It’s hard to miss the Royal Palace on Dam Square. When the building was first opened to the public as the Town Hall in 1655, its lavish interior decorated with paintings by Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt was considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. Louis Napoleon made it his personal residence in 1808 when he briefly served as the King of Holland, but it later became the possession of the House of Orange. After meandering through a few dull corridors you’ll finally walk upstairs to the main hall where your jaw is guaranteed to drop. Seldom have we seen so much polished marble in one place, not to mention six giant crystal chandeliers hanging from the timber ceiling covered in frescos high above the inlaid maps and nautical and astronomical charts in the floor. The audio guide, which is included in the price, is essential as none of the rooms have explanations in any language. A short movie with English subtitles is available before you take the tour.