As the capital and most populous city in the Netherlands, Amsterdam is a key place to visit, especially during the spring, summer and fall months. When you book a room in an Amsterdam city hotel, be sure to choose one that will situate you right in the heart of the action.
One of the best things you can do in this lovely city is to wander about on foot and explore the sites. While there are plenty of excellent museums, sometimes just strolling around will reveal so much of a city's personality. You'll no doubt appreciate the rich architectural history of Amsterdam; city hotel locations might, in and of themselves, be quite the architectural gems. Spend some time exploring around the canals and take in the famous flower market to round out your time in the city.
The architecture
Though the city itself isn't that old when compared to others in Europe, or even others in the Netherlands, when you step out of your Amsterdam city hotel, you can't help but be inspired by the stunning architecture. You can pay a visit to the oldest wooden building in the city, the het Houton Huys, which was constructed around 1425. Look up as you leave and take special note of the building's Gothic style as it both jars yet somehow blends with the gables of the Renaissance styles of the nearby buildings, built during the sixteenth century. As you walk, you will also see excellent examples of Baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modern styles.
The Canals
Just outside the foyers of any an Amsterdam city hotel, the picturesque canals are perhaps its most lovely feature. Built through conscious and careful city planning, the canals are an ingrained part of the city's makeup. There are more than 100 kilometres of canals, 1,500 bridges and 90 islands, which form concentric rings around the heart of the city. In 2010, the 17th century canal ring area was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three of the main canals were made for urban development and the outer canal was built for water management and defence purposes.
The flower market
As the only floating flower market in the world, you simply must go and visit this delightful site when you are staying nearby in an Amsterdam city hotel. The Bloemenmarkt, was founded in 1862 and floats on the Singel Canal between Muntplein and Koningsplein. Here you will find a huge array of tulips, other flowers and, in the winter season, Christmas flowers and plants. There are also ready to export bulbs so you can take the flowers back home with you to re-create the beauty of the marketplace.
No comments:
Post a Comment