Best of Amsterdam on a Private Panoramic Tour

The Canal district in Amsterdam is arguably the area that many people think of when picturing Amsterdam. Its pretty waterways provide many photo opportunities and the area is also home to plenty of unique hotspots. The intricate network of canals in Amsterdam’s city centre also serves as a unique residential area. The colourful houseboats moored along canal banks throughout the city offer all the comforts of a typical house and have become something of a local icon. Today houseboats are also an attractive accommodation option for visitors to the city who want to experience life on the water.

Amsterdam Central Station main train station is the real heart of the city: central not only by the name, but also as the biggest public transport transfer spot, serving not only visitors to Amsterdam, but also city inhabitants. Every day 250,000 people go through the Amsterdam Central Station. Final stops of several lines of city trams and buses are here, as well as waterfront stations of city ferry lines taking cars and passengers to Amsterdam North. It is also here, that a main Amsterdam Tourist Office is based, as well as departure quays for the tourist boats cruising around the city canals.

Dam Square is Amsterdam’s beating heart. Nowadays Dam Square in contrast with the old days it is now a very peaceful square which is home to scores of pigeons and street performers. The National Monument on Dam Square was unveiled on 4 May 1956. It was erected in remembrance of those who died during World War II. Each year on 4 May many dignitaries, including representatives of the royal family, commemorate the victims of the Second World War here. The Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam are also situated at Dam Square. Other nearby highlights are the red light district, the narrowest house in Amsterdam at Singel 7 and the shopping mall Magna Plaza.

Adjacent to the Royal Palace is Amsterdam Nieuwe Kerk, a church of the highest order. Akin to the Gothic churches of France, it was built circa 1400 due to the shortage of churches in the city and over the years, many changes have been made. The New Church remarkably managed to escape major damage in 1421 and 1452, the two great fires of Amsterdam, although two centuries later it was reduced to ashes when plumbers accidentally started a fire. The church however has been faithfully restored to its former glory, exhibiting the original early Renaissance style features throughout even though it remains tower-less.

A big and monumental church De Oude Kerk (The Old Church) dominates over the Red Light District. Standing in the church's main entry, you will be amazed to see a coffee shop just left to it, windows with sex workers in front of it and the Princess Juliana Nursery School right of it. Contrast could not be bigger and there. The Oude Kerk is the oldest and for centuries was the most important church in Amsterdam. Although it lost this title to the Nieuwe Kerk (New Curch), it still remains one of the grand sights to visit.

De Wallen or De Walletjes is the largest and best known red-light district in Amsterdam. It consists of a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their sexual services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights and blacklight. De Wallen, together with the prostitution areas Singelgebied and Ruysdaelkade, form the Rosse Buurt (red-light areas) of Amsterdam. Of these De Wallen is the oldest and largest area. It is one of the city's major tourist attractions and the government of Amsterdam is examining ways to limit tourist numbers. The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops that sell cannabis.

With about 600 rooms, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the Swedish royal family and one of the largest palaces in Europe. Only used for official ceremonies, the grandiose palace is open to the public all year round. It is unquestionably one of the most popular tourist attractions in Stockholm. The Tre Kronor Museum, Treasury, Royal Apartments, and the impressive architectural style and decor of the palace will take your breath away.