India, April 11 -- There are a few cities as beautiful as Amsterdam. A perennial travel favourite, besides its world-renowned museums and winding canals, lined with gabled homes and hundreds of bridges cutting across, it surprises with its many offbeat places and experiences. On a recent trip, I skipped the must-dos and explored Amsterdam's hidden gems instead. In the process, I got to delve deeper into the city's history and understand its underlying spirit of rebellion and free thinking. For a city plagued with over-tourism, this also helps remove some pressure from Amsterdam's big-ticket attractions.

Amsterdam: Built on bogs, forged in freedom Amstel River | Image credit: Not4rthur/Flickr Amsterdam's beginnings go back to the 1200s wh...