Great reasons to visit Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a city that boasts a huge number of attractions, making it an ideal place for young tourists, families with children and older travelers. The special atmosphere of the Dutch capital cannot be found in any other place in the world. Amsterdam is full of fascinating locations and there are many reasons to make it your destination.

1. You can visit many museums

The main place to go for an art aficionado in Amsterdam is the Museumplein square. This is where several of the capital’s large museums are located.

The National Museum of Amsterdam features a rich collection of sculptures, paintings, artifacts, clothes, pictures and other exhibits. Here you will find the works of Rembrandt and Ruisdael, as well as many works of art from Asia.

The Van Gogh Museum is eventually the best place to find most of the master’s paintings and drawings. This is the best place to learn about both his works and personal life. You can also find works by Gauguin, Monet and Picasso.

City Museum, established in the end of the 19th century, has been slowly growing to become one of the largest deposits for works of modern art. Today you can visit it to admire the best works by Renoir, Chagall, Kandinsky, Malevich, Pollock and Warhol.

2. You can watch the people at the Dam Square

This square is the historic center of the city, filled with tourists and locals on a daily basis. This is where you will find the Royal Palace, Madame Tussauds Museum and Amsterdam’s best mall. The Dam Square is where all types of events tend to take place every day: sales, illusionist shows, street-artist gigs and many other things. So it’s definitely where you want to go if you want to enjoy the city’s true atmosphere.

3. You can visit Oude Kerk

Built in 1306, the Oude Kerk church is regarded as the city’s oldest building. Its name is translated simply as “old church”, while the structure itself has a tremendous value for the Dutch national heritage. The church’s vaulted roof is made out of Estonian wood, which creates amazing acoustics for organ concerts. The floor is made of gravestones – a reminder that the church is located on a former graveyard.

4. You can dine in Waag

Waag is a building from the 15th century, which has formerly served as the gate and part of the city wall. Later it was the seat for the town hall, museum and fire station. Today, the Waag’s first floor serves as a restaurant, which deserves to be visited just because it’s the city’s oldest non-religious structure.

5. You can take your family to Artis

Artis is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, established in 1838. Today it is the house for over 700 species of animals. Moreover, it also features an aquarium, planetarium, zoological museum, botanical garden and children’s farm. This makes Artis a popular place for family walks for both the locals and visitors.

6. You can ride a bicycle

Bicycles are a typical and even traditional mean of transportation for the Netherlands. It also serves as a very convenient way to organize a tour on your own and visit a large number of attractions all over the city. Amsterdam is a great place for riding a bicycle, but you still have to respect the most important rules: turn on the lights when it’s dark, keep the distance and assure the bicycle’s safety during nighttime.