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Amsterdam is lively and friendly City With many sights and sounds to experience. Although the seat of Netherlands government is in The Hague , Amsterdam is the nominal capital. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of about 750,000, and the most visited, with over 3, 5 million foreign visitors a year.

The Netherlands is a country situated in Western Europe , bordering Belgium to the south and Germany to the east. To its north and west is the North Sea . Although the Netherlands is the country's official name, people often call it Holland . The provinces of North Holland and South Holland form only part of the Netherlands.

Amsterdam was founded as a fishing village around the thirteenth century. Amsterdam developed round a dam in the Amstel River at the end of the 12th century. The name Amstelledamme occurs for the first time in the toll concession of Floris V, Count of Holland, dated October 27, 1275. During the 14th, but especially the 15th century, Amsterdam underwent a rapid development, which laid the foundation for the Golden Age. Only very few medieval buildings survive today. Some examples: the Old and New Churches and the Houten Huis (Wooden House) at the Begijnhof. Throughout the middle Ages houses were generally built of wood, a vulnerable type of construction material. The famous Houten Huis is no exception to this rule. Consequently, most of them were destroyed. Nevertheless, a surprisingly large number of Amsterdam dwellings still have timber frames.

Even If you have only a few days, start by taking a canal boat cruise to get a general overview of the city. After the cruise, take a walking tour along the historic canal ring to soak up the atmosphere and architecture of Amsterdam s Golden Age. Stop along the way to grab a bite at one of the many Dutch styled Brown Cafes or try that famous local Dutch specialty: French fries with mayonnaise. After lunch head to Museumplein to visit the Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum, two of the best in the world. When you are all museumed out, relax in nearby Vondel park or have a leisurely drink at Leidseplein square. If you still have energy, you can go shopping along Amsterdam ’s main shopping district running from Leidsstraat to the Kalverstraat shopping arcade. When you get hungry for dinner, head to Chinatown to eat at one of the Thai or Indonesian Restaurants in the area that have become a city specialty. After dinner, wander through the Red Light District to experience the electric atmosphere of Europe s most notorious neighbourhood, and then head to Rembrandtplein to party the night away.

Amsterdam offers a diverse array of world-class entertainment, as for centuries has been one of the leading centres of culture in Europe . A variety of performances are staged in hundreds of venues throughout the city. There is also plenty of low-cost entertainment from the multitude of street performers and live bands in bars and cafes.

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