Canal Cruise.



The canal cruises in Amsterdam come in all shapes and sizes and are an absolute must. The canal boats are a great way to see the city and many of its sites quickly and comfortably, as well as getting some kind of concept of how the city is laid out, and for this reason alone, making a canal trip a top priority is advised. If you are less interested in an introduction or overview of the city, a canal cruise is still recommended for one very good reason its fun, and there's so many to choose from. You can pedal yourself around the city, go on a jazz cruise, a night time or sunset cruise, a private cruise, romantic dinner cruise or one of tens of other themed and un-themed cruises.

Van Gough Museum.

Whether you are a Van Gough fan or not, or even whether you are an art fan or not, the Van Gough Museum is a must. With the biggest collection of Van Gough paintings in the world, the museum is situated in the Museum quarter of the city and can be reached by the 2 or 5 tram.

Rijksmuseum.

The Rijksmusuem is again a must for art lovers and non-art lovers alike, the former will simply wish to spend more time there. Hosting examples of the Golden Age of European art, the Masterpieces collection at the Rijksmuseum is second to none, but this only makes up a part of the entire collection of exhibitions on offer. The Rijksmuseum is open every day with the exception of January 1st from 9am to 6 pm and until 9pm on Fridays, but the times do vary from section to section. Entry, as with most places of cultural interest in Amsterdam is moderately priced, at 10 euros for the Masterpieces collection.

Anne Frank's House

Prinsengracht 263 means little to most people, but the name Anne Frank means a lot more; the girl who's diary tells of her daily life hiding at this address from the Nazis for 2 years. Anne Frank has become a household name when it comes to the suffering endured across Europe at the hands of the Nazis and a visit to her house whether it be to pay respect or simply out of interest is a very worthwhile and moving experience. The queues at Anne Frank's house are notorious and often stretch around the corner but don't be put off by this, they move quickly and it's worth a little wait. Entrance costs 7.5 Euros for adults.

The Cat Museum

If all this history and art is getting a bit much for you why not head to Herengracht 626 where you will find the Kattenkabinet. It is just what it sounds like; a Cat Cabinet! That's right, Amsterdam boasts the only cat museum in existence, anywhere, and if you fancy something a little different, this is definitely the place for you.

Coffee shops

Any discussion of Amsterdam is not complete without even a mention of their infamous coffee shops. Whether you are all for it or dead against it, cannabis is decriminalized in Amsterdam meaning that it isn't a free for all, but it is readily available in coffee shops and comes in the form of hash, grass and food products; so, if you see a special cake or special shake advertised, be warned that it may be a little more special than you are expecting.

The list could go on and on, but with hostels starting at 15 euros a night and hotels from 65 euros a night plus a bunch of alternative accommodation options like nearby camping and bungalow villages there is no reason why your first visit to Amsterdam shouldn't be the first of lots.