Top 5 Amsterdam Attractions
Dutch waterway cruises are a fantastic way to experience the sights and sounds of the Netherlands, calling at a number of ports around this vibrant nation. The country’s capital, Amsterdam, is perhaps the most popular and by far the most famous of the Dutch ports available on Dutch waterway cruises. Amsterdam is a dynamic city, filled with unique and fascinating cultural attractions for all types of travellers to enjoy. This blog will take a look at the top 5 attractions and sightseeing opportunities that everyone should make time to experience during a sojourn in Amsterdam on Dutch waterway cruises.
Anne Frank House
Situated on the Prinsengracht canal, Anne Frank House is a fascinating museum commemorating the life of wartime diarist Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl who hid from Nazi persecution during the Second World War with her family in a secret annex attached to one of the houses on the street. The museum was opened in 1960, after a campaign to protect the house from investors who 
wished to demolish the old buildings. Visitors can enter the museum to see a poignant collection of artefacts as well as the rooms in which the family hid during the war, where Anne wrote her now world-famous diary.
Anne Frank and her family’s story is remarkably sad and moving. After over two year of hiding from the Nazis in the house in Amsterdam, they were anonymously betrayed and sent to concentration camps. The only member of the family to survive the war was Otto Frank, Anne’s father, who was given the diary by one of the people who had hidden them and salvaged some of their belongings after their arrest. Anne Frank House is one of the most famous exhibitions in the world and therefore a must-see museum on Dutch waterway cruises.
The Heineken Experience
The Heineken Experience offers visitors a fun and interactive journey into the world of Heineken production, created as a cross between a brewery and an amusement park. The facility was originally built in 1867 as the very first Heineken brewery and was the company’s main brewing 
facility up until 1988, at which time a larger, state-of-the-art brewery was developed on the outskirts of the city. A few years later, in 1991, the building reopened, offering tours of the brewery and information on the history of the business.
The attraction increased in popularity over the following years until it was renamed as the Heineken Experience in 2001. The Heineken Experience then underwent meticulous remodelling for a year and was opened was once again in 2008 as a thrilling interactive experience, offering guests the chance to learn about the history of Heineken, sample the products and witness excellent interactive multi-media exhibitions.
The Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum is ranked amongst one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions and is dedicated to the works of world-famous artist Vincent van Gogh. The building was opened in 1973 in a structure conceived by renowned architect Gerrit Rietveld and is home to the largest collection of Van Gogh’s artwork in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year.
The museum houses some of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous pieces within its collection of 200 paintings and 400 drawings, including Sunflowers, The Yellow House, The Potato Eaters and Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette. Also on display are 700 letters written by Van Gogh himself and an exhibition charting the various stages of his often troubled life.
Dam Square
Dam Square is one of Amsterdam’s most iconic central plazas, home to a selection of the city’s most famous monuments and landmarks. The square’s centrepiece is the colossal National 
Monument, which was constructed in 1956 to commemorate the soldiers and civilian who died during World War II, designed by Dutch architect J. J. P. Oud. To the west of Dam Square is the imposing and beautifully designed neoclassical Royal Palace, which has served as both a city hall and the royal residence. Next to the palace is the 15th century Gothic Nieuwe Kerk and Amsterdam’s eccentric and fun Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.
Dam Square is also connected to many of the city’s main shopping streets, including Niewendijk, Kalverstraat and Damstraat, where visitors will find an abundance of quirky souvenir shops and larger chain stores, as well as De Wallen, the epicentre of the city’s infamous red light district. This makes it the perfect place from which to start exploring the city after disembarking from Dutch waterway cruises.
Artis Royal Zoo
Located a short distance from the centre of Amsterdam, the magnificent Artis Royal Zoo was the first wildlife park to be opened in the Netherlands, founded way back in 1838. In addition to the 
main outdoor section of the zoo, the attraction also boasts an exotic indoor aquarium, a beautiful butterfly pavilion and a striking planetarium as well as zoological and geological museums.
The zoo contains a plethora of wonderful wildlife from every corner of the globe, from China to Egypt, including orangutans, camels, crocodiles and giraffes amongst many other colourful creatures, making it a perfect place for the whole family to spend a day whilst enjoying their time in Amsterdam during Dutch waterway cruises.
