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Amsterdam is a beautiful city in the Netherlands with impressive
architecture, lovely canals that criss-cross the city, great
shopping and friendly people. There is something for every
traveller's taste here - whether you prefer culture and history,
serious partying, or just the relaxing charm of an old European
city.
click here for Amsterdam
hotels
The best time of year to visit Amsterdam is surely springtime.
April is best, since all the tulips will be in bloom. A daytrip
to the Keukenhof and its surroundings in the west of the country
is easy to do and a great way of seeing some more of the country.
Quite a few travelers visit Amsterdam to enjoy its somewhat
more tolerant attitude toward things like, say pot smoking,
for example. It's true that the sale of marijuana and hashish
have finally been legalized as have their main institutional
vendors the "Coffee Shops". Unfortunately some travelers
take this to mean that one can pretty much get away with anything
in Amsterdam, much to the detriment of the experience for
the rest of us. In the last few years especially the city
has made great strides in preventing such abuses while maintaining
its easy-going atmosphere.
Do note the important distinction between the expressions
"Coffee Shop" and "Café". The former
is a place where there is a pot menu, and sometimes drinks.
The later is a place to have a coffee or a glass of wine or
beer.
Get in
By plane
Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is huge - so when leaving Amsterdam,
give yourself enough time to get to your plane! A 15-minute
train ride will get you from the airport to downtown Amsterdam.
Easyjet and other low-cost carriers have flights to and from
Schipol, providing a fairly economical way to city-hop to
Amsterdam from other spots in Europe.
If you decided to bring your bicycle on the plane with you,
there is a 15-kilometer bike path that starts at the airport
and leads directly to Amsterdam. Turn right as you leave the
airport terminal. The path starts at about 200 metres down
the road.
By train
Most trains arrive and depart Amsterdam from Amsterdam Centraal
(Amsterdam Central Station) which is located on the IJ at
the center of the semicircle of canals which define the main
layout of the city. Other train stations are Bijlmer, Amstel,
Muiderpoort (all southeast), RAI, Zuid WTC (both south), Lelylaan
and Sloterdijk (both west). The nearby airport Schiphol also
has a train station. All these stations are connected to Central
Station. Tickets can be bought from machines around the station
as well as at human operated ticket booths. One-way and round-trip
tickets from machines are € 0,50 cheaper than those from
ticket booths. All trains in the west of the Netherlands are
operated by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS, "Dutch Railways").
International tickets are available at the travel agency near
the westernmost station entrance of Amsterdam Central Station.
By bus
By car
The western part of the Netherlands has a dense network of
highways, of which a number lead to Amsterdam. Coming from
the east (Germany), the A1 leads directly to Amsterdam, and
the A12 goes to Utrecht, where you can change to the A2. From
the south (Belgium), the A2 goes to Amsterdam and the A27
has a connection to the A2. From The Hague, the A4 leads to
Amsterdam.
The A1, A2, A4 and (from the north) A7/A8 lead to the beltway/ring
road around Amsterdam, the A10. From this highway, many main
roads lead radially into Amsterdam (the roads S101 through
S118).
Note that the speed limit on Dutch highways is 120 km/h and
on some highways 100 km/u. These limits are strictly enforced
and there are many speed cameras.
Get around
Amsterdam is laid out in concentric semi-circles of canals
(grachten) radiating from a central point near the central
train station. The IJ (pron eye), originally a bay, now a
canal which runs out the the north sea, forms a northern barrier;
its banks are covered mostly with office buildings and light
industry.
On foot
Amsterdam's center is fairly small and almost abnormally flat;
you easily can get to most tourist destinations on foot from
the train station within a half an hour.
A pleasant way to cover a lot of ground is to rent a bicycle.
The city is very, very bike-friendly, and separate bike lanes
line most major streets. Bike rental shops abound near the
train station and the Leidseplein, and run about €15-20
per day. Make sure to get a good lock, and to use it; Amsterdam's
high bike-lover population is preyed upon by a high bike-thief
population.
Public transport
Amsterdam's public transport system, operated by the GVB (Gemeentevervoerbedrijf),
consists of sixteen tram lines, four metro lines, with a short
underground stretch in the centre of the city and dozens of
bus routes. Tram and bus stops in the centre all have detailed
maps which make it very simple to navigate.
The standard ticket for use on all these modes of transport
is the strippenkaart, which must be purchased prior to boarding
a vehicle. They are available from machines in the metro and
railway stations, from the GVB office opposite Centraal stations
and from supermarkets, newsagents and tobacconists. This ticket
consists of a number of strips, which must be stamped in a
validator prior to entering the metro, or by the driver or
conductor when boarding a tram or bus. Travel through a single
zone costs two strips; two zones cost three strips and so
forth. Typically tourists will only be travelling through
the central zone, unless they plan on visiting outer areas.
Alernatively, you can get a 24, 48 or 72 hour all zones bus/rail/tram
pass for a reasonable price (€10 for 48 hr), and less
hassle. Don't forget to stamp it before your first journey.
Strippenkaarts are also valid for use on NS trains, but only
within Amsterdam. They are not valid for trips to Schiphol
airport.
Trams can be boarded either via the front or rear doors,
and passengers alight through the centre doors. Most trams
these days have conductors at the rear, although there are
still two or three lines without them. Enter buses only via
the front door.
There is a free ferry service across the IJ river, to Amsterdam
North, running every six minutes. It leaves from opposite
the northern entrance to Centraal Station. The best way to
get there is to walk through Central Station and out the back
entrance. You will see the ferries just across the road.
Car
Using a car in central Amsterdam is something of a pain. Many
of the streets are small, the traffic signs are baroque and
obscure, and bicyclists and pedestrians walk in the middle
of the road. It's better to find parking around the Prinsengracht
and then walk around the city center.
See
Anne Frank House. Don't let the long line discourage you;
it moves quickly and the experience inside the hiding places
on the top floors are moving. http://www.annefrank.nl/eng/afh/afh.html
Rijksmuseum. 'The largest museum for art and history in the
Netherlands;' works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and other Dutch
masters. Students get in free. Note: The Rijksmuseum is currently
facing major renovations and although some parts are opened,
only a small part of the usual collection is shown. http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/
Artis. In addition to being a zoo, Artis is also a botanical
garden. Although many of the plants and trees in Artis are
native to the Netherlands, many species have been gathered
from all over the world, just like the animal species in Artis.
An entry ticket for Artis also provides admission to the Planetarium,
the Geological Museum, the Aquarium and the Zoological Museum.
http://www.artis.nl/international/
Katten Kabinet. The world's only cat museum. Housed in a
beautiful restored palatial home in an upscale area street
- very Masterpiece Theater. It was opened by the homeowner
after his favorite cat died... and he still lives in the home.
Lots of cat-related art, and real felines. http://www.kattenkabinet.nl/html/index_engels_dhtml.html
Van Gogh Museum. This museum is dedicated to this late 19th
century Dutch painter. It's located on the Museumplein, a
square you shouldn't miss. Do not expect to see all of Van
Gogh's works however as they only have a portion of the collection
at this museum. Many of his pieces are at the Louvre and elsewhere.
Still worth the visit though, especially with the audio tour.
At only 1.5 Euro, the audio tour, in the language of your
choice, will give you a much better understanding of Van Gogh's
life and his paintings.
Vondelpark. The city park. Especially in the summer it's
lively and crowded. Meet the locals there.
Bloemenmarkt. (Flower Market), open daily on Singel. Buy
pre-approved bulbs if taking them to the US or Canada.
Royal Palace. Open daily on the Dam Square. This former Town
hall (built in 1651) has a great and beautiful hall and other
chambers
Heineken Brewery. Open daily at the Mauritskade. Free tours
including free drinks...
Do
Take a canal tour; it's relaxing and a great way to view city
architecture. The museum boat is a great alternative to a
tour as the boat stops at most major museums. You can get
off or on at each stop and as often as you like.
Visit a coffee shop, even if you don't smoke pot. Barney's
has a funky design and cool music, and a decent breakfast
(though the Barneys cafe two doors down is much "nicer"
if you prefer). In fact, if you're going to smoke cannabis,
then please go to a coffee shop to do it. The locals are extremely
tolerant, but frankly the stuff stinks, and if you wander
down the street wafting it in people's faces, they won't thank
you for it. That's the deal - no-one will mind you smoking,
but please have the decency to avoid inflicting it on the
unwilling - the best way to do that is to do it in a coffee
shop.
Check out local "brown bars," with their gorgeous
wood panelling and booths.
Queen's Day. April 30th. In celebration of the Queen's birthday
(well, actually, the last queen's birthday) the city is one
big fleamarket, there's bands playing, parties. An experience
you'll never forget!
Learn
Work
Buy
Many flea markets where you can find cheap but nice clothes,
books, antiques, and souvenirs dot the city during the week
and weekends.
Albert Cuyp. Largest market in Amsterdam.
Lindengracht. Saturdays. Another large market.
More about Amsterdam markets (with opening times) can be found
at: http://www.expatica.com/index.asp?pad=13,36,&item_id=62
One of the main shopping streets for new stuff is the car-free
Kalverstraat, which leads roughly from Dam square, in the
center of old-town to Munt Plein. You'll find branches of
most of the designer boutiques in Europe here, the catalan
Zara being one example.
Directly across Dam Square from the opening of Kalverstaat
is Nieuwendijk, where you'll find an equally vibrant alternative
shopping area for everything from T-shirts advertising your
favorite rock band, to cannabis growing supplies to designer
clothing for Goths.
Of course there are also thousands of unique little shops
scattered around the city. These present the real fun of shopping
in Amsterdam. Quite a few are located in the picturesque canal-lined
neighborhood of the Jordaan:
Santa Jet, Prinsenstraat 7, 020 427 2070. This little boutiques
specializes in hand-made imports from latin america. You can
find everything from mini shines made of tin, to lamps, to
kitchy postcards.
If you, or someone you shop for has kids Amsterdam presents
a fabulous shopping opportunity. There are toy stores, and
clothing shops for kids on almost every block, especially
once you get a little way out from the center.
Eat
Take advantage of the diversity of restaurants... especially
Asian. The influence of the Dutch colonial past is apparent;
Indonesian food is usually excellent, while Indian is often
expensive and of poor quality. Surinamese food is widely available
and worth a try. For Chinese food (generally good and cheap)
check out the Zeedijk/Nieuwmarkt area. Also very good value
are the numerous Falafel bars scattered around town, often
sporting a "all you can pile" salad bar. And the
Vlaamse Frites -- large french fries served with mayonnaise
-- are great.
Local cheese is marvelous, buy some at the Albert Cuyp market.
Don't forget to taste the main culinary contribution of the
Amsterdammers to the world: Heineken - oh, except you've already
done that, and it doesn't taste any better in Holland. Try
some of the other excellent beers you can get from this part
of the world - including Witbeer. Also check out "bitterballen",
a kind of fried meatball.
Proust, Noordermarkt 4. Tel. 020-6239145. Proust is a little
off the beaten path, near the intersection of Brouwersgracht
and Prinsengracht, but it's worth a visit for the inexpensive
and satisfying meals as well as the company: It's a favorite
with locals.
Dimitrij, Prinsenstraat 3. Offering dozens of interesting
sandwiches and salads, mostly on an Italian model Dimitrij
is a must for at least one lunch, and it's on a street which
is packed with an ever-changing lineup of fun boutiques.
La Margarita, Reguliersdwarsstraat 49, near the flower market.
Tel. 020 623 07 07. Open 17.00-23.00, reservations accepted.
This caribbean restaurant offers a huge range of plates, including
three different vegetarian options. Every dish comes with
ample sides of white rice, black beans, plantains, and vegetables.
In addition to having great food the restaurant is decked
out with a range of fantastic and magic-realist art. If you
like your food hot be sure to ask for the special home-made
hot sauce. 20-30 Euro per person, with drinks.
Green Planet, Spuistraat 122. Behind Dam Square. Superb food,
which happens to be vegetarian, from an enthustiastic and
imaginative young Austrian chef. We spent 25 euros each for
two courses and drinks, including great crostini, an authentic
curry with a pile of basmati and wild rice encrusted in sesame
seeds, and a great vegan "cheesecake". A word of
warning, they don't take credit cards.
Maoz Falafel, everywhere - see http://www.maoz.nl/, including
outside of Centraal Station and the Blumen Markt. Great falafel,
with self service salads and sauces for €3.50.
External link: Iens Independent Index of restaurants in the
Netherlands, also with Amsterdam-section. Descriptions often
aren't available in English, but pricing and opening hours
are.
Drink
An agenda of all types of happenings, from alternative to
mainstream, can be found on this website: http://www.underwateramsterdam.com/
Schuim Spuistraat 189, +31 20 638 93 57. The super comfy
cafe is a great place to spend entire rainy days at a time.
It heats up quite a bit at night. Pot smoking seems to be
tolerated even though Schuim is definitely not a "coffee
shop".
In De Wildeman Kolksteeg 3. A very well stocked beercafe,
or actually beer tasting room (bierproeflokaal) in the center
of the inner city. 17 beers (usually from various countries)
and a cider on draught, and about 250 different bottled beers
offered. There is no music played, which makes for a very
friendly and talkative atmosphere, and it even has a separate
non-smoking room.
Music
Melkweg - multimedia centre in Amsterdam with live-music,
theater, photography, cinema, special events and parties.
Paradiso - music venue with truly excellent acoustics.
Sleep
Budget
Rent-A-Bike Frederic, phone +31(0)20 624 5509. Frederic has
branched out, and now runs a service for booking apartments
for a few days at a time. Rent a room in a home, an apartment,
or a whole houseboat. Then rent a bike for only 10 Euros a
day. http://www.frederic.nl/
The White Tulip, Warmoesstraat 87 (about 5 minute walk from
the main station), +31 (0)20 6255974 (Fax +31 (0)20 4201299).
Dorms and a few rooms right in the middle of things. Really
a basic crash-pad, but quiet and relaxed due to their 'No
large groups' policy. $10-30(per person). http://www.wittentulp.nl/
Hans Brinker Hostel Great hostel, nice bar inside.
Flying Pig, Vossiusstraat 46 (The Palace) and Nieuwendijk
100 (Downtown). (detailed directions and contact info on the
site). Email: palace@flyingpig.nl, downtown@flyingpig.nl.
Lots of students/young adults stay here. Wide range of prices
and accommodations, from 20 Euro for a dorm bed to 70 Euro
for a private room. There are two Flying Pigs in Amsterdam
- Downtown and the Palace. The Palace is supposed to be the
nicer (and cleaner) of the two. http://www.flyingpig.nl
Mid
Bastion Hotels We stayed for €70 per night for a double
in a comfortable, but soulless "four star" hotel
near OverAmstel metro. 10 minutes walk then 10 minutes train
ride to Centraal Station. I'd consider it again, but they
built the hotel without even pedestrian access to the road
- you have to take you chance with the traffic!
Botel. Haven't tried it, but we spotted the Botel right next
to Centraal Station. €70 per night. Three star. Might
be worth a shot.
Splurge
Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel, Kattengat 1. +31 20 621 22 23.
A four star with conference center located just off of Newsijds
Voorburgwal, the Renaissance also offers wireless internet
access in the lobby and café. http://www.renaissancehotels.com
Hotel Okura, Ferdinand Bolstraat 333, +31 20 671 23 44. This
five star hotel offers excellent rooms and a range of services
including Swisscom wireless service in the lobby, bar, and
conference rooms. Being Japanese owned and operated the hotel
also has an excellent range of Japanese food, clothing, and
book shops in the basement. The only drawback is that it's
relatively distant from the central station (15 minutes by
tram). If work is paying, and you don't mind taking cabs,
this joint is worth considering. http://www.okura.nl
Contact
There are a number of telephone centers near the central train
station. The country code for the Netherlands is 31, and Amsterdam's
city code is 20. For phone calls from within the Netherlands
dial 020 to start.
If making local calls to reserve hotel rooms or restaurants,
or calls to other cities in the country, you will need a phone
card (5 Euro minimum) as green KPN telephone booths do not
accept coins. Blue/orange Telfort booths accept both coins
and cards.
Stay safe
Some areas are teeming with tourists, and thus pickpockets,
so keep your bag close. Announcers in trams and public buildings
such as Central Station will warn against des pick-pockets,
but don't rely on the thieves to wait for fair warning.
Groups of women visiting the Red Light District at night might
feel harassed in the aggressive environment, though this is
said to be the safest area around because of the police presence.
Keep to main streets and groups. The Red Light District is
generally safe, and although the police have a fairly low
profile there, don't cause trouble, or you might find plain
clothes officers appearing out of nowhere. Do not take photographs
of the prostitutes.
When on foot, do not use bike lanes as side-walks. When on
a bike, be prepared for the erratic movements of your gable-staring
fellow tourists near or onto the bike lane. Use your bicycle
bell. That is what it is for and people (even tourists) quickly
learn that it means to move out of the way.
Get out
Good day trips from Amsterdam include nearby Naarden, a charming
medieval walled city, and the Wadden Islands, a beautiful
windswept archipelago on the North Sea. Muiden, with its 700
year old castle, is a short half-hour trip by bus line 136,
from Amstel Station.
Amsterdam is a great starting point for long-term visits
to spots all over the Netherlands. Haarlem and Leiden are
half an hour or so by train to the west, and Utrecht and Eindhoven
lie nearby to the south. Rotterdam and The Hague are also
accessible by train.
Trains also leave Amsterdam for major Belgian cities like
Brussels, for Paris, and for German cities like Cologne.
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