Amsterdam - City of Diamonds

Valentines Day is only 10 days away, so why not talk about destinations worthy of a romantic visit. Let's start with Amsterdam.

When thinking of romantic destinations, Amsterdam may not be the first place that comes to mind, but with its old city charm, illuminated bridges, and dreamy canals, Amsterdam is such a romantic city.

In the 17th Century, Amsterdam had the largest diamond manufacturing center in the world. In fact Amsterdam was known as the "City of Diamonds". Today, other cities such as London and Antwerp dominate in the diamond world, but you can still find locally produced diamond jewelry in the city, backed by hundreds of years of history.  

Amsterdam has the only flower market in the world which has been in existence since 1862. Its stalls are all located on boats, just like in the old days when flowers were delivered by boat.  

Would you like to go for a romantic stroll? Amsterdam has more canals than Venice and more bridges than Paris. With over 165 canals, the most popular canals are the Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht. There are 1281 bridges.,

Enjoy museums? Amsterdam has the highest concentration of museums per square mile of any city in the world. Even Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a museum.  

For a romantic dinner, why not try In de Waag, a romantic restaurant with a lot of history? It looks like a small castle, but de Waag was formerly known as the St. Anthony’s Gate, and In medieval times, it used to be a wooden structure.’ The gate is first referred to in a deed in 1466, but it is believed to be older. If you go, be sure to make reservations.

If you are a bird lover, be sure to visit Vondelpark. More than 4000 parakeets can be found there. They are not native to The Netherlands but were brought there as pets. A few escaped and decided that they liked Amsterdam.  

And why not add a little mystery? Over the past 30 years, a mysterious person or group has mounted six statues in Amsterdam including a sculpture of a violinist inside the Stopera. The city of Amsterdam became the owner of the sculptures on the promise that the identity of the artist/artists would never be made public.

If you need any help planning a memorable trip to Amsterdam or another romantic destination please contact me at lene@perfectlyplannedjourneys.com or 703-927-0588 

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