- What to visit in the center of Amsterdam
- Canal region
- "Chips" of Amsterdam
The capital of Holland can be completely different: for some, it opens its dark alleys or streets of "red lights", sends towards eccentrics and "freaks" from different parts of the world. For others, it demonstrates amazing canals, aligning with Venice, invites you to stroll through the marvelous tulip gardens, acquaint you with the idyllic life of the medieval Dutch and the paintings of Van Gogh. Therefore, a tourist who comes here for the first time is puzzled what to visit in Amsterdam, where to take the first step?
What to visit in the center of Amsterdam
The main city of the Netherlands is divided into districts, each of which has its own “chips, that is, the main attractions and beauty. The area located in the center of Amsterdam is called Center. It is here that the heart of the city, its historical part, is the Old Side, and the New Side adjoining it.
It was from the Old Part that the city began to grow, gradually building up in different directions. The main sights of Amsterdam are concentrated in Audzeids (Old Town), including the red-light district; in the old days, girls of easy virtue could not do without girls either.
The new quarter is actually not that new, it just appeared a little later. For example, its main attraction, the Nieuwekerk Church (the name translates as the New Church) dates back to 1408. This area of the city bears the proud title of the intellectual center, here, on Dam Square, there is the Royal Palace, nearby the main avenues with shops and boutiques, adored by buyers from all over the world.
Canal region
Grachtengordel is one of the most famous tourist areas in Amsterdam. Since 2010, its famous canals have been protected by UNESCO, making fun of visitors, the townspeople suggest that they learn the names of at least the main channels in Dutch.
Many experienced tourists understand that this is a priori impossible, so they quickly write down the toponym in translation into their native language. The main canals of the city are named: Lord's Canal (Herengracht); Princes Channel (Prinsengracht); Channel of Emperors (Keizersgracht).
The question of what to visit in Amsterdam on your own is easy to solve: of course, the canals. The main thing here is to look carefully, breathe in the sea scents and slowly plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, fortunately, the entourage allows. And the locals offer a wide range of means of transportation on the water, including cruise ships, mini-ferries, ships and other similar floating means.
There is also a company with an intriguing name - Canal Bus, but buses mean boats. And the system is the same as that of tourist buses in the city - you can get off and on as many times as you like with the same ticket during the day. In other companies, the system is completely different, they do not make stops, but offer to drive through the main attractions of the city.
In the evening, such a trip can be very romantic, with a festive candlelit dinner, accompanied by wonderful music. True, in such a romantic atmosphere, when you eat and look at your dear companion, there is a chance to miss all the beauties of the city, simply not to notice the main historical and cultural monuments.
"Chips" of Amsterdam
One day is clearly not enough to explore the city, but a week is not enough. Therefore, you should not rush to embrace the immensity, focus on one thing - the same canals, city blocks or museums in the Dutch capital.
Traveling along the canals is described above, the three main ones worthy of the tourist's attention. Named. Of the bridges in Amsterdam, the most beautiful are Magere-Bruges, whose name is translated very funny - "Skinny Bridge", and Blaubrug. You can learn more about the history of this part of the city, picturesque canals and famous bridges in the Museum of the History of Canals.
Of the Amsterdam museums, it is important to include only two objects in the list - the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, the rest - subject to the availability of free time and financial resources. The first is an art museum, statistics claims that it is one of the twenty world leaders. The second museum must be visited to see the famous "Sunflowers" and appreciate the skill of Van Gogh.
Tour operators say that in the vicinity of Amsterdam there are enough interesting places and beautiful natural landscapes. What is "Keukenhof", the world's most famous tulip park, the Museum of Old Holland or Peter's House, which should be included in the program of every Russian visit.
