It’s always nice to have a few places in hand to visit if you want to keep the budget down for your holiday. Any trip to Amsterdam should include the Civic Guard’s Gallery though, and not just because it is free to enter.

There are many notable portraits in here, and they all tell a story about those who took part in the Civic Guard. This is far from being an all day event – or even a half day event, since the gallery itself is definitely on the small side. But this does not make it any less worth seeing. If you appreciate good artwork you will appreciate the chance to walk through this corridor that links together two important places in Amsterdam. These places are Kalverstraat – close to where the Amsterdam Historical Museum lies – and the Begijnhof.

As such you can ideally fit in a quick visit to the Civic Guard’s Gallery when visiting either of the other two locations in Amsterdam. It is the perfect add on to another trip, somewhere you can go for a bonus look round without needing to pay anything for the privilege.

Make sure you don’t just rush through in a few minutes though. The paintings have stories to tell and they are of people who occupied higher positions in the Civic Guard. If you were in the Guard and you wanted to have your portrait painted, you had to pay a high fee for the privilege. This is why lower ranked members are never present in the paintings.

The Civic Guard’s Gallery may only show you a portion of the history of the Civic Guard’s, but it is a portion worth seeing nonetheless. It also delves back into history and shows you how people lived many years ago. It is, in its own way, a slice of Amsterdam history you may not get anywhere else.

The gallery is open from ten in the morning until five at night, so it is easy to pay a visit while you are nearby. Just slot it into one of your delightful days in Amsterdam.

In many ways the centre of any major place is somewhere worth seeing. But this is not exactly the case when it comes to Amsterdam. Here we have Dam Square as the true centre of the city, even though it is actually not in the centre at all. Instead it is in the northern reaches of the city, although many still think of it as the central part of the city.

So what do we have here to see? Well, this is obviously a square and it is quite a large one at that. However to call it a square is not something that should be taken in a literal sense. This will become obvious when you see the square for yourself, as it is roughly twice as long as it is wide. As you will see, this is just one of the surprises that Dam Square holds in store for you.

If you like the simple act of taking in your surroundings and watching the world go by, you can do just that at one of the many cafes or restaurants in the square. The surrounding streets have lots more cafes as well so you have any number of venues to choose from to spend some time in.

The square itself is also home to the National Monument. This commemorates the people who lost their lives in World War II, and it is well worth a look. If you are in Amsterdam on the 4th May, go along to see the remembrance ceremony that takes place there.

Any visit to Amsterdam is well worth starting at Dam Square. Most of the other main sights are easily accessible from here too, so you can see the advantage of starting off there. Many major streets fan out from the square as well, so you can explore much of the rest of the city by using this as a good starting point.

Whatever you decide to do in Amsterdam, a visit to Dam Square is an essential thing to have on your list of things to do. Make sure you don’t miss out on it.

As with many major locations all around the world, Amsterdam has a good share of museums to show its many visitors. Some, such as the Anne Frank house, are definitely more famous than others. But this does not mean that those which are lesser known than these famous counterparts are any less worthy of a visit.

One such example you may want to add to your list of things to see and do while you are in Amsterdam is the Museum Van Loon. This is another ordinary house of sorts, situated on the Keizersgracht. It belonged to the family of the same name, Van Loon, back in the 19th century, and as such it provides a fascinating insight into life as it was lived (by some at least) many years ago.

So what can you expect from this house when you step inside? Well it is certainly a fascinating experience because it is a house that will teach you a lot about the family that once lived there. It is still owned by them and indeed they may occasionally be seen in the building, even though no one actually lives there any more. Not all of the areas are open for you to wander through, but those that are will definitely give you a wonderful insight into the Van Loon’s life in Amsterdam all those years ago.

This is a canal house and its interior has changed little since the years when the Van Loon family actually lived there. This untouched interior is one of the reasons why the museum is a must see, because it is quite unique and very evocative. It reveals a time when life was very different, and you can also see the gardens that are nothing if not formal.

This is not a large museum, but it is definitely a living museum. You can see how people lived in these very surroundings, rather than seeing a recreation of a house that was once there. For an authentic 19th century look at life in this little part of Amsterdam, you shouldn’t miss it.

If you are lucky enough to have been to Amsterdam before, you will probably find it hard to encapsulate the appeal of it into just a few words. Furthermore if you have never been you will be wondering why it is such a sought after city for a weekend break.

Let’s see if we can get some answers. Part of the attraction is surely the layout of the city itself. Right at the heart of the city you have all the canals that are laid out in semicircular fashion. It is rather like a rainbow with the canals forming ribbons that sit on top of each other and fan out across the city. Bridges are plentiful in order to make it easy to cross the canals at various points, and this provides a certain charm that is very hard to deny.

Perhaps this is one reason why pedal power is so popular in the city. You can easily hire a bike to get around here, and you will enjoy being able to get out of the car and into the fresh air too. Bikes are definitely the preferred method of travel in the centre of Amsterdam, so you will not be alone as you trundle around the city on one.

The laid back appeal of some parts of Amsterdam also lends it a desirable edge. You can explore the city for sure, but you can also watch it by grabbing a coffee at a roadside café and watching as the people go by. Don’t be surprised if you are captivated and hooked by this activity, as it is very desirable indeed.

Of course you also have specific places that are definitely worth a visit. One of the most popular of all is the house where Anne Frank hid for two years during the Second World War. Many people spend the time looking around this house now while they are in Amsterdam, and they focus on learning more about this young woman’s life.

This is just a taster of what you can see and do while in Amsterdam, but it does illustrate just how appealing the city is in many ways.

Okay so we are thinking of visiting and exploring Amsterdam – and why not? It certainly has plenty of delightful things to do while you are there.

But you will probably be thinking of canals, impeccably tall town houses crowding around the edges, and people on bicycles traversing the bridges and getting to all those parts of Amsterdam they may not see otherwise.

The chances are you wouldn’t initially think of wide open spaces and plenty of lush greenery. But this is exactly what you will get when you visit the Vondelpark – a park that receives millions of visitors every single year.

When you see it for yourself you will see why it gets so many visitors. Spread out and sprawling over a hundred and twenty acres, it gives you a totally different view of the delightful city of Amsterdam. It would be easy to spend all your time exploring streets and canals, but if you did you would miss out on alternative beauties just like this.

The park takes its name from an author whose surname was Vondel. It has been open since 1865 and it has easily captivated the hearts and minds of millions since then. The park is supremely easy to find, since it is near some of the most famous museums in Amsterdam, including the Van Gogh Museum. It also holds the title of being the biggest park in the city, so as you can see it has a lot going for it. Perhaps this is partly why it is so popular.

However it is not the only reason. There are countless areas for the kids to play in and you can even enjoy an open air theatre here during the summer months, all provided completely free of charge.

When the park was opened back in 1865 it only extended out to around twenty acres. It was the success of the park that led to it taking over the huge space that it does today, ready for everyone from Amsterdam and far beyond to come and enjoy. Wouldn’t you like to spend some time in one of the best locations in Amsterdam while you are there?

Some cities virtually beg you to do certain things. For instance you couldn’t really visit London without seeing Buckingham Palace. Paris begs you to walk along the Seine and go up the Eiffel Tower.

Amsterdam too has things you absolutely must do. For instance you should definitely hire a bike to get out and about in a city that absolutely loves bicycles. Since they are so easy to rent for the day, there is no excuse for not hopping into the saddle and trying it out.

The good news is that some bike companies offer guided tours as well as simply hiring the bikes out. This is good if you don’t feel confident at finding your own way, or you simply want to see the best of Amsterdam without missing out on anything. The tours vary in length from just a couple of hours to a half day or more, so make sure you book onto something that will suit your needs.

If you are going to go cycling in Amsterdam it pays to get some practice in at home first. This is particularly applicable if you haven’t been in the saddle for a while. The last thing you want is to have your enjoyment ruined by a sore posterior! Either that or you can take a gel saddle cover with you. Just remember to take it off again before you hand the bike back to the rental company.

There are various kinds of bikes available for rental as well. For instance you could rent one with a picnic basket on the front to carry your lunch for a noon picnic if you like. It is also easy enough to rent out enough bikes for the whole family to go on a day’s touring in and around Amsterdam. What better way could there be to see everything the city has to offer?

You can also take note of places you would like to go back and visit after you have handed your bike back in. It can be the perfect way to explore initially before going back to check it out in more detail. This is just one of the many benefits of getting on your bike in Amsterdam.

Have you heard the song “Tulips from Amsterdam”? It’s one of those songs most of us are familiar with, and it takes its inspiration from the love affair that Amsterdam (indeed the entire Netherlands) has with flowers.

If you visit the Flower Market in Amsterdam you’ll also see that it’s not just tulips Amsterdam is known for. This market is one of the most famous of its type in the entire world – and it is also said to be the only one that floats.

That last part isn’t strictly true, although the market itself is right on the Singel canal so you may well feel as if you should be floating. This market also goes by the name Bloemenmarkt, which certainly makes you think of blooming flowers on this famous market stall.

The market boasts several stalls, all devoted to selling flowers, plants and seeds of all kinds. The good news is that while the stalls are famous and attract a lot of attention, they don’t attract high prices. This gives you the opportunity to splash out on a few things if you wish. Make sure you know what you are legally allowed to take home through Customs with you though; this might sound odd but it’s true. Not everything can be taken home to every location.

The stalls are also good for taking some souvenir photos while you are there. It’s easy enough to find the area and wander along the front to browse round the stalls, and you will also have every day of the week except Sundays to visit it.

The Flower Market is a must see place for many tourists who visit Amsterdam. Regardless of what else you want to see and do while you are in town, you should definitely make time to see it. Just spending an hour or two browsing around the stalls and selecting the right bulbs or seeds to take home with you is an experience well worth having.

And who knows, you may even end up growing a little bit of Amsterdam in your own back garden.