What to see in Amsterdam, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Anne Frank House, Dam Square and Van Gogh Museum.
Tourist information
Crossed by the Amstel River, from which it takes its name, Amsterdam is also known as the Venice of the North, for its many navigable canals.
A'dam is the abbreviated term with which the Dutch call this lively, relatively small city, characterized by a labyrinth of navigable canals and many cycle paths, necessary for the presence of numerous bicycles, a means of locomotion and a symbol of a lifestyle.
During the seventeenth century, the golden age of the colonies, a system of canals was created, in order to expand the town beyond medieval borders.
Considering the marshy nature of the land, this solution allowed to solve the drainage problems, increasing the available land, moreover it was very useful for transporting the goods that arrived in the city port from all over the world.
Today the area included in the belt of canals of the seventeenth century, within the Singelgracht, is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as it has been considered a unique urban plan.
The majority of the buildings it houses have been considered works of historical interest for their architectural style.
What see
In Dam Square, the heart of the city, overlook Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), where the coronations of the Dutch sovereigns take place, the Royal Palace, a majestic building built in the seventeenth century, and the Dutch branch of the famous London wax museum, Madame Tussauds .
Near Dam Square stands the Oude Kerk (Old Church), dedicated to St. Nicholas, in Gothic style it is the oldest building in Amsterdam.
Another nice square is the Nieuwmarkt (new market), where you can breathe a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere, lined with shops, cafes and restaurants.
The most important building of the Nieuwmarkt is the Waag (public weighbridge), an imposing building that was part of the city walls.
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Among the museums to visit, the Rijksmuseum is very interesting, it collects a huge collection of works of art, including the famous painting "La ronda di notte" by Rembrandt.
Other museums worth mentioning are Stedelijk Museum, Van Gogh Museum, National Maritime Museum and the Anne Frank house.
To visit the Begijnhof, an ancient neighborhood founded in 1346 by a brotherhood of Beguines who dedicated themselves to the care of the sick and elderly, most of the buildings date back to the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries.
In the Jewish quarter, full of synagogues, there are the Rembrandt house museum and the Jewish historical museum (Joods Historisch Museum).
Amsterdam is a unique city which, despite the continuous flow of thousands of visitors every year due in large part also to the numerous and convenient flights to Amsterdam, its life has remained authentic.
You can also admire this city simply by walking along the canal streets or sitting in one of the many cafes in Amsterdam.
However, there are places not to be missed for a visit and among them there are the Ring Amsterdam canal, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Begijnhof, Oude Kerk, Amsterdam Brown Café, Magere Brug, Amstelkring Museum, Civic Guard Gallery, Anne Frank House .
The historic city center of Amsterdam is made up of canal rings that give the feeling of space, freedom and peace.
One way to visit the city is to take a scheduled tourist boat or to rent a boat to take a tour on your own along the various canals.
Another way to move easily is the bicycle that allows you to linger and admire every characteristic corner.
The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in the Netherlands, which houses significant Dutch works of art, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals, through which it is possible to perceive the main aspects of the Dutch national character.
You can also see the Treasury Museum, the doll houses and the traditional Delftware.
The Van Gogh Museum displays about 200 paintings and 550 drawings by Van Gogh, which represent all his moods.
It is the largest collection in the world, which also includes hundreds of Van Gogh letters.
Begijnhof is a complex of 164 houses dating back to the period between the 15th and 18th centuries.
This place originally housed a brotherhood of Beguines who, despite not having taken their vows, dedicated their lives to assisting the elderly and sick people.
Today some elderly ladies with reduced economic possibilities live here together with some students who are attracted by low rents.
The garden surrounding these old houses is characteristic and freely accessible.
Oude Kerk is the oldest church in Amsterdam, built in Gothic-Renaissance style with an octagonal bell tower, consecrated in 1306 by the bishop of Utrecht, now considered a quiet area, in the heart of the busy Red Light District and the red light district.
After a day of walking, it is advisable to stop and enjoy a simple meal, a coffee or a beer in one of the many Brown cafes in Amsterdam.
Inside these rooms there is a unique atmosphere reminiscent of the past, with very friendly people and low prices.
Magere Brug is the most famous wooden drawbridge in the city of Amsterdam, built on the Amstel river in 1934.
Every 20 minutes the bridge opens to let passing boats pass.
The Anne Frank House, located in Prinsengracht at numbers 263 and 265, is the place where the Jewish family of Anne Frank lived hidden during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands from 1942 to 1944.
In this hiding place Anne Frank wrote her famous diary, the original copy of which is kept here.
