What Is Amsterdam Known for? 13 Incredible Things You’ll Find There

Holland is a one-of-a-kind place with adventures of every kind. Amsterdam is a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lives. It is filled with fantastic scenery, unique shops, canals, tulips, rain, and experiences that can be found nowhere else in the world. Get ready to buckle in as we discover what Amsterdam is known for and some of the incredible things you’ll find there. We promise it will only make you want to visit!

1. Canals

Amsterdam is a city filled with canals, 165 of them to be exact. The canals dissect the city into smaller neighborhoods and shopping areas. Some canals, like the Singel, are lined with picturesque merchant houses. While others, like the Prinsengracht are bordered with some of the most visited attractions in Amsterdam like the Amsterdam Tulip Museum.

2. Bicycles

The easiest, cheapest, and most rewarding way to experience Amsterdam is by traveling by bicycle. It can get a bit hectic at times with bike traffic, so watch out for the fast-pedeling locals. Foot traffic is the way to go once you reach the area you wish to see, but until then, biking is recommended. You will notice bikes line most streets and are parked in front of most shops. A bike is rarely stolen.

3. Vondelpark

Vondelpark is Amsterdam’s version of Central Park in NYC. The urban park is very spacious, with over 116 acres of land for walking, biking, or just taking a break from a hectic day. It has plenty to do for all ages from playgrounds, cafes, ponds with fountains and an open-air theatre. There is always something going on in the park since it is a popular place for local artists and street musicians.

4. Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House is a somber place to visit and a reminder of times past. The museum was also the girl’s home and housed her diary. It is filled with relics and news from the time when Frank hid in the attic, referred to as the Secret Annex. Exploring the Secret Annex, where she stayed for two years and wrote her important diary, is also possible.

5. Dam Square

In Dam Square, the locals and tourists come together to shop and visit events happening there. It is very near Central Station, which is a train terminal like the one in NYC. The square is home to the Amsterdam Christmas tree, plenty of street performers, a large ensemble of events depending on the time of year, and loads of pigeons. There are many stores and restaurants in the area.

6. Unique Museums

One of the neatest parts of Amsterdam are their famed museums. There really is something for everyone when it comes to their museums. They are rich in experiences and a true novelty to the city. A few examples are listed below.

Rijksmuseum – dedicated to Dutch art and history. It is the national museum of the Netherlands!

Van Gogh Museum – dedicated to the paintings and life of Vincent Van Gogh and his life in Amsterdam and Paris.

Electric Ladyland – dedicated to all that glows beneath neon lights.

Hash, Marijuana and Hemp Museum – dedicated to all that is cannibis.

Torture Museum – filled with obscure and historical ways that were used in torture.

Foam Museum – dedicated to film and photography

Stedelijk Museum – filled with modern and contemporary art.

Red Light Secrets Museum – a prostitution museum depicting the life of a legal sex worker.

Sexmuseum – anything and everything pertaining to love and lust.

Nemo Science Museum – an amazing science museum that explains many of life’s mysteries.

Cat Cabinet – within the walls are vast amounts of art and culture containing cats.

Houseboat Museum – located inside of a houseboat and on the way to many other museums.

Tulip Museum – learn about the history of tulips in Amsterdam.

7. Authentic Wooden Clogs

The Dutch are famous for their rather uncomfortable wooden clogs, or klompen in Dutch. They are handmade in the villages and sold to tourists as souvenirs. It’s possible to find them painted in just about any way imaginable. In 1230 A.D., klompen were carved from one piece of wood and used to work in mines or gardens. Some varieties were used in warm weather and some only used in cold weather. They have little in common with American “clog” shoes made of wool or leather.

8. House Boats

Living in a houseboat is similar to living in an apartment. Theres a kitchen, bed, bathroom and all the usual necessities you would find in any other living quarters, except it’s much cooler. The views are spectacular from your “porch,” and you can people-watch or gaze at the stars from a boat whenever you please.

9. Red Light District

The famed Red Light District is a topic of conversation all over the world, though none more than in the U.S., where prostitution is illegal and heavily frowned upon. In Amsterdam, it is just another career and way of life. It isn’t just storefronts agleam with sex workers, it’s sex shops, peep shows, strip clubs and plenty more.

10. Royal Palace Amsterdam

The famed Royal Palace Amsterdam is located in the heart of Amsterdam. The beautiful building is used for galas, award ceremonies, New Year’s Eve celebrations, and state visits. It is also open to the public around those times. The inside is even more beautiful than the outside of the palace.

11. Windmills

Windmills are all over the Netherlands, though within Amsterdam, visiting Zaanse Schans is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see some of the best. While there, you can also watch the process of making clogs in one of the shops. Another fantastic windmill to check out is the open-to-the-public Sloten Windmill. Be sure to check out some of the other windmills near the city.

12. Tulips

Holland is the tulip capital, and there is no better time to visit than during the Tulip Festival, which occurs annually from the end of March until sometime in May. The best place to visit is Keukenhof Gardens if you want to see a showy display of beautiful flowers for the public to enjoy. This world-famous, 79-acre park shows off in every color for a few months a year while the tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other spring bulbs bloom. Over 7 million flowers are waiting to meet you, so be sure to bring your camera.

13. Coffeeshops

Above all else, people connect Amsterdam with coffeehouses. The coffeehouses in Amsterdam don’t always serve coffee. They generally do have smoothies and snacks of some type. They do sell cannabis products in the form of chocolates, snacks, butter, beverages, smoking apparatuses, and as a single-unaltered product. It is what draws many to Amsterdam since their own countries do not allow cannabis in any form except perhaps CBD. More places are getting on board with medical marijuana and even decriminalizing the product except in large quantities. However, few places offer the quality and quantities found in Amsterdam. Smoking in public is against the law, as is drinking alcohol.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Preecha Buathong/Shutterstock.com