Amsterdam - Buses and Buses - Transportation - Attractions and Sights.

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands and a city located in the province of North Holland. It is located on the Amstel and IJ rivers and on as many as 165 canals, making it often called the Venice of the North. The city is largely below sea level and is not flooded thanks to an intricate network of canals, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Amsterdam's canals have also been used for centuries for communication and transportation of goods.

The city's name means a dam on the Amstel River (originally "Amsteldam"). Its origins date back to the 13th century. Initially, the residents were engaged in fishing and shipping, as farming was impossible due to frequent flooding and waterlogging. The first canals were built there in the late 15th century. The 17th century in the history of Amsterdam and the entire Netherlands is referred to as the Golden Age. The city then became a major financial and commercial center.

Today we usually associate Amsterdam with bicycles, canals, coffee shops and freedom and tolerance. However, this city is very diverse, atmospheric and much more interesting than it seems at first glance.

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What to see in Amsterdam?

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For sightseeing, it is best to choose a bicycle in addition to your own legs, and see how Amsterdam looks from the perspective of water. Cycling around the Dutch capital will be an unforgettable experience, during which you will feel like a real Amsterdammer. Don't forget to take a look at the narrow and tall townhouses, which sometimes quite rightly seem to be slightly tilted. The narrowest townhouse in the city is 2.5 meters wide, which has its reason in the law and city taxes that prohibit the construction of buildings wider than 9 meters on the canal side. What else to see in Amsterdam?

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King's Palace

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Koninklijk Paleis was built in the 17th century as the city's town hall. Over time, it was transformed into a palace. It is still used by the Dutch royal family for important ceremonies, but can be visited for most of the year.

Rijksmuseum

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This is a Dutch national museum with valuable paintings, prints and sculptures, as well as handicrafts and applied art. Among other things, you can admire works by Rembrandt and his disciples.

Anne Frank House

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This museum is located on the Prinsengracht canal, in a tenement house where a Jewish girl, Anne Frank, hid with her family for two years during World War II. Throughout this time she wrote a diary, describing her experiences in it. After the war, the diary was published and translated into many languages.

Vincent van Gogh Museum

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This museum has the world's largest collection of paintings, drawings or letters by this artist, including one of a series of paintings with a sunflower motif or such works as "Van Gogh's Room in Arles" or "Eating Potatoes."

District de Pijp

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This atmospheric neighborhood is located south of the center of Amsterdam. It is home to many bars and restaurants with cuisine from all over the world, as well as the street market Albert Cuyp Markt.

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De Wallen

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This is the famous Red Lantern District widely known for its sex shops, movie theaters and erotic theaters, where comfort ladies stand in windows and tempt potential customers with their charms. It is also an entertaining part of the city, full of coffee shops, pubs and restaurants. It is also home to Amsterdam's oldest church, the Oude Kerk. It's worth a visit especially after dark to see the glow of red neon lights and lamps illuminate the canals and narrow streets, just beware of photographing posing ladies.

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Vondelpark

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This is a huge park located in the very center of the city. It is visited by millions of tourists every year. Its decoration is a rose garden. Numerous cultural and sporting events are held here during the summer season.

The park is also a popular tourist destination.