This last August, I had a 6 hour lay over in Amsterdam, Holland on my way back from Kenya. I knew I wanted to go into the city, but with so much to see, I had a rough time deciding what to do. Although I'm not a huge history buff, I choose to visit the Anne Frank house. I hadn't read her diary in 8 or 9 years, but still, visiting a piece of the holocaust history seemed interesting and appropriate. More appropriate than say, a visit to the Redlight district.
I was worried about heading into the center of Amsterdam with such a short layover (6 hours), but really, I had plenty of time. I visited an information desk in the international terminal of the Amsterdam airport. There they gave me a little booklet about city hotspots and transportation information. It was very simple to get to the center, a train heads there from platform 1 or 2 (at the airport terminal) every 20 minutes. Buying tickets is simple, can be done at the airport and almost everyone speaks English, so the process is easy.
I took the train into the city and used the little booklet to figure out which tram I should take from the train station. I jumped on the tram (which also leaves from the main train station every twenty minutes) and it stopped right by the Anne Frank House. The museum opens at 10am. Although I got there a little early, the line was short.
The museum (about €10 a person) was amazing. Literature is available about the museum in scores of languages. The museum takes you throughout the museum, giving you information about each room, who lived there, what happened, and information about the lives led by those that live there.
It's really very touching. The audio tour is offered in several languages. Quotes uttered about Anne and her family decorate the walls and you get a real feel for what life was actually like during that dangerous time. The wall in Anne's room is just like it was back then and it's touching to see the pictures of celebrities she pasted up to decorate her room. It's a very touching place, almost reverent and is definitely worth the trip to the city.
Quick Tips:
Use public transportation! It's very cheap, clean, and usually those that operate the transport speak English and are very friendly, willing to help. Go to the museum earlier in the day if you have the chance, it's definitely less busy during those hours. Take advantage of the opportunity to send video clips to friends and families (in the final room of the museum tour). The museum also features an excellent gift store with several books about Anne's experience and the holocaust in a range of languages. Pricing is a little inflated, but it's worth the memory.
If your time is limited, exchange your money in the airport. The exchange rate is a little worse there than in other parts of the city, but when time is tight, it might be difficult and time consuming to find a place in the city to exchange currency.Best Way To Get Around:
Public transportation is the way to go! Although the main train station is a little confusing, just be patient, follow the signs and it'll get you to the correct lines and the correct transport.