Amsterdam, Netherlands — Overview
Far more than the illicit playground it's often made out to be, Amsterdam has an atmosphere all its own, an amalgam of concentric canals, vintage bicycles, idyllic parks and scintillating galleries. Few experiences can compare with cycling the Grachtengordel, the girdle of canals that radiate south from Centraal Station lined with a crazy quilt of narrow residences dating from the city's Golden Age. Another ideal way to spend time is hopping on a (free) ferry across the River IJ to north Amsterdam amidst barges, cruise ships and pleasure craft. Stop into a 'brown café' of a chilly evening and experience that unique blend of conviviality and cosiness the Dutch call 'gezelligheid'. As much a legacy of the city's illustrious past as its canals is its legendary cosmopolitanism. With a population comprised of 175 nationalities, Amsterdam is a global crossroads and an ever-vibrant center of art, music and culture. The illicit thrills are there too for those who demand them, though the Amsterdammers themselves take it all in stride.
