One of the most popular cities in Europe, is of course, the capital of Netherlands, Amsterdam. The city was built on water and it has 165 canals, 1285 bridges and 2500 ship-houses. The water is clean, it gets filtered every three months and the locals and the tourists can swim in Amsterdam’s beautiful canals during summer. During winter, if the canals freeze, here you can have a fairy-tale ice-skating experience. We just heard from Mark who owns Bel Air Stairs & Railings that he just had a great trip there and enjoyed a lot of the things below but didn’t take part in the red light district entertainment. Here’s a list with top 10 things you can do for free in Amsterdam.
- Red Light District is probably the most popular district in the city. We recommend you take a walk on the district’s streets after the sun goes down, after 18 P.M. The erotic atmosphere is stirred by beautiful women dancing in the passionate, powerful red lighted windows.
- The windmill (Molen De Gooyer at Funenkade) is a windmill that’s not very far from the center of the Amsterdam. The windmills are specific buildings for Netherlands, so make sure you make time to visit it while you are here.
- The Waag or the Saint Anthony Gate is one of the oldest buildings in Amsterdam. It was build in 1488, and it was one of the main entrances in the city. You can see it in Nieuwmartk market.
- Do not forget to take a selfie at the I amsterdam sign at the Rijksmuseum. Every year, there are thousands of tourists that come here to take a selfie, and sometimes you have to wait a few minutes before finding a free spot to take your picture. The gardens of Rijksmuseum can also be visited for free. If you have already taken the selfie with the I Amsterdam sign, you can go visit the museum’s beautiful gardens.
- Vondelpark is the biggest park in Amsterdam and one of the most beautiful parks in Netherlands. If you want to have a really Dutch experience we recommend you visit the park by bike. You can even get a guided bicycle tour of the park, and find out the history of Vodelpark from a local.
- Museumhaven is an open-air museum that can be visited for free. It has twenty ships that are almost 100 years old. You can find it on Oosterdok street 12.
- The Buddhist temple in the Chinese district is the largest temple of its kind in Europe and you can visit it for free.
- Stadsarchief, the city archives tell amazing stories about the city. The displays rotate telling different stories about events that happened years ago. Among the most interesting records that you can find here is the report of Anne Frank’s stolen bicycle in 1942.
- The Main Library in Amsterdam is another attraction that can be visited for free. You can spend a day admiring the beautiful architecture of the place or reading an old international newspaper.
- The Cannabis college is a non-profit center where you can learn about Amsterdam’s most popular herb. There are educated professionals ready to have a serious conversation with you about the coffee shop etiquette, explain you the differences between indica and sativa strains and show you various hemp products.