Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands' national museum of art and history, housed in a grand 1885 building designed by Pierre Cuypers. Its collection spans 800 years of Dutch and European art, including Rembrandt's *The Night Watch* and Vermeer's *Milkmaid*.

The Johan Cruyff Arena is a 55,500-seat stadium, home to AFC Ajax and the Dutch national football team. It hosts major concerts and events alongside football matches.

The Van Gogh Museum houses the world's largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, with over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 700 letters. It is Amsterdam's most visited museum.

The Anne Frank House is the preserved canal house where Anne Frank and her family hid from Nazi persecution for over two years during World War II. The museum is dedicated to Anne's diary and the history of the Holocaust.

The Stedelijk Museum is Amsterdam's premier modern and contemporary art museum, with a collection spanning from 1870 to the present. It features works by Mondrian, Malevich, Warhol, and De Kooning.

The Royal Palace on Dam Square is one of three palaces at the disposal of the Dutch monarch. Built as the city hall in the 17th century, it is a masterpiece of Dutch Golden Age architecture.

Vondelpark is Amsterdam's largest and most popular city park, stretching 47 hectares through the museum district. It attracts over 10 million visitors per year for jogging, cycling, picnicking, and open-air performances.

The Westerkerk is a 17th-century Protestant church in the Jordaan district, with the tallest tower in Amsterdam at 85 metres. Its distinctive blue imperial crown is an Amsterdam landmark.

The Westerkerk Tower (Westertoren) stands 85 metres tall and offers the best bird's-eye view of the Jordaan and canal ring. The climb involves 186 narrow steps through the bell chamber.

The Oude Kerk (Old Church) is Amsterdam's oldest building, dating from around 1213. Located in the Red Light District, it now serves as both a church and a contemporary art exhibition space.

Artis Royal Zoo is one of Europe's oldest zoos, founded in 1838. Located in the Plantage district, it combines a zoo, aquarium, planetarium, botanical garden, and geological museum in one parklike campus.

The Jordaan is Amsterdam's most beloved neighbourhood, a former working-class district transformed into a charming quarter of narrow streets, independent shops, cosy cafés, and hidden courtyards (hofjes).

A cycling tour into the countryside surrounding Amsterdam offers flat, scenic rides through polders, windmill villages, and traditional Dutch landscapes. Most tours head to the Waterland or Amstel River areas.

Paradiso is a legendary concert venue housed in a converted 19th-century church near Leidseplein. It hosts live music, club nights, and cultural events across its intimate main hall and smaller upstairs room.

NEMO is the largest science museum in the Netherlands, housed in a striking ship-shaped copper building designed by Renzo Piano. It offers five floors of hands-on exhibits aimed at making science and technology accessible.

The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) on Dam Square is a 15th-century Gothic church used for Dutch royal inaugurations and major cultural exhibitions. It hosts world-class exhibitions on art, photography, and culture.

The Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) is a white wooden drawbridge over the Amstel river, and one of Amsterdam's most photographed landmarks. It is especially beautiful when illuminated with 1,200 lights at night.

The Amsterdam Museum tells the story of the city from its origins as a fishing village to the modern metropolis. Located on Amstel 51 since 2023, it uses multimedia and artifacts.

The National Maritime Museum is housed in a 1656 admiralty warehouse on Amsterdam's eastern waterfront. It explores 500 years of Dutch maritime history with interactive exhibits and a full-scale replica of an 18th-century VOC ship.

The Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is one of the world's oldest botanical gardens, founded in 1638 as a medicinal herb garden. It houses over 4,000 plant species across greenhouses and outdoor gardens.