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Local Host Picks

Dam Square

Take a stroll to Dam Square, sit at one of the terraces and watch the people go by, to get a feel for the city. You'll see bicycles are a favorite means of transport - there are nearly as many bicycles as citizens.

Anne Frank House, The Rembrandt House

If you’ve read her Diary, you’ll want to see where Anne lived and wrote her remarkable and poignant story. The Anne Frank House, as well as the attractive Rembrandt House where the Master lived, are both on walking routes your Local Host will be pleased to tell you about to discover more of Amsterdam at your own pace.

Van Gogh Museum, Maritime Museum, Bags & Purses Museum, or T’IJ Brewery

Amsterdam has several splendid museums, these are just a few, ask your Local Host for more details according to your tastes. The Van Gogh collection has some 200 paintings, 550 sketches, and hundreds of letters from Van Gogh to his brother, Theo. Or maybe the more recently opened T’IJ specializing in biological ingredients; the second largest wooden windmill in the Netherlands stands next door.

Hortus Botanical Gardens

The Hortus has an expansive collection of more than 6,000 varieties of plants illustrating over 350 years of Dutch horticultural history. From the "coffee plant that fathered all the coffee in Brazil" to a nursery created exclusively for tropical palms, it’s a heavenly destination for plant-lovers the world over.

Markets

With over thirty weekly markets, there’s plenty of choice. Wander through the Albert Cuyp market, the Flea market on Waterlooplein, or see the Floating Flower Market on the Single.

Zoo, Planetarium, Vondelpark

Families may wish to visit the Artis Zoo and Planetarium or the Vondelpark where the locals go walking, biking, relaxing and pick-nicking. During the summer season concerts and plays are held in the park’s open air theater.

Shopping, P.C. Hoofdstraat, Jordaan

Wander along the P.C. Hoofdstraat near the Museum quarters to shop or browse for exclusive goods. Good buys in Holland include diamond jewelry, wooden articles such as clogs, embroidery and Delft pottery. In the 17th century, Amsterdam's canal diggers, bridge builders and stonemasons called the Jordaan home. Now eccentric, one of a kind, shops, chic restaurants and painstakingly manicured courtyards make this a unique spot.

Pancakes, Poffertjes and Pea Soup

When you’re ready for a snack, try one of the local pancakes, there are over 300 varieties! Or maybe sample the similar poffertjes. Then there are the many varieties of Dutch cheese. Pea soup is another specialty made with peas, potatoes, carrots, celery, smoked bacon, and sausage.

Rijsttafel

The Rijsttafel is a unique fusion of Indonesian and Dutch culinary traditions from colonial times. It was a Dutch custom to eat leftovers on Sundays, the Indonesian people decided to reinvent this by cooking everything fresh. The main dish of a Rijsttafel is noodles or rice with several small side dishes like meat, fish, and vegetables. Tiny plates of food, arranged from mild to very, very spicy fill the table. Round off with a sip or two of Dutch Jenever, an alcoholic drink similar to Gin.