Discover Amsterdam: 14 Entertaining and Surprising Fun Facts You Need to Know

1. Bicycle Capital of the World

In a city where bicycles practically outnumber humans and bear the distinct title of "quintessential Dutchness", one might think Amsterdam's official national anthem should be Queen's "Bicycle Race": Amsterdam boasts approximately 881,000 bicycles, with 38% of all trips made by bike, putting London's 2% to shame!
Source => theguardian.com

2. Cat Cafes Galore

When life gives you lemons, Amsterdam gives you cat cafes: The city proudly boasts several feline-friendly hangouts such as Kattencafe Kopjes, Poeslief, and Miespoes, where patrons can enjoy beverages and treats while cuddling with adoptable furballs.
Source => encyclopedia.pub

Did you know that Paris' open-air urinals played a crucial role in World War II? Discover how these unassuming lavatories became secret communication hubs for the French Resistance! 🕵️‍♂️💬🚽

=> Fun Facts about Paris

3. Mysterious Coat of Arms

Some say Amsterdam's coat of arms is an ancient recipe for s'mores gone wrong, but the truth comes from a holier source: the three St. Andrew's crosses represent the apostle Andrew, martyred on an X-shaped cross, and their true meaning and origin continue to stump historians.
Source => dutchamsterdam.nl

4. Delectable Hagelslag

Move over, PB&J – there's a new mouthwatering toast-topper spreading its way across the Netherlands: The De Ruijter chocolate sprinkles, affectionately known as hagelslag, are not just your average sugary, sprinkle-tastic fairy dust; these tasty tidbits come in a delectable variety of flavors, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate curls, and fruit, putting a little extra magic atop butter-laden bread for Dutch taste buds to savor and enjoy.
Source => internationaldessertsblog.com

5. Canal City Extraordinaire

Who needs gondolas when you've got canal-opoly? Welcome to Amsterdam, where the half-circles are whole fun: With a whopping 165 canals there's more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) of waterways to explore. The medieval center is practically a water-borne city, boasting the historic UNESCO-protected Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht canals. And when it comes to size, the Singelgracht ain't just another pretty face — at 6.29 kilometers (3.9 miles) long, it is the longest and serves as a watery sentinel for water management and defense in the city.
Source => dutchamsterdam.nl

6. Crooked Buildings

In Amsterdam, a game of marbles might reveal more than just your competitive spirit; it could unveil the city's secret tilt: Many of the buildings are crooked due to being built on swampy ground, forcing builders to use wooden pilings which varied in size and quality resulting in uneven settling. Today, concrete posts dig deeper to provide proper support, but history clings to the leaning structures, complicating renovations and offering a unique charm. Roll a marble to test the tilt yourself—or just trust the records at city hall.
Source => traveltalesoflife.com

7. The Skinniest House

In the maze-like streets of Amsterdam, there lies a quaint abode so narrow that even a dieting socialite might struggle to fit through its doorway: This humble dwelling at Oude Hoogstraat measures a mere 2.02 meters wide and 5 meters deep, now functioning as a cozy tea room and shop where visitors can marvel at its eccentricity while sipping on fine brews and nibbling sweets in a space straight out of a downsized fairytale.
Source => holland.com

8. Registered Prostitutes

Sexual entre-preneurs, ledger your libidos: In Amsterdam, prostitutes must register with the Chamber of Commerce and pay income tax, a policy that's been in place since 2000 to tackle crime and improve labor conditions within the sex industry.
Source => humanityinaction.org

9. Love Letters from Museums

Love, Actually: a romantic Dutch expedition: Fret not, oh hopeless romantics of Amsterdam, for the Museum of European Cultures has your back - not only displaying historical love letters to swoon over but also offering a service where they help you craft your own heart-melting missives; outsourcing love letters has never been more culturally enriching!
Source => amsterdam.info

10. Bikes in Canals

Forget sunken treasure or Davy Jones' locker: Amsterdam's aquatic bounty overflows with the skeletons of dead bicycles! Nestled among the city's murky canals, these forsaken two-wheeled beasts clank their metal bones together, reminders of theft and vandalism's siren songs. As it turns out: the Water Authority fishes out a whopping 12,000 to 15,000 bicycles from Amsterdam's canals each year, their remains destined to join the choir invisible as scrap metal.
Source => dutchamsterdam.nl

11. Boozy Beer Bikes

Wine and cheese might be the ultimate pairing, but Amsterdam brings a whole new level of culinary artistry to its cyclers – drink and pedal, anyone?: Welcome to the Amsterdam beer bike, a pedal-powered contraption that features wind and rain protection, a designated driver, and space for up to 17 of your booziest buddies to drink beer as they cycle through the city's hidden gems, making merry memories in a hilariously unconventional way.
Source => weareamsterdam.com

12. Cozy Brown Cafes

Brown cafes: where your drink feels cozier than grandpa's sweaters and yet you're tippling amongst smoke-stained walls straight out of a Dickens novel. Ready for a time-traveling pub crawl? In Amsterdam, you'll find traditional bruine kroegs or brown cafes dating back to the 1600s, their dark wood and vintage vibes providing the perfect backdrop for a laid-back Dutch experience – from warming up with jenever, their national drink, to sampling local beers or wine while soaking in the gezellig atmosphere.
Source => 10best.com

13. Dutch Canals Surpass Venice

Who needs Venice when you can glide through the Dutch Disneyland of canals? Amsterdam leaves Italy in the waterlogged dust: With a whopping 165 canals spanning over 100 kilometers and more than 1,281 bridges, this UNESCO World Heritage Site features over 2,500 floating houses and still remains one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city. Slide into Amsterdam's watery wonderland and experience the history that has taken shape since the Dutch Golden Age.
Source => starboardboats.nl

14. First Multinational Corporation

Before Starbucks took the world by storm, another corporate giant was busy brewing global success—dutch style: Amsterdam was home to the world's first true multinational corporation, the United East India Company (VOC), founded in 1602 with a 21-year monopoly on Asian trade. This powerhouse wasn't just all about those sweet, sweet spices, though—they had the power to wage war, negotiate treaties, and establish colonies, all while pioneering publicly traded stocks. And if you thought Amsterdam was their only HQ, think again; they had secondary bases in far-off lands like Batavia (now Jakarta) to spice things up even more.
Source => en.wikipedia.org