Anne Frank's House (Amsterdam)

Located in a lovely canal front spot at Prinsengracht in central Amsterdam, this unassuming 17th century Dutch house is one of the city's most popular attractions, and certainly the most inspiring and evocative. This is where the iconic Diary of Anne Frank was written and where the young Jewish author and her family hid from Nazi persecution for over two years. First opened in 1960 as a memorial and museum, Anne Frank's House now attracts over 1 million visitors a year and is especially popular with large groups of school and college students. It is definitely a must on short breaks to Amsterdam, but can get busy with long queues during hectic summer weekends.

 

Anne Frank is one of the most endearing characters in recent history, and the museum charts everyday life in hiding, with a thought provoking backdrop of photographs and film detailing the Nazi regime in Holland at the time. There are evocative personal effects on display and it all has an eerie quality due to its rather spartan furnishings, pretty much as it would have been in the 1940s. It will leave a lasting impact on all who visit during an Amsterdam city break, and will be an inspiration to today's teenage kids. There are regular workshops for children, and the museum is a money-saver on cheap weekend breaks in Amsterdam, as under-10s are admitted for free.

 

Throughout the house, there are displays of photographs of the family in happier times, documents and film reels which set the scene for exploring the tiny secret annexe where the family hid for so long. Few personal effects remain as it was systematically cleared of all belongings by the Nazis, but the original diary of Anne Frank takes pride of place here. It is accessed by a steep flight of stairs and is the only section in the house that is not suitable for disabled visitors. Due to its cramped nature, there are no guided tours of Anne Frank's House but it is best seen in a leisurely fashion where you can really soak up its dignified atmosphere during cheap city breaks in Amsterdam.