Book a Flight to Amsterdam from €84

Rijksmuseum: an absolute must for all art-lovers, the national museum of the Netherlands is a genuine treasure chest of masterpieces dating from the Middle Ages to the present. Of the more than one million works of art housed in the imposing building on Museum Square, the most famous collection is that of the great Flemish masters, with Rembrandt’s The Night Watch in pride of place.
Address: Museumstraat 1, 0031 20 6747000, www.rijksmuseum.nl/ 

Anne Frank House: a visit to the house-museum of the 13-year-old Jewish diarist brings to life one of the most barbaric periods of the 20th century. Visitors of all ages and from all over the globe flock to the house and Holocaust-memorial where young Anna hid from Nazi persecution with her family and four other people. Wander the room behind the revolving bookcase, known as the Secret Annex, where Anna wrote her gripping diary.  
Address: Prinsengracht canal 263-267, 0031 20 5567105, www.annefrank.org/ 

Van Gogh Museum: dedicated entirely to one of the greatest painters of all time, the Van Gogh Museum hosts the largest collection of the works and letters of the Dutch master with the distinctive painting style and turbulent life. 
Address: Paulus Poterstraat 7, 0031 20 5705200, www.vangoghmuseum.nl/

The canals: a labyrinthine network of waterways in the centre of Amsterdam whose charm and ambience vie with those of the Serene Republic of Venice. Starting out as concentric half-circles, the canals created in the 17th century to check the flow of the Amstel River enclosed the heart of the city. They quickly evolved into a showcase where Amsterdam’s high and mighty competed with each other over to build the most impressive front house on the water. Go on a canal cruise, day or night, under the bridges and along some of the city’s oldest canals.  

Bloemenmarkt: founded in 1862, the Bloemenmarkt is the only floating flower market in the world. Black, red, blue and white tulips transform the placid waters of the Singel canal into a kaleidoscope of colours. Most of the plants are hardy enough to survive the return journey, so buy seeds and bulbs and turn your balcony into a little corner of the Land of Tulips. 
Address: Singel canal

Keukenhof: if you have come to Amsterdam for the flowers, don’t let the 44 km from here to the town of Lisse stand between you and the largest flower garden in the world – seven million flowers forming an intoxicating patchwork of aromas and colours! 
Address: Stationsweg 166A, Lisse, 0031 25 2465555, www.keukenhof.nl/

Diamonds: Whether “Diamonds Are Forever”, as claimed by the James Bond movie which was filmed in Amsterdam, or “a girl’s best friend” according to Marilyn Monroe, one thing is certain: the finest and costliest diamonds are cut and set in Amsterdam, continuing a centuries-old tradition in trading and polishing these precious stones. Find out how a rough stone is transformed into an impressive brilliant by joining a tour to one of the world-renowned diamond companies. 

Rembrandt House Museum: Visit the two-story house that cost Rembrandt all his savings and which he bought to live in with his beloved wife, Saskia. The house, now a museum, is home to paintings by one of the famous Dutch masters of the golden age of Dutch art. Check out the artist’s studio and his kitchen, complete with plates and cutlery.
Address: Jodenbreestraat 4, 0031 20 5200400, www.rembrandthuis.nl/

Ajax Museum: Come and see how “artists” like Cruyff and van Basten worked their magic on the pitch of the historic Dutch football club. Buy a red and white club t-shirt as a souvenir and your menfolk will surely be delighted. 
Address: Arena Boulevard 1, 0031 20 3111333, www.amsterdamarena.nl/

Amsterdam has boutiques and specialty shops to satisfy the most hard to please customers. Begin your shopping spree at the Magna Plaza Shopping Centre (Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182) near Dam Square. The neo-gothic former post-office building, built in 1898, and classified one of the 100 top Dutch heritage sites, is now home to lovely boutiques. And you must at least window-shop on P.C. Hooftstraat, home to Amsterdam’s high-end shops.

Experience some genuine Amsterdam atmosphere in the bustling Jordaan district, with its tiny centre, De Negen Straatjes (9 Narrow Streets). Amsterdam’s former working class area is now a hip neighbourhood, where the Looier indoor antique market (Elandsgracht 109) is a special draw for visitors. Stroll around the de Pijp quarter with the ateliers and cool art shops and you may discover unique pieces of art suiting your particular style without spending a fortune. Don’t forget to buy wooden clogs from the traditional workshops to perfect the true little Dutch girl look!

Become a connoisseur of Dutch cuisine, which is a harmonious blend of eastern and western flavours. The absolute gastronomic experience is the traditional rijsttafel, brought to Amsterdam in the 17th century from the Dutch colonies in Indonesia. Come hungry to fully enjoy the barrage of fifteen to thirty small side dishes of mostly spicy food, accompanied with plenty of rice and washed down with local beer. 

Full of restaurants, clubs, not to mention the famous coffee shops, Leidse Square in the heart of Amsterdam is the ideal hot spot for a night on the town as well as some foodie tourism. Start early, grab an outdoor cafe table and relax and watch the people passing by. Definitely try the cheese soufflé and some of the local seafood specialties, like eel with onions, Zeeland mussels or the city’s delicious herring. Being at the source, it goes without saying that you have to eat your fill of edam and gouda. An ideal snack after long walks or a night of partying is pannenkoek, something between a pancake and crepe which comes in both sweet and savoury versions.

With its youthful vibrancy, Amsterdam is the queen of happenings, an immense stage and culture hub all year round.  

• King’s Day If you are in Amsterdam on April 27, surrender to the wild rhythms of the fiesta celebrating the birthday of Holland’s King Willem-Alexander. The national holiday, Koningsdag, is the perfect alibi for partying in the streets, starting at Dam Square. Dressed in orange, the Dutch turn out in their thousands and rock the city with parades, street performers, open-air parties with famous djs and float barges with people in fancy dress. 
• Amsterdam International Fashion Week At the end of January every year the city is transformed into an endless catwalk, with up-and-coming Dutch designers competing in inspiration against entrenched haute couture houses from Milan and Paris. 
• Holland Festival An Amsterdam arts institution since 1947, aimed at discovering the country’s new talent in theatre, music, opera and dance. Each year from the end of May to early June, Amsterdam’s leading theatres yield the stage to new artists without a hint of condescension. 
• Museum Night On the first Saturday in November forty-two of the city’s museums stay open until two in the morning and hold atmospheric midnight tours.

Getting to and from the Airport

Aegean Airlines operates through Schiphol International Airport. The largest airport in the Netherlands and ranked the 4th busiest airport in the world, Schiphol is a destination in itself. It features more than one hundred shops, as well as restaurants, cafes, banks, hotels, a children’s playground, a library, a spa, a first aid station and free Wi-Fi.

Schiphol International Airport is located 20 km southwest of Amsterdam and is easily accessible by train, bus or taxi. The Amsterdam Airport Express (bus no. 197) departs every 15 minutes from the airport and makes many stops in the city centre, while the fast Intercity Direct train connects Schiphol to Amsterdam’s Central Railway Station. If you choose to go by taxi, the Schiphol Travel Taxi service operates 24/7, with online bookings and reasonable prices.