As with any modern city Amsterdam has art galleries and plenty of them! Maybe it’s because of the Dutch fondness for the painted medium or their many prolific artistic sons, but it can be said that Amsterdam has art for all.

Are you planning on a busy short stay in Amsterdam filled with days full of excursions and travelling, or even only visiting three main attractions? The I Amsterdam City Card is the ideal way to enjoy all the things you want to do during your leisure or business stay in Amsterdam but for less and with three validity periods: 24, 48 or 72 hours.

To say that a visit to the fabulous House of Bols is something truly special is a great understatement. This place won the prestigious Dutch Design Award for Best Exhibition and Experience of 2007, thus proving that it is well-able to bring the best of both worlds – the past – rich in history and tradition, and the present – abounding with innovation and state-of-the-art ideas. This place is not only a museum or an exhibition, it is an interactive experience aimed at stimulating all of your senses, with the main theme of bright and colorful drinks and bartending. As you can imagine, the fun is addressed at 18+ audience, so make sure to have your ID with you to make you able to discover the amazing world of vivid colors, intense fragrances and remarkable tastes!

The Begijnhof is one of those really rare sights to see, especially given the ever-developing modern metropolitan setting of Amsterdam. It is one of the oldest inner courts in the city – and the only remaining one, for that matter. Once you’re there you’ll come across a range of breathtaking 14th-century typical Dutch buildings; they are private houses in vast majority – still occupied today, so you have to remember to respect the privacy of the residents although the entry itself is free. Apart from that, the place is also a home to the English Reformed Church, so you can expect to see daily masses, weddings and baptism ceremonies taking place.

Experience tranquil surroundings in the heart of the busy city centre. Located in the Plantage district Hortus Botanicus is a great outing for all ages and includes a three-climate greenhouse and a butterfly greenhouse. For a more impressive and picture perfect outing we recommend a summer visit when the garden is in full bloom.

If you fancy a taste of the real new modern Amsterdam displaying a beautiful new style of architecture combined with the sensation of being in a futuristic micro-city within an old city, then you should certainly visit the Amsterdam Arena. Here you will have the chance to do a whole range of fun activities, from watching the Dutch national team or Ajax Amsterdam play football in a stunning stadium, to listen to some great live gigs in the nearby Heineken Music Hall or to simply go to a grandiose mall for shopping or film watching.

Ideally located upon Amsterdam’s famous Museumplein, referred to as a paradise for art lovers, the magnificent Rijksmuseum is an attraction definitely worthy of a visit. Boasting a huge collection of impressive exhibitions, the Dutch National Museum is dedicated to arts, crafts and history and includes renowned masterpieces such as Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’ and Vermeer’s ‘The Milkmaid’.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking of Amsterdam? Most people will probably say ‘dikes’, ‘canals’ or ‘houseboats’ and there is a point to such answer, as this city has always been strongly connected with life on the water. No wonder that the award-winning National Maritime Museum (or Het Scheepvaartmuseum in Dutch) shall absolutely make it to your travel agenda as a place devoted precisely to everything that contributed to the power of the Dutch over the seas of the world.

Water has always been an important element and a crucial factor in shaping the economy and the way of life of the Dutch. No wonder that the Golden Age era (the 17th century, to be more precise) enabled Amsterdam to take full advantage of all the technological advancement of the time. As a result, what was initially designed as an efficient system of land irrigation and water drainage has become a beautiful landmark blooming with fantastic historic sights, as well as a range of ever-surprising contemporary attractions. After all, UNESCO can’t be wrong with entering the Canal Ring (or the Grachtengordel, as the Dutch say) into their World Heritage List in 2010. No other city can boast anything similar, so let us take you on a brief textual tour and highlight the most important features of this amazing wonder.

Surprise. Innovation. Thrill. Progressiveness. Controversy. Distinctiveness. A collection of random associations? Not really, for actually all of the abovementioned ideas will instantly spring to your mind after a visit in Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum – the place to be if you’re looking for some quality excitement with contemporary art and design as the main theme.