Amsterdam isn’t just about canals and culture – but it’s hard to avoid these two key components of this glorious city. As you wander the old center you’ll emerge from a quiet street onto a vista of lights dancing on the water as people idle over beautiful bridges, enjoying the colors of dusk.
The Old Masters and the new
The Netherlands have played a key role in the history and development of art, both old and new, and you can discover copious examples throughout the city. Pre-book online if you’re visiting the Rijksmuseum, to give you a good chance of skipping the lines. It’s the premier museum in the country, stacked with works from Vermeer, Durer, Van Dyck and a Van Gogh self-portrait. The main draw has to be the peerless Rembrandt collection, which includes ‘Night Watch’. His 1661 ‘Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul’ also draws the crowds.
Discover more Van Gogh at the museum that houses the world’s largest collection of his work, including ‘Sunflowers’, ‘The Bedroom’ and ‘Wheatfield with Crows’. A stunning place to get lost for a day exploring the untold impact of this genius. Get a glimpse of more contemporary but still powerful art at the Stedelijk. Here you can see work from the De Stijl Movement, Mondrian, Chagall, Lichtenstein, Rothko and Matisse.
Dear Diary
Among the good-looking buildings of Prinsengracht, canal-side, is one that tells of Europe’s darker history and one young girl’s struggle against its tide. The Anne Frank House and Museum is open every day, and tells the story of the Jewish girl and her family, hiding from the Nazis for over two years. Of the eight who hid here, only one survived the war, Anne’s father, and her diary is a powerful artefact that he published in 1947.
The Singel life
The Singel canal is the inner canal in Amsterdam, and a walk next to it or a cruise down it will let you see many of Amsterdam’s most famous landmarks. The floating flower market stalls of the Bloemenmarkt are a treasured sight, especially in spring and summer. Look out for the world’s narrowest house at Singel 7, the Old Lutheran Church finished in 1633 and the Munttoren Tower, which once formed part of the city walls in medieval times. You’ll also pass under the Torensluis - the widest and oldest bridge in Amsterdam, built in 1648. An evening cruise on the Singel can be a highlight of any visit.
Grab a handful of sauce-covered frites, park up your rental car in Amsterdam and find out why this medieval city is still revered in the modern-age. Place yourself in Dam Square and head out from there – to see the dappled sunlight on canals or the gardens of the huge Vondelpark – with its Picasso sculpture – you’ll find this a city full of captivating corners.
