#10 best destination in the world
Jordaan
- The narrow canals and streets Jordaan are flanked by indie boutiques, cozy pubs and hip eateries
- Stalls at the Noordermarkt square market offer jewelry, clothes, antiques and organic food
- Antiques Centre Amsterdam sells vintage ceramics and paintings, while smaller galleries in the area focus on innovative contemporary art
Electric Ladyland: The Museum of Fluorescent Art
- Presents art, minerals, and manufactured items that fluoresce under ultraviolet light
- Opened in 1999
Anne Frank House
- Writer’s house and biographical museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank
- During World War II, Anne Frank hid from Nazi persecution with her family and four other people in hidden rooms at the rear of the 17th-century canal house
- Anne Frank did not survive the war but in 1947, her wartime diary was published
- In 1957, the Anne Frank Foundation was established to protect the property from developers who wanted to demolish the block
The Cat Boat (Amsterdam)
- De Poezenboot is an Amsterdam animal shelter for cats located on a houseboat
- The Cat Boat takes in stray cats and relocates them
- Some of the cats roam freely on the boat, which is open to visitors
- At peak times, the Poezenboot houses about 60 cats
Canals of Amsterdam
- Canals made of 90 islands and 1,500 bridges
- The 3 main canals were dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age
- Main canals run alongside 1550 monumental buildings
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Torture Museum
- Museum preserving historic torture artifacts from the country’s past
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat
- Historic street lined with antique shops, each one a museum to a different part in history
- One antiques store includes collections of medical instruments, dissection kits, dental tools, and apothecary jars
Rijksmuseum
- Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history
- #14 of the top 25 museums in the world
- Founded in 1800
- Originally located in the Royal Palace
- Contains 1 million objects from the years 1200-2000
Van Gogh Museum
- Art museum dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries
- #16 of the top 25 museums in the world
- Opened in 1973
- Largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings and drawings in the world
Museum Vrolik
- Large collection of human anatomical and embryological deformities exhibits
- Includes a collection of bone pathology, dental collection, and other teratological specimens, as well as animal specimens
Rietveld Schröder House
- House built in 1924 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld, now a museum
- The house was commissioned to not have walls and created with a connection between the inside and outside
- Only known example of De Stijl architecture
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Efteling
- #13 of the best amusement parks in the world
- Fantasy themed based on ancient myths and legends, fairy tales, fables, and folklore
- Opened in 1952
Windmills at Kinderdijk
- Group of 19 monumental windmills
- Built in 1738 and 1740 to keep water out
- Largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Keukenhof
- One of the world’s largest flower gardens
- 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year
- Open from mid-March to mid-May
Costs
Number of Days: 19 days
Best Time To Fly: mid-April-June, Sept-Oct
Airline tickets: $663
Seattle -> Amsterdam (round trip) = $663
Food: $53/day x 19 days = $1,007
Rental car: $294
$42/day x 7 days = $294
Gas: $34
Entertainment: $218
Airbnb: $169/day x 18 days = $3,042
TOTAL: $5,258
