IgoUgo Travel Report: Amsterdam: The Inside Scoop from Experienced Travelers

While cannabis and prostitution draw party-going tourists, sketchy nightlife is just a fraction of what this ancient cultural center has to offer. Surrounded by romantic canals and medieval turrets, in Amsterdam you might feel as if you're strolling in an open-air museum. Museums showcase the brilliance of Dutch masters and the city's most famous artistic progeny, Vincent van Gogh. For serious shoppers, art and antiques markets abound. Although the winters can be damp and chilly, Dutch tulips turn the city into a riot of blazing color every spring. Cycling is a way of life here, and one of the best ways to explore this gracious, offbeat city.

IgoUgo Travel Report: Amsterdam is not your average travel guide. Every piece of advice found in these pages comes from regular travelers and locals-not paid professionals or PR people-which means pure, unfiltered opinions on what to see (and what to avoid) during your trip. You'll find first-hand details on attractions and day trips, along with restaurant, nightlife, and activity recommendations in all price ranges and for all interests. You'll also see our contributors' original photographs and insider tips on every page-no other travel guide can say that.

IgoUgo contributors hail from all over the globe and travel just about everywhere in between. These avid travelers share their adventures and snapshots in online journals at IgoUgo.com, the world's premier web-based travel community. Our 350,000+ members have written over 300,000 journal entries covering more than 4,000 destinations. IgoUgo's emphasis on personal, real-life travel experiences has garnered a Webby Award for "Top Travel Website" as well as accolades from Yahoo! Internet Life, which voted it "Best Travel Community."