Amsterdam is one of the most popular European destinations for a short break. Popular sights include the Rijksmuseum (State Museum) which exhibits Dutch paintings from the 16th-19th centuries, including The Nightwatch by Rembrandt, Anne Frank’s House, home of the young diarist and her family when they hid from German occupation during World War II, the Van Gogh Museum, Museum Het Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt House Museum), the Heineken Browerij (Heineken Brewery), where the Dutch national beer is brewed. The brewery, which was in operation from 1932-1988, is now a museum, with guided tours every morning. Other interesting places include the Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), the Munt Tower, which looms over the floating flower market on the Singel canal, the open air market at Waterlooplein, Amsterdam’s Historisch Museum (Historical Museum), book shops in the Oudemanhuispoort, and the Sexmuseum Venustempel, Europe’s only sex museum. A large attraction is its renowned liberal attitude to soft drugs and a thriving sex industry providing curiosity for more conservative nations. But Amsterdam is far more than a hedonistic playground. Amsterdam is divided by canals into approximately 90 islands joined by almost 400 bridges. Almost the entire city rests on a foundation of piles driven through peat and sand to a firm substratum of clay. Its tree-lined canals mirroring countless gabled 17th and 18th century townhouses add to its charm and individuality. It's also a showcase of some superb art galleries and museums (including the renowned Rijksmuseum and Vincent Van Gogh Museum). Above all, it's a vibrant city of today, its seemingIy inexhaustible energy by day and night fuelled by over 1,500 bars and cafes.