Amsterdam

The city of canals, with the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House and Keukenhof's tulips, a free-spirited, tolerant capital of cycling.

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, on the south bank of the IJ in North Holland. The semicircular canal ring dug in the 17th-century Golden Age (Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht) forms the skeleton of the city and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2010. The core can be divided into: the old town center between Centraal Station and Dam Square (including the Red Light District, De Wallen, and Chinatown); the canal ring encircled by the three main canals, and the Jordaan to the west, where the Anne Frank House, the Westerkerk and the boutiques of De 9 Straatjes (the Nine Streets) are found; to the south, Museumplein, home to the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Concertgebouw, next to Vondelpark; in the southeast, the De Pijp district, with the Albert Cuyp Market and the Heineken Experience; and on the north bank of the IJ, the NDSM wharf is a street-art and creative district. For day trips nearby, the top choices are Keukenhof tulip park (Lisse), open from late March to mid-May, and the windmill village of Zaanse Schans; you could also visit Giethoorn, Utrecht or Haarlem. The climate is temperate maritime, windy and rainy all year round: the April–May tulip season and King's Day on April 27 are the liveliest times, June–August has long daylight hours and the most pleasant outdoor seating by the canals, and winters are cold and gray, but the Amsterdam Light Festival at Christmas brings a great atmosphere. Getting there: Schiphol Airport (AMS) has direct flights from multiple Chinese cities, and the train takes 15–20 minutes to Centraal Station. Getting around: GVB trams, Metro and buses; we recommend a 1–3-day pass or simply tapping a bank card (OVpay). The old town is most convenient on foot and by bike; renting a bike costs about €10–15 a day, but follow the bike-lane rules and watch out for trams. We suggest 3 days. Day 1: the two big museums on Museumplein + Vondelpark. Day 2: the Anne Frank House, the Jordaan, a canal cruise and Dam Square. Day 3: a day trip to Keukenhof or the windmill village. Good to know: the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House require timed tickets booked in advance on the official websites (the Anne Frank House releases tickets six weeks ahead every Tuesday morning, and they sell out within minutes). Do not walk in bike lanes, and always check for bikes before crossing the street. Photographing the windows in the Red Light District is prohibited. Cannabis is tolerated inside coffeeshops, but do not smoke it on the street, and there are legal risks for Chinese travelers when they return home. The city is sensitive to overtourism, so avoid making noise in residential areas late at night.

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