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In
the city that has it all, deciding what to do can be tricky, so
we’ve done all the groundwork for you. We have steered clear
of the really obvious things like hiring a bike, taking a canal
tour and touring the Red Light district… so here are some
of Amsterdam’s other top attractions. By Jo Holden.
1 CULTURE FIX
You either love them or hate them, but with so many to choose from,
there has to be a museum here for you somewhere. The Rijksmuseum
(Stadhouderskade 42 www.rijksmuseum.nl)
is a vast building where you could easily spend a whole day, housing
Dutch Masters, such as Vermeer’s The Kitchen Maid and Rembrandt’s
Night Watch. Anne Frank Huis (Prinsengracht 263, www.annefrank.nl)
was former home of Anne Frank, probably one of history’s most
famous Jews. Don’t be put off by the long queue, it goes down
fairly quickly and once inside you’ll experience first-hand
the conditions she and her family were forced to live in for two
years, as they hid from the Nazis – a sobering thought. If
all of this sounds far too cultural for you, try the Kattenkabinet,
or Cat Cabinet (Herengracht 626), apparently the world’s only
cat museum; or go to the Torture Museum (Singel 449) or the Heineken
Experience, above, (Stadhouderskade 78), where you’ll be treated
to free beer.
2 CHILL OUT AT NEMO
When the sun’s shining, there’s nowhere quite like NEMO
to relax while you catch some rays. Designed by famous architect
Renzo Piano and home to Amsterdam’s Science and Technology
Centre (for when it’s raining), in the summer months the “deck”
of the huge green “ship” turns into an outdoor terrace.
This comes complete with big beanbags, DJs playing chilled tunes,
table service, tapas-style snacks and a mini-beach. Could it get
much better? Oh yes it could – there’s amazing views
of the city too. Oosterdok 2, www.e-nemo.nl.
3 GET HIGH IN A COFFEE SHOP
Smoking cannabis isn’t legal in Amsterdam, but it has been
decriminalised, which means you can walk into any coffee shop and
buy up to five grams per visit. You’ll find a menu at the
bar with descriptions like, “nicely stoned” and “psychedelic
high”, handy if you don’t want to end up passing out
after one toke. Staff are always happy to advise you, so don’t
be afraid to tell them exactly what you’re after. Space cakes
and shakes are also offered by many places – a good alternative
to joints, but they take a while to kick in, so be patient! Kadinsky
(Rosmarijnsteeg 9) sells tasty space cakes (chocolate and vanilla)
and has a fairly good menu, but if you want real quality –
locals say the best in town – head to Katsu (Eerste Van Der
Helststraat 70) in the Pijp. De Dampkring (Handboogstraat 29) is
a cool hangout with a varied menu, serving beer, herbal tea and
good coffee. If you can handle the stroppy service, Barney’s
(Haarlemmerstraat 102) is a great stop-off for a morning spliff
and delicious breakfast. And don’t forget, you can go into
any coffee shop for just coffee!
4 BE A VIP AT THE TUSCHINSKI CINEMA
Situated on the not-so-beautiful
Reguilerbreestraat, the Pathé Tuschinski is an amazing feat
of Art Deco elegance. Designed by a Polish Jew, Abraham Tuschinski,
who bought a building in the Devil’s Corner of the city, once
renowned for its slums, the cinema opened in 1921 and is a popular
spot for sightseers and film buffs. The interior is awe- inspiring,
and catching a film here is highly recommended. Make the most of
it by splashing out on a VIP ticket – complete with finger
buffet, as much champagne (well, cava) and beer as you can drink
and a seat in the best part of the cinema. If there’s a big
group of you, go for the private box for a truly memorable night
at the flicks. www.pathe.nl.
5 HANG OUT IN THE JORDAAN
With its maze of narrow streets, 17th-century canal houses, rich
history, listed buildings, quirky boutiques and bars, the Jordaan
is one of Amsterdam’s most popular areas – not just
with the artists and designers who frequent the district, but with
people wanting to experience a true piece of Amsterdam. In the Nine
Lanes you can buy anything from 1940s cocktail glasses and retro
memorabilia to fine wines, home interiors and funky clothes. Noordermarkt
is a lively square, hosting weekly flea and organic farmer’s
markets, surrounded by bars and cafés where visitors can
kick back and watch weird and wonderful Amsterdammers at work and
play. The district is in the west of the city and is bordered by
Lijnbaansgracht on one side and Prinsengracht on the other.
6 SEE A GIG
It’s not often you can get so close to bands like The
Streets, The Roots, Jools Holland, Jurrasic Five, Willie
Nelson and Supergrass. But at the Paradiso (Weteringschans 6-8,
www.paradiso.nl)
and De
Melkweg (Lijnbaansgracht 234, www.melkweg.nl),
you can get tickets to some of the best acts around. After the gig
there’s usually a club night which goes on until 4am. The
Paradiso is undergoing some modernisation at the moment, but don’t
let that put you off. Anyone who’s hungry should try out De
Melkweg’s café/restaurant, called Eat at Joe’s.
It serves tasty home-cooked meals and has a good selection of salads
and vegetarian options. Look on the websites for up-and- coming
gigs, or enquire at the AUB (Leidseplein 26, www.uitlijn.nl),
Amsterdam’s main box office.
7 DISCOVER KNSM EILAND
Modern, hip and in stark contrast to the quaint canal houses the
city is famed for, carry on past Centraal Station and NEMO until
you get to the Brouwerij ‘t IJ (Funenkade 7). Stop off here
for a beer, brewed on the premises of one of Amsterdam’s few
remaining windmills, before continuing your journey. Take a left,
keep going and you’ll eventually find yourself on KNSM island
(after passing some nasty looking squats). Cafés and restaurants
line the water’s edge, and there are some painfully cool –
and expensive – shops to browse on KNSM-laan, including Pol’s
Potten, Pilat & Pilat and Keet in Huis. Alternatively, thrash
it out at AMP, a rehearsal and recording studio, also host to up-and-coming
bands.
8 SAMPLE SOME DUTCH DELICACIES
You can find just about any type of cuisine in Amsterdam; from Indonesian,
French and Surinamese to Turkish, Spanish or Ethiopian. But if it’s
real Dutch food you’re after, order a plate of borrelhapjes
(bar snacks) and expect to get lumps of cheese, olives, bitterballen
(deep fried balls coated in breadcrumbs, served with a mustard dip),
kroketten (deep fried meat or cheese croquettes) and raw slices
of meat – not such a good option for the veggies amongst you!
Raw herring is another delicacy, otherwise known as the poor man’s
oyster. If you can’t face eating it whole – which is
how the Dutch eat it – have it in a soft roll with diced onions
and gherkin. If you’ve still got room, there’s pancakes,
Belgian-style frites, genever (Dutch gin), and, of course, the coffee.
If you’re desperate, pop into FEBO, Holland’s answer
to McDonalds, where food is served from coin-operated glass compartments.
A very strange concept. For more sophisticated surroundings, ’t
Fornuis (Utrechtsestraat 33) and the Groene Lantaarn (Bloemgracht
47) serve good quality Dutch cuisine in authentic surroundings.
9 TAKE A TRIP OUT OF TOWN
Cycle
20 minutes along the mighty Amstel, to the south of the city centre,
and find yourself surrounded by country estates, rolling green fields,
families posing on boats of all shapes and sizes, and Dutch countryside
that could easily have featured in one of Rembrandt’s paintings.
A good halfway stop is the windmill where a vendor sells delicious
Italian ice cream. Keep going and you’ll get to Ouderkerk-aan-de-Amstel,
a beautiful little village named after the reformed church founded
in the area in AD 1,000. One of the oldest villages in the region,
it is home to St Urbanus Church, built by PJH Cuypers, the same
genius behind Centraal Station and the Rijksmuseum. Make the most
of a laid- back lunch in one of the restaurants here and find yourself
transported back to a bygone era when everyone enjoyed the good
life.
10 GO TO VONDELPARK
Walk five minutes away from Leidseplein and you’ll find yourself
in Vondelpark – Amsterdam’s most popular green space.
Opened in 1865 and designed by playwright Joost van den Vondel,
the park was modelled on a 19th-century romantic English garden.
Hippies used to hang out here in the 70s, and today it’s still
home to a few stragglers who mix with locals, in-line skaters, families,
poseurs, couples, fitness freaks, visitors, just about anyone. Hire
some in-line skates from Rent A Skate at the top end of the park
and go on a Friday Night Skate, where the city takes on a different
perspective. There’s an open-air cinema outside the Filmmuseum
throughout the summer and Café Vertigo complements this with
a beautiful outdoor terrace serving food all day. Het Blauwe Theehuis
also has a popular terrace and is the place to be if you want to
treat yourself to some alfresco tapas and a cold beer.
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