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Amsterdam, the capital and largest city in The Netherlands, has become Europe’s fifth busiest tourist destination even though it’s actually a pretty small city. Amsterdam is located on the water and is a cool seaport city. The city attracts tourists and especially student travelers mostly because it’s known as a liberal city and the fact that it’s considered a place of tolerance and diversity. With the availability of cheap student airfares and numerous budget hotels and hostels, students who visit Amsterdam get to enjoy what the city has to offer: a rich culture, history and arts, sports, amazing historical buildings like museums and canals, sumptuous food, and of course, nightlife. Amsterdam might be known for its beautiful cobblestone streets, architecture and canals, but students from all over the world seem to enjoy the young, trendy, and vibrant Amsterdam. With one of the busiest airports in the world (Schiphol) there are plenty of student flights available.

Amsterdam Pictures

Things to do in Amsterdam

Two of the main tourist attractions in Amsterdam are the museums and the numerous canals, which made it known to be “the Venice of the North”. There’s no bad time to visit the city, although July and August are the months with the finest weather. Jump on one of Amsterdam’s canal buses; it’s a fun way of getting around the city. For students who are into the arts, visiting the famous Van Gogh Museum (where the largest collection of paintings by the world-famous artist Vincent Van Gogh is exhibited) is really exciting. Other must sees include Anne Frank’s house and the Heineken Brewery, which is located at Stadshouderkade 78. Another popular and wicked cool thing to do is biking at night, that’s when Amsterdam looks the best.

Nightlife in Amsterdam

Considered as one of the main party cities in Europe, Amsterdam has a large number of bars, clubs, casinos, and live music venues that you can visit even if you’re on a tight budget. The famous Red-light District, located south of Amsterdam, would also be an interesting place to visit if you want a beer and party atmosphere. People of different characters, mostly harmless, meet here after dusk and enjoy being in the neon lights. However, you have to follow their strict implementation of the “no photography” policy. Students from all over the world go to party and the Dutch sure know how to party. Amsterdam has something for every kind of partier, from psychedelic clubs to intimate bars.

Dining in Amsterdam

There are several cheap food options while you’re in Amsterdam, and though the Dutch cuisine doesn’t necessarily have the best reputation you’ll find a lot of good restaurants in Amsterdam. International places are becoming increasingly popular and you can find Asian, French, Italian and great African restaurants in the city centre. These are just few of more than 1,000 cafes and restaurants in Amsterdam; And if you don’t feel like eating expensively, no worries, you’ll find a lot of fast food chains.

Shopping in Amsterdam

You don’t have to wake up early on Monday and Sunday mornings if you want to go shopping because although most stores in Amsterdam are open 6 days a week, most of them open late on Mondays and Sundays. Cheap shopping is also possible; affordable clothes and souvenir items are available in small shops in various shopping streets. There are also a number of good bookshops and more than 70 antique shops in Amsterdam as it is also known as the city of antiques and books.

Amsterdam travel tips

• From Schiphol (the main passenger airport), you should take the train, at the Schiphol Rail Link, headed into the city.
• The language is Dutch, but most people in Amsterdam speak English; many also speak French and German
• Although Amsterdam is one of the safest cities in Europe, you still have to be extra careful especially when you are in tourist-packed areas (like in the Red-light District).