Amsterdam - Culture and charm through the canals

A minimum stay of 2/3 days is advised. The choice of accommodation is diverse and for all tastes and scholarships. Transport is frequent and functional.

Amsterdam is indescribable, has a personality of its own. The architecture is stunning ranging from Gothic to Renaissance.

We are soon also facing the romanticism of the canals and we are surprised by different situations such as watching out of their dwelling houses in the boat parked at your doorstep!

Canal travel by boat is a must and at Central Station you can choose what you want to do! There are circuits for all tastes, the offer is very varied, from routes with meals included, animation or simple routes through the canals.

The flat streets invite you to ride a bike and that's what most Dutch do! Bicycles for one or more people, family bikes, carrying several children or animals, with the naturalness of those who choose to preserve the environment and exercise!

It's interesting to see the huge car parks with hundreds and hundreds of bicycles next to the bus and train stations!

 If you are a Van Gogh admirer I recommend a day to visit the museum. It is impressive the painter's journey and his quest to portray in such a characteristic way the world around him. We can admire one of his most famous paintings, the sunflowers such as the extensive fields of wheat or the varied self-portraits that are reported to be due to the painter's lack of financial capacity to pay for models. The "Potato Eaters" painting portraying the farmers, the roughness of the calloused hands by the hard work of the fields impresses with the realism it conveys.

Van Gogh shortly before his death offered a painting, depicting the almond trees in bloom, to his brother Theo at the time of the birth of his son Vicent. It was this, his nephew Vicent who would later found the Van Gogh museum in honor of his uncle.

You can also visit the famous Rijksmuseum, an imposing building with the most classic Dutch works, with the greatest exponent of paintings by artist Rembrandt.

When traveling it is necessary to make choices. Many museums deserve to be visited. A must see is the visit to the Anne Frank house museum, the attic and the closet where the family was hiding transport us to their sad and well-known life story.

To regain strength just follow the smell, everywhere, of the famous Dutch croquettes scattered throughout the city, there are for all tastes, meat, shrimp or vegetarians but always freshly fried! Always accompanied by traditional onion fries and curries and mayonnaise. A delicious specialty.

Scattered around the city there are also many cheese shops where you can taste and buy the famous Dutch cheeses. Gouda and Edam are the best known and there is a wide variety of flavors as a multitude of spices, nuts and other products are added to the delight of cheese lovers. This product is important for the economy of the Netherlands as it is shipped worldwide.

Another attraction is Bloemenmarkt, the only floating flower market in the world. If Holland reminds us of flowers, it is the market that people will buy them to beautify their homes and gardens. Tulips are the most popular purchase. Bulbs and seeds can also be purchased for planting.

The visit to the red neighborhood satisfies curiosity and raises many questions. Mature and young women in lit shop windows dressed sensual or almost naked, looking natural ...

Also coffeeshops are a reality, with which most people live with an apparent naturalness! Cannabis is widely consumed here, displacing many onlookers here.

Photos: Natacha Brigham