Amsterdam is one of the jewels of Europe and, although it may have lost some of its lustre over the years, it is still bright enough to draw visitors from all over the world. The variety of sights and activities is staggering and this is what accounts for the diverse cross section of visitors that stream into the city each year.

The main attraction for me is the architecture of the Old Centre, where it is possible to see and even feel the passage of time which has moulded the city around you. Thankfully the city escaped the worst of the damage caused by Europe’s many conflagrations of the last five hundred years and so, like a fossil record, presents visible evidence of the evolution of the city, with most of the best examples now preserved. In addition to the buildings the canals and bridges which give Amsterdam so much of its unique charm make it a great place to take a relaxing walk, soak up the atmosphere and lose yourself in another time.

Perhaps one of the most famous and tragic former residents of Amsterdam was Anne Frank, and her house is now a museum dedicated to not only demonstrating the terrible conditions of the Frank family when they lived in the attic here but also the bravery of those who protected and fed them. The museum has some interesting exhibits on the persecution and discrimination that is still going on today which is a powerful addendum to the history of the holocaust.

The Rijksmuseum is one of the great traditional museums in the world and anyone who loves Dutch painting should make it their first port of call. Even casual visitors will greatly appreciate a visit as there are so many originals seen almost every day in reproduction along with interesting background on the genre and artist of each. The museum also has collections of art from the former Dutch colonies in South East Asia which give the museum a fresh feel and contrast well with the old masters.

Visitors may want to save the Van Gogh Museum for a different day than the Rijksmuseum so that you don’t feel ‘arted out’ but it is worth a visit when you are in the city. The museum is well presented and informative and it sometimes feels that the only thing not on display is the famous ear, to the disappointment of hordes of visiting youngsters.

Finally, any list of the sights of Amsterdam is incomplete without a mention of the famous, or infamous, Red Light District. It is tacky, tawdry, coarse and crude and is fascinating and repellent in equal measures. The easily offended should probably stay away but anyone with a sense of adventure or passing interest in human nature should stroll through one evening and see what’s happening in there.

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Are you tired of the usual tourist attractions where you see what the ordinary traveler see? How about visiting the most unhygienic attractions for a change? Here is a list of the ‘germiest’ tourist attractions. Get ready. Call your travel agent and book the first flight to these filthy places.

1. The Blarney Stone (Cork, Ireland)

Kissing the stone will endow the worshipper with the gift of gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). This tone was set into a tower in 1446. Imagine how many lips have kissed the stone. Go ahead. Kiss it.

2. Gum Wall (Seattle, USA)

True to its name, the wall is made of brick, which is now covered by, what else? Chewing gum. People have been sticking their gum to this wall. Twice, the wall was cleaned only to stick them again. So, the officials made it a tourist attraction, if you please. Imagine the dried saliva and germs in each gum. Good luck!

3. Oscar Wilde‘s Tomb (Paris, France)

Don’t be surprised to see lipstick marks on the tomb. It’s a tradition to kiss the tomb of the Irish author and playwright. Pray that you see a spot with no lipstick yet.

4. The Piazza (Venice, Italy)

Pigeons, a.k.a. flying rats, rule the roost in Venice’s legendary town square.

5. Grauman’s Chinese Theater (Hollywood, USA)

Among the theater’s most distinctive features are the concrete blocks set in the forecourt, which bear the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day. Would you get on your knees and stick your fingers into the cracks and crannies on any random sidewalk in your hometown?

6. Karni Mata Rat Temple (Deshnok, India)

Known by many as the 8th wonder of the world, Karni Mata is definitely one of the most unusual places on the face of the earth. As impossible as it may seem at this Hindu temple, humans live in perfect harmony with thousands of rats completely unafraid of humans. These rats are treated like hairy little princes. Remember, you have to remove your shoes when you go inside the temple.

7. Friendly Monkey Valley (Everland Amusement Park, South Korea)

The first place ever for 12 kinds of apes and 145 monkeys. Enjoy your time there.

8. Glastonbury Festival (Somerset, England)

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly known as Glastonbury or Glasto, is the largest green field open-air music and performing arts festival in the world. The festival is best known for its contemporary music, but also features dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and many other arts. Every summer, hundreds of thousands of hygiene-challenged music fans converge for several days of dancing, partying, and (more often than not) acres and acres of filth.

9. Any Children’s Ball Pit

Don’t give too much thought to what’s at the bottom of that pile of colorful plastic balls. And definitely do not dwell on how often those gum-popping teenage employees clean it out.

10. Disaster Emeritus: CBGB’s Bathroom

While the stage at the legendary music venue on Manhattan’s Bowery featured acts like Blondie, Talking Heads, Television, the Ramones, Youth of Today, Bad Brains–need we go on?–the club’s dank, graffitied, sticky-floored bathroom welcomed generations of anonymous punks (most of whom had awful aim). CBGB closed its doors in 2006, but legend has it the bathroom walked away of its own accord.

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