Few cities in Europe pair style and dilapidation like Amsterdam. With a downright raunchy red light district on the one hand and some of the world’s very best museums on the other, cosmopolitan Amsterdam takes its contradictions in stride.
The city’s allure resides in the classically charming townhouses lining picture-perfect canals as much as it does in Amsterdam’s grubby coffeeshops, bustling public markets and intense street culture.
But don’t fret! All these contradictions won’t get in the way of your tulip-addled, bicycle-riding fantasies of the Netherlands. Wherever you sit on the quaint/hyperactive divide, you’ll find Amsterdam to be extraordinarily gorgeous and unique.