Lively, lascivious Amsterdam has a unique atmosphere that makes a mockery of the caricature of the 'conservative Dutch'. Radiating out from Dam Square, the historic centre of the city is ringed by quaint canals and cobbled streets, and throngs with bicycles, tourists, houseboats, students and street performers. Amsterdam wears two faces: on one, it smiles and beckons hedonistic youth with its notorious Red Light District and liberal view of marijuana use; while on the other it offers discerning travellers some of Europe's finest museums and art galleries.

For the tourist, one of the joys of Amsterdam is its compactness. The old part of town is a pleasure to explore on foot, strolling across ancient bridges and down narrow lanes past gabled houses, and dropping in to browse inviting souvenir boutiques crammed with blue and white Delft china and wooden clogs and tulips. Pavement cafes and cosy bars offer rest and refreshment. An alternative is to take a circular canal-boat cruise and see the city from the water, peering in on the lives of the locals who live on houseboats lining the waterways.

At night even the most conservative visitor is drawn by the lively atmosphere of the infamous Red Light District, known as De Wallen, which is bounded by the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudeziujds Achterburgwal canals near the Dam Square. Here prostitutes display their charms in brightly lit shop windows and touts encourage passers-by to view raunchy floorshows. The best nightclubs and bars, and theatres and cinemas are mainly to be found in the bustling Leidesplein and Rembrandtplein.

Anne Frank House

Address: Prinsengracht 267 (Westerkerk) Amsterdam

Admission: EUR8.50 (adults), EUR4 (children aged 10 to 17) Open daily from 9am to 7pm (September 15 to March 14); and from 9am to 9pm (15 March to 14 September). Note that the queues can be long, but that tickets can be bought online in advance

Telephone: (020) 556 7105

Van Gogh Museum

Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR14 (adults), children under 17 are free Open daily from 10am to 6pm (until 10pm on Fridays)

Telephone: (020) 570 5200

The Rijksmuseum

Address: Jan Luijkenstraat 1 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR12.50 (adults). Under 18s are free and concessions are available Open daily rom 9am to 6pm (closing at 10pm on Fridays). Closed 1 January

Telephone: (020) 674 7000

Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art

Address: Post CS building, Oosterdokskade 5 (temporary location until end of 2008) Amsterdam

Admission: EUR9 (adults), EUR4.50 (children 7 to16), EUR22.50 (family pass). Other concessions available Open daily from 10am to 6pm. Closed 1 January

Telephone: (020) 573 2911

Rembrandt House

Address: Jodenbreestraat 4 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR9 (adults), EUR2.50 (children 6-15). Other concessions available Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Closed 1 January

Telephone: (020) 5200 400

Amsterdam Historisch Museum

Address: Kalverstraat 92 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR10 (adults), EUR5 (children aged 6 to 16) Open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm; Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Closed 1 January, 30 April and 25 December

Telephone: (020) 523 1822

Red Light District (De Wallen)

Address: Amsterdam

Our Dear Lord in the Attic (Museum Amstelkring)

Address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR7 (adults), EUR1 (children 5-18). Other concessions are available Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm (open from 1pm on Sundays and public holidays). Closed 1 January and 30 April

Telephone: (0)20 624 6604

The Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum)

Address: Plantage Kerklaan 61 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR7.50 (adults), EUR4 (children 7-15). Other concessions available Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm; Open Saturday, Sunday, Monday and public holidays from 12pm to 5pm

Telephone: 020 620 2535

The Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis)

Address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147, Dam Square Amsterdam

Admission: EUR7.50 (adults), EUR6.50 (children) Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 5pm. Guided tours can be booked by calling (020) 624 8698

Telephone: (0)20 620 4060

Maastricht

Address: Maastricht is located 133 miles (215km) from Amsterdam Amsterdam

Telephone: +31 (0)43 325 2121

International Court of Justice

Address: Carnegieplein 2 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR5 (adults) and EUR3 (children) Guided tours operate from Monday to Friday, at 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm

Telephone: (0)70 302 4242

Waterland Neeltje Jans

Address: Eiland Neeltje Jans, Faelweg 5 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR16 (adults), concessions available Open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm (winter), and daily from 10am to 5.30pm (summer)

Telephone: (0)111 655 655

National Maritime Museum

Address: Kattenburgerplein 1 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR6 Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Open on Mondays from mid-June to mid-September. Closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Queen's day (30 April)

Telephone: +31 (0)20 5232 222

Heineken Experience

Address: Stadhouderskade 78 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR16 Open daily from 11am to 7pm

Telephone: +31 (0)20 523 9222

Amsterdam Coffeeshops

Address: Amsterdam

Artis Zoo

Address: Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR18.95 (adults); EUR15.50 (children); EUR17.50 (senior 65+). Concessions are available. Ticket also provides admission to Planetarium, Geological Museum, Aquarium and Zoological Museum 1 April to 31 October: Open daily from 9am to 6pm; 1 November to 31 March: Open daily from 9am to 5pm

Telephone: (0)20 523 3400

Eftling

Address: Amsterdam

Admission: EUR29 (general admission); Children under 4 free. Concessions are available. Open daily between 1 April and 1 November from 10am to 6pm

Telephone: (0)41 628 8111

Madurodam

Address: George Maduroplein 1, The Hague Amsterdam

Admission: EUR14.50 (Adults), EUR10.50 (Children). Concessions are available Open daily. 4 July to 31 August from 9am to 11pm; 1 September to 31 December from 9am to 6pm; 1 January to 3 July from 9am to 8pm.

Telephone: (0)70 416 2400

Kinderkookkafé

Address: Vondelpark 6b, Kattenlaantje Amsterdam

Admission: EUR10 (cooking class); EUR5 (adult tea-party guests); EUR10 (adult dinner-party guests)

Telephone: (0)20 625 3257

TunFun

Address: Mr. Visserplein 7 Amsterdam

Admission: EUR10 (children); Adults and children under 1 year old are admitted free of charge. Open daily from 10am to 6pm. Closed 30 April and 1 January.

Telephone: (0)20 528 6054

Amsterdam Canal Tour

Address: Amsterdam

Hoge Veluwe National Park

Address: Amsterdam

Admission: EUR8 (adults), children under 5 are free Opening hours vary from month to month, but are generally from 9am to 8pm

Concertgebouw

Address: Amsterdam

Vondelpark

Address: Koninginneweg 34-36 Amsterdam

Haarlem

Address: Amsterdam

Keukenhof

Where: The Keukenhof is located in the bulb-growing area between Amsterdam and The Hague,Amsterdam

When: 22 March to 20 May 2012

Queen's Day

Where: The centre of the action is at Vondelpark in the city centre,Amsterdam

When: 30 April annually (unless it falls on a Sunday, when it will be celebrated on 29th)

Amsterdam Pride

Where: Various places throughout the city,Amsterdam

When: 4 - 11 August 2011

Amsterdam Roots Festival

Where: Various locations,Amsterdam

When: 23 - 26 June 2011

Holland Festival

Where: Information and booking at The Festival Centre, Stadsschouwburg, Leidseplein,Amsterdam

When: 1 - 26 June 2011

Amsterdam Dance Event

Where: Various city centre clubs, including Melkweg, Paradiso, Supperclub and Escape,Amsterdam

When: 19 - 22 October 2011

New Year's Eve in Amsterdam

Where: ,Amsterdam

When: 31 December annually

Arrival of St Nicholas

Where: Central Station, Amsterdam,Amsterdam

When: 13 November 2011

Holland Flowers Festival

Where: The Greenery, Centrale Markt 5, Zwaagdijk-Oost,Amsterdam

When: 22 - 26 February 2012

Uitmarkt

Where: Various,Amsterdam

When: 26 - 28 August 2011

Cannabis Cup

Where: NDSM wharf,Amsterdam

When: 19 - 23 November 2011

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

Where: Various,Amsterdam

When: 16 - 27 November 2011

Dance Valley Festival

Where: Spaarnwoude Recreation Ground,Amsterdam

When: 6 August 2011

ING Amsterdam Marathon

Where: Olympic Stadium,Amsterdam

When: 16 October 2011

De Parade

Where: Martin Luther King Park,Amsterdam

When: 5 - 21 August 2011

Canal Festival

Where: Various,Amsterdam

When: 12 - 21 August 2011

PAN Amsterdam

Where: Amsterdam RAI-Parkhal,Amsterdam

When: 20 - 27 November 2011

Blauw aan de Wal

Address: Oude Zijds, Achterburgwal 99 Amsterdam

Food Type: French

Odeon

Address: Singel 460, Rembrandtplein Amsterdam

Food Type: Modern Eclectic

D' Vijff Vlieghen

Address: Spuistraat 294-302 (opposite the Amsterdam Historical Museum) Amsterdam

Food Type: Local

Café de Jaren

Address: Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22 Amsterdam

Food Type: Gastropubs

Dynasty

Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 30 Amsterdam

Food Type: Oriental

Pasta E Basta

Address: Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 8 Amsterdam

Food Type: Italian

Rose's Cantina

Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 38-40 Amsterdam

Food Type: Spanish

De Silveren Spiegel

Address: Kattengat 4-6 Amsterdam

Food Type: Local

De Witte Uyl

Address: Frans Halsstraat 26 Amsterdam

Food Type: Modern Eclectic

Café Luxembourg

Address: Spuistraat 24 Amsterdam

Food Type: Gastropubs

Greetje

Address: Peperstraat 23-25 Amsterdam

Food Type: Local

Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs

Address: Grimburgwal 2, Medieval Centre Amsterdam

Food Type: Local