Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands. The city, with a population of around 1 million and a metropolitan area of 6.7 mil people, is the 6th largest metropolitan area in Europe.

Its name comes from Amstel dam: a dam in the river Amstel where the Dam Square is today. Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. The Amsterdam canal system is the result of conscious city planning in the early 17th century, a comprehensive plan was developed that was based on four concentric half-circles of canals, known as the Grachtengordel, during that time, the city also was the leading center for finance and diamonds.

The Amsterdam grachtengordel

Amsterdam's main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House draw 4.2 million tourists annually. Amsterdam is the 5th busiest tourist destination in Europe.

The Rijksmuseum