Amsterdam, it's not what you think! (Amsterdam)

Member Name: manonfireuk

Product:	Amsterdam
Date:	08/09/09 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of things to do

Disadvantages: Very busy, lots of people, lots of bikes, lots of traffic

I visited Amsterdam earlier this year in February and I can really recommend a winter trip as the city looked beautiful when it started to snow!

This was my first trip to Amsterdam and at first I was a bit wary about going. All I knew of Amsterdam was it's reputation for it's relaxed attitude to the red light district and cannabis. As I had no intention of experiencing either then I was worried I would not enjoy the trip.
However, Amsterdam has so much more to offer than that and we had a great holiday. We stayed for a long weekend but could quite easily have enjoyed a longer stay.

When you're in the city if you don't wish to take cannabis then it is best to notice the difference between a cafe and a coffee shop. I thought the two were the same but the coffee shops are those places where you can get cannabis to smoke or eat in cakes whereas the cafe's are just the normal cafes you get in this country!
You're never going to be able to fully escape cannabis while you're in the city centre, you can smell it as you walk past the coffee shops all the time but it didn't bother me too much.

The Red Light District was something we just stumbled across while we were exploring the city and to be honest I think most of the people down there were just having a look! To someone who has never been to Amsterdam or walked down a road of brothels ladies in the windows advertising themselves before then it can be quite a shock / fascination.

My three favourite tourist spots in Amsterdam were the Heineken Brewery, Anne Frank Haus and the Sex Museum.

Even if you're not a big fan of Heineken it is still worth visiting the brewery, it has to be the most entertaining brewery tour I have ever been on. What makes this tour better than any others I have been on is it is very interactive, there are great photos opportunities, the usual free beer, tasting opportunities, karaoke videos to star in and email home!, a chance to bottle your own beer and loads more that I'm sure I've forgotten about!

Anne Frank Huas is a more subdued affair. The museum has been built up around the house in which Anne Franck lived in order to preserve it. It's a very haunting and moving experience, walking around the house looking at photos, watching interviews and hearing readings from her diary. It will obviously mean a lot more to you if you have read Anne Frank's Diary before your visit but I think it is something you should all experience on your visit.

And now for something completly different...The Sex Museum. If you don't take yourself too seriously then this is something worth visiting just for a laugh. However, the easily shocked or offended should stay away! It chronicles the history of sex and pornographic images from ancient statues and paintings to recent films and magazines.

Amsterdam is somewhere worth exploring in order to get your money's worth. For instance, stay away from city centre bars who charge a fortune for a beer! If you're willing to explore the streets leading out from the city centre you'll find prices more reasonable.
The same with hotels, there are many expensive hotels in the city centre but it's so easy to get into the city centre either by bus, tram, bike or just walking, that there is no real need to stay right in the centre of things.

Finally, there are lots of different restaurants in Amsterdam, we didn't have chance to try them all but we did visit an Indonesian restaurant for the first time and the food was a taste sensation!

Amsterdam is a beautiful city, you'll have a great time

Summary: A Beautiful City