Amsterdam is a water-shaped city, and the best way to experience its stunning Canal Ring, which is classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site, is by boat, either during the day or at night when the ripples in the canals reflect the city's sparkling lights.

You can either take a sightseeing tour or rent a zero-emission electric canal boat to explore the waterways on your own. Alternatives that aren't touristy include "plastic fishing" from Plastic Whale's boats constructed from recovered and recycled plastic garbage or learning firsthand about the city's history of migration while aboard Rederij Lampedusa's former refugee vessels.

The finest way to discover Amsterdam is still one of its must-do activities, despite the cliché. Even though Amsterdam's bikes are famous, you may finally unwind by taking a canal trip, which needs little physical exertion. There are numerous boat trip companies, the most of which leave from the Centraal area.

Most tour companies are similar to one another, therefore it's worthwhile to choose a lengthier tour that also travels out onto the IJ (the best ones are around 75 minutes). There are also nighttime dinner and cocktail cruises available, as well as one with a live jazz band, if you want to take things up a notch. Classy.

The top three museums in Amsterdam are conveniently situated next to Museumplein's lush open spaces. The Rijksmuseum is the finest of them all. It exhibits paintings by Dutch masters including Rembrandt and Vermeer, blue-and-white Delftware porcelain, and complex dollhouses in a sumptuous 1885 structure constructed by Pierre Cuypers to house national and royal collections.

Although there are many opulent, traditional museums and galleries in Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum is the biggest of them all. A fantastic collection of Golden Age Dutch masterworks is housed in this magnificent Gothic and Renaissance structure.

There is a library, Michelin-starred restaurant, and café on the premises in addition to the exceptional guided tours, which can be accessed through the museum's app. It doesn't get much better for a few hours of culture than this.

The nearby Van Gogh Museum is home to the largest collection of Vincent Van Gogh's artwork in the world, which includes The Yellow House and Sunflowers. The Stedelijk Museum's primary exhibits include modern and contemporary works by artists like Mondrian and De Kooning.

The city experienced war for the first time in nearly 400 years when Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, decimating its large Jewish community. The area wasn't freed until May 1945.

At the Anne Frank Huis, where the young girl hid for more than two years with her family and their friends in a dark, airless "Secret Annexe," which Anne documented in her diary, the impact of the war is especially poignant. Only her father survived after they were betrayed and sent to concentration camps. The Verzetsmuseum, which is a museum dedicated to the Dutch Resistance, also vividly depicts the occupation of Amsterdam.

The canal house from the 17th century, where Anne Frank, her family, and four other people spent two years hiding from the Nazis, is now a museum and educational facility. In addition to visiting the claustrophobic "hidden annexe" they called home, there is a permanent display on Anne's life and times. The home, one of the most well-known and significant historical landmarks in the world, is both a stirring testimony to humanity's unwavering optimism and a terrible and somber reminder of the atrocities of World War II.

In this city where bicycles outnumber vehicles, the soundtrack includes cling-clanging bells and spinning spokes. The city is covered in bike lanes, the ground is flat and forgiving, and rental shops are plentiful.

The historic shipbuilding yards of Amsterdam Noord, the sprawling woodlands of Amsterdamse Bos, and the charming port of Muiden with its picture-perfect medieval castle are just a few of the wonderful sites to discover beyond the congested streets.

In Amsterdam, there are more than 800,000 bicycles. More bikes than people, that is! The city's unrivaled network of bike lanes and flat terrain make cycling in Amsterdam a way of life. There is no better way to discover the region's attractions than by pedal power, and Amsterdam consistently tops lists of the world's most bicycle-friendly towns.

Get on your bike and ride to Sloterplas to cool off in the expansive lake, or ride to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel to see a picturesque 12th-century village full of historical landmarks. You can explore a lot of Amsterdam's best-kept secrets while sitting comfortably in your saddle.

The Vondelpark, a verdant sanctuary comprising 47 hectares (116 acres) of English-style gardens with fragrant flowers, winding walkways, ponds, and sculptures, is the green haven of choice for Amsterdam residents. It's one of the best free things to do in the city and a place where everyone congregates in the sunshine, including families, couples, joggers, picnickers, residents, and tourists. There are eateries and an outdoor theater in the park.

Vondelpark, known as the "lungs of the city," used to be the only public park in the world where it was OK to lawfully have intercourse, smoke marijuana, and cook. The latter has since been made illegal (again), but the huge open spaces and woodland trails of this green giant still have a laid-back air.

Locals visit this location to run, cycle, play sports, or just relax, while those wishing to fill their days with activities will find enough to do. Don't skip the stunning rose garden or the well-known open-air theater where, with any luck, you might see a spontaneous performance.

The ideal place to enjoy Dutch gezelligheid (conviviality, coziness) is in one of its bruin cafés, regardless of the weather (brown cafes). These classic pubs get their names from its dark wood and tobacco-stained walls. With almost a thousand scattered across the city, you'll never be far from one, especially in attractive areas like the Jordaan, where canalside treasures like Café Papeneiland, Café Pieper, and 't Smalle feature candle-topped tables.

Zaandam's Hembrugterrein, formerly the site of a munitions factory, is gradually becoming a sanctuary for Amsterdam's creative elite, with a number of restaurants, museums, and artistic institutions all situated on a prime location lining the North Sea Canal. From Central Station, a direct ferry travels to Het HEM, the cultural hub at the center of this bustling new neighborhood, from Thursday through Sunday.

In addition to a living room with a library, a café with a reading table and a lakeside terrace, a hi-fi record bar, and Restaurant Europa, which serves delectable North Sea fare, Het HEM features a number of exhibition spaces where the works of brilliant local artists are proudly displayed.

Dutch cuisine is experiencing a resurgence thanks to treasured ingredients from the nation's vast fields and copious rivers as well as committed chefs. Find reinvented versions of classic dishes at Greetje, or reserve a fine-dining feast at D'Vijff Vlieghen or De Silveren Spiegel, both of which are located in stunning 17th-century canal houses. Examples of such dishes include veal escalope served with melted duck liver and peach chutney and served with an elevated version of the mashed potato and vegetable dish stamppot.

Discover the burgeoning street food scene of the city at this ultra-hip gastro palazzo. A former tram depot that was once transformed into a unique gastronomic destination with more than 30 food booths and pubs is now located in Oud-West. There is no hope if you can't locate something to eat here.

Feeling hungry? Choose from delicious options including gourmet doughnuts, outstanding tacos, spicy BBQ, dim sum, and much more. Place yourself on a bench outside if the sun is shining. At Foodhallen, you can also get a lot of different treats. Bring a bag and get ready to decorate your residence to the standards of an Amsterdam Insta-blogger—we're mainly talking about quirky businesses.

Drinking a tall, frothy beer beneath a windmill's sails is one of the best ways to announce, "I'm in Amsterdam." Popular artisan brewery Brouwerij 't IJ produces beer in former public restrooms next to a classic wooden spinner, and its lush patio is the perfect place to have a pint (try its signature Zatte Tripel). On a behind-the-scenes tour, it is frequently possible to observe the brewing process in action.

One of the best in the city is still the original microbrewery in Amsterdam, which is charmingly situated in a functional windmill. Since 1985, they have been producing excellent blonde beers, pilsners, and IPAs. A visit here will take you to the land of beer. Since the alcoholic beverages are given in small glasses, you should be able to sample a good variety without going too.

Be mindful, though, that certain beers contain particularly high levels of alcohol. Boiled eggs and uncooked sausage are common Dutch bar foods. If you're traveling during a warmer period of the year (when beer tastes best, in our opinion), take a seat on the terrace.

At first glance, Amsterdam's cityscape appears little altered from paintings from the Golden Age, but tech-savvy, forward-thinking innovations include solar-paneled bike lanes, a sustainable "floating neighborhood" on arks, and the world's first 3D-printed stainless steel bridge, located directly in the Red Light District.

The city's architecture center, ARCAM, hosts exhibits on the urban environment of the twenty-first century and also coordinates architectural walking tours along the waterfront. The distinctive white EYE building, which dominates the view from the southern banks of the IJ behind Central Station, has quickly become one of Amsterdam's most recognizable sights when it debuted in the spring of 2012.

The EYE Filmmuseum is a must-see for movie buffs since it features a permanent exhibition area that presents retrospectives and modern shows, as well as a sizable film library, a theater, and a fantastic café bar with a terrace overlooking the lake. Take the three-minute, free "Buiksloterweg" ferry from behind Central Station. With the I Amsterdam City Card, admission to the EYE Filmmuseum is free.

Although Amsterdam lacks large shopping malls, there is a great selection of shops nearby on the pedestrianized streets. You can find upscale boutiques in addition to the standard brands (Zara, H&M).

• Nieuwedijk, a 1 km long pedestrian street
  
• Kalverstraat for shoes, handbags and perfumes
  
• P.C. Hooftstraat, near the Rijksmuseum and the Vondelpark, for Cartier, Vuitton, Chanel and other luxury brands
• Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes) with its original and vintage boutiques
  
• The Magna Plaza behind Dam Square for designer clothes
  
• De Bijenkorf, a department store selling fashion and decorative items.

While many tourists immediately flock to the crowded chain stores on Kalverstraat, those in the know go to one of the city's more locally oriented shopping havens for their retail therapy. De Negen Straatjes, often known as "The Nine Streets," which connects the principal canals between Leidsegracht and Raadhuisstraat, is the most well-known of these.

Over 200 stores, including a wonderful collection of independent boutiques, vintage stores, and speciality shops, can be found here, offering anything from designer clothing to locally created cosmetics. Avoid the tourist traps and visit the Local Goods Store in De Hallen or the I amsterdam Store at Central Station if you want to buy quality Amsterdam brands and authentic Dutch design as mementos.