Amsterdam Offers Easy and Rewarding Travel

Art, History, Food, Nightlife and Rail Access to all of Europe

Dec 12, 2008

Amsterdam is a traveler's delight, offering a mélange of arts, culture and nightlife in a city blessed with efficient public transport and links to the rest of Europe.

In the 300 or so years since the height of the Dutch East Indies Company’s power, the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam has amassed a surprisingly large collection of, art, artifacts, history and cultures. The result is a remarkably pleasant city of open-air markets, greenspaces, exotic cuisines and world-class museums.

Outdoor Markets & the Red Light District

Several blocks south and west of Dam Square (the main tourist area) near the intersection of Muntplein and Amstel, the canalside flower market offers bulb kits and other horticultural curiosities. In the spring the bounty of Holland’s famed tulip trade is on display here in shockingly vibrant colors. Vendors are generally pretty good about making certain their customers’ purchases are import safe and legal for their home country.

Just east of the Dam Square, through a couple of narrow alleys, sits one of Amsterdam’s largest Red Light Districts. All through the day and night prostitutes sit in the windows of brothels (bathed in the glow of red light) and entreat passersby to partake of their offerings. Other shops in these areas include video stores, adult novelty stores, and cabarets. In these districts things are typically fairly tame during the day and early in the evenings. But as the night wears on they are increasingly frequented by large crowds who mostly point and gawk.

City Parks, Squares & Greenspaces

With relatively temperate weather and occasional sea breezes, the residents of Amsterdam religiously flock to a number of large city parks when the weather turns pleasant. Some of the larger and most popular parks include the Museumplein (Museum Square) and Vondelpark – Amsterdam’s largest city park with numerous shaded glens, small streams and lakes.

Not far from the Central Train Station sits Dam Square, a large open-air plaza fronting the Kroninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace). With several tramlines passing through, several statues and monuments, and the palace itself to look over and photograph, this is a common meeting spot for tourists and locals alike, and as such is almost always crowded.

A legacy of its rich trading history, Amsterdam boasts quite a few restaurants that specialize in cuisines from around the world. Guidebooks list a dazzling array of choices including Surinamese, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Tibetan, Andean, Caribbean, Cuban, and of course, Rijsttafel (Rice Table), an Indonesian-inspired feast consisting of rice and multiple (12-30) small plate dishes brought to each table. Rijsttafel is readily available in Amsterdam and notably hard to find elsewhere. It’s one of Amsterdam’s signature special treats.

Art, History and Cultural Museums

The museums of Amsterdam are as varied as the food available throughout the city. The Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum offer visitors a glimpse Holland’s rich artistic heritage. While The Anne Frank Museum and the Dutch Resistance Museum provide their patrons with a look at the strength of human character during one of the darkest periods in history.

Amsterdam and Netherlands Notables:

Amsterdam’s rich history offers visitors a broad cross section of history, art, culture and food in a central location. And when you add to that the friendly and easygoing nature of the Dutch people, Amsterdam, with its ubiquitous and efficient transportation options, becomes one of the easiest, most stress free and enjoyable European destinations.

The copyright of the article Amsterdam Offers Easy and Rewarding Travel in Netherlands Travel is owned by Glenn Kaufmann. Permission to republish Amsterdam Offers Easy and Rewarding Travel in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.