Running through the heart of Utrecht, the Oude Gracht ('old canal') is the major artery of the…read morecity. It's lined with many shops at street level and bars and restaurants at the level below. It also hosts a weekly flower market on Saturday morning. Yes, it can get a tiny bit seedy at night with rowdy students ('bralapen') and it isn't always as clean as one would like, but this all adds to the charm. It's truly a wonderful place to hang out any time of day or year. The oude gracht was built in the 1100's by upgrading and taming a former branch of the River Rhine. The mooring level (accessible by steep steps from road level), where goods would be loaded and unloaded, gives access to deep tombs / caverns that extend below the road and under the shops above. In the old days used for storage, they have now mostly been transformed into bars and eateries. It's hard to miss the oude gracht when you're in Utrecht as many of the city's landmarks, including the Dom tower / church and various museums are located close by. Enjoy this place. It's awesome. But, be careful of bicyclists as you stroll around; you'll likely have your eyes on façades or the water below!

Said to be the tallest church in the Netherlands, this gothic style church tower is an interesting…read moretouristic sight. It's has 465 steps, and you will be able to see old and new bells, and will enjoy a nice view from the top of the tower. The entrance was 9 euros in June 2016, 7.50 for concessions and the tour is conducted in Dutch and English. In our case, Dutch visitors didn't mind it to be English-only, so the tour was in English. You are required to leave your things in storage cameras (you can take a photo camera), however, as it was a hot day they allowed us a bottle water as well.

Perhaps one of the biggest buildings in the area, you cannot miss seeing the Dom Church tower that…read moresits in the middle of old Utrechet city. The tower is quite impressive to see and has amazing architecture work. Unfortunately during my visit to to Utrechet, they were remodeling the outside of the tower so I wasn't able to see all of it since it was covered up. I really wanted to go inside the tower but the only way they will let you in is through a guided group tour, something I didn't feel like waiting around for. Cool building nonetheless, a great sight to appreciate even if you don't go inside.

The former Jewish Quarter is where from the late 16th century to WWII most Jews lived. The Statue…read more'De Dokwerker' on the Jonas Daniël Meijerplein, waserected in memory of the February Strike of 1941 For more than 350 years, Amsterdam was a center of Jewish life & its Jewish community was a major contributor to the city's vitality and prosperity. The Waterlooplein area was their neighborhood, where they held their market & built their synagogues. In 1593, Sephardic Jews from Portugal & Spain settled in this neighbourhood. In the course of the 17th century Ashkenazi Jews from Central, Eastern, and partly Western Europe also moved into the area. After WWII those that survived relocated to Israel, Canada & the United States. There are art installations & guest speakers bringing attention back to this neighborhood.

Area in Amsterdam of significant historical importance which was renovated by the country for…read moreJewish. It doesn't look like a ghetto or old because it was modernized. The designs were done by architect students so you'll find groovy angles and curves. Why we're students hired and not architects? Well because they were cheap! Toured this area as part of a walking tour..great to know the history of this place!

Coming from our hotel we had seen this marvelous cathedral, and I knew we had to stop by on our…read morereturn. Fortunately it was open, as we saw some others going in. The cathedral is gorgeous, awe inspiring. The quiet and reverence here offers a complete escape from the outside world. After soaking up the timeless architecture we were lucky stumble on the choir practicing for their Saturday 5 PM performance - amazing, beautiful voices and music. We only wish we had more time and could have stayed for the complete performance.

This is a stunning church, the Basilica of St. Nicholas, sits across from the Centraal train…read morestation in Amsterdam. One of my favorite things to do while traveling especially Europe is, to randomly walk into an intriguing church-- must be part of my Catholic upbringing, ha! Named after the patron saint of Amsterdam, the basilica was designed by architect Adrianus Bleijs (1842-1912). It's stark somber looking on the outside, stark stunning looking inside. I appreciate the church's use of technology. It's the only church I've seen with electronic confessionals. The church also has a very well designed and branded website. There are 5 churches in this conglomerate and St. Nicholas is the most ornate. The dome of the church is visually awesome, intricately constructed. I had to take photos. St Nicholas is a beautiful work of art and I like it more inside than outside. I very well understand the decades sometimes centuries of toil and pain artisans went through to create Art to please the church's exacting standards. The Sistine Chapel is probably the epitome of that dedication. For these historical reasons, I've come to appreciate pre 1900 churches all over the world. Another really supahcalifragilisticoolthing I discovered was the church holds mass in Gregorian Chant. Wowzah! Now that was amaaaazzzzzzing mass to experience after a long night of debauchery and partying in Amsterdam. Geniusly Sick! Website: http://www.nicolaas-parochie.nl/ Visits: 2

Um, this place is absolutely amazing. The whole area used to be an industrial park / campus /…read moremanufacturing plant for Philips, but they've since left. Now, it's full of creative businesses, from beautiful home decor shops to clothing to mixed media to restaurants & cafes to art exhibits to skate parks to ETC, ETC. The whole industrial look is definitely overused nowadays, but this is different. It feels so authentic because it actually used to house factories, and some machinery is still there, surrounded by quintessential stylish Dutch design. It's quite inspiring how much creativity is within every single little shop. On the third Sunday of every month, this is the venue for Feelgood Market, a pretty big collection of food / handmade goods / music / more. Such great vibes in a unique location. Must see if you find yourself in Eindhoven!