Top Ten Attractions
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The Rijksmuseum
The largest in the Netherlands, it contains works from the Golden Age of Dutch art – including Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals. http://www.rijksmuseum.nl
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Van Gogh Museum
A great modern exhibition hall with much of the great man’s life and work on display. http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl
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Anne Frank House
Commemorates the girl who hid from the Nazis and became a potent symbol for the atrocities perpetrated against the Jewish people. http://www.annefrank.org
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The Heineken Experience
The Netherlands is famous for its cool, crisp lager and Heineken is one of the most popular. See it made, have a taste. http://www.heinekenexperience.com
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The Canals
There are several companies offering boat tours and the evening ones can include dinner. It's a great way to get a different view of the city. http://www.amsterdam.info/tours/canalcruise
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Dam Square
Known by locals as ‘The Dam.’ It’s the central hub of Amsterdam and is thronged night and day by people and pigeons. Also the location for carnivals and festivals.
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Bloemenmarkt
The most famous floating flower market in the world. Buy flowers, seeds, bulbs or just admire the view. See some nice pictures at http://www.adanor.co.uk/amsterdam5
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Begijnhof
A narrow, vaulted passageway leads to this charming garden surrounded by old houses.
http://www.amsterdam.info/sights/begijnhof -
Diamond Tour
Amsterdam is famous for its diamond industry and you can see stones being cut and polished on an organised tour. http://www.amsterdam.info/diamonds
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The Red Light District
Not for the faint hearted, this is the oldest part of the city. It’s crowded and colourful and prostitutes pose in many of the area’s shop-windows.
Eating and Drinking
Even if Amsterdam is not the food mecca that other European capitals are, there’s a great diversity of choice. Italian, French, Indonesian, Thai and Chinese are common, while Japanese, Indian and Turkish have been gaining in popularity. Also, there are some cuisines you may never have tried (such as Surinamese) that may pleasantly surprise you. One of the best things about dining in Amsterdam is the design of its restaurants. From the sumptuously decorated interiors of the city’s supper clubs to the convivial canal-side cafés, it’s invariably a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Amsterdam used to be known as one of Western Europe’s least expensive capitals. It remains reasonable by comparison with some other places (London and Paris, for instance), but prices have gone up significantly – particularly, say the locals, since the introduction of the Euro. Good places to start your search for restaurants are the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat and Lange Leidsedwarsstraat. These streets are close to one of the liveliest squares in the city, Leidseplein. Stroll down these streets and discover an enormous variety of restaurants. Spuisstraat also has a good selection of up-market places to eat. Two very good sites containing almost all restaurants in Amsterdam are www.iens.nl and www.specialbite.nl.
Shopping
During the 17th century, Amsterdam was the warehouse of the world, stuffed with imperial riches from far-off colonies and nearby neighbours. The Dutch empire has since crumbled, but its capital remains a shopper’s paradise. In particular, the city’s speciality shops and markets stand out. There are entire shops devoted to such things as cannabis, Delft ceramics, flower bulbs, clogs, cheese and obscure types of genever (Dutch gin). There are bargains to be sought in such things as art, music, vintage clothes, diamonds and collectors’ books. The most popular shopping streets are downmarket Nieuwendijk and slightly less low-brow Kalverstraat with department stores and clothing boutiques serving large crowds, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. Leidsestraat is more up-market, while particularly well-heeled shoppers head for the expensive stores along PC Hooftstraat; antique and art buffs visit Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. The Jordaan area is full of quirky shops and galleries. Also worth a visit are the colourful, bustling Albert Cuypmarkt for clothing and foodand the Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) where boutiques specialise in everything from clothing to art to chocolates. The biggest flea market is at Waterlooplein and it’s open every day.
Except for Villa Arena, all department stores and shopping malls are situated within a short walk from Dam Square. The main indoor centre is Magna Plaza, a grand 19th century building that’s now home to more than 40 up-scale fashion, gift and jewellery stores.
Night Life
Whatever your scene, chances are that Amsterdam has a way to satisfy it: from cosy bars to wild party nights, intimate jazz pubs and Afro-Latino rhythm houses. And, of course, it’s the gay and lesbian capital of Europe. Given Amsterdam’s wild reputation, it may surprise the first-time visitor that, in the mainstream, the city is very much a café society. When the Dutch say ‘café,’ they mean a pub and there are a thousand of them in the city. The most historic and famous type is the rather downbeat bruin café (brown café), which may have sand on the floor, while at the other end of the scale are the Grand Cafés, which are spacious with comfortable furniture. A Coffee shop is a place that is licensed to sell small amounts of cannabis to adults over 18. This should not be confused with a koffiehuis (coffee house) - an espresso bar or sandwich shop which would be likely to take a very dim view of your lighting up a joint on their premises.
Amsterdam offers lots of different bars, pubs, clubs and events in the centre of the city. Hardcore House, Garage, Techno and Lounge are currently most popular, but there are also 70s, 80s and retro parties. Bars in Amsterdam are usually very stylishly decorated, most of them with a lounge influence. Some have a small dance floor, some a small restaurant, and some have live music. Bars are usually open until 3am. The clubs and discotheques in Amsterdam are as diverse as the city's population. Some have live concerts every week (Melkweg and Paradiso), while at others you can dance to the beats of famous DJs. There’s a dazzling gay nightlife, with many bars and clubs close to the Reguliersdwarsstraat and Halvemaansteeg. There’s no standard dress code in Amsterdam, but ask people what to put on when you decide to go to a special party, club or discotheque.
Amsterdam Weekly is an English-language free cultural paper published every Wednesday. It provides coverage of Amsterdam city life, and an arts and entertainment calendar. It’s online at http://www.amsterdamweekly.nl
BOOM! is a very good free magazine in English available from most hotels and coffee shops. It’s published four times a year, and if you can overlook the blatant adverts for its main sponsor you'll find a wealth of up-to-date information about life in Amsterdam, going out, the best restaurants and a guide to the Red Light District.
