Travel to Amsterdam

Known for being one of the laid back cities of Europe, with its tolerance of drugs and sex, Amsterdam also attracts visitors with its many museums, galleries and architectural monuments. Ideal for exploring on foot or bicycle, Amsterdam is filled with canal houses, specialized boutiques and coffee shops. More on Amsterdam tourist attractions.

Amsterdam Hotels

Amsterdam’s hotels are recognized for their cleanliness and hospitality. Being a major tourist attraction in Europe, Amsterdam has a variety of hotels to cater to all budgets. Most hotels are located within the city centre, which can be reached easily by foot or bicycle. When considering Amsterdam hotels online, please try DirectRooms.com, our recommended site.

Most of the hotels in Amsterdam are located within close proximity to the canal and the shopping areas of the city. Exclusive hotels tend to lie on the outskirts of the city. Hotels in Amsterdam present some of the best rates in Holland, including hotels and lodges just outside Amsterdam.

Highlights

Museumplein is one of the most popular parks in Amsterdam and should not be missed. With its vastness of green grass extending from Rijksmuseum to the Concertgebouw, Museumplein is a great place to enjoy lunch or just let loose.
Famous for its museums, Amsterdam is home to the Stedelijk museum, which boosts contemporary art (as well as the likes of Picasso, Mondriaan, Monet and Matisee) and the Van Gogh Museum, which displays some of the artist’s finest work.
Anne Frank’s family home is near the Van Gogh Museum and attracts thousands of visitors a year. The rooms remain untouched and visitors are taken on a guided tour, which ends in the souvenir shop, where her diary can be bought in any language.
The Rijks Museum is a huge museum known for taking a good day to complete, though is said to be definitely worth it. It has art dating back from the 12th century and rare collections by Dutch legends, including the Nachtwacht by Rembrandt.
Along the Ouderzljds Voorburgwal and Ouderzljds Achterburgwal is the infamous red light district. With its ‘women-in-window’s lining the streets, bizarre sex shops and live shows, the red light district is one of Amsterdam’s most noted attractions.
First timers should take a private cruise on the canal, or join a candlelit wine-and-cheese cruise that operates every night all year round.
Established in 1682, Amsterdam’s Botanical Garden has some 250,000 flowers and 115,000 species of plants and trees.

Day trips by hire car

A hire car in Amsterdam gives visitors the freedom to explore the attractions surrounding the city. Go at your own pace and schedule by hiring a car. Amsterdam car hire can be arranged online.

Rotterdam, the world’s busiest port, is worth seeing for its interesting architecture and variety of art collections on display at the Boysman-van Beuningen Museum. Its other main attractions include: the Euromast, offering a superb view of the port, the Maritiem Museum and the Blijdorp Zoo. After being destroyed in 1940, Rotterdam’s historic centre now boosts contemporary style and is filled with live galleries, chic cafes and bars. By hire car, it is around an hours drive from Amsterdam.

Less than an hour’s drive from Amsterdam is Scheveningen beach, which has a boardwalk and seaside that continues to attract locals and visitors alike. For those use to warmer temperatures, swimming in the North Sea during summer is not as cold as one might think. A few cafes and stores line the beach as well. Transport is hard to come by and it’s best to hire a car in Amsterdam if you are planning to leave the city. Major car hire companies offer Amsterdam hire cars in the city, however pre-booking is recommended during peak seasons.