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City Guide Amsterdam, Netherlands

Visiting Amsterdam

Known as the ‘Venice of the North’, Amsterdam is a city built on a cobweb of canals that boasts one of the most picturesque settings in the world. True, it is a city full of hazy coffee shops where stoners smoke all day and where prostitutes standing in red-lit windows try to lure in prospective customers, but there is much more to the Dutch capital than hookers and hash. It boasts world-class museums, great architecture and a buzzing nightlife making it the perfect city for a few days break.

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Amsterdam Podcasts

Amsterdam - Ask the locals

In this podcast Hostelworld.com's Colm Hanratty takes to the streets of Amsterdam to ask the locals where are their favourite places to eat, drink and more. He finds out where is good for couscous and what is the year's best festival among other things.

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Amsterdam Videos

10 Things You Need To Know About Amsterdam

Find out the best way to get around the canals in Amsterdam, its best museums and more with Hostelworld.com's Colm Hanratty.

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Amsterdam Pocket Guide

Amsterdam Pocket Guide

Download our free pocket guides for cities all over the world that are packed with money-saving tips and more.

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Amsterdam City Reviews

  • 70%

    agjwilson7174

    Amsterdam

    I only stopped off in Amsterdam for one night, and had a pleasant walk around the canals and look in a few shops. The canals were lovely to walk in the snow and locals were friendly although there is a lot of tourism mainly catering for people wanting to party hard. This attracts a few irregular characters, some amazing some shady and pretty difficult to spot the difference between someone who means well and wants to take advantage of someone on holiday. The prices are pretty high !

    Insider Tip:If you are planning a long weekend for partying then go with friends. If you are going for a cultural visit, minus the hash bars and sex shops, then don't be tempted to stray from your organised itinerary. Amsterdam is a very loud, and busy city, with no skyscrapers, and one of the most liberal areas in Europe to visit. Banks are easy to withdraw cash from so walk with as little cash on you as possible, and even take a fake wallet with you, and carry the number of the police beforehand just in case.

  • 100%

    kalingwu9861

    Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Amsterdam is a gorgeous, diverse, and pleasant city. I loved biking, cheese tasting, Amsterdam coffee shop chilling, canal cruising, museum visiting, partying and along many other things in Amsterdam. It is an awesome city.

    Insider Tip:The Halland pass is a great value deal. I paid 68euro and got passes to 7 different things with 48 hours of free transportation.

  • 80%

    kenz218

    City of Clichés

    Amsterdam is a great city, everything is within walking distance and it has a ton of character. The canals are beautiful and the city is picturesque. Make sure you do all the clichéd activities, like smoking pot and going to the red light district. There's a ton to do but you can get a really good feel from the city in 2 days.

    Insider Tip:Check out the risqué live sex show by Casa Rossa for something to tell your friends about back home.

  • 90%

    shannoncorrigan2348

    An underrated and beautiful city!

    Amsterdam doesn't get nearly enough credit for its beautiful canals, buildings, cafes, and all of the other sights! The people are wonderfully friendly as well.

    Insider Tip:Do the free walking tour through New Europe! It showed us everything we wanted around Amsterdam and included fun anecdotes.

  • 60%

    barisferah

    It is not like what I expect

    At the time when I been there almost every museums are closed. Some of them in renovation, some of them moved. Almost all store owners try to rob you. Always you must count the change. And red light district... I can definetly say this is not what I expect. I expect here is more like about show and entertainment but in real it's more like butcher shop and women are products. I mean red light district is a definetly an overrated bordello street. In the end I cannot see any Van Gogh or Rembrandt.

Netherlands: Itinerary

Known as the ‘Venice of the North’, Amsterdam is a city built on a cobweb of canals that boasts one of the most picturesque settings in the world. True, it is a city full of hazy coffee shops where stoners smoke all day and where prostitutes standing in red-lit windows try to lure in prospective customers, but there is much more to the Dutch capital than hookers and hash. It boasts world-class museums, great architecture and a buzzing nightlife making it the perfect city for a few days break.

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Amsterdam Tours

Combination entrance van Gogh and Canal cruise

Adults €0.00

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Half day Keukenhof Tour 4,5hrs

Adults €0.00

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