Amsterdam

Over the past 30 years, Amsterdam has welcomed millions of tourists from around the globe. The Dutch are hospitable, open-minded, and supporters of freedom as well as lovers of the outdoors and the simple pleasures in life.

If the city has recently been successful in controlling tourism and improving the quality of life for locals by reintroducing local grocery stores instead of tourist-oriented stores, there is still one more war to be won: the curtains.

To appease international customers, several homes and apartments have been transformed into Airbnb vacation rentals with curtains on the windows. For the Dutch, it was heresy. The Dutch, who are known for their Calvinism and Protestant-Catholic traditions, frequently don't cover their windows to convey that they lead serious lives and have nothing to conceal.

The curtains at the windows, a seemingly little detail, frequently indicate that foreign tourists have taken over the building's occupancy from Dutch residents. If you go to one of the most liberal cities in Europe, keep the curtains open while you're there, and you'll be graciously observed.

Country: The Netherlands