Amsterdam Travel Information

Amsterdam Travel Information

One of the most popular tourism destinations in Europe, Amsterdam is the capital and the largest city of the Netherlands. Once only a small fishing village, the city has become one of the most important ports in the world. The most remarkable features of Amsterdam are the many beautiful 17th century canals, but the city also hosts many museums and thousands of historic buildings to explore. The wide entertainment scene, possibilities for shopping, and lively nightlife of Amsterdam also draw many visitors to this wealthy and liberal city.

Architecture of Amsterdam

Amsterdam, the liberal city of entertainment, canals and museums

The Old Town of Amsterdam is located to the east of the main street, Damrak. The beautiful Old Town is called de Wallen as it is surrounded by magnificent medieval walls and a ring of canals. Amsterdam’s old city centre is home to approximately 7,000 historic buildings, mostly originating from the 19th century. In addition to historical sights, Amsterdam’s numerous canals and bridges offer also an interesting attraction. Canal Cruises in Amsterdam are a popular way to admire the city from the waterside perspective.

Cultural attractions. There are numerous interesting museums in Amsterdam, such as the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Rembrandt Museum, and the Van Gogh Museum which has the largest collection Van Gogh’s paintings. Rijksmuseum exhibits the art and history of the Netherlands and works by famous Dutch artists like Vermeer and Rembrandt. Amsterdam’s zoo and botanical garden also draw international visitors. For music lovers there are many kinds of concerts in Amsterdam available throughout the year.

The Waag in Amsterdam

Entertainment & shopping. Amsterdam hosts a lively entertainment scene with many theatres, music clubs, festivals, coffee houses, pubs and nightclubs. Famous for its relaxed and liberal atmosphere, Amsterdam is also home to a famous red light district. Nightlife in Amsterdam is lively throughout the year. This modern and multicultural fashion city has also excellent opportunities for shopping in Amsterdam.

Recreation & sightseeing. If you want some relief from the hustle and bustle of the city, visit the green countryside of the Netherlands beyond its capital. There are several traditional windmills near to Amsterdam, as well as beaches located a short train ride away from the city. You can also play golf in Amsterdam. All the major attractions in the city can be easily explored by taking one of the many sightseeing tours in Amsterdam.

Canal in Amsterdam

Practical information for your stay in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has a temperate marine climate with cool summers and mild winters. Summer is the peak season for tourism in Amsterdam, as the weather is warm and many popular events take place in summer.

However, the city can be considered a year round destination as there is always something going on in Amsterdam, and you can enjoy many of the attractions of the city regardless of weather.

Flights to Amsterdam arrive at the Schipol International Airport situated 15 kilometers southwest of the city. There are good domestic and European train and bus connections to Amsterdam. You can also travel to Amsterdam by a cruise ship or a ferry. As the city has very limited parking space and many streets are one-way, narrow or closed to cars, car rental in Amsterdam is not recommended unless you want to explore other destinations in the Netherlands via the excellent road network in Holland.

The red bridge, Amsterdam

The public transport in Amsterdam consists of buses, trams, metros and free ferries which carry passengers to Amsterdam-Noord. Biking in Amsterdam is a pleasure as the bicycle-friendly city has an excellent network of bike paths and bicycle racks. The city centre of Amsterdam is small enough to be toured on foot.

Canal cruise in Amsterdam

Services & safety. There is a wide selection of hotels in Amsterdam, and restaurants in Amsterdam offer a wide range of cuisines. Most local people in international Amsterdam speak also English. Amsterdam is a relatively safe city, though it is advisable to keep an eye on your belongings and watch out for pickpockets, especially in crowds and around popular tourist sites. Some parts of the city should be avoided especially when traveling alone after dark.

Visit Petra 7th World Wonder

Visit Petra 7th World Wonder

Petra is a site in the Arabah, Jordan that was discovered by a Swiss explorer called Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 and is considered to be, yet another splendid beauty in the history of mankind. Arabah is a section of the Great Rift Valley and it is located between the Dead Sea (north) and the Gulf of Aqaba (south) forming part of the border between Jordan (east) and Israel (west).

Petra represents the ancient world’s heritage culture. It is a beauty hidden behind layers of mountain. The ones who have seen it say it is a treasure beyond comparison. It is now said to be one of the seventh wonder of the world and it belongs to the UNESCO world heritage site. The entire red rose city of Petra has such a charismatic appeal that it attracts anyone & everyone who enters the city, taking them to a different world of divine beauty and mystery. Petra mainly is admired because of its picture perfect architecture, its complex structure, quality and the non mentionable mere size.

City Of Petra,in Jordan New 7th Wonder

Petra is said to have its origin before 106 AD; its culture is said to have been flourished in almost 400 years old. The one’s who visited it say that it is a site that can never be forgotten. The city of Petra takes its name, which is the Greek word for “rock”, from the fact that it is most notable for its buildings and tombs that are carved directly into the red sandstone that serves as the city’s natural protection from invaders. Its popularity with tourists may also have a connection to the city’s Biblical significance. It is here where King Aretas called for the arrest of the Apostle Paul at the time of his conversion.

Direct View of Monastery at Petra Photo by: jordanklein

Location & How to Get to Petra

This historical fortress is located 170 miles southwest of Amman, Jordan on the edges of the Wadi Araba desert. It is also 50 miles south of the Dead Sea and the only way to enter the city is through a narrow crevice called the Siq. One has to uncover a very narrow path of mountains, kilometer by kilometer before they get to see the majestic beauty of Petra.This path is only about five meters wide, with sandstone walls towering up hundreds of meters high on both sides. This long, narrow & not very well lighted gorge is very cool & soothes the visitors before it unfolds the mystery step by step.

El Deir Petra by David Roberts, created in 8 March 1839

A taxi is the best means of transportation to get from the Queen Alia International Airport to Amman. Remember to ask the driver to take you to the Wahdat bus terminal, since there are two major bus stations in Amman. Destinations are usually printed in Arabic on the respective buses, so if you do not read Arabic, ask to be shown to the bus that will take you to Petra.

Christ the Redeemer 7th World Wonder

Christ the Redeemer 7th World Wonder

Brazil’s central religion since the 16th century has been Christianity with Roman Catholicism being the most prominent. It has the highest number of baptized Roman Catholics in the world with about 74% of Brazilians declaring Catholicism as their religion. Christ the Redeemer, a large art deco-style effigy, is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and stands 38 meters high. The statue is located at the summit of Corcovado mountain in Tijuca Forest National Park standing at 710 meters and looking over the city.

Christ the Redeemer 7th World Wonder

In Portugese, this iconic monument is known as Cristo Redentor. The original design of the Christ the Redeemer statue was born by a man named Oswald. He designed it to have a globe in one hand and stand over a pedestal symbolizing the world but the design was not agreed upon. Another proposal for a monument was prepared and made in 1921 by the archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. He organized an event named Seman de Monumento (”Monument Week”) in hopes of attracting donations, which were attained mainly by Brazilian Catholics who readily awaited a design decision for an effigy.
Christ the Redeemer was designed by a French sculptor by the name of Paul Landowski and a local engineer named Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen to supervise the entire construction. The statue was built not out of steel but from reinforced concrete as that was considered a more suitable material for the cross-shaped statue. The outer layers of the idol were constructed from a mosaic of soapstone because of the materials” known resistance to extreme weather and also due to its malleability. The Corcovado Railway was the only way to haul the large pieces of the statue to the crown of the mountain and thus was used as an important aide in the project.

Christ the Redeemer 7th World Wonder

Christ the Redeemer was built between 1926 and 1931 and after some time there was also a chapel built at the base of the mountain to house 150 visitors. The monument was inaugurated on October 12, 1931 in an extravagant and grand commemoration. The lighting was to be one of the highlights of the ceremony, which was to be switched on by Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi from his yacht in Naples. The signal strength was largely affected by poor weather conditions and the lighting had to be switched on manually by workers at Corcovado. In Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Christ the Redeemer can be accessed by the 2.4 meter Corcovado Rack railway that has the capacity to hold 360 passengers every hour.

Christ the Redeemer 7th World Wonder

The trip by rail is approximately 20 minutes and leaves the base each half hour. The view from the train is alluring, leaving those traveling the mountain in keen anticipation of what is yet to come. The busiest time to visit is Easter and the Christmas season. From the road or the train terminal Christ the Redeemer statue is reached by 222 steps. For those not wishing to make the arduous trek up the mountain, reaching the statue is possible by escalators and elevators. In Rio de Janeiro Brazil Christ the Redeemer remains one of the most beloved year-round tourist attractions. Some say the best time to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue is late afternoon or evening when you can enjoy the splendor of the setting sun while taking in one of the most important landmarks in the world.