Amsterdam Short Breaks Guide

Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities in Europe probably the most accessible with flight departures from every single UK single UK airport via KLM. You can also reach Amsterdam at speed by rail these days (about 4 hours) thanks to a new high speed rail line from Brussels. Arriving at Amsterdam Centraal you can often reach your hotel on foot or by a 5-minute tram ride. 

The most popular times of the year for tourists is from Easter to Autumn, but the winter months offer plenty of attractions including the Christmas markets in December. 

Amsterdam has a population of 750,000 people but has the feeling of a much smaller city when you arrive from the central rail station. As a visitor you’ll be unlikely to venture out beyond the old part of the city with its network of canals. The major sights are within easy walking distance of any city centre hotel. This is probably why central Amsterdam hotels charge such a premium as it really is necessary to stay in the centre if you want to get the most out of your short break. 

Amsterdam was named after the Dam on the Amstel River, and the canals that feed into it. These canals are now protected by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. They’re a legacy of the cities status as one of the most important trading cities in the world. Europe’s oldest stock exchange is in the centre of the city as well as other important visitor sites like the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, Anne Frank’s house, and the Van Gogh Museum. 

The infamous Red Light District is easy to miss and not unlike similar districts in a number of other cities in Europe these days. The coffee shops are all easy to find if you like to smoke a bit. 

Be another one of the 3.6 million annual visitors to Amsterdam.