Amsterdam Netherlands - City Attractions

photo courtesy of photobucket user pfick

City of Amsterdam

The city of Amsterdam Netherlands is a city with a rich and liberal tradition.   A cultural center, and former heart of the globe spanning Dutch Empire, Amsterdam is a favorite of tourists worldwide.

Amsterdam is Europe’s equivalent of sin city, with the prime attractions being brothels and drug tourism instead of Las Vegas’ focus on gambling.  Amsterdam was on the forefront of policy changes involving legalization of a number of controversial activities, following a strong Dutch tradition of permissiveness and social equality.

Red Light District - Coffee Shops - Amsterdam

photo credit chaycarla

Famous  Amsterdam

The culture of the Netherlands is famous for the infamous or famous, depending on your viewpoint, red light district, a place where tourists and locals alike are free to preview the delights that they may encounter if invited up stairs for an evening of recreation.  The same area of the city is famous for its coffee shops and assorted tasty delicacies that the connoisseur of various varieties of natures abundance might find of great interest.

In addition to its well known status as a haven of activities that much of the western world would consider somewhat scandalous, Amsterdam is home to a rich cultural tradition.

East Indian Trading Company

Amsterdam Netherlands is home to the Amsterdam stock exchange, a stock trading center which is the first ever founded, a place which set the precedent for the modern exchanges of Tokyo, Wall Street and London.   This financial district still thrives.   The rise of the famous East Indian Trading company, one of the most powerful corporations to have ever been created, has its roots in the city.  The wealth of nations flowed to the financial center of Amsterdam, and even to this day it is known as a great financial center and hub for trading rarities such as fine gems from around the world.

Interesting places to visit

Other interesting places in Amsterdam Netherlands include the Van Gogh Museum, dedicated to the works of Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most famous artists of all time and creator of Starry Night, and countless other paintings of priceless value.  The Anne Frank house, celebrating the famous literary journal, the diary of Anne Frank is also one of the more popular tourist destinations.

Amsterdam is below sea level and is laced with canals and surrounded by the famous dike, with which the storied little Dutch boy is recorded in lore as saving the city.   Regardless of the truth of that particular incident, Amsterdam has a unique position as a city below sea level that has thrived through modern times.   The ocean is a source of abundance and the city is known for its power generation facilities, windmills and wave energy resources.    The windmill is steeped deeply in the culture and is iconic of the Netherlands experience.

Traveling to Amsterdam

   
The experience of traveling to Amsterdam Netherlands is like no other.   The coffee shops and other amenities attract between three and four million visitors a year from around the world.  By creating a unique cultural experience, Amsterdam has become more than just another large city on the map.

photo credit: Nathalie Wolf at photobucket

Amsterdam Population

Amsterdam has a population of about 1.3 million in the city itself, and the extended area boasts super urban area populations approaching seven million people.   This places it as a truly world class city.  As a central power point in the old world, Amsterdam retains much of the mystery and tradition that made its rise to a world class city an experience to remember.

Holland

The Netherlands themselves are often referred to as Holland, although this is somewhat of a technical distinction.  Holland is actually one of the regions of the Netherlands, rather than being an alternative name of the country itself.  Of course when one says the word Holland, the images of windmills and boat shaped wooden clogs leap to the forefront of the minds of many.

Regardless of where you go in Europe, Amsterdam Netherlands is a must see destination

photo by tadpolehere4u4 @photobucket.com