Amsterdam’s charm lies in its superior quality of life, its rich cultural heritage and commercial dynamism .The historical centre of Amsterdam has traces of the city’s Golden Era. The wealthy merchants designed neatly laid canals with gabled residences on the banks. These now host tobacco shops, cafes and a vibrant nightlife. Hashish and marijuana are openly available in ‘coffee shops’.

Biking, skating and sunbathing are some of the popular activities. Old houses are being converted into offbeat stores, cafes and restaurants. Flower shops at street corners are a beautiful riot of colours.

People: Amsterdam is a cosmopolitan city enjoying a broad range of art and culture.

Places of Interest:

- Rijksmuseum is the Museum of Art and History
- Dam Square in Central Amsterdam is popular with the locals and the tourists
- Their flower market is the only floating flower market in the world
- Artis Zoo, founded in 1838, is the Netherlands’ oldest zoo
- Royal Palace or Koninklijk Paleis is mainly used for official state functions

Cuisine: Dutch pancakes, served sweet or savoury, are very filling. The city restaurants offer international cuisine. The most popular is Italian. Other cuisines are Chinese, Mexican, Indonesian, Greek and Japanese.

Transportation: Use trains, trams, bicycles, ferries, canal taxies, canal buses, canal boats and rented pedalos (also known as canal bikes) to tour the city’s cobbled streets and waterways.

Amsterdam is spellbinding and makes a good bargain holiday for young adults.