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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Amsterdam

66 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Updated May 9, 2022

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Unusual Attractions in Amsterdam

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Amsterdam

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Amsterdam

Forge your own path in this tourist magnet, toward places that are less crowded but no less wondrous.

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Explore Amsterdam, Netherlands

Collections 14
Architectural Oddities 8
Museums And Collections 7
Hidden 6
Sacred Spaces 5
Monuments 5
Books 4
History 4

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With about a third of the country below the current sea level, the Netherlands is embracing floating houses and other buildings that can adapt to rising waters.

The Future is Floating for the Netherlands and Other Low-Lying Countries

Houses and other buildings that rise and fall with water levels are becoming more common in Dutch cities.
by Shira Rubin

Podcast: Micropia

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
This 1618 engraving by Matthaeus Merian the Elder depicts the alchemical universe with the Philosopher's Stone at its center.

How Scholars Cracked a Medieval Alchemist’s Secret Code

Written in a puzzling Latin cipher, it contains his formula for eternal life.
by Sarah Durn
The Golden Coach, pictured here moving through The Hague, has inspired conversations about what to do with artifacts of the colonial era.

This Royal Coach Is Forcing a Reckoning With Racism

A gilded royal vehicle in the Netherlands—currently being restored—has sparked conversations about the colonial past.
by Fréderike Geerdink

Lists Featuring Amsterdam

The nave has been repurposed to include the reception, restaurants, and guest spaces.
Cube House

8 of the Most Unusual Hotels in the Netherlands

Proof the Dutch can convert nearly anything into a place to stay the night.

8

Including Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren, Kruisherenhotel , and Cube Houses

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