Italian Cuisine has taken Amsterdam somewhat by storm in the last few years. And the eye of this storm is found in The Jordaan on a street commonly referred to as ‘Little Italy’.

Taxi’s and service are concepts that do not go hand-in-hand in Amsterdam. Taxi’s in Holland and in Amsterdam in particular are rather notorious for their lack of service and for fraud.

Amsterdam is divided into various districts, each with their own specific character. The fact that they are also often governed by their own city council further exemplifies their autonomous nature

Amsterdam is divided into various districts, each with their own autonomous structure. Hereby there are various streets that serve as central shopping areas, each with their own character and cluster of shops.

Although we are not all Japanese and thereby don’t have the urge to tick-off every famous object, building or attraction a city has to offer, here nonetheless a list of landmarks in Amsterdam. Take your pick…

Parking in the centre of Amsterdam is not as problematic as the small and crowded streets might suggest. Within a few minutes you should find a parking place, quite possibly because it’s so expensive

Even though the Dutch government is seated in The Hague, Amsterdam is the capital. With over 767.700 inhabitants, of 178 different nationalities Amsterdam is also the largest city of the Netherlands.

Arriving in the city you’ll want to get rid of your luggage as quickly as possible to get settled down. As the apartments are mostly only available from 14:00 PM it can occur that you won’t be able to get in upon arrival. You should be able to temporarily leave your luggage in the office of the apartment hiring agent.

A car is often a great way to see a country and to get away from the beaten track. Holland is no exception. As unaccommodating Amsterdam is to cars, so much the more the rest of the country is with extremely well-maintained roads and clear signing.

The Dutch, proud of their command of foreign languages, will try to show off their English at every opportunity. This makes a visit to Holland, and more specifically to cosmopolitan Amsterdam, a relatively easy experience (for English-speaking travelers at least).