Amsterdam

Every day, long queues form in front of the entrance to number 267, the old canal house which is one... of Amsterdam's best-known and most visited museums. It was here that Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis for two years, until in 1944 she was discovered and transported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The difficulties of surviving in a very small space, completely cut off from the outside world, were recorded by the 14-year-old in her diary, which has since been translated into more than 53 languages and is one of the most heart-rending testimonies to the persecution of the Jews in the Third Reich. Even today, visitors enter the hiding place at the back of the house through a door from the former offices and storerooms, disguised as a cupboard. The fittings have been preserved in their original condition. The front of the house was restored in 1957. It contains information and changing exhibitions covering the course of the Second World War. more

One of the most interesting cultural institutions in Amsterdam has established itself in a carefully... restored canal side house from 1665 with a wonderful neck-gable. It is predominantly dedicated to 20th century photography which makes a high-contrast effect between the stucco decoration and wooden beam ceilings. With four new exhibitions a year, the museum provides a unique overview of the movements in international photography. Dutch photographers are also represented, with around 70 works. Various techniques, installations and videos enable the world of images to be accessed in an entirely new way. Not all works can be shown regularly for preservation reasons, besides which the museum prides itself on continually allowing itself to be inspired. It's therefore something to get excited about. more

One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world was created from a medicinal herb garden for apothecaries... and doctors in the 17th century. You can walk around and discover a rose garden, herb garden, a palm house with rare palm trees and a house with three climate zones featuring sub-tropical, tropical and desert plants. Ships from the colonies brought exotic plants and herbs to the Netherlands as well as spices which were valuable and rare at the time. Over 6,000 specimens of 4,000 different types grow in the garden and its greenhouses. The Orangery, which was built in 1875 and has recently been renovated, now houses one of the prettiest cafés in the city. A visit to the gardens is a real pleasure, especially in the sunshine. more