Amsterdam is often referred to as one of the most colourful cities in the world, and rightly so! Where else do you find so many places of interest: art museums, cozy pubs, fun shops and flower markets?
A major centre of art, Amsterdam has more than enough art galleries to keep you occupied! Amsterdam is a unique city with its beautiful traditional architecture built around the canals. The canals, all 165 of them, neatly divide the city into easily navigable districts.
Amsterdam is one of Europe's great destinations, its lifeblood is water, which courses through the city in a concentric network of canals and waterways spanned by more than 1000 bridges. Many of the houses date back to The Netherlands' golden age in the 17th century. These narrow-fronted merchants' houses are characterised by the traditional Dutch ornamented gables.
A great way to discover the magnificent narrow streets is by taking a cruise along the canals, which can be taken throughout the year. The possibilities range from standard canal cruises lasting one hour through to cruises of four hours including dinner, or through the lighted center of Amsterdam of an evening, or even a relaxed barbecue on the water together with friends.
You should not visit Holland without seeing Amsterdam. There is an old saying that Dutch people made their money in Rotterdam, paid their taxes in The Hague and spent it in Amsterdam.
And another thing ... Did you know that Amsterdam has 165 canals, 1281 bridges, 70 cruise boats, 8 wooden drawbridges, 2500 houseboats and 120 water bikes?
