Tourist attractions in Amsterdam

This topic include: Tourist in Amsterdam, Tourist attractions in Amsterdam, tourist places in Amsterdam, places to visit in Amsterdam, Information about Amsterdam, Amsterdam history, Amsterdam Photos, Amsterdam video, Climate in Amsterdam .

Amsterdam  is the capital of the Netherlands. With more than one million inhabitants in its urban area, it is the country's largest city and its financial, cultural, and creative centre. Amsterdam is colloquially known as Venice of the North, because of its lovely canals that criss-cross the city, its impressive architecture and more than 1,500 bridges. There is something for every traveller's taste here, whether you prefer culture and history, serious partying, or just the relaxing charm of an old European city.

Amsterdam History

Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important trading centres in the world during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century. The city's small mediaeval centre rapidly expanded as the Jordaan and the Canal Belt neighbourhoods were constructed; the latter's cultural significance was acknowledged when it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded in all directions, with many new neighbourhoods and suburbs designed in modernist styles.

Amsterdam is not the seat of the government, which is in The Hague. It has always been a city that attracted many people from outside it's borders. Nowadays it's the city with the most different nationalities in the world (178 in 2010). The city has an informal atmosphere unlike other capital cities its size. In fact, Amsterdam has a history of non-conformism, tolerance and progressivism, all of which come together in its liberal policies concerning cannabis and prostitution. Other attractions include the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House, the Flower Market, Albert Cuyp Market, and the Vondelpark.

Tourist Attractions in Amsterdam / Places to visit in Amsterdam

1- Amsterdam canal ring
The city old centre is formed from canal rings, which give you the feeling of space, freedom and peace. Walk through these canal streets or better – take a trip with a boat by boarding one of the tourist cruises or by renting the boat yourself. Anther way to explore the Venice of the North is to take a ride on a bicycle. Any way you decide for – enjoy this city, one of the most beautiful in the world.

2- Het Scheepvaart Museum – The National Maritime Museum
After its renovation The Maritime Museum is a captivating place to visit, especially with children. With a 17th C. sail ship at its quay, packed with modern multimedia attractions exhibit and rich collection of fine paintings, old maps and remarkable ship models, this colourful and enjoyable museum will help you understand the history of the Netherlands – a small nation which was centuries ago one of the world’s greatest sea powers.

3- Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in the Netherlands, with more than a million visitors each year. The Rijksmuseum is currently in a prolonged renovation, but a small part of it remains open. Its exhibition called The Masterpieces shows the most famous pieces of Dutch art from the 17th c., usually called the Golden Age of the Netherlands. Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals reflect in their work different aspects of Dutch national character. You may also see the museum treasury, beautiful doll houses from the period and the traditional Delftware.

4- Van Gogh Museum
This modern museum houses some 200 paintings and 550 sketches showing Van Gogh in all his moods. This biggest in the world collection, combined with hundreds of letters by Van Gogh, and selected works by his friends and contemporaries, form the core 
of the museum's collection.

5- Begijnhof
A narrow, vaulted passageway leads to this charming quiet garden surrounded by old houses, in the very centre of town. The devout celibate Béguine nuns have been replaced by old ladies. The No.34 is the oldest house in Amsterdam. Entrance on Spui, just a step from the main commercial street Kalverstraat, is indicated by a carved sign. Entry is free.

6- Oude Kerk
This huge old protestant church with little houses clinging to its sides remains a calm heaven at the heart of the frenetic Red Light District. Its buildings, especially the Gothic-renaissance style octagonal bell tower, were used by sailors to get their bearings. For some adults, an evening walk in the nightlife area around the church might be interesting.

7- Magere Brug
Is a traditional double-leaf Dutch draw-bridge connecting sides of river Amstel. About every 20 minutes the bridge opens, as the bridge master lets boats through. The original bridge was built in 1670, but it did not change much since. Enjoy the magic of this place, take a deep breath of fresh air brought by the river.

8- Museum Amstelkring
On the edge of the Red Light District, museum houses in the restored 17th-century canal house with two smaller houses to the rear. The lower floors of the building became a museum in 1888 and today contain refurbished rooms, as well as a collection of church silver, religious artifacts and paintings.

9- Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House in the center of Amsterdam is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during the World War II. Just a few empty rooms in the hidden annex to the house will make an unforgettable impression if you realize, that two families lived in these small quarters for more than 2 years hiding from the Nazis. The original of the diary is on display, as a part of the Anne Frank House's permanent exhibition.

10- Civic Guards Gallery (Schuttersgalerij)

As the saying goes – the best things in life are free – this naturally lit gallery filled with old paintings from the Dutch Golden Age is freely open to the public. The exhibited canvas may be not always the masterpieces of art (those you may see at the Rijksmuseum), but these group portraits of Amsterdam citizens and their wives are an exquisite document of the Dutch civilization and culture centuries ago.

Tourist attractions in Amsterdam

Orientation

The "Amsterdam" that most visitors experience is the city centre, the semi-circle with Central Station at its apex. It corresponds to the city as it was around 1850. Six major concentric canals ring the Old Centre; the Singel, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht, the Prinsengracht, the Lijnbaansgracht, and the Singelgracht, together forming the Canal Ring. Other districts inside the city centre are the Jordaan, a former working-class area gone upmarket, and Plantage, a leafy and spacious area known for its zoo and botanical gardens. The roads Nassaukade, Stadhouderskade, and Mauritskade surround the centre and mark the location of the former city moat and fortifications. Almost everything outside this line was built after 1870.

The semi-circle is on the south side of the IJ, originally the estuary of the Amstel to the Zuiderzee (South sea), nowadays canalised. Going east from Central Station, the railway passes the artificial islands of the redeveloped Eastern Docklands. North of the IJ is mainly housing, although a major dockland redevelopment has started there too.

The river Amstel flows into the city from the south. Originally, it flowed along the line Rokin-Damrak. The dam in the Amstel, which gives the city its name, was located under the present Bijenkorf department store. The original settlement was on the right bank of the Amstel, on the present Warmoesstraat: it is therefore the oldest street in the city. The city has expanded in all directions, except to the northeast of the ring motorway. That area is a protected rural landscape of open fields and small villages that could be considered a part of the Waterland region.

The radius of the semi-circle is about 2 km. All major tourist destinations, and most hotels, are located inside it or just outside it. As a result, a large swathe of Amsterdam is never visited by tourists: at least 90% of the population lives outside this area. Most economic activity in Amsterdam — the offices of the financial sector, and the port — is near or outside the ring motorway, which is 4-5 km from the centre.

The expansion of Amsterdam outside this beltway, and the expansion of activity outside the old centre, is redefining what locals consider the 'central area' of Amsterdam. Without a doubt the most popular district outside of the city centre is the South for its quality museums and gentrified neighbourhood 'De Pijp'.

Attitudes

Many people choose to visit Amsterdam because of its reputation for tolerance, although part of this reputation is attributable to cultural misunderstandings. Prostitution is legalised and licensed in the Netherlands, and in Amsterdam it is very visible (window prostitution), and there are large numbers of prostitutes. The sale, possession, and consumption of small quantities of cannabis, while technically illegal, is tolerated by authorities (the policy of gedogen). This does not mean that you can get away with anything in Amsterdam. In any case, public attitudes and official policy have hardened in recent years. For more on coffeeshops and drugs, see below in Stay safe.

Depending on your viewpoint some people will consider Amsterdam an unwholesome city whereas other people will find their relaxed attitudes refreshing. If you avoid the red light district, Amsterdam is an excellent family destination.

According to a Eurobarometer report in 2012, 90% of the population speak English as a second language.

Climate in Amsterdam

Climate	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daily highs (°C)	5	6	10	14	18	21	23	23	20	16	10	6
Nightly lows (°C)	3	3	6	9	13	16	18	18	15	11	7	4
Precipitation (mm)	70	56	67	42	62	66	81	73	78	83	80	76

Amsterdam is a large city and a major tourist destination, so you can visit it all year round. However, in winter the days are short (8 hours daylight around Christmas), and the weather may be too cold to walk around the city comfortably, let alone cycle. January and February are the coldest months, with lows around -1°C and highs around 5°C. July and August are the warmest months, with an average temperature of 22°C (72°F). Some things are seasonal: the tulip fields flower only in the spring, and Queen's Day (Koninginnedag) is always on 30 April, unless it falls on a Sunday. Queen Beatrix was actually born on 31 January, but since January is very cold, the celebrations are held on the day she became the queen of the Netherlands, which is also the birthday of her mother, Juliana.

This topic included: Tourist in Amsterdam, Tourist attractions in Amsterdam, tourist places in Amsterdam, places to visit in Amsterdam, Information about Amsterdam, Amsterdam history, Amsterdam Photos, Amsterdam video, Climate in Amsterdam .

Tourist attractions in London

This topic include: Tourist in London, Tourist attractions in London,Tourist places in London/places to visit in London, Information about London, London Photos, Climate in London.

London  is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, and the largest city, urban zone and metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile media eval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

More information about london

London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is one of the world's leading financial centers and has the fifth- or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world depending on measurement. London has been described as a world cultural capital. It is the world's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.

London tourist attractions / Tourist places in London / places to visit in London

London is a popular centre for tourism, one of its prime industries, employing the equivalent of 350,000 full-time workers in 2003, while annual expenditure by tourists is around £15 billion.London attracts over 14 million international visitors per year, making it Europe's most visited city.London attracts 27 million overnight-stay visitors every year. In 2010 the ten most-visited attractions in London were:

1- British Museum

The British Museum is a museum in London dedicated to human history and culture. Its permanent collection, numbering some eight million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

2-Tate Modern

Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group (together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives and Tate Online). It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year.It is based in the former Bankside Power Station, in the Bankside area of Central London. Tate holds the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art.

3- National Gallery


The National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The Gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection is free of charge. It is the fourth most visited art museum in the world, after the Musée du Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and 
the British Museum.

4- Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England (the others are theScience Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum). Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road. The museum is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

5- London Eye

The  is a giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames in London, England. The entire structure is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft).

It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually.

6- Science Museum

The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The museum is a major London tourist attraction, attracting 2.7 million visitors annually.

Like other publicly funded national museums in the United Kingdom, the Science Museum does not charge for admission. Temporary exhibitions, however, do usually incur an admission fee. It is part of the Science Museum Group, having merged with the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester in 2012.

7-Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A), London, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the Prince Consort. The V&A is located in the Brompton district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in an area that has become known as "Albertopolis" because of its association with Prince Albert, the Albert Memorial and the major cultural institutions with which he was associated. 

8- Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds (UK /təˈsɔːdz/, US /tuːˈsoʊz/; the family themselves pronounce it /ˈtuːsoʊ/) is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's", but the apostrophe is no longer used. Madame Tussauds is a major tourist attraction in London, displaying waxworks of historical and royal figures, film stars, sports stars and infamous murderers.

9-National Maritime Museum (NMM) 

The National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and 17th-century Queen's House. In 2012, Her Majesty The Queen formally approved Royal Museums Greenwich as the new overall title for the National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Cutty Sark. 

10- Tower of London

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England, United Kingdom. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill.

Tourist in London

Climate in London

London has a temperate oceanic climate, similar to much of southern Britain. Despite its reputation as being a rainy city, London receives less precipitation (with 601 mm (24 in) in a year), than Rome (at 834 mm (33 in)), Bordeaux (at 923 mm (36 in)), Toulouse (at 668 mm (26 in)), and Naples(at 1,006 mm (40 in) per year). Winters are generally chilly to cold with frost usually occurring in the suburbs on average twice a week from November to March. Snow usually occurs about four or five times a year mostly from December to February. Snowfall during March and April is rare but does occur every two or three years. Winter temperatures seldom fall below −4 °C (24.8 °F) or rise above 14 °C (57.2 °F). During the winter of 2010, London experienced its lowest temperature on record (−14 °C (6.8 °F)) in Northolt and the heaviest snow seen for almost two decades, a huge strain on the city's transport infrastructure. Temperature extremes for all sites in the London area range from 38.1 °C (100.6 °F) at Kew during August 2003, (which has been proposed to be the UK's highest 'accurate' temperature) down to −16.1 °C (3.0 °F) at Northolt during January 1962. Temperatures of below −20 °C (−4.0 °F) have been noted prior to the 20th century, but the accuracy cannot be validated.

Summers are generally warm and sometimes hot, the heat being boosted by the urban heat island effect making the centre of London at times 5 °C (9 °F) warmer than the suburbs and outskirts. London's summer average is 24 °C (75.2 °F). On average there are 7 days a year above 30 °C (86.0 °F) and 2 days a year above 32 °C (89.6 °F). Temperatures of 26 °C (79 °F) usually occur on a weekly basis from mid- June to late August.

During the 2003 European heat wave there were 14 consecutive days above 30 °C (86.0 °F) and 2 consecutive days where temperatures soared up to 38 °C (100.4 °F), leading to hundreds of heat related deaths. Rain generally occurs on around 2 out of 10 summer days. Spring and Autumn are mixed seasons and can be pleasant. On 1 October 2011, the air temperature attained 30 °C(86.0 °F) and in April 2011 it reached 28 °C (82.4 °F). However in recent years both of these months have also had snowfall. Temperature extremes range from −10 °C (14.0 °F) to 37.9 °C(100.2 °F).

This topic included: Tourist in London, Tourist attractions in London,Tourist places in London/places to visit in London, Information about London, London Photos, Climate in London.

Tourist attractions in Paris

This topic include: Tourist attractions in Paris, tourist places in Paris, places to visit in Paris, Information about Paris, Paris history,  Paris Photos, Climate in Paris .


Info about Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France, 

with 2.2 million people living in the dense (105 km²) central city and almost 12 million people living in the whole metropolitan area - one of the largest agglomerations in Europe. Located in the north of the country on the river Seine, Paris has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, brimming with historic associations and remaining vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design. Dubbed the City of Light (la Ville Lumière) and Capital of Fashion, it is home to the world's finest and most luxurious fashion designers and cosmetics, such as Chanel No.5, Christian Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Guerlain, Lancôme,L'Oréal, Clarins, etc. A large part of the city, including the River Seine, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has the second highest number of Michelin-restaurants in the world (after Tokyo) and contains numerous iconic landmarks, such as the world's most visited tourist sitethe Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, Moulin Rouge, Lido etc, making it the most popular tourist destination in the world with 45 million tourists annually.

Tourist places in Paris

1- Eiffel Tower

The view of the ‘city of light’ by night is mesmerizing from the tip of the city’s iconic spire, with its 360-degree panoramas over Paris. Over 250 million people have ascended the tower to date. Most visit its three platforms (57m, 115m and 276m) in daytime hours, when, on a clear day, views from the top extend up to 60km. Far fewer visitors make the pilgrimage after sunset, when queues are significantly shorter. Night-time at the top can be breezy – bring a jacket…

2- Musée d’Orsay

The home of France’s national collection from the Impressionist, Post-impressionist and Art Nouveau movements is, appropriately, the glorious former Gare d’Orsay Art Nouveau railway station. On the ground floor you’ll find earlier works of the era, while the middle level has some stunning Art Nouveau rooms and sculptures. On the skylit upper level, masterpieces include Manet’s On The Beach; Renoir’s Ball at the Moulin de la Galette; Degas’ ballerinas and Van Gogh’s scenes of Auvers-sur-Oise just outside Paris (where he died and is buried).

3- Jardin du Luxembourg

The merest ray of sunshine is enough to draw apartment-dwelling Parisians outdoors. You’ll see locals unwinding throughout the city: in parks, on bridges and on the banks of the Seine. But the Luxembourg Gardens have a special place in the hearts of Parisians. Napoleon dedicated the gardens to the children of Paris, and many residents spent their childhood prodding little wooden sail boats with long sticks on the octagonal pond, watching marionettes perform Punch & Judy–type shows, and riding the carousel (merry-go-round) or ponies.

4- Markets

Nowhere encapsulates Paris’ village atmosphere more than its street markets. Not simply places to shop, the markets are social gatherings for the entire neighbourhood, where residents toting quintessentially Parisian canvas shopping bags on wheels chat with stallholders and pick up culinary tips.

5- Mosquée de Paris

Built between 1922 and 1926 and topped by a 26m-high minaret, Paris’ art deco–Moorish mosque is a treat off the beaten track. Provided you’re modestly dressed, you can wander through the colonnaded courtyards – with incredible acoustics during the Call to Prayer – and leaf through ancient Arabic texts in the library.

6- Shakespeare & Co

A kind of spell descends as you enter this cluttered, charming bookshop opposite Notre Dame. Its enchanting nooks and crannies overflow with new and secondhand English-language books, while amid handpainted quotations and a wishing well, a miniature staircase leads to an atticlike reading library. The bookshop is the stuff of legends. The original shop (12 rue l’Odéon; closed by the Nazis in 1941) was run by Sylvia Beach and became the meeting point for Gertrude Stein’s ‘Lost Generation’. Beach published James Joyce’s Ulysses there in 1922, when no one else would.

7- Île St Louis

The Île St-Louis’ tiny streets – where you’ll still see the odd Citroën 2CV among its few cars – are a quiet respite from the city’s hubbub. Quaint shops are dotted around the island, while its riverbanks and bridges are idyllic for listening to buskers or just watching the riverboats glide by. A stroll here is a favourite pastime for Parisians as well as visitors, but it wouldn’t be complete without a cone of Berthillon ice cream in hand.

8- The Louvre

Stretching a whopping 700m along the Seine, it’s estimated it would take nine months just to glance at every artwork in the world’s largest museum. But – with a bit of planning – it doesn’t disappoint. Save time by purchasing your ticket from the Louvre’s website, ticket agencies, or machines in the Carrousel du Louvre beforehand. Museum tickets are valid all day, so you can take a break any time.

9- Promenade Plantée

Climbing the stairs from the busy Bastille quarter’s av Daumesnil brings you out on top of the viaduct that has been turned into the tranquil Promenade Plantée. Planted with a fragrant profusion of cherry trees, maples, rosebushes and lavender, it’s a haven that feels far from the madding crowds four storeys below.

10- Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Paris is a collection of villages, and this 48-hectare cemetery of cobbled lanes and elaborate tombs the size of small houses qualifies as one in its own right. Among the cemetery’s celebrity residents are the composer Chopin; writers Molière, Apollinaire, Balzac, Proust, Wilde, Gertrude Stein (and Alice B Toklas) and Colette; artists Delacroix, Pissarro, Seurat and Modigliani; singers Édith Piaf and rock god Jim Morrison.

Tourist in Paris

Paris History

With upwards of 12 million inhabitants, the greater metropolitan area of Paris is home to almost 19% of France’s total population (central Paris counts just under 2.2 million souls). Since before the Revolution, Paris has been what urban planners like to call a ‘hypertrophic city’ – the enlarged ‘head’ of a nation-state’s ‘body’. The urban area of the next biggest city – Marseilles – is just over a third the size of central Paris.

As the capital city, Paris is the administrative, business and cultural centre; virtually everything of importance in the republic starts, finishes or is currently taking place here. The French have always said ‘Quand Paris éternue, la France s’en rhume’ (When Paris sneezes, France catches cold) but there have been conscious efforts – going back at least four decades – by governments to decentralise Paris’ role, and during that time the population, and thus to a certain extent the city’s authority, has actually shrunk. The pivotal year was 1968, a watershed not just in France but throughout Western Europe.

Paris has a timeless quality, a condition that can often be deceiving. And while the cobbled backstreets of Montmartre, the terraced cafés of Montparnasse, the iconic structure of the Eiffel Tower and the placid waters of the Seine may all have some visitors believing that the city has been here since time immemorial, that’s hardly the case.

Climate in Paris

Climate	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daily highs (°C)	6	7	10	13	17	21	23	23	20	15	9	7
Nightly lows (°C)	1	1	3	5	9	12	14	13	11	7	3	2
Precipitation (mm)	54	44	49	53	65	55	63	43	55	60	52	59

Being located in Western Europe, Paris has a maritime climate with cool winters and warm summers. The moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean helps to temper temperature extremes in much of western Europe, including France. Even in January, the coldest month, temperatures nearly always exceed the freezing point with an average high of 6°C (43°F). Snow is not common in Paris, although it will fall a few times a year. Most of Paris' precipitation comes in the form of light rain year-round.

Summers in Paris are warm and pleasant, with an average high of 23°C (75°F) during the mid-summer months. Spring and fall are normally cool and wet.

With the weather being so pleasant in the summer, it's a great time to visit.

This topic included: Tourist attractions in Paris, tourist places in Paris, places to visit in Paris, Information about Paris, Paris history,  Paris Photos, Climate in Paris