Amsterdam Flights And Sights

Whether you go for storybook canals or laid-back coffeehouses, the Flower Market's springtime blooms or the Van Gogh Museum's sunflowers, Amsterdam will -- in its inimitable style -- captivate you. Friendly, open-minded and easygoing, the Amsterdammers flaunt their quirky creativity in Jordaan's boutiques and welcome all-comers like long-lost friends in canalside cafés. This is the city of Golden Age art and picturesque canals, legal reefers and red lights, grand merchants' houses and a million bicycle bells. Just remember to always stop and smell the roses like the locals -- or should that be tulips?

Things to Do

Perfect your laid-back Amsterdam look cycling through the flowery Vondelpark, where Amsterdammers gather for picnics and open-air concerts. For close-up views of Golden Age merchants' houses, cruise Amsterdam's storied canals. The Rijksmuseum is a rambling attic of Old Master paintings from Vermeer miniatures to Rembrandt's colossal The Night Watch. The curvy Van Gogh Museum houses the world's largest Van Gogh collection, including Sunflowers and earless self-portraits. Spend a reflective moment in Anne Frank's House.

Shopping

Mornings are the time for markets, with Amsterdammers finding flea market bargains at Waterlooplein, and bunches of vibrant tulips and potted plants at the canalside Flower Market. Pedal along the waterways to Jordaan's alternative shops and tiny galleries, or the quaint Negen Straatjes' designer boutiques, jewelers and cafés. Global designers line posh PC Hooftstraat, while crowded Kalverstraat has all the high-street names. For Delft Blue ceramics, visit the Jorrit Heinen shop on Prinsengracht.

Nightlife and Entertainment

As Amsterdam's bridges and canals twinkle with thousands of lights, follow the locals to Jordaan's nicotine-stained cafés for an ice-cold jenever (gin) and possibly a friendly singalong. The liberal lives on in Amsterdam, where prostitutes flaunt their wares behind glass in the Red Light District and snug coffeeshops fill with chatter and (legal) marijuana smoke. Dress up for pulsating clubs in Rembrandtplein, low-key cocktails in De Pijp's stylish bars and classical music at the grand Concertgebouw.

Restaurants and Dining

The sociable, worldly Amsterdammers love eating out and traveling with their taste buds. In lively Leidseplein choose from Italian trattorias, Argentinean steakhouses and Indonesian restaurants serving spicy rijsttafel, a feast of aromatic little dishes. Nieuwmarkt dishes up value-priced Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai, while multicultural De Pijp is the place for tapas and modern fusion. In Jordaan, fashionable restaurants sit alongside relaxed eetcafés (bistros) where locals meet for a beer and a uitsmijter (open ham and egg sandwich).

American Airlines flights to Amsterdam help you experience this diverse and charming city. Peaceful and picturesque canals, relaxed sidewalk cafes and a vibrant cultural scene -- in addition to an exciting nightlife -- mean there are a wide number of things to do in Amsterdam to build lifelong memories.

One of the most beautiful activities in Amsterdam is a tour of the city's many canals. Historical buildings meet the edge of the water in this remarkable shipping port. A great way to see the best of it all is with an Amsterdam Canals Dinner Cruise. You'll savor wine and dinner while enjoying a view of the most scenic stretches from a glass-domed boat.

Amsterdam is a very walkable and bikable city. In fact, bikes far outnumber automobiles. An Amsterdam Bike Rental is a great way to explore the city at your own pace. There are places for parking bikes everywhere, making it easy to take in the many significant cultural and historical sites.

No list of things to do in Amsterdam would be complete without including a visit to the Anne Frank House, located in the center of the city. We also suggest a stop at the Van Gogh Museum, which contains the world's largest collection of the artist's paintings. The Rijksmuseum is easily the city's largest, with collections of art, historical artifacts and of drawings, prints and photographs. Due to a major renovation scheduled through 2013, part or all of the museum may be closed; we advise checking before you arrive to see if it is open.

Another one of the most popular things to do in Amsterdam will delight flower lovers: a tour of tulips! If you'd like to see fields abloom, plan to visit in the spring -- ideally in mid-April. Make plans to visit the Keukenhof Gardens, which are reminiscent of a fairy tale in their beauty.

Then, of course, there is the exciting nightlife in Amsterdam. There is said to be over 1,000 bars across the city, and there are also clubs where you can dance until dawn.

If a visit to this vibrant and diverse Holland destination sounds intriguing, make plans to fly to Amsterdam with American Airlines. We'll help you explore the best of Amsterdam for a visit to remember.