5 places not to miss in Amsterdam

Going to Amsterdam for the first time? You may have read Amsterdam tourist guides and prepared well in advance. But do they tell you only about certain places? Or all that Amsterdam has to offer?Although we wanted to keep the list to 5 places that one shouldn’t miss in Amsterdam, we found that it is way too cool a place to limit the list. So, here are 5 broad categories where we list places that you absolutely mustn’t miss in Amsterdam. Main sights – The world’s only floating flower market is Bloemenmarkt, where flowers are sold from floating stalls. It is open all year round and will be a delight for those with a green thumb or those who simply love flowers. Do see the Van Gogh museum – tribute to the great artists life and work. The entrance cost is around $21 and its totally worth it to see the master’s art. The Anne frank house is a reconstruction of the house where the famous personality lived in secret. The Royal palace and Vondelpark are cool places to see as well. The list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the De Wallen or the Red Light District where women still sit in red windows. Amsterdam has 165 historic canals and you can see them on a charter boat or through group boat tours. The Rijksmuseum is top art museum here and the city also offers unique experiences such as an escape room game. Stroll through the Albert Cuyp Market for a local experience and see the old city on foot. There are walking tours available in small groups if you are interested in that. Eat – Coming to the local delicacies, you must, absolutely must try the Stroopwafel. The thin waffle can have cinnamon and caramel syrup added to create a thin sandwich. They are delicious and can be found in the Albert Cuyp Market. There are food truck festivals in Amsterdam which allow visitors to get a taste of fresh food made locally. Check out the indoor food market – Foodhallen where you can eat to your heart’s content. Beer lovers can get their poison at the 300 year old Hoppe pub. Try Bitterballen – a local savory snack which resembles a croquette with a meat and gravy filling. Chips and frites are also quite good. There is even a Pancake Boat and Creperie that will satisfy the sweet tooth. History – Amsterdam has a lot of history and historically important monuments are preserved to this day. Years old breweries, old buildings and museums all bear testimony to the fact that Amsterdam has been inhabited for a long time. The City Archives, Ons' Lieve Heer op SolderHistory Museum, Westerkerk, Anne Franke house and van Gogh museum are some of the historically important places you can see. Experience – Amsterdam has a wide array of experiences. Let start with the most popular one – the Heineken experience. This is great for people who love beer and you do get samples at the end. Check out Europe’s highest swing (100 meters) located on top of the A’DAM Tower. There is also a 360-degree sky deck. Cannabis is legal here, so you can try the coffee shops that sell it or just take a ganja tour. There is an ice bar where the whole place is made of ice. Ice bar provides warm jackets and gloves to go in and enjoy drinks at -10 degrees as well. You can see the beach at Haarlem and take a tour of the De Wallen. There are peep shows and live sex shows if you are into that. The last mention is of the famous Dutch tulips and to see this head over to the Keukenhof Gardens. Stay - Staying in Amsterdam can be a fun experience as well. You can rent a houseboat and live on water. There are hostels and shared accommodations that allow you to mingle with others and live there on a budget. And then there are Airbnbs as well. Amsterdam is such a lively city and has so much to offer that you will love coming back.