Amsterdam Accommodation & Cheap Lodging

Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands, is well known for its liberalism, stunning arhitecture, friendly locals, culture and history. It has winding canals, cobbled streets, some of the world's greatest art collections, fascinating old buildings and even cannabis and sex museums. Amsterdam was founded as a fishing village near a dam in the Amstel River in the thirteenth century and developed rapidly. With its characteristic canals - surrounded by narrow, low, crooked 17th century houses - Amsterdam is, without doubt, one of the most charming capital cities in Europe. Here, you do your sightseeing trip by boat, the shops are small and offer personal service, and the cafes often have tables on the pavement, facing the water.
With a rich cultural life and wide range of entertainment, Amsterdam is a full-scale capital city which has managed to retain its small-town feel. One look at the city map and you'll notice that there are almost as many canals in the centre as there are streets. While most streets look more like alleys - short and narrow - the canals are much wider. For this reason, not many Amsterdam residents drive a car in the city it is easier to travel round by boat or tram. Apart from this, bicycles are the most popular and practical means of transport in Amsterdam but it is also an excellent city to explore by foot. Admittedly, you can easily get lost in Amsterdam, where the streets wind round like threads in a spider's web.

Amsterdam's offers an incredible and dynamic diversity of attractions - historical, cultural or just plain fun. Visiting at least a couple of art museums and one of the modern galleries is must in this elegant, cultured city which also, on the other hand, offers high class football. There is plenty to do and see in Amsterdam.
Canal Boats Sightseeing boats depart continually during the day from the Central station, Damrak and the Rijksmuseum. The guided tours take 45 minutes. Other alternatives are the canal bus, with eleven stops close to museums and shopping streets, or the museum boat which circulates between all the museums. The most famous museums in Amsterdam, including the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Rijksmuseum, are located around Museumplein.

Walking Around Amsterdam Nearly 1300 bridges criss-cross the canals of this beautiful city, known as the "Venice of the North". The four main city centre canals are Prinsengracht, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Singel, which are best enjoyed by taking a bout tour or exploring the surrounding streets by bicycle. The narrow 17th century houses have large windows at eye height, so you can see a lot more than just the beautiful facades.

Canal Bikes. Explore the canals at your own pace. Adults may well find these pedal boats energysapping, but children will love them.

Artis Zoo. Children really love this action-packed zoo, where they can pat the animals in the children’s farm, brave the steamy reptile house, see the stars in the planetarium, and marvel at the fish in the vast aquarium

Ajax Football Museum. Watching a league match in Amsterdam with Ajax, the home team, is great fun, even if you are not interested in football.

East Indiaman Amsterdam. This splendid replica of a Dutch East India Company ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1749 makes a fine sight in Oosterdok. Visit the captain in his luxurious cabin and the cook in his galley, and watch the sailors hoisting cargo and swabbing decks

Keukenhof Gardens. Every spring, more than 7 milion blooms open at the famous Keukenhof Garden, including 1100 varietes of tulips alone. A showcase for the dutch flower industry, the gardens attracts more than a milion visitors a year anxious to glimpse this phenomenal show of vivid colors bursting throughout the 29 ha area. Daffodils, narcissi, tullips croci and hyacinths in every combination of gold, red, yellow, purple, orange along with celestial scents, offer an unpaired display.

Madame Tussaud’s Scenerama. If you want to take a trip back into the days of the Golden Age, experience a moon landing, or meet Michael Jackson and a host of other stars, then this waxworks is the place.

NEMO. It’s worth going to Amsterdam’s science and technology centre just for the building alone – dubbed “Titanic” by locals – and for the superb views you can get from the roof.

Nieuwmarkt. This vast open square has been a marketplace since the 15th century, and is still the scene of a Sunday antiques market in summer.

Red Light District. The world’s oldest profession aptly occupies Amsterdam’s oldest quarter, de Walletjes (“the little walls”), bordered by Zeedijk, Kloveniersburgwal, Damstraat and Warmoesstraat. Today, the district is one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions, with scantily clad prostitutes, pouting or indifferent, sitting in windows or lolling in doorways along Oudezijds Voorburgwal and the lanes off it.

Rijksmuseum (National Museum). One of Netherland's largest museum and shelter of nearly one million objects, the Rijksmuseum is home of the most exclusive art collections and attracts more than a million visitors a year. Among 20 works by Rembrandt, "The Night Watch" is definitely the highlight of the period.

Stedelijk Museum The Modern Museum's permanent premises on Museumplein will be under renovation until October 2008. Temporary exhibitions are found in the former post office by the Central Station, on floors two and three.

Tropenmusuem. Stroll through a highly realistic North African street, Indian village or Arab market.

Van Gogh Museum.A visit to the museum is a unique experience. This place exhibits more than 200 paintings, 450 drawings and 35 prints including the highly prized The Yellow House, The White Orchard and Sunflowers, as well as many of the artist's self-portraits.

Vondelpark. This is the perfect place to go with kids on a summer day – it has a paddling pool, playgrounds, puppet shows and facepainting (at the Melkhuis café), as well as free performances in the open-air theatre

Amsterdam Restaurants. The Dutch eat soup and sandwiches for lunch, often with a glass of milk. Just like the English, they like their chips, and have waffle kiosks like the Belgians. A local speciality is "bitterballen" (bitter balls), a kind of fried cheese croquette which is served as a snack with beer at cafes. This might not sound very elevating from a gastronomic perspective, but Amsterdam is also known for having some of the best Turkish and Indonesian restaurants in Europe. In addition, common themes in the most popular restaurants are stylish but pleasant decor, simple but well cooked food made from first-class ingredients and a relaxed atmosphere. Amsterdam houses many innovative restaurant trends. The latest developments are ecological fine cuisine, trendy restaurants in historical buildings and multi-function places where the restaurant also functions as a bar and night club.

Amsterdam Bars & Nightlife. It is easy to have fun in Amsterdam. Many people feel that "the Brown cafes" - Amsterdam's typical pubs - have never been better. Bar life is friendly, relaxed, and lasts for a long time. The locals go out early and return home late. Many places have a cafe, bar, restaurant and night club on different floors. The dance clubs might feel too small for somebody who is used to flashy clubs in NY, LA or London. But these clubs can be just as entertaining - and completely crazy! Hip, laid-back or sophisticated just choose.

When it comes to shopping, Amsterdam is the city of small shops. New, amusing and unusual shops open all the time and most of them are within walking distance, which makes shopping a pleasant experience. Take a look at our free guide and hit the stores.

Kalverstraat The large retail chains, with fashion, shoes and accessories are lined up on the Kalverstraat between Dam square and Muntplein.

Leidsestraat The shops continue along Leidsestraat, between Kalverstraat and Leidseplein. The colourful flower market is at Koningsplein, beside the Singel canal.

P.C Hoofstraat The cutest shopping street, with brands like Armani, Chanel, Gucci and Mulberry. Do not miss the neatest branch of Shoebaloo, the shoe chain.

The Nine Small Streets The block between Koningsplein and Westerkerk (between the Prinsengracht and Herengracht canals) is called "the nine small streets", and is an excellent area to stroll round in.

De Bijenkorf De Bijenkorf, in the centre of the shopping district, is Amsterdam's largest department store. It is the city's answer to Harrods in London and KaDeWe in Berlin.

Magna Plaza The former post office, which was built in the neo-Gothic style in 1898, would fit perfectly into a fairy-tale. There are more than forty exclusive shops, mostly selling clothes, but some also have music.

Maison De Bonneterie An old, luxurious department store with wooden balconies and a very exciting lift. This is the place to go for clothes and sporting goods.