Amsterdam is located in the province of North Holland and is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands and has a population of 751,000. The name Amsterdam is derived from the phrase Amstel dam which literally translates to "dam in the river Amstel". It is known as the financial and cultural capital of the Netherlands.

The city of Amsterdam was founded by two fishermen around the year 1327. Its founding is relatively recent compared to older Dutch cities such as Rotterdam, Nijmegen, and Utrecht. Amsterdam experienced two Golden Ages in its history. The first Golden Age was during the 17th century when Amstermdam became the wealthiest city in the world as it became one of the most important ports in the world. During this Golden Age, Amsterdam became the leading center for finance and diamonds. Its second Golden Age was at the end of the 19th century when Amsterdam was redefined by the buildings of new museums, train station, and the Concertgebouw.

Amsterdam draws 4.2 million tourists because of its unusual big city attractions without the disadvantages. Amsterdam is a large city with a great culture, history, food, entertainment and good transportation but does not have the disadvantages other big cities have such as heavy traffic, thanks largely to the city's canals. Tourists are drawn to Amsterdam for its many attractions such as its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Fran House, the red light district and many cannabis coffee shops.