The canal trips and the walking tours for which the city is famed may not be appropriate for the light hearted during the winter months when the temperatures may be anything from freezing up to around 10 degrees; however for those of a sturdy consistency if the boat trips are running they provide a wonderful overview of the city it's architecture and various areas. In addition, with a hot cup of cocoa or tea that can be purchased on board or before embarking, snuggling up on a crisp Amsterdam afternoon and being sailed around the city can be not just interesting and informative, but rather romantic also.



If dry land is more your style then the many museums and galleries provide ample indoor heated entertainment, and with the excellent public transport there is little reason to even feel the cold. Of particular interest is the Rijksmuseum, current host to the largest collection of Dutch art work from the 17th century amongst other permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Van Gogh Museum is also an absolute must for art lovers and appreciators of culture alike. Not only does the Van Gogh Museum host the biggest collection of his paintings in the world as well as an impressive collection of paintings by Van Gogh's contemporaries, it also plays host to regularly changing temporary exhibits consistently of the highest standards and interest. Both of these museums can very easily be whole day events and have ample cafeteria and rest facilities. Finally, the house of Anne Frank is a less length yet equally interesting and compulsory visit. Specifically in the case of Anne Frank's house the winter months provide a particularly relevant bonus as the lines to get in in the summer quite literally go all the way down the street and round the corner. For all sites however, the advantages of shortened lines as less crowding are very much pulling points of a winter visit.

These are just a few of the gems that Amsterdam has to offer. There is very little snow fall in Amsterdam and the city is of equal beauty in the cold as in the heat. In fact for many, wrapping up warm and walking the streets of the city in winter provides a considerably more genuine experience of the city than parading the streets along with the throngs of tourists in the summer months. Very comfortable hotels of 3 star and upwards can be found very easily through the internet or the city tourist information site starting at around 90 Euros per night for a double room including breakfast. There are quite literally hundreds of hotels in the central Amsterdam area, making eating out and evening entertainment not a worry, and with an off-season holiday you can have the choice of them usually at a somewhat reduced rate compared to the much higher summer rates.