Amsterdam is one of my favorite European cities. The canals are simply breathtaking. The atmosphere is laidback. And the quirky little eccentricities make the city all the more charming.

1. Walk the canals. Then take a canal cruise.

2. Anne Frank House. This was a truly unreal experience… climbing into the attic where the Frank family hid to survive will give you some serious perspective.

3. Van Gogh Museum. The world’s largest collection of the famous Dutch painter’s work.

4. De Negen Straatjes. (The Nine Little Streets). Full of shopping, restaurants, hidden cafes and loads of character. The perfect stop off on your way from the Anne Frank House to Rijksmuseum.

5. Rent a bike (but proceed with caution). Cycling is a major means of transportation in Amsterdam and there are plenty of bike lanes and parking garages full of cycles to prove it. But fair warning: be careful on the roads when biking and actually just when walking…you need to check the bike lane and the car lane before attempting to cross the street. You can rent a bike almost anywhere, even check with your hotel, but make sure you lock your bike!

6. Rijksmuseum. National museum of the Netherlands. Bonus: see the I Amsterdam sign at the back.

7. Vondelpark. This is a great (read: safe) place to bike! Pack a nice picnic and enjoy the largest green area in Amsterdam.

8. Houseboat Museum. Step aboard a former freighter turned houseboat to experience what it would be like to call the canal home.

9. Red Light District. You should at least walk through just to see it for yourself. And if you have innocent little eyes, take a stroll through during daylight, there’s a little less window action. But even at night, the RLD is not a shady place–you will see families (with kids!) walking through to soak in the odd experience of it.

You can even take a Red Light Tour if you’re interested in the details of it all.. here are some facts I found most interesting: Prostitution was legalized in the Netherlands in 1810. Prostitutes have unions and pay taxes. The government feels that they can better handle corruption and exploitation with legalization. The government even provides housing and aid to prostitutes if they become infected with HIV, in order to prevent them from continuing to work.

10. Green light District. Let me set a few things straight…in Amsterdam, a café is a car or casual restaurant; a coffee house or koffiehuis is for coffee, light snacks, etc; a coffeeshop is where you can legally buy/smoke weed and eat brownies. It’s mostly tourists in the GLD but it is worth exploring to get a feel for the laidback vibes of Amsterdam.

11. Bloemenmarkt. the tulips, oh the tulips. The famous flower market on Singel canal is a floating flower attraction, as most of the stalls are on barges or houseboats. Soak in the bright, beautiful colors of one of the Netherland’s major exports. You can even purchase some bulbs to take a piece of Holland home with you– but be sure it has a customs cleared stamp on the packaging or you may have trouble on return.

12. Heineken Experience. A great experience full of history, the brewing process and of course, a tasting room!

Have you been to Amsterdam? What did you love?