The best way to discover Amsterdam is on foot. The first tour described here picks a way among the essential sights of the horseshoe of the city's 17th-century, Golden Age canals. Tours 2, 3, and 4 focus on the Old Center, the Jordaan, and Jewish Amsterdam, respectively.

Our fifth tour is no leisurely stroll, but a taste of that essential Amsterdam experience: biking. Bikes are a key part of the mechanism that makes Holland tick, and no trip to Amsterdam can be considered complete without some time spent in the saddle. This tour whisks you out from the Center, along the Amstel River, to breathe fresh country air at the historic riverside village of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel.

Among Amsterdam's many enchantments is making your own discoveries by roaming wherever the fancy takes you. On each of my proposed itineraries you'll notice points of interest that aren't listed due to lack of space. It could be an unusually shaped gable, an offbeat little boutique, a gaily painted bike, a sunken canal boat, whatever. Be sure to keep your eyes wide open.