It’s undoubtedly pretty. It’s renowned for its nightlife. It moves on bicycles and boats. Ask any Amsterdammer and you’ll hear a different reason why they love their city. Here, we pick some of our favourites.
t Few art collections can rival the concentrated brilliance of Amsterdam’s most famous museum. Don’t miss Rembrandt’s masterful The Night Watch.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Admire the unique façades of canal houses and listen to the water lapping against your boat while you explore the rings of pretty waterways.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Graffiti has been given a veneer of respectability in recent years, but there are always exciting and raw works to be found when you know where to look, including these works by Bronik and Ives.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Tread in the footsteps of centuries of worshippers, through coloured reflections cast by the 16th-century stained-glass windows, at the city’s oldest church.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Visit this emotive museum to discover the real man behind the paintings. You can almost feel Rembrandt’s hand on your shoulder as you walk around the artist’s former home.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Savour the taste of the rich, malty grandfather of gin in a warmly lit proeflokaal. In the 17th century, customers could sample genever in these tasting rooms before buying it.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t This emotive complex of synagogues reflects the wealth and depth of the city’s Jewish heritage.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Don’t miss out on the beating heart of this nocturnal city. Discover raunchy burlesque clubs, upscale piano bars, a pulsating LGBT scene and pumping rock clubs.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Savour everything from traditional soused hareng (herring), served with raw onions and gherkins, to dishes from Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East and the Mediterranean at this market.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t The majestic Amsterdam, a perfect copy of an 18th-century East Indiaman, is the flagship of this fabulous maritime museum, which harks back to when the Netherlands was a seafaring superpower.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t A trip to the Dutch capital wouldn’t be complete without enjoying the national pastime: cycling. Venture out on two wheels to the graffiti-adorned streets of Noord, pausing at off-beat cafés.
Discover Reasons to Love Amsterdam
t Marvel at the golden layers of Sunflowers, the dizzying perspective of The Bedroom, and the contrasting colours of Irises at this temple to the Dutch artist.