subject: Fun And Gaiety On A Weekend In Amsterdam, Netherlands! [print this page] Amsterdam is one of those places that offer a variety of attractions and activities to make one of the finest holiday experiences for your weekends. This is also the reason behind the city being one of the most popular destinations in Europe.
Amsterdam has a long and eventful history. Amsterdam, the greatest planned city of northern Europe, has always been a well-known name in world history and played a central role in the history of the Netherlands. In the 17th century Amsterdam was the centre of world economy, and nowadays the city is known for its tolerant character.
Architecture
Amsterdam is where modern architecture developed organically between facades of historical buildings. Since it is not a big city, all sites of interest are within an acceptable distance. This is why Amsterdam is so popular with lovers of architecture.
Shopping in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the city of antiques, books, diamonds, and curiosities. In general, shop-opening hours are 1-6pm on Mondays and 9/10am-6pm Tuesday to Friday. Most have late night shopping on Thursday until 9pm, and close earlier on Saturdays, at 5pm. Some supermarkets, like Albert Heijn stay open until 8 or 10 pm. On Sundays, you can shop in the city center, Kalverstraat, Damrak, Leidsestraat, and near the Noorderkerk.
Art Galleries
Amsterdam is renowned as the most important modern and experimental art center in the North of Europe. This reputation is based primarily upon a large number of remarkable art galleries, because the only important modern art museum in Amsterdam Het Stedelijk, (The Municipal museum) is since years under rebuilding, and should open only in the end of 2011.
Artis ZOO
Right in the center of Amsterdam, you can also find the oldest Zoo of Holland. It consists of four main areas: Zoo, Planetarium, Botanical Gardens and Geological and Zoological museum. In the zoo itself you will find animals from all over the world. In addition, a unique canal aquarium shows you which animals roam the canals of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam parks
Amsterdam has a number of beautiful, quiet parks where you can relax during the busy day in town. The largest of them - Vondelpark is located in the very centre of the city. Other parks as Beatrixpark, Frankendael, Sarphatipark, Amstelpark, Westerpark are quiet, well-maintained community parks. An artificial forest just South of Amsterdam Amsterdamse Bos is today a big nature reserve, with many attractions.
Vondelpark
The Vondelpark is located in the south of Amsterdam, just five minutes walk from the Leidseplein and in walking distance from the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum. With 10 million visitors a year, the Vondelpark is the most famous park in the Netherlands.
Entertainment, culture and night life
Amsterdam offers a diverse array of world-class entertainment, as for centuries has been one of the leading centers of culture in Europe. A variety of performances is staged in hundreds of venues throughout the city. There is also plenty of low-cost entertainment, special performances, festivals, cultural events.
Timing your visit
Any time can be the best time to visit Amsterdam. The peak of the tourist season is July and August, when the weather is the finest. Weather, however, is never really extreme at any time of year, and if you're one of the growing numbers who favor off-season travel, you'll find the city every bit as attractive during these months.
