Amsterdam is the capital of The Netherlands. The Netherlands is a country situated in Western Europe, bordering Belgium to the south and Germany to the east. Amsterdam is the largest city of Netherlands.

Dutch people refer to their country as 'Nederland' or the Netherlands. Holland is actually the name of two of the provinces: Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland.

I think the confusion may have arisen because the great trading city of Rotterdam is located in Holland, and before there was a Kingdom of the Netherlands as it is today, the area was divided up into small provinces. Sailors and traders from Rotterdam and environs said they were from Holland, and I suppose the name stuck.

About Amsterdam

Currency - currency in the Netherlands is the Euro.

Climate - The warmest weather is from June to August, with temperatures between 21 - 26 degrees Celsius. There are rarely extreme temperatures. The air is relatively humid and fog is common in autumn and spring. There are stronger winds from October to March.
History
Amsterdam, probably the most planned city of northern Europe, has long been a well-known city. In the 17th century Amsterdam was the centre of world economy, and nowadays the city is known for its tolerant character.

Religion

Amsterdam's largest religious group are the Calvinists followed by Islam.

Place of Interest -

I would suggest going to either the city of Utrecht, or the city of Groningen - has a roaring nightlife, great cafes and pubs and restaurants, great shopping, very easy to get around (on foot) and the people are very friendly. Yes, there are coffee shops, yes there are Ladies of the Night.

Don't bother hiring a car in the Netherlands. Use the public transport system instead, particularly if you're staying in the Amsterdam area. Parking is horrendously expensive

.Amsterdam has famous 42 beautiful museums

.Brouwersgracht

.Poezenboot (Singel 40, Ph: 625 87 94): It is an unusual flea market of the city. It is the only animal center in the Netherlands

.The Red Light District

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