What to See & Do in Amsterdam
Sightseeing
Amsterdam offers a wide range of sightseeing, from fascinating old buildings like the Oude Kerk to oddities like the Hash Marihuana Museum.
Amsterdam’s Canals - A trip to Amsterdam is not complete without a boat cruise. The four main city centre canals are Prinsengracht, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Singel. There are also numerous smaller canals in the neighbourhood of Jordaan, of which the Brouwersgracht, the Bloemgracht and the Leliegracht are the most scenic.
Magere Brug - The Magere Brug, or “Skinny Bridge” is the most famous bridge in Amsterdam. It is a traditional double-leaf, Dutch draw-bridge connecting the banks of the river Amstel. It opens every twenty minutes to allow boats through.
Oude Kerk - This old church is located in the Red Light District. Its Renaissance octagonal bell tower was used by sailors to get bearings.
Dam square - The Dam is at the heart of Amsterdam. It was Napoleon’s headquarters during the invasion of 1808. The Square’s history is documented in the Amsterdam Historical Museum. The Royal Palace dominating the square was originally the town hall.
Jordaan - This former working-class area is now very trendy, and inhabited by a colourful mixture of students, businessmen and “creative professionals”.
Rembrandtplein - Rembrandtplein is lined with pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels and is a tourist magnet. Around the area you’ll find quality night clubs, gay venues, diamond dealers and souvenir shops.
Albert Cuyp market - The Albert Cuypmarkt is probably the best and busiest outdoor market in Europe. It attracts thousands of visitors every day, and is especially popular on Saturdays.
Artis Zoo - The oldest Zoo of Holland consists of four main areas: Zoo, Planetarium, Botanical Gardens and Geological and Zoological museum.
Vondelpark - The Vondelpark is located in the south of Amsterdam, just five minutes’ walk from the Leidseplein and in walking distance of the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum. With 10 million visitors a year, the Vondelpark is the most famous park in the Netherlands.
Hortus Botanicus - Amsterdam has a big and attractive botanical garden called Hortus Botanicus, one of the oldest in the world (est. 1632), housing more than 6000 plants.
Eating & Drinking - French, Italian, Asian, and Mexican cuisines are much in evidence, and there are scores of tapas bars. The Jordaan is the best place to find good, inexpensive food, but there are new places springing up all the time. The Zeedijk in the Red Light District is the place to go for Chinese food.
Accommodation
There is every conceivable type of accommodation here, but it’s best to book months in advance, as they all fill up quickly especially in summer. The Red Light District is fun for a night or two but you probably won’t want to sleep here. At the other extreme are the landmarks hotels: historic hotels such as Hotel Krasnapolsky and the Amstel Hotel, whilst more modern ones include the Amsterdam Hilton and Okura Amsterdam, and there are a number of other five-star hotels in the city.
