After you’ve decided to go to Amsterdam, you have a few more decisions to make before your holiday. First, you must find a deal on Amsterdam flights. It is wise to book your flight well in advance to ensure a lower rate, especially if you are going during the busy season. While you may be able to find accommodations after you land, it is ideal to make your reservation in advance as well. After you have secured lodging, it’s time for the fun part – deciding what to do.

A view of the Reguliersgracht on the corner with the Keizersgracht, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands by Massimo Catarinella

The Seven Best Things to Do

The below top seven things to do in Amsterdam will help you decide which attractions and activities you cannot miss during your trip.

• De Pijp – This neighborhood is referred to as “Quartier Latin” due to 19^th-century architecture that reflects a collision of many different cultures. This eclectic neighborhood features ethnic restaurants and one-of-a kind shops to satisfy the food enthusiast and shopaholic. It is also home to Albert Cuyp Market, a famous street market with international vendors. This is a great place to meander around and take in flavors and experiences from all over the world.

• Vondelpark – As a well-maintained park that is home to ponds, playgrounds and winding paths, it is an ideal spot for an evening bike ride or roller blading adventure. There is a plethora of sculptures and statues to appreciate throughout the park. Vondelpark is open from sunrise to sunset and is an excellent free way to enjoy an evening in Amsterdam.

• Anne Frank’s House – Anne Frank’s universally respected and somber house is widely considered a must-see attraction. Visitors are able to see where Anne Frank hid for two years and wrote her diary before being taken to a concentration camp. As one of the most popular attractions in the city, visiting very early or very late in the day is the best way to avoid long lines. The House is open daily and charges a reasonable price for admission.

• Van Gogh Museum – Home to a collection of prints, paintings and etchings from the respected Vincent Van Gogh, this museum is a must-see for any art enthusiast. With over 200 paintings on display visitors can spend an entire day taking in Van Gogh’s work. Admission is more than other museums in the area and is often sold-out. Reserve your tickets well ahead of time to see this unique museum.

• The Heineken Experience – Located on the site of the company’s original brewery, this renovated attraction offers a self-guided tour of this famous brewery. The ‘experience’ entails a unique multimedia exhibit in which you actually become a beer. Visitors are shaken, sprayed and heated. Don’t worry, you won’t be drank at the end. However, you may do some drinking yourself.

• The Red Light District – Many travelers have called the Red Light District a can’t-miss attraction. Being home to many bars and clubs, this district is known for its legalized prostitution and is most alive at night. Even if you will not be a patron, visiting the district offers a unique perspective not found anywhere else in the world. Leave the camera at your hostel, as taking pictures of prostitutes is expressly prohibited.

• Di’Vino Wijnbar – The Jordaan district is home to this dedicated wine bar for the sophisticated tourist. Enjoy a candlelit experience filled with quality Italian wines paired with divinely arranged cheese plates. The flickering candles and comfortable seating create an idyllic environment for a romantic evening in a quiet part of town.

Make the Most Out of Your Amsterdam Trip

Planning a rough itinerary before your trip is the best way to make the most out of your Amsterdam holiday. While there is value in an unstructured visit, if you are on any sort of time constraints making a schedule is advised. Creating an itinerary of attractions and activities will help you optimize the time spent in this wonderful and historic city.

Jonathan M. Scott is a contributing writer and travel enthusiast. He makes regular trips to Europe and Asia to explore new countries and cultures. 

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It’s not cheap

You think you have it bad in the United States. Well Europe can be really expensive. In some places you’ll need a lot more money than you’ve ever thrown around before. If you want to go out in London you will have to take out a second mortgage. Know that you will have to look after your money. If that means heading to the shops to buy some groceries, great. You can always cook in a hostel. But don’t expect to be going out for food every night.

Photo by Gary Cycles

Watch your pockets

I don’t know how much experience you have with pick pockets, but unfortunately in some European cities you can see quite a lot of it. There are professionals that go around targeting unsuspecting people. It makes you an even bigger target if they can see you carrying around lots of fancy electronic equipment. Just be careful of anyone who welcomes you with a handshake and a little dance. Look in your pocket after this and it could be too late.

Photo by Daniel Lobo

It’s really cold

Especially in Northern Europe, you’re lucky if you will even see one week of summer. What I can tell you is that it’s really cold. Pack as much warm clothes as you can that will fit in your luggage, or be prepared to buy more from the shop. You don’t want to be waiting about at night with nothing keeping you warm except a t-shirt. It’s going to be even better if you have a hat, scarf and gloves.

Photo by Ffion Atkinson

Taking money from ATM’s

You will eventually have to withdraw money from ATM’s and you need to be very careful. Don’t let anyone see your card. It’s equally important not to flash too much cash around. Not everyone will be as rich as you and waving money in their face is likely to entice them to take it off you. Some gangs also use special machines they put on ATM’s in order to swipe your card details. Have a good look before you use the machine to check everything looks OK. The last thing you need is to lose all your money in a foreign country.

Photo by Frank Hebbert

Be careful in bars

Like anywhere else you will find trouble in some bars. This tends to happen a lot more regularly in Europe. The main culprits are England and Ireland. Unfortunately, some people will go out with the sole purpose of starting trouble. It’s unlikely it will happen to you, but it’s always something to be careful of. If anybody tries to cause bother you should walk away before it gets out of hand.

Photo by Glenn Harper

John Peters is an expert travel advisor and writes various articles on topics like unique vacation spots, travelling tips and adventurous holidays. His company provides great services like cheap flights to Murcia with Jet2.com.

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It is a cosmopolitan city where many different cultures live together – this international flair is directly related to its role as a crossroads for all of Europe.

There are two official languages

Most tourist sites are within walking distance of the Grand Place. Victor Hugo, a city resident for several years, called the Grand Place and its 17th-century Flemish Renaissance buildings “the most beautiful square in Europe.”

One of the most interesting events in Brussels is bi-annual event featuring the creation of a detailed carpet design using more than 700.000 cut begonias.

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Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is a Mediterranean nation, which for centuries was influenced by Roman, Arab and British culture. We can find a large minority of foreigners, most of which are represented by the British. Most inhabitants live on Malta‘s main island in the cities. Almost all the people belong to the Roman Catholic Church. On the island there are over 360 churches and at every step you can meet monks or nuns. Catholicism plays an important part of Maltese life.

The most important source of income in Malta is tourism, which also employs a third of the population. Malta and nearby islands to visit for over a million tourists a year. Tourism is therefore 35% of the gross domestic product. Malta has no own sources of raw materials, and is dependent on imports. Agriculture is concentrated on the island of Gozo, where we find more greenery and better conditions for growing wheat, barley, potatoes, legumes, vegetables, citrus fruit and grapes. In the summer season, vegetables need to be imported, because there is a very dry climate. Industrial production is focused on engineering products, electronics, shipbuilding and ship repair and textiles.

Malta is known for its numerous and well-preserved monuments from the times of megalithic culture. This leads to the assertion that this developed culture lived on the island already between 4000 to 2500 BC. Then the island had many different cultures: the Phoenicians, Carthage, Rome, Byzantium, Arabs, Normans, kings of Castile, Johannes and Napoleon. During the world wars, Malta became an important base for the British forces in the Mediterranean Sea. Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, became a republic in 1974 and in 2004 became a member of the European Union.

The Maltese archipelago acts on the map as the small grains in the Mediterranean Sea, and yet form an important bridge between Europe and Africa. The Maltese archipelago is essentially a remnant of the connection between Sicily and North Africa coast, which was aborted in the late Tertiary. Malta is only 90 km away from Sicily and 200 km from Tunisia.

The islands are almost without vegetation, but Malta is interesting anyway. Indeed, the mythical Odysseus reportedly stuck here for seven long years. It is a paradise for divers and water sports enthusiasts, history and art lovers and you can enjoy here good food, drink and social life as well.

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