Places to Visit in Amsterdam

Van Gogh Museum is a home where you can appreciate the biggest collection of artworks by Vincent Van Gogh. Here you will not only see the artwork but will also learn about the life and life stories of Vincent Van Gogh. In the entire history of western art, he was one of the widely famous artists. He was born on 30 March 1853 in the Brabant village of Zundert, he was the first child of Protestant minister Theodorus van Gogh and Anna Carbenuts. His journey started as a schoolboy, then to becoming a junior clerk at an art firm, a teacher after that, then onto selling books as a bookseller and a preacher at the end. Finally, at the age of 27 years, he decided to become an artist and change the history of art forever which ended in 1890.

Vincent has always dreamed of establishing a community of artists in the South of France. From the beginning he was an artist known for his passion and powerful emotions through his artworks. Vincent got his inspiration from the Japanese printmaking which gave him a new way to look at the world. There was a low time during 1890 while Vincent’s life was falling apart because of personal issues and he finally decided to take his own life and shot himself in the chest on 29th July 1890.

Van Gogh Museum holds a collection of Vincent’s famous paintings and drawings along with the work of his artist friends. As per Vincent, his paintings based on sunflowers were among the best of his artwork he has ever made. There is a huge collection of Japanese prints as well, as Vincent Van Goh was a dear admirer of Japanese prints. Even after a century of his death, Vincent’s paintings are still inspiring the coming generation of artists over the globe.

Come enter the world of hidden gems in the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. The now Dutch Palace symbolizes the Great European History, and also the many stories about the artefacts, paintings and sculptures that adorn the palace in the present day. The Palace is situated on the west side of Dam square (an important Town square in the capital city), opposite the War Memorial and next to Nieuwe Kerk, a 15th-century church. The grand demeanour sits comfortably between the richest spot of history in the heart of the city!

The palace is famous for its architecture and history just like many other European palaces. In the Dutch Golden Age, the palace was known as the Town Hall for the magistrates in Amsterdam. Some documents from the time suggest that it was also the biggest governmental and secular building in Europe in the 17th century, thought to be the “eighth wonder” of the world. The then Town Hall was also an important place for socio-economic trades happening in the city. 

Apart from the abundance of events that took place in the Palace, one will also enjoy the sheer scale of the grand structure and the many wars and hardships that it had to undergo in its lifetime.Now it is mostly used by the Dutch royal family which receives and hosts its guests on special occasions. It is as open as possible for public and tourists where the museum and a guided tour will make your visit a lot more interesting.

Begijnhof is located in the heart of Amsterdam and is included in the best treasures of the city. It is one of the oldest hofjes in Amsterdam, Netherlands that includes prehistoric buildings, and many other private dwellings. It is also renowned for the two churches namely the English reformed church and the Catholic Houten Huys. One can learn from its name that this place was initially a beguinage.

The medieval inner courtyard of the Begijnhof is where the beguine women used to live. They were more independent than the nuns and had more freedom to do things. One of the famously known beguine ladies, Cornelia Arens also used to live here. The last known beguine lady passed away in 1971. In the present era, there are no more beguines alive and their essence is alive in the remains of this city. Begijnhof also houses Houten Huys which is one of only two remaining timber houses in Amsterdam. One can reach Begijnhof easily via Spuiplein.

Dam square is one of the most famous destinations in the city center of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. This place is the heartbeat of the city, it stays lively for most of the time during the whole day and will always be hosting some event for your entertainment. Being one of the most popular tourist spots you can just follow the crowd of tourists from Amsterdam Central station to the Damrak that leads you to Dam Square.

The square street connects the main artery streets Damrak and Rokin and provides passage to the main shopping streets of Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk. You can also hop on to a tram line as most of them traverse the Dam Square. Dam square is a wide boulevard that is having Royal Palace of Amsterdam on one side and the National Monument on the other. It also provides several shopping facilities, food stores, restaurants, and souvenir stores.

Take a walk across the Dam square and you will find a lot of fun things to watch like comedy shows, fire shows, live music, dance shows and lots of other activities that will keep you occupied throughout the evening.

You can also opt for a bicycle ride. The prices of the things here will be on the higher side, so make sure to dig a hole in your pockets on your visit to the square. It’s advisable to carry an international debit/ credit card like MasterCard, American Express, etc. so that you don’t face any trouble while paying bills.

Not very far away from the city centre of Amsterdam, lies it's one of the most popular neighborhoods, Jordaan. Moreover, Jordaan is considered as one of the most favourite neighbourhoods in the whole of the Netherlands. Jordaan is decorated with some of the most beautiful streets, giving way to the magnificent canals lined with magnificent flowers. High-end boutiques, legendary cafes, and restaurants, some of the most popular artist studios, you name it and Jordaan has it all.

This very place is the best-suited example which depicts Dutch life and culture in the best possible way. Once you visit this beautifully distinct neighbourhood, you would certainly wish to visit it again and again to experience its serenity and charm, yet again! The artistically decorated streets along the scenic canal of the Amsterdam city make Jordaan one of the most photogenic as well as a touristic spot in the whole of the Netherlands.

From being one of the cheapest localities of Amsterdam, Jordaan grew up to one of the most expensive and charming neighborhoods. Worldwide known Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank went into hiding during World War II is also situated well within this beautiful area, making it even more prestigious, historically, as well as emotionally.

Jordaan also has some of the most high-end markets in the world to stop by. Ranging from the best of the fine dining restaurants in the world to some of the most iconic and reputed art galleries, Jordaan has a story to tell which attracts travel enthusiasts from all over the world.

Owned by a UK-based entertainment company - Merlin Entertainments, Amsterdam Dungeon is a popular place to acquire information about the history of the Netherlands. It follows the same format to the other Dungeons of London, Berlin, Hamburg, York. You will find several rides and performances of some amusing actors that cultivate the barren history of the Netherlands. The performances generally include the archival scenes of the Medieval torture, the Plague and Rembrandt workshop.

For the visitors, who want to have a lot of fun while learning about Dutch history at the same time, this place is a perfect amalgam of these two. People can experience a total of 11 shows on the dark side of the 500 years of Dutch history. The performances by the actors are on true stories and claimed to offer a unique interactive melodramatic experience. Some of the well-received attractions of the Amsterdam Dungeon are Torture Chamber, The Great Plague, Council of Blood and many more.

Every portrayal by the actors in each tour from the entrance till the last stop brings minor harmless scares to the visitors using sudden popped up objects and loud banging sounds. The journey through the tour is accompanied by jokes with black humour made by the actors, and offers some great laugh-out-loud moments during the visit. Special credit goes to the brilliant actors who inhabit the characters like mortician’s assistant, scabrous witch hunter and make this place in demand across the region.