The city of Amsterdam is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. The Dutch capital offers booming nightlife, colorful flower markets, and romantic canals. But these are only a few of the reasons for the city's unique character. Here are some interesting facts about this fan-favorite city.
An ancient city
Amsterdam's first settlers date back as far as the 13th century AD. The first time in recorded history when the name Amsterdam was used was in 1275. However, the place got its city rights from the Bishop of Utrecht, Gwijde van Henegouwen only in 1306.
So many bridges
Due to having so many canals, it comes as no surprise that Amsterdam gained a name for itself as the “Venice of the North.” Both cities are famous for their numerous waterways and bridges. If we want to put it in numbers, Venice tops Amsterdam by 12 more canals than Amsterdam, but Amsterdam tops Venice by more than 800 bridges.
Bicycles
With every street featuring both car lanes and bike lanes, Amsterdam is known for being incredibly bike-friendly The majority of the daily commute is done by bicycle. Ironically, though, this also leads to more than 30,000 bicycles falling into the city’s canals on a yearly basis.
Rising sea level
The city of Amsterdam is a bucket list destination for many travelers. But those who haven’t visited the city yet should get a move on, as it is almost entirely set below sea level. And due to global warming, with sea levels constantly rising, it could mean this city is doomed to become a modern-day Atlantis..so book your tickets!