Have you always wanted to look closely at an original painting by Rembrandt? Or to discover the world’s largest collection of works by Van Gogh? Amsterdam boasts an array of interesting museums, including many that are world famous. If you are thinking of visiting a couple of museums in Amsterdam, we would recommend that you buy a Museum Card (Museumkaart).

Every five years SAIL Amsterdam takes place. This means that in August 2015 a fleet of Tall Ships from all over the world will come to the IJ harbour and everybody is welcome to visit them. During the four day exhibition many other cultural events and maritime-themed entertainment will take place both on the water and on the wharfs.

Since centuries most of the Dutch Jews have lived in Amsterdam. There are for example still a lot of ‘Jiddisj’ words in the Amsterdam dialect. The Jews contributed to the prosperity of Amsterdam, to the establishment of the Dutch West Indies Company, and to the Dutch Golden Age. Before World War II, 10% of the population in Amsterdam was Jewish, which meant about 80,000 people – but only 20% of them survived the Holocaust, though. The most well-known victim in Amsterdam is the Jewish girl named Anne Frank, who wrote her world-famous diary while in hiding. Her hiding place in the Secret Annex is a museum, called the Anne Frank House, situated in the centre of Amsterdam at Prinsengracht 263-267.

Opening at cinemas across the world during the summer of 2014, the must see movie ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ was filmed at various locations throughout the vibrant city of Amsterdam, many of which are just minutes away from several of our Amsterdam holiday apartments. Whilst visiting the city, why not explore the wonderful sights and attractions that the main characters Hazel & Gus sampled during their trip.

Ideally located within easy reach of the bustling city centre and close to many of our Amsterdam Museum Square apartments, the Museum Quarter is an attraction certainly not to be missed. Centred around Museumplein (Museum Square) and boasting an effortless blend of green open spaces, iconic museums and magnificent buildings, Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter offers an action packed day for visitors to this fascinating city.

Although there are at least two movies named Nuit Blanche, this special event has got nothing to do with any of them whatsoever. Translated as ‘White Night’, the Nuit Blanche of Amsterdam is an annual Paris-inspired night devoted to art in its most various forms, consisting of a 12-hour session with music, street art, photography, and video art, among others. Come to Amsterdam and use our holiday apartment offer to be where the after-dark magic happens.

How to spend your short stay in Amsterdam knowing that you’ve made the most of it? First rule – don’t be afraid to go off the beaten track. While all the major museums will surely be impressive, there are actually some equally amazing places that you won’t find in ordinary guidebooks. And here’s our list of a couple of them.

Museum Weekend 2014 will enable you to visit around twenty Amsterdam museums for free or at heavily discounted rates during April 5 and 6. With at least one special event at each museum this weekend makes for an interesting and fun addition to a short stay in Amsterdam.

If you’ve been to Amsterdam before, you already know that it’s got its fair share of weird buildings. Ranging from masterpieces of the avant-garde to houses whose very existence seem to contradict the laws of gravity, there’s no shortage of eye-catching architecture in the Dutch capital. When you’re in town, be sure to keep an eye out for these especially strange specimens.

A troubled genius, famed for his self deprecation and vibrant landscapes; Vincent Van Gogh is admired across the world. Though was his untimely end merely a simple tragedy?