visitor.

If you come to the Rijksmuseum, you can add the Van Gogh Museum to your program on the same day. They are quite close to each other; Both are located in the Museum Square. The works of the world-famous painter Van Gogh are exhibited in the museum, and at the same time, important information about the life and working techniques of this great artist is conveyed.

Red Light District

Extending from the central train station to Dam Square, as if it deserves its name; This is an area where red rooms and shops are lined up. The Red Light District is one of the most unusual and interesting places that attract tourists to Amsterdam. I can also say that the number of people who come to Amsterdam for the Red Light District from Europe on the weekend is quite high. The most lively days are Friday-Saturday nights, but entertainment is not limited to nights and weekends here. The Red Light District also welcomes many people during the day.

Vondelpark

Vondelpark is one of the places that locals and tourists cannot give up. It is peaceful yet offers so many activities. Cycling, skating, walking, taking photos (the park has plenty of material for photo shoots), reading a book, lying on the grass are just a few of them. In addition, free concerts are often given.

Each area is beautiful, each corner has a different charm. The park is open to the public and was built on an area of ​​47 hectares.

Anne Frank's House

Anne Frank took shelter in this house for 2 years to hide from the Nazi occupation during World War II. One of the most striking elements of Anne Frank's House, which has been serving as a museum since 1960, is the entrance; a revolving bookshelf, which is actually a secret door. This library, which was built to hide the entrance part of the house, makes the visitors feel the fear felt during the Nazi occupation, while entering the museum.

The House of Anne Frank, which consists of different parts, naturally has a gloomy atmosphere. The section containing the diary where Anne Frank wrote her war memories is one of the places where visitors are most impressed.

Jordan

Jordaan is the most famous district of Amsterdam and is located in the centre. Transportation is quite comfortable; It is among the oldest and touristic spots of Amsterdam.

 Jordaan also has an important place in the history of the city. When it was first built by the state, the purpose was to meet the accommodation and shelter needs of the immigrant and working classes in the 17th century. The foundations of Jordaan, Amsterdam's cultural diversity and richness were laid with this district because it received immigrants from many European countries.

The Taste of Amsterdam

You can enter a wide variety of places, from restaurants with beautiful views, to art galleries, from pubs to many boutiques/shops, and you can find the opportunity to shop. Many of the popular restaurants are also found in the Jordaan district. There are also places selling antiques, ceramics, organic food, clothes, paintings.

Broodje Haring

Also known as "Herring Sandwich", is a unique flavour unique to Amsterdam. When it comes to street food, it's easy to ignore the Broodje Haring sandwich made from pickled herring.

Broodje Haring is a food consumed by the locals of Amsterdam all year round. Amsterdammers line up at the “Haringhandel” fish stalls to order herring sandwiches called “Broodjes”, especially during the summer months when herring season is over.

Stamppot

Also known as Mash Pot; A wonderful flavour obtained by pureeing vegetables, potatoes and butter.

Stamppot, where Dutch cooks traditionally add cabbage or chard, now has a more modern presentation. That's why you can see it served with various greens in some restaurants.

Pannekoeken

It is a traditional way to consume Pannenkoeken by adding meat or smoked salmon to it. However, now some Amsterdammers prefer to add fruit or chocolate to make a sweet pancake.you can find Pannekoeken on the menus of local restaurants such as Eetcafé Rosereijn as well as more touristic spots such as Pancakes Amsterdam. You can add powdered sugar and Stroop while eating Pannekoeken.