Amsterdam: planning a trip to the Venice of Holland
Among the most popular European destinations for tourists from around the world is definitely Amsterdam. Even Italian travelers [...]
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Among the most popular European destinations for tourists from all over the world is definitely Amsterdam. Italian travelers also love to travel to this city that is traditionally recognized as the Venice of Holland. The unique beauty of the Dutch capital attracts more than 20 million travelers each year. In this unique place, tradition and modernity blend together and tourists can, at the same time, learn about Amsterdam's past and immerse themselves in what the city is today.
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Flying to Amsterdam today is even easier after the creation of new flights with destination Schiphol Airport, a truly unique airport facility because of the many images of works of art on display in the city's museums scrolled across the baggage claim belts.
Amsterdam's tourist offer is very diverse as mentioned; we are talking about the Venice of the North, a city that is spread over a myriad of canals, which create a singular and magical urban setting. In addition, the ease of travel in this location makes it a true city on a human scale, particularly accessible for tourists who are eager to discover it in a short time.
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Flying to Amsterdam: some of the must-see places
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The Dutch capital is a major tourist destination because of the many entertainment opportunities it offers between discos, coffee shops and bars. The offer is varied and available at any season of the year, both in the coldest winters and the hottest summers.
Basically, the beating heart of Amsterdam is Dam Square, the main meeting point of many streets from which you can then fully immerse yourself in the nightlife of the Dutch capital. A particularly lively and frenetic city, Amsterdam lends itself to the knowledge of its local culture, but with an international flair, between music concerts of various kinds and evenings in the trendiest bars. In fact, we are talking about venues that are the destination of many tourists every year, representing the colorful and cheerful soul of the city.
Prominent among the various establishments is the Bruin Café, where brown (bruin) characterizes the color of the walls, impregnated with the smoke of customers and artists who have visited this place. A timeless café that still represents one of the city's major attractions for travelers who come here to enjoy its atmosphere.
Amsterdam's wide range of cultural choices
Being able to get around easily on foot almost everywhere, given its completely flat terrain, Amsterdam differs from other European capitals in the smaller size of its territory. As a result, the Dutch capital is easy to visit and travel around, offering the possibility of convenient access to some of its most interesting sights. These include, of course, the museums that house some of the best-known works and art collections in the world.
The first one to report is the Rijksmuseum, for experts one of the most famous, whose major exhibits include paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. The most important authors are Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Dyck, and of course Van Gogh, to whose works another museum is entirely dedicated.
In fact, we are talking about a structure divided into two different areas, on which internationally renowned architects have put their signature: Gerrit Rietveld who built the museum in 1973 and Kisho Kurokawa, creator of the building erected in 1999. On display in this temple of art, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, are works by Van Gogh such as "The Sunflowers" and "The Potato Eaters," two of the Dutch artist's most emblematic canvases.
Amsterdam is also the city where Anne Frank lived: it is still possible to visit the house where the author of the famous diary hid with her family to save herself from Nazi persecution. The Anne Frank House, now used as a museum, is one of the most important and visited cultural-historical institutions in the world.
Dutch gastronomic specialties
French fries i.e., the traditional French fries dear to everyone, regardless of age, are very popular in Holland in general and in Amsterdam in particular, and are the best complement to an aperitif with excellent beers. This combination is offered on the menus of all bars in Amsterdam, where freshly made french fries topped with various sauces can be accompanied by Trappist or craft beers, which in Holland, like neighboring Belgium, are an absolute specialty. The famous Heineken is the Dutch blond beer also available in the Aspire airport lounge Amsterdam.
If we are talking about cheeses, however, mention should be made of the typical Edam and the classic Gouda, both of which form the basis of the most traditional food in Amsterdam. There are, in fact, many local outlets that supply these typical sweet and mellow cheeses, which can be an excellent complement to a hamburger, making it even tastier. These cheeses, however, are very pleasant accompanied with salads of all kinds, and are the best proposal from a gastronomic point of view for vegetarians.
Getting around Amsterdam easily
Public transportation in the Netherlands, and in Amsterdam in general, is very reliable and presents convenient travel opportunities. Thanks to the metro, which is extensive and consists of five lines, anyone arriving in the city can easily move from the center to other parts of the capital with a ticket costing 3.20 euros. There are many alternatives at the subscription level. To visit the most characteristic places in the city, it can also be convenient to use buses and streetcars, whose routes are better suited to cover the city center and the areas most trafficked by tourists.
However, anyone who really wants to have an all-encompassing experience in Amsterdam, feeling like an authentic citizen, should rent a bicycle with which to ride through the characteristic canals, completely independently. An ecological two-wheeled means par excellence, the bicycle is the soul of Amsterdam, and in every canal there are hundreds of them parked, demonstrating how this simple means of locomotion is present and essential in the daily life of the city. Among other things, the flat terrain, makes the effort in getting around minimal. And why not try, if there are two of you, the thrill of being able to ride a tandem and get lost in the beautiful city grid?
In general, therefore, the offer to visit Amsterdam is varied and attractive, since it allows every tourist with different needs to take advantage of leisure opportunities and cultural activities, thanks to which one can really get to know the authentic and traditional spirit of the capital of the Netherlands.