Arguably one of the coolest cities in Europe, Amsterdam is famous for it's laid back attitude and friendly locals. The city itself offers lots to see, the center of Amsterdam has a lot of charming architecture dating from the 17th century, while the coffee houses and red light district attract millions of tourists every year.

Originally built on the shores of the saltwater Zuiderzee, but as a result of various land-reclamation projects over the years, Zuiderzee was renamed Ijsselmeer after it was separated from the sea by a dike and became a freshwater lake. Thus the city now borders the freshwater of IJsselmeer.

The center of Amsterdam is shaped like a horseshoe, surrounded by four famous canals called the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht.

During the summer months, the Vondelpark in the city center is a great place to spend an afternoon. With a bit of luck you can catch a (free) outdoor concert near the water, or sit in one of the trendy bar and have a beer.

The famous - or infamous, Red Light District, which consists of several canals and the side streets between them, south of Central Station and east of Damrak. They are known as 'De Wallen' (the walls) in Dutch, because the canals were once part of the city defenses (walls and moats). Despite the area's reputation, prostitution itself is limited to certain streets, mainly side streets and alleys.

The Red Light District is also still a residential district, with many bars and restaurants as well as historic buildings and museums. An example of the old blending in with the new is the Gothic Oude Kerk church on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, the oldest in Amsterdam, which is now surrounded by window prostitution.