Everything you need to know before planning your trip to Amsterdam.
The marvellous canal city.
Excited for a new trip but don't know what to do in the city? Can't find the right hotels or venues?
Here are Amsterdam's main activities listed and summarised.
Amsterdam, capital city of Netherlands:
Amsterdam, the principal commercial and financial source of the Netherlands. Famous for its artistic heritage and narrow houses.
This amazing city has a wide range of activities and features to offer. It is mostly known for their historical attractions, great art collections and of course, their elaborate canal system.
The city in numbers:
Some of their main features:
Canal cruising:
This has to be without a doubt a must on your agenda.
We can't think of any other better way to know the city's main features than floating down the canal. There are a number of tours that you can participate in and it is not a problem if you're on a busy schedule as it takes around an hour to explore.
You can also have the chance to set a romantic candle-lit tour or child-friendly adventure, all of this while learning interesting facts about Amsterdam's history.
Can you imagine a more magical way to know this place?
Amsterdam Light Festival
The Amsterdam Light Festival, its name was given due to the presence of incredible fireworks and neon lights at night. It started in 2013 as an initiative to promote tourism by the municipality and the cultural sector. It usually lasts around 52 days and starts in the last month of the year until the beginning of the following one. Each year a new theme is chosen to keep people entertained and make the best out of it. National and international artists are invited to perform in the canal so you can imagine how incredible it gets.
There is also a collaboration with artists for the relatively new project called Light Lab. For this, light art prototypes are created and some of them are given a permanent spot in the city.
Just in case you don't have time at night, there are also light sculptures illuminated during the day and activities for you to be entertained in this period.
This is a unique experience hosted for residents, tourists, elderly people, or anyone else!
Main activities:
Biking tour:
Amsterdam is one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe. There are over 400 km of bike lanes and a great number of storage facilities distributed in the area. It has more bikes than inhabitants, can you believe that?
To give you a better notion of the importance of bikes in the city, these have priority over cars and pedestrians. It is indeed an incredible place for cyclists.
So, if you are thinking about ways to tour around, we highly encourage you to take a guided bike tour! This is a great way to discover new places and due to the city's compact qualities, it can be done in approximately two hours.
It is the perfect activity to do with friends or family.
Museums:
Openness is pretty much a well-known concept in the capital. This is part of their culture, lifestyle, and character as the city offers a distinctive feeling of freedom all around.
If you are into art and museums, Amsterdam is the perfect match. This is a place where you can find a great range of galleries with astonishing exhibitions of photographs, paintings, film, biology, sculptures, and more.
Believe it or not, the capital has enough museums for you to visit over the course of a month. It would be amazing to have this much free time but in case you don't, you can always ask for our list of main museums. A glimpse of it includes the popular Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum.
There's no time to lose!
Nature & outdoor activities:
This is the perfect destination if you're either a nature lover or a thrill seeker. There are several things to do when it comes to outdoor activities in Amsterdam.
The area is filled with green spaces, parks, waterways, and recreational areas. So, if you’re up for a short trip out of town, you can hike through the dunes, kayak, or even ice skate. You can also keep it simple and go for a swim, picnic, or paddle.
Tip: Near and around the capital there are plenty of protected natural reserves and venues for you to stay and experience a day surrounded by wildlife species.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fact #1: Amsterdam LGBTQ+
In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. Ever since, the city has become a greatly popular tourism destination for members of the LGBTQ+ community. It has a significant meaning towards the community and is considered the birthplace of LGBTQ+ rights.
Each year, Pride month is celebrated with dances, parties, film screens, athletic activities and informative discussions.
Fact #2: The catboat
Are you a cat person?
The catboat is an animal sanctuary created many years ago to help stray, sick, and abandoned cats find their forever homes. It was founded by "the cat lady" who wanted to help as many felines as possible and ended up without having any more space for them. Inspired by one of the city's main features, she decided to create an unconventional home for cats in need. The reason behind its popularity is that it is an actual floating shelter on one of Amsterdam's canals.
This boat helps cats in need and also people who are looking for their adoption. It stays afloat thanks to multiple volunteers and donations from locals and tourists.
Even if you don't want to adopt one, visitors are more than welcome. After all, a floating sanctuary is quite a unique experience.
Fact #2 The Bloemenmarkt
The Bloemenmarkt is the only floating flower market to exist since 1862. This concept was grounded because many years ago flowers used to be delivered by huge boats. It is a way to maintain old customs while also adding some modern adaptations.
It is located on the Singel Canal Koningsplein and is made up of multiple houseboats greenhouses. Of course, the variety of flowers that can be found is impressive, but their main approach went through some changes after it became a major attraction. Currently, you can find flowers as well as Amsterdam souvenirs.
Interested? We're here for you