Amsterdam is Europe’s 4th most popular tourist destination. The city offers a magic mix of friendly atmosphere, world-class art, entertainment, and the good life, all within easy walking distance. Beautiful canals and bridges add special charm. More than 400 years ago the first sailing ships of the famous Dutch East India Company set out from Amsterdam to explore the world. Their exotic activities, together with more down-to-earth trade with the Baltic regions, sparked off a Golden Age of prosperity and progress. These glory days have left their mark, both on Amsterdam’s architecture and its cosmopolitan atmosphere.