The Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival is a weeklong event each April focusing on anime, fantasy, thriller, horror and sci-fi films. The International Documentary Filmfestival of Amsterdam features 200 documentary films and videos for two weeks beginning in late November. It is a must-see for any true film buff.

The Netherlands are renowned for the beautiful tulip fields that adorn the country’s landscape, often with a windmill at the center. Tulip season runs from April through mid-May. As far as weather is concerned, May through October feature mild average temperatures of up to 80 degrees during the days and lows of 50 degrees in the evenings. Weather is generally somewhat damp year-round, so cloudless days are rare.

Wintertime in Amsterdam is particularly damp and cold, with temperatures between 30 and 40. Umbrellas, warm sweaters and reliable, comfortable walking shoes are a must for visitors to Amsterdam.

Any trip to the city will involve lots of walking, but if you get turned around or lose your way, never fear. The friendly Dutch people will be more than happy to lend a helping hand.

Amsterdam has many cafes to offer as well, but is perhaps better known for its coffee houses. Here, people gather to smoke marijuana, which is culturally allowed throughout the Netherlands. The Rembrandtplein is a relaxing cultural gathering center. This square is lined with cafes, hotels, pubs, restaurants, diamond dealers and souvenir shops.

The Leidseplein is another square that offers restaurants, clubs and coffeeshops, as well as theater houses and cinemas. This lively square is often filled with street musicians and performers throughout the day and night.

Vondelpark is five minutes from the Leidseplein and is the most famous park in the Netherlands. One very family-friendly offering is the Artis Zoo, where animals from all around the world are housed. This site also has a planetarium, botanical gardens and geological and zoological museum. Whatever your interests, Amsterdam has a tourist attraction to suit it.

The Anne Frank House, or Anna Frank Huis, offers tours of the secret annex where the young Jewish girl hid from Nazi persecution for two years during World War II. She used her diary to record her experiences in the hiding place with seven others. Startling and heart-wrenching, Frank’s account was turned into a classic book, The Diary of a Young Girl, and a film. Frank died at the age of 15 in a Nazi concentration camp just weeks before World War II ended, but her story and legacy have lived on and droves of tourists visit her hiding place in Amsterdam each year.

On the first Saturday of November, the museums of Amsterdam open from about 7 p.m. until around 2 a.m. for Museum Night. Locals and tourists alike are encouraged to visit overnight in their favorite museum for free. Special events are planned to engage visitors, making this night one to look forward to all year round.

Continuing down Kalverstraat will bring shoppers to the Flowermarket, where tulips, narcissus and bulbs are available, export-ready. P.C. Hooftstraat is the street in Amsterdam where the nicest boutiques are located. Travellers on a budget may just want to stick to window shopping in this area.

Speaking of window shopping, there is always the “window shopping” of a different variety going on in the Red Light District for those who grow weary of looking at clothes.

In the caf»s, marijuana is smoked in rolled cigarettes (joints), pipes or water pipes (bongs). strongest varieties of Cannabis are the Indicas and Sativas varieties. Sativas, which typically clear the mind and produce an energetic high, include the Haze, Swazi and Thai strains. Indicas, which typically cloud the mind, slow the bodyÌs reactions and create a dizzy sensation, include the Afghani, Northern Lights and Shiva strains.

There are many other strains under the Indicas and Sativas categories and all can create different effects. Many people prefer to smoke some type of hybrid between Indicas and Sativas.

The “floats” of this parade literally float along the city’s waterways. It is very dramatic, cabaret, fun-filled and also a bit risque.

There are 12 daily outdoor markets in Amsterdam and another 15 that are open only on certain days of the week. The city’s love affair with open-air markets started in the late 18th Century when the first merchant stall was set up in the Jewish Quarter.

Antiques, books and miscellaneous decorative items and collectibles can be found sprinkled liberally throughout the city’s shops. However, the Antiekmarkt, Boekenmarkt and Poszegelmarkt open-air marketplaces cater specifically to those interests.

Marijuana and hash, considered “soft drugs” by the Dutch government, are allowed in small amounts for personal use and open consumption is culturally discouraged outside of coffee houses. Inside coffee houses, the atmosphere can vary from relaxed and peaceful to loud and vibrant with pulsing music.

No one under age 18 is allowed in coffee shops, and staff also will not tolerate aggression, loitering, hard drugs like cocaine, and some coffee shops do not allow alcohol or cell phones. Coffee shops have full menus and staff will generally be very willing to help newcomers understand the strength and general effects of the different marijuana varieties sold. Coffee shops are not to be confused with cafés, where only coffee and tea are sold.

Some of the more unusual events in Amsterdam include Museumnacht, where patrons can literally spend a night in any of the city’s museums. All museums open and organize special activities to attract visitors for this special event on the Saturday of the first full week in November.