This church was really surprising because it hadn't been touched, but then again it is located in…read moreBelgium, which had split off from the Netherlands during the Reformation because they wanted to remain Catholic. It is a gorgeous church though, but then again a lot of them are. It was a marvel to wander around inside.

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.

A beautiful pink granite structure jutting into one of the primary canals in the heart of…read moreAmsterdam. Somewhat underwhelming and easy to miss. I've missed it every time I've walked or rode by over the years. I didn't realize it was there until I listened to the tram one day at the Westerkerk stop say "Homomonument", I said "whuuut"? My friends told me about it and then I finally walked over there when I was shopping on the Prinsengracht. It's has a PRIME location and beautiful canal, but below street level and in the shadow of Anne Frank and the Westerkerk church (on the Keizersgracht). My presumptions are it is keeping a low profile as the homosexuals had to do for centuries to avoid prosecution and persecution. Please see "Bruce K"'s review from October 23 here for more detailed explanation on the design!

As we were walking around Amsterdam, we came across the Homomonument, the first monument in the…read moreworld commemorating gay men and women who were killed by the Nazis due to their sexual orientation. The monument was designed by artist Karin Daan and unveiled on September 5, 1987. The memorial is composed of three pink granite triangles laid in the ground, and each triangle forms the point of a larger triangle. Each point of the triangle is symbolic -- one points towards the National Monument in Dam Square, one points towards the Anne Frank House, and one points towards COC Amsterdam, a Dutch LGBTQ+ rights group founded in 1946. While I love what the monument represents, if it weren't for the sign, I probably wouldn't even have known that I was walking over a monument. The only way to see the entire memorial is from above, but from the ground, you can't see the entire memorial at once or get a good photo. If walking by, stop and take a look, but I would not go out of my way to see it. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Monuments, Memorials, and Historical Markers]

What's not to like about this place. It is free to enter (touchless donation options available) -…read morebright, airy and beautiful! So much history. Right next to the Anne Frank museum, the heart of Amsterdam West and Jordaan. I hear the church bells ring all day from my apartment. I didn't realize we could enter for free. It was my first time here. Very wonderful. We were on a Dutch language class field trip so had to find some clues in there. It's a must see when visiting Amsterdam. I suggest maybe skipping the Anne Frank house if the lines are long, (but lately with online reservations, seems okay!), and go here. I doubt the tower is open these days with Covid times, but maybe in two, three years when Covid is gone, it will be open once again.

This is the biggest church in Holland and right next to the hotel we were staying at. After walking…read moreby it multiple times, we decided to stop by and am glad we did. It was built in the early 1600's and is stunning both inside and out. Sadly the observation deck was closed when we were there. And cool factoid for you...Rembrandt was buried here.

We decided to go to Haarlem for the day. Unfortunately it was Monday and there's not as much opened…read moreon Monday but we were lucky to see this beautiful church. There's lots to see and we spent quite a bit time here. The organ is massive and gorgeous and Mozart played on it at the age of 10! We recommend seeing this impressive expansive place.

We decided to stay In Haarlem just a bus 20 minute bus ride from Amsterdam, the church is in the…read moremarketplace and is rich with Dutch culture, the gothic church is beautifully decorated with splashes of royal red inside which compliments the Muller Organ wonderfully, the church bells and light are a peaceful reminder of the presence of this wonderful church, inside are graves of the wealthy. Rotted bodies buried underneath large slabs of stone seeped up into the church, this is where the term "Stinking rich" comes from. Don't worry it doesn't smell any longer and added a wonderful touch after returning from other cities and places. We would come up and enjoy the rest of our evenings here peacefully while overlooking the church.

You really must visit the Dom tower while in the Netherlands! It blew us away. We were a little…read morelate to the tour because we couldn't find the meeting spot. It is in the gift shop. Once we found that, an employee brought us to join the group. Our tour guide spoke perfect English and was very knowledgable about the tower. It was really incredible getting to be inside the belfry and see all of the different sized bells. We also got to climb to the top for a truly spectacular view. I will say, there are nearly 500 stairs here and some staircases are VERY tight, so keep that in mind if you have accessibility needs. This was a highlight for sure. The gift shop also has the most adorable merchandise! I got a tiny candle shaped like the tower.

Given all the scaffolding the team did an amazing job. Well done!!!…read moreIt was worth Ruhr visit and the guide spoke in Dutch and English.

This Markt is reliably suffused with quality goods. Looking for fresh produce? Got it! Need cheese?…read moreThere are so many options! After fresh bread? There are at least two bakery stalls. Let's not even get into the snacks and sweets or the textiles and housewares. There's a butcher and a fishmonger. You can do all of your shopping and never set foot in a corporate store. It's a bit crowded and the pedestrian traffic isn't well organized for those of us using canes or walkers so be prepared for a some bumpy terrain.

I bought a beautiful laundry baskets at Haarlem Saturday Grote Markt. I was so happy to finally…read morecome across some quality baskets that will last a long time. You can easily find them a few steps away from the lovely Texel wool and cotton sheets market stall. They are located on the very end before you walk into the market. You will see some beautiful color mats, baskets and bags for a very good price. No where have I seen these types of quality baskets in the shops.

This is one of many centrally located squares in Amsterdam, a touristy area with many restaurants,…read morebars and some entertainment options, and one of the less significant transit hubs in the city. You can reach it via metro to Leidseplein or various tram and bus lines. Surrounding the square notably are: the Heineken Grand Cafe, the Hirshgebauw (a historic landmark building with shops and offices including an Apple Store), the Amsterdam International Theater, the Diamond Hotel with clear glass facade over the front of the building, and Albert Heijn grocery store. Close by within a couple blocks are Pathé City cinema, the Holland Casino and Hard Rock Cafe. Worth walking or transiting thru and stopping for a look at the memorial sculpture in the center of two hand s touching, called "Against All Currents" a tribute honoring late investigative crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, who reported and contributed to evidence on several very high profile international crimes, including the Natalee Holloway case.

Leidseplein is where I first began my discovery of Amsterdam. I stayed at the Marriott and because…read moreof its central location, the shops, restaurants and Vondelpark, it's a favorite location. I deducted a star because some of the restaurants are very touristy, which is okay, but anytime someone is standing out front trying to lure you inside its a place for me to skip. But this is the best place stay as visitor in Amsterdam in my opinion. I can write for hours about where to go from here, but that is your adventure to learn next time.

Museumplein ("Museum Square") is the public area located by the Concertgebouw concert hall and…read morethree major museums -- the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, and Stedelijk Museum. Near transit, shops, and restaurants, Museumplein is a nice place to go for a walk or eat lunch on a nice day. I particularly enjoyed the beautiful tulips in the planter -- cheaper than Keukenhof! [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands]

Great space for catching some sunshine or meeting friends. From the concert house to the…read moreRijksmuseum with the Van Gogh on the side. Also a big Albert Heijn at the Concert Hall end. The US consulate is also located to the far end of the plein. For those of you who read this far, "plein" roughly means "square" in Dutch.