Guide to Amsterdam

“An old-fashioned beauty with a world famous naughty streak, Amsterdam is the playhouse of Europe – canals, cafés or otherwise.”

Like a rebel in a tweed hat, Amsterdam has a split personality. On the one hand, it’s got a touch of the grande dame about it – all sun-dappled canals, gabled waterfront houses and curvaceous stone bridges. The kind of place where days are played out to the bells of the Westerkerk – a trip to the Rijksmuseum with the morning’s peals, a caffeine fix as noon hits, and a bike ride through the Vondelpark as the afternoon chimes by. Then snoop down a different street and you find yourself hanging out with the wild child of Europe . Ladies of the night pose like mannequins in the parlours of the Red Light District. Cafés appear amid tell-tale puffs of fragrant smoke. And bars and clubs use neon to lure the party crowd. But it’s this two-faced nature that gives Amsterdam its kick – and makes it a pin most people want to prod into the city break map of Europe . Time here can be frittered in so many ways – and you can easily stick to whichever side of the city you like best. Chug along the waterways in a canal boat, peering into passing living rooms. Climb inside the secret annexe where Anne Frank wrote her haunting diary during her two years in hiding. And peek at the world’s most famous sunflowers in the Van Gogh Museum . Or just devote your time to the countless pubs, clubs and cafés that cram into this compact city. In terms of visitor difficulty levels, Amsterdam barely registers on the scale – it’s dinky enough to walk from one side to the other in half an hour and everyone speaks English. Easily the best way to get to know the place, though, is on two wheels. There are 700,000 bikes within its borders. Pedal past market stalls reaching topple point with tulips, pubs packed with Heineken-supping locals and houses with all the crooked charm of a Brothers Grimm fairytale. Just make sure you give the cafés a wide-berth beforehand – or those canals may fast lose their appeal.

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Beaches

Following the trend of many major European cities, Amsterdam has got itself some man-made urban beaches that open up shop through the summer months. Stripy sunloungers, hammocks for two and even a beachside snack seller can be enjoyed at the very chic sandpit at Strandzuid near the RAI Convention Centre. There’s another at Houthavens in the Westerpark area, where punters can down a few cocktails, munch on some tapas, or play volleyball. The most bohemian sand seekers take the tram down to the Ijburg island complex to chill out at Blijburg on Sea’s live music and evening campfires. Another fully-functioning beach – this time a high-level one – pops up on the roof of the Nemo science centre, providing great views of the city as well as palm trees and even a waterfall. Beach locations sometimes change so always check beforehand.

Eating out

Traditional Dutch cuisine is about as internationally popular as our own British fare, which is why the nation adopted the food of its former colonies. While we fell in love with Indian grub, in Holland it’s all about Indonesian. Rice and spice are the staples here and you’ll find plenty of places to choose from. But there’s lots of other ethnic food to entice you, with Surinamese and Spanish tapas just two of those staking a claim for the nation’s tastebuds. When you go Asian, try ‘rijsttafel’ – rice table – as it gives you a chance to sample titbits of lots of different dishes. And although it’s Indonesian in origin it’s been adopted in many Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai restaurants as well. Amsterdam’s laid-back, liberal attitude to just about everything includes food, which means pretty much anything goes. Add to that the hearty appetites of the Dutch, and you’ve got a café and restaurant culture that will have you in a spin as you try to cram in as many different tasting experiences as you can. The result is fine dining in elegant, international style brasseries, subtle spiciness in the great swathe of Asian restaurants, and local favourites like ‘hutspot’ – hotchpotch stew – served in cosy canalside eateries. Grand cafes, dimly-lit bistros, and the inevitable fast-food joints add to the mix. Don’t completely ignore the traditional Dutch menu in the face of all the competition. Ok, you may baulk at their penchant for raw herring, but Dutch cooking has blossomed as their chefs have branched out even when dishing up traditional food. Tourist central Leidseplein is jam-packed with a wide range of eating places, but to find the best move out a little from the heart of it. The Asian restaurants have made their home in Nieuwmarkt, between the Dam and the edge of the Red Light district. If you’re after elegant, upmarket dining alongside those romantic canals, get along to the Nine Small Streets – De Negen Straatjes – and Jordaan. For on-the-hoof snacking, the locals make for the raw herring stalls, but if that’s a bit too full-on fishy for you, try chips with mayo – another staple at fast food stalls. These are a friendly nod to Holland’s Belgian neighbours, and the relationship doesn’t stop there – Belgian waffle and pancake stalls make tempting pit-stops, too.

Bordewijk, Noordermarkt 7 Minimalist décor – all white walls and black tables, softened by lots of pot plants – but there’s nothing minimalist about the menu. Reckoned to be one of the city’s best restaurants, it’s French in style, but with Mediterranean and Asian influences. Roasted quail, artichokes with wontons and Polynesian sauce are just a tiny taster of the delights that await. In summer you can sit outside by the canal.
Café Restaurant Luxembourg, Spui 24 A café on the grand scale. Starched apron-ed waiters, and stout portions of Indonesian and Chinese specials alongside top-notch sandwiches. You won’t be rushed if you’re tempted to linger over your meal with any of the international newspapers they provide. It’s very popular for Sunday brunch as it’s slap-bang beside the art market that pitches up there on Sunday mornings.
Café van Puffelin, Prinsengracht 375-377 This is a very smartened-up version of Amsterdam’s popular ‘brown cafes’. Very comfortable and elegant inside, but you can go outside to eat on a barge as well. The creative modern Dutch cooking has made it a popular spot for the city’s young professional set.
De Kas Restaurant and Nursery, Kammerlingh Onneslaan 3 Located in an 8m high renovated glasshouse in Frankendael Park, alongside its own market garden, you’re guaranteed the freshest of ingredients – the menu varies daily according to what’s been picked. Not cheap, but an unusual and very organic experience.
Tempo Doeloe, Utrechtsestraat 75 Space is tight and this is one of Amsterdam’s best and most authentic Indonesian restaurants, so you have to ring the bell to get in. Once inside, you’ll be glad you made it. Loads of choices and a great place to sample the ‘rijsttafel’. Good veggie options, too.

Nightlife

Amsterdam is a city where boundaries are well and truly pushed. Rosse Buurt, the Red Light District, flashes like a beacon with its neon-lit ‘shop’ windows framing scantily-clad ladies. And those oh-so-liberal cafes are never far away. But there’s so much more to the city’s after-dark scene than that. Whether you’re on a romantic trip for two, part of a guys’ or girls’ weekend, or just looking for a great escape, Amsterdam holds all the cards. Go bar-hopping around those ‘brown cafes’ – so-called because of their traditional poky, smoky appearance. Sip a cocktail in a slinky salon. Bop ‘til the small hours in the hippest of clubs with the kookiest of Amsterdam’s party people. Maybe you’d prefer to sip a genever – Dutch gin – or a Dutch beer in a quiet bar before strolling hand-in-hand along a hushed canal. Then listen to the classics played by musical maestros in a world-famous setting. As in everything else, Amsterdam offers up a broad canvas, urging you to be as colourful as you like. A great mix of bars and restaurants for all budgets can be found at Spuikwartier. And if Leidseplein is the lively epicentre of the city’s nightlife, with scores of clubs and pubs, Rembrandtplein isn’t far behind. Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, close to Dam Square, is making its mark, too. Though it’s been known for years as a party city, these days hard core clubbing tends just to happen from Thursday to Sunday. Jazz is popular and you’ll hear it played smooth and mellow in intimate, smoky clubs and bars. Classical music is adored and appreciated, too, as befits the home of the world-famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. It’s based at the impressive Concertgebouw building, and now there’s another whopping concert hall – the Muziekgebouw, along the Eastern docklands – which provides a very 21st century base for contemporary performance. Opera and ballet share a mammoth venue at the Stadhuis-Muziektheater – or Stopera – and theatre is everywhere. You shouldn’t have any problem finding performances in English at some of the city’s 60-plus theatres, many of which are around Leidseplein.

Melkweg, Lijnbaansgracht 234a One of Amsterdam’s most famous clubs, it’s actually much more. The whole caboodle on one site – club, disco, cinema, concert hall. Everything from international DJ nights to live jazz, with latin-flavoured Friday nights. Milkweg means Milky Way, and this is a former dairy factory, hence it’s not exactly fancy but it really doesn’t matter.
The Mansion, Hobbemastraat 2 Plush, expensive and trendy, Chinese-style. So it’ll cost you. It’s popular with the local glitterati, so dress to impress. Which will take some doing – even the staff are in ultra cool threads. If you eat in the restaurant first, you get in free to the nightclub at midnight.
Bourbon Street Jazz & Blues Club, Leidsekruisstraat 6-8 Chill to jam sessions and unplugged nights in one of Amsterdam’s most famous jazz clubs. Both local and international performers play here. It was a favourite of late lamented Dutch musician Herman Brood.
Dulac, Haarlemmerstraat 118 Outrageously over the top, this is typical of Amsterdam’s eccentric side. Spooky and surreal, it’s hard to put a handle on it. Art Deco? Art Nouveau? Gothic? Is it a bar, a café, a club? Hmm – a bit of all these and more. The atmosphere’s very laid-back and punters are as diverse as the style. DJs rule from Thursdays to Saturdays.
Concertgebouw, Concertgebouwplein 2-6 A fantastic setting for top-rank musicians from around the world, as well as being home to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, which is up there with the best of them. The Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra and The Dutch Chamber Orchestra are based here, too, so there’s always something going on. If you want to cheat, or can’t get tickets, there are usually free Wednesday lunchtime concerts.

Shopping

Amsterdam will appeal to those who like their shopping experience to be a little more unpredictable. Fun and quirky. Eccentric even. Yes, the big names are here but the real pleasure of shopping in the Dutch capital lies in its smaller outlets. Diamonds, flowers and Delftware may be what the city’s best known for, but there’s so much more than that. On a typical day why not start with a stroll through the heart of the canal district at De Negen Straatjes – the Nine Small Streets? The boutiques, galleries, jewellers and gift shops sit appealingly amidst tall, slim, gabled houses and tranquil canals. If you manage to drag yourself away, move on to Spiegelkwartier to amble among more than 70 stylish art galleries and antique shops selling everything from that traditional Delftware and ceramics to clocks and Oriental art. You could finish up with a bargain-hunting bonanza at one of Amsterdam’s flea markets. Most of the big malls and stores are on streets fanning out from Dam Square. Popular Kalverstraat is more than half a mile of non-stop fashion, shoes, bags, perfume – the lot. Mexx – the Netherlands’ big fashion chain – has its flagship store here. On the square itself, swish De Bijenkorf – the Bee Hive, and it’s certainly buzzing – is the city’s biggest department store. And for luxurious shopping with a graceful, old-fashioned feel, slip into Maison de Bonneterie – a real ‘grande dame’ of a department store – on Rokin, which runs parallel to Kalverstraat. If your fashion addiction needs feeding, sashay down to ritzy Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat, near the Rijksmuseum, for all the big catwalk names. Markets are lively must-dos. Bustling Albert Cuyp market at De Pijp is the biggest outdoor market in Europe and sells just about everything – and then some. The fleamarket at Waterlooplein is full of vintage fashion finds and old CDs, and the Farmers’ Market – Boerenmarkt – at Noordermarkt is popular with Amsterdam’s healthy eating fanatics. There’s another farmers’ market at Nieuwmarkt. If you want to send some of Holland’s famous flowers and bulbs home, get along to the Flowermarket in Muntplein. It’s a joy just to walk through, even without buying.