© Lonely Planet Publications

CO NTE NT S
INTRODUCING Western Canal Belt 145
AMSTERDAM 2 Southern Canal Belt 148
Old South 152
HIGHLIGHTS 4
Vondelpark & Around 152
THE AUTHOR 15 De Pijp 153
Plantage, Eastern Islands
GETTING STARTED 16 & Eastern Docklands 153
When to Go 16
Outer Districts 154
Costs & Money 20
Internet Resources 20 EATING 155
Sustainable Amsterdam 21 City Centre 158
Jordaan 161
BACKGROUND 22
Western Canal Belt 163
History 22
Southern Canal Belt 166
Culture 30
Old South 170
Arts 32
Vondelpark & Around 170
Environment & Planning 42
De Pijp 171
Government & Politics 44
Plantage, Eastern Islands
Architecture 45 & Eastern Docklands 173
Media 53 Oosterpark & Around 174
Language 53 Outer Districts 175

NEIGHBOURHOODS 55 DRINKING &

Itinerary Builder 60 SMOKING 177
City Centre 61 City Centre 180
Jordaan 84 Jordaan 185
Western Canal Belt 91 Western Canal Belt 187
Southern Canal Belt 98 Southern Canal Belt 189
Old South 109 Old South 191
Vondelpark & Around 115 Vondelpark & Around 192
De Pijp 118 De Pijp 192
Plantage, Eastern Islands Plantage, Eastern Islands
& Eastern Docklands 121 & Eastern Docklands 192
Oosterpark & Around 128 Oosterpark & Around 194
Outer Districts 130
Further Afield 132 NIGHTLIFE & THE
ARTS 195
SHOPPING 135 Clubbing 196
City Centre 137 Rock, Jazz & Blues 197
Jordaan 142 World Music 198
Continued from previous page. Oosterpark & Around 224
Outer Districts 224
Classical Music 199
Cinema 200 DAY TRIPS 225
Comedy 201 Haarlem 228
Theatre, Dance & Spoken Leiden 231
Word 201 Utrecht 233
Alkmaar 236
GAY & LESBIAN
AMSTERDAM 203 Zaanse Schans 237
Shopping 204 Aalsmeer 238
Drinking & Nightlife 204
TRANSPORT 239
Sleeping 207
Further Resources 207 DIRECTORY 244

SLEEPING 209 LANGUAGE 258

City Centre 212
Jordaan 214 BEHIND THE
Western Canal Belt 215 SCENES 262
Southern Canal Belt 217
INDEX 265
Old South 219
Vondelpark & Around 220 WORLD TIME
De Pijp 222 ZONES 275
Plantage, Eastern Islands
& Eastern Docklands 222 MAP LEGEND 276
 © Lonely Planet Publications

I NTRO DUCI N G AMSTE R DAM AMSTERDAM LIFE

Scene: a café terrace near the Spui. Our friend Wim, the graphic designer, has just signed up for
a fancy new flat in Amsterdam-Noord, and despite the snickers around the table (‘Noord’s sooo
downmarket!’) he’s in the mood to celebrate. The Dutch economy is purring, and Wim has taken
an interest-free mortgage with plans to resell in a few years. As do most people here tonight, but
no-one says so – talking personal finances is in bad taste. But everyone agrees that long before
it’s finished, the new Metro line is already boosting real estate across the city.
Somebody lights a cigarette, and barkeeper Jan brings by a clean ashtray, saying enjoy it while
it lasts. He’s referring to the new smoking ban in cafés and restaurants, due to come into force
in the summer of 2008. Cheer up, says Joke (her real name, pronounced yo-ke), dabbing her
bitterballen in the mustard, people will always come to watch football. On the bar TV, there’s
AT5 sports news, with Real Madrid’s plans to buy yet another Dutch player from either Ajax or
Feyenoord; later Jan will switch over to Golden Cage II, the hit reality show.
Barbara, the media consultant, clothes designer and all-round multitasker, has only just arrived,
THIS IMAGE trains from Utrecht being delayed again. She opens her laptop to hotspot her email, and the screen
lights up her blouse composed of little CCTV logos, something she threw together for a club theme
NOT AVAILABLE night. She has another one showing Bokito the ape in police uniform, baton at the ready under a
IN PICK & MIX Zeedijk sign. Why don’t you do a shirt about Geert Wilders? asks Chris, the American fashion photo-
grapher over here for International Fashion Week. After all, he’s the politician Amsterdammers
spend most time worrying about. Wilders of the PVV party has just called, again, for the Koran to
be banned in the Netherlands. Most people don’t agree but his remarks grab the headlines.
Did you hear taxes for the Waterstaat (water and dam ministry) are going up, Wim complains.
The government needs to spend more on the dykes, to soothe global warming fears. Chris grum-
bles they should be spending more on catching those supposed ‘ethnic foreigners’ from the news
reports who beat up gays. It’s giving Amsterdam and foreigners a bad rap. And how dare the
mayor forbid gay events during major football games, in the name of conflict prevention!
By now it’s early evening; this grand café is phasing from after-work drinks to restaurant mode.
Where shall they go next? Café Danté? De Jaren? Nee, why not head over to the Nes; there’s a drama
festival on, the places will be hopping. A Dutch-American consensus is reached, and off they go.
The city is home to around 600,000 bicycles

You’re nursing a drink in a canal café when you hear

Bach. A man with a wild hairdo is playing organ and
trumpet on a nutshell of a boat, while his feet do the
steering. Only in Amsterdam…
… and back by popular demand. After a few years’ pout, this beautiful city has found its old
self – quirky, creative and open-minded. Yet beneath the self-assured exterior, mental notes
are everywhere. Not long ago the Netherlands swung towards the right, with crackdowns on
immigration, religious freedom and red-light districts. Even in freewheeling Amsterdam, people THIS IMAGE
were asking themselves: is too much tolerance a bad thing? NOT AVAILABLE
You can breath easy: the soul-searching is over. The core values of Dutch society that we
knew and loved have emerged intact. Newcomers who integrate are welcome; practising a faith
IN PICK & MIX
is OK, as is the right to turn away from it. You like reefer madness? Fine, let’s hit a coffeeshop.
A studded jockstrap for skate night? No problem, that’s crazy enough. Tolerance hasn’t gone
out of fashion, it’s just had a makeover.
The city’s gorgeous looks haven’t faded either. The moments you spend ogling the old mer-
chants’ villas, the Jordaan’s charming lanes or the lush Vondelpark are as magical now as in
centuries past. The cafés are full, the museums are littered with Golden Age art and everyone
still parties like there’s no tomorrow. Amsterdam is a delight to visit any time of year, but it’s
hard to trump Queen’s Day, the world’s biggest party-cum–garage sale. In summer there’s an
endless parade of festivals and events such as the Holland Festival, the Roots Music Festival and
the outrageous Gay Pride parade, as well as delightful concerts on canal stages.
This city is too relaxed to stop being fun. To join in, all you need to pack is a few days’ attitude. Amsterdam’s signature flower
2 3
 KONINGINNEDAG (QUEEN’S DAY) NATIONAL WINDMILL DAY

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G E T TI N G STAR TE D www.koninginnedagamsterdam.nl
Celebrated on 30 April – actually the
Held on the second Saturday in May, 600
windmills throughout the country unfurl
birthday of Juliana, mother of the current their sails and welcome the public into
Queen Beatrix – Queen’s Day is an uproari- their innards.
Amsterdam is so incredibly well organised that you won’t need to plan ahead (much). Get- ous madhouse and highlight of the annual
ting there is a cinch, the handsome canal-laced centre is compact and easy to explore, and calendar. A ‘free market’ is held throughout NATIONAL CYCLING DAY
regardless of the season there’ll be oodles of things to do. The city is extremely popular with the city, meaning anyone can sell anything Held in mid- to late May, and includes
visitors, so booking accommodation is likely to be your most demanding task. A key thing to they like, and the vast terrain of sidewalks family cycling trips along special routes.
bear in mind: while it’s possible to ‘do’ the Dutch capital on a busker’s income, you’ll breathe (staked out by vendors well ahead of time)
easier with a medium-sized wallet. becomes a comical open-air showroom of PINKPOP
items ranging from precious heirlooms to
www.pinkpop.nl
WHEN TO GO ELFSTEDENTOCHT (ELEVEN CITIES’
JOURNEY)
outright junk. Grab your orange wig and
suspenders and hang on tight for musical
This three-day outdoor rock festival held
GETTING STARTED WHEN TO GO

GETTING STARTED WHEN TO GO

Try as you will, there’s not really a bad time www.elfstedentocht.nl around Pentecost (May/June) takes place
revelry, rivers of beer and about two near Landgraaf, about 135km southeast
to visit Amsterdam. In any given month the If it’s cold enough for long enough, this million happy visitors. And expect to walk
festivals and celebrations will keep you going 200km skating marathon through the of Amsterdam. Past events have featured
a lot, as the streets are too packed for the bands such as the Smashing Pumpkins and
nonstop, and in a rare lull there are plenty of northern province of Friesland draws buses and trams to run. the Arctic Monkeys.
museums and exhibitions to hold your inter- thousands of participants. This marathon
est. When the weather warms up, Amster- is now such a rare event that its mere
dammers rejoice by flocking into the streets, WORLD BOOK CAPITAL
canals and parks, and cafés happily move their
announcement creates a buzz around the
www.amsterdamwereldboekenstad.nl June
country. HOLLAND FESTIVAL
seating outdoors. As Unesco’s World Book Capital of the year,
The summer agenda teems with open-air Amsterdam plays host to a gaggle of liter- www.holndfstvl.nl
concerts, theatre and festivals, often free. The February ary events such as exhibitions, a children’s For all of June the country’s biggest music,
party to end all orange parties is Queen’s Day CARNAVAL parade and readings by famous authors in drama and dance extravaganza practically
on 30 April, an unforgettable experience. crowded bookshops. From 23 April 2008 takes over Amsterdam. Highbrow and
www.carnaval.in.nl
Major cultural events include the Holland through to 22 April 2009. pretentious meet lowbrow and silly.
Enjoyed with extreme gusto in southern
Festival and Roots Music Festival in June, Holland, Carnaval is a Catholic tradition
Julidans in July and the Uitmarkt in August. that goes down well with Amsterdammers WORLD PRESS PHOTO VONDELPARK OPEN-AIR THEATRE
Outdoors enthusiasts will want to take in Na- who happen to like partying in silly www.worldpressphoto.org www.openluchttheater.nl
tional Cycling Day or one of the road races costumes. Pictures shot by the best photojournalists A popular Amsterdam tradition featuring
throughout the year. on the planet, on display at the Oude Kerk classical music, dance, musical theatre, caba-
A few of the events listed in the following from late April till early June. ret and children’s shows in a wonderful park
section are out of town but are worth the trip. COMMEMORATION OF THE setting. Early June through to mid-August.
See p246 for a list of public holidays – when the FEBRUARY STRIKE
city has a tendency to shut down. Accommo- Held on 25 February, wreaths are laid at May OPEN GARDEN DAYS
dation is cheapest from November to Decem- the Dockworker monument in the former REMEMBRANCE DAY
Jewish quarter, in memory of the 1941 www.opentuinendagen.nl
ber, and can fall to ludicrously low levels in Held on 4 May for the victims of WWII. On the third weekend in June, the public
the bigger hotels in January and February. general strike against the Nazis. Queen Beatrix lays a wreath at the Nationaal has a unique opportunity to view some 30
Monument on the Dam and the city ob- gardens of private homes and institutions
FESTIVALS & EVENTS March serves two minutes’ silence at 8pm. along the canals.
The annual calendar is a never-ending proces- STILLE OMGANG (SILENT
sion of parties, exhibitions, concerts, festivals, PROCESSION) LIBERATION DAY ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
sports challenges and other events almost On the Sunday closest to 15 March, The end of German occupation in 1945 is www.amsterdamroots.nl
without let-up during the entire year. Things Catholics walk along the Holy Way (the commemorated with speeches, concerts A lively, week-long extravaganza of world
slow down a little after New Year’s as the city street ‘Heiligeweg’ is a remnant) to com- and street parties on 5 May. The Vondel- music, theatre, dance and film held at the
nurses its collective head. memorate the Miracle of Amsterdam (see park is a good place to be. Tropenmuseum, Concertgebouw and other
the boxed text, p73). key venues in late June.
LUILAK (‘LAZY-BONES’)
January In the early hours on the Saturday before PARKPOP
JUMPING AMSTERDAM April Whit Sunday, children go around ringing www.parkpop.nl
www.jumpingamsterdam.nl NATIONAL MUSEUM WEEKEND door bells, making noise and waking up Europe’s largest free pop festival is also one
One of the top equestrian sports events in Usually held on the second weekend of people who haven’t bought earplugs. Luilak of its best organised and, with crowds of up
Europe, held at the RAI (p131) convention April, with free entry to all museums and is a hold-over from a pre-Christian festival to 200,000 partying fans, it needs to be. Last
centre in late January. the crowds to match. celebrating the awakening of spring. Sunday in June, at Den Haag’s Zuiderpark.

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INTERNATIONAL THEATRE SCHOOL during the last 10 days of the month; it

lonelyplanet.com
FESTIVAL takes place on Museumplein and in the SINTERKLAAS
www.itsfestival.nl Westergasfabriek.
Every year on 6 December, the Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas in honour of St Nicholas (Klaas is a nickname for Nicholas,
For 10 days around the end of the month, or Nicolaas in Dutch). Historically St Nicholas was the bishop of Myra in western Turkey around AD 345, but he’s better
Dutch and international drama students
strut their stuff. August known as the patron saint of children, sailors, merchants and pawnbrokers – not to mention the city of Amsterdam.
AMSTERDAM PRIDE FESTIVAL In mid- to late November the white-bearded saint, dressed as a bishop with mitre and staff, arrives in Amsterdam
by steamboat from ‘Spain’ and parades down the Damrak on horseback to receive the city keys from the mayor. He
www.weareproud.nl
July The rainbow flag blankets Amsterdam the
is accompanied by a host of mischievous servants called Zwarte Pieten (Black Peters), Dutch helpers in blackface (or
politically correct blue- or greenface) who throw sweets around and carry sacks in which to take naughty children away.
JAZZ OP HET DAK first weekend of the month, with oodles
Well-behaved children get presents in a shoe that they’ve placed by the fireplace with a carrot for the saint’s horse (which
www.e-nemo.nl of parties and special events. The climax,
stays on the roof while a Black Peter climbs down the chimney).
High-flying concerts pull big talent to the the Gay Pride Parade, is the world’s only
On the evening of 5 December, people give one another anonymous and creatively wrapped gifts accompanied by
sloping roof of the NEMO museum (p69). waterborne spectacle of its flesh-bearing
funny or perceptive poems about the recipient written by Sinterklaas. The gift itself matters less than the wrapping (the
First weekend of July. kind.
GETTING STARTED WHEN TO GO

GETTING STARTED WHEN TO GO

greater the surprise, the better) and poetry (the more the recipient is put on the spot, the better).
The North American Santa Claus evolved from the Sinterklaas celebrations at the Dutch settlement of New Amster-
5 DAYS OFF PARADE dam, which eventually became New York.
www.5daysoff.nl www.mobilearts.nl
Electronic music festival with dance parties In the first half of the month, this old-
at the Melkweg, Paradiso and the Heineken time funfair and theatre festival at Martin September North–South metro line and a mysterious
passage directly beneath the IJ river tunnel.
Music Hall the first week of the month. Luther King Park is a magnet for small fry OPEN MONUMENTENDAG
and parents alike.
www.openmonumentendag.nl
OVER HET IJ FESTIVAL Registered historical buildings are thrown October
www.overhetij.nl DANCE VALLEY open to the public on the second weekend AMSTERDAM MARATHON
Large-scale theatre, music and fine arts do, www.dancevalley.nl of September. www.amsterdammarathon.nl
in off-beat venues at the NDSM shipyards Held mid-August on a fairground at Thousands of runners lope along the canals
in Amsterdam-Noord, for 10 days in early Spaarnwoude, near Amsterdam. Tens of JORDAAN FESTIVAL in this epic race that begins and ends at the
July. Always fresh and exciting. thousands groove in circus tents as celeb- Olympic Stadium. Held mid-month, with
www.jordaanfestival.nl
rity DJs spin their spells. The third weekend of September, with several types of runs.
JULIDANS music, amateur contests and other festivi-
www.julidans.nl GRACHTENFESTIVAL (CANAL ties around the Westerkerk and elsewhere
Renowned dance festival with influential FESTIVAL) in the charming Jordaan district. Hundreds November
choreographers. It draws some 20,000 www.grachtenfestival.nl of small boats take to the canals. MUSEUM NIGHT
visitors during the first half of July, all the This music festival delights with classi- www.n8.nl
more remarkable given it takes place at cal concerts around the Canal Belt in the Some 40 museums stay open late with live
DAM TOT DAMLOOP
small venues around town. second half of August. The Prinsengracht music, DJs and a liver-wilting array of after-
www.damloop.nl
Concert takes place on barges in front of This is a 16km foot-race between the Dam parties. First Saturday of the month.
NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL the Hotel Pulitzer. in Amsterdam and the Dam in Zaandam.
www.northseajazz.nl Expect up to 20,000 runners and many CANNABIS CUP
The world’s largest indoor jazz festival takes HARTJESDAGEN ZEEDIJK times that in spectators. Third Sunday of www.hightimes.com
place in Rotterdam’s renowned Ahoy com- www.zeedijk.nl the month. Hosted by High Times magazine, this far-
plex in mid-July. The performers’ list reads Held on the third Monday and the week- out festival doles out awards for the nicest
like a ‘who’s who’ of jazz, and many of the grass, biggest reefer and the best ‘pot co-
end before it, this festival, dating back ROBODOCK FESTIVAL
musicians play venues in Amsterdam as well. to medieval times, features street thea- median’. Held in mid-November, complete
www.robodock.org
tre, a transvestite parade and all kinds Powerhouse theatre and multimedia events with hemp expo and fashion show.
ROBECO SUMMER CONCERTS of costumed extroverts on Zeedijk and with a postindustrial flavour. Third week-
www.robecozomerconcerten.nl Nieuwmarkt. end of September. SINTERKLAAS PARADE
Annual showcase of classical concerts fea- St Nicholas arrives by boat from Spain in
turing up-and-coming talent and a spate of UITMARKT AMSTERDAM UNDERGROUND mid- to late November (see the boxed text,
events in the Concertgebouw (p199). www.uitmarkt.nl FESTIVAL above).
Mid-July through August. For the last weekend of August, local www.amsterdamunderground.nl
troupes and orchestras present their A four-day celebration of the subterra-
INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK forthcoming repertoires free of charge in nean city at the end of September, with December
www.amsterdamfashionweek.com the Eastern Docklands. It’s a bit like Kon- theatre, music, film, dance and art events. NEW YEAR’S EVE
The Netherlands’ top fashion event fea- inginnedag in April, but Uitmarkt is more Its sunken locations have included the Organised fireworks displays over the
tures catwalks, films and parties galore relaxed. interiors of bridges, a tunnelling site for the Amstel and elsewhere around town. The
18 19
lonelyplanet.com

Dutch are absolutely mad about pyro- As for food, you’ll find lots of cafés and

lonelyplanet.com
technics, making even the most informal restaurants with three- or four-course meals ADVANCE PLANNING
celebrations a spark-showering spectacle anywhere from €18 to €40, though most will
(try Nieuwmarkt). be around €25 to €35, and the bill can easily Before you head to Amsterdam, note that hotels book up fast in high season or around big events like trade fairs, so try
be more in swanky places. You can econo- to book your accommodation well ahead of time. The hotel-booking function at www.iamsterdam.com gives a quick
mise by taking your main meal at lunchtime, idea of availability on a certain date, although as with most online hotel services, not all places are listed.
COSTS & MONEY
The cost of living is about average for a
as €5 to €10 or so will buy a daily special and
a drink, and then having a snack for dinner.
Read the Amsterdam Weekly (www.amsterdamweekly.nl) to see what’s on in the way of festivals and special events.
You might also check the sked at the RAI convention centre (p131), which puts on interesting trade fairs. Football fans
Self-catering is an attractive option, as delis scan for matches of leading Dutch teams on www.soccerway.com. Apart from the events themselves, you’ll get clues
northern Europe city, but less expensive than about the crowd levels in town and the demand for hotel rooms.
London or Paris. If you’re coming from the and supermarket chains like Albert Heijn
stock sandwiches and prepared meals (see Be sure to check the weather reports and tailor your activities (eg rain = museums, sun = canal-hopping). Pack
UK, prices may look the same numerically layers of clothing and a raincoat, bearing in mind the Dutch weather is notoriously fickle and there can be chilly spells
but the exchange rate on the pound usually p158). A consolation is the reasonable price of
drinks in bars and cafés, though wine tends to even in summer.
makes Amsterdam a bargain. That said, it’s When planning to dine out it pays to reserve ahead in popular restaurants, sometimes several days ahead of time
disturbingly easy to spend more money than be overpriced in a land of beer-lovers.
GETTING STARTED COSTS & MONEY

GETTING STARTED SUSTAINABLE AMSTERDAM

Museums can be a drain on resources at (see p157). And last but not least, take a pair of earplugs to ensure a good night’s sleep.
you planned on, though with a few simple
measures you can stop the rot. about €10 a pop for the top exhibitions, but
Accommodation will likely be your major discounts are available – see p245 for discount www.amsterdamweekly.nl Good feature articles and aren’t expected to go overboard, your contri-
expense. Although budget lodging can be cards, special passes and packages. Remember catch-all listings. bution to a cleaner environment will be much
relatively inexpensive, you’ll pay dearly for that many of the summer festivals cost noth- www.bma.amsterdam.nl Amsterdam Heritage and its appreciated. You can start by keeping your
anything of quality. Booking package deals, ing to attend (see p16), and some cultural insti- historical buildings. ‘carbon footprint’ as small as possible (ie by
taking advantage of internet discounts and tutions offer free treats such as the lunchtime taking a low-emission train to your destina-
visiting in the low season can drastically cut concerts at the Concertgebouw (p199). www.expatica.com For expats and all those who strive to tion, or ride-sharing by car).
your hotel bill. Prices ease slightly in the Public transport is remarkably cheap, cost- be one. The petite city centre is tailor-made for bi-
budget and midrange brackets as you move ing from €0.90 per regular journey in the city www.iamsterdam.com Excellent site run by the city of cycles and foot traffic. Once you’re here there’s
away from the old centre, and though you’re centre using a strippenkaart or OV-chipkaart Amsterdam. little need for a car, which anyway is more a
slightly further away from the action, the (see p243), and bicycle rental will only set you www.iens.nl Top dining-out pages with ratings and reviews. curse than a blessing in the quaint but peren-
standard of facilities tends to go up. back €7 to €10 per day. If you’re looking nially clogged lanes of the Canal Belt. The
The majority of hostels charge around €20 to save money, avoid taxis! Fares vary but www.panoramsterdam.com For 360-degree views of
your favourite city. efficient web of bus, tram and metro lines is a
to €25 for a bed, though at rock-bottom you are generally €3.40 at the drop and another much better option and feeds seamlessly into
can find digs from around €17. Budget hotels €1.94 per kilometre, and the total bill mounts www.startamsterdam.com Link-rich site for art, culture the national transportat system. Amsterdam’s
charge around €55 to €80 for a basic double. quickly. Petrol (gasoline) is among the priciest and places of interest. long-standing policy of curbing motor-vehicle
A room in a midrange hotel or B&B goes for in Europe at around €1.40 per litre of un- www.underwateramsterdam.com Alternative listings, use reduces not only congestion, but air pollu-
€80 to €160 for a standard double, with the leaded but, then again, you’ll hardly need a with a bit of everything. tion (electric cargo trams are being launched
average somewhere around €125. For a flashy car once you’re in Amsterdam. in 2008 for the very same reason).
boutique or luxury hotel, expect to pay from To sum up, budget travellers staying in hos- Most glass bottles carry a deposit, return-
€160, though things start to get really comfy
around €200 (see also p211).
tels or cheap hotels, eating in modest restau-
rants and visiting a museum or two should be
SUSTAINABLE able to supermarkets for a refund. Disposable
bottles (both glass and plastic) can be depos-
able to scrape by on €40 to €60 a day. Staying
in midrange hotels and eating in midrange AMSTERDAM
Amsterdammers are acutely aware of the
ited into bottle banks located around town.
Recyclable paper containers are becoming
restaurants equates to €80 to €100 a person
HOW MUCH? per day in peak season. From around €150 per strains on their fair city, and though visitors more common too (see p43).
Litre of bottled water: €0.57 day, you can stay in four- and five-star hotels,
dine at fancy restaurants and hire a private
Litre of unleaded petrol/gasoline: €1.40
boat, provided a few others chip in.
Glass of Heineken: €2
Kroket sandwich at van Dobben: €2
One hour of parking: €3.50 INTERNET RESOURCES
Amsterdam is a pretty switched-on place and
Strippenkaart (15-strip ticket for public the web, eureka, is a fertile source of informa-
transport): €6.80 tion. Here’s a selection of relevant sites, some
Cinema ticket: €8 for practical planning, others for feeding your
Robust bicycle lock: €13 head.
Rijsttafel dinner at Tujuh Maret Indonesian http://homepage.mac.com/schuffelen Dutch pronuncia-
restaurant: €23.50 tion (MP3s to download).
Tip in a public toilet: €0.50 www.amsterdamtourist.nl The tourist board’s answer to
iamsterdam.com.

20 21
 TH E AUTH O R
Jeremy Gray poking round the interesting shops nearby.
The organic stalls are open at the lovely Noor-
Born in Louisiana of
English parents, Jer- dermarkt, so I can pick up kitchen herbs, ripe
emy went to univer- Gouda and a bosje (bunch) of flowers; all go
sity in Texas and has in the bicycle basket. Got bread and some
since lived in Britain, osseworst as well so I phone the sweetie and
Germany and the meet in the Vondelpark for an impromptu
Netherlands. When picnic. In the afternoon we check out a
he first visited Am- photo exhibition at FOAM. Then it’s off to
sterdam in 1998, it the shop Concerto to pick up a CD, followed
immediately felt like by a biertje at a café in the Utrechtsestraat
home, so he upped where we end up staying for dinner. A concert
and moved to a flat in the Eastern Islands. at club Paradiso, followed by a cocktail at a
Soon Jeremy was lingering with the locals in bar-nightclub near Leidseplein, rounds off
brown cafés, bumping on his bike along the an ideal day in the canal city.
canals and toe-tapping to jazz at the Bimhuis.
He admires the Dutch for their bubbly gezel-
ligheid, spontaneity and openness – and
PHOTOGRAPHER
fondly recalls how a near-stranger revealed Will Salter
that she was the test-tube child of his land- In the last 12 years, Will has worked on as-
lord’s girlfriend’s father. The only Calvinist signment in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia,
finger-wag came from his barber, for not Europe, Antarctica and the Pacific. He has
supporting the local pub. Jeremy now lives produced a body of award-winning work
in Berlin, where he divides his time between that includes evocative images of travel,
travel writing, photography and documentary portraits and sport. He sees photography
film. He returns to Amsterdam as often as as a privilege, a rare opportunity to become
possible just to see gorgeous canals. You can intimately involved in people’s lives. Will is
find more of his work at www.jeremyjgray based in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife
.com. and two children.

JEREMY’S TOP AMSTERDAM DAY

There’s no beating an early stroll when the
old merchants’ homes of the Canal Belt glow
softly in the morning light. First stop is a café
in the Negen Straatjes district, to say dag to
the owner and catch up on the papers before

LONELY PLANET AUTHORS

Why is our travel information the best in the world?
It’s simple: our authors are independent, dedicated
travellers. They don’t research using just the internet
or phone, and they don’t take freebies in exchange
for positive coverage. They travel widely, to all the
popular spots and off the beaten track. They person-
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14 15
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0 50 km
DUTCH REPUBLIC c 1610
BACKG RO U N D 0 30 miles

Leeuwarden

HISTORY 1847
Afsluitdijk
(1932)
FRIESLAND
Groningen

DRENTE
FROM THE BEGINNING 1599
1930
Originally, the region that spawned a giant trading community was an inhospitable patchwork

D
of lakes, swamps and peat, at or below sea level; its contours shifted with the autumn storms Enkhuizen

A N
1631
Alkmaar
and floods. The oldest archaeological finds here date from Roman times, when the IJ river lay NORTH SEA Hoorn
1612
1635 Zwolle
along the northern border of the Roman Empire. Too busy elsewhere, and no doubt put off by Zuiderzee

L
Haarlem
the mushy conditions, the Romans left practically no evidence of settlement. 1852 Het IJ

L
Amsterdam OVERIJSSEL
Isolated farming communities tamed the marshlands with ditches and dykes. Between

O
H
1150 and 1300 the south bank of the IJ was dyked from the Zuiderzee westwards to Haarlem. Leiden
Utrecht
Den Haag GELDERLAND
Around 1200, a fishing community known as Aemstelredamme – ‘the dam built across the UTRECHT
Delft
Amstel’ – emerged at what is now the Dam. On 27 October 1275, the count of Holland waived Rotterdam
Dordrecht
tolls for those who lived around the Amstel dam, allowing locals to pass the locks and bridges 1635 – Year of land creation (polder)
of Holland free of charge, and the town of Amsterdam was born.

Rh
ZEELAND
BACKGROUND HISTORY

BACKGROUND HISTORY
in
e
Middelburg Breda

EARLY TRADE BRABANT

Farming was tricky on the marshland, and with the sea on the doorstep, early residents turned
to fishing. But it was commercial trade that would put Holland on the map. While powerful t
Antwerp
ld
city-states focused on overland trade with Flanders and northern Italy, Amsterdam levelled its Ghent he
Sc SPANISH
sights on the maritime routes. The big prizes were the North and Baltic seas, in the backyard NETHERLANDS Cologne
of the powerful Hanseatic League, a group of German trading cities. FLANDERS Brussels
Maastricht

Ignoring the league, Amsterdam’s clever vrijbuiters (booty-chasers) sailed right into the
Baltic, their holds full of cloth and salt to exchange for grain and timber. It was nothing short The Protestantism that took hold in the Low Countries was its most radically moralistic
of a coup. By the late 1400s, nearly two-thirds of ships sailing to and from the Baltic Sea were stream, known as Calvinism. It stressed the might of God and treated humans as sinful creatures
from Holland, mostly based in Amsterdam. whose duty in life was sobriety and hard work. The Calvinists stood for local decision-making –
Already strained to capacity, the original harbour on the Damrak and Rokin was extended north a sign of things to come in Dutch ‘polder’ society – and had a disdain for the top-down hier-
into the IJ river, near what is now Centraal Station. Canals were dug to the warehouses in today’s archy of the Catholic Church.
Medieval Centre. By this time sailors, merchants, artisans and opportunists from the Low Countries Calvinism was a key to the struggle for independence from King Philip II of Spain. Philip, a
(roughly present-day Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) made their living here. fanatically devout Catholic, had acquired the Low Countries in something of a horse trade with
At the time, Amsterdam was unfettered by the key structures of other European societies. Austria. His efforts to introduce the Spanish Inquisition, centralise government and levy taxes
With no tradition of Church-sanctioned feudal relationships, no distinction between nobility and enraged his subjects and, even worse, awoke a sense of national pride. After 80 years of rebellion,
serfs, and hardly any taxation, a society of individualism and capitalism slowly took root. the Spanish finally threw in the towel and signed the Peace Treaty of Westphalia in 1648.
With mighty Amsterdam on their side, the seven northern provinces declared themselves
to be an independent republic, led by William the Silent, the seed that grew into today’s royal
INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC family. (He was dubbed ‘the Silent’ because he wisely refused to enter into religious debate.)
More than being about religion, the Protestant Reformation was also a classic power struggle The Seven United Provinces became known to the outside world as the Dutch Republic – or
between the ‘new money’, an emerging class of merchants and artisans, and the ‘old money’, simply ‘Holland’ because that province dominated. Within Holland, Amsterdam towered over
the land-owning, aristocratic order sanctioned by the established Catholic Church. all the other cities put together.

1150–1300 1220 1275 1380 1452 1519

Dams are built to retain the IJ river A barrier dubbed ‘the Dam’ is built at the Amsterdam is founded after the count of Canals of the present-day Medieval Centre Fire devours the timber frames and thatch Spain’s Charles V is crowned Holy Roman
between the Zuiderzee and Haarlem. A tiny mouth of the Amstel river to control the Holland grants toll-free status to residents are dug. Amsterdam flourishes, winning of central Amsterdam. New building laws Emperor. Treaties and dynastic marriages
community of herring fishermen settles on tidal waters of the Zuiderzee. along the Amstel. The city gains its first di- control over the sea trade in Scandinavia decree that only brick and tile be used make Amsterdam part of the Spanish
the banks of the Amstel river. rect access to the ocean via the Zuiderzee, and later gaining free access to the Baltic, in future. empire, with Catholicism the main faith.
now the IJsselmeer. breaking the Hansa monopoly. Protestants are tolerated in Amsterdam.

22 23
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GOLDEN AGE (1580–1700)

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0 1 km
17TH-CENTURY AMSTERDAM 0 0.5 miles

Amsterdam grew rapidly. In the 1580s, land was reclaimed from the IJ and Amstel to create
the present Nieuwmarkt district. Two decades later, work began on the Canal Belt that more
than tripled the city’s area.
By 1600, Dutch ships controlled the sea trade between England, France, Spain and the Baltic,
and had a virtual monopoly on North Sea fishing and Arctic whaling. Jewish refugees taught City around 1500
Western Volewyck
Dutch mariners about trade routes, giving rise to the legendary United East India and West Islands additions to 1520
India Companies. Tiny Holland burned brightly; for a while it ran rings around the fleets of
additions to 1613
great powers, which were too slow or cumbersome to react.
Amsterdam’s fortunes rose when Antwerp, its major trading rival in the Low Countries, Het IJ additions 1613-25

was retaken by the Spaniards. Half the population of Antwerp fled, and merchants, skippers additions 1625-1700
and artisans flocked to Amsterdam, bringing entire industries with them such as printing and
silk-weaving. Persecuted Jews were welcomed from Portugal and Spain, and Germany proved
a ready source of sailors and labourers. Later, a second wave of Jews arrived from Central and

k
ra
m
Eastern Europe, as well as persecuted Huguenots from France. In the absence of an overriding

Da
Jordaan
religion, ethnic background or political entity, money reigned supreme. Medieval
Dam City
By 1620, Dutch traders were exploring the far corners of the earth. They rounded the tip Eastern Islands

Rokin
of South America, naming it Cape Horn after the city of Hoorn, north of Amsterdam. They
expelled the Portuguese from the Moluccas, also known as the Spice Islands, in present-day
Indonesia, and set up outposts in the Pacific and Americas. By 1641 the Dutch had taken control
BACKGROUND HISTORY

BACKGROUND HISTORY
of Formosa and garnered sole trading rights with Japan.
Their good luck continued, and in 1652, Dutch sailors captured the Cape of Good Hope
and booted the Portuguese out of Ceylon soon after. They also explored the coastlines of New
Zealand, named after the Dutch province of Zeeland and New Holland (now Australia), but Southern Canal Belt
found nothing of value there.
By this point the Dutch had more seagoing merchant vessels than England and France

Ams
combined. Half of all ships sailing between Europe and Asia belonged to the Hollanders, and

tel
exotic products became commodities – coffee, tea, spices, tobacco, cotton, silk and porcelain.
Amsterdam became home to Europe’s largest ship-building industry, and as wages remained The decline in trade brought poverty, and exceptionally cold winters hampered transport
low, investment capital flowed in. and led to serious food shortages. The winters of 1740 and 1763 were so severe that some
In 1651 England passed the first of several Navigation Acts that posed a serious threat to
residents froze to death.
Dutch trade, leading to several thorny, inconclusive wars on the seas. Its competitors sussed
Amsterdam’s support of the American War of Independence (1776) resulted in a British
out Holland’s trade secrets, regrouped, and reconquered the sea routes. In one nasty encounter,
blockade of the Dutch coast followed by British conquests of Dutch trading posts around the
the Dutch lost the colony of New Amsterdam (New York City) to the British. Louis XIV of
France seized the opportunity to invade the Low Countries two decades later, and the few short world, forcing the closure of the West India and East India Companies.
decades of prosperity known as Golden Age ended. In 1794 the French revolutionary troops invaded the Low Countries. The Dutch Republic
became a monarchy in 1806, when Napoleon nominated his brother Louis Napoleon as king.
Two years later the grand city hall on the Dam, symbol of Dutch merchant wealth and power,
WEALTHY DECLINE (1700–1814) was made his palace (now the Royal Palace, p67). Napoleon soon dismissed his brother and
While the Dutch Republic didn’t have the resources to fight France and England head-on, it annexed Holland into the French Empire.
had Amsterdam’s money to buy them off and ensure freedom of the seas. Britain responded by blockading the Continent and occupying the Dutch colonies. Amster-
As the costs mounted, Amsterdam went from being a place where everything (profitable) was dam’s great trade and fishing industries ground to a halt, and people turned increasingly to
possible, to a lethargic community where wealth creation was a matter of interest rates. Gone agriculture for a living. Holland’s commercial hub quickly became a sleepy market town.
were the daring sea voyages, achievements in art, science and technology, the innovations of After Napoleon’s defeat in 1813, Amsterdam’s trade with the world recovered only slowly;
government and finance. Ports such as London and Hamburg became powerful rivals. domination of the seas now belonged to the British.

1535 1566–68 1578 1618 1688 1795

A group of naked Anabaptists (motto: The Low Countries revolt against a lack of Amsterdam is captured in a bloodless coup The world’s first regular newspaper, the William III of Orange repels the French with French troops occupy the Netherlands
‘Truth is Naked’) occupies Amsterdam’s city religious freedom and the repressive acts by fanatic Calvinist brigands, known as trade-oriented Courante uyt Italien, Duyts- the help of Austria, Spain and Brandenburg and install the Batavian Republic, named
hall, but are defeated by the city watch in of Philip II of Spain, launching the 80 years’ watergeuzen (sea beggars). A Dutch repub- landt, &c., is printed in Amsterdam, already (Prussia); William then invades England, after the Batavi tribe that rebelled against
fierce battle and brutally executed. war. In Friesland the rebels win their first lic made up of seven provinces is declared a a publishing centre of maps, atlases and where he and his wife, Mary Stuart, are Roman rule in AD 69. The fragmented
battle, which would be immortalised in the year later, led by William the Silent. sea charts. Catholicism is outlawed, though proclaimed king and queen. United Provinces become a centralised
Dutch national anthem. clandestine worship is permitted. state, with Amsterdam as its capital.

24 25
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lonelyplanet.com
HISTORY BUFFS’ BIBLES BENDING THE GOLDEN RULES
The Embarrassment of Riches, by Simon Schama, is an epic account of Dutch culture in the Golden Age, using art to No mistake, Amsterdam has always been short of building space. When the authorities embarked on their
mirror a nation with all its neuroses and religious idiosyncrasies. Masterfully written and full of off-beat themes expensive Canal Belt project, they drew up detailed laws to ensure this scarce commodity would return a maxi-
such as the popularity of breakfast paintings. mum profit.
Amsterdam: The Brief Life of a City, by Geert Mak, is an engaging, awesomely researched book that combines On the outer bank of Herengracht, plots were limited to a width of 30ft and a depth of 190ft (in pre-metric
a broad historical narrative with anecdotes about Amsterdam’s more riveting characters. One of the country’s days). There were no limits on building height at the front of each plot, but the rear could not be higher than 10ft
leading journalists, Mak does not shy away from showing uncomfortable truths, be it in trade, war, religion or to preserve the atmosphere of the luxury gardens beyond. Buyers also had to pay for the brick quayside in front
government. of their plots. Subdivisions were prohibited to maintain the value of the properties.
Tulip Fever, by Deborah Moggach, offers a feel for Amsterdam proper around the time when Rembrandt was at his So much for the theory. In practice, the very wealthiest Amsterdammers got dispensation, as can be seen in
peak and tulips were worth more than their weight in gold. A nice bonus is the reproductions of Dutch paintings the towering palaces along the ‘Golden Bend’ of Herengracht, between Leidsestraat and Vijzelstraat. Elsewhere,
in some editions.
regulations were a matter of creative interpretation – for instance, by buying two adjacent plots and building
Max Havelaar, by Multatuli, is written by a colonial administrator and Amsterdam native, who went by the pen
one house with two fronts.
name of Multatuli (see p95). This classic depicts the hypocrisy of Dutch coffee traders in Java. The book shocked
Dutch society, and then the government into revising colonial policy in Indonesia.
The 1920s were boom years. KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij; Royal Aviation
Company) began the world’s first regular air service in 1920 between Amsterdam and London,
NEW INFRASTRUCTURE (1814–1918) from an airstrip south of the city, and bought many of its planes from Anthony Fokker’s factory
Amsterdam in the first half of the 19th century was an uninspiring place. Its harbour had been north of the IJ. There were two huge breweries, a sizable clothing industry and even a local car
BACKGROUND HISTORY

BACKGROUND HISTORY
neglected, and the sandbanks in the IJ proved too great a barrier for modern ships. Rotterdam factory. The city hosted the Olympic Games in 1928.
was set to become the country’s premier port. The world Depression in the 1930s hit Amsterdam hard. Make-work projects did little to
Things began to look up as the country’s first railway, between Amsterdam and Haarlem, defuse the mounting tensions between socialists, communists and a small but vocal party of
opened in 1839. Trade with the East Indies was the backbone of Amsterdam’s economy, and Dutch fascists. The city took in 25,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Germany; a shamefully large
a canal, later extended to the Rhine, helped the city to benefit from the Industrial Revolution number were turned back at the border because of the country’s neutrality policy.
underway in Europe.
The diamond industry boomed after the discovery of diamonds in South Africa. Amsterdam
again attracted immigrants, and its population doubled in the second half of the 19th century.
Speculators hastily erected new housing beyond the Canal Belt – dreary, shoddily built tene-
WWII (1940–45)
The Netherlands tried to remain neutral in WWII, but Germany invaded in May 1940. For
ment blocks. the first time in almost 400 years, Amsterdammers experienced war first-hand.
In 1889 the Centraal Station was built on several artificial islands in the IJ, seen as a symbolic Few wanted to believe that things would turn really nasty (the Germans, after all, had trum-
severing of Amsterdam’s historical ties with the sea. Towards the end of the 19th century, some peted that the Dutch were of the ‘Aryan brotherhood’). However, in February 1941, dockwork-
of the city’s waterways and canals were filled in for hygienic reasons (such as cholera epidem- ers led a protest strike over the treatment of Jews, commemorated as the ‘February Strike’ (see
ics) and to create roads.
p16). By then, however, it was already too late. Only one in every 16 of Amsterdam’s 90,000
The Netherlands remained neutral in WWI, but Amsterdam’s trade with the East Indies
Jews survived the war – one in seven in the Netherlands – the lowest proportion of anywhere
suffered from naval blockades. There were riots over food shortages. An attempt to bring the
in Western Europe.
socialist revolution to the Netherlands was put down by loyalist troops.
The Dutch Resistance, set up by an unlikely alliance of Calvinists and Communists, only
became large-scale when the increasingly desperate Germans began to round up able-bodied
BOOM & DEPRESSION (1918–40) men to work in Germany.
After the war, Amsterdam remained the country’s industrial centre. The Dutch Shipbuild- Towards the end of the war, the situation in Amsterdam was dire. Coal shipments ceased,
ing Company operated the world’s second-largest wharf and helped carry a large steel and many men aged between 17 and 50 had gone into hiding or to work in Germany, public utilities
diesel-motor industry. The harbour handled tropical produce that was processed locally, halted, and the Germans began to plunder anything that could assist their war effort. Thousands
such as tobacco and cocoa; today, Amsterdam is still the world’s biggest centre for cocoa of lives were lost to severe cold and famine. Canadian troops finally liberated the city in May
distribution. 1945, in the final days of the war in Europe.

1813–14 1830 1865–76 1914–20 1940 1944–45

The French are overthrown, and With French help the southern provinces A period of rapid economic and social The Netherlands remains neutral in WWI. Germany invades the Netherlands. Rot- The Allies liberate the southern Nether-
William VI of Orange is crowned as Dutch secede to form the Kingdom of Belgium. change. The North Sea Canal is dug, the Food shortages cripple the country, leading terdam is destroyed by the Luftwaffe, but lands, but the north and west of the coun-
king William I. The Austrians relinquish The country is not formally recognised by Dutch railway system expanded and to strikes, unrest and growing support for Amsterdam suffers only minor damage try are cut off from supplies. Thousands of
their claims to the southern provinces, the Dutch government until 1839. socialist principles of government are the Dutch Communist Party. before capitulating. Queen Wilhemina sets Dutch perish in the bitter ‘Hunger Winter’.
and the north and south are joined as the established. up a Dutch exile government in London.
United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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POST-WAR GROWTH (1945–62)

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The city’s growth resumed after the war, with US aid through the Marshall Plan. Newly discov- JEWISH AMSTERDAM
ered fields of natural gas compensated for the loss of the East Indies, which became independent It’s hard to overstate the role that Jews played in the evolution of civic and commercial life of Amsterdam. The first
Indonesia after a four-year fight. The focus of the harbour moved west towards the widened documented Jewish presence goes back to the 12th century, but it was expulsion from Spain and Portugal in the 1580s
North Sea Canal. The long-awaited Amsterdam–Rhine Canal opened in 1952. that brought a flood of Sephardic (Jews of Spanish, Middle Eastern or North African heritage) refugees.
Massive apartment blocks arose in areas annexed west of the city to meet the continued As in much of Europe, Jews in Amsterdam were barred from many professions. Monopolistic guilds kept most
demand for housing, made more acute by the demographic shift away from extended families. trades firmly closed. But some Sephardim were diamond cutters, for which there was no guild. Other Sephardic Jews
The massive Bijlmermeer housing project (now called the Bijlmer) southeast of the city, begun introduced printing and tobacco processing, or worked in similarly unrestricted trades such as retail on the streets,
in the mid-1960s and finished in the 1970s, was built in a similar vein. finance, medicine and the garment industry. The majority, however, eked out a meagre living as labourers and small-
time traders, and lived in the Nieuwmarkt area, which developed into the Jewish quarter.
Yet Amsterdam’s Jews enjoyed freedoms unheard of elsewhere in Europe. They were not confined to a ghetto and,
CULTURAL REVOLUTION (1962–82) with some restrictions, could buy property. Although the Protestant establishment sought to impose restrictions, civic
Over the 80 years leading to the 1960s, Dutch society had become characterised by verzuiling authorities were reluctant to restrict such productive members of society.
(pillarisation), a social order in which each religion and political persuasion achieved the The 17th century saw another influx of Jewish refugees, this time Ashkenazim (Jews from Europe outside of Iberia),
right to do its own thing, with its own institutions. Each persuasion represented a pillar that fleeing pogroms in Central and Eastern Europe. Amsterdam became the largest Jewish centre in Europe, some 10,000
supported the status quo in a general ‘agreement to disagree’. In the 1960s the old divisions strong by Napoleonic times.
were increasingly irrelevant, and the pillars came tumbling down, but not the philosophy that The guilds and all remaining restrictions on Jews were abolished during the French occupation, and Amsterdam’s
it spawned (see p30). Jewish community thrived in the 19th century.
Amsterdam became Europe’s ‘Magic Centre’, an exciting place where almost anything was All that came to an end, however, with WWII. The Nazis brought about the nearly complete annihilation of Am-
possible. The late 1960s saw an influx of hippies smoking dope on the Dam, sleeping in the sterdam’s Jewish community. Before the war, about 140,000 Jews lived in the Netherlands, of which about 90,000
BACKGROUND HISTORY

BACKGROUND HISTORY
Vondelpark and tripping in the nightlife hot spots. At the universities, students demanded a lived in Amsterdam, comprising 13% of the city’s population. Only about 5500 of these Amsterdam Jews survived
greater say and, in 1969, occupied the administrative centre of the University of Amsterdam. the war, barely one in 16.
The women’s movement began a campaign that fuelled the abortion debate. Today there are roughly 41,000 to 45,000 Jews in the Netherlands; nearly half of them live in Amsterdam. Among
In the 1970s a housing shortage fuelled speculation. Free-market rents – and purchase Dutch Jews, the vast majority identify themselves as Jewish, although only about one-quarter belong to synagogues.
prices – shot out of reach of the average citizen. Many young people turned to squatting in More than half are nonpractising.
buildings left empty by (assumed) speculators. Legislation made eviction difficult, giving rise Amsterdam slang incorporates many terms of Hebrew or Yiddish origin, such as the alternative name for Amster-
to knokploegen (fighting groups) of tracksuited heavies sent by owners to evict squatters by dam, Mokum (from makom aleph, the best city of all); the cheery goodbye, de mazzel (good luck); gabber (friend,
force. These new squatters, however, defended themselves with barricades and a well-organised ‘mate’) from the Yiddish chaver, companion; and the put-down kapsones maken (to make unnecessary fuss, from
support network. kapshones, which means self-importance).
‘Ordinary’ Amsterdammers, initially sympathetic towards the housing shortage, became fed
up with the squatters, and by the mid-1980s, the movement was all but dead. Squatting still By the early 1990s, families and small manufacturers, which dominated inner-city neighbour-
takes place now, but the rules are clear and the mood is far less confrontational. hoods in the early 1960s, had been replaced by professionals and a service industry of pubs,
‘coffeeshops’, restaurants and hotels. The ethnic make-up had changed too, with non-Dutch
NEW CONSENSUS (1982–2000) nationalities comprising over 45% of the population. The city’s success in attracting large foreign
businesses resulted in an influx of higher-income expats.
Twenty years after the cultural revolution began, a new consensus, epitomised by the amiable
mayor, Ed van Thijn, emphasised a decentralised government. Neighbourhood councils were
established with the goal of creating a more liveable city: integrating work, schools and shops TESTING TIMES (2001–PRESENT)
within walking or cycling distance; decreased traffic; renovation rather than demolition; friendly The first years of the new century have been ones of darkness and light for Amsterdam. After
neighbourhood police; a practical, nonmoralistic approach towards drugs; and legal recognition smouldering for years, a noisy debate erupted over the Netherlands’ policy towards newcomers,
of homosexual couples. Social-housing construction peaked, with 40,000 affordable apartments which quickly led to a tightening of immigration laws. The limits of tolerance, a core value of
easing the plight of 100,000 house hunters. Dutch identity, were called into question. Pim Fortuyn, a right-wing politician, declared the
A combined city hall and opera house opened in 1986 on Waterlooplein, although opinions country ‘full’ before being assassinated in 2002 (see p44).
remain divided on its architectural success. Today it’s known as the Stopera (p79) – a contraction Social tensions flared in the wake of the Fortuyn murder, and the atmosphere darkened
of stadhuis (city hall) and opera, or of ‘Stop the Opera’ to its detractors. further as the Netherlands slid into recession following 9/11. The number of people leaving

1975 1980 2001 2002 2004 2006

The Netherlands’ drugs laws distinguish Queen Beatrix marries German diplomat Same-sex marriage is legalised in the Leading politician Pim Fortuyn, a hard-liner Activist filmmaker Theo van Gogh, a fierce The ruling coalition falls on a no-confi-
soft from hard drugs; possession of small Claus von Arnsberg; the coronation is Netherlands, the first country in the world on immigration and integration, is assas- critic of Islam, is assassinated, touching dence motion against the immigration
amounts of marijuana is decriminalised. disrupted by a smoke bomb and riot on the to do so. In the next few years Belgium, sinated. The ruling Dutch parties shift to off intense debate over the limits of Dutch minister. After a see-saw election
The Nieuwmarkt district becomes a bat- Dam. The term ‘proletarian shopping’ (ie Spain, Canada and South Africa follow suit. the right after suffering major losses in the multicultural society. campaign the CDA is confirmed as the
tleground for squatters and police over the looting) enters the national lexicon. national election. largest party, and Prime Minister Jan Peter
construction of the metro. Balkenende forms his fourth cabinet.

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the country reached a 50-year high, albeit most departed for economic and family reasons. The

lonelyplanet.com
mood was edgy, like a cauldron about to boil over. A BRIEF GUIDE TO DUTCH WOMEN
It finally did in the autumn of 2004, when the filmmaker Theo van Gogh – known for his
anti-Muslim views – was brutally murdered on an Amsterdam street (see the boxed text, p34). Marije, 30, is a doctor at one of Amsterdam’s leading hospitals. Originally from the southern province of Brabant, she
In a city famous for tolerance of other cultures, what did it mean that a native Amsterdammer, moved to Amsterdam recently after her studies at the University of Utrecht. We picked her brains for a profile of the
albeit of foreign descent, was behind this crime? Dutch female (listen up guys).
The leading political parties in the Netherlands responded with a big shift to the right. Many
Dutch pondered whether immigrants were trying to force the traditions of their home countries How are Dutch women different from women in other industrialised countries?
onto the Netherlands. A poll in 2005 found that a majority of Dutch citizens favoured the ban- There is a lot of emancipation. Many women in Holland try to combine a family with working life. But if you compare it
ning of Islamic head scarves for public servants. The flow of immigrants has slowed to a trickle, with the Belgians, though, I think the Belgians do a nicer job, in sharing their family tasks. In Holland there somehow
yet more than 4% of the national population is still without Dutch nationality. is still a strong tradition of the woman looking after the family, whereas the man works more.
The clouds began to part in 2006. With immigration slowed, a sense of normalcy returned to
everyday life, and the Dutch turned their sights to familiar issues such as health care and social How do Dutch women dress? What is Dutch-specific?
services. Tourism and the economy have picked up, flashy new developments have sprung up I think Dutch women do not really like to dress up. If you go out in Amsterdam, you see that people dress nicely, but it’s
around the perimeters of the city, and a new metro (underground) line is under construction nothing really fancy. We’re really down to earth in that sense, more into leisure wear – no high heels all day because
from Amsterdam-Noord to the city’s World Trade Centre. For the first time in years, accord- they’re uncomfortable. Having bicycle-friendly clothes is part of it. But on ball nights for students, you have to dress up
ing to local polls, the majority of Amsterdam’s residents are happy with their jobs and have and ride a bicycle, so it’s really funny to see a guy in a white tie and a girl in evening dress on a bicycle.
cause for optimism.
What do Dutch women like in men?
What some Dutch women daydream of is someone like Casanova, who really treats them like a woman and makes
CULTURE them feel special. But if you do that as a man, you’re a macho type. I think Dutch women will find out they can’t take
BACKGROUND CULTURE

BACKGROUND CULTURE
it because they’re way too emancipated for that. It’s really hard to find a balance. They want macho but they can’t be
Make no mistake, the Dutch have a flair for social engineering. The same nation that built its with a macho, because women have strong opinions of their own, how to organise their lives and so on. I think that’s
living rooms on a drained seabed also invented verzuiling (see p28). This meant not only more what Dutch women prefer. What they want in the end is someone to share the tasks at home. A really macho type is
churches, but also separate radio stations, newspapers, unions, political parties, sport clubs and perhaps good for a short time, but not for life. It’s hard for Dutch women to have a man who tells them what they
so on. The idea got a bit out of hand with pillarised bakeries, but it did promote social harmony can and cannot do.
by giving everyone a voice.
Although the pillars are less distinct today, they left a legacy of tolerance. Eccentric conduct in Is a Dutch woman likely to ask a man out?
public might go without comment, hence the Dutch saying: ‘Act normal, that’s crazy enough.’ Most Dutch women are rather traditional in that respect. It’s still part of the game that most women prefer being asked
Then, in a period of heightened social tensions a few years ago, two high-profile murders seemed out, though it’s not forbidden to ask a guy out. Most Dutch women wait for men to take the first step.
to spell an end to a libertarian society (see the boxed text, p44). Amsterdam – the liberal city par
excellence – was deeply troubled for a while. Are women here materialistic?
But let’s face it, tolerance is as Dutch as herring and ice skating, and what’s more it’s good I don’t think so. For example, if you look at Dutch housing, it’s not so good compared to other countries because the supply of
for business. The same applies to its gezelligheid, that easy intimacy that comes out at the drop nice and affordable places to live is very small. We’ve just kind of accepted it. For example, I rent a 25 square metre bedroom-
of a hat (see the boxed text, p182). Where other nations struggle to get the words out, the Dutch living room, and share the bathroom and kitchen. I’m all right with that. I don’t need a lot of space or a lot of fancy stuff.
are irrepressibly sociable. Flight attendants leaving Amsterdam brace for garrulous Dutch
congregating in the back of the plane, drinking and talking up a storm. Yet most people also Do Dutch women spend more than they used to on personal care?
value their privacy, and prefer to entertain friends at home. I think it depends on the era. In the ‘90s we had a grunge period, and there wasn’t so much make-up around. There were
The Dutch also have a moralistic streak (coming from the Calvinists) and a tendency to wag a lot of spinnevrouwen (literally ‘weaving women’) with knitted sweaters and big boots. But now it’s back in fashion
the finger in disapproval. The Dutch may seem stunningly blunt, but the impulse comes from to look nice and wear make-up, so it may just be a fashion thing. I think you also see that people dress up more in the
the desire to be direct and honest. Yet even criticism can be dished out with a sense of humour. south of Holland. In Amsterdam, it’s less so; more down to earth.
Amsterdammers, for instance, are quick to complain about their little city and their ‘irrelevant’
country, but always with a smile. How equal are women to men in the business sphere?
Dutch women are remarkably confident; on a social level, equality is taken for granted. Women It’s true, in management it’s still a man’s world. Maybe because it’s hard to get into higher management working part-
are almost as likely to initiate contact with the opposite sex, although they can also be surprisingly time, as many Dutch women do. But in Dutch medicine there’s a big change underway. The majority of the doctors are
old-fashioned (see the boxed text, opposite). It’s still a different story in the workplace; relatively still men, but among medical students the ratio of female to male students is something like 70:30.
few women are employed full-time, and fewer still hold positions in senior management.
Gay and lesbians enjoy considerable freedom in Amsterdam. Discrimination on the basis once held a debate on whether to ban a TV show called How to Screw (but decided to allow
of sexual orientation is not only illegal, but morally unacceptable; the police advertise in the the broadcast). But promiscuity is the last thing on Dutch minds. It is perhaps revealing
gay media for applicants; the armed forces admit homosexuals on an equal footing. Most sig- that only about 5% of Red Light District customers are Dutch. (The biggest group, by far,
nificantly, in 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex is the Brits.)
marriages, although this is a privilege reserved for local couples (see the boxed text, p207). Am- By the same token, marijuana and hashish are legal. You want to get high? Go ahead. Yet if
sterdam was one of the first cities to court lesbian and gay travellers, hosting the Gay Games – you think everyone here gets stoned, you’re wrong. Only a fraction of the population smokes
the Olympics of the gay and lesbian world – back in 1988. Not that the welcome is universal: dope, fewer people than in Britain, the USA and France, where drug policies are much stricter.
the last few years have seen a rise in gay-bashing incidents. On the other hand, the ‘harder’ drugs such as heroin, LSD, cocaine and ecstasy are outlawed,
Now then, on to the sex and drugs. The ever-practical Dutch argue that vice is not going and dealers are prosecuted.
to go away, so you might as well control it. Sex is discussed openly (such as newspaper cover- If you’ve seen workmen lay cobblestones in Amsterdam, you’ll appreciate the Dutch have
age of breast enhancement or genital piercing, with full-on photos). The Dutch parliament a great love of detail. Statistics on the most trivial subjects make the paper (eg the number of
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pigeons on the Dam this year, incidence of

Golden Age (17th Century)

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rubbish being put out early), and somewhere DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT When the Spanish were expelled from the Low Countries, the character of the art market
down the line it feeds mountains of bureauc-
Figures are for Amsterdam unless otherwise noted. changed. There was no longer the Church to buy artworks and no court to speak of, so art be-
racy. That said, when the system breaks down
Population: 743,000 came a business, and artists were forced to survive in a free market – how very Dutch. In place
the Dutch are happy to improvise a solution;
Netherlands population: 16,370,000 of Church and court emerged a new, bourgeois society of merchants, artisans and shopkeepers
this has to do with their history of juggling
Population aged 34 and younger: 47% who didn’t mind spending money to brighten up their houses and workplaces. The key: they
diverse interests.
Single-person households: 55% had to be pictures the buyers could relate to.
Last but not least, the Dutch are famously
Households of couples without children: 20% Painters became entrepreneurs in their own right, churning out banal works, copies and
thrifty with their money – and they often don’t
Households of couples with children: 15% masterpieces in factory-like studios. Paintings were mass-produced, sold at markets alongside
know what to think of this. In one breath
Single-parent households: 10% furniture and chickens. Soon the wealthiest households were covered in paintings from top to
they might joke about how copper wire was
Number of nationalities in Amsterdam: 174 bottom. Foreign visitors commented that even bakeries and butcher shops seemed to have a
invented by two Dutchmen fighting over a
Non-Western foreigners: 34% painting or two on the wall. Most painters specialised in one of the main genres of the day.
penny – and in the next, tell you that they
Western foreigners: 14% Then there was Rembrandt van Rijn (see the boxed text, below), who defied easy classifica-
don’t like being called cheap.
First generation with non-Dutch backgrounds: tion. The greatest and most versatile of 17th-century artists, he excelled in all artistic categories.
28% Sometimes he was centuries ahead of his time, particularly with the emotive brush strokes of
ARTS
Strange how some of the world’s best-known
Ethnic Moroccans: 65,000
Ethnic Surinamese: 70,000
his later works.
Another great painter of this period, Frans Hals (1581/85–1666), was born in Antwerp
artists get by on just one name, like Rem- Ethnic Turks: 38,000 but lived in Haarlem, just west of Amsterdam. He devoted most of his career to portraits,
brandt and Van Gogh. Even without this duo, Native Dutch: 383,000 dabbling in occasional genre scenes with dramatic chiaroscuro. His ability to capture his
BACKGROUND ARTS

BACKGROUND ARTS
the Netherlands have contributed more than
their fair share of famous painters to the world’s
pantheons of art. The influence of these masters runs like a red thread through Dutch history and REMBRANDT: LAUDED, REVILED, GENIUS
along the way, fostered a huge respect for artistic expression – music, the performing arts, graphics,
photography and multimedia, for starters. The 17th century’s greatest artist, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–69) grew up a miller’s son in Leiden, but had become an
So in Amsterdam, it comes as little surprise to find the fine-arts scene is second to none, with accomplished painter by his early twenties.
an astounding 40,000 performances and events every year. This is a creative centre rather than In 1631 he came to Amsterdam to run the painting studio of the wealthy art dealer Hendrick van Uylenburgh.
Portraits were the studio’s cash cow, and Rembrandt and his staff (or ‘pupils’) churned out scores of them, including
just a caretaker of past traditions, and the enthusiasm shows on a daily basis.
group portraits such as The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp. In 1634 he married Van Uylenburgh’s niece Saskia, who often
In other cities, streets are named for political leaders or wealthy landowners, but Amsterdam modelled for him.
has an entire section of town with streets named for artists and musicians. You only need to Rembrandt fell out with his boss, but his wife’s capital helped him buy the sumptuous house next door to Van
see the crowds at the concert halls, arts festivals, theatres and museums to gauge how much Uylenburgh’s studio (the current Museum Het Rembrandthuis, p78). There Rembrandt set up his own studio, with
the arts matter to the everyday resident. staff who worked in a warehouse in the Jordaan. These were happy years: his paintings were a success and his studio
became the largest in Holland, though his gruff manner and open agnosticism didn’t win him dinner-party invitations
PAINTING from the elite.
Rembrandt became one of the city’s biggest art collectors; a master manipulator not only of images, the painter was
With a line-up that includes Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Jan Vermeer, the Dutch Masters are some
of world’s best-known painters. Understanding them requires a bit of history, with roots going also known to have his own pictures bid up at auctions. He often sketched and painted for himself, urging his staff to do
likewise. Residents of the surrounding Jewish quarter provided perfect material for his dramatic biblical scenes.
back to a time when Italy was the centre of the art world and painters would go there to study.
In 1642, a year after the birth of their son Titus, Saskia died and business went downhill. Although Rembrandt’s
majestic group portrait The Nightwatch (1642) was hailed by art critics (it’s now the Rijksmuseum’s prize exhibit), some
Flemish & Dutch Schools of the influential people he depicted were not pleased. Each subject had paid 100 guilders, and some were unhappy at
being shoved to the background. In response, Rembrandt told them where they could shove their complaints. Suddenly
Prior to the late 16th century, when Belgium was still part of the Low Countries, art focused
on the Flemish cities of Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp. Paintings of the Flemish School featured he received far fewer orders.
biblical and allegorical subject matter popular with the Church, the court and to a lesser extent Rembrandt began an affair with his son’s governess but kicked her out a few years later when he fell for the new
the nobility, who, after all, paid the bills and called the shots. maid, Hendrickje Stoffels, who bore him a daughter, Cornelia. The public didn’t take kindly to the man’s lifestyle and
Among the most famous names of the era are Jan van Eyck (1385/90–1441), the founder of his spiralling debts, and in 1656 he went bankrupt. His house and rich art collection were sold and he moved to the
the Flemish School who was the first to perfect the technique of oil painting; Rogier van der Rozengracht in the Jordaan.
No longer the darling of the wealthy, Rembrandt continued to paint, draw and etch – his etchings on display in
Weyden (1400–64), whose religious portraits showed the personalities of his subjects; and
the Rembrandthuis are some of the finest ever produced. He also received the occasional commission, including the
Hieronymus (also known as Jeroen) Bosch (1450–1516), with macabre allegorical paintings monumental Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis (1661) for the City Hall, although authorities disliked it and had it removed. In
full of religious topics. Pieter Breugel the Elder (1525–69) used Flemish landscapes and peasant 1662 he completed the Staalmeesters (the ‘Syndics’) for the drapers’ guild and ensured that everybody remained clearly
life in his allegorical scenes. visible, though it ended up being his last group portrait.
In the northern Low Countries, artists began to develop a style of their own. Although the The works of his later period show that Rembrandt had lost none of his touch. No longer constrained by the wishes of
artists of the day never achieved the level of recognition of their Flemish counterparts, the Dutch clients, he enjoyed new-found freedom; his works became more unconventional yet showed an ever-stronger empathy
School, as it came to be called, was known for favouring realism over allegory. Haarlem was with their subject matter, as for instance in A Couple: The Jewish Bride (1665). The many portraits of Titus and Hendrickje,
the centre of this movement, with artists such as Jan Mostaert (1475–1555), Lucas van Leyden and his ever-gloomier self-portraits, are among the most stirring in the history of art.
(1494–1533) and Jan van Scorel (1494–1562). Painters in the city of Utrecht were famous for A plague epidemic in 1663-64 killed one in seven Amsterdammers, including Hendrickje. Titus died in 1668, aged
using chiaroscuro (deep contrast of light and shade), a technique associated with the Italian 27 and just married, and Rembrandt died a year later, a broken man.
master Caravaggio.
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The genre paintings of Jan Steen (1626–79) show the almost frivolous aspect of baroque. Steen

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THEO VAN GOGH was also a tavern-keeper, and his depictions of domestic chaos led to the Dutch expression ‘a
Jan Steen household’. A good example is the animated revelry of The Merry Family (1668) in
Obituaries for Theo van Gogh, famously murdered on an Amsterdam street in November 2004, refer to him as a film- the Rijksmuseum; it shows adults having a good time around the dinner table, oblivious to the
maker, but that’s too simple. He was a provocateur, personality, gadabout and, above all, deeply charismatic. children in the foreground pouring themselves a drink.
Van Gogh was born in Den Haag in 1957 (a distant relative of that other Theo van Gogh – the painter’s brother) but
made his home in Amsterdam. When, as a young man, he applied for admission to the Dutch Film Academy, he was
rejected and advised to see a psychologist. His first film, Lüger (1980), included images of a pistol being inserted into 18th & 19th Centuries
a woman’s vagina and (faked) footage of kittens in a clothes dryer. After the premiere, one audience member spat in The Golden Age of Dutch painting ended almost as suddenly as it began, when the French
Van Gogh’s face. invaded the Low Countries in 1672. The economy collapsed and the market for paintings went
He made 25 films over the years, some of little distinction, although his greatest box-office success O6 (also called south with it. Painters who stayed in business concentrated on ‘safe’ works that repeated earlier
1-900 in some territories; 1994), about a phone-sex relationship, was the top-grossing Dutch film of the year. successes. In the 18th century they copied French styles, pandering to the awe for anything
Van Gogh seemed to enjoy spending as much time in front of the camera as behind it, especially the act of tweaking French.
others about the nose. He appeared on a ‘VIP’ version of Big Brother. In articles and speeches and on his website The The results were competent but not ground-breaking. Cornelis Troost (1697–1750) was one of
Happy Smoker (he chain-smoked), he took positions at odds with most people in the Netherlands – in favour of cruise the best genre painters, sometimes compared to the British artist William Hogarth (1697–1764)
missiles, George W Bush, the war in Iraq – and predicted the assassination of Pim Fortuyn (p44). He enraged the local for his satirical as well as sensitive portraits of ordinary people; Troost, too, introduced scenes
Jewish community by saying that they made too much of Auschwitz. of domestic revelry into his pastels.
But his most famous diatribes – which ultimately did him in – were reserved for Muslim immigrants, regularly Gerard de Lairesse (1640–1711) and Jacob de Wit (1695–1754) specialised in decorating the
referring to Moroccans as ‘goatf**kers’. His last book, Allah weet het beter (‘Allah knows best’; 2003), was as cynical walls and ceilings of buildings – de Wit’s trompe l’oeil decorations (painted illusions that look
as the title implies. real) in the Theater Instituut Nederland (p93) and Bijbels Museum (p95) are worth seeing.
Submission: Part 1 was Van Gogh’s last film, four stories in 11 unflinching minutes showing how verses from the
BACKGROUND ARTS

BACKGROUND ARTS
The late 18th century and most of the 19th century produced little of note, save for the land-
Koran could be used to justify violence against women. scapes and seascapes of Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819–91) and the gritty, almost photographic
Yet for all Van Gogh’s biting and bluster, the moments immediately before his death were telling. After he was Amsterdam scenes of George Hendrik Breitner (1857–1923). They appear to have inspired
knocked off his bike by the first bullet, he is quoted as saying to his attacker: ‘We can still talk about it.’ For details of French Impressionists, many of whom visited Amsterdam.
the murder, see p44. Jongkind and Breitner reinvented 17th-century realism and influenced the Hague School of
the last decades of the 19th century. Painters such as Hendrik Mesdag (1831–1915), Jozef Israels
subjects’ expressions was equal to Rembrandt’s, though he didn’t explore their characters (1824–1911) and the three Maris brothers (Jacob, Matthijs and Willem) created landscapes,
as much. Both masters used the same expressive, unpolished brush strokes and their styles seascapes and genre works, including the impressive Panorama Mesdag (1881), a gigantic, 360-
went from bright exuberance in their early careers to dark and solemn later on. Hals’ work degree cylindrical painting of the seaside town of Scheveningen viewed from a dune.
was also admired by the 19th-century Impressionists. In fact, his The Merry Drinker (1630) Without a doubt, the greatest 19th-century Dutch painter was Vincent van Gogh (1853–90),
in the Rijksmuseum’s collection, with its bold brush strokes, could almost have been painted whose convulsive patterns and furious colours were in a world of their own and still defy
by an Impressionist. comfortable categorisation. (A post-Impressionist? A forerunner of Expressionism?) For more
Hals also specialised in beautiful group portraits in which the participants were depicted in about his life and works, see the Van Gogh Museum (p109).
almost natural poses, unlike the rigid line-ups produced by lesser contemporaries – though he
wasn’t as cavalier as Rembrandt in subordinating faces to the composition. A good example is
the pair of paintings known collectively as The Regents & the Regentesses of the Old Men’s Alms
De Stijl
In his early career, Piet Mondriaan (1872–1944) – he dropped the second ‘a’ in his name when
House (1664) in the Frans Hals Museum (p229) in Haarlem. It was a space Hals knew intimately; he moved to Paris in 1910 – painted in the Hague School tradition, but after flirting with Cubism
he lived in that almshouse, and now it’s the museum.
he began working with bold rectangular patterns, using only the three primary colours (yellow,
The grand trio of 17th-century masters is completed by Johannes (also known as Jan) Vermeer
blue and red) set against the three neutrals (white, grey and black). He named this style ‘neo-
(1632–75) of Delft. He produced only 35 meticulously crafted paintings in his career and died
Plasticism’ and viewed it as an undistorted expression of reality in pure form and pure colour.
poor with 10 children; his baker accepted two paintings from his wife as payment for a debt of
His Composition in Red, Black, Blue, Yellow & Grey (1920), in the Stedelijk Museum’s collection,
more than 600 guilders. Yet Vermeer mastered genre painting like no other artist. His paintings
is an elaborate example.
include historical and biblical scenes from his earlier career, his famous View of Delft (1661)
in the Mauritshuis in Den Haag, and some tender portraits of unknown women, such as the Mondriaan’s later works were more stark (or ‘pure’) and became dynamic again when he
stunningly beautiful Girl with a Pearl Earring (1666), also in the Mauritshuis. moved to New York in 1940. The world’s largest collection of his paintings resides in the
Vermeer’s work is known for serene light pouring through tall windows. The calm, spiritual Gemeentemuseum (Municipal Museum) in his native Den Haag.
effect is enhanced by dark blues, deep reds, warm yellows and supremely balanced composition. The famously strict artist was one of the leading exponents of De Stijl (The Style), a Dutch
Good examples include the Rijksmuseum’s The Kitchen Maid (also known as The Milkmaid, design movement that aimed to harmonise all the arts by bringing artistic expressions back to
1658) and Woman in Blue Reading a Letter (1664), or, for his use of perspective, The Love their essence. Its advocate was the magazine of the same name, first published in 1917 by Theo
Letter (1670). The Little Street (1658) in the Rijksmuseum’s collection is Vermeer’s only street van Doesburg (1883–1931). Van Doesburg produced works similar to Mondriaan’s, though
scene. he dispensed with the thick, black lines and later tilted his rectangles at 45 degrees, departures
Around the middle of the century, the focus on mood and subtle play of light began to make serious enough for Mondriaan to call off the friendship.
way for the splendour of the baroque. Jacob van Ruysdael (c 1628–82) went for dramatic skies Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, De Stijl also attracted sculptors, poets, architects and
and Albert Cuyp (1620–91) for Italianate landscapes. Van Ruysdael’s pupil Meindert Hobbema designers. One of these was Gerrit Rietveld (1888–1964), designer of the Van Gogh Museum
preferred less heroic, more playful scenes full of pretty bucolic detail. (Note that Cuyp, Hobbema and several other buildings, but best known internationally for his furniture, such as the Red
and Ruysdael all have main streets named after them in the Old South and De Pijp districts, Blue Chair (1918) and his range of uncomfortable zigzag seats that, viewed side-on, formed a
and many smaller streets here are named after other Dutch artists.) ‘Z’ with a backrest.
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One of the most remarkable graphic artists of the 20th century was Maurits Cornelis Escher venues throughout the year. The Uitmarkt festival (p18) at the end of August also provides lots

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(1902–72). His drawings, lithos and woodcuts of blatantly impossible images continue to fascinate of free music. For more about music venues see p197, and check the free entertainment papers
mathematicians: a waterfall feeds itself; people go up and down a staircase that ends where it starts; for details.
a pair of hands draw each other. You can see his work at Escher in het Paleis in Den Haag.
Classical
CoBrA & Beyond The Netherlands has orchestras in cities throughout the country, but Amsterdam’s Koninklijk
After WWII, artists rebelled against artistic conventions and vented their rage in abstract Concertgebouworkest (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, p199) towers over them all, not least
expressionism. In Amsterdam, Karel Appel (1921–) and Constant (Constant Nieuwenhuis, because of the near-perfect acoustics of its winning concert hall, the Concertgebouw (p111).
1920–2005) drew on styles pioneered by Paul Klee and Joan Miró, and exploited bright The orchestra’s director since 2004 is Mariss Jansons, whose long list of credentials includes
colours and ‘uncorrupted’ children’s art to produce lively works that leapt off the canvas. In the Pittsburgh Symphony. The orchestra also frequently performs abroad, matching works by
Paris in 1945 they met up with the Danish Asger Jorn (1914–73) and the Belgian Corneille famous composers with little-known gems of the modern era. If you’re looking to catch one of
(Cornelis van Beverloo, 1922–), and together with several other artists and writers formed a the top-flight soloists in the world, head here first.
group known as CoBrA (COpenhagen, BRussels, Amsterdam). It’s been called the last great The Concertgebouw is only one of several venues in town for classical music. Chamber
avant-garde movement. music plays in the Beurs van Berlage, and very often the city’s extant or converted churches
Their first major exhibition, in the Stedelijk Museum in 1949, aroused a storm of protest (‘My host concerts. Check listings.
child paints like that too’). Still, the CoBrA artists exerted a strong influence in their respective If you’re looking for Dutch home-grown talent, you can hardly do better than the mop-
countries even after they disbanded in 1951. The CoBrA Museum (p131) in Amstelveen displays topped pianist Ronald Brautigam, who has performed around the country and all over the
a good range of their works, including colourful ceramics. world. Violinist-violist Isabelle van Keulen founded her own chamber music festival in Delft,
Contemporary Dutch artists are usually well represented at international events such as the and brings in the crowds wherever she appears. The country’s leading cellist is Pieter Wispelwey,
Biennale in Venice and the Documenta in Kassel. Look out for the installations of Jan Dibbets
BACKGROUND ARTS

BACKGROUND ARTS
known for his fiery temperament and a challenging repertoire.
(1941–) and Ger van Elk (1941–), who mix photography, painting and sculpture, as well as the Pianist Wibi Soerjadi is one of the country’s most successful classical musicians, famous for
wry graphic illustrations of Marthe Röling (1939–). Among the younger generation, the artist his sparkling interpretations of romantic works and his Javanese-prince looks. Soerjadi recently
duo Liet Heringa (1966–) and Van Kalsbeek (1962–) are known for their moody, free-form played a concert during a state visit of Queen Beatrix to Slovakia. Soprano Charlotte Margiono
sculptures, Michael Raedecker (1963–) for his dreamy, radiant still lifes, Roger Braun (1972–) is known for her interpretations of Le Nozze de Figaro and The Magic Flute. Mezzo-soprano
for industrial realism and Melvin Moti (1977–) for films of spookily lit objects (think explod- Jard van Nes has a giant reputation for her solo parts in Mahler’s symphonies.
ing soap bubbles). For ‘old music’ you shouldn’t miss the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, concentrat-
ing on the music of the 17th and 18th centuries (Bach, Vivaldi and Handel; venues vary). The
PHOTOGRAPHY Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (ABO) and Choir, conducted by Ton Koopman, tackled an
enormous task of recording all existing cantatas of JS Bach. The ABO tours internationally but,
For obvious reasons photography does not have the history of painting in Amsterdam, but what when home, can often be seen performing at the Concertgebouw. Koopman also conducts the
it lacks in longitude it makes up for in latitude. The area of the Jordaan around the Elandsgracht Radio Chamber Orchestra and guest conducts with orchestras worldwide.
brims with photography studios and small galleries, while the museums FOAM (p99) and Huis Performances by the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra are often recorded for radio and TV;
Marseille (p95) specialise in photography. one of its former artistic directors, Frans Brüggen, also works with the Orchestra on 18th-
Portraiture is a major theme of contemporary Dutch photography. The most famous living century pieces.
photographer from the Netherlands is probably Anton Corbijn (1955–), known for his portraits The Nederlandse Opera is based in the Stopera (officially called the Muziektheater; p200),
of celebrities and musicians such as Naomi Campbell, Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese, often where it stages world-class performances, though its forays into experimental fare stir up the
in his trademark grainy black-and-white. inevitable controversy.
Rineke Dijkstra (1959–) creates unflinching head-on portraits, both analytical and empathetic,
of common people such as soldiers carrying rifles and folks in bathing suits on the beach. Hellen
van Meene’s (1972–) portraits are more intimate, such as a series commissioned by the New Modern Classical & Experimental
York Times featuring pubescent Japanese girls, innocent with a tinge of eroticism. Inez van The new Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (p125) is the venue for this sort of work which seems to thrive
Lamsweerde (1963–) and Vinoodh Matadin (1961–), both born and educated in Amsterdam, in Amsterdam. This iconic building occupies a prime spot on the waterside, near the Passenger
create shots for exhibitions and advertising campaigns, at turns grim and glamorous. Ship Terminal.
Amsterdam-based Aernout Mik (1962–) has exhibited in Europe and North America with film Dutch modern composers include Michel van der Aa, Louis Andriessen, Theo Loevendie,
installations known for their combining of studies in group dynamics with a sculptor’s sense of Merlijn Twaalfhoven, Klaas de Vries and the late Ton de Leeuw. Worthwhile performers in-
space. Marijke van Warmerdam (1959–), based in Amsterdam and New York, creates absurdist clude the Trio, Asko Ensemble, Ives Ensemble, Nederlands Kamerkoor, Nieuw Ensemble, the
loops of everyday life in repeating sequences – eg the Japanese technique of bowing. Mondriaan Kwartet and the Schönberg Quartet.

MUSIC Jazz
The dour church elders began to allow organ music in churches in the 17th century, as it kept The Dutch jazz scene has produced some mainstream artists in recent years. Among gifted young
people out of pubs. With the possible exception of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621), an chanteuses are Fleurine, Ilse Huizinga and the Suriname-born Denise Jannah, who records for
organ player in the Oude Kerk with an international reputation as a composer and a strong fol- Blue Note and is widely recognised as the country’s best jazz singer. Jannah’s repertoire consists
lowing in Germany, Amsterdam has contributed relatively little to the world’s music heritage. of American standards with elements of Surinamese music.
Today, however, the world’s top acts appear here regularly and local musicians excel in Astrid Seriese and Carmen Gomez operate in the crossover field, where jazz verges on, or
(modern) classical music, jazz and techno/dance. In summer, free jazz, classical and world-music blends with, pop. Father and daughter Hans and Candy Dulfer, tenor and alto saxophonists
performances are staged in the Vondelpark, and free lunch-time concerts are held at various respectively, are a bit more daring. Dad, in particular, constantly extends his musical boundaries
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by experimenting with sampling techniques drawn from the hip-hop genre. Candy is better
CINEMA

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known internationally, thanks to her performances with Prince, Van Morrison and Pink Floyd,
among others, which have introduced her to a wide audience. Dutch films haven’t exactly set the world on fire, though this has more to do with the language
Trumpeter and Jordaan native Saskia Laroo mixes jazz with dance, but still earns respect in barrier and funding problems in a modest distribution area than with lack of talent.
traditional circles. Other leading jazzers are bass player Hein van de Geyn, guitarist Jesse van In the mid-1990s, the Dutch government introduced tax shelters to encourage private invest-
Ruller and pianist Michiel Borstlap, winner of the Thelonius Monk award. Borstlap was com- ment in Dutch film, which led to a mini-boom in the industry. Lightweight fare such as Costa!
missioned by the Emir of Qatar to write the world’s first opera in Arabic. (2001), about Dutch teenagers on holiday in a Spanish resort, recently proved that Dutch films
An effervescent soloist on the flute is Peter Guidi, who set up the jazz programme at the crafted for the domestic audience could be commercially viable. The film spawned copycat
Muziekschool Amsterdam and leads its big band, Jazzmania. Other big bands of renown are the films such as Volle Maan (Full Moon) and a TV sitcom.
Willem Breuker Kollektief and Contraband, both enjoying a reputation for experimentation. The best-known Dutch director is Amsterdam-born Paul Verhoeven, who was famous at
The most important jazz venue is Bimhuis (p197) in the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ. A number of home long before making Hollywood blockbusters such as Total Recall, Basic Instinct and
smaller clubs congregate in the streets east of the Leidseplein. For the biggest party with the big- Starship Troopers. Lately Verhoeven returned to the Netherlands to shoot Black Book, the
gest names in tow, check out the North Sea Jazz Festival (p18) every summer in Rotterdam. highest-grossing Dutch film ever (see p40 for an interview with him).
Look out for screenings at the key film festivals: the Rotterdam International Film Festival
in February, Utrecht’s Netherlands Film Festival in September (with the Golden Calf awards,
Pop & Rock the ‘Dutch Oscars’), and Amsterdam’s excellent International Documentary Film Festival in
Chances are you’ve heard oldie hits by Dutch bands such as ‘Radar Love’ by Golden Earring, November. Handily for foreign visitors, movies are rarely ever dubbed into Dutch, but subtitled
‘Venus’ by Shocking Blue or ‘Hocus Pocus’ by Jan Akkerman’s Focus. The highest-profile Dutch (see p200 for cinema venues).
rock star, Herman Brood, captured punk hearts with His Wild Romance at the end of the ’70s. The following is a shortlist of critically acclaimed Dutch films, both contemporary and
Later, the Dutch became pioneers in club music, fusing techno and industrial into the dark, historical, that afford insights into Dutch society.
BACKGROUND ARTS

BACKGROUND ARTS
hyperactive beat that became known as ‘gabber’. Amsterdamned, directed by Dick Maas, 1987. A skin-diving serial killer is chased through Amsterdam’s canals by a detective
Nowadays Amsterdam is the pop capital of the Netherlands, and talent is drawn to the city like hampered by his fear of water. Essentially a B-grade thriller pepped up by great shots of Amsterdam.
moths to a flame. It is a major hub of the DJ trade, not just for the Netherlands but for the world.
Antonia (Antonia’s Line), directed by Marleen Gorris, 1995. A strong-willed Dutch woman recalls life in a colourful village
Top names on the international circuit include Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Marco V and Ferry
where men become increasingly irrelevant. Won an Oscar for best foreign film.
Corsten. You can find them at venues large and small in town, although tickets sell out fast.
Hot new stars of the pop scene include the Britpop-inspired Moke, singer-songwriter Marike De Aanslag (The Assault), directed by Fons Rademakers, 1986. A physician spends his adult life investigating why his
Jager, the punk-jazz group Malkovich as well as those dance-rock mavens, the Melomanics. neighbours betrayed his family in WWII. Based on a best-selling novel by renowned author Harry Mulisch, it was nominated
Among rappers, the popular Moroccan-Dutch artist Ali B has recently teamed up with top-40 for an Academy Award.
singer Marco Borsato, a fixture at pop festivals. Also look out for the Dutch-rapping Osdorp De Tweeling (Twin Sisters), directed by Ben Sombogaart, 2004. A touching story of twins separated in the Netherlands and
Posse, Brainpower, and Blaxtar. Germany during WWII; nominated for an Oscar.
Some oldie bands still on the circuit include the garagerock outfit Claw Boys Claw, and the Fanfare, directed by Bert Haanstra, 1958. Made by one of the greats of Dutch documentary film, this classic satire is about
pop legends Doe Maar and Tröckener Kecks, who were among the first to break through with two amateur brass bands vying for a government grant in a small Dutch town.
lyrics in Dutch, rather than English.
Pop festivals come out of the woodwork in the warmer months: Pinkpop (p17) in Landgraaf Interview, directed by Theo van Gogh, 2003. Low-key account of a war correspondent conducting an interview with a soap
and the gargantuan Parkpop (p17), which draws around 350,000 ravers to Den Haag. Dance opera actress. Attracted little attention until after the filmmaker’s death (see the boxed text, p34); an American remake was
Valley (p18) in Spaarnwoude near Amsterdam pulls up to 100 live acts and DJs. released in 2007.
Shouf Shouf Habibi (Hush Hush Baby), directed by Albert ter Heerdt, 2004. Comedy about a Moroccan family finding its way
in Dutch society. Takes a cynical look at the integration issue without taking sides.
World Music Simon, directed by Eddy Terstall, 2004. A complicated friendship develops when a hetero hash dealer hits a gay man with his
Cosmopolitan Amsterdam offers a wealth of world music. Suriname-born Ronald Snijders, a
top jazz flautist, is a frequent highlight as is the venerable Chris Hinze, another flautist with an car. A Golden Calf winner.
eclectic repertoire that ranges from New Age to Tibetan music. Turks Fruit (Turkish Delight), directed by Paul Verhoeven, 1973. A distressed sculptor (Rutger Hauer) picks up numerous
The bulk of world repertoire from Amsterdam is Latin, ranging from Cuban salsa to women to forget the loss of his wife. The most successful Dutch film of the ’70s, it’s regarded as a modern classic.
Dominican merengue and Argentinean tango. But Fra-Fra-Sound plays jazz and ‘paramaribop’, Zus & So, directed by Paula van der Oest, 2001. Comedy about three sisters who plot to sabotage the engagement of their
a contraction of Paramaribo (the capital of Suriname) and bebop. What you’ll hear is traditional gay brother for material gain. Also Oscar-nominated.
Surinamese kaseko, itself a banquet of African, European and American music.
Another intriguing band is Zuco 103, a Dutch–Brazilian outfit that combines bossa nova Zwartboek (Black Book), directed by Paul Verhoeven, 2006. This action-packed story explores some of the less heroic aspects
and samba with DJ rubs on the turntable. It has strong ties with the equally eclectic New Cool of the Dutch resistance in WWII. Launched the international career of today’s hottest Dutch actor, Carice van Houten.
Collective, a 19-piece big band that blends jazz with drum‘n’bass and ’60s Go-Go. It recorded
a soundtrack for the live-action version of the film The Jungle Book to rave reviews.
Sources to check out while you are in Amsterdam include the foundation Marmoucha (www
THEATRE
Amsterdam has a rich theatrical tradition dating back to medieval times. In the Golden Age,
.marmoucha.nl), which organises 60-odd Moroccan performances a year; Laziz (for Arabian dance when Dutch was the language of trade, local companies toured the theatres of Europe with the
music, often at Paradiso), Que Pasa (Spanish ska, reggae and more, often at Melkweg) and Club tragedies of Vondel, the comedies of Bredero and verses of PC Hooft. They’re still performed
Mahsen (Turkish dance music, at various locations). See p196 for details of club venues. locally, even if there’s precious little in English translation.
The Amsterdam Roots Festival of world music happens at different locations every year in When it’s not touring abroad, De Dogtroep stages fancy and unpredictable ‘happenings’ in
June, but centres on the Oosterpark – see www.amsterdamroots.nl for details. The Tropenin- quirky venues such as the Passenger Ship Terminal. Each show is supported by flashy multimedia
stituut Theater (p199) often hosts non-Western music concerts. effects and technical gadgetry, with every set specially developed by a team of designers and

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BEHIND THE BLACK BOOK: THE PAUL VERHOEVEN INTERVIEW
Before he traded Holland for Hollywood in the mid-1980s, Paul Verhoeven left his mark on Dutch cinema with acclaimed Do you feel that Black Book fills a gap in the Dutch educational system?
films such as Turkish Fruit and Soldier of Orange, his first wartime drama. In an interview with Lonely Planet, the director Clearly. The movie is used in high schools together with an educational book for young people who know nothing about
of Robocop and Basic Instinct talks about his fascination with the Dutch resistance and his 2006 hit movie, Black Book. the war, to tell people in Holland what kind of things happened, what the background and political situation was; which
parties combined with others and so on. I think the movie provoked a lot of interest among the Dutch about what hap-
Why was there so much time between the making of Soldier of Orange and Black Book?
pened 60 years ago. That was not the sole purpose of the movie, which I wanted to make because it’s a great story. I
When it’s about realistic movies, I try to do a lot of research. I look at photos, documentaries, newsreels and hundreds
like it because so much is based on real events. I wanted to get away from science fiction in Hollywood, and this served
of books. I did the same this time, together with my scriptwriter, Gerard Souteman. We co-wrote Soldier of Orange and
the purpose really well. We were aware that there would be interest from the educational system, and we were asked
Black Book. We’re both history buffs, and it was a pleasure to dive into the archives at the Institute of War Documentation
if there could be a book to go with the movie to instruct people about the Second World War.
in Amsterdam. We did that very thoroughly in the late ’70s, for the Soldier of Orange.
A lot of the details in Black Book happened in 1944–45. But our hero in Soldier of Orange was the author of the After the film came out, were you surprised that the Dutch did not react more negatively to the way they were
autobiography, Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, portrayed by Rutger Hauer. He left Holland in 1941-42 and only came back portrayed?
after the war. So basically that period, that strange, dark, shadowy period of betrayal, collaboration and executions left Yes, because provocation and problems with the audience have pursued me in my career. Spetters in Holland, or
and right, where Den Haag – where I was living at the time – was the centre of the German occupying government Showgirls, Basic Instinct or even Starship Troopers. There has always been some turmoil in the reception of my movies.
and the Dutch National Socialist Party in Holland. Black Book was really revealing, like putting your dog’s nose in the shit, showing the Dutch in a harsh way what kind
What did you do with all the research that you weren’t able to use? of things happened in Holland at the end of the war and even worse, after the war. There was always the possibility
I couldn’t use a lot of things I knew for Soldier of Orange, simply because they hadn’t happened yet. In 1941–42 there that people would not accept it, be violently against it or say, ‘This is all a lie, we never did this’ or ‘We were much
nicer people, you make us look filthy and unreliable and collaborating and treacherous’. But the Dutch were educated
BACKGROUND ARTS

BACKGROUND ARTS
wasn’t much violent confrontation between the Dutch and the Germans. A lot of Dutch felt, ‘Let’s see how it goes.’
Many people weren’t too upset by the occupation, were thinking, ‘Well maybe Holland will become a part of Germany, or adult enough to accept the movie and the historical elements I used.
perhaps that’s fine.’ Also they were trying to see whether it would all be combined into a kind of European Union. In
fact, the Dutch National Socialist Party tried to do that at the time. Has there been a change in how the Dutch see their role in WWII?
But the fireworks happened later, when the Germans realised they were losing the war. The Resistance in Holland Over the last 10 to 15 years there have been a lot of scholarly publications about these years of the war, and these things
became a really powerful force and was continuously sabotaging and shooting Germans. But that started only after the have been discussed in the newspapers. Much had been absorbed by the Dutch audience by the time the film came out.
German defeat at Stalingrad. Only then did people in Holland start to think, the Germans can be defeated, and asked for They were surprised to see these things, but I don’t think it was shocking to them. I think they knew the Dutch didn’t
weapons from London and became more violent and confrontational. That period is Black Book. behave wonderfully in the last few years of the war, especially as regards the Jewish population. Holland let many Jews
go without much protest, or an attempt to keep them in Holland. The Dutch handed over a bigger percentage of the
You have described Black Book as a correction to the Soldier of Orange. In what sense? Jewish population than anyplace else in Europe. This has been acknowledged, that we didn’t do much for the Jewish
I would say it’s more the other side of the story. Soldier of Orange is based on historical biographical material; there population. Queen Beatrix even apologised in Israel for Dutch behaviour towards the Jewish population. The Dutch
aren’t enormous lies there. Soldier of Orange is pretty much the reality of that person at that time. But it was more a accepted it completely, and the film was an enormous success in Holland.
correction historically, because Soldier of Orange wasn’t the entire war. Soldier of Orange is the beginning of the war,
Black Book is the end of the war. What do you miss most about the Netherlands, as you live in Los Angeles?
Different things happened at the end than at the beginning. The character in Soldier of Orange, who is basically After I shot the film and lived in Holland again for 1½ years, I feel there is clearly a contrast between life in the United
Roelfzema, is the man who did all these things. He’s treated in Holland today as a genuine war hero, a Resistance hero States and Holland. The fact is that access to people socially is much easier in Europe than in the United States. I think
like Jean Moulin in France. He is very respected. But all that he wrote is just one side of the coin. There are two ways it’s much easier to get in touch with people without announcing it, you don’t have to prepare a visit. Of course I have
to look at the war: in the heroic way, or in the subversive way, not so heroic, where people are not so reliable, where an enormous number of friends in Holland, much more than in the United States and an enormous social network. And
there is a lot of cheating and opportunism. in Holland there is a lot of laughing, you know?

painters. A spin-off, Warner & Consorten, stages dialogue-free shows that inject humour into
everyday situations and objects, while music is generated with weird materials. DANCE
Cosmic (p202) deserves special mention for productions reflecting the city’s multicultural Amsterdam’s National Ballet (www.het-nationale-ballet.nl) performs mainly classical ballets, but also
communities (Surinamese, Indonesian etc). The comedy scene is led by English-language presents 20th-century works by Dutch choreographers such as Rudi van Dantzig and Toer
outfits such as Boom Chicago (p201). van Schayk. The Ballet has helped launch the careers of promising dancemasters such as John
English-language companies often visit Amsterdam, especially in summer. Glitzy musicals Wisman and Ted Brandsen, now the artistic director.
play to full houses in the Koninklijk Theater Carré (p105) or other large venues. The Netherlands is also a world leader in modern dance, and many innovative perform-
The Dutch also produce some of the world’s best youth theatre. The delightful puppets of ances can be seen throughout the year. The troupe of the Nederlands Dans Theater in Den
the Marionetten Theater (p201) provide classic operas from Mozart, Haydn and Offenbach a Haag leaps and pirouettes to international audiences.
fairytale charm. There are also many smaller modern-dance companies such as Introdans, which can truly
The Holland Festival (p17), Over Het IJ (p18) and the Uitmarkt (p18) are big theatre events. be described as poetry in motion. The Holland Festival in June is the main platform for
Also worth catching is the International Theatre School Festival (p18) at the end of June, in the premieres of new shows by top choreographers, while Amsterdam’s Julidans festival (p18) in
theatres around Nes (Frascati, Brakke Grond etc). July brings dancers together from all over the world. The International School Festival held
Those who wish to dig deeper can visit the Theatre Museum in the Theater Instituut in June is devoting more of its programme to dance, and performances are often held in one
Nederland (p93). of the theatres along Nes (p77).

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LITERATURE Recycling & Waste

lonelyplanet.com
The following books are written by local au- RED-LIGHT READS The Netherlands is well known for being HEAD & SHOULDERS ABOVE
thors or are set in or near Amsterdam. Of American author John Irving (The World According to forward-thinking with recycling. It was one The Dutch are the tallest people in the world, aver-
these books originally written in Dutch, all are Garp, The Cider House Rules) set his novel A Widow of the first countries to ban the import of aging 1.855m (6ft, 1in) for men and almost 1.73m
available in English thanks to the Dutch Literary for One Year in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, and electronic equipment with components that (5ft, 8in) for women. Copious intake of milk proteins,
Production and Translation Fund (www.nlpvf.nl), which the British novelist Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting, Porno) degrade and cause environmental harm. In smaller families and superior prenatal care are cited
propagates Dutch literature abroad. wrote The Acid House, a short-story collection about a similar vein, buyers of appliances pay an as likely causes, but researchers also suspect there is
Amsterdam Cops is a series of detective novels by Amsterdam’s drug underworld. upfront fee that takes care of recycling later. some magic fertiliser in the Dutch gene pool. What-
Janwillem van de Wetering, with tongue firmly in cheek.
The environmental group Stichting Milieunet ever the reason, the Dutch keep growing, as do their
The author writes every novel such as The Perfidious Parrot
organises the cost-free pick-up of recyclable doorways. Today, the minimum required height for
twice, in Dutch and English, in order to peg his target audience.
materials, covering everything from retired doors in new homes and businesses is 2.315m (7ft,
boats, caravans and construction materials to 6in).
The Diary of Anne Frank is a moving account of a young girl’s thoughts and yearnings while in hiding from the Nazis in crashed-out bicycles – of which Amsterdam
Amsterdam (see p94). The book has been translated into 60 languages, and is a fixture of school curricula across the has an endless supply.
globe. However, if you’re walking around looking
A Dutchman’s Slight Adventures, by Simon Carmiggelt, is an amusing collection of vignettes about De Pijp from the author’s for a place to recycle your half-litre bottle of water you’ll be looking for a long time. There are
column in the newspaper Het Parool. Carmiggelt was a master of local colour, often writing his observations from pubs and recycling bins for papier (paper) and glas (glass), but the rest goes into the bin conveniently
park benches in Amsterdam. marked ‘rest’. Metal cans, on the other hand, are extracted from rubbish by separation tech-
Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier, explores the conflicts between duty and sexuality. Set in Delft, the story was niques. In theory, plastic bottles are supposed to be either biodegradable or (like glass receptacles)
are sold on deposit and returned for refund. (Bottles don’t need to be returned to the same
BACKGROUND ENVIRONMENT & PLANNING

BACKGROUND ENVIRONMENT & PLANNING

made into a Hollywood movie starring Colin Firth (as Jan Vermeer) and Scarlett Johansson (as a maid in his employ), and
offers insights into a painter’s life in the Golden Age. point of sale.) To cut down on waste, most supermarkets charge a small fee for grocery bags,
though you’re free to bring your own.
The Happy Hooker, by Xaviera Hollander, is a revealing snapshot of the ins and outs of the sex trade. Though it may seem
In residential areas, nifty garbage receptacles are built right in to the sidewalk. A truck comes
tame now, in the ’70s some countries banned the book for its graphic content.
along, the receptacles rise out of the ground and are replaced.
Lost Paradise, by Cees Nooteboom, is an allegorical tale of angels and humans, of Brazilians in Australia and a literary critic The system of portable urinoirs is about as clever. During peak periods, trucks drop off
in Austria. One of the Netherlands’ most prolific writers, Nooteboom also wrote The Following Story, winner of the Aristeion the tall plastic stands (with four open niches) and pick them up when full. The idea is to stop
European Prize for Literature in 1991. wildplassen (‘wild peeing’), but it’s also cheaper than paying €0.50 to use a public toilet. Major
Parents Worry, by Gerard Reve, is a contemporary classic, a tragicomic novel about a day in the ravaged life of a singer and drawback? There’s no women’s equivalent.
poet with one hell of a case of writer’s block. Reve, who passed away in 2006, was acknowledged as one of the great 20th-
century Dutch authors.
The UnDutchables, by Colin White and Laurie Boucke, is a point of reference for virtually anyone who goes to live in the
URBAN PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
Netherlands. These two Americans have discovered foibles that many Dutch themselves seem not to recognise.
For many people, the dream of a cosy home with a canal view remains just that: a dream.
Amsterdam’s rents are the fourth-highest in Europe; only London, Paris and Rome are more
expensive. A cramped, reasonably central one-bedroom apartment will cost €450 or more a
ENVIRONMENT & PLANNING
Much of the Amsterdam region is polder, land that once lay at the bottom of lakes or the sea. It
month, and although cheaper options are available through housing corporations, residents
face a wait of up to five years.
No wonder Amsterdam’s urban planners are constantly looking for extra space. Millions are
was reclaimed by building dykes across sea inlets and rivers, and pumping the water out with being invested to renovate housing in older districts such as Amsterdam-Oost, but this alone
windmills (later with steam and diesel pumps). Without these techniques the Netherlands won’t be enough: by 2030 the city’s population is expected to swell by 100,000.
would be a much smaller, and certainly wetter, place than it is today. Help is on the way. The shores along the IJ river are becoming the city’s new dormitories.
Polders were created on a massive scale: in the 20th century, huge portions of the former Thousands of homes have emerged in the Eastern Docklands, a former industrial area. North-
Zuiderzee (now the IJsselmeer, a lake closed off from the sea by a dyke) were surrounded by west of Centraal Station – itself getting a big makeover (see p70) – lies the Westerdokeiland,
dykes and the water was pumped out to create vast swaths of flat and fertile agricultural land. an imposing clutch of flats, offices and cafés embracing a pleasure harbour; to the northeast
Opened in 1986, the province of Flevoland, northeast of Amsterdam, would be the last province is Oosterdokeiland, an A1 office location with housing and a home to the new Openbare
to be reclaimed from the sea. Bibliotheek (Amsterdam public library; p71). Across the river in Amsterdam-Noord there’s
Overhoeks, a housing estate on the old Shell Oil compound that will soon border the future
GREEN AMSTERDAM Filmmuseum (p115). Long shunned by Amsterdammers and city planners alike, Amster-
dam-Noord may be the urban hot spot of tomorrow, especially once the new metro line is
The city centre is both very green and very much not. The central streets of Damrak, Rokin
and Spuistraat, for example, feel like brick jungles, but virtually any canal is a lush green belt. completed.
Another place to spot greenery is through the rear window: many homes in the Canal Belt back This is a departure from not so long ago, when satellite communities such as Almere and
onto gardens or courtyards. Purmerund were seen as the solution. Residents are now being lured no further than the out-
To let loose, your best bet is the large open field of Museumplein (p111), or the lovely Von- skirts for fresh, open-layout designs, with all the mod cons and public transport links.
delpark (p115) nearby, both just south of the city centre. A short ride away is the Amsterdamse The Noord/Zuidlijn (north-south metro line) neatly ties into these plans. When completed in
Bos (p131). Don’t neglect the large and lovely Artis Zoo (p121), the city’s first park, in the Plantage 2013, the extension will cut travel times between Amsterdam-Noord and the southern districts,
district. You can also seek out the leafy refuges called hofjes (inner courtyards), especially in changing the way many people live and work. The route also runs through the Zuidas (‘south
the Jordaan district (see the boxed text, p85). axis’), a minimetropolis that is the city’s answer to London’s Canary Wharf.
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GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

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(Continued from page 44)
Amsterdam is the capital city, and it certainly looks and feels like one. But due to a quirk of members receive an allowance for their work and not a salary, as it is performed on a volunteer
history, the functions of state are actually 60km away in Den Haag (The Hague). basis. The council meets every second Wednesday in public session.
The national government is presided over by the prime minister, currently Jan Peter The city is further divided into boroughs, each with its own council and its own political
Balkenende, in a coalition of the conservative Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and Chris- flavour. Frequently, the locals create informal councils to solve problems of mutual concern,
tian Union (CU) parties, and the labour party (PvdA). Regarded as squeaky clean in Amsterdam, even without any government input. A good example is the Night Mayors, a board of volunteers
Balkenende has seen the political landscape shift markedly but managed to form a fourth cabinet organised by a city-centre councilman to promote Amsterdam’s nightlife and mediate between
(in as many years) following a surprise re-election in November 2006. A previous cabinet was the entertainment industry and the authorities.
brought down earlier that year by a crisis surrounding Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a parliamentary member
and critic of Islam (see the boxed text, below). Ali, who was born in Somalia, resigned after it was
revealed she provided false information to the Dutch authorities when applying for asylum.
The opposition is made up of seven parties including the centre-right, market-friendly People’s MEDIA
It makes sense that the world’s first museum devoted to news photography, News Photo (p94)
Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), as well as two vocal right-wing parties, the Socialist
Party (SP) and the PVV (Party for Freedom). The head of the PVV, Geert Wilders, is considered opened here. Amsterdammers are media savvy and voracious readers. All you need to do is go
by many to carry the torch of Pim Fortuyn, the right-wing populist assassinated in 2002. to a café with a reading table to see. Whether it’s a newspaper picked up on their commute or the
The national government has made some conciliatory noises on immigration recently, for latest hot blog, people are, above all else, aware. It makes this small city seem even smaller.
example by granting an amnesty in 2007 to 30,000 immigrants without papers to give them a Of the 35 or so daily newspapers published in the Netherlands, some of the most important
chance to be registered legally. Still, the admission of immigrants is now restricted to a few nar- are based or have bureaus in Amsterdam. De Telegraaf is the country’s biggest-selling newspaper
row categories, such as people whose skills serves the ‘national interest’. and the closest thing to a tabloid you’ll find. The NRC Handelsblad is the intellectual paper,
Other key issues include a new smoking ban in restaurants, bars and cafés, due to come into while readers of the Volkskrant are decidedly left of centre.
BACKGROUND GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

BACKGROUND MEDIA
force in mid-2008 (p188) as well as the ongoing containment of coffeeshops. The city of Rotterdam Het Parool is Amsterdam’s afternoon newspaper, the one to grab to know what’s happening
is closing over one-third of its coffeeshops, saying they are too close to schools; Amsterdam, in town. Its Saturday PS supplement has a great entertainment section. And if you want to
with 200 coffeeshops of its own, has decided not to follow suit – for now. impress an Amsterdammer, say the restaurant you’ve chosen for dinner was rated nine out of
Amsterdam’s mayor, currently Job Cohen, is appointed by the monarchy. The 45-member 10 by Johannes van Dam, the paper’s food critic.
city council is elected to four-year terms by the city’s 15 boroughs. Since the 2006 election, The fastest-growing sector belongs to four free daily papers: Metro, Spits, De Pers and Dag, all
which showed a strong shift back to the left, the government is run by a coalition of the PvdA of which are distributed from train-station stands. With a circulation of over half a million copies
and GroenLinks (Green Left Party), with four parties holding seats in opposition. Council daily, Metro alone is a force to contend with. Visitors will have little trouble finding English-
language publications such as Time, Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune and many
UK-based dailies. Many are also popular among Dutch readers. See p248 for further info.
Dutch TV tends not to travel well abroad, mostly due to the language, but foreign-language
THE LEGACY OF THEO & PIM remakes of Dutch shows are enormously popular. Many visitors expect Dutch TV to be stuffed
If the 2004 assassination of Theo van Gogh rocked Amsterdam, it was the assassination of Pim Fortuyn two years earlier to the gills with porn, but it just ain’t the case. The reality-TV craze began here with Big Brother,
that gave the initial push. produced by Endemol, now based in Amsterdam. Big Brother was swiftly copied in the UK,
The political career of the charismatic Fortuyn (pronounced fore-town) lasted a mere five months, yet his impact Germany and the USA – and has spread to places as diverse as Brazil, Mexico and Africa. Its
on the Netherlands has proved indelible. His campaign for parliament in 2002 is best remembered for his speeches on latest creation is the controversial Gouden Kooi (Golden Cage), a tempestuous soap opera
immigration: particularly that the Netherlands was ‘full’ and that immigrants should not be allowed to stay without cum reality show where participants are locked up together in a house for year. One resident
learning the language or integrating. Thousands of white, low-income earners in Fortuyn’s home base of Rotterdam and regularly ordered the services of prostitutes. Endemol is also behind such international hits as
other cities rallied round the gay, dandyish former university professor. Fortuyn was feted as the next prime minister,
even as his opponents accused him of pursuing right-wing, racist policies.
Fear Factor, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Ready, Steady, Cook.
Just days before the general election in May 2002, Fortuyn was assassinated by an animal-rights activist in Hilversum, Of the local TV stations, AT5 is the putative leader thanks to its wall-to-wall coverage of local
some 20km from Amsterdam. Riots erupted outside parliament, and for a brief instant the threat of anarchy hung in the news. For a dose of Amsterdam attitude, tune in to low-budget MokumTV, on the air with local
air. His political party, the Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF), had a number of members elected to parliament and was included documentaries and unvarnished opinions since
in the next coalition, but without the dynamic Fortuyn it sputtered in search of a leader; in the 2003 election, voters all 1982. The state-owned networks are Ned 1,
but deserted the LPF, which voted itself out of existence in 2007. Ned 2 and Ned 3, who battle it out with com-
Enter Theo van Gogh (p34), a filmmaker whose 11-minute documentary Submission Part 1 featured four short stories mercial channels such as NET5, the loud ‘n’ THE DONOR SHOW HOAX
about Koranic verses that could be interpreted as justifying violence against women. The film was a collaboration with Ayaan sassy Yorin and Veronica, and the RTL empire. In the summer of 2007, BNN, a TV station aimed at
Hirsi Ali, a Muslim-born woman who had emigrated from Somalia to escape an arranged marriage and eventually became a You can also find plenty of foreign channels the youth audience, took the reality-show concept a
member of parliament. Hirsi Ali had become an outspoken critic of Islamic law and declared herself an atheist. on cable, including the BBC and CNN, and step further with The Big Donor Show. The programme
The documentary aired on Dutch TV in 2004, and Van Gogh was shot and his throat slashed as he was cycling down the sky’s the limit via the satellite services at involved a woman, supposedly terminally ill, who was
an Amsterdam street in rush hour. A letter threatening the nation, politicians and Hirsi Ali in particular, was impaled on many hotels. to donate a kidney to one of three worthy recipients,
a knife stuck in Van Gogh’s chest. Hirsi Ali went into hiding. The killing was all the more shocking to locals because the with the decision left up to the viewing audience.
27-year-old killer, while of Moroccan descent, was born and raised in Amsterdam. He proclaimed that he was acting in The whole thing turned out to be a hoax and there
the defence of Islam and would do the same thing again if given the chance, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment
(one of only a few dozen life sentences in the Netherlands since WWII).
LANGUAGE
When you come from a tiny country with a
was a storm of criticism, including from Dutch prime
minister, Jan Peter Balkenende. BNN agreed the show
If Fortuyn and his assassination set minds thinking in this city, Van Gogh’s murder was a blow to the heart. It also galva- was in bad taste, but argued it wanted to highlight
long history of trade, you learn to adapt or
nised politicians to require immigrants to know something about Dutch culture before moving to the land of tolerance. the lack of donors. Within days of the airing, the pro-
wither.
ducers emerged victorious as tens of thousands of
Amsterdam has always looked outward, viewers requested a donor form.
(Continued on page 53)
and as a result most people you will encounter
44 53
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
LEARNING THE LINGO
Originally from Bolivia, Sonia Sanchez has lived in Amsterdam for over seven years and works for the city council’s section
on immigration affairs. We asked about her views on the immigration law passed in 2005, which requires competency
in the Dutch language and culture before newcomers can get a residency permit.
Tell us what it was like for you when you first arrived in Amsterdam.
When I first arrived my Dutch wasn’t very good, so I took several language courses. It was difficult, but I managed, and
that helped me get my university diploma, a residency permit and a job offer. Now it’s very different. Apart from the
language, you have to take an orientation course in Dutch culture, and for that you have to study an awful lot.
What percentage of people pass the Dutch language test?
I don’t know exactly, but last year 4000 immigrants came to Amsterdam to live. Of those who enrol in the standard
1½-year language course, typically something like 70% don’t make it to the second level. A lot of immigrants work
and study at the same time, and it’s more difficult than a lot of them expect. But that was still under the old system.
There’s a new test in force from this year.
Is it demeaning for immigrants who’ve lived here for some time to prove they speak Dutch?
Those who already have a Dutch passport aren’t required to take the test. But people without a Dutch passport do have
to, and I think it’s a good idea. I know people who have lived here for 30 years and don’t speak a word of Dutch. How
does that happen? They live separate from the rest of society, and think, why should they learn Dutch if they don’t use
BACKGROUND LANGUAGE

it every day? The problem is, their children don’t perform well at school. There are special language programmes for
the parents, which help to motivate the children to learn the language too.
Have the courses in Amsterdam been successful so far?
Under the new immigration law, Amsterdam and other Dutch cities were given time to prepare their administration, so
the courses here only started in April 2007. So we won’t see any concrete test results until late 2008.
Is it so necessary to speak Dutch in Amsterdam, when so many Dutch are polyglot?
I think when you move to another country, you should learn the language or you’ll miss out on a lot. When I arrived in
Amsterdam I noticed that everyone here speaks English, even the greengrocers. When I was learning Dutch at first and
I tried to speak it, everyone answered back in English, but I had to convince them I wanted to improve my Dutch.
How many people in Amsterdam need to improve their Dutch?
In Amsterdam there are about 50,000 people with substandard Dutch. Not just foreigners, mind you – there are also
some Dutch who are technically illiterate.
What happens if a prospective immigrant fails the language and culture test?
Those already in the Netherlands can retake it, but have to pass within five years of arrival. For immigrants who haven’t
moved here yet, it’s tougher. They have to contact the Dutch embassy in their homeland and take the test before they
come, which means learning all the language and culture stuff abroad. Not easy.

in the city speak English very well. Foreign films and TV are shown with Dutch subtitles, and
the Dutch have long used other languages in their dealings overseas. Many websites (especially
tourist publications) are published in English, with the occasional publication in German,
French, Italian and, increasingly, Turkish and Arabic.
Part of the reason for this outward focus may be that the Dutch language is confounding.
Many linguists believe that Dutch is a close relative to English, but it won’t be apparent to the
uninitiated. If you’ve studied German, Dutch will make sense grammatically, and once you
get past some spelling differences you’ll probably be able to get the gist of it, especially written.
Spoken Dutch is another matter entirely – its pronunciation is a minefield of diphthongs (vowel
combinations), throat-clearing g’s and ch’s, roiling, rolling r’s and v’s that sound like f’s.
The Dutch speak English so well that visitors will rarely have the opportunity to practice Dutch.
When they do, the most valiant attempts at pronunciation will probably be met with quizzical looks.
Nevertheless, a few words in Dutch are always appreciated, especially the phrase Spreekt u Engels?
(Do you speak English?) with older people. Foreigners who have settled in the Netherlands report
that speaking Dutch, while hardly compulsory, warms their Dutch friends and colleagues.
For a brief guide to Dutch and some useful words and phrases, see the Language chapter
(p258), and check language courses on p245. For more extensive coverage of the language, pick
up Lonely Planet’s Western Europe Phrasebook.
54 55
 ARCH ITEC TU R E

Arcam (p70), the comely architecture centre at the harbour’s edge

 A disastrous fire burnt down much of the
ARCHITECTURE IN AMSTERDAM city centre in the 15th century, and wood was
sensibly outlawed as a main building material.
There was plenty of clay to make brick, but
this was too heavy, let alone stone.
The engineers solved the problem by driv-
ing piles into the peat. So timber gave way
to heavier brick, and thatched roofs were re-
placed by sturdier tile. Eventually brick and
sandstone became de rigueur for everything.
Only two early houses with timber façades
have survived to this day. In a lovely courtyard
near the Spui, the house at Begijnhof 34 (Map
pp62–5) is the oldest preserved wooden house
in the country, dating from 1465. The other
specimen can be found at Zeedijk 1, home
of the In ’t Aepjen café (p183), from the mid-16th
century.
The city’s oldest surviving building is the
Oude Kerk (Old Church, 1340; p75), a fine speci-
men of Dutch brick Gothic style. The second-
oldest is the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church; p66), a
late-Gothic masterpiece from the early 15th
century. You can clearly see how, over time,
SEEWORTHY BUILDINGS the Catholic choir and altar ceded ground to The Gothic-style Oude Kerk (p75)
The peaceful Begijnhof (p68) Oude Kerk (p75) the Protestant pulpit. In both churches, notice
the wooden roof frames.
Nieuwe Kerk (p66)
It is difficult not to be struck by Another classic of the era is the Montelbaanstoren (p82), one of the city’s signature buildings and
Royal Palace (p67) a Rembrandt favourite. The octagonal steeple was designed by master architect Hendrick de
Amsterdam’s well-preserved beauty; the
Rijksmuseum (p111) Keyser to house a clock that’s still in use today.
lovely canalscapes depicted in centuries-
old paintings are remarkably unchanged. Het Schip (p130)
Historian Geert Mak once described Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (p125) GABLES, HOISTS & HOUSES THAT TIP
Among Amsterdam’s great treasures are the magnificent gables, the façades at roof level that adorn the elegant houses along
Amsterdam as ‘a Cinderella under glass’, the canals. The gables hid the roof from public view and helped to identify the house until 1795, when the French occupiers
spared as it was from wartime destruc- introduced house numbers. Gables then became more of a fashion accessory.
tion and ham-fisted developers. The comely old centre has no fewer than 7000 historical There are four main types: the simple spout gable, with diagonal outline and semicircular windows or shutters, that
monuments, more humpback bridges than Venice and more trees per capita than Paris. was used mainly for warehouses from the 1580s to the early 1700s; the step gable, a late-Gothic design favoured by Dutch
Renaissance architects; the neck gable, also known as the bottle gable, a durable design introduced in the 1640s; and the
Unlike many capitals, Amsterdam has few grand edifices to trumpet. There is hardly the space bell gable, which appeared in the 1660s and became popular in the 18th century.
for a Louvre or Westminster Abbey, which anyway would be out of keeping with Calvinist Many canal houses deliberately tip forward. Given the narrowness of staircases, owners needed an easy way to move
modesty. But you’ll be pressed to find another city with such a wealth of residential architec- large goods and furniture to the upper floors. The solution: a hoist built into the gable, to lift objects up and in through the
ture, and with an appeal that owes more to understated elegance than to power and pomp. windows. The tilt allowed loading without bumping into the house front. Some properties even have huge hoist-wheels in
Amsterdam’s beauty was built on freedoms – of trade, religion and aesthetics. Many of the attic with a rope and hook that run through the hoist beam.
its gabled mansions and warehouses were erected by merchants in the Golden Age, with lit- The forward lean also makes the houses seem larger, which makes it easier to admire the façade and gable – a fortunate
tle meddling by city hall. Thus its leading citizens determined the look of the city, an early coincidence for everyone. Other house features included wall tablets; see the boxed text, p48.
urban experiment.
Dutch architecture today is one of the country’s most successful exports, with names such
as Rem Koolhaas and Lars Spuybroek popping up on blueprints from Shanghai to Stuttgart.
Back home, rivalry can be intensely local as talents in Amsterdam and Rotterdam jostle for
a spot in the architectural pantheon.

MIDDLE AGES
Around the year 1200, Amsterdam was a muddy little trading post on the Amstel river. The
soft marshland couldn’t support brick, so the earliest houses were made of timber, often with
clay and thatched roofs – similar, actually, to ones still standing in Amsterdam-Noord. Even
these modest abodes would list into the soggy ground.
Gabled buildings
46 47
 DUTCH RENAISSANCE The Vingboons designed the Bijbels Museum
(p95), the White House (now also part of the
As the Italian Renaissance filtered north, Dutch architects developed a rich ornamental Theater Instituut Nederland, p93) and the fine
style that merged the classical and the traditional, with their own brand of subtle humour. example at Keizersgracht 319 (Map p92).
They inserted mock columns, known as pilasters, into the façades and replaced the old Justus Vingboons’ Trippenhuis (p79) is about
spout gables with step gables (see the boxed text, p47). Sculptures, columns and little ob-
as austere as it gets. Built in 1660–64 for the
elisks suddenly appeared all over the Canal Belt. Red brick and horizontal bands of white
wealthy Tripp brothers, who made their for-
were all the rage too.
tune in metals, artillery and ammunition, the
The best-known talent of this period was Hendrick de Keyser (1565–1621), the city sculp-
most striking hallmarks are up at roof level –
tor. He worked with Hendrick Staets, a Canal Belt planner, and Cornelis Danckerts, the city
bricklayer, to produce some of the city’s finest masterpieces. chimneys shaped like mortars.
Every student of Dutch architecture knows the Bartolotti House (p94), a design by De Keyser, Later in the 17th century, façades became
who also put his stamp on three ‘directional churches’: the Zuiderkerk (Southern Church; p80) and plainer as the pendulum shifted to sumptuous
Westerkerk (Western Church; p93), both Gothic in flavour, and the Noorderkerk (Northern Church; interiors. Adriaan Dortsman, a mathemati-
p85), built for poor Jordaaners, and laid out like a Greek cross inside, a veritable revolution at cian by training, was a leader of this austere
the time. style. Dortsman’s greatest hits include the
De Keyser also created the landmark Munttoren (Mint Tower; Map pp62-5; cnr Rokin & Singel). The national Ronde Lutherse Kerk (Round Lutheran Church;
mint was moved here ahead of advancing French troops in 1673, but had little time to print p73) and the Museum Van Loon (p99).
any currency.
Also attributed to De Keyser is the Rasphuis Gate (p73). Halfway along Heiligeweg, it once led
to the Rasphuis, a model penitentiary where inmates would ‘rasp’ (scrape) Brazil wood for the
18TH-CENTURY
dye industry.
Key commercial buildings include the Green-
‘LOUIS STYLES’
As Holland’s trading might faded, the wealthy
land Warehouses (Map pp62-5; Keizersgracht 40-44). Whale fell back on fortunes amassed in the mercantile
WALL TABLETS oil was a sought-after ingredient for soap, era. Many invested or turned to banking, and
Before street numbers were introduced in 1795, many lamp oil and paint, and wells in these ware- conducted business from their opulent homes.
Amsterdam homes were identified by their wall tablets. The towering Westerkerk (p93)
houses held 100,000L of the precious stuff. Traders no longer stored goods in the attic be-
These painted or carved stone plaques were practical Nowadays they’re chic apartments, the façade cause they could afford warehouses elsewhere.
decorations that earmarked the origin, religion or profes- is well maintained. The Gallic culture craze proved a godsend for architect and designer Daniel Marot, a Hugenot
sion of the inhabitants. The wonderful Huis aan de Drie Grachten (House on refugee who introduced matching French interiors and exteriors to Amsterdam. Living areas
Beautiful examples of these stones are still found on the Three Canals, 1609; Map pp62-5; Oudezijds Achterburgwal were bathed in light that fell through sash windows on white stuccoed ceilings. As the elegant
many buildings along the main canals. Occupations are a 329) marks where the three burgwallen (forti- bell gable became a must, many architects opted for the next big thing, a horizontal cornice.
frequent theme: tobacconists, milliners, merchants, skip- fied embankments) meet. Note the house’s The dignified façades and statuary of the Louis XIV style hung on until about 1750. In rapid
pers, undertakers, even grass-mowers. steep gables, leaded glass windows and hand- succession it was followed by Louis XV style – rococo rocks, swirls and waves – and Louis XVI
The tablets also provide hints about the city’s past. A some shutters. designs, with pilasters and pillars making a comeback.
stone depicting a mail wagon at Singel 74 commemo-
rates the start of postal services between Amsterdam
and Den Haag in 1660. Further down the street, there’s DUTCH CLASSICISM Magna Plaza (p72), with the Royal Palace (p67) in the background
one portraying the scene of Eve tempting Adam with an During the Golden Age of art in the 17th cen-
apple, harking back to a fruit market of yesteryear. tury, architects such as Jacob van Campen,
Many plaques celebrate the lives of famous citizens, Philips Vingboons and his brother Justus
such as maritime hero Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter decided to stick to Greek and Roman clas-
and biologist Jan Swammerdam. The most appealing, sical design, dropping many of De Keyser’s
however, recall the domestic life and vocations of the age; playful decorations.
for examples, see www.amsterdamsegevelstenen.nl. Influenced by Italian architects, the Dutch
made façades look like temples and pilasters
like columns. All revolved around clever de-
ception. Neck gables with decorative scrolls
came into fashion, often crowned by a temple-
like roof. Garlands appeared under windows,
and red brick, which was prone to crumbling,
was hardened with dark paint.
The most impressive example of Dutch
Classicism is Van Campen’s city hall (now
the Royal Palace, p67). The largest city hall in Eu-
rope, it was given a precious shell of Bentheim
sandstone and a marble interior inspired by
Wall tablets were used to identify houses the Roman palaces.
48 49
 BERLAGE & THE
AMSTERDAM SCHOOL
The father of modern Dutch architecture was
Hendrik Petrus Berlage (1856–1934). He criti-
cised the lavish neostyles and their reliance
on the past, instead favouring simplicity and
a rational use of materials.
In Berlage’s view, residential blocks were
a holistic concept rather than a collection of
individual homes. Not always popular with
city elders, Berlage influenced what became
known as the Amsterdam School and its lead-
ing exponents Michel de Klerk, Piet Kramer
and Johan van der Mey.
The titans of the Amsterdam School de-
signed buildings of ‘Plan South’, an ambi-
tious project mapped out by Berlage. Humble
housing blocks became brick sculptures with
curved corners, odd windows and rocket-
shaped towers, to the marvel (or disgust) of
Ornate archway of the Rijksmuseum (p111), the gateway to the Museum Quarter traditionalists. The tiled façade of the Greenpeace Building (opposite)
It was a productive period that ushered
Standing in front of the late-Louis-style Felix Meritis Building (p94), step back and note the enor- in a new philosophy of city planning, given a boost by the 1928 Olympic Games held in Am-
mous Corinthian half-columns, with a pomp that architect Jacob Otten Husly was skilled in sterdam.
imparting. The Beurs van Berlage (p69) displayed the master’s ideals to the full, with exposed inner struts
The Maagdenhuis (Map pp62–5) on the Spui, designed by city architect Abraham van der Hart, is a and striking but simple brick accents.
more sober brand of this classicism. Built in 1787 as a Catholic orphanage for girls, the building Johan van der Mey’s remarkable Scheepvaarthuis (p71) was the first building in the Amsterdam
is now the administrative seat of the University of Amsterdam. School style. It draws on the street layout to reproduce a ship’s bow.
De Klerk’s Het Schip (p130) in the Haarlem Quarter and Kramer’s De Dageraad (p120) in the De Pijp
19TH-CENTURY NEOSTYLES neighbourhood are like fairy-tale fortresses rendered in a Dutch version of Art Deco. Their
eccentric details are charming, but the ‘form over function’ ethic meant these places were not
After the Napoleonic era, the Dutch economy stagnated, merchants closed their pocketbooks
and architecture ground to a halt. Seen as safe and saleable, neoclassicism held sway until the always fantastic to live in.
more prosperous 1860s, when planners again felt free to rediscover the past.
The late 19th century was all about neo-Gothic, harking back to the grand Gothic cathedrals, Museumplein, with view of the Concertgebouw (p111)
and the neo-Renaissance. It was around this time that Catholics regained their freedom to
worship openly, and built churches like mad in neo-Gothic style.
A leading architect of the period was Pierre Cuypers, the man known for skilful design blur
on several neo-Gothic churches, something he had in common with CH Peters. Their contem-
porary AC Bleijs created some of the greatest commercial buildings of the era.
Pierre Cuypers designed two of Amsterdam’s iconic buildings: Centraal Station (p70) and the
Rijksmuseum (p111), which both display Gothic forms and Dutch Renaissance brickwork. A similar
melange is CH Peters’ general post office, now Magna Plaza (p72).
The ebullient neo-Renaissance façade of the former milk factory (Map pp100-1; Prinsengracht 739-741) was
built in 1876 to a design by Eduard Cuypers (Pierre’s nephew).
Bleijs designed the high-profile St Nicolaaskerk (p71) as well as the intimate PC Hooft Store (1881; Map
pp100-1; Keizersgracht 508). The latter, a Dutch-Renaissance throwback with a Germanic tower, was
built to commemorate the 300th birthday of the poet and playwright Pieter Cornelisz Hooft.
The façade of AL van Gendt’s Concertgebouw (p111) is neoclassical, but its red brick and white
sandstone are all Dutch Renaissance.
Around the turn of the century, the neo-Goths suddenly fell out of favour as Art Nouveau
spread its curvy plant-like shapes across Europe.
Art Nouveau’s influence can be seen in the Greenpeace Building (Map p92; Keizersgracht 174-176). The
towering edifice was built in 1905 for an insurance company, and its tiled façade shows a guard-
ian angel who seems to be peddling a life policy.
Other Art Nouveau structures are the Amsterdam American Hotel (p99) and the riotous Tuschinskitheater
(p200).
50 51
 FUNCTIONALISM
As the Amsterdam School built, a new generation began to rebel against the movement’s im-
practical and expensive methods. In 1927 they formed a group called ‘de 8’, influenced by the
Bauhaus, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier.
Architects such as Ben Merkelbach and Gerrit Rietveld believed that form should follow
function and advocated steel, glass and concrete. The Committee of Aesthetics Control didn’t
agree, however, which is why you’ll see little functionalism in the Canal Belt.
After WWII, entire suburbs such as the sprawling Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam-Zuidoost
were designed along functionalist lines. By the late 1960s, however, resistance would grow to
such impersonal, large-scale projects.
Rietveld left Amsterdam the Van Gogh Museum (p109), where the minimalist, open space allows
the artist’s works to shine. You can enjoy coffee inside his M Café (p169). Aldo van Eyck’s work
also remains controversial, with critics arguing it looks out of place against the 17th- and
18th-century surrounds; his designs include the Moederhuis (Map p122; Plantage Middenlaan 33), built
for ‘fallen women’.

THE PRESENT
Since the 1970s, designers have lent human scale to the suburbs by integrating low- and medium-
rise apartments with shops, schools and offices. In the Plantage district, a must-see is the
enormous Entrepotdok (p123). Sprawling half a kilometre along the former loading dock, the crusty
shipping warehouses have been recast as desirable apartments, studios and commercial spaces.
Nearby, the Eastern Docklands was full of derelict industrial buildings until the 1980s and early
’90s, when they got a new lease on life.
Looking southeast from Centraal Station, you can’t overlook the green copper snout of NEMO
(p69), a science museum designed by Renzo Piano that resembles the prow of a ship. The cube-
like glass shell of the Muziekgebouw (p125) stands not far to the north, on the IJ waterfront. Clad in
a voluptuous body of aluminium and glass, Arcam (Architectuur Centrum Amsterdam; p70) is a
tribute to the city’s architectural prowess.
The Eastern Harbour District is home to the innovative community called IJburg (Map p58-9),
which will eventually house many thousands of residents on a string of artificial islands. It’s
linked to the mainland by the curvaceous Enneüs Heerma Brug, now dubbed Dolly Parton Bridge
by locals. Amsterdam-Zuidoost prides itself on the Living Tomorrow Pavilion (p131), a ‘smart’ building
with talking appliances by star architect Ben van Berkel.
Sweeping new projects are underway outside the old centre. On the shores of the IJ stands
the Oosterdokseiland, a row of landmark buildings that includes the new city library, and the
Westerdokeiland, a harbour that has been repurposed for work, play and sleep. On a former in-
dustrial estate across the IJ river, smart housing blocks and office towers are springing up at
the Overhoeks development.
On the southern ringway, the hi-tech business district of Zuidas (‘south axis’) is positioning itself
as a rival to London’s Canary Wharf. One of the more intriguing sights out here is the ING House (Map
pp58-9; Amstelveenseweg 500), a shoe-shaped, glass-clad complex on stilts – truly a bank with a sole.

Striking architecture of the NEMO science museum (p69) The Van Gogh Museum (p109)

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
52 53
© Lonely Planet Publications

N E I G H BO U R H O O DS

Van Gogh Museum (p109)

Admire the vivid swirls of a tortured genius.
Oude Kerk (p75) and Nieuwe Kerk (p66)
Pick out centuries of glorious detail.
Southern Canal Belt (p98)
Bask in the magnificent canal architecture.
Museum Het Rembrandthuis (p78)
Visit the inner sanctum of a master painter.
Red Light District (p74)
Loosen your tie in the controlled sleaze.
Vondelpark (p115)
Kick off your shoes in Amsterdam’s answer to Central
Park.
Anne Frank Huis (p93)
Relive the horrors from a young girl’s diary.
Amsterdams Historisch Museum (p68)
Lift the veil on a storied past.
Jordaan district (p84)
Explore the incredibly cosy lanes and cafés.
Artis Zoo (p121)
Stroll through a rainforest or African savannah.
 lonelyplanet.com
N E I G H BO U R H O O DS

Buiten
IJ
Schellingwoude
If you could pick a shape for Amsterdam, what
could possibly be more fitting than a bicycle
‘You’ll find the city’s

Watergraafsmeer
wheel? Or at least half of one, as if sliced in two
by a passing tram.
most alluring shopping
The old city is bathed by rings of canals
known as the Grachtengordel (Canal Belt).
in the Negen Straatjes,
Think of the main train station, Centraal Sta- a tightly woven web of
tion, as being the hub of the wheel, with streets
running out like spokes and linking the canals boutiques and specialist

PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS

together. Once you know this much, you won’t

Dapperbuurt
vendors.’

Transvaalbuurt
& EASTERN DOCKLANDS

OOSTERPARK & AROUND

get lost (often). It also helps to remember the
sequence of the main canals, from the centre
moving outwards: Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Singelgracht.

(p121)

(p128)
The oldest districts are also the most central, and we’ve divvied them up into three areas on

Eastern
Islands
the City Centre map. A good place to start your exploration is the Medieval Centre, home to

Oost

Oosterparkbuurt
many top sights such as the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk and the Amsterdams Historisch
Museum. The city’s intellectual life happens around the Spui, a leafy main square flanked by
cafés and bookshops.

Plantage
The Red Light District has been catering to worldly vices for centuries. Apart from the come-

Noord

Het
hither looks and giant joints, you’ll find the magnificent Oude Kerk and lesser-known assets

IJ
stel

Nieuwmarkt
such as a clandestine church-museum. Surprising for some, this old sailor’s quarter is quite Am
NEIGHBOURHOODS

NEIGHBOURHOODS RUNNINGHEADB
picturesque. Apart from a Gothic weigh house and a café-lined square, Nieuwmarkt holds the
keys to the Rembrandthuis – the master painter’s studio – as well as to intriguing old synagogues

CITY CENTRE
and museums in the old Jewish quarter.

SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

Moving outward, the Western Canal Belt is filled with stately mansions and home to the

(p61)

DE PIJP
(p118)
Anne Frank Huis. The towering Westerkerk, with its famous carillon and pot-bellied crown, is

Centrum
one of Amsterdam’s signature buildings. Nearby you’ll find the city’s most alluring shopping

(p98)

Pijp
De
in the Negen Straatjes, a tightly woven web of boutiques and specialist vendors. The houses
become larger and more affluent in the Southern Canal Belt, where you’ll find party zones

Western
Islands
around Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein, art and antiques in the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, and

WESTERN
CANAL
charming shops and restaurants along Utrechtsestraat.

(p91)
Staatslieden -
Hendrikbuurt

BELT

Zuid
JORDAAN

Oud
Frederik

Jordaan
To the west of the Canal Belt, the popular Jordaan is a former workers quarter teeming with

(p84)

OLD SOUTH
cosy pubs, cafés and galleries. Short on conventional sights, yes, but there’s no better place to

(p109)
lose yourself for an afternoon’s leisurely stroll. The offbeat Pianola Museum located here invites

VONDELPARK & AROUND

you to step back in musical history.
The Vondelpark is a green lung with personality. This English-style landscape park is replete

West
Oud
Westergasfabriek
with quaint features: a teahouse shaped like a flying saucer, a thatched colonial restaurant and

(p115)
a shell-like amphitheatre for summer plays. In fine weather it’s always a hive of activity.
The renowned Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum collections, as well as the Concertgebouw music

Nieuw
Zuid
hall, are in the genteel neighbourhood Old South, a few minutes’ walk south of the centre. Am-
sterdam’s well-to-do reside here in handsome villas, and frequent the exclusive garment shops

0.5 miles
Baarsjes

800 m
in PC Hoofstraat. Next door, ethnic meets trendy in De Pijp, an up-and-coming neighbourhood

De
with the famed Albert Cuyp Market and eateries serving cuisine from the former colonies.
Immediately to the east of the Southern Canal Belt lies the Plantage, the former gardens that
Lommer
Bos En
now hosts the lively Artis Zoo, the country’s oldest animal park. The district segues into the
old warehouse hubs of the Eastern Islands and Eastern Docklands, artificial islands that have
been graced with attractive modern buildings such as the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, a state-of-
the-art performance hall. The highlight of the rambling Oosterpark district is the excellent

0
0
Tropenmuseum.

Slotervaart
Slotermeer

Overtoomse
Sloterdijk

Veld
56
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
0 800 m
GREATER AMSTERDAM 0 0.5 miles

Westpoort To Boven-IJ
Ziekenhuis (100m)

g e
rw
Kla Buiksloot

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pro
Oud zen

wa
MAP
West INDEX Ni we INFORMATION Amsterdamse Bos Main

ee u
eu g 3
1 we Cycletours Holland.....................1 E2 Entrance..............................14 C6

Meta
City Centre p62-5

eL
He De Mirandabad..........................2 E5
Amsterdamse Bos Visitors

uw
2 Jordaan p86 rn

albew rweg
we

Nie
g Floraparkbad..............................3 F1 Centre...............................(see 18)
3 Western Canal Belt p92 Strand eer r Hammam..................................4 D2
Drieharingenbrug....................15 D2

erke
4 West egv Nieuwendam
Southern Canal Belt pp100-1 Isolatorweg telw Ijscomplex Jaap Eden................ 5 Electrische Museumtramlijn
G5
Dis Florapark
Regus Business Services.............6 C5 Amsterdam......................... 16 C5
5 Old South p110 Spaarndammerstr
Amsterdam
Joh Sloterparkbad............................7 A3
Filmmuseum (from 2009).........17 E2
6 Vondelpark & Around p116 Plage an
Ba s o s w e g van Slotervaart Ziekenhuis...............8 A5
Forestry Museum....................18 C6
7 De Pijp p119 Ha St Lucas Andreas Ziekenhuis......9 B3
Het Schip Housing Estate........19 D2
Station 19 Western sse
8 Plantage, Eastern Islands & Noord ltw Tenniscentrum Amstelpark...... 10 C6
IJburg Housing Estate..............20 H3
Sloterdijk 4 Islands Realeneiland eg
Eastern Docklands p122 25 Overhoeks
VU Medish Centrum............... 11 C5
ING House..............................21 C5
Volkstuinenpark Westergasfabriek 24 15 e l Olympic Stadium.................... 22 C5
housing estate &
9 Oosterpark & Around p129 Sloterdijkermeer 38 Westerpark nn
Sloterdijk Shell tower
1 Tu SIGHTS Schellingwoude
(pp130–1) Riekermolen............................23 E6
32 IJ
31 35 2 Amstelpark..............................12 E6 Westerpark............................. 24 D2
To Haarlem (19km) Haarlemmerweg Prinseneiland Noord-Hollandskanaal
Amsterdam RAI...................... 13 D5 Zandhoek............................... 25 D2
29 17
Bos En NDSM Shipyard
Lommer Staatslieden- 3
Frederik
Hendrikbuurt 1 Het 8
Eendrachtspark Centraal IJ
28 Station Java
Burgem Eiland KNSM
ee De Eiland Buiten
Geuzenveld Vlugtlaster de Vlugtlaan IJ
Zeeburg IJ
an
Marnixplein Stationsplein Haven 41
Gerbrandy

e
Dijksgr

ukad
Park Jordaan acht
Centrum Naval Sporenburg

a
20

Nass
Oosterdok Dockyards Rietlanden
Slotermeer Erasmuspark Kattenburg
34 Wittenburg
Jan van
Galenstr Borneo
Jachthaven Nieuwmarkt Nieuwmarkt Oostenburg Eiland
Sloterplas 9 4 Eastern
Islands To Blijburg (4km)
Sloterparkbad De Baarsjes Plantage
Wertheimpark
30 39
NEIGHBOURHOODS GREATER AMSTERDAM

NEIGHBOURHOODS GREATER AMSTERDAM

6 Golden Waterlooplein Artis 44
Sloterplas tr Bend Zoo Flevoparkbad
Sloterpark Rembrandtpark kers Dapperbuurt
Kin
7
Postjesweg
5 Oud
West
Amstelsluizen Oost
Flevopark
Weesperplein Muiderpoort
Slotervaart Oud
7 Frederiksplein Oosterpark
Zuid Rhijnspoorplein
Museumplein To Enneüs Heerma
Station Lelylaan Brug (1.2km)
Comelis Lelylaan
Einstelnweg

Vondelpark Oosterparkbuurt
Sarphatipark Wibautstraat SHOPPING (p154)
Overtoomse
Osdorp Veld 26 So Dutch Fashion..................(see 26)
Transvaalbuurt World Fashion Centre............. 26 B4
42 De

Ams
Heemstedestraat Pijp
Frankendaelpark Sportpark EATING (p175)

tel
Voorland Betty's.....................................27 E5
Haarlemmermeer 5 Blender.................................... 28 D2
Watergraafsmeer Café-Restaurant Amsterdam... 29 C2
16 Nieuw
8 Zuid Amstelstation Gary's Muffins........................ 30 C3
Diemen
Henk
Sneevlietweg
33
43 27 9 Pacific Parc.............................. 31 D2
40 Restaurant PS.......................... 32 D2

Rijns
Stadionplein Scheldestr
Huizingalaan

an Sal Meijer................................33 E5
la
Muse

22 elt
Johan

traat
ev
37 Beatrixpark 13 os NIGHTLIFE & ARTS
um T

Ro Sportpark
6 World Spaklerweg Drie De Nieuwe Anita..................... 34 D3
Trade 45
ram L

Station Zuid Center Burg

Sportpark 2 Het Ketelhuis.......................... 35 D2
WTC

Spa
Over
ine

To Openbare Amstel Powerzone...............................36 F5

kle
Golfbaan Sloten Diemen Vakzuid................................... 37 C5

rwe
(100m) Amstelveenseweg RAI
21 Zorgvlied Westergasterras...................... 38 C2

g
36

Muyskenw
e Haagsewe g Ra
Oud 11 VU Cemetery nd
Amstel

w GAY & LESBIAN

J
Europaboulevard

Duivendrecht

eg
VU (Free De Trut................................... 39 D3
veense

Diemen
To Schiphol Airport; University) AJ eg Zuid
Yotel; Sixt; Het Ernststr SLEEPING (p224)
w

Haarlem (20km); Overmstel

eg

Nieuwe Apartment Services..................40 E5

Van der Madeweg Van der

Be
Leiden (46km); Meer Amstelpark Veerijn
Madeweg Captain's Place........................ 41 G2

rgw
Den Haag (56km) 10 Stuartweg
12 Venserpolder Citymundo.............................. 42 C4

ij k
Buitenveldert To Amsterdam ArenA (3km);
Hotel V....................................43 E5

dre
Amsterdamse 14 Van Nijenrodeweg Borchland Sportcentrum (3km);
Bos Heineken Music Hall (3km);

ef
Stayokay Amsterdam Zeeburg.. 44 G3
Pepsi Stage (3km); Duivendrecht
Nieuwemeer 18 To Ouderkerk aan Living Tomorrow Windketel.............................(see 29)
Bosbaan de Amstel (5km); Pavilion (3.5km)'
To CoBrA Van Boshuizenstr Utrecht (35km);
Kröller-Müller Bijlmermeer Ganzenhoef
To Amsterdamse To Hockey Club Museum
Hurley (50m) (2.5km) Museum (96km) To Bijlmersportcentrum (600m)
Bos Theatre (50m) 23

58 59
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
ITINERARY BUILDER CIT Y CE NTR E
The table below allows you to plan a day’s worth of activities in any area of the city. Simply Drinking & Smoking p180; Eating p158; Shopping p137; Sleeping p212
select which area you wish to explore, and then mix and match from the corresponding The city’s golden egg hatched at a weir built across the Amstel river. Two streets called Damrak
listings to build your day. The first item in each cell represents a well-known highlight of (p70) and Rokin (p69), which run north and south from the Dam, formed the Amstel’s final stretch.
the area, while the other items are more off-the-beaten-track gems. East of the Damrak-Rokin axis is the ‘Old Side’ of medieval Amsterdam, while the west bank
is the Nieuwe Zijde (New Side). One of many oddities you’ll discover in this quirky city is that
the ‘New Side’ is actually older than the ‘Old Side’; their names come from the parishes around
the Oude Kerk (Old Church, p75) and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church, p66).
Although it’s hard to imagine now, the Damrak was Amsterdam’s first harbour, a long, busy
Drinking & tongue of water where ships unloaded spices, salt and coffee. Soon the ships grew too large for
ACTIVITIES Sightseeing Eating Nightlife the Dam and tied up to palisades along the outer harbour, and then unloaded onto lighters
to be ferried up the canals. Today, Damrak is an agonising stretch of gaudy souvenir and sex
AREA

Medieval Amsterdams Historisch Supper Club (p158) Café Dante (p182) shops, exchange bureaus, cheap restaurants and dumpy hotels, although the city is constantly
Centre Museum (p68) Le Petit Latin (p159) Hoppe (p181) fighting to make it more respectable.
Nieuwe Kerk (p66) Lucius (p158) Bitterzoet (p196) The bottom of the Damrak ends in the Dam (p69), the hallowed spot where the original dam
Begijnhof (p68) was built. (Put ‘Amstel’ and ‘Dam’ together, and you’ve got the city’s name.) South of the Dam,
the Damrak sheds its gutter qualities and becomes Rokin. Once a large canal, most of the Rokin
Red Light Museum Amstelkring (p75) Blauw aan de Wal (p160) Winston Kingdom (p197) was filled in during the 19th century, and quickly distanced itself from the seedy Damrak. It has
District & a number of fine office buildings (including the modern Options Exchange at No 61), prestigious
Oude Kerk (p75) New King (p160) Cotton Club (p198)
Nieuwmarkt shops (such as the wood-panelled tobacconist Hajenius at No 92) and art dealers.
Museum het Rembrandthuis Hemelse Modder (p161) Café de Jaren (p185) Amsterdam’s notorious Red Light District has been lubricating libidos since the 14th century.
(p78) Ships would drift into the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal to unload their wares, and as soon as the
ropes were set, the sailors would jump off and head for the next distillery or bordello. Many would
Jordaan Pianola Museum (p85) Bordewijk (p161) Café ’t Smalle (p186) squander their earnings in a few weeks and slink back to the ship, cursing their bad luck.
Hofjes (courtyards; p85) Cinema Paradiso (p162) De Prins (p186) Quicker than you can say la plus ça change, you’ll see that liquor and sex are still the main
NEIGHBOURHOODS ITINERARY BUILDER

NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

Johnny Jordaanplein (p84) De Blaffende Vis (p163) Café ’t Monumentje (p186) squeezes. Only the presentation has got more sophisticated; what seems rough and seedy is
actually slick and regulated. It’s a big money-spinner so the city does its best to keep everybody
happy. If you’d like to get a taste of the Red Light District without going all the way, take a quick
Western Canal Anne Frank Huis (p93) Christophe (p163) Café Het Molenpad (p187) walk down Oude Nieuwstraat.
Belt Westerkerk (p93) Buffet van Odette (p164) De II Prinsen (p187) A main artery of the Red Light District is Zeedijk (p76), the original sea dyke that guided
sailors from the mouth of the Amstel to Nieuwmarkt Square. The street was the first port of call
Theater Instituut Nederland Envy (p164) Café de Vergulde Gaper after long sea voyages, and has a colourful history stocked with volumes of wine, women and
(p93) (p189)
song. Its great variety of entertainment – including brown cafés, gay bars, late-night hang-outs
and music clubs – means it’s buzzing pretty much around the clock. The Zeedijk used to be
Southern Canal FOAM (p99) Tujuh Maret (p167) Oosterling (p189)
a virtual no-go area, but today it’s quite safe thanks to the surveillance cameras and frequent
Belt Bloemenmarkt (p99) Pata Negra (p168) Sugar Factory (p197) police patrols.
Museum Van Loon (p99) La Rive (p166) Paradiso (p199) Nieuwmarkt is a district as historic as anything you’ll find in Amsterdam – Rembrandt painted
canalscapes here, and Jewish merchants generated a fair share of the city’s wealth – yet many
locals associate it with recent conflict. In the 1970s Nieuwmarkt’s reputation had bottomed out.
Old South, Rijksmuseum (p111) De Burgermeester (p173) Bar Ça (p192) It had become the centre of Amsterdam’s heroin trade, and drug dealers and mobsters controlled
Vondelpark & Heineken Experience (p118) Bazar Amsterdam (p172) Pilsvogel (p192) the streets. Things got so bad that the mayor basically threw in the towel, recommending people
De Pijp visit a miniature model of Nieuwmarkt (at the Madurodam amusement park near Den Haag)
Van Gogh Museum (p109) Balti House (p172) Wildschut (p191)
rather than risking personal harm.
As if that wasn’t enough, a bitter conflict emerged over plans for a new metro line that would
Plantage, Artis Zoo (p121) A Tavola (p173) KHL (p193) require the destruction of many homes. (Just for the record, the city won.) For a reminder, check
Eastern Islands out the giant black-and-white photos in the metro station at Nieuwmarkt.
Verzetsmuseum (p123) Odessa (p174) Café Koosje (p193) The turning point came when a policeman was murdered by a drug addict – not the best
& Eastern
Docklands Hortus Botanicus (p123) Plancius (p173) Brouwerij ’t IJ (p192) advertisement for a city just getting its head around the tourist trade. The police stepped in and
the Nieuwmarkt was saved, not just in miniature. You might still encounter junkies, particularly
along Geldersekade to the north of the square, but nowadays they’re few and far between.
Other Districts Tropenmuseum (p128) Pacific Parc (p175) Amstel Haven (p194) The area southeast of here, the ‘new’ canals (Nieuwe Herengracht, Nieuwe Keizersgracht
CoBrA Museum (p131) De Kas (p174) Westergasterras (p197) and Nieuwe Prinsengracht), intersected by the Weesperstraat traffic artery, was where the
Amsterdamse Bos (p131) Restaurant PS (p175) To Night (p197) canal-belt project petered out around 1700. The canals on this far side of the Amstel were less
in demand among the city’s wealthy residents, and went to charities or were settled by well-off
Jews from the Jewish quarter.

60 61
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64 65
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
CITY CENTRE
INFORMATION Mozes en Aäronkerk............... 47 G10 Book Market...........................94 B10 EATING (pp158–61) Café-Restaurant Kapitein Supper Club Cruise Oase......231 E1
British Language Training Munttoren.............................. 48 C11 Boudisque............................... 95 D4 Blauw Aan De Wal............... 144 E7 Zeppo's............................189 C9 Winston Kingdom.............(see 259)
Centre.................................. 1 A9 Museum Amstelkring..............49 E5 C&A....................................... 96 C6 Brasserie Harkema................145 C9 Dampkring...........................190 B10
City Hall Information Centre..... 2 F10 Museum Het Rembrandthuis...50 E8 Chills & Thrills......................... 97 D3 Broodje van Kootje............(see 212) De Bekeerde Suster...............191 E7 GAY & LESBIAN
Dam Apotheek.......................... 3 C7 Nationaal Monument.............. 51 C7 Concrete................................. 98 A8 Café Bern............................ 146 F7 De Blauwe Parade................192 B6 Argos.................................. 232 E6
easyInternetcafé....................... 4 D5 Nelle statue & golden torso.....52 E6 Condomerie Het Gulden Vlies.. 99 D6 De Keuken van De Brakke Gronde.............(see 229) Black Tulip Hotel..................233 G5
Fitness First............................... 5 C5 NEMO.....................................53 B2 Cracked Kettle.......................100 A9 1870................................ 147 C4 De Buurvrouw......................193 D8 Café Bardewijn.................... 234 F5
Garden Gym............................. 6 G10 Nieuwe Kerk...........................54 B6 De Beestenwinkel..................101 E10 Dolores................................ 148 B8 De Drie Fleschjes..................194 C6 Cockring..............................235 D6
goPengo...................................7 E10 Oostindisch Huis.....................55 E8 De Bierkoning........................102 B7 d'Vijff Vlieghen....................149 A9 De Schutter......................... 195 B10 Cuckoo's Nest..................... 236 C4
GWK Travelex...........................8 E4 Openbare Bibliotheek De Bijenkorf.......................... 103 C7 Eat Mode............................. 150 F6 De Sluyswacht.....................196 F9 De Engel van Amsterdam.... 237 F5
GWK Travelex.......................... 9 C7 Amsterdam.........................56 A1 Droog Design........................104 E10 Green Planet........................151 B6 De Zwart..............................197 A10 Getto...................................238 E5
GWK Travelex.........................10 F3 Oude Kerk...............................57 E6 Etos.......................................105 D4 Grekas.................................152 A9 Diep.....................................198 B8 Intermale............................. 239 A8
Internet City............................11 D4 Oudemanhuispoort................ 58 D9 Etos.......................................106 C6 Haesje Claes.........................153 A9 Durty Nelly's........................199 D6 Mr B.................................... 240 E6
Keytours..................................12 E4 Pentagon Housing Estate.........59 F9 Fair Trade Shop......................107 B11 Hemelse Modder.................154 A8 Dutch Flowers......................200 A10 Prik...................................... 241 B6
Kilroy Travels.......................... 13 A10 Pintohuis.................................60 F9 Fame Music...........................108 B7 Kam Yin............................... 155 F5 El Guapo..............................201 C5 Queen's Head..................... 242 F5
Lindbergh Tours...................... 14 D5 Portuguese-Israelite Female & Partners.................109 B5 Kantjil to Go.........................156 A10 Gollem.................................202 A9 Rob......................................243 E5
NS International Office............15 E3 Synagogue..........................61 H10 Gall & Gall............................(see 150) Krua Thai............................. 157 E10 Greenhouse.........................203 D8 Vrolijk................................. 244 A7
Openbare Bibliotheek Prostitution Information Geels & Co............................110 E5 Le Petit Latin........................158 A9 Hill Street Blues....................204 F7 Web................................... 245 D4
Amsterdam........................(see 56) Centre.................................62 E6 H&M.....................................111 B10 Lucius..................................159 A8 Homegrown
Post Office..............................16 F10 Rasphuis Gate.........................63 B10 Hans Appenzeller.................. 112 C9 Nam Kee.............................. 160 F7 Fantasy............................205 B6 SLEEPING (pp212–14)
Rederij Lovers Boat Terminal....17 E3 Ronde Lutherse Kerk...............64 C3 Hema....................................113 E5 Nam Kee..............................161 F6 Hoppe................................. 206 A10 Aivengo Youth Hostel..........246 C4
Splash Fitnessclub ...................18 C3 Royal Palace............................65 B7 Henxs....................................114 F9 New King.............................162 F6 In 't Aepjen.........................207 F5 Amstel Botel........................ 247 A2
VVV........................................19 F3 St Nicolaaskerk........................ 66 F4 Herman Brood Galerie...........(see 182) Oriental City........................ 163 D8 In de Wildeman.................. 208 D5 Amsterdam Apartment........248 C4
VVV........................................20 F4 Scheepvaarthuis..................... 67 H6 Himalaya...............................115 E5 Pannenkoekenhuis Kandinsky........................... 209 A9 Bellevue Hotel..................... 249 D3
Yellow Bike............................. 21 C5 Schreierstoren......................... 68 G4 Innerspace.............................116 B6 Upstairs.............................164 C9 Lime.................................... 210 F6 Christian Youth Hostel
Sexmuseum Amsterdam..........69 E4 Jacob Hooy & Co.................... 117 E8 Sea Palace............................165 B2 Lokaal 't Loosje.................... 211 B9 'The Shelter City'............250 F7
SIGHTS (pp61–83) Statue of Queen Wilhelmina... 70 C9 Joe's Vliegerwinkel................ 118 F8 Skek.................................... 166 F5 Luxembourg........................212 A10 Flying Pig Downtown
Allard Pierson Museum........... 22 C10 Stedelijk Museum CS.............. 71 B1 Kalvertoren Shopping Sterk Staaltje........................ 167 E10 Molly Malone's....................213 F5 Hostel............................. 251 D5
Amsterdams Historisch Stopera...................................72 G11 Centre...............................119 B11 Supper Club.........................168 B8 Oporto................................214 C6 Hotel Brian.......................... 252 B4
Museum..............................23 B9 Trippenhuis.............................73 F8 Killa Cutz.............................. 120 C5 Van den Berg's Pilsener Club........................ 215 B9 Hotel Brouwer..................... 253 D3
Arcam..................................... 24 C3 TunFun....................................74 H10 Knuffels.................................121 F9 Broodjesbar....................... 169 C6 Proeflokaal De Ooievaar......216 F4 Hotel de L'Europe................ 254 C11
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NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

Begijnhof.................................25 B9 University Library....................75 B10 Kokopelli...............................122 E5 Villa Zeezicht....................... 170 A6 Proeflokaal Wijnand Hotel Hoksbergen............... 255 A8
Begijnhof 34........................... 26 A10 Waag......................................76 F7 Laundry Industry................... 123 B10 Village Bagels.......................171 C3 Fockinck.......................... 217 D7 Hotel Luxer..........................256 E5
Begijnhof Kapel....................... 27 A9 Zuiderkerk...............................77 F9 Le Cellier............................... 124 B6 Vlaams Friteshuis..................172 B10 Tara.................................... 218 C9 Hotel Résidence
Beurs van Berlage................... 28 D5 Magic Mushroom Volendamer Vishandel..........173 C6 Vrankrijk............................. 219 A8 Le Coin........................... 257 D10
Café Het Mandje.....................29 F6 SHOPPING (pp137–42) Gallery..............................125 A8 Waag Café..........................(see 76) Hotel the Crown..................258 F5
Casa Rosso..............................30 E7 3-D Hologrammen................. 78 C9 Magna Plaza......................... 126 B6 DRINKING & (pp180–5) Hotel Winston.....................259 D6
Centraal Station.......................31 F3 Absolute Danny......................79 E7 Maison de Bonneterie............127 C10 SMOKING NIGHTLIFE & ARTS Misc Eat Drink Sleep............ 260 E8
Civic Guard Gallery................. 32 B9 American Book Center............ 80 A10 Nieuwmarkt...........................128 F7 Abraxas................................174 B7 Akhnaton............................ 220 C5 NH Grand Hotel
De Papagaai............................33 B8 Amsterdam Diamond Center.. 81 C7 Nijhof & Lee..........................129 E10 B van B Café........................ 175 D6 Amsterdams Marionetten Krasnapolsky................... 261 C7
Dockworker statue..................34 H11 Amsterdam Photography........ 82 C5 Pinokkio................................(see 126) Baba.....................................176 E5 Theater............................221 G7 Old Nickel........................... 262 F4
Engelse Kerk........................... 35 A9 Antiquariaat Kok.....................83 E8 Po Chai Tong........................130 F10 Bar Bep.................................177 B8 Bethaniënklooster................222 E7 Stadsdoelen Youth
Erotic Museum........................36 E6 Antiques Market....................(see 128) Puccini Bomboni....................131 E10 Blincker................................178 C9 Beurs van Berlage................(see 28) Hostel.............................. 263 E10
Gassan Diamonds................... 37 H9 Art Market.............................. . 84 B10 Riele......................................132 F9 Bubbles & Wines Bitterzoet............................ 223 C4
Guan Yin Shrine...................... 38 D8 Athenaeum Bookshop & Rituals...................................133 B9 Champagne Bar.............. 179 C8 Casablanca.......................... 224 F5 TRANSPORT
Hash & Marijuana Museum.... 39 E7 Newsagency....................... 85 A10 Rush Hour Records................134 B5 Cafe Lef............................... 180 F5 Casablanca Variété............(see 224) Canal Bus Stop.................... 264 B2
Het Oranje Voetbal Museum... 40 C11 Au Bout du Monde................. 86 A9 Seventyfive............................135 F8 Café Cuba............................181 F7 Conservatorium van Canal Bus Stop.................... 265 F11
Huis aan de Drie Grachten...... 41 D9 Australian Homemade............ 87 B11 Stamp & Coin Market........... 136 B8 Café Dante.......................... 182 A10 Amsterdam Canal Bus Stop.................... 266 F4
Joods Historisch Museum........ 42 H11 Bazar...................................... 88 D5 't Klompenhuisje................... 137 F8 Café de Doelen.....................183 E10 (from late 2008).............. 225 A1 Damstraat Rent-a-Bike........ 267 D7
La Vie en Rose........................ 43 D6 Beaufort.................................. 89 C9 Typo Gallery..........................138 E10 Café de Jaren....................... 184 D10 Cosmic Theater................... 226 C9 Ferry Terminal......................268 F2
Maagdenhuis.......................... 44 B10 Blond...................................... 90 A10 University Shop..................... 139 A10 Café Het Schuim..................185 A7 Cotton Club.........................227 F7 GVB Information Office.......269 F3
Madame Tussauds Blue Note................................ 91 C6 Vroom & Dreesmann............ 140 C11 Café van Zuylen...................186 A6 Dansen bij Jansen................ 228 B10 Holland International
Amsterdam......................... 45 C7 Boerenmarkt.........................(see 128) Waterlooplein Flea Market.....141 G10 Café Zilt............................... 187 F5 De Brakke Gronde............... 229 C8 Terminal.......................... 270 E4
Magna Plaza.......................(see 126) Book Exchange........................92 E9 Waterstones.......................... 142 B10 Café-Restaurant Frascati................................ 230 C9 Holland Rent-a-Bike............ 271 D6
Montelbaanstoren.................. 46 H7 Book Market........................... 93 D9 Wonderwood........................143 D9 Dantzig............................188 F10 Muziektheater.....................(see 72) MacBike...............................272 H10

recalls Queen Wilhelmina, who ascended ROYAL PALACE Map pp62-5

MEDIEVAL CENTRE happy result? The district has the air of a living
museum, and certain vistas look cut out of a the throne in 1898, aged 18. Exhibitions Koninklijk Paleis;%620 40 60; www.koninklijkhuis
The charming thing about Amsterdam’s Golden Age landscape. and organ concerts are held here, but it no .nl; the Dam; adult/child under 6yr/child 6-16yr &
medieval heart is its remarkable state of longer functions as a church. senior €4.50/free/3.60, adult ticket with audio tour
preservation. The city steadily grew in layers NIEUWE KERK Map pp62-5 The interior is plain, but several key furnish- €6.50
around the leaf-shaped harbour, and although New Church; %638 69 09; www.nieuwekerk.nl; ings – the magnificent oak chancel, the Today’s Koninklijk Paleis began life as a glo-
there have been countless changes – various the Dam; adult/child under 6yr/child 6-15yr €10/ bronze choir screen and the massive gilded rified stadhuis (town hall) of republican Am-
canals have been filled in and modern streets free/7.50; h10am-6pm Fri-Wed, to 10pm Thu organ (1645) – alone justify a visit. Naval hero sterdam, completed in 1665. The architect,
like Kalverstraat scarcely betray their gritty On the Dam, this 14th-century basilica is Admiral Michiel de Ruijter, as well as poets Jacob van Campen, spared no expense to
roots – the overall layout and dimensions the historic stage of Dutch coronations; Joost van den Vondel and Pieter Cornelisz display Amsterdam’s wealth in a way that
are little changed since the 17th century. The the stained glass over the main entrance Hooft are among the luminaries buried here. rivalled the grandest European buildings of
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Divisions such as voetboog (large cross- from tiny settlement on the mouth of the Station into town, the name being a cor-

lonelyplanet.com
bow) and kloveniers (hackbut) protected Amstel, as it was filled in to create the ruption of ‘Rak-in’, or inward reach. In the
the city and played a large part in depos- metropolis. You’ll find models of old homes, early 16th century, the northern part was
ing the Spanish government. Technically, religious objects (including some relating the site of the first Amsterdam stock ex-
every man had to serve in these guard to the Miracle of Amsterdam; see the boxed change, which played a big part in spinning
MEDIEVAL CENTRE units, although participation in the por- text, p73) and a detailed history of Dutch Golden Age riches. The Rokin is now in the
Nieuwe Kerk (p66) Take in a concert or an exhibi- traits was voluntary, as each member paid commerce. Later sections cover the world grip of the underground construction of a
tion at the coronation church of Dutch royalty. his own way. The size of the paintings wars, the spread of bicycle use and even a new metro line, which has brought forth
Royal Palace (p67) Feel positively regal inside the was determined by the wall space in the re-creation of the original Café Het Mandje, a number of archaeological finds from the
lavishly decorated salons. guardhouses where the portraits were to a touchstone in the gay-rights movement. Amstel’s old river bed. At the intersection
Civic Guard Gallery (below) See the original giants be hung. Together with the Rijksmuseum’s Outside, be sure to visit the courtyard of Rokin and Grimburgwal stands a statue
of Dutch homeland security in ruff collars. |collection, this display is the largest of its (note the cupboards in which the orphans of Queen Wilhelmina on horseback, a reminder
Begijnhof (right) Spend a quiet interlude in this kind and definitely not to be missed. stored their possessions) and view the amaz- of the monarch’s trots through Amsterdam
courtyard of historic almshouses and churches. ing portraits in the Civic Guard Gallery (opposite). during official processions.
Amsterdams Historisch Museum (right) Follow BEGIJNHOF Map pp62-5
the twists and turns of city history over seven %622 19 18; www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl; DAM Map pp62-5 SPUI Map pp62-5
eventful centuries. admission free; h8am-5pm The southern part of this famous square Flanked by bookshops and cafés, this broad
This enclosed former convent dates from was the divine spot where Amsterdam was square split by tramlines is most closely as-
the day. The great burgerzaal (citizens hall) the early 14th century. It’s a surreal oasis of founded around 1270, and the rest is cheq- sociated with the 1960s, where the ‘Provos’
that occupies the heart of the building was peace, with tiny houses and postage-stamp uered history. But few people know that long (p70), of the political counterculture, staged
envisioned as a schematic of the world, gardens around a well-kept courtyard. before it hosted fun fairs, the square was split some of their mischievous pranks. The
with Amsterdam as its centre. Look care- The Beguines were a Catholic order of into sections called Vissersdam, a fish market statue in the middle is of a playful urchin
fully and you’ll see motifs representing the unmarried or widowed women who cared where the Bijenkorf department store now called Lieverdje (Little Darling), a gift from a
four elements: birds (air), fish (water), fruit for the elderly and lived a religious life stands, and Vijgendam, probably named cigarette company. The Spui was a body of
(earth) and fire. On the far wall, a clock is without taking monastic vows. The last true for the figs and other exotic fruits unloaded water until the 1880s, and is now the site of
constantly set to 11 o’clock, indicating that Beguines died in the 1970s. from ships. Markets and events have been Sunday book and art markets (see p151).
NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

justice is possible even at the last hour. Contained within the hof is the charming held here through the ages, including execu-
Also worth noting are the balcony room, Begijnhof Kapel, a ‘clandestine’ chapel where tions – you can still see holes on the front of STEDELIJK MUSEUM CS Map pp62-5
from where important announcements the Beguines were forced to worship after the Royal Palace where the wooden gallows %573 29 11; www.stedelijk.nl; 2nd & 3rd fl, Post
were made, and the council chamber, with their Gothic church was taken away by the were affixed. From the 19th century onward CS Bldg, Oosterdokskade 5; adult/child under 7yr/
its elaborate paintings and murals depict- Calvinists. Go through the dogleg entrance the Dam became a sort of national square, child 7-16yr & senior €9/free/4.50; h10am-6pm
ing themes of giving advice, including owls to find marble columns, wooden pews, meaning that when there’s a major speech The modern classics here are among the
and a Jacob de Wit painting of Moses. paintings and stained-glass windows com- or demonstration, it’s held here. world’s most admired, amassed with great
A century and a half after it was built, the memorating the Miracle of Amsterdam. skill by postwar curator Willem Sandberg.
building became the palace of King Louis, The other church in the Begijnhof is BEURS VAN BERLAGE Map pp62-5 The permanent collection includes all the
Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother. In a clas- known as the Engelse Kerk (English Church), %530 41 41; Damrak 243 blue chips of 19th and 20th century paint-
sic slip-up in the new lingo, French-born built around 1392. It was eventually rented Named after architect HP Berlage (see p51), ing – Monet, Van Gogh and Picasso among
Louis told his subjects here that he was out to the local community of English and this landmark building from 1903 was once them – as well as sculptures by Rodin,
the ‘rabbit (konijn) of Holland’, whereas he Scottish Presbyterian refugees – the Pilgrim the leading stock and commodities ex- abstracts by Mondriaan and Kandinsky, and
meant ‘king’ (konink). Napoleon dismissed Fathers worshipped here – and still serves change. The plans show Berlage’s humour much, much more.
him two years later. as the city’s Presbyterian church. and an almost perverse willingness to show For the time being, only temporary ex-
The building later passed to the House Also note the house at No 34; it dates the guts of a building, such as the exposed hibitions are held in this former post-office
of Orange before the national government from around 1425, making it the oldest steel struts and giant screws of the main tower. At the time of writing it was due to
bought it in 1935. Officially Queen Beatrix preserved wooden house in the country. hall. Trading quickly outgrew the beurs, close in October 2008, but selected treas-
lives here and pays a symbolic rent, though however, and moved to the nearby Effect- ures will be exhibited at different venues
she really lives in Den Haag. AMSTERDAMS HISTORISCH enbeurs less than two decades later. including the Van Gogh Museum through
At the time of writing, the Palace was MUSEUM Map pp62-5 The Beurs van Berlage is now home to to the end of 2009, when the main Stedelijk
closed till mid-2008 for a revamp; ring or the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Museum building (p113) on Museumplein is set
Amsterdam Historical Museum; %523 18 22;
check the website for updates. and hosts museum exhibitions. In the to reopen after a lengthy renovation.
www.ahm.nl; Kalverstraat 92; adult/child under
6yr/child 6-18yr €7/free/3.50; h10am-5pm Mon- Beurs’ B van B Café (p182), stop to ponder the
CIVIC GUARD GALLERY Map pp62-5 Fri, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun 1903 murals by Jan Toorop, representing NEMO Map pp62-5
%523 18 22; Kalverstraat 92; admission free; Housed in the old civic orphanage, this mu- past, present and future. %531 32 33; www.e-nemo.nl; Oosterdok 2;
h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun seum takes you through all the fascinating adult/child under 4yr/student €11.50/free/6.50;
The enormous tableaux here are exclusively twists and turns in Amsterdam’s convoluted ROKIN Map pp62-5 h10am-5pm Tue-Sun, plus Mon Jul & Aug
of medieval guards in group portraits, a history. Begin with the large-screen TV de- South of the Dam, this street is part of Perched atop the entrance to the IJ-Tunnel
captivating subgenre of Dutch painting. picting an aerial view of the city’s evolution, the route most visitors take from Centraal is the wedge-shaped museum of science
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IJ river. One of the architects, PJ Cuypers, is the country’s largest library and has

lonelyplanet.com
THE PROVOS & THEIR PRANKS also designed the Rijksmuseum (p111), and claimed a commanding spot on Amster-
you can see the similarities – in the square dam’s increasingly modern landscape. Much
In the Swinging ’60s the Dutch had their own brand of hippies called ‘Provos’. They sought to provoke – no surprise faux-Gothic towers, the fine red brick and of the excitement is visual: as you enter,
there – and their impish antics caught the imagination of a society seeking to renew itself.
the abundant reliefs, for sailing, trade and marvel at the airy lobby with its 30m-high
The Provos were led by Robert Jasper Grootveld, a self-appointed shaman, window-washer and antismoking activist.
industry. The garage in the right-hand wing gallery. Big, inviting couches sit before pic-
The great supremo had no problem with marijuana, however, as he and his stoned disciples would chant mantras against
was built to shelter the Dutch royal car- ture windows on the 7th floor, and the view
Big Tobacco and consumer society at get-togethers in Grootveld’s garage, near Leidseplein. There was no shortage of
riage, but it’s rarely there (read: never). from the Oosterdok over the city is magnifi-
bizarre hangers-on, such as Bart Huges, who drilled a ‘third eye’ in his forehead to expand his consciousness. Amsterdam,
the city ‘full of refrigerators and food mixers’, was set for a showdown. As for all that construction, it’s for another cent. There’s also free web access.
Every week during the summer of 1965, the Provos would gather on the Spui at the Lieverdje statue (see p69) Amsterdam master traffic plan. By 2013 the
to perform their ‘street pranks’. The throngs of young, flower-bearing, guitar-wielding followers would chant their inner harbour will be enlarged, the station SCHEEPVAARTHUIS Map pp62-5
nonsensical slogans around Grootveld, who dressed as a medicine man. Surprised police responded with the baton and square pedestrianised, and buses and trams Shipping House; Prins Hendrikkade 108
brutal arrests, and soon the entire country was engaged in a heated debate for and against the authorities. rerouted to a new terminal in the rear. The imposing Scheepvaarthuis was built in
The generation gap was only part of it: many older people who were uneasy about how little Dutch society had 1916 for a consortium of shipping compa-
changed since WWII came out in favour of the Provos and could not understand why the authorities had so completely ST NICOLAASKERK Map pp62-5 nies. Utilising the street layout to resemble
lost the plot. %624 87 49; Prins Hendrikkade 73; admission a ship’s bow, this remarkable building
Throughout 1965 and 1966 the Provos launched a series of ‘White Plans’ to protect the environment, including free; h11am-4pm Tue-Sat, noon-3pm Mon, wor- was the first true example of Amsterdam
the famous White Bicycle Plan. The idea was to alleviate traffic congestion by dispensing free white bicycles, to be ship services 10.30am & 1pm Sun, 12.30pm Mon-Sat School style (see p51). The prow-like front is
stationed around town. To kick-start the programme, the Provos donated the first two-wheeler, which was promptly In plain view from Centraal Station, the crowned by a statue of Neptune, his wife
confiscated by the police. magnificent cupola and neo-Renaissance and four female figures that represent the
Provos were also behind the 1966 riot over the wedding of Princess Beatrix to the German diplomat Claus von towers belong to the city’s main Catholic points of the compass. The window frames,
Amsberg, who had served in Hitler’s army. Despite the tight security, a live chicken was hurled at the royal coach and church, the first built after Catholic worship entrances and interior walls display nautical
smoke bombs were ignited as the procession made its way along Raadhuisstraat. became legal again in the 19th century. imagery such as anchors and sailing ships.
In 1967 the Provos dissolved, saying their goal of making people sit up and think had been met. Grootveld went on The interior is notable for its high altar, the The building is now refurbished as a luxury
to found the absurdist Kabouterbeweging (Garden Gnomes Movement) and continued to rail against consumerism. theatrical crown of Emperor Maximilian I hotel. Step inside to admire the intricate
and depictions of the Stations of the Cross, wrought ironwork and stained glass of the
NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

and technology, the largest in the materials on just about anything built in on which tireless painter Jan Dunselman majestic central stairwell.
Netherlands. Italian architect Renzo Piano town from early history to the very latest laboured for 40 years. St Nicholas is the
(whose works also include the Centre Pom- housing development. Among the best patron saint of seafarers, so the church be- MADAME TUSSAUDS AMSTERDAM
pidou in Paris) conceived of this design as titles are 25 Buildings You Should Have Seen came an important symbol for Amsterdam. Map pp62-5
the inverse of the tunnel below it. and Eastern Docklands Map. %522 10 10; www.madametussauds.nl; Dam 20;
It’s really meant for kids, but grown-ups SEXMUSEUM AMSTERDAM Map pp62-5 adult/child/senior €19.95/free/14.95; h10am-
will probably enjoy it too. There are loads DAMRAK Map pp62-5 %622 83 76; www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl; 5.30pm Sep-Jun, to 9pm Jul & Aug,
of interactive exhibits, drawing with a laser, The Damrak is the original mouth of the Damrak 18; admission €2.50, age 16yr & over; A delight for kids, who will be filled with
‘anti-gravity’ trick mirrors and a ‘lab’ where Amstel river in Amsterdam – ‘rak’ being a h10am-11.30pm wonderment when they realise there is
you can answer such questions as ‘How reach, or straight stretch of water – and the Even if it seems rather tame in this environ- absolutely no difference between the wax
black is black?’ and ‘How do you make river flowed from a lock in the Dam (p69) into ment, the Sexmuseum gets loads of visitors David Beckham and the real thing. The
cheese?’ Signage is in English and Dutch. the IJ. In the 19th century the canal was and if you’re in the right mood it’s good for place is kind of a bellwether of who’s hot in
In summer, the terraced rooftop plaza filled in, except for the canal-boats docks on a giggle. You’ll find replicas of pornographic Holland, be it Tiësto (a DJ), Ali B (a rapper)
hosts Nemo Beach (admission €2.50, with NEMO admis- the east side. The gabled houses backing Pompeian plates, erotic 14th-century Vien- or Princess Maxima. And you can decide for
sion free; hvary). The ‘beach’ itself is actually onto the water are among the town’s most nese bronzes, some of the world’s earliest yourself whether Prince Willem-Alexander
a rather elaborate sandbox occupying just picturesque. The west side of Damrak is like nude photographs, a music box that plays looks fit to rule or not.
a small section of the roof, but further a giant stretch of flypaper, with cheap tour- ‘Edelweiss’ and purports to show a couple
up DJs spin, and there’s a bar, a convivial ist hotels, fast-food restaurants and souvenir in flagrante delicto, and an eerie mannequin NATIONAAL MONUMENT Map pp62-5
atmosphere and nice views. shops ready to catch visitors arriving at Cen- of Marilyn Monroe re-enacting the sidewalk- Dam
traal Station. In 2002 the city removed some grate scene from The Seven Year Itch. The This is the Netherlands’ best-known
of the gaudiest signs for the royal wedding route takes you through a ‘bondage room’ memorial to its fallen of WWII, a 22m pylon
ARCAM Map pp62-5 (‘You could be shocked’, a sign warns).
Stichting Architectuur Centrum Amsterdam; %620 of Maxima and Prince Willem-Alexander. of concrete and travertine unveiled in 1956.
48 78; www.arcam.nl; Prins Hendrikkade 600; Fronted by two lions, its pedestal has a
admission free; h1-5pm Tue-Sat CENTRAAL STATION Map pp62-5 OPENBARE BIBLIOTHEEK number of symbolic statues: four males
This showpiece building of the Amsterdam Stationsplein AMSTERDAM Map pp62-5 (war), a woman with child (peace), and men
Architecture Foundation is a one-stop shop Built on an artificial island in 1889, the Amsterdam Public Library; %523 09 00; www.oba with dogs (resistance). The 12 urns at the
for all your architectural needs. Exhibits Centraal Station (Amsterdam CS, to .nl; Oosterdokskade 143; h10am-10pm rear hold earth from war cemeteries of the
vary, but you are sure to find books, guide train travellers) was designed as a neo- Unveiled with great fanfare in 2007, this 11 provinces and the Dutch East Indies.
maps, suggestions for tours on foot, by Renaissance ‘curtain’, a controversial plan pleasingly symmetrical, nine-storey ‘tower The war dead are still honoured here at a
bike and by public transport, and reference that effectively cut off Amsterdam from the of knowledge’ (its self-appointed nickname) ceremony every 4 May.
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RONDE LUTHERSE KERK Map pp62-5 was Total Football. A tiny cinema shows

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AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM, PART 1: STEVE KORVER Simon Sellars Round Lutheran Church; %623 15 72; Singel 11; a 20-minute film with some immortal
admission free; h9am-1pm Mon-Fri & Sun footage, and hard-core fans can listen to
Steve Korver is the editor of the super periodical Amsterdam Weekly and the irreverent and informative Time Out recordings of 100 Orange songs. The down-
Amsterdam. Who could be better qualified, then, to give me the inside dirt on this wonderful city? This domed church, built from 1668 to 1671,
has the curious distinction of being the only stairs shop is stocked with souvenirs in your
What’s your favourite part of Amsterdam? round Protestant church in the country. Fall- favourite colour.
It varies and stretches further afield day by day as the inner city gets more and more ‘organised’. I like those funky bits ing attendances forced its closure in 1936,
that were always easy to find in De Pijp and Jordaan and along the waterfront but are now getting scrubbed cleaner and it now serves as a conference centre for KALVERSTRAAT Map pp62-5
than clean. But the stereotypes are still nice: the canal girdle remains one of the planet’s most painfully scenic places, the nearby Renaissance Hotel. Ironically, the You’re sure to end up on this crowded
especially when the water glows purple just before dawn. old church on the Spui that it was designed street at some point, so we might as well
Speaking of stereotypes, what’s the least applicable? to replace is still in use. mention it. Named after the livestock
The whole sex, drugs and rock’n’roll thang – it’s there but mostly for the tourists. Next door along the east side of Singel, markets held here in the 17th century, the
the house at No 7 appears to be no wider Kalverstraat is now a place where shop-
Has Theo van Gogh’s assassination (see the boxed text, p44) changed the disposition of Amsterdam and its
than its door – except that this is actually pers lather themselves into a fever pitch
people as much as we’ve been led to believe?
the rear entrance of a house of normal over the latest sales. (The Dutch Monopoly
It was our September 11 – it only took that one death in this tiny country to have a similar effect. But after the initial
proportions. game has Kalverstraat as its most expensive
hysteria flamed by populist politicians, things have mellowed and people are doing what they’ve done here forever:
gathered as many parties around a table to talk, talk, talk…and, hopefully, hash out solutions. street.) An unexpected oasis in this sea
HEILIGEWEG Map pp62-5 of consumerism is the curious Petrus en
Do you have a favourite ‘Amsterdam experience’? Pauluskerk, aka Papagaai (Map pp62-5; %623
Leading west from Kalverstraat, the Heilige-
Shooting the shit with friends on a terrace on one of those first sunny days of spring.
weg (Holy Way) was once part of a route 18 89; Kalverstraat 58; h10am-4pm), a Catholic
Your favourite nightspot? pilgrims took to the spot where the Miracle church from the 17th century that was a
I’m not telling. Everyone’s got to find their own. But do try to go local rather than endlessly circling around the Red Light of Amsterdam occurred (see the boxed text, clandestine house of worship. Note the
District’s inner pit. The Melkweg and Paradiso still rule, but there are a lot of new, smaller venues like Sugar Factory, below). It’s now a shopping street, but slightly parrot over the door that gave the church
Bitterzoet and Nieuwe Anita that are pumping both live music and good ol’ fashioned cosiness back into the mix. As for less frenetic than Kalverstraat. Halfway its funny name. The slogan you’ll see upon
coffeeshops, remember: you can do takeaway, kids! along, and directly opposite Voetboogstraat, entering: 15 minutes for God.
Any foodie tips? you’ll see the Rasphuis Gate, a correctional in-
NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

Fish stalls, for deep-throating herring – the poor, working person’s sushi. Perfect for people on the move. stitute in medieval times. The pedestal bears ALLARD PIERSON MUSEUM
the sculpture of a woman with two criminals Map pp62-5
Can you tell me Amsterdam’s best-kept secret? chained at her side, under the Latin word
Nope. %525 25 56; www.allartpiersonmuseum.nl; Oude
Castigatio (punishment). Below, wolves and Turfmarkt 127; adult/child under 4yr/child 4-16yr &
What are your favourite local slang or swear words? lions shrink before her whip. senior €5/free/2.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 1-5pm
Too many to list: just pick a disease, any disease. It’s ever evolving, here: today’s curse is tomorrow’s Ajax football Sat & Sun
chant. HET ORANJE VOETBAL MUSEUM Run by the University of Amsterdam, this
‘Amsterdam equals bicycles’ – so says the tourist board. What’s the downside? Map pp62-5 museum boasts one of the world’s richest
Tourists on bikes thinking they are in Disneyland, totally oblivious to the fact that basic traffic rules and precautions %589 89 89; www.supportersclub-oranje.nl; archaeological collections. You’ll find an
are just as relevant here as in any other city. Just because it all looks so cute, it doesn’t mean you can’t become road Kalverstraat 236; adult/child €7/5; h11am-5pm actual mummy, vases from ancient Greece
pizza. The same goes for pedestrians. And it’s not just stoned backpackers – visitors just forget to look both ways before Sat & Sun and Mesopotamia, a very cool wagon
crossing a street. Theories abound as to why, but I haven’t figured it out yet. Here you’ll find out why, for many Dutch, from the royal tombs at Salamis (Cyprus),
How has living in Amsterdam changed you? football isn’t a matter of life or death – it’s and galleries full of other items providing
It’s probably slowed me down to enjoy the smaller, more social things in life – doing business over a coffee and a beer more important than that. Spread over four insight into daily life in ancient times. Each
instead of over a desk. hallowed floors, this museum tells the story section is explained in a detailed overview
of Orange maestros including Cruyff, Van via English signage, although most indi-
Describe Amsterdam Weekly for someone new to it. Basten and Gullit, and the revolution that vidual items are labelled in Dutch only.
We are an English-language alternative weekly but we still use plenty of Dutch – especially when it’s funny. We seek to
be attached to the city and not detached. Our prime directive is to provide a paper for culturally savvy Amsterdammers
to help plan their wacky weekends and go deeper into the cultural workings of this very special city. Oh, and we like to
kick city hall’s ass on occasion, whenever they think they can change things from above and not from the ground up. VOMITING THE HOST
We aim to be the voice of the grassroots, the subcultures that are always busy bubbling up towards the surface. We The Miracle of Amsterdam had a rather unappetising start.
just try to catch them when they’re a little less moist. In 1345 the final sacrament was administered to a dying man, but he was unable to keep down the Host (com-
munion wafer) and – there’s no way to put this delicately – vomited it up. Here’s the miracle part: when the vomit
was thrown on the fire, the Host would not burn. Shortly thereafter, a chapel (demolished 1908) was built on the site
MAGNA PLAZA Map pp62-5 1895 to 1899 by the government architect across Kalverstraat from what’s now the museum and it soon became a pilgrimage area; the final approach is along
%626 91 99; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182; CH Peters, a pupil of Pierre Cuypers. It has the street now known as Heilegeweg.
h11am-7pm Mon, 10am-7pm Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat, since been converted into a multilevel In the Amsterdams Historisch Museum is a wooden chest reported to have once contained the Host. In 1578, when
10am-9pm Thu, noon-7pm Sun shopping mall with chain boutiques, but Catholic property was parcelled out, the chest ended up in an orphanage, and several children are said to have been
This shimmering orange-and-white edifice the hall remains impressive: three storeys of cured of illnesses by sitting on it.
was the General Post Office, built from colonnades and an airy, skylit atrium.
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was notorious for cutting off men’s ties for passers-by getting chatted up a throw from

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FROM OUD AMSTERDAM TO NIEUW AMSTERDAM interior decoration. When Bet died, her body the church walls. But that’s not all: this
was laid out on the billiard table for three Gothic-style church has one of the finest car-
Among the wall plaques on the Schreierstoren, one explains that the English captain Henry Hudson set sail from here in days’ mourning. illons in the country, the city’s oldest church
1609 in his ship the Halve Maen (Half Moon). The Dutch East India Company had enlisted him to find a northern passage Warmoesstraat (p77) occupies an original bell (1450) and a stunning Müller organ.
to the East Indies, but instead he ended up exploring the North American river that now bears his name. On the return dyke along the Amstel, making it one of the Check out the lively 15th-century carvings
voyage his ship was seized in England and he was forbidden to sail again to a foreign nation. town’s oldest streets. It runs parallel to the on the choir stalls, some of which are down-
The maverick Hudson disregarded the order. Commissioned by powerful private investors from Britain and Russia, he Damrak behind the former warehouses that right rude. Many famous Amsterdammers lie
sailed to America in search of the elusive Northwest Passage. Though an accomplished navigator, the headstrong Hudson line the east bank of the river. Here you’ll buried here under worn tombstones, includ-
hardly endeared himself to his crew, who mutinied in the summer of 1611. The hapless Englishman and a handful of notice that the Red Light District is more than ing Rembrandt’s first wife, Saskia van Uylen-
others were set adrift in a rowboat in what’s now known as Hudson Bay, where they are presumed to have died. the sum of its tawdry parts. It’s lot nicer than burgh. A Dutch Reformed service is held at
In any event, Hudson’s reports about the island at the mouth of the Hudson River made it back to base. The Dutch it used to be and has a rather well-kept, self- 11am Sunday (doors close at 11am sharp).
soon established a fort on an island called Manhattan that flowered into a settlement called Nieuw Amsterdam; in deprecating feel which of course blends nicely
1626 an agent of the recently established Dutch West India Company purchased the island from Native Americans for with commerce. The cheap hotels and restau-
60 guilders (often cited as the equivalent of US$24!). In 1664 the West India Company’s local governor, the imperi- MUSEUM AMSTELKRING Map pp62-5
rants, coffeeshops, gay-oriented leather joints %624 66 04; www.museumamstelkring.nl;
ous, fanatically Calvinist Pieter Stuyvesant, surrendered the town to the British, who promptly renamed it New York. and sex shops are like parts of a stage set.
Stuyvesant retired to the Lower Manhattan market garden called Bouwerij, now known as the Bowery. Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40; adult/child 5-18yr/
Fun fact: Manhattan’s Wall St, one of the centres of world finance, was originally the site of a fortified wall erected student €7/1/5; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm
by the Dutch to keep out the British. OUDE KERK Map pp62-5 Sun, longer hours for special exhibits
Old Church; %625 82 84; www.oudekerk.nl; Hidden in the depths of the Red Light Dis-
Oudekerksplein 23; adult/concession €4.50/3.50; trict, this fascinating museum has a single
It may not be in the same league as
the British Museum or the Louvre, but the RED LIGHT DISTRICT h11am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm Sun; tower per
person €5; hevery 30min 1-5pm Sat & Sun
exhibit – an entire church, as it turns out.
Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Dear Lord in the
manageable scale of this museum makes it If you’re expecting a outright cesspool, think
again: the atmosphere here is much more laid- The city’s oldest surviving building (1306) Attic) was founded after 1578, when Calvin-
far more accessible. embodies a huge moral contradiction: it’s ist rulers outlawed public worship of the
back than in red-light districts elsewhere, and
definitely less threatening. Crowds of sight- in full view of the Red Light District, with other religion. You’ll find the city’s richest
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Map pp62-5 seers, both foreign and local, mingle with
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%525 23 01; Singel 421-425; h8.30am-midnight pimps, drunks, weirdos and drug dealers – and
Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun
Today’s library is a concrete hulk, not nearly
it’s no big deal. Salvation Army soldiers trawl RED LIGHT DISTRICT FAQS
for lost souls; police on patrol chat with the
the beautiful building you’d expect from prostitutes. (Where else can you witness live- Year prostitution was legalised in the Netherlands: 1810
such a historic site, but its background is and-let-live quite like this?) One more thing: Year brothels were legalised: 2000
fascinating. Citizens militias used to meet look up at the gorgeous gables and you’ll realise Percentage of the Dutch public that claims to have ‘no problems whatsoever with prostitution’: 78%
here: the ‘hand-bow’ (handboog) militia this district is stunningly attractive. Its lovely Percentage of working prostitutes born in the Netherlands: 5%
in No 421, and the ‘foot-bow’ (voetboog) architecture simply gets lost in the shuffle. Estimated percentage of prostitutes working illegally in the Netherlands: less than 5%
militia in No 425, which also served as The best routes for wicked window- Number of windows: approximately 380
headquarters for the West India Company. shopping are along Oudezijds Achterburg- Number of prostitutes working each day in the windows: 1000 to 1200, comprising day, evening and night shifts
Now you know where the names of the wal and in the alleys around the Oude Kerk, Average rental cost per window (paid by prostitute): €40 to €100 per day, depending on location
nearby streets Handboogstraat and Voet- particularly to the south. You can shuffle Typical base cost for either ‘oral favours’ or a ‘quickie’ in the Red Light District: €30
boogstraat come from. Their firing ranges through the dark, medievally claustrophobic Typical base cost for both: €50
at the back reached to Kalverstraat. Trompettersteeg, which ends abruptly at an Typical duration of encounter with prostitute: 15 minutes
interior gallery of prostitutes, cloying named Percentage of business from British clients: about 40%
SCHREIERSTOREN Map pp62-5 La Vie en Rose (Map pp62–5). Most likely time to see prostitutes with Dutch patrons: Monday morning (when many businesses and most shops
Prins Hendrikkade 94-95 Before you go, pause for a moment by the are closed)
This prominent brick tower dating from statue of Nelle (Map pp62–5), erected in 2007 on Do prostitutes pay taxes? Yes
around 1480 – the oldest of its kind still Oude Kerk square as a nod to ‘sex-industry Are condoms required by law? No, but it’s virtually impossible to find a prostitute who’ll work without one
standing – was once part of the city’s workers’ worldwide. In the cobblestones Is there a union? Yes
defences. Its name comes from an old nearby there’s a bold statement, a golden torso Are medical checkups required? No
Dutch word for ‘sharp’, for this sharp corner of a naked woman held by a groping, pad- Is pimping legal? No
that jutted out into the IJ. Tourist literature locked hand. The torso mysteriously appeared Is trafficking in prostitutes legal? No
prefers to call it the ‘wailing tower’ (from one day, was removed by police and then put Penalty for either of the above: maximum six years
schreien, to weep or wail) and claims that back as most people seemed to like it. Are accommodations made if a patron can’t perform? No
sailors’ wives stood here and cried their At Zeedijk 63, the legendary Café Het Man- What happens if a patron gets violent? Prostitutes’ quarters are equipped with a button that, when pressed,
lungs out when ships set off for distant dje (Map pp62–5) was the city’s first gay and les- activates a light outside. The offender had better hope that the police get there before the Hell’s Angels do.
lands. There’s even a fake plaque dedicated bian café, founded in 1927. The owner was Why red light? Because it’s flattering. Especially when used in combination with black light, it makes teeth
to the women. The tower now houses an a leather-clad biker named Bet van Beeren, sparkle. Even as early as the 1300s, women carrying red lanterns met sailors near the port. Try it for yourself
who, apart from sheltering Jews in WWII, sometime.
attractive café (%428 82 91).

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collection of Catholic art, and a fantastic light an incense stick and ponder the thou-

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labyrinth of tiled staircases, cubbyhole sand eyes and hands of the Bodhisattva CANAL KNOWLEDGE
quarters and items pertaining to the Mira- statue. Traditional Chinese-style recitations
cle of Amsterdam (p73). Once upstairs, you’ll of the sutras (sayings of the Buddha) are In Dutch, a canal is a gracht (‘khrakht’), and Amsterdam has an awful lot of them, more even than Venice or Hamburg.
see that the church itself is unexpectedly held every Sunday at 10.30am and are open The best-known canals form the central Grachtengordel (Canal Belt); to the wandering visitor they’re like lifelines,
grand, with marble columns, steep gallery to the public. because the subtle turns in the centre can throw your inner compass out of whack. What’s more, the Canal Belt reads
and a surprisingly good organ. like a history book.
The extents of the medieval city were marked by the Kloveniersburgwal – a burgwal was a fortified embankment,
HASH & MARIJUANA MUSEUM bristling with rifles of the Kloveniers guards – and Geldersekade (kade means ‘quay’, with more rifles) on the Oude
ZEEDIJK Map pp62-5 Map pp62-5 Zijde. The Singel (moat) on the Nieuwe Zijde held the third major line of defence.
The curvy lane called Zeedijk is one of %623 59 61; www.hashmuseum.com; Oudezijds By the early 16th century, a city wall stood here with fortified gates at strategic points. You can still see some of the
Amsterdam’s oldest and its most notorious. Achterburgwal 148; admission €5.70; h10am- gates today, though the walls were largely torn down as the city burst its boundaries.
Initially a shipping district, it was a respecta- 10pm Expansion continued until it was clear that stop-gap measures (such as artificial islands) would not be enough. In
ble place to be until the 17th century, when Did you know that the first recorded use the 17th century, decades of back-breaking labour produced the Canal Belt, a grand semicircle west and south of the
the richer folk moved to fancy homes along of marijuana was in ancient China? Or that Medieval Centre that was destined to become ruling-class property.
newly dug canals such as Herengracht. After Queen Victoria is said to have used mari- The semicircular canals formed a huge ring, cut by canals radiating from the middle like spokes on a wheel. Start-
that it turned to come-hither entertainment juana for menstrual cramps? Just a couple ing from the core, the major semicircular canals are the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. An easy
for sailors, and things went rapidly down- of essential facts we learned at this simple mnemonic is that, apart from the singular Singel, these canals are in alphabetical order. Obvious though it may seem,
hill. In the 1960s and ‘70s the Zeedijk was exhibit, which feels like the back annex it took us years to figure this out.
riddled with drug dealers and street crime, of a devoted user. Learn the basics of pot From west to east, the major radial canals are Brouwersgracht, Leidsegracht and Reguliersgracht, also in alphabetical
but a clean-up campaign has left the street botany, the link between cannabis and reli- order. East of the Reguliersgracht is another waterway that looks like a very broad canal; this is the river Amstel, and it
much safer than it was, with lively cafés, bars gion, and the history of Amsterdam’s coffee- ends in the IJ, the river that forms the northern border of the city centre.
and eateries and a very mixed crowd of visi- shops. You can watch the plants grow in The Canal Belt is enclosed by the Lijnbaansgracht and a zigzag-patterned canal originally called the Buitensingel
tors bumping over the storied cobblestones. a greenhouse, and slowly understand why (outer moat), now known as the Singelgracht.
time feels different here. An interesting quirk: many streets in modern Amsterdam also bear the name ‘gracht’. That’s because they were
PROSTITUTION INFORMATION once canals as well, but they’ve since been filled in for reasons of sanitation or ease of transportation. Other streets
CENTRE Map pp62-5 CASA ROSSO Map pp62-5 have ‘dwars’ in their names, to indicate that they intersect (or intersected) with a canal, so Leidsedwarsstraat meets
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%420 73 28; www.pic-amsterdam.com; %627 89 54; Oudezijds Achterburgwal 106-108; ad- up with the Leidsegracht.
Enge Kerksteeg 3; hnoon-7pm Tue-Sat or by mission with/without drinks €45/30; h8pm-2am
appointment In a quarter full of lurid logos, the pink ele-
Spin, curiosity and respect – things this phant wearing a green tie doesn’t quite cap- WARMOESSTRAAT Map pp62-5 A secondhand book market has operated in
Amsterdam’s earliest canals grew out from the passage since the mid-1700s (see p151).
refreshing centre has none of, plenty of, and ture the essence of this one. So we’re going
hopes to earn. Established by a former pros- to tell you: live sex on stage, or, as we once the IJ river like the roots of a tree, and War-
titute and staffed by sex workers, the centre heard a Casa Rosso barker put it, ‘Quality moesstraat was one of the first streets to NES Map pp62-5
caters to study groups from around the sleaze and filth!’ Acts can be male, female, follow. Like Zeedijk (opposite), by the 1980s the Beyond the glare of the Red Light District
world, including several police academies. both or lesbian (although not gay…sorry, Warmoesstraat was caught in a downward runs the dark, narrow lane called Nes,
It organises evening walks and private tours boys!). Performers demonstrate everything spiral of drugs and petty crime but has got home to theatres for over 150 years. In
by a former sex worker (€12.50 per person, from positions of the Kamasutra to pole its act together, thanks to frequent policing 1614, Amsterdam’s first bank opened in a
reservation-only), as well as offering a lim- dances, incredible tricks with lit candles, and (note the CCTVs). Some people think things pawnshop here, at No 57. One of the more
ited souvenir trade. For a small donation moves readily associated with competitive have gone too far: the leather bars, coffee- sizzling performance stages in town is
you can view a re-creation of a prostitute’s figure skating. Other acts are comedic, some shops and fetish shops here now have a Frascati (p202).
working quarters, view historical photos and maybe intentionally so. You may even catch squeaky-clean ‘safe sex’ look to them, and
browse the enlightening reading material. a good old-fashioned striptease. any sign that blocks a historic gable stands
Nearby, Casa Rosso runs two imaginative to be removed. NIEUWMARKT
sex shops at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 46 In the 17th century, ships would sail from
GUAN YIN SHRINE Map pp62-5 the IJ down to Nieuwmarkt (New Market) to
Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple; %420 23 57; and 76. OUDEMANHUISPOORT Map pp62-5 take on board new anchors and unload pro-
www.ibps.nl; Zeedijk 106-118; admission free; Btwn Oudezijds Achterburgwal & Kloveniersburgwal duce. Today this square east of the Red Light
hnoon-5pm Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun EROTIC MUSEUM Map pp62-5 On the corner of Oudezijds Achterburgwal District is a bright, relaxed place ringed with
Europe’s first Chinese Imperial–style Bud- %624 73 03; Oudezijds Achterburgwal 54; admis- stands a distinctive gateway with spec- cafés, shops and restaurants. It is also a hub of
dhist temple is dedicated to Guan Yin, the sion €5; h11am-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat tacles over the pedestal. This indicated its the city’s amazing New Year celebrations.
Buddhist prophet. The ornate ‘mountain Ho hum. Your usual assortment of bond- role as an almshouse for the elderly, built Although Nieuwmarkt is very much an
gate’ – an intriguing concept in the narrow age exhibits, erotic photos and cartoons. here in 1601 from the proceeds of a public open space – arguably the grandest in town
confines of the Zeedijk, let alone in horizon- Although this museum has the advantage lottery. It’s now the seat of the University after the Dam – nobody adds the word
tal Holland – refers to the traditional setting of location, it’s less entertaining, not as well of Amsterdam and closed to the public, plein (square) to the name. It’s a little con-
of Buddhist monasteries. The middle section laid out, more expensive and a little seedy although you can wander the courtyard. fusing because the whole neighbourhood
set back from the street was designed along when compared with the Sexmuseum Amster- Note the bust of the learned Roman god- to the east and southeast is also known as
principles of feng shui. Make a donation, dam (p71) on the Damrak. dess Minerva over the courtyard entrance. Nieuwmarkt.
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occupiers carry out their anti-Jewish policies. house were at the high point of his career, The factory sits on Uilenburg, one of the

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He died before the Germans could take their when he was regarded as a star and ran the rectangular islands reclaimed in the 1580s
revenge on him. largest painting studio in Holland. during a sudden influx of Sephardic Jews
Nearby, south of the Portuguese synagogue, The museum is worth visiting for its near- from Spain and Portugal. In the 1880s,
is the triangular Jonas Daniël (JD) Meijerplein, complete collection of Rembrandt’s etch- Gassan became the first diamond factory to
NIEUWMARKT named after the country’s first Jewish lawyer ings (250 of the 280 he is known to have use steam power.
Museum Het Rembrandthuis (right) View an (whose actual name was Joune Rintel). This made), although they are not all on display
unparalleled collection of sketches by the master man did much to ensure the full emancipation at once.; expect to see between 20 and PORTUGUESE-ISRAELITE
painter in his personal studio. of the Jews in the Napoleonic period. On the 100 etchings at any one time, depending SYNAGOGUE Map pp62-5
Joods Historisch Museum (opposite) Follow the square, Mari Andriessen’s Dockworker statue on the exhibit. Demonstrations of etching %624 53 51; www.esnoga.com; Mr Visserplein 3;
heartening success, and the haunting downfall, of (1952; Map pp62–5) commemorates the general techniques take place several times daily. adult/child 10-17yr €6.50/4; h10am-4pm Sun-Fri
Amsterdam’s Jewish community. strike that began among dockworkers on Note that the crowds are lightest just after Apr-Oct, to 4pm Sun-Thu, to 2pm Fri Nov-Mar
TunFun (p80) Give the little ones a romp in this 25 February 1941 to protest against the treat- opening time. Built between 1671 and 1675 by Amster-
centre of childhood fantasy. ment of Jews. The first deportation roundup Thanks to an itemised list drawn up by a dam’s Sephardic community, this edifice
De Sluyswacht (p184) Enjoy a coffee or a biertje as had occurred here a few days earlier. The an- debt collector, as well as the original draw- was the largest synagogue in Europe of
the canal boats drift lazily by. niversary of the strike is still an occasion for ings and paintings, the interior looks much its time. The architect, Elias Bouman, was
Portuguese-Israelite Synagogue (opposite) wreath-laying, but has become a low-key affair as it did when Rembrandt lived there. The inspired by the Temple of Solomon, but the
Breathtaking temple of prayer for the Sephardic with the demise of the Communist Party. collection of objects alone is mind-boggling: building’s classical lines are typical of the
community. seashells, weaponry, musical instruments, Dutch capital. It was restored after the war
WAAG Map pp62-5 a Roman bust and military helmets from and is in use today.
%422 77 72; Nieuwmarkt 4; admission free; as far away as Japan. No wonder he went The interior features massive pillars and
The centre of attention is the grand fairytale bankrupt!
h10am-1am some two dozen brass candelabra, sus-
Waag (Weigh House, right), that was once a
The very grand, multiturreted Waag (Weigh pended from the ceiling and lit for evening
defensive post in the wall surrounding the
House) dates from 1488, when it was part JOODS HISTORISCH MUSEUM services. The large library belonging to the
city. The square is lined with cafés, bars and
of the city’s fortifications. It looked more Map pp62-5 Ets Haim seminary is one of the oldest and
restaurants. To the south, at the end of St
like a castle in those days, fronted by a Jewish Historical Museum; %626 99 45; www most important Jewish book collections in
Antoniebreestraat, stands the renowned Rem-
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moatlike canal and built into the old city .jhm.nl; JD Meijerplein 2-4; adult/child under 13yr/ Europe.
brandthuis (right), with an impressive collection
of the master’s sketches and paintings. walls. From the 17th century onward it was child 13-17yr/senior & student €7.50/free/3/4.50;
The area around the Waterlooplein flea the main weigh house. h11am-5pm, closed Yom Kippur TRIPPENHUIS Map pp62-5
market (p80) is closely associated with the The surgeons guild, which occupied the Impressive in scale and scope, the museum Kloveniersburgwal 29
Jewish community. Until WWII the main upper floor, commissioned Rembrandt’s is housed in a beautifully restored complex Making their fortune in arms-dealing, the
street, Jodenbreestraat, was where many Jewish famous The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp (dis- of four Ashkenazic synagogues from the Trip brothers commissioned a young Dutch
shops were located, often stacked practically played in the Mauritshuis museum in Den 17th and 18th centuries. The enormous architect, Justus Vingboons, to build the
upon one other. Songs echoed in diamond Haag). The masons guild was based in the Great Synagogue is home to two exhibi- Trippenhuis in 1660. It’s a greystone man-
workshops here and in the nearby Uilenburg- tower facing the Zeedijk; note the super- tions – the history of the Jews in the Neth- sion with eight Corinthian columns across
straat. Jews here enjoyed more freedom than fine brickwork. erlands, 1600–1890; and Religion, about two houses – one for each brother – and
elsewhere in Europe and turned Amsterdam Public executions took place at the Judaism and Jewish traditions. Exhibits in a nod to their profession, the chimneys
into a centre not only for precious gems but Waag, but more recently it served as a fire start with the pillars of Jewish identity and are shaped like mortars. It’s closed to the
also tobacco, printing and clothing. Few of the station and a vault for the city’s archives. gradually give way to an engaging portrait public.
open-air markets they brought to town still A bar-restaurant occupies it today, lit by of Jewish life in the city, with profiles of key
survive (see p151). medieval candle-wheels to great effect. The figures and displays of religious items. The STOPERA Map pp62-5
It is here that you’ll find several important square is a venue for weekly markets and English-language audio tour is excellent (no
other events (see p151). %551 81 17; Waterlooplein 22
sites of Jewish interest, including synagogues, extra charge). The museum also contains a This hulking white pile between Water-
current and former, as well as the Jewish His- bright new café serving kosher dishes. looplein and the Amstel houses both the
torical Museum. The controversial Stopera, MUSEUM HET REMBRANDTHUIS stadhuis (city hall) and the opera, hence
the combined city hall and opera, remains Map pp62-5 GASSAN DIAMONDS Map pp62-5 the name ‘Stopera’ (1986). The building’s
a talking point among critics, as does the St %520 04 00; www.rembrandthuis.nl; Jodenbree- %622 53 33; www.gassandiamonds.com; Nieuwe design was highly controversial, and pro-
Antoniesbreestraat, an aesthetically challenged straat 4-6; adult/child under 6yr/child 6-15yr/ Uilenburgerstraat 173-175; admission free; test delayed construction for two decades.
stretch of housing. student €8/free/1.50/7; h10am-5pm h9am-5pm When it was finally completed, one critic
The busy roundabout east of the Mozes en Rembrandt van Rijn lived and worked in this A short walk from Waterlooplein, this vast derided the Stopera as having ‘all the
Aäronkerk (p82) is Mr Visserplein. LE Visser beautifully restored house dating from 1606. workshop demonstrates how a rough, charm of an Ikea chair’. Our view: yea on
was a Jewish president of the Supreme Court He bought the house for a fortune in 1639, ungainly clump of rock is transformed into the music theatre, nay on city hall.
(‘Mr’ stands for meester, which means ‘master’, made possible by his wealthy wife, Saskia a girl’s best friend. You’ll get a quick primer See p200 for details of performances
the Dutch lawyer’s title) who was dismissed by van Uylenburgh. (Later, chronic debt would in assessing the gems for quality, and in the Muziektheater. There are usually free
the Nazis. He refused to wear the Star of David force the master painter to move to cheaper ample opportunities to buy. The one-hour lunch-time concerts on Tuesdays. In the
and berated the Jewish Council for helping the digs in the Jordaan.) The years spent in this tour is the best of its kind in town. arcade between city hall and the theatre,
78 79
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lonelyplanet.com
TAKING A NAP AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM, PART 2: PETER MOSKOS Simon Sellars
It is widely known that Amsterdam (and indeed more than half the Netherlands) lies a couple of metres below sea level, Peter Moskos, along with Toine Rikken, founded the St Nicolaas Boat Club in 1997, a boat-tour company that provides an
but when’s the last time you heard anyone ask which sea level? In fact, sea level varies around the globe and even alternative angle on Amsterdam and its waterlogged history. I asked Peter to regale me with his unique perspective.
around the Netherlands. The average level of the former Zuiderzee, in the lee of Holland, was slightly lower than that
Favourite area of Amsterdam?
of the North Sea along Holland’s exposed west coast.
On a boat in the IJ. There’s no better place to understand the importance of water and shipping to Amsterdam’s
A display in the arcade of the Stopera shows the ins and outs of Normaal Amsterdams Peil (NAP; Normal Amsterdam
history – plus it’s beautiful out there.
Level), established in the 17th century as the average high-water mark of the Zuiderzee. This still forms the zero refer-
ence for elevation anywhere in the country and is also used in Germany and several other European countries. And your least favourite?
Water in the canals is kept at 40cm below NAP and many parts of the city lie lower still. Water columns represent Any big, ugly road with too many cars, although architecturally every place has something interesting and can tell you
different sea levels, as well as the highest level of disastrous floods in 1953 (4.55m above NAP). Information sheets something about urban planning.
explain the details. What’s the biggest misconception about Amsterdam?
That it’s the world’s sex capital. It’s not – the Dutch just have the sense to put it all out in the open and capitalise on it.
you’ll find a display on NAP water levels straat, once a busy street that lost its old And while it may be the world’s recreational-drug capital, stop bingeing and enjoy it like you live here year round.
(see the boxed text, above). buildings during the construction of the Tell me your favourite ‘Amsterdam experience’.
metro line. One of the original buildings Biking and boating. And Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day; p17) – the biggest drunk garage sale in the world.
WATERLOOPLEIN Map pp62-5 still standing is the Pintohuis, once owned
by a wealthy Sephardic Jew, Isaac de Pinto, Least favourite?
This square was once known as Vlooien-
who had it remodelled with Italianate The weather – especially the winter weather. Or the winter weather in the summer. And the rain that never stops.
burg (‘flea town’), a good description for
the wares on offer here today (p151). The pilasters in the 1680s. It’s now a bibliotheek What Amsterdam-specific film or book would you recommend?
street market was started in 1880 when (library) – pop inside to admire the beauti- The film Amsterdamned is fun, with a great high-speed boat chase, but it doesn’t depict anything of reality. Simon is
two canals were filled in, and Jewish traders ful ceiling frescos while you can, for it’s the best Amsterdam film ever – and maybe the best-ever Dutch movie. Jan-Willem van der Wettering’s cop stories are
living around the neighbouring Jodenbree- threatened with closure. pretty good, but Geert Mak’s Amsterdam is the single best book about the city.
straat were allowed to vend their wares Your favourite Amsterdam bar and coffeeshop?
here. It was so successful that in 1893 it ZUIDERKERK Map pp62-5 Any brown café in the Jordaan is great – get a jenever and a beer and talk with the locals. The coffeeshop De Rokerij has
NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

became a daily market, apart from on the %552 79 87; Zuiderkerkhof 72; admission free; a supercool atmosphere – sort of how I imagine a 19th-century Chinese opium den would have been. And of course my
Sabbath (it’s now closed on Sunday only). h9am-4pm Mon-Fri, noon-4pm Sat brother’s bar at Boom Chicago, because that’s the home base for our boats.
Since the 1980s the square has stood in Near the Pintohuis, a passageway through
the shadow of the Stopera, but the market the modern Pentagon housing estate leads to What about restaurants?
is usually jam-packed with sharp-eyed the Zuiderkerk, the ‘Southern Church’ built Semhar on the Marnixstraat – the only Ethiopian restaurant in town that makes its injara bread with tef, the traditional
customers seeking antique knick-knacks, by Hendrick de Keyser (p48). His tower, Ethiopian flour. Semhar is distinctive in a city that has a great variety of food but very few truly memorable restaurants.
imitation Diesel jeans and cheap bicycle 1m off plumb, dates from 1614. This was I like the herring stands on bridges. A broodje haring is a very cheap lunch – so Dutch, and you just can’t get it anywhere
locks (highly recommended). the first custom-built Protestant church in else. Eel is also delicious.
Amsterdam – still Catholic in design but What’s Amsterdam’s best-kept secret?
TUNFUN Map pp62-5 no choir. The final church service was held Co-ed, naked saunas that aren’t sleazy. I like Fenomeen out past Vondelpark – essential when the weather is bad.
%689 43 00; www.tunfun.nl; Mr Visserplein 7; here in 1929 and at the end of WWII it
served as a morgue. Favourite local slang or swear words?
adult & child under 1yr/child 1-12yr free/€7.50;
Now thoroughly modern inside, the I’m trying to get ‘spetterend’ back into the vocab – it’s a very uncool way of saying ‘cool’. But the Dutch have a shortage
h10am-6pm (last entry 5pm) of swear words, so they often resort to English.
This cool indoor playground is located in a Zuiderkerk houses the Municipal Centre for
former traffic underpass, an unused eyesore Physical Planning and Public Housing, dis- What’s your strangest Amsterdam bike story?
for over a decade. These days kids can build, plays on urban planning and the occasional A guy wearing a jockstrap on rollerblades. He used to be everywhere, even in the cold weather. He disappeared a couple
climb, roll, draw, jump on trampolines and art exhibition. of years ago. Perhaps he caught pneumonia and passed on.
play on a soccer pitch. There’s even a chil-
What annoys you the most about Amsterdam: the dog shit, the service or something else?
dren’s disco – this is Amsterdam – and a café OOSTINDISCH HUIS Map pp62-5 Taxis. Avoid them like dog shit. But the dog-shit problem is basically a thing of the past – if you have a problem with it
serving poffertjes (little pancakes). Kids must East Indies House; Oude Hoogstraat 24 now, you should have seen how it was before. I really have to say the bad service, without a doubt – it’s legendary.
be accompanied by an adult. It gets rather This is the former office of the mighty
busy when the weather’s bad. VOC, the Dutch East India Company How has living in Amsterdam changed you?
(which was the very first multinational). It’s made me realise that bikes are the best form of urban transit possible. And that, basically, this is a city that works.
PINTOHUIS (OPENBARE You could easily walk past it, as there’s no There’s something to be said for literally living on top of each other and in close-knit surroundings. It’s given me the
BIBLIOTHEEK) Map pp62-5 sign or plaque to identify it. This sweeping opportunity to see how a large city can allow everyone to do their own thing without getting all bent out of shape
complex, built between 1551 and 1643, about it.
%624 31 84; www.oba.nl; St Antoniesbreestraat
69; admission free; h2-8pm Mon & Wed, 2-5pm was attributed to Hendrick de Keyser, the Describe the St Nicolaas Boat Club for someone new to it.
Fri, 11am-4pm Sat busy city architect. On the Kloveniersburg- We’re a friendly entry point to understanding Amsterdam from the greatest perspective of all: the canals. We offer cosy
The street that runs from Nieuwmarkt Sq wal side you can see that the gables defy rides with knowledgeable pilots, and all we ask for is a donation at the end.
towards Waterlooplein is St Antoniesbree- convention by tilting backward, making
80 81
lonelyplanet.com

them seem much larger. Pass through the 2 Oude Kerk The venerable Oude Kerk (p75) is

lonelyplanet.com
0 200 m
carved Tuscan entrance vault to reach the
RED LIGHTS & NIEUWMARKT 0 0.1 miles
your unlikely gateway to the Red Light Dis-
grand inner courtyard, and on the op- trict proper. At the nearby Prostitution Informa- Kolkst

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posite side you’ll spy a small VOC emblem tion Centre (p76) you can pick up maps to your baa O

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above the door. The mighty VOC sailed desires or see what a sex worker’s quarters Hasseltsst de
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into rough waters and was dissolved in look like from the inside (without paying for Nieuwe Nieuwstr On
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NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

NEIGHBOURHOODS CITY CENTRE

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suspicious characters on the wharves along l oo Amstel
6 De Sluyswacht Across the Oude Schans, K JD
Oude Schans. The octagonal base and Singel Amstel
Waterlooplein Meijerplein
De Sluyswacht (p184) makes an ideal beer break,

tr
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with a classic view of the canal and the Montel- r

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to dampen the bells on the clock after the Her

Wag
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baanstoren (left). The Museum Het Rembrandthuis (p78) Nieu
neighbours complained. Just a few years
is across the street.
later the tower began to list under the zijds Achterburgwal, passing the pretty inner
weight, but residents attached cables and WALK FACTS
7 Jodenbreestraat A sweep down Joden- courtyard of the University of Amsterdam to
pulled it upright. The elegant tower has reach the Oudemanhuispoort book market (p151). A
breestraat takes you past the Mozes en Aäronkerk Start Nationaal Monument
two sets of bellworks, four clock faces and fixture since 1897, stacks of used titles (some-
(left), a one-time clandestine Catholic church End Allard Pierson Museum
a nautical vane like the one on the top of times quite rare) are sold from the wooden
that was expanded in grand style, with large Distance 4.5km
the Oude Kerk. chests bolted to the walls.
sandstone columns and twin belfries. About Duration 2½ hours
100m southeast is the Joods Historisch Museum
RED LIGHTS & NIEUWMARKT (p79), a moving collection of art, icons and
historical objects from Amsterdam’s storied 9 Puccini Bomboni Chances are the choco-
11 Huis aan de Drie Grachten Carry on
past the quaint Huis aan de Drie Grachten (House
Walking Tour Jewish past. laty aroma of Puccini Bomboni (p142) will suck on the Three Canals; p48), which in the 16th
1 Nationaal Monument Begin at the soar- you inside the shop; its dozens of delectable, century housed a brewery owned by Amster-
ing Nationaal Monument (p71) and head north along 8 Waterlooplein market This renowned freshly made varieties have killed many a diet. dam’s enterprising mayor. You can inspect
the Damrak past the elegant Beurs van Berlage flea market (p151) faces the Stopera (p79), the mod- Along Straalstraat there’s also Droog Design (p142), the classy jewellery shops along Grimburg-
(p69), designed by HP Berlage, founder of the ern opera house cum city hall. On a sunny day whose clever innovations turn tired old living wal, including Hans Appenzeller (p141).
Amsterdam School of architecture. Heading it’s fun to peruse the vintage clothes, antiques rooms into sleek exhibition spaces.
southeast along Oudebrugsteeg, you’ll hit and bicycle parts on display under the ven- 12 Allard Pierson Museum Finish your
Warmoesstraat, where you can sample the dors’ canopies, the air thick with the scent of 10 Oudemanhuispoort book market walk with a visit to ancient Egypt in the Allard
city’s wild side. (If that’s too much for you, frites. Your shopping finished, cross the bridge Head north along Kloveniersburgwal and Pierson Museum (p73), which has galleries full of
turn back now!) over the Zwanenburgwal. turn into the covered arcade joining Oude- fascinating items.
82 83
lonelyplanet.com

BROUWERSGRACHT Map p86

lonelyplanet.com
J O R DA AN Pretty as a Golden Age painting, the
‘Brewers Canal’ took its name from the
Drinking & Smoking p185; Eating p161; Shopping p142; Sleeping p214 many breweries located here in the 16th
Though gentrified today, the Jordaan was a rough working-class district in the early 17th cen- and 17th centuries. Goods such as leather,
tury. As the Canal Belt was extended, it became clear that a place was needed to house all the coffee, whale oil and spices were stored JORDAAN
artisans, canal-diggers, carpenters, bridge-builders and stonemasons employed by the rich. So and processed here in giant warehouses,
the city’s architects got to work and quickly drove in the first stakes. Wander the delightful backstreets for one-of-a-
such as those with the row of spout gables kind shops, galleries and cafés full of gezelligheid.
Pleasant the Jordaan was not, at least in the beginning. All those smelly, noisy or otherwise at 188–194. Amsterdam’s last distillery of
useful but disgusting industries that were banned from the centre – tanneries, breweries, sugar Noordermarkt (left) Browse the Jordaan’s leafiest,
jenever, De Ooievaar, was located on the most adorable street markets for crumbly cheeses
refineries, smithies and coopers, among others – set up shop here just outside the town walls, corner of Driehoekstraat. The Brouwers-
and thrived. The quarter drew working talent from around Europe at a time when Amsterdam and exotic herbs.
gracht was voted ‘most beautiful street’ in Pianola Museum (below) Listen to rare musical
was practically a city-state, with the deep pockets to match. Amsterdam by newspaper Het Parool in a
The name ‘Jordaan’ wasn’t used until the 18th century, and its origin is unclear. Some believe gems immortalised for the player piano.
2007 readers survey, and is a great place Houseboat Museum .(p88) Experience the charms
it comes from the French jardin (garden), as many Huguenots – religious refugees known as to stroll (see p89), not to mention see the
the French Calvinists – settled in the market gardens beyond the city walls. Many streets here and challenges of life on the canals.
waterborne action on Queen’s Day (p17).
are named after trees and flowers. But some historians contend that the name had biblical Hofjes (below) Explore the manicured gardens of
connotations and referred to the Jordan River. these time-warped courtyards.
For centuries this was a boisterous quarter whose colourful, outspoken residents were no- NOORDERKERK Map p86 Brouwersgracht (left) Inspect handsome old
toriously difficult to govern. Many people were poor. By the early 20th century one in seven Northern Church; %626 64 36; Noordermarkt 48; warehouses on what is surely Amsterdam’s
Amsterdammers lived in the Jordaan, and up to 1000 people were packed into small city blocks admission free; h10.30am-3pm Mon, Wed & Thu, comeliest canal.
in appalling conditions. 11am-1pm Sat, 10am-noon & 7-8.30pm Sun
Riots occurred on a regular basis. The infamous Eel Uprising of 1886 left 25 people dead after Near the northern end of the Prinsengracht,
police intervened in a game of eel-pulling. Then came the Potato Uprising, a major protest over this imposing Calvinist church was com- there’s a bird market (in cages, a holdover
jobless benefits and a series of other incidents that felt like civil war. Roads were tarred because pleted in 1623 for the ‘common’ people in from the former livestock market), followed
brick paving could be used as projectiles during riots. the Jordaan. (The upper classes attended till early/mid-afternoon by a boerenmarkt
Around the same time, many of the Jordaan’s ditches and narrow canals were filled in to the Westerkerk further south). It was built in (farmers market) with herbs and organic
the shape of a broad Greek cross (four arms produce. There’s a nice selection of cafés
NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN

NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN
improve sanitation. Their names still recall the grachten (canals): Elandgracht, Lindengracht,
Palmgracht and Rozengracht, now a major thoroughfare. Bloemgracht (p87) was the grandest of of equal length) around a central pulpit, surrounding the square, including Winkel
the canals and, for that reason, was never filled in. Many wealthy artisans built smaller versions giving the entire congregation unimpeded (p163) on the southwest corner, home of
of the patricians’ canal houses on the Bloemgracht. access to the word of God in suitably sober some of the city’s best apple pie.
In the 1960s and ’70s the Jordaan lost much of its working-class character as residents moved surroundings. This design, unusual at the
to more spacious digs in the suburbs. In came the students, artists and tertiary-sector profession- time, would become common for Protes- PIANOLA MUSEUM Map p86
als (read: yups, or yuppies), which caused some growing pains (see the boxed text, p88). Some tant churches throughout the country. %627 96 24; www.pianola.nl; Westerstraat 106;
changes have preserved the old ways: the area south of Rozengracht, for instance, was renowned adult/child under 12yr/student & senior €5/3/4;
for its workshops and artists’ studios, and many galleries are still located there today. NOORDERMARKT Map p86 h2-5pm Sun
A certain misty-eyed, heart-on-your-sleeve romance pervades the district. This is the Amster- Northern Market; Noorderkerkplein; hmarkets This is a very special place, crammed with
dam of accordion ballads, where daily life played out on the streets, houses were tiny but tidy, 8am-1pm Mon, 10am-3pm Sat Pianolas from the early 1900s. The museum
and life was either joy or tragedy. The songs bring to mind the lace curtains and window-box A market square since the early 1600s, the has a stock of 50 Pianolas, although only
geraniums where Auntie Cori watched the street with the help of a spionnetje (spy mirror) attached plaza in front of the Noorderkerk now hosts a dozen are on display at a given time, as
to the window-sill. It was also the picture of the neighbourhood as social unit, where everyone several lively markets a week. Monday well as nearly 20,000 music rolls. There’s
did absolutely everything together – living, working, shopping, schooling and entertainment. morning there’s a flea market with wonder- even a player pipe organ. Every month
Such popular conceptions still hold true, as you will discover when you wander the narrow ful bargains; early on Saturday morning player-piano concerts are held, featuring
lanes. Take your time and don’t worry if you get lost (which you will); there are plenty of inviting
pubs and restaurants, offbeat shops and weird little art galleries to grab your attention.
The area doesn’t hold many official sights, but a worthy exception is the Pianola Museum HOFJES
(opposite), where dozens of old player pianos are fired up for in-house demonstrations. Probably A charming legacy of the Jordaan are its many hofjes, the courtyard homes built by wealthy benefactors to house
the city’s most charming open-air market, the Noodermarkt (p151), is held at the northern tip of elderly people and widows – a noble act in the days before social security. Some hofjes are real gems, set back from the
the district by the Noorderkerk. street with lovely prim gardens and beautifully restored houses. Unfortunately, many courtyards became such tourist
A caretaker of sentimental value is Johnny Jordaanplein, a shady little square situated just magnets that residents complained, and they were closed to the public (a big exception being the Begijnhof, p68).
west of Prinsengracht, at the corner of Elandsgracht. That colourful painted hut – a municipal However, if you should find any of the following open, try to take a discreet peek. The oldest hofje is the Linden-
transformer station – proudly displays the lyric ‘Amsterdam, wat bent je mooi’ (Amsterdam, how hofje (Lindengracht 94–112), dating from 1614; the Suyckerhofje (Lindengracht 149–163) is a charming hofje
beautiful you are) from a song by Johnny, the greatest expression of Jordaan’s ethos since the last founded in 1670. Karthuizerhofje (Karthuizersstraat 89–171) is a hofje for widows, dating from 1650 and on the
riots. Behind the hut you’ll find members of the Jordaan musical hall of fame, cast in bronze. site of a former Carthusian monastery.
Haarlemmerdijk, the extension of the main thoroughfare Haarlemmerstraat, was part of Claes Claeszhofje (1e Egelantiersdwarsstraat 3), also known as Anslo’s Hofje, has three courtyards dating from
the original sea dyke and the road to Haarlem. Warehouses sprang up as well; many have been around 1630. St Andrieshofje (Egelantiersgracht 107–141), the second-oldest surviving hofje, was finished in 1617,
converted to romantic housing. With train lines and expressways, this district has reverted to and founded by cattle farmer Jeff Gerritzoon. Venetiae (Elandsstraat 106–136) was founded in the mid-1600s by a
its more intimate character, and recent years have seen it boom as a centre for the same sorts of merchant who traded with Venice, and features a very pretty garden.
quirky shops, pubs and restaurants that characterise the Jordaan.
84 85
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lonelyplanet.com
0 200 m
JORDAAN 0 0.1 miles
JORDAAN
INFORMATION Kitsch Kitchen...........................31 B4 Café Nol...................................67 B3
5 Marnixbad.................................. 1 A3 Kleurgamma.............................32 B5 Café 't Monumentje..................68 B3
Squash City.................................2 D1 La Diablita................................ 33 C2 Café 't Smalle........................... 69 B3

Ketelmakerstr
La Savonnerie...........................34 B5 Café Thijssen............................ 70 C2
29 Lindengracht Market................ 35 C2
Staatslieden SIGHTS (pp84–90) De Koe......................................71 B6
- Frederik Mechanisch Speelgoed............. 36 C3
Hendrikbuurt 86 Amsterdam Tulip Museum......... 3 C3 De Pieper..................................72 B6

Br o

r
De Drie Hendricken.....................4 B4 Noordermarkt...........................37 C2 De Prins....................................73 B3

sst
w H

u
er

er
sg Jo 2
nk Haarlemmerpoort........................5 B1 Nou Moe Stripwinkel................38 C2 De Reiger..................................74 B3

m
r Ha erp

m
Na arl 20 l

Do
ss 1e 59 em Houseboat Museum....................6 B5 Petsalon....................................39 B5 De Tuin.....................................75 B3
au me dokskade

n
str Wester Noorderkerk............................... 7 C2 Rock Archive.............................40 C3 De Twee Zwaantjes.................. 76 C3

t
ne
rdi

ns

tr
j

aa
k

es
Bin
e Br Noordermarkt.........................(see 37) 't Zonnetje.................................41 C2 Finch.........................................77 C2

th

nj
d
ka

ou

ra
ou 64

Palm
au

O
str

M
ss
we Pianola Museum.........................8 B3 Torch Gallery............................42 B5 G-Spot......................................78 B6
en

Vi 41

en
rs
Na gr gr Westermarkt.............................43 B3
it t

Palm nk Stedelijk Museum Bureau Het Papeneiland....................... 79 C2

nn
1e

dwars
ac
W

en

Bi
Ha

gr
Marnixplantsoen ht 33 s tr Amsterdam............................. 9 B4 La Tertulia.................................80 B5
e

ar

sen
49
D

lem

str
str Ha EATING (pp161–3) Proust.......................................81 C2
P alm

Prin
t e m
sloo kad 62 ar er
tten Cats lem SHOPPING (pp142–5) Balthazar's Keuken....................44 B5 Rokerij......................................82 B5

Gou
70 Ho

Noord
Ka acob

rte
msstr 55 m ut Arnold Cornelis......................... 10 B5 Bloemgracht..............................45 B4 Saarein......................................83 B5
J Wille er

Ko
tu

dblo
79 s tr ine

str
n Back Beat Records.....................11 B3 Bordewijk..................................46 C2

erkerk
de

lstr str
Lod

ers
Fage

emd
loem 77

Bro iten
a

Goud
sb Boerenmarkt...........................(see 37) Broodje Mokum........................47 B4 NIGHTLIFE & ARTS

uw
nixk

35 46
Linde

ngr

wars
Trip

81

str

Bu
Linde Broer & Zus...............................12 B4 Burger's Patio............................48 B3 Korsakoff.................................. 84 A5
Mar
s

2e arsstr

38 Cats & Things...........................13 B5 Café Vlinder............................. 49 C2 Maloe Melo.............................. 85 A5

tr

nd w

str 1
7
37
91 enstr Christodoulou & Lamé..............14 B4 Cinema Paradiso.......................50 B3 Movies......................................86 B1
Lind e Lin
65 Noordermarkt
mstr
Claire V.....................................15 B4 De Blaffende Vis........................51 B3
Boo
1e

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densw

De Belly.................................... 16 A4 De Bolhoed...............................52 C3 GAY & LESBIAN

Karthu 51 8
r
nsg

A n je

Ro
Tich

68 r De Vliegende Schotel................ 53 A4

r
terst De Kasstoor.............................. 17 A4 Café Sugar................................87 B5

ng
3 50 58 o
str

Wes mm
baa
drikick

arstr

re
liers
elst

43 See Western ole De Lach....................................18 B4 Divan........................................54 B5 COC Amsterdam......................88 B4

er

He
36
Lijn

ns
Fred

Canal Belt
r

tr
1 tr
dwa

Duende.....................................55 C2
Hen

67 Pri De Looier Antiques Market.......19 B5 Thermos Day Sauna.................. 89 B6

ges
57 Map p92
10

52 nse
2e arsstr

nst Discostars..................................20 C1 Japanese Pancake World...........56 B3

dw

rsst

La n
str r r estr
Van liers st K o gg
Anje

Marnixplein Tuin Ko SLEEPING (pp214–15)

g t

Anje 27 Jean Jean..................................57 B3

r E

English Bookshop......................21 B5
sen ach
Prinengr ngr

Oldenbarneveldtplein He r sj e
ren
liers

sps Christian Youth Hostel

gela

75 Local.........................................58 B3
ns se

s tr t Eva Damave..............................22 B5
tstr

48 Kort
Pri Prin
-

Jordaan e 'The Shelter Jordaan'............ 90 A4

ntie

Moeder's Pot Eethuisje..............59 C1

t

Kolks Fotografia.................................23 B5
1e sdwarss

ach
eveld

Egela

69 Bla t
Hotel Acacia..............................91 B2
r

uw
t

Galleria d'Arte Rinascimento.....24 B4 Moeders................................... 60 A5

ach

26
sgr

bur
3e E
nbaVrnan

40
ntie
NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN

NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN
gwa Hotel Amsterdam
2e dwarsstr

11 Nomads....................................61 B4
zer

l Goldstrasse...............................25 B5
elgr

3 76
rs
gela

cht
56 Lijn
tr
e

baa
Kei

Het Oud-Hollandsch Noodle & Go............................ 62 C2 Wiechmann.......................... 92 B5

kad
Olde

nss
rsstr
gra
Sing

rsgr
n

73
de

ntie t
ntie74
tier

Egla tiersgr t estr Snoepwinkeltje......................26 B3 Rakang Thai..............................63 B5 Hotel van Onna........................93 B4

ter

Egla
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auka

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Leli ge
sdw

n ach
Wes

g la
rsgr uwe Hug Gallery for International Small World Catering................ 64 C2 International Budget Hostel...... 94 B6
He

Sin
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Nie
Nie ntie
Nass

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arss

Greenpeace
rsg

Egeuwe Egl
a 45 95 Photography.........................27 B3 Winkel...................................... 65 C2
al
lstr Building Leli
ize

rgw
tr

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3e

16 53 r
mg 30 Internationaal Design Centrum.. 28 A4 TRANSPORT
Ke

93 Bloe O DRINKING & (pp185–7)

rbu

Leliude
Leli

ijk
r Torensluis
Leli

m g JG Beune.................................. 29 C1 Bike City...................................95 B4

Bloe estr SMOKING

nd
24
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Westerkerk
edw

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ed w

we
sV

Josine Bokhoven....................... 30 B4 Café de Laurierboom................66 B5 Moped Rental Service Gilex...... 96 A5

Spu

eu
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2ersstr

47 31
a

ezijd
arss

rac 4 tr Ni
emg ems
ak
Blo
tr

Blo14 18 mr
Nieuw

Raadhuiss
Da
7 tr
12 r 4,1 anything from Mozart to Fats Waller and name from the eglantine rose, or sweet-
e eng 13,1 88 Dam
o d Roz 21
Hug otgr Main Post
Roz

Gro 90 Hotel Office rare classical or jazz tunes composed espe- brier. (You can see its dainty pink petals
1e dwars
en

17 Pulitzer
61
9
66 alei
sstr cially for the instrument. The curator gives and hooked prickles in many a Jordaan
Reestr Hartenstr Gasthuismolenst P
demonstrations with great zest. garden.) Built for artisans and skilled
str
2e L

str 28 15
lerq tr
C ens tradesmen, the houses here are scaled-
auri

De
Roz
Nes
K a l ve r s

60
erdw

Spuistr
Lijn

42
rs tr Netherlands Media
AMSTERDAM TULIP MUSEUM Map p86 down versions of those in the Western
baa

96 urie gr Art Institute

arss

23
Kon

La rier
22 Lau Canal Belt. There are many hofjes (court-
nsg

tr

gr Carpark
%421 00 95; www.amsterdamtulipmuseum.com;
ij

rier
nen

ht
rac

Lau rac nst

ucie yards) in the Jordaan, including the St
Ha

g 39
rier St L Prinsengracht 112; adult/child €2/free; h10am-
str
ht Lijn

21
zen

Lau 87
arijn
st
Rokin

84 13
34 Berenstr
osm 6pm Tue-Sat Andieshofje at Eglantiersgracht 107–141
str

83 54 6 R
sst
r (see the boxed text, p85).
b

32 Johnny
nd sgr Jordaanplein Sponsored by a bulb-growing company, this
a an

Ela nd
Herengr

85 str 10 a
s l
E 63
sgr

an small, rather clinical exhibit traces the prince

L ei d s e s t r a a t

ba
Lijn 44 dsgr
a ch

Ela
n 82 de tr 80 of petals from its beginnings in Turkey. BLOEMGRACHT Map p86
t

u
25 O ierss 92
Loo 3edwars

o Runstr Spui
Oud Lo Huidenstr
Displays cover Tulipmania (p90), bulbs as In the 17th century the ‘Herengracht of the
Loo

Binnengasthuis
iers

r
2e arss

West 19 rsg UvA

Keizersgr
iers

dw

oie t
Lo
ach food in the war years, and present-day scien- Jordaan’, as the gorgeous Bloemgracht was
sgr r
Prinsengracht

gst
tr

ier sgr uli

n eg tific methods of growing and harvesting. called, was home to paint and sugar facto-
Ma

str

o r
7,1

Lo Looie tr Centrale Be ew
rss ilig
rnix

A highlight is the tulip paintings by 17th- ries, and boasted a large number of fine ga-
0

Bibliotheek He
rde e Muntplein
sse He
str

Pa h t re N ie u w tr century painter Judith Leijster, a student of bled houses. A striking example is De Drie
rac ng e Doel e ns
rsg r a d ra
e d rde ersg
Mo
le np ch
t Frans Hals (p33). The gift shop is one-stop Hendricken, built in a sober Renaissance
v str sse er r
J nep e str Pa Passe str
eg Ke
ize ids , 2,
5
shopping for all your tulip souvenirs. style. The gable stones above the ground
Len Nwrders am Ke78 rsg Le 1
Ra 94
sse
e Raamplein rk
st
ra
ch Golden
floor depict a townsman, a farmer and a
Pa 72 ra t
EGLANTIERSGRACHT Map p86 seafarer. Artists also lived on Bloemgracht,
Le

a Bend
89 ht t
ids

m 71 ra c Paleis van
boo tstr g
including Jurriaen Andriessen, whose work
eka

Bosssain i d se Justitie Many parts of the Jordaan are named after

Le
de

Tou is displayed in the Rijksmuseum.

trees and flowers, and this canal takes its
86 87
lonelyplanet.com

clothing workshop on a very quiet block.

lonelyplanet.com
0 200 m
JORDAAN 0 0.1 miles
OOH JORDAAN, HOW LUVVERLY YOU ARE Exhibits here – from painting and sculpture
Br
to new media and installation pieces – mix ou
w
Eibert Draisma is the author of Jordaancanon, a potted history of this popular district to the west of Amsterdam’s centre. contemporary artists who have some con-
Na
ss 1e
au
er
sg
r
Draisma has worked at the local community centre, the Wijkcentrum Jordaan, for the past quarter-century. He and his nection to the city with some ‘international
str Drawbridge

colleague Wim Wassenaar chatted about what makes the Jordaan so special. 3

r
context’. Shows change about every couple

nsg
2 Groene &
gr Grauwe Valk

baa
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the Jordaan over the last couple of decades? 1e Palm

Palm
of weeks; ring to make sure it’s not closed Marnixplantsoen Pal m
str

Lijn
Draisma: It’s much better now. It was a dilapidated slum area until the ’80s. What a huge difference! The neighbourhood

dwars
while changing exhibitions. 4
ob
looks really nice now, and people want to live here again. Jac kade Stone Tablet

str
s of ‘white
Cat fat pig’
Statue of
Theo
How many original Jordaaners still live here? HAARLEMMERPOORT Map p86 lstr

Goud
r Thijssen
Fage emst
Gou dsblo No 46
Draisma: Maybe 15% born and bred. It’s a group that’s slowly dying out, but in recent years some of the ‘indigenous’ Haarlem Gate; Haarlemmerplein

sbloe
Lindenstraat
r
have moved back. enst

2e arsstr
Lind 1
Once a defensive gate to the city, the Haar-

mdw
kad
START Het
Papeneiland
Where did the rebellious attitude of the Jordaaners come from?

sau
lemmerpoort marked the start of the busy Café Het

Nas
Draisma: Resistance to injustice, poverty and oppression. Other areas also suffered, but the Jordaan of the late 19th route to Haarlem, a major trading route. Cinema
Monumentje
Paradiso
century was a densely populated district with deplorable conditions – large families in tiny, run-down homes. The structure was finished just in time for terst
r Pianola

Anje
3
Wes 5 Museum P
rin
King William II’s staged entry on his 1840 sen

lie
And are they still rebellious? str

rsdw
6 str

t
Tuin

rach

2e rsstraa
Wassenaar: Last year Jordaaners were up in arms over plans to redig a canal on the Elandsgracht, with an underground coronation, hence its little-known official

gr
2e E
elg
str
name of Willemspoort (see the plaque

sen
parking garage. The residents weren’t asked for approval, only the population of Amsterdam as a whole found it a good liers

10
Jordaan
Anje

Sing

Prin
elan
idea. And the plan was eventually called off (smile). inside). Traffic no longer runs through

t
Het Oud-Hollandsch

t
Snoepwinkeltje

iers
e
the gate since a bypass was built over the

rkad
tr gr
What do you think of the Jordaan’s newer residents, the yuppies? ierss iers

dw
lant lant
Westerkanaal. Today this grand archway is Eg e Ege

te

arss
Draisma: It’s been said that the Jordaan is no longer what it was – a volksbuurt, a district for the common people. But

Wes

tr
this talk is exaggerated. If you look at the city’s figures you’ll see that the overwhelming majority of Jordaan residents home to apartments with an alluring view r Leli

3e
mg egr
Bloe
of the canal and Westerpark beyond.

Lelie
have quite average incomes. Wealthy people have also moved in, but it’s a limited group. You notice this on the street,

Leli
Westerkerk
De

dwa
edw
and it makes for a nice mix of people. Sure, there are complaints about the rich and yuppies, but that’s all part of the Koophandel

2esstr
ht

r
rac 7

arss
Jordaan. emg
JORDAAN Blo Christodoulou & 13,14,17

tr
21

Keizersgr
De Lamé
When does everyone not get along? eng
r 8
NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN

NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN
Zaaier
Roz
Draisma: The carillon of the Westerkerk plays a little melody every 15 minutes, even at night. People new to the area are Walking Tour Rembrandt's

Roz
Death House

end
woken up, get irritated and complain to the local council. The old Jordaaners say the carillon is a part of the neighbour-

2e
1 Noorderkerk Begin at the Noorderkerk (p85),

war
9

1e sstr
Reestr

R
Hartenstr

oze
hood. ‘If the carillon is turned off at night, then we’ll lie awake,’ they say. You can’t touch the carillon, and if you do,

Herengr
site of Amsterdam’s most attractive farmers mar-

ndw
r
nst

Prinsengracht

Keizersgracht
there’ll be a huge performance and discussions with a lot of verbal abuse. Roz
e ht
rac
ket (p151). The impressive, cross-shaped church g

ars
rier
str rier
Wassenaar: When people buy a new home here they have to fit in quickly, go through a sort of citizenship course. If Lau

st

Kon
Lau
was revolutionary at the time, providing the

raa
Fotografia
they don’t make an effort to participate they get looked at strangely. If you want to feel at home, you have to get to

ijne
t
gr

Herengracht
working-class congregation of the Jordaan rier Petsalon

n
Lau

str
know your neighbours. The Jordaan lifestyle isn’t for everyone.

Ha
Saarein
with alter views from four transepts. 10 END Berenstr

zen
I understand the Jordaan is still the most densely populated neighbourhood of the Netherlands. t r
sgr

st
dss nd

r
n tr
Ela nss Ela
Draisma: Yes. It’s amazing, because when you walk around it feels a bit like a village, with all the greenery, potted plants 2 Brouwersgracht Head north along the ba a
Oud Lijn de str
and little gardens. I think the Jordaan should be used more often as a model of compact, livable neighbourhood plan- Ouoiers
Prinsengracht to pretty Brouwersgracht. Fall into West Lo
ning. But it’s difficult to reproduce the Jordaan elsewhere. In other parts of the city there are more tourist attractions, a terrace chair at Het Papeneiland (p186) and order
but it the little things that are nice here – the lanes, the old façades, the funny little shops. Visitors like all of this, think a coffee. As you move east along Brouwers-
it’s gezellig (cosy). The Jordaan is certainly not spectacular, but it has charm.
What’s the biggest challenge to the Jordaan at the moment?
gracht, you’ll spy a statue of educator Theo Thijssen WALK FACTS
scrutinising a pupil’s work, and the fantastic
Draisma: That people with lower incomes still be able to afford to live here. There’s an enormous pressure on rents due old warehouses Groene & Grauwe Valk (Green & Start Nooderkerk
to the popularity of the area. Grey Falcon), their huge red shutters swung End Johnny Jordaanplein
open on five floors. Distance 2.5km
Duration One hour
HOUSEBOAT MUSEUM Map p86 dering, houseboat toilets used to drain
directly into the canals, but now most have 3 Rapenhofje At the second drawbridge,
%427 07 50; www.houseboatmuseum.nl; Prinsen-
gracht, opposite No 296; adult/child under 152cm sewerage hook-ups. turn left into the wide, shady Palmgracht, and the ‘white fat pig’ over the butcher-deli at 2e
€3.25/2.50; h11am-5pm Tue-Sun Mar-Oct, 11am- look out for the modest red door to the Rap- Goudsbloemdwarsstraat 26. Crossing over the
5pm Fri-Sun Nov-Feb, closed most of Jan enhofje, at Nos 28–38, watched over by a coat broad Lindengracht, pause a moment to con-
This quirky museum, a 23m-long sailing
STEDELIJK MUSEUM BUREAU of arms and a white porthole window. This sider the quaint house at Lindenstraat 46, leaning
barge from 1914, offers a good sense of AMSTERDAM Map p86 placid little courtyard was home to one of at an impossible angle above street level.
how gezellig (cosy) life can be on the water. Municipal Museum Office; %422 04 71; www Amsterdam’s oldest almshouses (1648).
The actual displays are minimal, but you .smba.nl; Rozenstraat 59; admission free; h11am- 5 Westerstraat Soon you reach Westerstraat,
can watch a slide show of houseboats 5pm Tue-Sun 4 Palmdwarsstraat This part of the Jordaan a main drag of the Jordaan, with the quirky
pretty and ghastly, and inspect the sleep- Don’t blink or you might walk right past this has a village-like character, and moving south Pianola Museum (p85), and such alluring places
ing, living, cooking and dining quarters unobtrusive outpost, a ‘project space’ of the along Palmdwarsstraat you’ll pass tiny food shops for a bite or drink as Café ’t Monumentje (p186) or
with all mod cons. In case you were won- leading Stedelijk Museum; it’s in a one-time frequented by the locals. Note the stone tablet of Cinema Paradiso (p162).
88 89
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
TULIPMANIA WE STE R N C ANAL B E LT
When it comes to investment frenzy, the Dutch tulip craze of 1636–37 ranks alongside the South Sea Bubble of 1720, Drinking & Smoking p187; Eating p163; Shopping p145; Sleeping p215
the Great Crash of 1929, Enron and the Netherlands’ home-grown Ahold scandal. The canals bordered by the Brouwersgracht and Leidsegracht (to the north and south respec-
Tulips originated as wildflowers in Central Asia and were first cultivated by the Turks, who filled their courts with tively), the Singel to the east and the Prinsengracht to the west, are among the most gorgeous
these beautiful spring blooms (‘tulip’ derives from the Turkish word for turban). In the mid-1500s the Habsburg am- areas of town, for residents and visitors alike. They are filled with stately homes, refined museums
bassador to Istanbul brought some bulbs back to Vienna where the imperial botanist, Carolus Clusius, learned how to and businesses, intimate cafés and some of the city’s finest speciality shops.
propagate them. In 1590 Clusius became director of the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden – Europe’s oldest botanical garden – This elegant area has its origins in the end of the 16th century, when the city burst its medieval
and had great success growing and cross-breeding tulips in Holland’s cool, damp climate and fertile delta soil. walls as refugees flooded in: Jews from Portugal and Spain, and Protestants from Antwerp. In
The more exotic specimens of tulip featured frilly petals and ‘flamed’ streaks of colour, which attracted the atten- the 1580s new land was reclaimed from the IJ and the Amstel for the east side of town. In 1613
tion of wealthy merchants, who put them in their living rooms and hallways to impress visitors. Trickle-down wealth the authorities embarked on an ambitious plan that would triple the city’s area, with canals
and savings stoked the taste for exotica in general, and tulip growers arose to service the demand. sprouting to the west and the south.
Ironically, the frilly petals and colour streaks were symptoms of a virus – healthy tulips at the time were solid, The blueprint was drawn up by the city carpenter, Hendrick Jacobsz Staets, and, oddly
smooth and monotone; the virus itself wasn’t discovered until the 20th century. In the 17th century Holland’s most enough, the result resembled half of a bicycle wheel, comprising semicircular and radial canals
beautiful tulips were heavily cross-bred, making them even more susceptible to the virus and difficult to cultivate, and
with bridges and connecting roads. Collectively, these new canals have come to be called the
their blossoms unpredictable.
Grachtengordel (Canal Belt), the layout you see today.
A speculative frenzy ensued, and people paid top florin for the finest bulbs, many of which changed hands time and
again before they sprouted. Vast profits were made and speculators fell over themselves to outbid each other. Bidding
The plan called for the whole city to be enclosed by a new outer moat, a zig-zagging canal now
often took place in taverns and was fuelled by alcohol, which no doubt added to the enthusiasm. known as the Singelgracht. The moat’s outer quays became the Nassaukade, named for the Dutch
At the height of the Tulipmania in November 1636, a single bulb of the legendary Semper augustus variety fetched royal House of Orange-Nassau, the Stadhouderskade (for the magistrates) and Mauritskade (for
the equivalent of 10 years’ wages for the average worker; a couple of Viceroy bulbs cost the equivalent of an Amsterdam Maurits of Nassau, who played a pivotal role in liberating the Netherlands from Spanish rule). Work
canal house. One unfortunate foreign sailor made himself rather unpopular with his employer by slicing up what he began at the Brouwersgracht and headed south. Parcels of land were sold along the way to finance
thought was an onion as a garnish for his herring. An English amateur botanist, intrigued by an unknown bulb lying in the project, buildings arose gradually, and the Western Canal Belt was completed by 1625.
his host’s conservatory, proceeded to bisect it, and was put in jail until he could raise an astronomical 4000 guilders. Society here was clearly divided into haves and have-nots. Before the completion of the
Of course, this bonanza couldn’t last, and when several bulb traders in Haarlem failed to fetch their expected prices Western Canal Bank, merchants lived more or less in their warehouses, mingling with their
in February 1637, the bottom fell out of the market. Within weeks many of the country’s wealthiest merchants went labourers and suppliers in the thick of the city’s activities. Businesses that could be annoying
or offensive were banned, and bridges were fixed to exclude large vessels, though this didn’t
NEIGHBOURHOODS JORDAAN

NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

bankrupt and many more people of humbler origins lost everything. Speculators who were stuck with unsold bulbs, or
with bulbs that had been reserved but not yet paid for (the concept of options was invented during the Tulipmania), prevent barges from unloading and loading goods at the warehouses.
appealed for government action but the authorities refused to become involved in what they considered to be gambling. The wealthiest residents escaped the sweat and the stench by building mansions along
Thus the speculation ended. the Herengracht, named after the Heeren XVII – ‘17 Gentlemen’ – of the United East India
However, love of the unusual tulip endured, and cooler-headed growers perfected their craft. To this day, the Dutch Company. Almost as swanky was the Keizersgracht (Emperor’s Canal), a nod to Holy Roman
continue to be the world leaders in tulip cultivation and supply most of the bulbs planted in Europe and North America. Emperor Maximilian I.
They also excel in other bulbs such as daffodils, hyacinths and crocuses. The Prinsengracht – after William the Silent, Prince of Orange and the first Dutch royal –
So what happened to the flamed, frilly tulips of the past? They’re still produced but have gone out of fashion, and was designed as a slightly cheaper canal with smaller residences, warehouses and workshops. It
are now known as Rembrandt tulips because of their depiction in so many 17th-century paintings. also acted as a barrier against the crusty working-class quarter beyond, the Jordaan. Today the
Prinsengracht is the liveliest of Amsterdam’s inner canals, with shops and cafés for enjoying
life’s summer charms. Though on the small side, apartments are relatively affordable by canal
6 Garden Quarter At the 2e Anjeliersd- church De Zaaier, now a mosque. At No 184 standards, and houseboats line the quays.
warsstraat, turn left to enter what locals call you can see Rembrandt’s sterfhuis (death house),
At the northern end of the Canal Belt, the Brouwersgracht (the Brewers’ Canal) was named
the ‘garden quarter’ of cosy, ivy-clad lanes and where the master painter died in 1669 (see
the plaque). after the breweries that used to operate here. It’s one of the most picturesque canals in town
diminutive squares. Het Oud-Hollandsch Snoepwin-
and a great place for a stroll, although it wasn’t always so: throughout most of its history it was
keltje (p143) is stacked high with glass jars of
9 2e Rozendwarssstraat Turn south into an industrial canal full of warehouses, workshops and factories banned from the residential
traditional sweets like cinnamon sticks and
liquorice. 2e Rozendwarssstraat. This part of the Jordaan is Canal Belt. Note the almost uninterrupted row of former warehouses from No 172 to No 212.
a mad jumble of styles, and though the winch Houseboats add to the lazy, residential character.
7 Bloemgracht Carry on south over the beams may appear decorative, they still see The western part of the district is lorded over by the Westerkerk (p93), with its enormous
Eglantiersgracht to the stunning elm-lined plenty of active duty. Further along, you’ll blue-crowned steeple and gracious square, which is home to the Homomonument (p95). The
waters of the Bloemgracht (p87). Plant your feet find intriguing shops such as Fotografia (p143) area’s biggest draw is the Anne Frank Huis (p93), which has excerpts of the famous diaries and
on the bridge facing east, and drink in the and Petsalon (p145), and also a rare lesbian café, some of the original furnishings of the Frank family in hiding.
view. The steeple of the mighty Westerkerk (p93) Saarein (p206). Within the southern reaches of the Western Canal Belt, one of the most delightful areas is
pokes over the rooftops. Among the distinc- the Negen Straatjes (Nine Alleys), the tic-tac-toe board of Amsterdam shopping. The names
tive buildings is De Koophandel, a tall, incredibly 10 Johnny Jordaanplein What better place of the lanes come from the trades once practiced here, mainly for animal furs and products (ie
narrow old warehouse at No 49. to conclude this tour than Johnny Jordaanplein, the Wolvenstraat, or Wolf’s Street).
a tiny square dedicated to the singer of The Negen Straatjes are bounded by Reestraat, Hartenstraat and Gasthuismolensteeg to the
8 Rozengracht At busy Rozengracht, sink into schmaltzy tunes such as Bij ons in de Jordaan. north, Prinsengracht to the west, Singel to the east and Runstraat, Huidenstraat and Wijde
a colourful pillow at speciality shop Christodou- There are bronze busts of Johnny and other Heisteeg to the south. The straatjes are full of quirky little shops dealing in antiques, fashions,
lou & Lamé (p144). Looming over the street are immortals, but the real star here is the colour- housewares and one-offs including everything from toothbrushes to antique eyeglass frames.
the enormous towers of the former Catholic ful utility hut splashed with nostalgic lyrics. It’s all peppered with pubs, cafés and informal dining.
90 91
lonelyplanet.com

queues can be quite long at peak times.

lonelyplanet.com
0 200 m
WESTERN CANAL BELT 0 0.1 miles
Come early or late in the day to avoid the
H
Ha Jo n
crowds. To save time, buy your tickets
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entrance for advance ticket holders. Also

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WESTERN CANAL BELT
Lijanansgr

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Summer University.........(see 10)
note: there’s no cloakroom, and no large

O
Classic Boat Dinners................Br 1 A6

n
ou

ne
gr
Palm Center...............2we B2 rucksacks are permitted.
b

Bin
Euro Business
Anne Frank Huis (below) Be moved by the story
Lijn

rsg
Koan Float..............................3 B5 r Ha
Br 87 ar
of Anne Frank – get there early or late to avoid the
Palm

Main PoststOffice....................
r 4 B4 ou Ha 55
l em
P alm we 51 m

gr
Sauna Deco............................ 5 C3 ar
rs lem er crowds. WESTERKERK Map p92

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dwars

gr Ho

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ac m 79

Prin

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msstr er ut
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SIGHTS (pp91–7) ht str tu Negen Straatjes (p91) Even the shop-adverse will Western Church; %624 77 66; www.westerkerk.nl;

e
str

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te

uw
Anne Frank Huis..................... 6 A3 n See City

Kor
43 be charmed by the quirky and diverse offerings of Westermarkt; church admission free, tower €6 by

Bro
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1e denswa

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st Centre
Lin

Bartolotti m 72
sbloHouse......................
e 7 B4 Map pp62–5
Goud Museum.......................8 B5

rkt
the myriad boutiques. tour only; hchurch 11am-3pm Mon-Sat Apr-Sep,

ten
Bijbels
Linde

nma
r
enst 19
erkerk

Bui
De Rode Hoed........................ 9 B3 Lind 100

ht
ngr EATING (pp163–6)

ak
76
d e Step 1: find yourself a seat at one of the many tower 10am-5pm Mon-Sat Apr-Sep, church services

Here

gb
r
rac
in

ser n
Felix Meritis LBuilding............
ndwa

sst
10 A5 64 Buffet van Odette....................59 B5

ViBs inne
rstr

oo
Brou
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eng Multi-level

Dr
wers
brown cafés lining the Prinsengracht. Step 2: relax.
2ersstr

Greenland Warehouses.........11 B2 gr Casa Perú................................

Bicycle Garage 60 A6 10.30am Sun Apr-Sep

Ni
ns

ach
Greenpeace Building............. 12 B3 t
Christophe............................... 61 B3
als

eu
Theater Instituut Nederland (p93) If the play’s
gr Pri

na The main gathering place for Amsterdam’s

we
Homomonument...................13 B4

sgr
Pa
Cilubang.................................. 62 A5
mstr 22 103

nd
izersstr Boo
Huis uMarseille....................... 14 B6 your thing, don’t miss this excellent, handsome
zer
De 2 Grieken............................63 B2
Dutch Reformed community, the church

ijk
cht
1e
Tich

arth Met
KHuis 90
sen

de Hoofden...........15 B3 11 Kei Ro De Belhamel............................64 C2

H
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Theater Museum.

Stromkt

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was built for rich Protestants to a 1620

av
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Prin

ter
Keizersgracht 319................. 16 B5
lstr

Wes mo De Struisvogel.........................65 A5

en ron
ren
len
l

Multatuli Museum................ 17 C2 2 Envy........................................ 66 A4 Westerkerk (right) Go on, legs of steel: climb the
iers

str
82 20 design by Hendrick de Keyser. The nave is

He
E n g e ls e s t

str

t
Netherlands Media Art sstr Foodism...................................67 B3
dwa

Pri

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elie 18 A5 86 nsens
63
tower for a gorgeous view. the largest in the Netherlands and covered

gel
Anj
Institute............................. 17 Goodies...................................68 B5

Lan
rsst

tr

Sin
News Photo...........................19 C2 Hein........................................
49 Ko t 69 A5 by a wooden barrel vault.
r

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Tuin
str 20 C2
Poezenboot.......................... 71 ren 106 rte rss
Koh-I-Noor.............................. 70 A4
ae

str
75 str Hass e lThomas
The huge main organ dates from 1686,
r

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Theater Instituut Nederland...21 B4 Kors Letting..................................... 71 B3
Cook
rsg

eu
jesps
Van Brienenhofje.................. 22 B2 35 t

Ni
ize

Lof...........................................72 C2
with panels decorated with instruments
Ke

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r

Westerkerk............................23 A4 92
ANNE FRANK HUIS Map p92
ng

Ba Lust.........................................73 A5
ud
lu
O
re

wb Nielsen.................................... 74 A5 and biblical scenes. Rembrandt, who died

2egelantie

15 urg
He

Carpark
%556 71 05; www.annefrank.org; Prinsengracht
E

5
r
98
ist
w al u PancakeKoBakery........................
lkst 75 B3
bankrupt at nearby Rozengracht, was
Sp
101 L i jn Damrak
lant
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61
baa
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O
Stout.......................................
Bruude 76 C2 276; adult/child under 10yr/child 10-17yr €7.50/
gst O
't Kuyltje.................................. 77 B4 buried in a pauper’s grave somewhere in
rsdw

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Wil Graanstra Friteshuis........... eb 78 A4 free/3.50; h9am-9pm mid-Mar–mid-Sep, to 7pm
arss

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uw
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26
rgs
t
ru
gs
mid-Sep–mid Mar, closed Yom Kippur the church.
NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

r t
tr

6 On

str
z
VrLoieve e&
St ruide n s (pp187–9) Another highlight is the bell tower, topped
t

DRINKING
Geert

rs
12 uwe eu It is one of the 20th century’s most com-
2e

Leli SMOKING
67 St aasstr st

B
gr egr 88 Nicol by the blue imperial crown that Habsburg
Leli

Barney's...................................79 C1
Bloe
m 94 Ou
de pelling stories: a young Jewish girl forced
edw

Brix..........................................80 B5
23 13
Lelie Torensluis
st r
Café de Pels.............................81 B5 into hiding with her family and their emperor Maximilian I bestowed to the city
arss

107 48 Mo
21 lst Gravenstr Café de Vergulde BeurspleinGaper..........82 B2
for its coat of arms in 1489. The climb of
Westermakt 78 friends to escape deportation by the Nazis
tr

96 St
str Driekoning Café Het Molenpad................. 83 A6
loem
7 enstr Centrum Ann the 85m tower can be strenuous and claus-
tr

Ra
(see the boxed text, p94). The house they
ss

B De Admiraal............................. ens 84 B5

al
70
Prinsengracht

oe
Keizersgracht

ad tr

w
h uis trophobic (inside a tower, after all), but the
m

SHOPPING V
(pp145–8) alk De Catpark
Doffer................................ 85 A5

rg
str
used as a hideaway should be a highlight
ar

7 97 en
bu
W

4,1 Amsterdam Watch Company 24 B4 st De II Prinsen............................ 86 B2

13,1 104 Antonia by Yvette..................
St
Dam25 B4 Dulac........................................
Jan 87 B1
or
of any visit to Amsterdam; indeed, it gets guide takes breaks on the landings while
Vo

47 102 sstr
105 4 Architectura & Natura............26 B3 Dylan.....................................(see
St o
99)
nearly a million visitors a year. The house describing the bells.
Architectuurantiquariat Felix Meritis Café...................(see ofs 10)
t tr Carillon recitals take place on Tuesdays
ds

45 37 34 24 25 56 Opbouw..........................(see 26) Grey Da Area................................

ms Pijlst 88 B3 itself is now contained within a modern,
zij

See Jordaan tr
de

Map p86
Reestr Hartenstr Gasthuismolens
t
Be Innocent...........................27 B5 Pompadour.............................. B5
89 B1
square shell. between noon and 1pm; best listening is
Ou

Beadies..................................28 B5 Siberië.....................................
Stee 90 C2
66 40 38 39 77 30 46 Boekie Woekie...................... 29 A5 Snookerclub
nh s DOoeul de
tDe Keizers...........
ens
91 A4
It took the German army just five days to from the nearby Bloemgracht. The bells
91 St Pi
ht Brilmuseum............................
Wijdes
t 30 B4 't PoArendsnest............................
ortsetters
tr 92 B3 also chime mechanically every 15 minutes.
g rac occupy all of the Netherlands, along with
rier De Kaaskamer....................... 31 A5 Van St Puffelen........................... 93 A5
Lriaeurgr P
Kon

NEGEN Carpark ie te
De Witte Tanden Winkel....... 32 A5 Werck.....................................
rshals 94 A3
Lau 93 t Grand Amsterdam Belgium and much of France. Anne’s famous
al

18 Episode.................................. 33 A5Flemish
ijne

STRAATJES WolvenstraaatSofitel 23....................

Demeure 95 B5
urgw

Cultural
diary describes how restrictions were gradu- THEATER INSTITUUT NEDERLAND
nstr

Exota.....................................
ienst 34 B4 Centre
u c
s Voorb

69 29 65 57 80 St L
Fates......................................
Wi 35 B3 NIGHTLIFE & ARTS Spinh
52
Frozen Fountain....................
Kapejdlset
36 A6 Felix Meritis...........................(see
uiss
tr 10) ally imposed on Dutch Jews: from being for- Map p92
erstr

Berenstr Wolvenstr Oude Spi Rus

10 egelstr Gamekeeper..........................37 B4 bidden to ride streetcars to being forced to Theater Museum; %551 33 00; www.tin.nl;
al

74 la n d
Oudezijd

rgw

Hester van Eeghen.................38 B4 GAY & LESBIAN Slijkstr

K al v

44 95 41 27 59
33 turn in their bicycles and not being allowed Herengracht 168; adult/senior, student & child
rbu

16
rgw wal

84 Klein Antiek...........................39 B4 Pink Point................................96 A4

r
al

dsg
hte

sbu rg

Ela
n 3 Waterst
Lady Day............................... 40 B4 ) to visit Christian friends. These, of course, €4.50/2.25; h11am-5pm Mon-Fri, 1-5pm Sat &
Herengr

ier sbu
Ac

e 99 Laura Dols............................. 41 B5 SLEEPING (pp215–17)

udrsstr st Takst
oom were only some of the mildest examples. Sun
ven ier

Oie Local Service.......................... 42 A5 Budget Hotel Clemens

o 85 62 53 89 58 n b
Lo ze Spuistr
Kloloven

R o Turfdra agsterp ad
Runstr
Meeuwig & Zn...................... 43 C2 Amsterdam..........................97 B4 The focus of the museum is the achter- Theatre buffs will be in their element at the
Gasthuis s tr

r Huidenstr Binnengasthuis
Ou

rsg Mendo.................................. 44 A5 Canal House Hotel...................98 B3

K

42 28
oie huis (rear house), also known as the secret
Voet

Binne n

UvA
Theater Museum. Exhibits cover the history
de

Laocht 73 5032 31 54 81 68 Miauw...................................45 B4 Dylan...................................... Staalstr99 A5

H an

r
st r
Tu

rsg Nic Nic...................................46 B4 Frederic's Rentabike

bo

& annexe. It was in this dark and airless

oie of Dutch theatre via dioramas (including
dbo

len
rfm

8 str
e

1
o gs

Ro

Lo Nieuws.................................. 47 A4 oe
Houseboats....................... 100 C2
r n ds

i ng g
ark
kin

D
l
space that the Franks observed complete
o gs

e e l ae
u
the first theatre built in Amsterdam, in
tr
Sin

tr Be ew
Puccini Bomboni.................... 48 B4 Hampshire e Classic Hotel GravV
uw Hotel
t

rss ilig rst e

tr

de e
g

Santa e
Jet................................ 49 B2 i
Toren................................. 101 B3
eer H ste N de l'Europe silence during the daytimes, outgrew their
el

Pa
ss 36
14
t oo
Skins Cosmetics..................... 50 A5 Hotel
Binnen
Amstel 102 B4
Nadia........................... 1638); displays of costumes from lush to
ach Kl Muntplein
e g r Unlimited Delicious................ 51 C1 Hotel New Amsterdam..........
Amstel
103 C2 clothes, pasted photos of Hollywood stars stark; heady sepia-toned early photographs
rsg
r
d ids Urban Picnic..........................52 B5 Hotel Pax...............................104 B4
83 Le
Bakkerstr
't Oogst

rde pa on the walls and read Dickens, before

Balk in

len of 19th-century actors; and video clips of

Halvemaanstr

s see Mo60 Metz Uri Duri.................................. 53 B5 Hotel Pulitzer......................... 105 A4

Pa r
seg Ke Department Van Ravenstein......................54 B5 Maes B&B..............................106 B3 being mysteriously betrayed and sent to famous modern-day productions. It’s also a
nst

i d ize Store
Le rsg Volksbond Regulie
Shop....................
rs 55 C1 Miauw Suites.........................(see 45)
ape

d
am
st r Ke r
1,
2,
5
Wax Well Records................. 56
warsst
r B4 their deaths. unique opportunity to learn about one of
P ri

r Rembrandtplein
S ch

Ra ks
tr The Anne Frank Huis does not accept the
ns

Zinne & Minne...................... 57 B5 TRANSPORT

Raamplein the most interesting legacies of the Dutch
en

Zipper....................................Golden
Bend58 B5 Canal Bus Dock..................... 107 A4
gr

Paleis van
Justitie
Thorbeckeplein Amsterdam Pass or the Museumkaart, and theatre: the rederijkamers (chambers of
92 93
lonelyplanet.com

changing exhibits. Don’t expect to see Eduard Douwes Dekker was best known

lonelyplanet.com
ANNE FRANK works by the hit-makers or TV directors of for Max Havelaar (1860), about corrupt
tomorrow, though. The institute is specifi- colonialists in the Dutch East Indies. Dekker
Anne Frank’s father, Otto, was a manufacturer of pectin (a gelling agent used in jam) who had the foresight to emigrate cally about video as art; there’s an artist- himself worked in colonial administration
with his family from Frankfurt to Amsterdam in 1933. In December 1940 he bought what is now known as the Anne in-residence program if you get inspired. in Batavia (now Jakarta), and the book
Frank Huis on the Prinsengracht and moved his business here from the Singel. By then the German occupiers had The collection numbers some 1500 works, made him something of a social conscience
already tightened the noose around the city’s Jewish inhabitants, and even though he signed the business over to assembled since the institute was estab- for the Netherlands. This small but fascinat-
his non-Jewish partner, Otto was forced to go into hiding in July 1942 with his family – his wife and daughters Anne ing museum-home chronicles his life and
lished in 1978. The mediatheek (admission free;
(aged 13) and Margot (16). works, and shows furniture and artefacts
They moved into the specially prepared rear of the building, along with another couple, the Van Daans, and their h1-5pm Mon-Fri) works like a library, com-
plete with librarians to advise you. from his period in Indonesia.
son Peter, and were joined later by a Mr van Dussel. The entrance hid behind a revolving bookcase, and the windows of
the annexe were blacked out to prevent suspicion among people who might see it from surrounding houses (blackouts
were common practice to disorient Allied bombers at night). HOMOMONUMENT Map p92 HUIS MET DE HOOFDEN Map p92
Here they survived until they were betrayed to the Gestapo in August 1944. The Franks were among the last Jews Cnr Keizersgracht & Radhuisstraat House with the Heads; Keizersgracht 123
to be deported and Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945, only weeks before it was liber- Behind the Westerkerk, this 1987 cluster of A shining example of Dutch Renaissance
ated. Otto was the only member of the family to survive, and after the war he published Anne’s diary, which was found three 10m x 10m x 10m granite triangles style, this whimsical structure has a beauti-
among the litter in the annexe (the furniture had been carted away by the Nazis). Addressed to the fictitious Kitty, the recall persecution by the Nazis, who forced ful step gable with six heads at door level
diary – written in Dutch – traces the young teenager’s development through puberty and persecution, and displays all gay men to wear a pink triangle patch. One representing the classical muses. Folklore
the signs of a gifted writer in the making. of the triangles actually steps down into the has it that the heads depict burglars, de-
In 1957 the then owner donated the house to the Anne Frank Foundation, which turned it into a museum on the Keizersgracht, and is said to represent a jetty capitated in quick succession by a fearless
persecution of Jews in WWII and the dangers of present-day racism and anti-Semitism. from which gays were sent to the concen- maid as they tried to break in. The façade
The diary, meanwhile, has taken on a life of its own. It’s been translated into some 60 languages and was made into tration camps. Others interpret the step-up veritably drips with decorations – lion
a stage play performed in 34 countries, a 1959 Hollywood movie and a 2001 British movie. The diary has been reissued from the canal as a rising symbol of hope. masks, obelisks and vases – as well as the
in recent years, complete with passages deleted by Otto about Anne’s awakening sexuality and relationship problems Just south of the Homomonument is the famous heads (match ’em up): Apollo,
with her mother, all of which only round out her character and remind us that she was, among other things, an ordinary Pink Point (hnoon-6pm Mar-Aug, limited hours rest of Diana, Ceres, Bacchus, Minerva and Mars.
girl, unable to swim against the tide of extraordinary times. year). Part information kiosk, part souvenir The building now houses the Bureau Monu-
shop, it’s a good place to pick up gay and mentenzorg, the city office of monument
NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

lesbian publications, and news about par- preservation.
rhetoric), medieval literary societies that FELIX MERITIS BUILDING Map p92 ties, events and social groups.
staged large-scale productions throughout %623 13 11; www.felix.meritis.nl; Keizersgracht
the Netherlands and Flanders. Most sig-
BIJBELS MUSEUM Map p92
324; hbox office 9am-7pm
nage is in English. HUIS MARSEILLE Map p92 Bible Museum; %624 24 36; www.bijbelsmuseum
This centre for the performing arts was built .nl; Herengracht 366-368; adult/child under 12yr/
Even if you’re not interested in theatre, in 1787 by Jacob Otten Husly for an organi- %531 89 89; www.huismarseille.nl; Keizersgracht
the museum has a stunning interior, and 401; adult/child under 17yr/student €5/free/3; child 13-17yr €7.50/free/3.75; h10am-5pm Mon-
sation called Felix Meritis (Latin for ‘Happy Sat, 11-5pm Sun
spills over into the Bartolotti House (Herengracht through Merit’), a society of wealthy resi- h11am-6pm Tue-Sun
This well-curated photography museum This place first gained notoriety thanks to a
170-172), which has one of the most stunning dents who promoted the ideals of the En-
stages large-scale, temporary exhibitions, dedicated minister, Leendert Schouten, who
facades in the city: a red-brick, Dutch Ren- lightenment through the study of science, drawing from its own collection as well as built a scale model of the Jewish Tabernacle
aissance job that follows the bend of the arts and commerce. The colonnaded façade hosting travelling shows. Themes might described in Exodus. Now on the museum’s
canal. It was built in 1615 by Hendrick de served as a model for that of the Concert- include portraiture, nature or regional 3rd floor, the model is said to have at-
Keyser and his son Pieter. gebouw, and its oval concert hall (where tracted thousands of visitors even before
photography, spread out over several floors
Brahms, Grieg and Saint Saëns performed) and a ‘summer house’ behind the main it was completed in 1851. Another large
NEWS PHOTO Map p92 was copied as the Concertgebouw’s Kleine house. exhibit examines the Temple Mount/Haram
%330 84 00; www.newsphoto.nl; Haarlem- Zaal (Small Hall) for chamber music. Huis Marseille also has a noteworthy al-Sharif in Jerusalem from Christian, Jew-
merstraat 24-26; admission free; h11am-6pm Nowadays the reconstituted Felix Meritis building. The name refers to its original ish and Muslim perspectives. A collection
Wed-Mon Foundation promotes European perform- owner, a French merchant in 1665, and of Dutch Bibles includes a Delft Bible printed
This shop-museum displays enormous ing arts and literature. On a sunny morning the original structure has remained largely in 1477. On the ground floor you can sniff
blowups of photos that accompany head- the café’s huge windows make for comfy intact. It retains some antique touches such scents mentioned in the Good Book and
lines, by photographers from around the reading. as the 18th-century fountain in the library, stroll through a garden of biblical trees.
world. In fact the museum operates like and a painting of Apollo, Minerva and the
something of a newsroom itself. Themed NETHERLANDS MEDIA ART muses in the garden room. POEZENBOOT Map p92
exhibitions (terrorism, the Tour de France INSTITUTE Map p92 Cat Boat; %625 87 94; www.poezenboot.nl;
etc) change every few weeks, but as news %623 71 01; www.montevideo.nl; Keizersgracht MULTATULI MUSEUM Map p92 Singel, opposite No 40; admission free (but dona-
is made the curators use giant printers to 264; adult/student €2.50/1.50; hgallery 1-6pm %638 19 38; www.multatuli-museum.nl; Korsje- tions encouraged); h1-3pm
print out the latest, and – presto – it’s up Tue-Sat & 1st Sun of month spoortsteeg 20; admission free; h10am-5pm Tue, This boat on the Singel is a must for cat-
on the conveniently magnetic walls. You From the hilarious and the ridiculous to the noon-5pm Sat & Sun (closed Sat Jul & Aug) lovers…and hell for mouse-lovers. It was
can order fresh prints in a number of sizes, deep and the experimental, there’s always Better known by the pen name Multatuli – founded in 1966 by an eccentric woman
produced on the spot. something interesting in this gallery’s Latin for ‘I have suffered greatly’ – novelist who became legendary for looking after
94 95
 r
lonelyplanet.com

several hundred stray cats at a time. The 2 Magna Plaza Head west, and across Nieu-

lonelyplanet.com
0 200 m
boat has since been taken over by a
VEDDY CIVILISED WESTERN CANALS 0 0.1 miles
wezijds Voorburgwal you’ll see the massive 5
foundation and holds a mere few dozen shopping complex Magna Plaza (p72) – check out
Brou
kitties in proper pens, ready to be spayed, its atrium lobby and, if you like, dozens of wers
grac
enstr ht
neutered, implanted with an identifying Lind t
shops. str Greenland
4
Pa
na
als

1e
computer chip (as per Dutch law) and, str B oom Warehouses

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hopefully, adopted out. 3 Torensluis Continue west and then head

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north towards the Torensluis, the bridge over our

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first canal, the Singel. If you’re craving coffee

sstr
VAN BRIENENHOFJE Map p92 n sen
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6 Multatuli uis
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and apple pie, Villa Zeezicht (p159) has some of the tr t

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best in town. The bridge features a statue of the

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Dutch literary giant Multatuli; there’s a museum

g el

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This charming courtyard was named in the

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Huis Met
(p95) dedicated to him a few blocks north. bu

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late 18th century for Jan van Brienen, who

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bought the Star Brewery located here, one

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place is still called De Star hofje by many.) sects with the pretty Brouwersgracht. Cross over Lelie
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It was turned into an almshouse for older Brouwersgracht and walk west to the head of Nie Huis
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René Leli r sst
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the Herengracht, one of our favourite views in

Be
t
residents, and although not dirt poor they rach Descartes'
emg Residence Multatuli
town, with boats passing in three directions. Blo Statue 3
had a clear division of labour: the women Westerkerk Villa
Zeezicht Gravenstr Beursplein
Homomonument
cleaned house for the single men, who in st r Nieuwe Kerk
Da St
Ann
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turn toted water buckets from the outside 2

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markt, with the 17th-century Westindisch Huis, Raadhui ns

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pump (topped by a curious lantern). There’s 4 ,17
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also a manicured garden. the former head office of the Dutch West 13,1 21
Royal Dam
Jan
sstr
India Company. It was here that the booty Palace

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If hofjes grab you, be sure to visit the END o fstr

end
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of Admiral Piet Heyn, the great naval hero,

al
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Amsterdam

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NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

NEIGHBOURHOODS WESTERN CANAL BELT

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silver fleet off the coast of Cuba. Roe st

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DE RODE HOED Map p92

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The Red Hat; %623 56 06; www.rodehoed.nl; gr st

Herengracht
6 Keizersgracht Turning south, cross the rier

Ou
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Van
L au

Singel
Puffelen
Keizersgracht 102; admission free; h8.30am-

l
rgwa
Brouwersgracht into the Keizersgracht. You’ll ucien
st

Voorbu
5.30pm, except during special events soon spot the imposing Greenland Warehouses (p48) Berenstr st
St L
10
Spinh
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and, further on, the curious Huis Met de Hoofden Ros

tr
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8
occupies three glorious 17th-century canal Civic Guard Slijkst

Ha
(House with the Heads; p95), with carvings of r

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Gallery
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houses. Its line-up includes lectures by nd Rosk
Apollo, Ceres and Mars. Waterst

al
str
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Keizersgr

Herengr

rgw
Begijnhof
world-renowned authors and debates on de tr Takst

sbu
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o

i er
Lo Turfdraagsterpad
the topics of the day, sometimes in English. 7 Prinsengracht At peaceful Leliegracht, by Huidenstr

ven
r Runstr 9
rsg

Kl o
It’s worth a visit, even when nothing’s on, the Greenpeace Building (p50), head to Prinsengracht Lo
oie Bijbels Museum

to view the three-storey main auditorium, to pass the Anne Frank Huis (p93) and the soar-
which was once the largest clandestine ing tower of the Westerkerk (p93). Behind it is alley, along with the group portraits that fill
church in the Netherlands. De Rood Hoed – Karin Dann’s quietly moving Homomonument WALK FACTS its Civic Guard Gallery (p68). A former orphans
‘the Red Hat’ – was named for the hat shop (p95) and, at Westermarkt 6, the house where Start The Dam home, the museum is the best place to under-
once located here (spot the tile on the René Descartes stayed during his sojourn in End Kalverstraat stand Amsterdam’s peculiar evolution from
façade that identified the place). Amsterdam. Further south on Prinsengracht is Distance 3.5km obscure trading post to Golden Age arts hub
Van Puffelen (p188), an atmospheric brown café. Duration 1¼ hours and now the service-oriented metropolis it
is today.
8 Felix Meritis Building Back on Keizers-
VEDDY CIVILISED gracht, you can’t miss the quirky Felix Meritis coffee or beer or weekend book and art markets. 11 Kalverstraat The busy shopping street
WESTERN CANALS Building (p94), a one-time enlightenment society
turned alternative theatre. After WWII this
The Begijnhof (p68) is just off the square. Kalverstraat (p73) leads you back to the Dam.
For a short course on Dutch football legends,
Walking Tour monumental, columned edifice served as the 10 Amsterdams Historisch Museum The seek out the hallowed halls of Het Oranje Voetbal
1 The Dam Much more than the birthplace of head office of the Dutch Communist Party – Amsterdams Historisch Museum (p68) is just up the Museum (p73).
Amsterdam, today the Dam (p69) is dominated that is, until 1981, when the party’s dramatic
by the Royal Palace (p67), worth a visit for its grand collapse prompted a move elsewhere.
interior and art collection. To the right, the
impressive Nieuwe Kerk (p66) often stages excel- 9 Spui Cross the canals again and head east to
lent exhibitions, while Madame Tussauds Amsterdam the Bijbels Museum (p95), with its impressive models
(good for kids; p71) is to the left. of biblical sites, en route to the Spui (p69) for a
96 97
lonelyplanet.com

FOAM (FOTOGRAFIE MUSEUM

lonelyplanet.com
SOUTH E R N C ANAL B E LT AMSTERDAM) Map pp100-1
%551 65 00; www.foam.nl; Keizersgracht 609;
Drinking & Smoking p189; Eating p166; Shopping p148; Sleeping p217 adult/child under 12yr/student & senior €7/free/5;
If the Western Canal Belt is upscale and refined, the Southern Canal Belt is more diverse and
h10am-6pm Sat-Wed, to 9pm Thu & Fri
populist, though no less stately. The Southern Canal Belt spans the area from the radial Leidse- SOUTHERN CANAL BELT Simple, functional but roomy galleries, some
gracht in the west to the Amstel in the east, anchored by two key nightlife districts: Leidseplein with skylights or grand windows for natural
and Rembrandtplein. In between are the elegant antique and art shops of the Spiegel Quarter, Metz Department Store (p106) Get a bird’s-eye
view of Amsterdam’s canals from the café. light, make this museum an excellent space
the gay nightlife hub on the Reguliersdwarsstraat, and the Golden Bend (p103), a stretch along for all genres of photography. Two storeys
the Herengracht that makes some Western Canal Belt houses look like servants’ quarters. Museum Van Loon (right) See up close what it
meant to be wealthy in the Golden Age. of exhibition space create a great setting
The canal project, which began with the Western Canal Belt, stopped at the Leidsegracht for admiring the changing exhibits from
in 1625 because of lack of funds, but it was picked up again at a later date. Even then, work on Leidseplein (below) Join the throngs of visitors in
Amsterdam’s own neon-lit version of Times Sq. photographers of world renown, including
the southern section progressed much more slowly; it took 12 years to construct the western Sir Cecil Beaton, Annie Leibovitz and Henri
canals, but to extend the Canal Belt all the way to the Amstel took another 40. The Canal Belt FOAM (right) See cutting-edge photography from
some of the world’s greatest shooters. Cartier-Bresson, just to name a few. In case
was to have continued across the Amstel to the eastern IJ, but the only one ever completed was you become enthused after your visit, it also
the Nieuwe Herengracht. Café Schiller (p191) Cap your eventful day with
a beer or dinner in these Art Deco chambers on publishes the FOAM magazine.
A very short walk west of the Amstel, Rembrandtplein (p104) is a hub of café culture and
nightlife of any stripe. You won’t have any trouble finding a café or a restaurant on Rembrandt- Rembrandtplein.
AMSTERDAM AMERICAN HOTEL
plein or on neighbouring Thorbeckeplein. Many are large and spill onto the sidewalks, but our Map pp100-1
favourite is the more intimate Café Schiller (p191), an Art Deco marvel that’s popular with the LEIDSEPLEIN Map pp100–1
pre-theatre crowd. De Heeren van Aemstel (p198) is a fun place to kick back a beer or to catch %556 30 00; www.amsterdamamerican.com;
A one-stop shop for party-goers, this Leidsekade 97
a performance. Utrechtsestraat, off the southeast corner of Rembrandtplein, is the city’s best hyperactive square is a major tram inter- The only reason this gorgeous hotel (see
row of restaurants. section and a litmus test for nightlife at p217) got its Yankee-Doodle label is because
For the gay scene head north on Halvemaansteeg and to the Amstel for a cluster of bars and any given time. On its eastern side stood the architect, CAA Steineweg, studied hotel
cafés, or a block west across Vijzelstraat to the always busy Reguliersdwarsstraat; the friendly the Leidsepoort (Leiden Gate), demolished design in the United States. Steineweg made
lesbian café Vivelavie (p206) is just east of Rembrandtplein. in 1870, where farmers would leave their sure that the style (mostly Viennese Renais-
The street running west from Rembrandtplein is Reguliersbreestraat. Before the construction horses and carts before entering town.
NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

sance actually) was adorned with abundant
of the Canal Belt, the monks of the Regulier (Regular) order had a monastery outside the city The strip of greenery with large chestnut Americana – life-sized Indian chiefs and their
walls roughly where Utrechtsestraat now crosses Keizersgracht, which explains the frequent trees on the other side of the Singelgracht squaws as well as a 4m heraldic eagle over
use of the name in this area. Reguliersbreestraat is pretty busy, but on the southern side of the is sweetly called ‘Leidsebosje’ (Leiden the entrance. That building was demolished
street you can see the Tuschinskitheater (p200), opened in 1921 and still the most glorious cinema Wood). in 1900, but the magnificent structure you
in the country. The building’s blend of Art Deco and Amsterdam School architecture, with its There’s something here for everyone. see today is broadly similar, if less bomastic.
recently refurbished interior, is a visual feast. Inquire about tours. The sidewalk cafés at the northern end of The brilliant Café Americain (p190) in Art Deco
Southwest of Rembrandtplein, Thorbeckeplein is named after Jan Rudolf Thorbecke, the the square are perfect for watching street style was added in 1927, and still looks
Liberal politician who created the Dutch parliamentary system in 1848. His statue faces out- artists and eccentric passers-by. There are much like it did then.
wards from the square, although he might have enjoyed its leafy car-free atmosphere. There are countless pubs, clubs and a smorgasbord of
a number of cafés and clubs on both sides of the square, plus a weekly art market (h10.30am-6pm
restaurants. Entertainment venues radiate DE APPEL Map pp100-1
Sun Mar-Oct), which offers mostly modern pictorial work.
from its centre, and nearby Kerkstraat has %625 56 51; www.deappel.nl; Nieuwe Spiegel-
A small statue by the Amstelkerk (p104) commemorates Professor Kokadorus, aka Meijer
some trendy gay establishments. straat 10; admission €4; h11am-6pm Tue-Sun
Linnewiel (1867–1934), the most colourful market vendor Amsterdam has known. People
would buy anything from spoons to suspenders (‘to hang up your mother-in-law’) just to during exhibitions
watch his performances interlaced with satirical comments about politics. Amsterdam has a BLOEMENMARKT Map pp100-1 Despite its location in the antiques street of
long tradition in creative vending, and if you understand Dutch, you can pick up some great Flower Market; Singel; h9am-5pm, closed Sun the Spiegel Quarter, this contemporary arts
lines in the markets of the Jordaan. in winter foundation is anything but old-fashioned.
The square around the Amstelkerk was kept free of construction, as another church was to Amsterdam’s famous flower market is Rather, it’s a large art and media space with
have been built there. The funds never materialized, and the square called Amstelveld remains located at the spot where nurserymen, ever-changing exhibits of contemporary
open and pleasant. A Monday market has been operating here since 1876, even before the one having sailed up the Amstel from their works: installation pieces, painting, sculpture
on Thorbeckeplein. This lively ‘free market’ had vendors from out of town peddling a wide range smallholdings, would moor their barges and multimedia. Themes vary, but the aim is
of goods, and it still operates as a garden market (h3-6pm Mar-Dec) in the summer months, focusing for direct selling to customers. The mar- always to present something not otherwise
on plants and flowers. An antiques and collectibles market (h9am-6pm) has started on the last Friday ket here dates from the 1860s, no longer readily available to the Dutch public. Phone
of the month in warmer months. In summer the Amstelveld is a pleasant space where children floating but perched on piles. It’s a col- or check the website to find out what’s on.
play soccer, dogs run around, and patrons laze in the sun at the café Janvier (p191) against the ourful sight and the place is packed with
south side of the Amstelkerk. tourists (and pickpockets). Prices are steep MUSEUM VAN LOON Map pp100-1
Even if you have neither the inclination nor the money to buy art, luxury antiques or col- by Amsterdam standards but the quality %624 52 55; www.museumvanloon.nl; Keiz-
lectables, it is well worth taking a look at Nieuwe Spiegelstraat (which begins at the Herengracht) is good. Just make sure that your home ersgracht 672; adult/child under 6yr/child 6-18yr
and its pretty extension the Spiegelgracht (which ends across from the Rijksmuseum). Many of country allows you to import bulbs (bulbs €6/free/4; h11am-5pm Wed-Mon
the shops and galleries here in the Spiegel Quarter feel like museums in their own right. destined for the USA are marked with a Our favourite house-museum in town, this
special label). opulent residence was built in 1672 for a
98 99
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
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SOUTHERN CANAL BELT 0 0.1 miles

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100 101
lonelyplanet.com

rich arms dealer. In the late 1800s it was

lonelyplanet.com
SOUTHERN CANAL BELT acquired by the Van Loons, one of the most
INFORMATION Tinkerbell................................. 56 C4 Brasil Music Bar...................... 110 B3
Barry's Health Centre................. 1 D5 Vlieger......................................57 E2 Comedy Café Amsterdam...... 111 B4
prominent patrician families (thanks to the
French Consulate....................... 2 D4 Young Designers United...........58 B2 De Balie..................................(see 93) herring trade and the United East India
GWK Travelex............................3 B4 De Heeren van Aemstel..........112 E3 Company, of which the original Mr Van Loon
Mike's Bike Tours.................(see 167)
Norwegian Consulate................. 4 C3
EATING (pp166–70) De Kleine Komedie.................113 E2
Bagels & Beans.........................59 B3 De Uitkijk...............................114 B3
was a founder). Inside there are important IT’S FREE
Spanish Consulate......................5 F5 Bojo..........................................60 B3 Escape....................................115 E2
paintings such as Wedding Portrait by Jan It’s possible to spend a fortune in Amsterdam, but many
Broodje van Kootje...............(see 108) Global Chillage....................... 116 C3 Miense Molenaer and a collection of some
enjoyable sights and activities cost nothing.
SIGHTS (pp98–108) Café Morlang........................... 61 C2 Holland Casino....................... 117 B4 150 portraits of the Van Loon family. But the
Amstelkerk.................................6 E4 Café Walem............................. 62 C2 Jazz Café Alto........................ 118 B4 Red Light District (p74) Keep your eyes on the
main exhibit is the house itself, quiet, calm,
Amsterdam American Hotel..(see 148) Gala.......................................(see 74) Jimmy Woo............................ 119 A3 architecture and you needn’t spend a cent.
Bloemenmarkt............................7 D2 Herrie.......................................63 F3 Koninklijk Theater Carré......... 120 G4
and exuding the security of old money.
Civic Guard Gallery (p68) Stroll through this
De Appel.................................... 8 C3 La Rive.................................(see 147) Melkweg................................ 121 A3
De Duif.......................................9 E4 Loekie.......................................64 B3 Odeon................................... 122 C2
monumental gallery of city defenders by the
FOAM..................................... 10 D3 Los Pilones............................... 65 C3 Paradiso................................. 123 B4
TASSENMUSEUM HENDRIKJE Amsterdams Historisch Museum.
Former Milk Factory................. 11 C3 M Café..................................(see 19) Pathé de Munt....................... 124 D2 Map pp100-1 Southern Canal Belt (p98) Get lost amid the
Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis...........12 E3 Maoz Falafel............................ 66 D2 Stadsschouwburg................... 125 B3 Museum of Bags & Purses; %524 64 52; www gabled beauty.
Gijsbert Dommer Huis...............13 F3 Pasta e Basta............................ 67 C3 Sugar Factory......................... 126 A3 .tassenmuseum.nl; Herengracht 573; adult/child
Golden Bend............................ 14 D3 Pastini.......................................68 B2 Theater Bellevue.................... 127 A3 Concertgebouw (p199) and Muziekgebouw
Hermitage Amsterdam............. 15 G3 Pata Negra...............................69 F4 Tuschinskitheater....................128 E2
under 12yr/student & senior €6.50/free/5; (p200) Treat yourself to great musicians playing
Kattenkabinet.......................... 16 D3 Piet de Leeuw.......................... 70 D4 h10am-5pm great numbers gratis, with near-perfect acoustics.
Koninklijk Theater Carré.......(see 120) Pygma-lion.............................. 71 D3 GAY & LESBIAN The next time you refer to ‘that old bag’, Stopera (p79) Attend a free recital by renowned,
Krijtberg................................... 17 C2 Restaurant Red.........................72 C3 Aero Hotel.............................. 129 B3 think again: we’re talking half a millen-
Max Euwe Centrum................. 18 B4 Ristorante D'Antica.................. 73 D3 Amistad Hotel........................ 130 B3 and probably edgy, talent in the Muziektheater.
Metz Department Store............ 19 C3 Rose's Cantina......................... 74 D3 Amstel Taverne.......................131 E2 nium’s worth of arm candy here, the larg- Vondelpark (p115) Take a bike ride through this
Museum Van Loon.................. 20 D4 Saturnino................................. 75 C2 April....................................... 132 D2 est collection of handbags in the Western lovely historic park
Museum Willet-Holthuysen......21 F3 Segugio....................................76 F4 Arc......................................... 133 D3 world. You’ll find everything from a crum-
Paleis van Justitie......................22 B3 Sluizer.......................................77 F3 De Spijker...............................134 B3 Eastern Docklands (p126) Admire the cutting-
PC Hooft Store.........................23 B3 Szmulewicz...............................78 E2 Entre Nous..............................135 E2
pled 16th-century pouch to dainty Art Deco edge architecture on a relaxing bike ride.
Stadsarchief............................. 24 D3 Take Thai.................................79 F4 Exit........................................ 136 D3 and design classics by Chanel, Gucci and
Stadsschouwburg.................(see 125) Tempo Doeloe..........................80 F4 Lellebel...................................137 E3 Versace, as well as Madonna’s tasteful ivy-
Tassenmuseum Hendrikje.........25 E3 Thai Corner..............................81 B3 Montmartre............................138 E2
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NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

strewn ‘Evita’ bag from the film premiere. precious goods swelled in cellars of homes
Tujuh Maret.............................82 F4 Orfeo Hotel............................ 139 B4
SHOPPING (pp148–51) Uliveto......................................83 E5 Other Side.............................. 140 C2 Even if you don’t see the ’80s touch-tone already stuffed with valuables (see the
Amstel Diamonds.....................26 F2 Van Dobben.............................84 E3 Sappho.................................. 141 D4 phone bag, the 17th-century interiors alone boxed text, p27). The earliest mansions date
Antiques Market.......................27 E4 Van Vlaanderen....................... 85 D5 Schorer Foundation................ 142 G5 are worth the entrance price. from the 1660s, when the Canal Belt was
Aurora Kontakt........................ 29 D3 Village Bagels.......................... 86 D4 Shirt Shop.............................. 143 D3
Australian Homemade..............30 B3 Wagamama............................. 87 B4 Soho...................................... 144 D3
expanded south. Thanks to some lobbying
BeBob Design...........................31 E4 Wok to Walk............................88 B3 Thermos Night Sauna............. 145 B3 MUSEUM WILLET-HOLTHUYSEN at city hall, the gables here were twice as
Bloemenmarkt..........................(see 7) Zushi........................................89 E2 Twins Backstage..................... 146 F4 Map pp100-1 wide as the standard Amsterdam model,
Carl Denig................................ 32 C5 and the rear gardens were deeper. The
Cityboek.................................. 33 D4 DRINKING & (pp189–91) SLEEPING (pp217–19) %523 18 22; www.willetholthuysen.nl; Herengracht
Concerto..................................34 F4 SMOKING Amstel Intercontinental 605; adult/child under 6yr/child 6-18yr €5/free/2.50; richest Amsterdammers lived, loved and
ruled their affairs from here. Apart from the
Cora Kemperman.....................35 B3 Amstel Bar & Brasserie.........(see 147) Hotel....................................147 G5 h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun
Decorativa............................... 36 D3 Bulldog.....................................90 B3 Amsterdam American
This sumptuous residence, now part of the museum Kattenkabinet (below), the homes are
Deshima...................................37 B4 Café Américain......................... 91 A3 Hotel.................................. 148 A4 opened to the public only on Open Monu-
Eduard Kramer......................... 38 C4 Café Schiller..............................92 E3 Banks Mansion....................... 149 D3 Amsterdams Historisch Museum, is named
EH Ariëns Kappers.................... 39 C3 De Balie....................................93 B4 City Hotel...............................150 E3 after the widow who bequeathed the prop- ment Day (see p19).
Eichholtz...................................40 B3 De Huyschkaemer.....................94 F4 Euphemia Hotel..................... 151 D5 erty to the city in the late 19th century.
Etos..........................................41 B3 De Kroon..................................95 E2 Hans Brinker Budget Hotel..... 152 C3
Galerie Lambiek....................... 42 C3 De Smoeshaan.....................(see 127) Hemp Hotel............................153 F4 Highlights include paintings by Jacob de KATTENKABINET Map pp100-1
Get Records..............................43 F4 Herberg Hooghoudt.................96 E3 Hotel Adolesce....................... 154 G3 Wit, the place de milieu (centrepiece) that Cats Cabinet; %626 53 78; Herengracht 497;
Hana Zuki................................ 44 D4 Janvier......................................97 E4 Hotel Agora........................... 155 C2 was part of the family’s 275-piece Meissen adult/child under 3yr/child 4-16yr €5/free/2.50;
Hart's Wijnhandel.................... 45 D4 Kamer 401............................... 98 A3 Hotel Amstelzicht....................156 E2
Heinen Delftware.....................46 B3 Lux...........................................99 A3 Hotel de Admiraal...................157 E3
table service, and the intimate French-style h9am-2pm Tue-Fri, 1-5pm Sat & Sun
International Theatre & Mulligans................................100 E2 Hotel Freeland........................ 158 A3 garden with sundial – you can also peek at One Golden Bend house that’s open to the
Film Books.......................(see 125) Oosterling..............................101 F4 Hotel Kap............................... 159 D5 the garden through the iron fence at the public is this offbeat museum, devoted,
Jaski......................................... 47 C3 Pompadour............................ 102 C4 Hotel Orlando........................160 F4 Amstelstraat end. Be sure to borrow the of all things, to the feline presence in art.
Lieve Hemel............................. 48 D3 Snookerclub Final Touch.........103 B3 Hotel Prinsenhof.....................161 F4
Look Out..................................49 F4 Suzy Wong............................ 104 A3 Quentin Hotel........................ 162 A3
notebook from the front desk, with details It was founded by a wealthy financier,
Marañon Hangmatten.............. 50 C2 Vivelavie.................................105 E2 Seven Bridges.........................163 E3 that make the house come alive (how meat John Pierpont Morgan III, in memory of
Plant Market..........................(see 27) Weber.................................... 106 A3 Seven One Seven................... 164 B3 was roasted and windows were cleaned). his red tomcat. The collection includes
Reflex Modern Art
Gallery.................................. 51 C4 NIGHTLIFE & ARTS TRANSPORT
works largely from Dutch and French artists
Reflex New Art Gallery............. 52 C4 AUB Ticketshop..................... 107 A3 Blue Boat Company..............(see 165) GOLDEN BEND Map pp100-1 (Theopile-Alexandre Steinlen, 1859–1923,
Selexyz Scheltema.................... 53 C2 Boom Chicago........................108 B3 Canal Bus Dock...................... 165 C5 Gouden Bocht; Herengracht btwn Leidsestraat & figures prominently) as well as a small Rem-
Shoebaloo................................ 54 C2 Bourbon Street Jazz & MacBike................................. 166 B4
Spoiled..................................... 55 B3 Blues Club........................ 109 B3 Mike's Bike Tours................... 167 C3 Vijzelstraat brandt (a Madonna and Child with cat and
The Golden Bend is about the most pres- snake) and Picasso’s Le Chat. There’s also
tigious stretch of real estate in Amsterdam, a nice selection of 19th-century magazine
a monument to the Golden Age, when covers and circus posters.
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organ. The building now houses the offices also a venue for concerts, opera and pri-

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THE WINNER BY A NARROW MARGIN of a local city restoration group, and is a vate events. If you’re able to peek inside,
popular concert venue. The seats under the check out the clay friezes of the Stations
Canal-boat commentators like to point out the narrowest house in Amsterdam, explaining that property was taxed on shady plane trees at the adjacent bar- of the Cross on the right-hand wall. The
frontage – the narrower the house the lower the tax, regardless of height. But each guide seems to have a different restaurant Janvier (p191) are a wonderful pulpit carvings are of St Willebrordus of
‘narrowest’ house. So which is it? place to nurse a drink. Utrecht, and the organ is a sight in its own
The house at Oude Hoogstraat 22, east of the Dam, is 2.02m wide and 6m deep. Occupying a mere 12 sq metres, it right, reaching clear to the vaulted ceiling.
could well be the least space-consuming self-contained house in Europe. The house at Singel 7 appears narrower still,
just a door and a slim 1st-floor window, but canal-boat commentators fail to point out that it’s actually the rear entrance DE DUIF Map pp100-1
of a house of normal proportions. On the other side of Singel, at No 144, is a house that measures only 1.8m across the The Dove; %520 00 70; Prinsengracht 756; MAGERE BRUG Map pp100-1
front, though it widens to 5m at the rear. hservices 10am Sun Skinny Bridge; Amstel river, btwn Kerkstraat &
In 1796, shortly after the French-installed Nieuwe Kerkstraat
government proclaimed freedom of reli- This undeniably picturesque bridge is
GEELVINCK HINLOPEN HUIS Map pp100-1 including Hebrew letters and obscure gion, De Duif was the first Catholic church the site of many a Dutch wedding photo.
%639 07 47; www.geelvinckhinlopenhuis.nl; cabal symbols – from the 17th century is to be built with a public entrance for over Dating from the 1670s, the nine-arched
Herengracht 518; adult/child under 6yr/student still faintly visible. Well-to-do business- two centuries. These days De Duif is no structure has been rebuilt several times, in
€4/free/3; h11am-5pm Sun man Gijsbert Dommer commissioned this longer Catholic but Ecumenical, and it’s both concrete and timber. It’s still operated
East of the mayor’s residence at No 502 house from 1671, but the mad mayor is by hand and remains photogenic even
stands this 17th-century house with styl- better known today. at night, when 1200 tiny lights make the
ish rooms, a formal garden and art in the bridge look like a Christmas confection.
carriage house. Though not quite as im- BLAUWBRUG Map pp100-1 You can spot it in many films, including the
pressive as Museum Van Loon or Museum Blue Bridge, btwn Waterlooplein & Amstel street James Bond thriller Diamonds are Forever.
Willet-Holthuysen, it’s more serene, and Built in 1884, one of the city’s most striking Stand in the middle and feel it sway under
definitely worth a look, especially if you bridges replaced an old wooden version FOR CHILDREN the passing traffic.
can organise a private tour for your group that connected these shores of the Amstel
on a weekday. Note: the entrance to the Vondelpark (p115) A hot favourite with the small
since the 17th century. Inspired by the
museum is around the back at Keizers- fry, this park near the old centre is replete with AMSTELSLUIZEN Map pp100-1
Alexander III bridge in Paris, it features tall,
gracht 633. ornate street lamps topped by the imperial leafy picnic spots, playgrounds and duck ponds. Amstel Locks; Amstel river, nr Theater Koninklijk
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NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

crown of Amsterdam, fish sculptures and Kinderkookkafé (p171) Put the kids to work on Carré
foundations shaped like the prows of a their own gourmet creations, and take a load off. These impressive sluices, or locks, date from
REMBRANDTPLEIN Map pp100-1
medieval ship. Amsterdamse Bos (p131) A huge recreational area 1674 and allowed the canals to be flushed
Originally called Reguliersplein and then
with a forestry museum, a petting zoo and energy- with fresh water from lakes north of the
Botermarkt, after the butter markets held
burning meadows. city, rather than salt water from the IJ, an
here until the mid-19th century, this square REGULIERSGRACHT Map pp100-1 Tram Museum Amsterdam (p131) Take a historic innovation that made the city more liv-
takes its name from the statue of the This peaceful canal was dug in 1658 to
painter erected in 1876. He’s gazing pen- tram complete with clanging bells from the able. They were still operated by hand until
link the Herengracht with the canals fur- Vondelpark to the Amsterdamse Bos. recently. Four times a week in summer, and
sively towards the Jewish quarter where he ther south. It was named after an order
lived until circumstances forced him to the NEMO science and technology centre (p69) A twice a week in winter, the locks are shut
of monks whose monastery was located tailor-made, hands-on science fun fair useful for while fresh water flows in. The sluices on
Jordaan. nearby. It rates right up there with Amster-
Rembrandtplein soon evolved into a answering all those How and Why questions. the west side of the city are left open as the
dam’s prettiest canals, and through a quirk
nightlife hub as various cafés, restaurants Tropenmuseum (p128) The children’s section stagnant water is pumped out to sea.
of construction you can peer through the
and clubs opened their doors. It’s almost devoted to exotic locations is a hit in any language.
arches of at least seven bridges, a fact not
genteel during the day, though often heav- Joods Historisch Museum (p79) The kids’ section KONINKLIJK THEATER CARRÉ
lost on canal-boat operators. A number of
ing with visitors. On the north side of the houses along here have intriguing gables, on Jewish life in Amsterdam is accessible and fun. Map pp100-1
square, De Kroon (p190), one of the grandest Artis Zoo (p121) The extrovert monkeys, shimmy-
tablets and fancy decorations (see p107). %524 94 52; www.theatercarre.nl; Amstel 115-
cafés in town, is from 1898. Opposite, Café ing fish and the planetarium will keep those young 125; hbox office 4-8pm
Schiller (p191), from 1892, is renowned for its eyes shining for hours This esteemed theatre was built in 1887
AMSTELKERK Map pp100-1 Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum (p124) The old
fabulous Art Deco interior, including lead- by the Carré family, who had started their
light glass windows. %520 00 70; Amstelveld 10; admission free; masted ship is staffed with costumed hosts who
h9am-5pm career years earlier with a horse act at the
always put on a grand show. annual fair. The first structure was of wood,
The unique, pinewood Amstelkerk was Civic Guard Gallery (p68) A bite-sized gallery of
GIJSBERT DOMMER HUIS Map pp100-1 erected in 1668 as a noodkerk (makeshift and eventually rebuilt in concrete because
Amstel 216 giant paintings guaranteed to awe the young ’uns. of the fire hazard, as early performances
church) under the direction of the city archi-
Look closely, ladies and gentlemen, at the Canal bike (p252) Take a unique pedal-powered for 2000 spectators were lit by gas lamps.
tect, Daniël Stalpaert. The idea was that
façade of this sober residence known ride through the city’s beautiful canals. The classical façade is richly decorated
the congregation would have somewhere
locally as the ‘House with the Blood TunFun (p80) Set ’em loose for a romp in this with faces of jesters, dancers and theatre
to meet while a permanent church arose
Stains’. As he lost his marbles, six-time underground all-round pleasure centre. folk. Today the Carré books high-calibre
next to it. Plans for a stone church were
mayor and diplomat Coenraad van Beu- abandoned in the 1840s, and the Am- Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day; p17) Kids of all musicals, theatre and dance events, and its
ningen scribbled graffiti here in his own stelkerk’s square interior was updated with ages revel in the madness of 30 April, the country’s Christmas circus is regarded as a seasonal
blood, and his unfathomable message – neo-Gothic alterations, including a pipe biggest party. highlight.

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lonelyplanet.com

PALEIS VAN JUSTITIE Map pp100-1 play against live or digital opponents. The

lonelyplanet.com
Court of Appeal; %541 21 11; Prinsengracht 436; pavement of the square out front is often A MEDLEY OF MUSEUMS
h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri crowded with players and onlookers bent
over the outsized chess board. Whether it’s modern art or art about cats, stately homes or tropical cultures, stories of historical tragedy or miracles of
This authoritative pile began life in 1666 as modern technology, Amsterdam offers a range of museums for any taste (visit www.amsterdammuseums.nl).
an orphanage designed for 800 occupants, Most of the leading museums in town display captions in English. If captions are in Dutch only, you can usually get an
but by the early 19th century more than half METZ DEPARTMENT STORE Map pp100-1 English-language brochure (often free) or borrow a binder explaining the exhibits. Many museums have pleasant cafés with
the city’s 4300 orphans were crammed in %520 70 36; cnr Keizersgracht & Leidsestraat gardens or courtyards – good places to relax or read up.
here. A royal decree finally relocated them to This building opened in 1891 to house the As to be expected, weekends tend to be the busiest times, along with Wednesday afternoons when many primary schools
other towns, amid cries that children were New York Life Insurance Company (hence have the afternoon off and children are herded into museums. The most common museum closing day is Monday.
being stolen. The building’s current scowl, in the eagles inside and out), but soon passed A handful of museums offer free entry, but most charge admission. Adult admissions run from about €2.50 to €10, which
sober neoclassical, is from an 1829 renova- to Metz, a purveyor of luxury furnishings is pretty reasonable by the standards of world capitals; special exhibitions may cost extra. Discounts are available for those
tion after the orphanage was closed. You which still owns it today. The functionalist aged over 65 (though rarely) or under 18, for students and holders of other types of cards and passes (see p245).
can wander inside, but as a rule you won’t designer and architect Gerrit Rietveld added If you plan to be in the Netherlands for a while, get the Museumkaart (Museum Card; %0900-404 09 10, per call
get beyond reception unless you have, er, the gallery on the top floor where you can €0.35; www.museumkaart.nl; over/under 26yr €35/17.50 plus €4.95 fee for first-time registrants), which gives you free
official business. At the time of writing the have lunch or (literally) high tea. (mostly) or discounted (occasionally) admission to several hundred museums around the country for a year. It’s valid for
court was due move into a fancy new office most museums in Amsterdam, although not the Anne Frank Huis or the Royal Palace. After five or six museums the card
in Westerdokeiland (see p52) in 2010. STADSSCHOUWBURG Map pp100-1 will have paid for itself. Inquire at participating museums.
City Theatre; %624 23 11; www.stadsschouw If you are making just one quick trip to Amsterdam, you might consider the I Amsterdam Card (per 24/48/72hr
STADSARCHIEF Map pp100-1 burgamsterdam.nl; Leidseplein 26; hadvance €33/43/53). It includes many of the same museums as the Museumkaart (though, again, not the Anne Frank Huis or the
Municipal Archives; %251 15 11; http:// ticket sales 10am-6pm Mon-Sat Royal Palace), a free canal cruise, freebies and discounts at a number of shops and attractions and a transit pass good for any-
stadsarchief.amsterdam.nl; Vijzelstraat 32; admis- In 1894, when this theatre with the grand where the GVB goes. The pass can come in handy: although Amsterdam is not an enormous city, a half-hour walk between
sion free; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm Sun balcony arcade was completed, public museums can certainly eat into your limited time. The I Amsterdam Card is available at tourist office locations (p255).
In 2007 the Amsterdam city archives moved criticism was so fierce that funds for the The Rederij Lovers Museumboat day pass (p250) is also worth considering for the discounts it offers.
into the historic ABN-Amro building, a monu- exterior decorations never materialised. The
mental structure from 1923 that was long architect, Jan Springer, couldn’t handle this and sweeping courtyard next door. Now means to have Tulip Fever. Rounding the east-
the bank’s head office. Anyone interested and promptly retired. The theatre is used in the throes of renovation, the Amstelhof ern end of the market you’ll immediately see
NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

in the history of their family or the city can for large-scale plays, operettas and festivals broke with social norms by housing women one of Amsterdam’s most enduring emblems,
peruse the documents free of charge, and such as Julidans (p18). in small quarters of four beds each, rather the striking Munttoren (Mint Tower; p48), which
occasionally there are some interesting ex-
hibitions. There’s a large library with books than dormitories. Behind the handsome turned out precious little cash before falling
about Amsterdam in different languages on
UTRECHTSESTRAAT Map pp100-1 façade, however, little remains of the into French hands.
everything from housing to legal briefs and This popular artery stocked with enticing original interiors.
sports clubs, as well as a café. shops, designer bars and cosy eateries 4 Amstel river From the tower, head east
seems a world away from the gaudy lights along the Amstel river to take in the grand Hotel
KRIJTBERG Map pp100-1
of Rembrandtplein, a stone’s throw to the SOUTHERN CANAL BELT de l’Europe (p212), where polished skiffs moor
%623 19 23; www.krijtberg.nl; Singel 446;
north. Lack of space becomes a charm as
the trams, confined to a single line apart
STROLL at the terrace restaurant. This is a good spot
to stand on Queen’s Day, when boats bend
h12.30-5pm Tue, Wed, Thu & Sun
The soaring turrets of this neo-Gothic
from passing points on the bridges, play a
game of stop and go as passers-by marvel
Walking Tour over backwards to pass the low-lying bridge
church are an odd sight in this row of 1 Spiegel Quarter Set off at the Singelgracht connecting to Muntplein.
at the choreography of it all. The south- near the Rijksmuseum (p111) and head north into
sedate Singel homes. Officially known as ern end of street used to terminate at the the nexus of art and antique shops, the Spiegel 5 Rembrandtplein At the bridge, turn
the St Franciscus Xaveriuskerk, it replaced a Utrechtse Poort, a gate to the nearby city of Quarter, along the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. Historic south into tiny Halvemaansteeg (Half-Moon
clandestine Jesuit chapel on the same site; Utrecht, hence the name. prints, paintings and period furnishings can be Lane) and the beating heart of the entertain-
these days it’s still Jesuit. The lavish paint-
found along this attractive lane in galleries ment district around Rembrandtplein (p104). As
ings and statuary make this one of the most HERMITAGE AMSTERDAM Map pp100-1 such as EH Ariëns Kappers (p148) and Jaski (p148).
beautiful church interiors in the city. you cross the square, stop to admire the statue
%530 87 51; Nieuwe Herengracht 14; www of master painter Rembrandt. If it’s coffee ‘n’
Krijtberg’s name means ‘chalk mountain’, .hermitage.nl; adult/child under 16yr €7/free; 2 Golden Bend One of Amsterdam’s swanki-
referring to a house that once stood here cake time, best make a beeline to De Kroon (p190)
h10am-5pm est patches of real estate, the aptly-named Golden
and belonged to a chalk merchant. Bend (p103) on Herengracht is awash with clas- one of the most stylish ‘grand cafés’ equipped
The long-standing ties of Russia and
sical French flourishes. No other part of Am- with an alluring upstairs terrace.
Holland – remember Czar Peter learned
MAX EUWE CENTRUM Map pp100-1 shipbuilding and Dutch cursing here – led sterdam exudes more Golden Age wealth. The
statue-studded mansion at Herengracht 475 once 6 Reguliersgracht Saunter over shady Thor-
%625 70 17; www.maxeuwe.nl; Max Euweplein to an Amsterdam branch of the State Her-
30a-1; admission free; hnoon-4pm Tue-Fri & 1st mitage Museum of St Petersburg. Prestig- belonged to art collector Jan Gildemeester; beckeplein to the Herengracht, lean on the bridge
Sat of month, limited hours Jul & Aug ious exhibits, such as of Persian art or the a painting in the Rijksmuseum depicts him and sigh over the gooey postcard vista of Reg-
Max Euwe (1901–81) was the Netherlands’ Art Nouveau, change about twice per year, proudly showing his collection to visitors. uliersgracht, aka the canal of the seven bridges (p104).
only world chess champion, in the 1930s, and they’re as stately as you’d expect. Sights include the corner house at Reguliersgracht
and here you’ll find a permanent exhibition In 2009 the museum will expand into 3 Bloemenmarkt The bustling Bloemenmarkt 92, decorated with the statue of a stork that
devoted to the history of the game. You can the Amstelhof (1683), a former almshouse (Flower Market; p99) is a reminder of what it canal-boat drivers fantasise had to do with
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str
Halvemaansteeg
Kroon If the Canal Belt was the essence of urban planning, this round of expansion was a pure ex-

en
3

Wag
5 rug
2, wb pression of market capitalism. Cheap tenement housing was built across Hobbemakade in the
1, Herengracht 475
lau ngr
Amstelstr B Here
Reguli
ersdwa
rsstr
5 Rembrandtplein
Nieu
we neighbourhood that came to be known as De Pijp, but wealthy investors wanted an upmarket
Thorbeckeplein
neighbourhood for themselves and saw to it that tenement blocks and businesses were pro-
Ke
ize
Golden 2
Bend
Heren
gr acht Canal
eng
r hibited on this side. Instead, they thought it a suitable spot for a grand national museum (the
rsg of the Seven Her
r Bridges Rijksmuseum) and an equally grand new concert hall (the Concertgebouw).
we

Ams
Reguliersgracht
In the centre of it all is the Museumplein (p111), a large, grassy park bordered by a clutch of illus-

Reguliersgracht
Ke 92 Nieu ersgr
r

Keiz
Vijzelst

rk
str trious museums: the Rijksmuseum (p111), the Van Gogh Museum (below) and the Stedelijk Museum

tel
Reguliersgracht 34 6
Jaski Keizersgr
acht
Keiz
ersg
r we
Nieu str
(p113). Off the southern fringe stands the grand entrance of the Concertgebouw (p111). Dotted in
ere Kerk
EH Ariëns
Kappers
7 Mag g
Bru
and around Museumplein is a wealth of shopping and dining options, and some lovely places to
16,24,25

Utrec
Kerk
s tr
stay. The district also possesses some stunning buildings in the Amsterdam School style.
Koninklijk
8
Museumplein was laid out to host the World Exhibition in 1883, but gained its lasting title

htses
Reguliersgracht Theater
57-59 rac ht Carré
Le

seng only when the Rijksmuseum was opened two years later. One of many face-lifts lifted a triangle
4
tra
Prinsen
id

Prin
La edw
s

gr
ng ar

str
t

of turf at the southern end, dubbed the ‘ass’s ear’ for its shape; it’s a popular spot for sun wor-
ach
e ss

Amstelkerk
gel

Lij r
nb
lgr
pi e

shippers. There’s a large supermarket, Albert Heijn, concealed below.

t

tr
a
Zie ansg arss
eS
ege

Tweed edw
se r 1 e Weter chts
Utre For as long as anyone can remember, the square has been used for concerts, special events
uw
Spi

nis ing dwarst

ka r
Nie
NEIGHBOURHOODS SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

NEIGHBOURHOODS OLD SOUTH

de Derde W r
Li
jnb
etering
dwarst
r
Noord
erstr 9 Ach
terg and political demonstrations. At other times it’s a relaxing place to hang out, play hacky-sack,
Reguliersgracht

aa
ns
gr
skateboard (ramp provided), toss a Frisbee or enjoy a picnic. In winter the long concrete pond
Sta ac
dh
ou START
ht Nieuwe
Weter
Nieuwe
Looierss
Falc
kstr rten
Maaterstr
is transformed into a festive skating rink. Near the pond you’ll find a tic-tac-toe board that
cht

ingstr tr
de Fokke Sim Kos plays musical notes when you step on the different squares.
rsk
ra

onszstr
ad
Vijzelg

Frederiksplein
e
0
Many of the streets around the Museumplein are named for exemplary Dutch artists, musicians
Rijksmuseum 6,7,1
and writers. Pieter Cornelisz (PC) Hooftstraat between Stadhouderskade and the Vondelpark
Oost

END

is the shopping street for the cream of society and the nouveau riche. (Sport utility vehicles are
eind
Hobbemakade

4,25

ade
Boerenwetering

hatik sometimes called ‘PC Hooft tractors’ for this reason.) You’ll find some of the world’s leading
e
Witsenstr

Den Texstr Sarp

Nicolaas

brands here, both in shops of their own name and in others, as well as a few surprisingly friendly
Hem

Weteringcircuit
Oud
Nicolaas Witsen de cafés for a break. PC Hooft (1581–1647) was the son of a mayor of Amsterdam who grew up to
Halsstr

ska
o

Zuid
Frans

Singelgracht kade der

nyst

hou become a historian, author and founder of a literary society that included Joost van den Vondel of
Stad
r

Vondelpark fame. We wonder what Hooft would have made of such blatant commercialism.
was made by a carpenter. A few steps further
WALK FACTS south you’ll come to the Amstelkerk (p104), the VAN GOGH MUSEUM Map p110 where, under the influence of the Impres-
curious wooden church with a belfry that still %570 52 00; www.vangoghmuseum.nl; Paulus sionists, he discovered vivid colour. From
Start Spiegel Quarter Potterstraat 7; adult/child under 12yr/child 13-17yr there he moved to Arles, where he was
looks quite makeshift.
End Pata Negra €10/free/2.50, audio or palmtop tour €4; h10am- incredibly productive, often completing a
Distance 4.2km 6pm Sat-Thu, to 10pm Fri canvas every day.
Duration 1½ hours 8 Amstel river From here, head east down
this quiet section of the Prinsengracht till you Next to the Stedelijk Museum building is Astoundingly, Van Gogh was self-taught
the Van Gogh Museum, one of Amster- as a painter and had a career that spanned
reach the shores of the Amstel river. From this
midwifery. The house at Reguliersgracht 34 has dam’s must-sees. Opened in 1973 to house less than a decade. A volatile character
vantage point you can admire the comely
an unusual twin entrance and an eagle gable the collection of Vincent’s younger brother liable to mood swings, he famously cut off
Magere Brug, and beyond the sluizen (locks),
for the original owner, Arent van den Bergh Theo, it consists of about 200 paintings and his ear after an argument with Gauguin. In
the neon-lit roof of the Koninklijk Theater Carré 1890, while in the depths of depression, he
(arend is a Dutch word for eagle). 500 drawings by Vincent and his friends
(p105), the premier stage for musicals. finally committed suicide. He would come
and contemporaries, such as Gauguin,
7 15 Bridges Where the Keizersgracht and Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec and Bernard. to be regarded as a giant among artists but
Reguliersgracht join up, there’s a scene to 9 Pata Negra Now you can settle down to Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 and during his lifetime Van Gogh sold only a
outdo the mere seven bridges before: here you tapas and sangria at Pata Negra (p168), where had a short but astonishingly productive single painting.
can count more than twice that number as you the after-work crowds gather under the sus- life. Through his paintings, the museum Famous works on display include The
peer east–west and north–south. The beauti- pended garlic and shanks of cured ham. Then chronicles his journey from Holland (where Potato Eaters (1885), an example of his
ful carved wooden façade at Reguliersgracht catch a tram or bus from Frederiksplein. his work was dark and sombre) to Paris sombre Dutch period, The Yellow House
108 109
 j g
lonelyplanet.com

in Arles (1888), The Bedroom (1888) and Pride of place is taken by Rembrandt’s

lonelyplanet.com
0 200 m
OLD SOUTH 0 0.1 miles
several self-portraits and still lifes of sun- Nightwatch (1650), showing the militia led
rsst
r
Leidseplein flowers and other blossoms that shimmer by Frans Banningh Cocq, a future mayor
lme
He tr
rss
tr
Eer
s te ru
iss with intense Mediterranean light. One of of the city. The painting only acquired its
INFORMATION l me ek
He ids his last paintings, Wheatfield with Crows name over time with a layer of grime (it’s
German Consulate..................... 1 D3 Le

La
2e See Vondelpark & ge

ng
Lijn
Italian Consulate........................2 D2 ssa (1890), is an ominous work finished shortly nice and clean now). Other 17th-century

str
eL
Around pa b aa

eid

gel
Openbare Bibliotheek................3 C4 Map p116 Hi r s c nsg

se
r
Max before his suicide. Dutch masters include Jan Vermeer (The

pie
d
US Consulate.............................4 C3

wa
Euweplein

Nie gelgr
eS
rss
Zuiderbad.................................. 5 D2
The permanent collection also includes Milkmaid and Woman in Blue Reading a

tr

uw
Spie
r str Zie
rsst tr es
dels s e l s c hade se

T
l me
SIGHTS (pp109–14) n nis many of the artist’s personal effects. Van Letter), Frans Hals (The Merry Drinker) and
He Vo
1eConcertgebouw.....................(see 26) Si ka WeterD erde

Ee r
de ingdw
er s
t pad ng arstr Gogh received a milk jug from Theo and Jan Steen (The Merry Family).

r
16 d

ste
Diamond Museum.....................6 C2 issch Zan
elg
er V St
ad ra
m used it in several works. There are also Other good sections are Sculpture and

Co
House of Bols.............................7 C2 Roe ho ch
ud t

nst
Philips Wing of Rijksmuseum.....8 C2

Ho
er
knots of wool which he used to study Applied Art (delftware, dolls houses, porce-

ant
24 sh

bbe
Rijksmuseum..............................9 D2 tr a de

ijn
iuss ftst
r
contrasts in colours.
Stedelijk Museum Building.......10 C2 s lain, furniture), Dutch History and Asiatic Art,

mas
Vos oo 8
sz H

Hu
32
Van Gogh Museum.................11 C2 eli
orn

tr
Van Gogh’s paintings are on the 1st
yge
Pie ter
C 9 including the famous 12th-century Dancing

nss
14
SHOPPING (p152) nst
r floor; several other floors display his draw- Shiva. The museum’s famous print archives
tr
jke
Arnold Cornelis........................ 12 C4 Lui 6
Jan ings and Japanese prints, and works by have some 800,000 prints and drawings.

Hobbemakade
Broekmans & Van Poppel.........13 C3 31

Vaenldestr
2,5

V
Coster Diamonds.....................14 C2
34
7 his friends, contemporaries and others he Architecturally, the Rijksmuseum forms

de
De Waterwinkel.......................15 C4
rstr 20
De Winkel van Nijntje..............16 B6 27 Potte influenced, some of which are shown in the gateway to the Museum Quarter. It
Lairesse Apotheek....................17 B3 lus 11 Ho Skateboard 5
Pau rotation. The library (%570 59 06; Museumplein 4;
nth Half-Pipe was completed in 1885 to a design by

San
XSmall.....................................18 C3 10 o rs

Weillrgpl
d
tr 2
eg h10am-12.30pm & 1.30-5pm Mon-Fri) has a wealth Pierre Cuypers, who also designed Centraal

em
1e Jacob Van Cam
rkw Oud

eerstr
l
penstr

mp
EATING (p170) spa 1
llem Zuid Museumplein of reference material for serious study. Station four years later. Both buildings

se u
Bark.........................................19 C3 Wi

Johannes Verm
The entrance queues can be long, as

Mu
CoBrA Cafe-Restaurant........... 20 D2
ns tr Albert Heijn Quellijnstr are a mixture of neo-Gothic and Dutch

Ruysdaelkade
he
La Falote.................................. 21 D4 13
eg Supermarket
nE
Renzo's....................................
Va 22 C3 Daniel only so many visitors are allowed inside Renaissance. The neo-Gothic elements
Stalpertstr
Sabor de Maria........................ 23 D4
Sama Sebo...............................24 C2
26 4
at a time. Come early or on Friday night, (towers, stained-glass windows) brought
Concertgebouwplein Saenredamstr when the museum hosts special cultural a hailstorm of criticism from Protestants

Frans Halsstr
Alv
2 18 events. including the king, who dubbed the build-
ert
str 33 More
NEIGHBOURHOODS OLD SOUTH

NEIGHBOURHOODS OLD SOUTH

sse els
Co

str ia re 22 tr The museum’s main building was de- ing ‘the archbishop’s palace’ (Cuypers was
Cu
r
ulst
rne

r rius h 17 De
L

yps
est Vale Ver 19
signed by Gerrit Rietveld, the seminal
li s S

Bre nes
35
Catholic, and proudly so in his approach to
tr
28
Van Joh
an 16
chu

aes
str Dutch architect. Behind it, reaching onto architecture).
y

s M
tstr

3,5

olaa Museumplein, is a separate exhibition wing

Jac

Nic risst
r
zstr
Ban

,12

onis
ob

Mie
16
s va
n Anth See De Pijp
(1999) designed by Kishio Kurokawa, com-
str

12 elis
Ob

Map p119
tr Fran sdae
lstr Corn MUSEUMPLEIN Map p110
ttas monly referred to as ‘the Mussel’.
rec

Ruy Roelof Hartplein zstr

JJ V
io Floris
asar
ht

25
Balth Paulus Potterstraat
str

str
u art
Ha
rcq H e i n z e s tr 3 15
29
RIJKSMUSEUM Map p110 This vast, open park behind the Rijksmu-
seum was cleverly redeveloped in 1999–
21 23
%674 70 00; www.rijksmuseum.nl; Stadhouder-
Breitnerstr

Gera
Reijn
ier V rd Te 2000 and today is one of Amsterdam’s
inkele
skad
rbo rgstr skade 42; adult/child under 18yr €10/free; h9am-
e busiest open spaces. Beneath the park are
30 Harm 6pm Sat-Thu, to 10pm Fri
onieh a car park and a supermarket, while back at
Hobbemakade

of
llolaan The Rijksmuseum (National Museum) is the
Apo
street level there is a café, a skate ramp and
Apollolaan Apo
llolaa premier art museum of the Netherlands,
n a large, sparkling pond (perfect for
and no self-respecting visitor to Amsterdam
ice-skating in winter).
Nieuw
Zuid Jan van Eijckstr
van Hillgaertst
r can afford to miss it. Though most of the
building is closed for renovations until early
2010, there is an excellent collection of CONCERTGEBOUW Map p110
DRINKING & (pp191–2) around 200 masterpieces exhibited in a side %671 83 45; www.concertgebouw.nl; Concert-
SMOKING
Wildschut................................ 25 C4 section, the Philips wing. Still, over a mil- gebouwplein 2-6; ticket prices vary; hbox office
eg lion people visit every year, so come early 10am-7pm
NIGHTLIFE & ARTS nw
5,24

io The literal name ‘Concert Building’ scarcely

Concertgebouw.......................26 C3 St
ad l
to avoid the queues or buy your (printable)
36 aa
Conservatorium van Amsterdam e
ad an tickets online. The exact works on display in does justice to this amazing facility, which
Heijermansweg

16
(through 2008)....................27 C2 rsk l K
ee ste attracts some 850,000 visitors a year to 800
Zw m the Philips wing are subject to change.
Herman

d rA
ar
SLEEPING (pp219–20)
rn de
Be Zui
The Rijksmuseum was conceived as a shows. This makes it the busiest concert
Di

Collector..................................28 B3
Beethovenstr

ep

College Hotel.......................... 29 D4 repository for several national collections, hall in the world but, refreshingly, it hasn’t
en
b ro

Hilton Amsterdam....................30 A4
including art owned by the royal family. lost its common touch.
ck

Hotel Aalders...........................31 C2
st
r

Hotel Acro...............................32 C2 The collection includes some 5000 paint- The Concertgebouw was completed in
Hotel Bema..............................33 C3
Hotel Fita.................................34 C2 ings, most importantly those by Dutch 1888 to a neo-Renaissance design by AL
Museum Square Hotel..............35 B3 and Flemish masters from the 15th to 19th van Gendt. In spite of his limited musical
Xaviera Hollander Bed &
Breakfast..............................36 C5 Beatrixpark centuries. The emphasis, naturally, is on the knowledge, he managed to give the two-
Golden Age. tiered Grote Zaal (Main Hall) near-perfect
110 111
lonelyplanet.com

not shaken – that is, until you try the Tom home of the National Museum of Modern

lonelyplanet.com
AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM, PART 3: SEAN CONDON Simon Sellars Cruise moves on a TV monitor here for your Art, one of the world’s great collections.
friends. The visit includes a confusing sniff However, at the time of writing it was
Australian Sean Condon is the author of the bittersweet ‘nonfiction novel’ My ’Dam Life, about his time in Amsterdam
test, a distilled history of the Bols company closed for renovation and expansion until
and his bemused efforts to adapt to the rhythms of Dutch life (the book was saddled with the Orwellian epithet ‘Down
and a cocktail made by one of its formida- the end of 2009. Until then its modernist
and Out In Amsterdam’ by one reviewer). I prodded Sean to give me his appraisal of this eccentric town.
ble bartenders, who train at the academy statements will appear in a former high-
Do you have a favourite part of Amsterdam? Anywhere to avoid? upstairs. rise post office near Centraal Station, and
My favourite is the Jordaan, because most of my friends live there. I dislike the main red-light area behind War- at exhibition spaces around town; for full
moesstraat, because it’s usually full of loutish drunken tourists who spoil the otherwise lovely, rosy ambience. details see p69.
DIAMOND MUSEUM Map p110
Pick an Amsterdam cliché – now debunk it. %305 53 00; www.diamantmuseum.nl; Paulus
There are far fewer Dutch doors than you’d think.
Describe your favourite, and least favourite, ‘Amsterdam experience’.
Potterstraat 8; adult/child under 13yr/senior,
student & child 13-18 yr €6/free/4; h9am-5pm
ARTS & FLOWERS
My favourite is riding anywhere, any time, in any weather – on a bike. My least favourite is encountering groups of More of a showroom than a serious gem Walking Tour
the aforementioned louts. collection, Amsterdam’s diamond museum 1 Museumplein Although the Rijksmuseum
provides an interesting look at the history (p111) will be closed due to construction until
Speaking of bikes, can there be anything funnier than a bicyclist giving a ride to a blowup sex doll?
of the trade and the sparkling creations late this decade, its grand exterior makes a
Yes. Those big, wooden trays on the front of bikes, full of infants, that teachers use to transport kids from one place
to another. Hilarious. that have adorned the world’s rich and great starting point. You’ll be looking out
powerful. Almost all of the exhibits are over Museumplein (p111), a monumental grassy
What book set in Amsterdam would you recommend for newcomers? clever re-creations, in glass cases spread expanse for lolling, strolling and open-air
There are few that I know of. There’s Amsterdam, an excellent and lively history of the city by Geert Mak. Maybe Ian over two floors. It’s run by Coster Diamonds
McEwan’s Amsterdam, but I haven’t read it. Some of the scenes early on in Ian Fleming’s Diamonds Are Forever are set (p154) next door, which kind of says it all.
in Amsterdam, and they’re cool.
WALK FACTS
You’re a writer – you must have a favourite Amsterdam bar. STEDELIJK MUSEUM BUILDING
Without doubt my favourite is Proeflokaal Fockinck (p184), a tiny jenever bar founded in the 17th century. It’s congenial Start Museumplein
Map p110 End Vondelkerk
and a superb place to meet strangers. Every day I miss it and every day my liver thanks me that it’s now on the other Paulus Potterstraat 13
side of the world. Distance 4km
Built in 1895 to a neo-Renaissance design
NEIGHBOURHOODS OLD SOUTH

NEIGHBOURHOODS OLD SOUTH

Duration 1½ hours
Where do you like to eat in Amsterdam? by AM Weissman, this is the permanent
My favourite Amsterdam restaurant is De Reddende Engel, but it’s in Antwerp, which should give you some idea of the
culinary scene in Amsterdam. There is one place, on Leliegracht, called Christophe (p163) – it’s excellent, but boy you’ll 0 200 m
pay for it. Also the Gouden Real on Prinseneiland used to be good – and it has a great setting, too. ARTS & FLOWERS 0 0.1 miles
r

Te
rsst tr
lme dels el

s
Do you have a favourite local slang or swear word?

s
He n sc h
Vo a d e s tr
1e
Jammer (shame).

s tr
t oom e r
dpa
d Si
ver sch Zan ng
O r Vis elg
Care to reveal Amsterdam’s best-kept secret? 16 4 Filmmuseum R oe
me St
ad
ho
r ac
h

Ho
ud t
No. er

bbe
END Café Vertigo sk
ad
Hollandse e

ma
What annoys you the most about Amsterdam? Manege
str

st
tr

Van
iuss oft

r
The appalling – and yet very expensive – food served by the rudest wait staff in Europe. Vos
s Ho Oud
lisz

Bae
rne Zuid
't Blauwe Co

rles
ter Rijksmuseum
How did living in Amsterdam change you? Theehuis 3 Pie Coster

r t
r Diamonds
It introduced me to the world beyond Australia, and now that I’m back here, I kind of wish it hadn’t. nst 1
Rose
Lu ijke START

Van
Garden Jan
Describe My ’Dam Life for someone who hasn’t read it.

de
ters
tr 2,5
ot
Unfortunate cover, great book. A love story about both my wife, Sally, and Amsterdam.

Veld
lu s P
Pau

est
Van Gogh

r
Openluchttheater Museum Ho
nt
ho
acoustics that are the envy of sound restored to mark its 100th anniversary. The

San
rs t

Widl ergp
Vondelpark r
Stedelijk

le m l
designers worldwide. Add in baroque trim, architect Pi de Bruin added a glass foyer eg
Museum

l
mp
rkw
panels inscribed with the names of classi- along the southern side that most people spa

s eu
lem

Van
Albert

rstr
Wil

Mu
Museumplein
cal composers, a massive pipe organ and a hate, though everyone agrees it’s effective. Heijn

ee
Bae
Supermarket

Johannes Verm
r
grand staircase via which conductors and nst

rles
he
Eeg

tr
soloists descend to the stage, and you’ve HOUSE OF BOLS Map p110 Va
n

Jac
ob
got a venue where the best performers are %570 85 41; www.houseofbols.com; Paulus Pot- 2

Ob
2
honoured to appear. terstraat 14; €10, age 18yr & over; h12am-6pm
rec
hts
In the 1980s the Concertgebouw threat- Wed-Mon
tr
r
est

3,5
ened to collapse because its 2000 wooden Wanted to know what was slipped into Bre
Co ytstr
Sch

Van Concertgebouwplein

,12
More
rne

elstr
u

piles were rotting. Thanks to new technol- your drink? This is the place to find out. es
ann r
lis

sstr Joh rhulst tr

An hour’s self-guided tour takes you on ses an
ogy, the piles made way for a concrete foun- Vale
riu Ve
Lai
res 16 s v r
Franierisst
dation, and the building was thoroughly a journey that will leave you stirred but De M

112 113
lonelyplanet.com

concerts. To your right, on the corner of 3 Vondelpark Weave northwest through a

lonelyplanet.com
Hobbemastraat, is Coster Diamonds (p154), where quiet residential quarter. Shoppers may enjoy VO N D E LPAR K & ARO U N D
you can take a free tour – diamonds are a taking a detour to Pieter Cornelisz Hoofstraat, Am-
kind of art, aren’t they? Or you may prefer sterdam’s own little Regent St, towards the Drinking & Smoking p192; Eating p170; Shopping p152; Sleeping p220
to continue along Paulus Potterstraat to the sprawling Vondelpark (opposite); highlights of the This pleasant, English-style park with ponds, lawns, thickets and winding footpaths was laid
Van Gogh Museum (p109), with its modern, clam- park include the rose garden and the open-air theatre out on marshland in the 1860s and ’70s as a park for the bourgeoisie. It made up for the loss of
like annexe. The main building of the Stedelijk (p202). Have a break and enjoy coffee and cake the Plantage, the existing city park that became residential around this time. The Vondelpark
Museum (p113) is next door, though it’s closed at parkside Café Vertigo (p192) at the Filmmuseum was soon surrounded by upmarket housing. Long and thin – about 1.5km long and 300m
for renovation till 2009. (opposite) or in ’t Blauwe Theehuis (p171). wide – the park is named after poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel (1587–1679), the
Shakespeare of the Netherlands.
4 Vondelkerk Step out of the park to ad- During the late 1960s and early 1970s the authorities turned the park into a temporary open-
2 Concertgebouw The neoclassical Con- air dormitory for the droves of hippies who descended on Amsterdam. The sleeping bags are
certgebouw (p111) is diagonally across Van mire the horses at the Hollandsche Manege (opposite)
and stop by the Vondelkerk (p117), a pretty 19th- long gone and it’s now illegal to sleep in the park.
Baerlestraat – check schedules for the free The park is now used by one and all – joggers, in-line skaters, children chasing ducks or flying
lunchtime concerts. Otherwise pick up century church that has been turned into an
office complex. From here, you can head back kites, couples in love, families with prams, teenagers playing soccer, even acrobats practicing
a picnic at the big Albert Heijn supermarket on or performing – and can be crowded on weekends, but never annoyingly so.
into the park or along Vondelstraat towards
Museumplein. the buzz of Leidseplein. There always seem to be people performing in the park, and on a summer day a great place to
follow the action is the upper terrace of Café Vertigo (p192). Also check out the open-air theatre
(p202) and the lovely ponds and rose gardens.

VONDELPARK Map p116 HOLLANDSCHE MANEGE Map p116

As vital to Amsterdam as Rembrandt, %618 09 42; www.dehollandschemanege.nl;
canals and coffeeshops, on a sunny day Vondelstraat 140; h9am-10pm
there’s no place better than the Von- Just outside the Vondelpark is the neoclas-
delpark. As people from all walks of life sical Hollandsche Manege, an indoor riding
descend on this sprawling equivalent to school inspired by the famous Spanish
New York’s Central Park, a party atmos- Riding School in Vienna. Designed by AL
NEIGHBOURHOODS OLD SOUTH

NEIGHBOURHOODS VONDELPARK & AROUND

phere ensues. Some kick back by reading van Gendt and built in 1882, the building
a book, others hook up with friends to was fully restored in the 1980s (but kept
share a spliff or cradle a beer at one of its charming horse-head façade). After you
the cafés, while others trade songs on reach the arena, turn left and right again
beat-up guitars. The Vondelpark offers an through the stable to the rear, up the stairs
abundance of ponds, lawns, gardens and and into the café. You can sip a beer or
winding footpaths that encourage visitors coffee and, from the balcony, watch the in-
to get out and explore. structor put the horses through their paces.

FILMMUSEUM Map p116 ORGELPARK Map p116

%589 14 00; www.filmmuseum.nl; Vondelpark 3 %515 81 11; www.orgelpark.nl; Gerard Brandt-
Not a museum with displays as such, the straat 26; tickets adult/child under 12yr/student &
Filmmuseum has a large collection of senior €12.50/5/7.50
memorabilia and a priceless archive of Not a park as we know it, but a new stage
films that are screened in two theatres, for organ music located in a lovely restored
often with live music. One theatre contains church on the edge of the Vondelpark. The
the Art Deco interior of Cinema Parisien, Orgelpark has three (soon to be four) big or-
an early Amsterdam cinema. The information gans, and every year puts on over 100 events
centre (%589 14 35; Vondelstraat 69-71; admission including concerts of classical, jazz and
free; h1-5pm Mon-Fri) has loads of books and improvised music. Concerts are typically on
DVDs that can be viewed in booths. Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 8.15pm,
The museum’s grand Café Vertigo (p192), and every Wednesday at 12.30pm there are
with its theatrical balcony and expansive free performances by organ students.
outdoor seating, is a popular meeting
place overlooking the park. On summer DE VONDELTUIN Map p116
evenings films are shown on the terrace. %664 50 91; www.vondeltuin.nl; Vondelpark 7;
At the time of writing the Filmmuseum skate rental 1/2/3hr adult €5/7.50/10; Mar-Oct
was due to reopen in 2009 in a sleek new Located near the Amstelveenseweg
building in Amsterdam-Noord (Map pp58-9). entrance at the southwestern end of the
114 115
 NEIGHBOURHOODS VONDELPARK & AROUND lonelyplanet.com

0 200 m

116
VONDELPARK & AROUND 0 0.1 miles
e
r Ni e u wtr

Bild
7,1
Rembrandtpark r sg

e
Oud pad

0
de Re Do e l e n s
West eer len r Metz gu

rdij
pstr ass Mo seg H

k
INFORMATION SLEEPING (pp220–1) n e P i d Department
li e r
sdwars
e Raamplein st r Le 5 ere str

3,1
Len Store 2,

gra

7
2
Amsterdam Fitness & Health Apple Inn.................................25 C4 J v ka d am 1, ng
r
nep Ra ht

Le

cht
Club.......................................1 E2 Borgmann Villa Hotel...............26 B3 Le n tr g rac Paleis van Pr
v an t s e

Le
Justitie in

i
British Consulate........................2 C3 Flynt B&B.................................27 D1 sain ids

d
ob

ek a
Le se
Jac ous str

Le
ers de ng

ids 1e
De Vondeltuin............................3 B4 Fusion Suites............................28 D2 mT

ids
elm ra

o
ng ar

e
boo

K d
FedEx/Kinko's............................4 D2 Hestia Hotel.............................29 D2 Bos e H s tr ch

T
e sst
l 3 rs t

w
a

r
tr

r a
k a nn e l

1e
HIV Vereniging..........................5 D1 me37
Hotel de Filosoof......................30 7C2 ,17 nep eH

La sdw te rsstr
gels

2
16,24,25

Albhijms
e 27 Leidseplein

ing
VVV...........................................6 E2 Hotel Piet Hein........................31 D2

erd tr
nL

k
v a

Con
Spie

tr

s
Hotel Roemer..........................32 D2 ob iss
Jac 12 Canal

L
ru

tan
we

SIGHTS (pp115–17) Hotel Vondel...........................33 D2 16 5 Bike See Southern

u

ek

ie ds
Canal Belt

tijn
Kerkstr
ds
Filmmuseum..............................7 D2 Hotel Zandbergen....................34 C3 i e
Nie

4 33 De Balie e
L L
L a dw Map pp62-5
1 6

Hu
ng ar
i
r

Hollandsche Manege.................8 D2 Owl Hotel................................35 D2 Max

e s st

Zie jnb
r

15 r
Euweplein

yge
Orgelpark..................................9 C3 Stayokay Amsterdam 11 elst se aan Galerie Pri
gelg

40 nd r Lambiek nseng
nis sg r

Te
Tweed

nss
s
Vondelkerk.............................. 10 D2 Vondelpark..........................36 E2 str Vo35 est Comedy Café ka r

tr
se
Spie

l s c h ad de Weter e
ers 32 Amsterdam ingdw

Jan
H elm o m d De rd arstr
19 1e erto r d pa S L
e Wetering
dw
Noord
e r
SHOPPING (pp152–3) TRANSPORT v e r n st r

Piet
O 13 10 m rst 29 Za ijn arstr

Hoofdweg
16 36
St pie ba
Etos.........................................11 D2 Avis Autoverhuur.....................37 D1 Roessche
Vi
ad ge
ho lg an W Nieuwe

r He
Nieuwe
Mevius & Italiaander................12 D1 Europcar..................................38 C2 38 8 7 20 ud ra sg eteringstr Looiers
st r

Van
28 r s tr er ch ra F o k

ijest
s t f t s t c k e S

r
i m

17
Pied à Terre.............................13 D2 Hertz........................................39 C2 18 14 ka ht onszstr
sius Hoo

Annn
Bae
de

Von
Vos sz
Shoebaloo................................14 E2 National Car Rental..................40 D2 22 neli

rles

a va
21 31 Cor s tr

tr
n

n
Women's Outdoor World........ 15 D2 e r jke

de delstr
30 Piet Lui
Ve
39 Jan Weteringcircuit
EATING (pp170–1) Den Texstr
Vanldest
de

Van Gogh
r

Conservatorium Nicolaas
Hap Hmm................................16 D1 van Amsterdam
9 24 MuseumH Zuiderbad Witsenkade
Kinderkookkáfe........................17 C3 2,5 on
Lalibela....................................18 C2 17 tho Stadhoudersk
ade
Stedelijk
Hobbemakade
Boerenwetering

r s tr
Heineken
Paloma Blanca..........................19 C2 23 Museum MacBike Experience
Pasta di Mamma.......................20 E2 str 2 Oud
n Museumplein
Frans Halsstr

e Marie

Jac
Vondelpark h Zuid

o
't Blauwe Theehuis...................21 D2 Eeg Quellijnstr Heinkenplein
pl

Van eg
1e van

rkw
bO
um

Waroeng Asje..........................22 C2
e

spa
der Helststr

us

lem
bre Daniel Stalpertstr Gerard
W il Douplein
M

Co
Concertgebouwplein
cht

DRINKING & (p192)

Johannes
Vermeerstr

r Saenredamstr tr
str

rne
SMOKING est ous
Ruysdaelkade

re D st r

lis
26 B More rd uyp
Café Vertigo............................(see 7) Van t r elstr Deridas G e ra l v ert C kstr
A

Sch
an s lstr Puppet Flinc
Het Groot Melkhuis.................23 C3 34 le rius h u See Old e r t
n ingsla 2

uyt
Ko Va Ver South Theatre Gov
3 str
a n nes
Map p110 Sarphatipark
Jo h
3,5

NIGHTLIFE & ARTS 16

r De
,12

Filmmuseum............................(see 7) 25 esst str Pijp enstr

Ma nisz Heijd
Openluchttheater....................24 D3 s t r o la as r is str tr A ntho a n Der
tta Ni c Mie a els n eli s s zstr n V
V io n sd C o r F lo ri 1 e Ja
g JJ s va Ruy asar
n ewe tstr Fran Balth
uar
ingin rcq H e i n z e s tr
Kon Ha
Reijn
ier V Gera
inkel rd Te
al eska
de
rborg
str
K ana
s t el Reijn Harm
o
m
Breitnerstr

r A ier V
i n
nieho
f
o r de Nieuw keles
k a
No Zuid Apollolaan de
FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE

20km; expect the whole skate to finish by 10.30pm.

average it actually takes place about twice a month.

organisers caution, skating is at your own risk. The
skate is cancelled if streets are wet, meaning that on
well; bring a helmet and knee protection. Even so,
in peak season) gather at 8pm near the Filmmuseum
great way to see the city. You’ll also get to meet new

Skaters should be advanced and able to brake

varies each week, but generally it’s between 15km and
people: hundreds of in-line skaters (perhaps thousands
This weekly event (www.fridaynightskate.com) is a

in the Vondelpark, for departure at 8.30pm. The route

VONDELKERK Map p116
Vondelstraat 77; h8am-6pm

happy to let you in for a peek.

protective gloves, and has a café.
park, this kiosk rents in-line skates and

was marked for demolition in 1978. It’s a

cinating series of shapes with an octagon

Architect Pierre Cuypers’ favourite church
(1870–80), it suffered from a lack of funds

at its base. People in the offices inside are

charming steepled church, featuring a fas-
during construction and a fire in 1904, and

117

NEIGHBOURHOODS VONDELPARK & AROUND lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
D E PI J P

200 m
0.1 miles

(p192)

(p222)
C2

A2
A2

A2
A2
A2

18 Twintig...............................28 A2

31 C2

B&B.....................................34 A2
B2

B3

Bar Ça......................................29 B2
ib Pilsvogel...................................30 B2

De Badcuyp..............................32 B2
Rialto Cinema...........................33 B3

Bicycle Hotel Amsterdam..........35 B3

Hotel Aalborg...........................36 B3
3,7

Klokspijs...................................20
Mamouche...............................21
Más Tapas...............................22
Nieuw Albina...........................23
Puyck.......................................24
Turkiye....................................25
Zagros.....................................26
Zen..........................................27

(pp171–3) tsSarphaat..................................
Drinking & Smoking p192; Eating p171; Shopping p153; Sleeping p222

Oosterparkbuurt
De Pijp is called the ‘Quartier Latin’ of Amsterdam thanks to its lively mix of people: labour-

See Oosterpark &

ers, intellectuals, immigrants and prostitutes, and now gays, lesbians and an ever-increasing

Between Art & Kitsch

Map p129

NIGHTLIFE & ARTS

Around
number of higher-income professionals.

Oosterpark
Enclosed by the Amstel in the east, Stadhouderskade in the north, Hobbemakade in the west

DRINKING &
0
0

SMOKING

SLEEPING
and the Amstelkanaal in the south, this district is a large island connected to the rest of the city
by 16 bridges. The district’s name, ‘the Pipe’ (originally the ‘YY neighbourhood’), presumably
estr

tr
reflects its straight, narrow streets that are said to resemble the stems of old clay pipes, but and

au
s
rave

Lieve Vrouwe
's G

Kabouterhuis.............................3 D2

Stadsboekwinkel........................7 D2
(pp118–20)

Gelateria Italiana Peppino........19 C2

Albert Cuypmarkt....................(see 4)
De Dageraad.............................1 C4

De Emaillekeizer.........................5 C2
Fietsfabriek................................6 A2

Stenelux.....................................8 A2
YOI...........................................9 A2

Albert Cuyp 67........................10 A2

Bagels & Beans.........................11 A2
Bakken met Passie....................12 A2
Balti House...............................13 A2

Cambodja City.........................16 A2
De Burgermeester....................17 A2
De Soepwinkel.........................18 C2
nobody really knows. There is a surprising number of attractions for an area that began as the

(p153)
Heineken Experience..................2 B2

Albert Cuypmarkt...................... 4 B2

Bazar Amsterdam.....................14 B2
Café de Pijp..............................15 B2
W
Gasthuis
Onze
city’s first 19th-century slum.

tr ts
nrus

Wibautstraat
Its early shoddy tenement blocks, some of which collapsed even as they were being built

elde
in the 1860s, provided cheap housing not just for newly arrived workers drawn by the city’s

MZ
industrial revolution, but also for students, artists, writers and other poverty-stricken indi-
viduals. In the 1960s and ’70s many of the working-class inhabitants left for greener pastures
and the government began refurbishing the tenement blocks for immigrants from Morocco,

SHOPPING
Rhijnspoorplein

EATING
Turkey, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. Now these immigrants are also moving out

SIGHTS
and De Pijp is attracting a wealthier breed of locals who are doing up apartments and lending raat
st
the neighbourhood a more gentrified air. aut
Wib
East of Sarphatipark (below), near the Amstel, is Kabouterhuis (Gnome House; Map p119; Ceintuurbaan

3
251-255). Its woodwork façade incorporates a couple of gnomes playing ball, a reference to the ht
surname of the original owner, Van Ballegooijen (literally, ‘of ball-throwing’). ac
elg
r

On the western border of De Pijp, and within view of the Rijksmuseum, there’s a little red- ng tr
Si es
pl

d
Tulp

Hu d
light district along Ruysdaelkade, opposite Hobbemakade. Prof

7
NEIGHBOURHOODS DE PIJP

NEIGHBOURHOODS DE PIJP
tel
Ams
ALBERT CUYPMARKT Map p119 you can watch Heineken commercials from

3
Albert Cuypstraat; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat around the world, join a Heineken bottle

0
ustr

6,7,1
o
Van W
Amsterdam’s largest and busiest market is on its life’s journey and drive a virtual dray

ade

n
baa
20
legendary for its huge variety – aromatic horse.

hatik
Maasterstr
rten

erstr
r
n st

tuu
stalls selling Dutch cheese, olives, herbs If all this PR gets to be too much, you str

Sarp

aal
ijde
on y

ein

rg
Ko
H em

Ijselstr
4

elkan
He

enbu
aan

C
and spices, as well as fresh fruit and veg- can drown your sorrows at free ‘tasting’ Oost
eind
e

er
nyl

Rust
d
sessions at the end of the tour. Three

Amst
etables. Clothes and other general goods

mo

van
Frederiksplein
tr

He
ns ijk
are on sale too, often cheaper than any- glasses per person may be consumed – Lodew

an
ge
str
lle Pieter kstr

J
inck
Te Ta

2e
18 nstr
Homer Simpson would feel right at home. eel

31
where else. If you want to experience the

1
Sw

Burgemeester
rk
e
e

tipa
1

Ste
‘real’ Amsterdam at its multicultural best, (Note: no smoking of any kind is permit- 4,25

Sarphatipark

ha
Ja n
ted.) Allow 75 minutes for your visit, and

astr
you’re in the right place. The market was

Sarp
Map pp100-1
See Southern

2e
19
Canal Belt

Lutm
kstr
named after landscape painter Albert Cuyp expect lots of company; come before 11am

el dstur
tr
3,25 36
Falc

des

J a in
Heinkenplein 2e Jacob van Campenstr
to beat the crowds.

32
(1620–91), whose paintings are in the Witsenstr

Karrd
kade

Osta
Nicolaas

e
Rijksmuseum. The actual brewery closed in 1988 due

Monument &
Stadhouderskad
Nicolaas Witsen

14

Van
Fountain

Helstplein
tr

Sarphati
Looierss
The surrounding area teems with cosy to inner-city congestion, and since then the

Den Texstr
2e van

Van
der
Helststr
building has been used only for tours and der
cafés and eateries, many with an exotic

Pijp
onszstr

De
4
tst r
Hels

r
administration. The company’s directorate

33
ijdenst
flavour, as well as stylish shops and bars. Nieuwe an d
er
Fokke Sim 1e v

Weteringcircuit

24
is in the low-key premises across the canal. der Helststr

er He
str

35
str
1e van

k
Heineken beer is brewed at a larger plant

uyp
c
29

30
HEINEKEN EXPERIENCE Map p119

Van D
21

n
Douplein
Marie

li
Gerard

ert F
rt C
in ’s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), in the
%523 96 66; www.heinekenexperience.com;

1e Jan
15
2

Alve

Gov
Stadhouderskade 78; admission €11 (under 18yr south of the country, and also at the largest Bolstr
Ferdinand
brewery in Europe at Zoeterwoude, located

1e Jacob Van
Campenstr
tr

16
only with adult supervision); h10am-6pm Tue-

11
Saenredamstr
erings
N uwe

28

17 26
25
near Leiden.

12 10
Daniel Stalpertstr
Sun Sep-May, to 7pm daily Jun-Aug
Wetie

Frans Halsstr
Right on the site of the old Heineken brew-

23
27
Quellijnstr

13
SARPHATIPARK Map p119

Gerard
Doustr
ery you can take a self-guided tour that’s

22
34
9

8 6
tantamount to brew-worship. You can Centuurbaan; h24hr
DE PIJP

Ruysdaelkade wetering
learn the history of the Heineken family, This diverse little park was named after Boeren

Map p110
Hobbemakade
e

See Old
Baltrhiszstr
16

Corniszstr
ad

asar
Samuel Sarphati (1813–66), a Jewish doc-

elis
find out how the logo has evolved, and fol-

South
rsk

str
de

t hon

rg
Terbord
tor, businessman and urban innovator. The

Flo
low the brewing process from water all the
ou

Zuid
Oud

Gera
dh

An
Sta

way through to bottling. Along the way grounds are a thoughtful mix of ponds,
118 119
lonelyplanet.com

gently rolling meadow and wooded fringe. DE DAGERAAD Map p119

lonelyplanet.com
In the centre you’ll see the Sarphati me- Dawn Housing Project; Pieter Lodewijk Takstraat; PL ANTAG E , E A STE R N I S L AN DS &
morial (1886), a bombastic temple with a
fountain, gargoyles and a bust of the great
hopen to the public
Following the key Housing Act of 1901,
E A STE R N D O C K L AN DS
man himself. Water is pumped to the foun- which forced the city to rethink neighbour- Drinking & Smoking p192; Eating p173; Shopping p153; Sleeping p222
tain via an underground pipe from a canal hood planning and condemn slums, the Immediately east of the Nieuwmarkt neighbourhood lies the very leafy district known as the
hundreds of metres away. Dageraad housing estate was developed Plantage.
Sarphati’s diverse projects – a waste- for poorer families between 1918 and The 19th-century discovery of diamonds in South Africa led to a revival of Amsterdam’s
disposal service, a slaughterhouse, a fac- 1923. One of the most original Amster- diamond industry and the Jewish elite began to move into the Plantage (Plantation), where
tory for cheap bread, trades and business dam School architects, Piet Kramer, drew they built imposing town villas.
schools, the Amstel Hotel and a mortgage up plans for this idiosyncratic complex in Until then the Plantage was a district of parks and gardens, named after the plantations the
bank – exasperated the dour city council, collaboration with Michael de Klerk. The Dutch tended in their colonies. In the 18th century, wealthy residents rented parcels of land
though many of these ventures survive to swirling contours of the main tower have here to use as gardens, and the area developed into a weekend getaway with teahouses, variety
this day. been compared to a butter churn. theatres and other establishments where the
upper class relaxed in green surroundings.
East of Centraal Station and north of the
Medieval Centre, Nieuwmarkt and Plantage
areas, the islands of Kattenburg, Wittenburg
and Oostenburg were constructed in the
PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & 1650s to handle the rapidly expanding sea-
EASTERN DOCKLANDS borne trade.
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) set
Artis Zoo (right) Apes to zebras, with a great itself up on the eastern island of Oostenburg,
aquarium and planetarium. where it established warehouses, rope yards,
Energetica (p124) Supercool museum of workshops and docks for the maintenance
technology. of its fleet. Private shipyards and dockwork-
NEIGHBOURHOODS DE PIJP

NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

Entrepotdok (p123) Dramatically renovated ers’ homes dominated the central island of
former warehouses. Wittenburg. City architect Daniël Stalpaert’s
Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (p125) Riverside concerts Oosterkerk (1671) on Wittenburgergracht
in a glistening glass wrapper. was the last, and the least monumental, of the
four ‘compass churches’ (the others were the
Noorderkerk, Westerkerk and Zuiderkerk).
Admiralty offices and buildings arose on the western island of Kattenburg, and warships were
fitted out in the adjoining naval dockyards that are still in use today.
North and east of the Eastern Islands, the Eastern Docklands, a one-time shipyard and
warehouse district, sat derelict for decades, despite some excellent warehouse-style buildings.
Recently, though, it’s been the focus of a huge amount of attention from architects and archi-
tecture critics for its elaborate updates and extremely adventurous new construction. If you’re
looking for one place to see the cutting edge of Dutch – and indeed European – architecture,
this is the place to come. When complete, there will be more than 8000 dwellings and 17,000
inhabitants.

PLANTAGE Nearby, you can delve into the history of

the Dutch resistance at the Verzetsmuseum
The key attraction here is the Artis Zoo (right); (p123).
behind the characteristic eagle-topped gates
you’ll find Europe’s oldest zoo. The Hortus
Botanicus (p123) has been a herb garden since ARTIS ZOO Map p122
1683 and is a repository of the valuable seeds %523 34 00; www.artis.nl; Plantage Kerklaan
and plants brought back by ships of the Dutch 38-40; adult/senior/child 3-9yr/child under 3yr
East India Company. €17.50/16.50/14/free; h9am-5pm, to 6pm in
Across from the botanical garden lies the summer
Wertheimpark, a brilliant shady spot for laz- The world’s third-largest zoo (and the
ing by the canal Nieuwe Herengracht. It also oldest in mainland Europe) is the place
contains a memorial to the victims of the to bring children in Amsterdam. Laid out
Auschwitz concentration camp, their trag- in the former Plantage gardens, locals
edy symbolized by shards of broken glass. as well as tourists visit to stroll the lush,

120 121
lonelyplanet.com

well-manicured paths. Packed with listed HOLLANDSCHE SCHOUWBURG

lonelyplanet.com
Zuiderzeeweg

0.5 miles

Bimhuis....................................(see 36)
Panama....................................(see 37)
Odessa...................................... 27 D2

KHL...........................................33 D2

Lisboa........................................35 D2

D2
Star Ferry.................................(see 36)
Volksbond.............................. 26 A3

Plancius......................................28 A3
Voorbij Het Einde.......................29 C1

Brouwerij 't IJ.............................31 C3

Café Koosje...............................32 A3

Kriterion.....................................34 A4

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ.............36 A1

Panama ....................................37 C2

Eden Lancaster Hotel.................38 A3

Flevopark Hotel Hortus..............................39 A3
A3
A3
A4
(pp222–4)
(pp192–3)

Bloem.........................................30 B3

B1

Canal Bus Stop...........................45 B2

800 m
19th-century buildings and monuments, it Map p122

Hotel Parklane...........................40
Hotel Rembrandt.......................41
Liliane's Home...........................42
Lloyd Hotel................................43

City Centre............................. 44
feels like a zoological museum. Dutch Theatre; %626 99 45; www.hollands

Zeeburg
In addition to the expected zoo attrac- cheschouwburg.nl; Plantage Middenlaan 24; admis-
tions – the big cats, apes and gorillas – the sion free; h11am-4pm, closed Yom Kippur
African savannah is a highlight. Another must- This historic theatre – first known as the

NIGHTLIFE & ARTS

Koffiehuis van den

Mövenpick Hotel
see is the aquarium, a graceful purpose-built Artis Theatre after its inception in 1892 –

DRINKING &

TRANSPORT
hall with some 2000 fish. The tanks are quickly became a hub of cultural life in

SMOKING

SLEEPING
enormous and the variety of colourful fish Amsterdam, staging major dramas and
stunning. Here you’ll also see a rainforest, operettas. In WWII the occupying Germans
a tropical coral reef and a cross-section of turned it into a ‘show theatre’ for Jews,

Gare de l'Est................................25 D3
Persmuseum..............................17 D3

De Ode......................................20 D1
IJ...........(see 36)
C2
A4
A4

Artis Zoo Entrance....................... 7 A3

De Gooyer Windmill....................8 C3

Hollandsche Schouwburg...........11 A3
Hortus Botanicus........................12 A3

Nationaal Vakbondsmuseum......14 A3

Verzetsmuseum......................... 18 A3

A Tavola.................................... 22 A3
Abe Veneto............................... 23 A3
(pp173–4)
(pp121–7)

(p153)
B4

B4

Artis Zoo......................................6 B3

Energetica....................................9 B3
Entrepotdok...............................10 B3

Muiderpoort...............................13 B4

Naval Officers' Residences..........15 B2

Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum..16 B2

Werfmuseum 't Kromhout.........19 B3

Frank's Smokehouse...................21 B3

Fifteen........................................24 B1
an Amsterdam canal. The planetarium gives then a detention centre for Jews awaiting
Sporenburg

Gezondheid..............................1
Classic Canal Charters..................2
GG&GD STD Clinic...................... 3
Kriterion............... 4
SGOA..........................................5
fascinating shows with Dutch commentary deportation. Up to 80,000 Jews passed
and a summary in English. The entrance fee through here on their way to the death
includes all of these venues.

rpad
camps.
0
0

voor Seksuele

urge't
In 1961 the building was demolished ex-

Zeebaan
Brijdeplantsoen

Borneo
Eiland
HORTUS BOTANICUS Map p122 cept for the façade and a bit of the interior,
INFORMATION

Muziekgebouw
Oppascentrale
Kees

%625 90 21; www.hortus-botanicus.nl; Plantage which became a memorial. Glass panels

SHOPPING
Centrum

EATING
SIGHTS
Middenlaan 2a; adult/child €6/3, h9am-5pm are engraved with the names of all Jewish
Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun, to 9pm daily Jul & families deported, and upstairs is a modest
Aug, to 4pm daily Dec & Jan exhibit hall with photos and artefacts of
Haven

Zeeburgerkade
IJ

kken
str Established way back in 1638, this ven- Jewish life before and during the war.
Molu
am Molukkenstr erable garden became a repository for
17

sd
ing
kade

d
tropical seeds and plants brought in (read: NATIONAAL VAKBONDSMUSEUM
Het

rbin
IJ

Cruquiusweg

Ve
20

Singelgracht
Veem

smuggled out of other countries) by Dutch Map p122

27

de
Supermarket

elska

trading ships. From here, coffee, pineapple,

tr
National Trade Union Museum; %624 11 66;
C1000
KNSM
Eiland

eos
NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

Hand
PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

cinnamon and palm-oil plants were distrib-

orn
Ooste Lloydplein

www.deburcht.org; Henri Polaklaan 9; adult/con-

25

Dapperbuurt
B
43 33
Rietlanden

uted throughout the world.

35

cession €2.50/1.25; h11am-5pm Tue-Fri, 1-5pm

lijke

Paralleweg
The 4000-plus species are kept in won- Sun, closed public holidays
esstr derful structures, including the colonial-era Architect HP Berlage considered this build-
C e le b

7,5 Muiderpoort
seed house and a three-climate glasshouse ing his most successful work, and it’s easy
2

Zeeburgerpad
EASTERN

(1993). The 300-year-old cycad is possibly

29

ISLANDS

Zeeburgerdijk

r
10 sst to see why. Built in 1900 for the General
37

t
Around Map p129
aa See Oosterpark &
nu

tr
Prinsengr

ns str
the world’s oldest potted plant. The butter-
Eastern

Netherlands Diamond Workers’ Union

Islands

nta

ke
Dapperplein

er tr
et ds n

9
Po

r P nra Bla
fly house is a hit with kids and stoned
e

(ANDB), it’s a wonder from the diamond-

rakad

tr
a
DOCKLANDS

a o
Oostenburg

,3
rds
Cz C
rstr
EASTERN

2 pe adults. Guided tours (additional €1) are shaped pinnacle to the magnificent hall
wa
2
Dap
rt
Sumat

Dijksgracht

aa
Rein
31 8
nkade

rv
ge
ur
e
ad held at 2pm Sunday year-round and also at with its brick arches, murals, ceramics and
Funenkade

b sk
t

ten
7.30pm Sunday in July and August.
ri

leadlight windows by famous artists of the

ei

it
u
Wittenburg

a
Piet H

W str
M

or
r

Station
erg

Petrol

tr rvo
day. The soaring, atrium-style staircase is
art burg

rs r e
ge st urg r
ist
VERZETSMUSEUM Map p122 graced with a chandelier three storeys tall.
b
ur er at
r

ten
e V Ooste

Oost

nb urg Oo
s ph
Oosterpark

e r
itt nb Sa
All that will be enough for most visitors.
e
9

Resistance Museum; %620 25 35; www.verzets

1
Kattenburg

erkad

W te
a

e it
ein W
Those with an abiding interest in labour
anhof
Eiland

19

museum.org; Plantage Kerklaan 61; adult/child

Savannah
Nie rgr

Kl rote
uw
Java

13
and
21
rge

African

G
issues will find the displays (in Dutch) a
x
Jollem

Aquarium

under 7yr/child 7-15yr €5.50/free/3; h10am-5pm

nbu
24

de

Hotel Arena

Ale
ka

tr
itte

s
bonus.
Kattenburgeplein

er
Tue-Fri, noon-5pm Sat-Mon
s
En ntrep nka adi dijk

Alexanderplein
W

rg
ng

uri

bu
Dockyards

tre otd dij jk

a
ga
n

Ma

This museum shows, in no uncertain terms,

tte

k
Naval

a ls

Artis

5
Zoo
e

aan
Ka

Nieutergrvan Amsterdam
rh

t
44

k
k
10 Laa oog

14
o

how much courage it takes to actively resist ENTREPOTDOK Map p122

Ove

tdo
inn te

Universiteit
enl
Planetarium

,
g

9
e
H

6
Passenger

dd
Terminal

tr
p

aan

an adversary so ruthless that you can’t Alexanderplein

ts
Sajetplein
Ship

Mi
e

B
45 16

s
22 Vaarw

a nl

ru
t

o
u
15

trust neighbours, friends or even family.

h

en
Nie

The area east of the Plantage was the

g

rm
30

n
za
nta

klaa
Zeld
ste

Ker
pino

The exhibits give an excellent insight into

Pla

age age
stomping ground of the VOC, aka the
We

ein
e

t t
w

pl Plan Plan
r S
de e
36

jks
g
26

Ach

the difficulties faced by those who fought

23

Dutch East India Company, which grew

nta

38

di
18

41 laan
40 He 28

ast

Ka
a
Pla

Roeter str
Polanri

z
K

the occupation from within – as well as the

k

s
rich on sea trade in the 17th century. The
tr 4
32

Sp i n
14

ngr
Mu ntag11
e

tr
r
erg

minority who went along with the Nazis.

Kortstelstr34

e
pels
39

ad
Valc 42

n
VOC owned this 500m row of warehouses,
rinse

rs

klaa
PLANTAGE
terd o k s k

ie

Par
id
Oosterdok

ken
Pla

e Le

Topics include the concepts of active and

str

we P

ge
conveniently located in a customs-free
rg

Wertheimpark

sgr

nta
Mulder
u

m
nb

rst
tr

Pla
Park e Keizer

passive resistance, how the illegal press

s
O os

A
pe

Nieu

zone and the largest storage depot in

12
rge
r
Nieuwmarkt

wgeers ht

Weesperplein
e
Ra

0
He lanta n
urg

s
e
e
c

6,7,1
laa

Kort

e
g
Ninbu gra
r
ka in

str
nb

operated, how 300,000 people were kept

t
ns

sper Europe at the time. Some of the original

w
nb
rik Pr
d

Wee
e

Nieu
ha

Meijerplein
lke
de hans

Ui rge

Nieurengr
Ra
e r
Sc

in hiding and how all this could be funded.

we

façades have been preserved, and the

P
Va
u
nd

Oue Sc

bu

JD
He

le
aa e

len

Nieu str
we
W ud

Labels are in Dutch and English.

d

el
l

facility has been converted into desirable

Kerk

st
Ou

Ui
O

Am

122 123
lonelyplanet.com

offices, apartments and nice cafés, with enormous V-shaped prongs. There’s also an

lonelyplanet.com
tables at the water’s edge (see p193). early refrigerator that resembles a brass BICYCLES: THE MAN-MACHINE RULES
cement-mixer. Its guides are volunteers, While researching this book, we couldn’t help but take notes on some of the better bicycle sightings on Amsterdam’s
DE GOOYER WINDMILL Map p122 some of them retired engineers, and they’ll streets:
Funenkade 5 enthusiastically escort you through centuries A man with one leg in plaster pedalling his bike with the other leg, with crutches strapped to his back.
This 18th-century grain mill is the sole of technological history. A man riding a bike with a blow-up sex doll strapped to his back.
survivor of five windmills that once stood Four drunks riding one bike.
in this part of town. It moved to its current NEDERLANDS A woman riding a bike while wearing stilettos and with her G-string showing.
spot in 1814, when the nearby Oranje- SCHEEPVAARTMUSEUM Map p122 A girl riding side-saddle while kissing the boy piloting the bike.
Nassau barracks were built and blocked Netherlands Shipping Museum; %523 22 22; A customised bicycle modelled after Dennis Hopper’s hog in Easy Rider.
the wind. The mill was fully renovated in www.scheepvaartmuseum.nl; Kattenburgerplein 1; A man riding with one hand while holding a plate-glass window with the other, seemingly oblivious to the threat
1925 and is now a private home. Along- ship Amsterdam adult/child under 6yr/senior & child of severed arteries in the event of emergency braking.
side, the public baths were converted 6-17yr €4/free/4; h10am-5pm mid-Jun–mid-Sep, A man who must have been over 100 years old riding a bicycle at about 2km/h.
into the Brouwerij ’t IJ (p192) in 1985. The mill 10am-5pm Tue-Sun mid-Sep–mid-Jun A woman riding a bicycle weaving and wobbling all over the place, her vision almost totally obscured by a
makes a postcard canvas when seen from Since 1981, this historic admiralty building massive bunch of flowers.
the central harbour, looking west down has housed one of world’s most extensive A group of kids playing football while riding bicycles.
the Nieuwe Vaart canal. collections of maritime memorabilia. Early Numerous mothers riding three-wheelers with toddlers in a barrow attached to the front or in a box towed along
shipping routes, naval combat, fishing and behind.
MUIDERPOORT Map p122 whaling are all explained in loving detail, A bicycle barrelling down a side street with no-one on it.
Alexanderplein and there are 500 models of boats and An abandoned bicycle that looked as though it had been twisted into a figure 8.
This grand classical arch was built in 1770 ships. Unfortunately, at the time of writing A bicycle up a tree.
as a gateway to the city. On the south side the museum was shut till mid-2009 for a Bicycles in canals.
you’ll see the Amsterdam emblem of three major renovation. Dutch police riding the same crappy bicycles as everyone else.
St Andreas’ crosses, while on the other You can, however, visit a full-scale replica Almost everyone steering their bikes with one hand and talking on a mobile phone or eating a sandwich with the
side there’s the previous emblem, of a cog of the United East India Company’s 700- other, while perilously weaving in and out of trams, trucks and cars.
ship. In 1811 Napoleon rode triumphantly tonne Amsterdam, one of the largest ships Tips
NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

through the gate with his royal entourage, of the fleet. Actors in 18th-century costume When on foot, don’t play the dumb tourist and stand in the city’s dedicated bike lanes staring at the sights: you’ll
and promptly demanded food for his rag- re-create shipboard life, and you’ll see the be knocked over by a speeding bike before you can say ‘moederneuker’, because here you give way to them.
ged troops. The 1st floor, just under the Great Cabin is beautifully set for an elegant When riding, watch for cars. Cyclists have the right of way, except when vehicles are entering from the right,
grey dome, is now occupied by a financial dinner. The ship is moored outside NEMO although not all motorists respect this. Also watch for dumb tourists (see above).
advisors body. (p69). Watch out for tram tracks – if your wheel gets caught in one, you will break your bones.
By law, after dusk you need to use lights on your bike (front and rear) and have reflectors on both wheels.
WERFMUSEUM ’T KROMHOUT Map p122 Always lock your bike securely. Bike theft is rampant.
EASTERN ISLANDS %627 67 77; www.machinekamer.nl; Hoogte Fast Facts
When the Plantage was constructed in the Kadijk 147; adult/child €4.75/2.75; h10am-3pm
1680s, the original sea dyke was moved Amsterdam has 400km of bike paths, identified by signage and their reddish colour. There are an estimated 600,000
Tue bicycles in Amsterdam at any given time. The bike-parking garage at Centraal Station has space for 2500 bicycles.
north to what are now the Hoogte Kadijk On the outer side of the dyke is an 18th-
and Laagte Kadijk (the high and low sections century wharf that still repairs boats in its Find a Bike
of the quay dyke). Apart from the impres- western hall. The eastern hall is a museum Visit the Fietsfabriek (p153) for custom bicycles.
sive Scheepvaartmuseum (right), the only sight devoted to shipbuilding and even more to Combine two Dutch passions, beer and bicycles: hire a Fietscafé (p185), a mobile, pedal-powered bar that seats up
out here is Energetica (below), a quirky array the indestructible marine engines that were to 17 people per bike, with a big beer keg attached. One pedals, the other 16 sit at the bar and drink.
of transformers, street lamps and crackling designed and built here. Anyone with an
generators. See p240 for a list of bike-rental shops.
interest in marine engineering will love the
place; others will probably want to move
ENERGETICA Map p122 on. Signage is almost entirely in Dutch only. MUZIEKGEBOUW AAN ’T IJ Map p122 Even if you don’t catch a show here, the
%422 12 27; Hoogte Kadijk 400; adult/child under %tickets 788 20 00, office 788 20 10; www building is a feast for the eyes. Its Star Ferry
12yr €3/free; h10am-4pm Mon-Fri .muziekgebouw.nl; Piet Heinkade 1; bldg admis- café (h10am-1am Sun-Fri, to 2am Fri & Sat) makes a
Housed in a former power station, this EASTERN DOCKLANDS sion free, performance prices vary; hticket office great stop for the view alone. On the upper
floor you’ll find the computerised ‘sound
quirky museum has a bewildering array of There are few sights in the Eastern Docklands, noon-7pm Mon-Sat
whizz-bang equipment that conjures up vi- but all the new construction is well worth a garden’, a perfect diversion for the small fry.
The bold and beautiful ‘Music Building on
sions of mad scientists. Galleries are named look. A good place to start is the wavy roof of the IJ’ brings the long-standing theatre IJs-
for key pioneers (Marconi, Minckelers), and the Passenger Terminal, where huge cruise breker (which changed its name to the new PERSMUSEUM Map p122
the soaring main hall is filled with steamship ships moor, and the sparkling performance building) and the jazz house Bimhuis (p197) Press Museum; %692 8810; www.persmuseum
engines, gas streetlamps, antique lifts (eleva- halls of the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (opposite). under one roof. This performance complex .nl; Zeeburgerkade 10; adult/child under 6yr/child
tors) from Vienna and Paris and high-voltage The wonderful Press Museum (opposite) is full was some 20 years in the making, and 6-18yr €3.50/free/2.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri,
generators that send lightning between of colourful ad placards. designed by the Danish firm 3xNielsen. noon-5pm Sun
124 125
lonelyplanet.com

The caretaker of Dutch journalism history, it the most colourful and diverse group of 7 Venetië Continue on Levantkade to the Azartplein, where you can catch a path through

lonelyplanet.com
this museum is loads more interesting to houses in this district. You can cross the little end and the Venetië housing complex (1996). the residential neighbourhood that runs next to
non-Dutch speakers than it may sound. footbridge in the middle of the channel to see This giant ring of white single-family homes Sumatrakade. This route gives a good impres-
Housed in sleek new premises, it has a the homes from the front (although they’re bristles with balconies, loggias and voids in sion of what it’s like to live in these communi-
large collection of historic newspapers better viewed from the water side). between to create a feeling of space and com- ties, with kids playing and locals localising.
(going all the way back to 1600), political fortable asymmetry.
and editorial cartoons and press photos, as 3 Red footbridge You won’t be able to ride 9 Jan Schaeferbrug The path ends near the
well as a great stock of old publicity post- a bike across the red footbridge – you’ll barely 8 Azartplein From Venetië, head west along Jan Schaeferbrug, the bridge named for an activist
ers, many of them quite amusing. be able to walk it – but it certainly demands KNSM-Laan. The apartment buildings on the city councillor who famously said ‘You can’t
a look-see. Take a left on Stuurmankade and right are named for Greek philosophers, giving live in claptrap’. You can take the bridge back
ARCHITECTURE OF THE head west. Take the flat bridge at Kwarter-
meesterstraat.
a whole new meaning to ‘neoclassical’. The
broad artery of KNSM-Laan will take you to
toward Piet Heinkade (turn right and it even-
tually drops you at Centraal Station).
EASTERN DOCKLANDS 4 Whale The footbridge deposits you by the
Cycling Tour Whale apartment building (1999), the land-
1 Lloyd Hotel Arrive by tram 26; take a mo- mark of Sporenburg Eiland. Its sloping roof
ment to explore the lobby bar and shop of and base make it seem more imposing than its
the landmark Lloyd Hotel (p223). As you pedal dozen storeys would suggest, but also some-
along Borneokade, across the shipping chan- how more open and airy. From here make a
nel you’ll see former warehouses used by the dogleg left and then right, and you’re on the
cocoa trade, while closer in are large yachts Verbindingsdam to KNSM Eiland, named for
and commercial vessels. the Royal Netherlands Shipping Company.

2 Scheepstimmermanstraat Once you 5 Piraeus Once over the bridge, follow the
round the end of the island onto Stokerkade, path to the right towards Levantkade. The
you’ll get a good view across the former ship- heavy black buildings on the left are the stark
ping channel to Scheepstimmermanstraat, a fasci-
NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

NEIGHBOURHOODS PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

Piraeus housing complex by Hans Kollhoff and
nating collection of houses where owners were Christian Rapp.
free to build to their own designs, making
6 Barcelonaplein Head around the inlet
at Levantplein, and you’ll see Bruno Albert’s
CYCLE FACTS Barcelonaplein with its wrought-iron ‘gate’ span-
Start Lloyd Hotel ning the entire height of the façade. This ‘su-
End Jan Schaeferbrug perblock’ (170m long) is built in neoclassical
Distance 6km style and has a round plaza at its centre. The
Duration 2½ hours harbour views are quite sought-after by young
professionals.

0 300 m
ARCHITECTURE OF THE EASTERN DOCKLANDS 0 0.2 miles

Het IJ

Javak Suma
ade tr akad
Java e
9 Eiland
8 KNSM-Laan 7
END KNSM Levantplein 6
Eiland 5
IJ Levantkade
Haven
Piet H
26 einka
Ve

de
rb
ind
ing

Lloydplein Veem
sd

kade Sporenburg
am

Naval START 1 Eiland

Dockyards Dijk
sgra Zeeburg akade
Kattenburg cht Rietlandstraat Panam
Tramstop 4
3
tr

ersraat
rs

stimm
ge

Wittenburg Scheep
nnel
ur

n Tu 2
nb

Piet Hei Borneo

t te

kad e
Eiland Stoker
Ka

Eastern
Islands
Oostenburg kade
Borneo

126 127
lonelyplanet.com

lonelyplanet.com
O OS TE R PAR K & ARO U N D OOSTERPARK & AROUND
0
0
800 m
0.5 miles
Jod Pia
n
en Ka tage Nie See Plantage,
Drinking & Smoking p194; Eating p174; Sleeping p224 bre

an
est de uw
Ho eV Eastern Islands &

kla
r Wertheimpark Po Hen En og aar Eastern Docklands
Named after the lush English-style landscape park at its centre, the southeastern district trep te

P ar
lak ri t
laa otd Ka Map p122
Stopera n Artis ok dijk
of Oosterpark was built in the 1880s. The large eponymous park was the first laid out in

age
Planetarium Singelgracht

r
ng
l e 9,1 Artis

nt
Amsterdam. H er 4 Plantage Zoo Zeeburgerdijk

Pla
we

d
Artis

pa
Nie u Zoological

er
At the time, the city’s diamond workers suddenly found they had money to spare, thanks Pla Pla

rg
Museum er
nta nta Pietgstr Pont

u
r

eb
ersg ge P
Mu lanta
ge Artis min an
to the discovery of the gems in South Africa. About a third of Jewish families worked in the Keiz

Ze
Mid Vla us Dapperbuurt
we ide ge den Aquarium

Dap
Ams
u

22
N ie st r r gra M laa

str
diamond industry, and many of them could finally afford to leave the Jewish quarter for this Kerk cht uider n Vosnenstr

Roeterss

pers
e gr Z e

tel
w
Nieu nstr

We
de
derka

Am
new district beyond the Plantage (the delectable parklands where only the wealthiest could meli

tr
xan Com

esp
Universiteit rstr

stel
naa

Ale
van Amsterdam age Vanr

tr
erst

Cele
afford to live). Signs of the lower-middle-class heritage have long since disappeared and now s telstr a tistr 9
W
1edenst Dapperplein

r
h 5
m r Sarp Swin Vanstr

b
it’s similar to the other 19th-century slums that arose around the Canal Belt. Much of the real e A ierst

esstr
Kort ken of
uritsk a d
e 2e den
Amstelsluizen
Valc ozah Ma Swin 9
Spin 7,5
estate in this area is owned by the University of Amsterdam. Weesperplein 10 tr 2,3

's G
3 rds 2
wa

tr
za s
On the northern fringe you’ll find the acclaimed Tropenmuseum (below), which gives insights S p i no 8 Rein str Muiderpoort

r av
Sajetplein a c h
10 b
6,7, tten

es a
Wij
into Dutch colonial activities in the East Indies. The park has a large pond and several monu-

r
e st

nde
d Rhijnspoorplein Oosterpark
ud 4
Frederiksplein H

Oost

str
ments, including a memorial to murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh (see p44). This 4.5m-high ade
3,7
ersk

eind
work of curved steel is named the Scream. The park also host numerous events such as main Sta d h oud 7
1 erw
eg

e
Pold
stages for the annual Holland Festival and the Roots Festival. INFORMATION r park
str
ste

Linn
g
To the south lies the Amstelstation, a key metro and railway station of use to some 50,000 Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis...1 B2 1e O
ren
we

Hem
ulie

aeu
3
Tropeninstitut.......................(see 5)
travellers daily. The reason to visit is the several intriguing wall murals by artist Peter Alma Pop

sstr
on y
SIGHTS (pp128–9)
(1886–1969), including an idealised depiction of trains converging on an almighty wheel in

str
Frankendael.............................2 D3 Oosterparkbuurt
an unlikely landscape of mountains and cities. Spreeksteen.............................3 C2
The Scream (Theo van Gogh de
lka
Memorial)............................4 B2 Wibautstraat aa
sv
TROPENMUSEUM Map p129 OOSTERPARK Map p129 Tropenmuseum.......................5 C2 Tra
n

Wib

M
M

ar

n
k id

a
dij

itz
%568 82 15; www.kit.nl; Linnaeusstraat 2; s’-Gravesandestraat; hdawn-dusk

sla
de

aut
g

str
EATING (p174) in nw

ne
R

s
NEIGHBOURHOODS OOSTERPARK & AROUND

NEIGHBOURHOODS OOSTERPARK & AROUND

eg

traa

On
adult/child under 6yr/child 6-17yr/senior or student This sprawling park was laid out in the De Kas.....................................6 D3
6

t
Soeterijn Café........................(see 8)

gh
€7.50/free/3.75/5; h10am-5pm 1880s to accommodate the nouveaux rich 2

lin
er
m
DRINKING & (p194) Police Lost
Completed in 1926 to house the Royal of the city’s diamond traders who benefited

Ka
No Frankendaelpark
SMOKING W Property Office be
iba lw
Institute of the Tropics, and still a lead- from the South African diamond boom. Amstel Haven..........................7 A2 ut eg

an
st r

4
Transvaalbuurt

sla
ing research institute for tropical hygiene The park makes a fine diversion if you’re

ie
l
kanaa

Vr
NIGHTLIFE &mARTS
A stel 37

de
and agriculture, this fascinating museum heading to the nearby Tropenmuseum (left). To Night..................................8 B2

go
Hu
Tropeninstituut Theater...........9 C2
houses a large collection of colonial arte- Between the museum and the large pond

Go
oi
Watergraafsmeer

se
facts, presented with insight, imagination stands the Spreeksteen, a little Hyde Park SLEEPING (p224)n 11

w
slaaB2

eg
eid10
Hotel Arena............................
Vrijh
and a fair amount of multimedia. Corner where orators of every ilk can have

9
Amste
Ams
15 Amstelstation

,5
15

15
TRANSPORT
A huge central hall, with galleries over their say; see www.spreeksteen.nl for the

teldijk
International Bus Station........11 B4

l
three floors, seeks to re-create daily life in erratic schedule.
several tropical countries. You can visit an
African market, a Mexican-style cantina FRANKENDAEL Map p129
and a life-sized yurta (traditional felt hut) %774 43 99; Middenweg 72; free admission;
and hear push-button recordings of native hgardens dawn till dusk
musical instruments. An absorbing part As early as the 18th century, wealthy Am-
of the exhibit is the Cabinet of Curiosities, sterdammers would spend their summers
the fascinating display of exotica (found in in plush country retreats south of Plantage
every good colonialist’s home) containing on a tract of drained land called Water-
ritual masks, long dug-out canoes and dead graafsmeer. The last survivor of this era
butterflies. is Frankendael, an elegant Louis XIV-style
There’s a great giftshop, and the pleasant mansion; at the time of writing it was due
Soeterijn Café and the Ekeko Restaurant (%568 to reopen in mid-2008 after a sweeping
86 44) serve food that relates to current restoration. The house backs onto a formal
exhibits and performances. garden that’s open to the public, but be
The Tropeninstituut Theater (%568 82 15; sure to view the forecourt with gushing
hbox office noon-4pm Mon-Sat) has a separate fountain and statues of Bacchus and Ceres.
entrance and screens films as well as host- The property is swathed in a larger land-
ing music, dance, plays and other perform- scape garden with walking paths, decora-
ances by visiting artists. tive bridges and the remains of follies.

128 129
lonelyplanet.com

ELECTRISCHE MUSEUMTRAMLIJN kilometres southwest of Amsterdam is a

lonelyplanet.com
O UTE R D I STR I C T S AMSTERDAM Map pp58-9 boon for urban nature-lovers. You’ll find a
Tram Museum Amsterdam; %673 75 38; www petting zoo, a sports park, a rowing course
North of the Jordaan, the wharves and warehouses of the Western Islands (Westelijke Eilanden) .museumtram.nl; Amstelveenseweg 264; return with hire craft, and a pancake house, not
were abuzz with activity in the early 17th century. The Golden Age was taking off, the Dutch ticket adult/senior & child €4/2; h11am-6pm Sun to mention the open-air Amsterdamse Bos
still dominated the sea trade, and money flowed into this old harbour like beer from the barrel. mid-Apr–Oct, plus 1pm & 3pm Wed Jul & Aug Theatre (p202) that stages plays in summer.
The wealthy Bicker Brothers, both mayors of Amsterdam, even built their own Bickerseiland Beyond the southwestern extremities The forestry museum (%676 21 52; admission free;
here to cater for their ships. of the park, just north of the Olympic h10am-5pm) covers flora, fauna and the
Few tourists make it out here, partly because the district is shielded from view by a railway Stadium, is the former Haarlemmermeer construction of the park. To get here, take
line, but it’s a wonderful area to explore, with cute drawbridges and handsome old warehouses Station, which houses the tram museum. bus 70, 171 or 172 from Centraal Station,
nestled in quiet lanes. Many addresses have been converted to charming homes and artists Historic trams sourced from all over Europe or ride the historic tram (left) from the Haar-
studios. The Prinseneiland and Realeneiland (named after the 17th-century merchant Reynier run between here and Amstelveen, mak- lemmermeer Station.
Reael) are the prettiest of the isles. The narrow bridge linking the two, the Drieharingenbrug ing a great outing for kids and adults alike.
(‘Three Herrings Bridge’; Map pp58–9), is a quaint replacement for the pontoon that used to be A return trip takes about 1¼ hours (see
pulled aside to let ships through. COBRA MUSEUM
website for schedule) and skirts the large
By all means visit the Zandhoek (Map pp58–9), a photogenic stretch of waterfront. Now a modern Amsterdamse Bos recreational area. %547 50 50; www.cobra-museum.nl;
yacht harbour, back in the 17th century it was a ‘sand market’, where ships would purchase Sandbergplein 1, Amstelveen; adult/child under
bags of the stuff for ballast. Many a VOC skipper lived hereabouts, carousing in local bars and 6yr/child 6-16yr/senior & student €7/free/2.50/4;
enjoying the view over the IJ between voyages. The street south of Zandhoek is the Galgenstraat AMSTERDAM RAI Map pp58-9 h11am-5pm Tue-Sun
(Gallows St), which on a clear day afforded a look at the executions in Amsterdam-Noord. In %549 12 12; www.rai.nl; Europaplein 22 Artists from Denmark, Belgium and the
those days it was called entertainment. This exhibition and conference centre Netherlands formed the CoBrA movement
The sights become more scattered as you move away from Amsterdam’s lovely old centre, (featured, by the way, in Jacques Tati’s after WWII. (The name is derived from
but the nuggets you’ll find out here are definitely worth the trip: top-rated art museums, stylish 1971 film Trafic) is the largest such com- their capital cities.) Members included
architecture and lush greenery in recreation areas, just for starters. plex in the country. The building opened in Asger Jorn, Corneille, Constant and the
1961 and just keeps expanding, for the car, great Karel Appel, but the group lasted
WESTERGASFABRIEK Map pp58–9 The rocket-like tower has no purpose fashion, horse-jumping and 50-odd other
for just three years (1948–51). Changing
%586 07 10; www.westergasfabriek.nl; Haarlem- apart from linking the wings of the com- shows held here every year. RAI stands for
NEIGHBOURHOODS OUTER DISTRICTS

NEIGHBOURHOODS OUTER DISTRICTS

exhibits are on show as well; expect to see
merweg 8-10 plex. The museum shows workers apart- Rijwiel en Automobiel Industrie, the bicycle
bold colours and busy designs. The art is
A stone’s throw northwest of the Jordaan, ments and the ex-post office at the ‘bow’ and auto association. To get there, take
less of a unified whole than a philosophy,
this late-19th-century Dutch Renaissance of the ‘ship’ with the original interior. It is the metro to the Amsterdam RAI stop or
inspired by Marxism, of using materials at
complex was the city gasworks until it was now home to the Documentation Centre tram 4.
hand to create painting, sculpture, even
all but abandoned in the 1960s, its soil for Social Housing, with a permanent dis- poetry.
contaminated. The fabriek has re-emerged, play of architecture called Poste Restante. OLYMPIC STADIUM Map pp58-9 Take bus 170 or 172 from Centraal Sta-
thankfully, as a new cultural and recrea- Look out for the yellow telefooncel where %305 44 00; Olympisch Stadion 21 tion or tram 5 to the end of the line in
tional park, with lush lawns and a long workers would dial the telephone num- The grand Olympic Stadium was designed Amstelveen.
pool suitable for wading, sports facilities bers for customers. by Jan Wils, a protégé of famous architect
and even child care. The aesthetic of sur- HP Berlage, and is functionalist in style. The
rounding Westerpark goes from urban plan to AMSTELPARK Map pp58-9 arena was built for the 1928 summer Olym- LIVING TOMORROW PAVILION
reedy wilderness, with marshes and shallow Europaboulevard; h8am-dusk pic Games, and has a soaring tower from %203 04 00; www.livtom.com; De Entrée 300,
waterfalls. South of the ringway, in the suburb of which the Olympic Flame burned for the Amsterdam-Zuidoost; adult/child under 10yr/
Inside the main buildings you’ll find Buitenveldert, lies the vast Amstelpark, first time during competition. The stadium student & child 10-12yr €11.50/free/9; hby
cinemas, cafés, restaurants, nightspots and grounds of an international flower show is classified as a national monument; today reservation
creative office spaces. Watch for events in in 1972. The park is a paradise for kids, it hosts sporting events and concerts. A bathroom mirror that displays the latest
the Westergasterras (p197), a slick, postindus- with a petting zoo, minigolf, pony rides Much of the housing in southwest news? Or a smart washing machine that
trial party venue. and a playground. In summer a miniature Amsterdam originates from the time of keeps your red socks out of a white load?
train chugs its way around the park. Other the 1928 Games. Many of the streets and These are just a couple of the innovations
HET SCHIP HOUSING ESTATE attractions include rose and rhododendron squares in the area bear Greek names like on display at the Living Tomorrow Pavil-
Map pp58-9 gardens, and art exhibitions are held in the Olympiaplein and Herculesstraat. ion, a shoe-shaped home and office of
%418 28 85; www.hetschip.nl; Spaarndammer- Glazen Huis (Glass House), the Orangerie Trams 16 and 24 go from Centraal Sta- the future. A spate of companies (among
plantsoen 140; adult/student/senior €5/2/2.75; and the Papillon Gallery. tion direct to the stadium. others, Phillips, 3M and HP) show off their
h1-5pm Thu-Sun Just outside the south edge of the park applications in a living and working en-
This remarkable housing estate (1920) is you’ll see the Riekermolen. In a field south- AMSTERDAMSE BOS Map pp58-9 vironment. The curiously beautiful shape
a flagship of the Amsterdam School of west of the mill you’ll find a statue of a Amsterdam Woods; %visitors centre 545 61 00; of the building itself comes from the idea
architecture (p51), and is located west of sitting Rembrandt, who made sketches www.amsterdamsebos.nl; Bosbaanweg 5; admis- of an object turned inside-out. Visits are
Amsterdam harbour. The triangular block, here along the riverbank. sion free; hvisitors centre 8.30am-5pm by reservation only, and 1½ hour tours
loosely resembling a ship, was designed To get there, take the metro to Amster- The product of a 1930s make-work pro- in both English and Dutch take place on
by Michel de Klerk for railway employees. dam RAI or tram 4. gramme, this woody recreation area a few Saturday.
130 131
lonelyplanet.com

FURTHER AFIELD
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
Ὀ
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
ὈὈ
of the 20th century (and outmoded by the west bank of the Noordhollands Kanaal. Do a loop

lonelyplanet.com
VILLAGES OF THE AMSTEL 1920s). Here you rejoin the Amstel and turn onto and over the second bridge, continue
Ri
ng
KRÖLLER-MÜLLER MUSEUM we right (north), following the bank back toward along the east bank for a few hundred metres

Nieuwe Utrech
Amstelpark g
1 START Zu
%0318-591 627; www.hogeveluwe.nl; De Hoge END
id Amstelveen. and turn right under the freeway and along
Veluwe National Park; park only adult/child Nieuwendammerdijk past the Vliegenbos
€7/3.50, park & museum adult/child €14/7, car Am 6 Nes aan de Amstel Just north of here, the camping ground. Follow Schellingwouder-

ts
ste

ewe
surcharge €6; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun l village of Nes aan de Amstel, across the river, has dijk under the two major road bridges, when

g
Nestled within the Netherlands’ largest N521 A2 some delightful café-filled wooden terraces – it becomes Durgerdammerdijk, and you’re
park, this delightful museum was once E35 admire them from a distance, as there’s no on your way.
owned by Anton and Helene Kröller- bridge close by.
Müller, a wealthy German-Dutch couple. 2 Durgerdam The pretty town of Durgerdam,
He wanted hunting grounds, she wanted a 0 2 km 7 Amstelpark Crossing north under the spread along the dyke, looks out across the
museum site – they got both. 0 1 mile
A9, the final leg of the journey provides a water to IJburg, a major land-reclamation
The museum has works by Picasso, Gris, view of the modern skyline of Amsterdam- project with thousands of new homes. Fur-
N522
Renoir, Sisley and Manet, but it’s the Van Zuidoost. An interesting diversion takes you ther north, the dyke road passes several lakes
Gogh collection that makes it world-class. across the bridge at Ouderkerk to the west and former sea inlets – low-lying, drained
2 Ouderkerk peat lands that are now key breeding sides
It’s about 10km into the park. There’s also an aan de Amstel
bank and around the fringes of the green
evocative sculpture garden behind the museum. Amstelland area, with oodles of all-too-cute for birds, among them plovers, spoonbills and

Bul
A9
Ticket booths at each of the three Mo herons. Climb the dyke at one of the vantage

lewijk
tor
wa
y
garden allotments. The Amstelpark lies just
entrances (Hoenderloo, Otterlo and to the north. points for sweeping views to both sides.
Rijzenburg) provide basic information and Ri
ve
r
useful maps. By car, take the A10 ring road
l
ste A DAM GOOD BIKE RIDE CYCLE FACTS
Am 3
to the A1 towards Amersfoort and Apel-
doorn. Exit at Exit 19 (N304) and follow the Start Noordhollands Kanaal
signs. Trains to Apeldoorn (single/return Cycling Tour

Waver River
End Noordhoolands Kanaal
€13/23.10) take just over one hour, plus a 4
1 Noordhollands Kanaal Take the free Distance 55km
NEIGHBOURHOODS FURTHER AFIELD

NEIGHBOURHOODS FURTHER AFIELD

20-minute bus ride from the train station De Ronde Buiksloterweg ferry from behind Centraal Sta- Duration Seven to 10 hours
Hoep tion across the IJ, then continue 1km along the
into the park.

0 5 km
VILLAGES OF THE AMSTEL A DAM GOOD BIKE RIDE 0 3 miles
Nes aan de
Amstel er Volendam
Riv
Cycling Tour 6 5

1Amstelpark Leave from the Amstelpark (p130),

a pretty municipal park about 300m south of
er
av

the A10 motorway, which has a rose garden, e

Oud Wa
W

v
an open-air theatre and several cafés. Note 5
er

that cycling isn’t allowed in the park.

N235
2 Ouderkerk aan de Amstel A couple of WATERLAND Marken

kilometres south, along the quiet east bank of

CYCLE FACTS Monnickendam
6
4

Noordhollands Kanaal
the Amstel, is Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, a pretty, Start Amstelpark N247
affluent village (actually a few centuries older End Amstelpark
than Amsterdam) with plenty of riverside Distance 30km Watergang
cafés and handsome houses. Duration Three to four hours 8 Broek in Waterland
7
Zuiderwoude

3 Bullewijk River At Ouderkerk, cross the area drained by settlers about 1000 years ago. Het Schouw
bridge over the Bullewijk River and turn left (east) It attracts many birds, oblivious to Amster- Uitdam
3
opposite the ancient Jewish cemetery, follow- dam’s skyscrapers looming in the distance.
ing the right bank of the Bullewijk. You pass The Waver narrows and becomes the Oude ZUNDERDORP
aal

jk
rdi
under the A9 motorway, and 1km further A10 me
Kan

Waver, and when you come to the two hand- S116

Ui
tdam Markermeer
on, at a spot with a pleasant restaurant, the
nds

operated bridges, you’ll clearly see that the

olla

Nieuwendammerdijk
Waver River comes in from the right (south) – land is below water level.
rdh

Schellingwouderdijk
follow that.
Noo

1 Vliegenbos
END Durgerdammerdijk
5 Bunker At the southern end of the route Camping Ground
4 De Ronde Hoep You’ll have great views lies a squat riverside bunker, one of 38 defen-
START
Het IJ 2
Durgerdam
of De Ronde Hoep, a wild, sparsely populated peat sive forts built around Amsterdam at the turn Centraal Station

132 133
lonelyplanet.com

3 Uitdam The road – now called Uit- 6 Monnickendam Head south along the

lonelyplanet.com
dammerdijk – passes the town of Uitdam, sea dyke towards Monnickendam, with its many
whose 160 inhabitants can usually be found old fishing homes and 15th-century church.
near the yacht harbour, the campground or About 1.5km south of Monnickendam, turn
the swimming pool, as there’s not much else right (southwest) towards Zuiderwode.
goin’ down.
7 Broek in Waterland Continue to Broek in
4 Marken Take the road leading right Waterland, a pretty hamlet with homes painted
(east) and proceed along the causeway to the a particular shade of grey, ‘Broeker grijs’, after
former island of Marken, a one-time fishing the landscapes painted here by Claude Monet
community in a startlingly isolate setting, and others. Then cycle along the south bank
with houses on piles. of the Broekervaart canal towards Het Schouw
on the Noordhollands Kanaal.
5 Volendam From Marken, take the sum-
mer ferry (one-way adult/child €4.25/3.25, 8 Watergang Bird-watchers may want
30 minutes, 11am to 6pm, every 30 to 45 to head up the east bank towards Watergang
minutes mid-March through October) to and its bird sanctuary. Otherwise, cross the
Volendam. This picturesque fishing port has Noordhollands Kanaal (the bridge is slightly
reinvented itself as a tourist town, but the to the north) and follow the west bank back
back streets behind the harbour hold the down to Amsterdam Noord; it’s straight ped-
most charm. alling all the way to the ferry that takes you
back to Centraal Station.
NEIGHBOURHOODS FURTHER AFIELD

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
134 135
© Lonely Planet Publications

S H O PPI N G

Concerto (p150)
The place for settling many a musical score.
Noordermarkt (p151)
For art, antiques and assorted whatnots.
American Book Center (p137)
From art to Zen, all titles in English.
Droog Design (p142)
In Dutch, that means sizzling interiors.
Bloemenmarkt (p150)
Bag your beautiful bloomin’ bulbs here.
Puccini Bomboni (p142)
Sweet-smelling instruments of death by chocolate.
Santa Jet (p148)
How ‘bout a grinning skull for someone you love?
Eva Damave (p143)
Tempting togs by a funky and unique stylist.
Miauw (p146)
Stock up on threads for all your nine lives.
Concrete (p139)
Where photos meet fashion under one roof.
 lonelyplanet.com
S H O PPI N G A SHOPPER’S GLOSSARY
Virtually any sales clerk you meet in Amsterdam will speak English, but to make things quick, here’s a short list of
words you’re likely to encounter on signage:
Amsterdam was once the warehouse of the world, stuffed with riches from the far corners of kassa – cashier
the earth. The Dutch empire has gone the way of the dodo, but vendors here still have a knack kassakorting – discount taken at register
of bringing you rare, exotic or just plain wacky goods. Sure, you may be able to find glowing korting – discount, as in ‘25% korting’
Mexican shrines or banana-flavoured condoms back home, but Amsterdam has entire shops
laatste dagen – final days
devoted to such items.
Some popular gifts include tulip bulbs, rounds of Gouda cheese and bottles of jenever (Dutch opruiming, uitverkoop – clearance sale
gin). Fantastic bargains are rare, but it’s worth chasing photographic art, recorded music, vintage soldes or sale – sale
and Dutch designer clothing, diamonds and antiquarian books. For a souvenir of quality, try a tot or t/m– up to, as in ‘tot 50% korting’
Delft blue vase – or a custom-made bong. There’s definitely something for everyone.
vanaf or va – literally ‘and up’, as in ‘€20 va’ (€20 and up). Note that this can be a clever ploy in which, for example,
The Dutch have mastered the art of casual fashion, and it streams right out of the no-nonsense
a clothing rack marked ‘€10 va’ includes just a few items at that price – the rest can be much higher.
side of the national character. The result is simple, affordable and practical designs that don’t
get caught in the spokes.
The best shops are in charming canal houses on cobblestone streets, in a village-like ambience.
The Negen Straatjes area has the best boutiques. But Amsterdam also has wonderful outdoor CITY CENTRE
The old core contains Amsterdam’s greatest
cheerful, helpful staff. The separate news-
agency on the corner is your best choice for
markets, from Waterlooplein’s vast fleamarket to more intimate, low-key venues where organic international newspapers and magazines.
produce, spices and flowers are sold from carts on tree-lined squares. stock of emporia, from multilevel department
stores to vendors of your favourite boudoir AU BOUT DU MONDE Map pp62-5 Books
duds. In Nieuwmarkt, much of the action takes
SHOPPING STREETS CONSUMER TAXES place at the Waterlooplein flea market, but veer %625 13 97; Singel 313; hMon-Sat
From angels to Zen, this tranquil two-storey
You won’t find any huge shopping malls in The Dutch abbreviation for value-added tax away and you’ll discover home-grown shops
town, but you can scratch the chain-store is BTW, and it’s calculated into the purchase shop stocks books on Eastern and Western
that are much sweeter and more low-key.
itch on Nieuwendijk and in the Magna Plaza price. The standard rate of BTW is 19% (20% philosophy, Tibetan Buddhism, Freud, alter-
from 2009), while a reduced rate of 6% applies native medicine and pretty much anything
shopping gallery; the department and clothing
stores of busy Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat on certain items such as groceries and books. MEDIEVAL CENTRE else for your religious, psychological or
spiritual needs.
are a little more upscale. Fancy PC Hooftstraat Provided you are not a citizen of the European HERMAN BROOD GALERIE
is for major fashion brands like Chanel, Louis Union, and you are buying expensive items Map pp62-5 Art & Antiques
Vuitton and Gucci. that you will export from the EU within three %623 37 66; Spuistraat 320 WATERSTONE’S Map pp62-5 Books
months, you may be entitled to a refund of the
SHOPPING SHOPPING STREETS

SHOPPING CITY CENTRE

The most satisfying browsing is among the This gallery is dedicated to Herman Brood, %638 38 21; Kalverstraat 152
pint-sized boutiques of the Negen Straatjes tax, minus a service fee. Amsterdam’s legendary rocker and club Four storeys and a central location near
(Nine Alleys), within the Western Canal Belt. The store must subscribe to the Global promoter (1946–2001) who shone brightly the Spui make Waterstone’s a great re-
The Jordaan bristles with quirky shops and Refund system (look for the sticker in the before crashing big-time on drugs and source for English-language books (often
galleries, while antique and art buffs head window), your purchase there must total at alcohol. His oil paintings are upstairs from discounted). There’s an emphasis on
for the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat in the Southern least €50 in a single day, and you must request the busy Café Dante. travel guides, magazines, newspapers and
a Global Refund cheque at the time. novels.
Canal Belt.
If you are departing the EU from Schiphol
airport, present your goods along with your AMERICAN BOOK CENTER
Map pp62-5 Books PINOKKIO Map pp62-5 Children’s
OPENING HOURS receipt, passport, air ticket and your Global
Refund cheque at the Global Refund office in %625 55 37; www.abc.nl; Spui 12 %622 89 14; www.pinokkio.net; Magna Plaza,
Generally, shops are open between 9am and Recently relocated here, this excellent five- Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182
Terminal 3. You can receive cash, a credit to
6pm Tuesday to Saturday, with the exception your credit card or a bank cheque. storey store is the biggest source of English- This pleasant shop stocks wooden and
of Thursday, with late-night shopping until If you leave the EU from another airport, language books in Amsterdam. Its greatest educational toys, rocking horses, wooden
9pm. Monday tends to have shorter hours, inquire locally, but generally you must take strengths are in the artsy ground-floor vehicles, replica canal houses, mobiles and,
from noon till 6pm, while shops in the Canal your goods and documents to customs for department, but upstairs there’s fiction and of course, lots of Pinocchio dolls. Since this
Belt areas are generally open 1pm to 6pm authorisation. oodles of special-interest titles, plus a good is Holland, there’s also a Miffy section.
Sunday. Art galleries keep limited hours and travel-guidebook section. It also stocks for-
are often only open afternoons from Wednes- eign periodicals (eg the New York Times). C&A Map pp62-5 Clothing
day to Sunday. Shops selling smart drugs tend BARGAINING %530 71 50; Beurspassage 2
to stay open into the evenings. Where hours For a nation of born traders the Dutch don’t ATHENAEUM BOOKSHOP & There’s little that’s fancy about this Euro-
vary significantly from these opening times, haggle much, if only because most retailers NEWSAGENCY Map pp62-5 Books chain (what’s a designer brand?), but it’s a
we’ve noted it in individual listings. Note, aren’t set up for it. Flea-markets, art galleries %622 62 48; Spui 14-16 fine choice if you need inexpensive knocka-
however, that many shops operate on limited and antique shops are among the few places This multilevel store on the square has a vast bout clothes. Choose carefully and you may
schedules during summer holidays. where you’ll be tempted to try. array of both usual and unusual books and even find some wares with style.
136 137
lonelyplanet.com

H&M Map pp62-5 HEMA Map pp62-5 beer), Belgian Kriek and Great Divide Yeti AMSTERDAM PHOTOGRAPHY

lonelyplanet.com
Clothing Department Store
%624 06 24; Kalverstraat 125 %638 99 63; Nieuwendijk 174 Imperial Stout, to name a few. It also carries Map pp62-5 Photography
This fashion chain store has up-to-the- What used to be the nation’s equivalent of beer glasses, and ships worldwide. %621 12 56; www.scotteggert.com; Nieuwezijds
minute clothes for all ages at several Marks & Spencer or Woolworths has under- Voorburgwal 114; hnoon-8pm
locations. You may find higher quality gone a facelift and now attracts as many DE BIERKONING Map pp62-5 Food & Drink Classic and experimental shots of Amster-
elsewhere, but prices are remarkably low. design aficionados as bargain hunters. Ex- %625 23 36; Paleisstraat 125 dam at its most photogenic, especially at
pect low prices, reliable quality and a wide Beer. Just beer. Some 950 varieties includ- night. Photos can be printed up to A2 size,
UNIVERSITY SHOP Map pp62-5 Clothing range of products, including good-value ing hundreds from Belgium, Germany, Brit- matted and framed. Its congenial owner,
%525 36 55; Spui 23 wines and delicatessen goods. ain and, of course, Holland – plus glasses, Scott from New York, is happy to mail your
The University of Amsterdam has a lovely mugs and books on home brewing. It’s cen- choice home.
logo, and you can wear it on your lovely MAISON DE BONNETERIE trally located right near the Royal Palace, so
person with T-shirts or sweatshirts, or carry it Map pp62-5 Department Store you have no excuse not to go. CONCRETE Map pp62-5 Photography/Fashion
around on book bags or bottle openers. %531 34 00; Rokin 140 %0900 262 73 83; www.concrete.nl; Spuistraat 250
Exclusive and classic clothes for the whole LE CELLIER Map pp62-3 Food & Drink Part exhibition space showing rotating exhi-
DE BIJENKORF Map pp62-5 Department Store family are featured here. Men are particu- %638 65 73; Spuistraat 116 bitions of adventurous photography, graph-
%621 80 80; Dam 1 larly well catered for with labels like Ralph You’ll find a splendid selection of Dutch ics and illustration, and part cool clothes
The city’s most fashionable department Lauren and Armani, best purchased during jenevers, absinthe, spirits and liqueurs, a store. Features floating racks of zany Walter
store in the highest-profile location, facing the brilliant 50%-off sales, but there is still super range of Old and New World wines van Beirendonck T-shirts and jeans, Dutch
the Royal Palace, it has a small restaurant plenty for the ladies. Note the amazing and around a hundred beers. labels Razk and D-Cent, plus interesting
or snack bar on each floor. Design-con- chandeliers and beautiful glass cupola. gear from Maharishi, Obey, Buddhist Punk,
scious shoppers will enjoy the well-chosen BEAUFORT Map pp62-5 Jewellery Michiko Koshino, Homecore and Minus Ung.
clothing, toys, household accessories and VROOM & DREESMANN %625 91 31; www.beaufortsieradenl.nl;
books. Map pp62-5 Department Store Grimburgwal 11; hTue-Sat KALVERTOREN SHOPPING CENTRE
%622 01 71; Kalverstraat 201 Exquisite handcrafted contemporary jewel- Map pp62-5 Shopping Centre
Slightly more upmarket than Hema, this na- lery is created on site; many of the pieces www.kalvertoren.nl; Singel 457
CLOTHING SIZES tional chain is popular for its clothing and combine silver and gold. The necklaces and This popular, modern shopping centre con-
cosmetics. Its fabulous cafeteria, La Place, rings are particularly beautiful. tains Vroom & Dreesmann, a small Hema,
Women’s clothing serves well-priced, freshly prepared salads, and big-brand fashion stores like Replay,
Aus/UK 8 10 12 14 16 18 hot dishes and pastries. BLUE NOTE Map pp62-5 Music Quiksilver, Levi’s, Timberland and DKNY.
Europe 36 38 40 42 44 46
%428 10 29; Gravenstraat 12
Japan 5 7 9 11 13 15 FEMALE & PARTNERS This is the place for jazz in Amsterdam. MAGNA PLAZA Map pp62-5 Shopping Centre
USA 6 8 10 12 14 16 Map pp62-5 Erotica/Clothing %626 91 99; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182
SHOPPING CITY CENTRE

SHOPPING CITY CENTRE

You’ll find a wide range of artists – Dutch,
Women’s shoes %620 91 52; www.femaleandpartners.nl; European and American – as well as This grand 19th-century landmark building,
Aus/USA 5 6 7 8 9 10 Spuistraat 100 Japanese pressings, lounge music, and a once the main post office, is now home to
Europe 35 36 37 38 39 40 Everything you need for your inner domi- few listening decks. a marvellous upmarket shopping mall with
France only 35 36 38 39 40 42 natrix…or the one who’s waiting for you at over 40 stores stocking fashion, gifts and
Japan 22 23 24 25 26 27 home. Female & Partners is filled with cloth- FAME MUSIC Map pp62-5 Music jewellery – everything from Mango and
UK 3½ 4½ 5½ 6½ 7½ 8½ ing, undies, leather and toys for women and Sissy Boy to Pinokkio.
%638 25 25; Kalverstraat 2-4
those who love them. Thank goodness men This megastore has an enormous number
Men’s clothing aren’t the only ones who get to have fun! of titles with broad (and mainstream) CHILLS & THRILLS Map pp62-5 Smart Drugs
Aus 92 96 100 104 108 112 %638 00 15; Nieuwendijk 17
collections of pop, jazz and classical CDs,
Europe 46 48 50 52 54 56 LAUNDRY INDUSTRY Map pp62-5 Fashion Always packed with tourists straining to hear
DVDs and videos. It also sells tickets to
Japan S M M L each other over thumping techno music,
%420 25 54; www.laundryindustry.com; Spui 1 big concerts. Sale prices can be quite
UK/USA 35 36 37 38 39 40 Hip, urban types head here for well-cut, this busy shop sells herbal trips, E-testing
reasonable.
Men’s shirts (collar sizes) well-designed clothes by this Dutch design kits, psychoactive cacti, amino-acid and vita-
Aus/Japan 38 39 40 41 42 43 house. Watch glamorous couples coveting RITUALS Map pp62-5 Perfume & Cosmetics min drinks, novelty bongs and life-size alien
Europe 38 39 40 41 42 43 soft leather coats and perfectly fitted suits. sculptures. Check out the minivaporiser, a
%344 92 22; Kalverstraat 73 smoke-free way to consume grass.
UK/USA 15 15½ 16 16½ 17 17½ There’s another branch at Magna Plaza, but The flagship store of this heavenly brand
the Spui location is the main store. (now a successful global franchise) turns
Men’s shoes
out sublime products focused on enliven- INNERSPACE Map pp62-5 Smart Drugs
Aus/UK 7 8 9 10 11 12 CRACKED KETTLE Map pp62-5 Food & Drink ing everyday cleaning, refreshing, relaxing %624 33 38; www.innerspace.nl; Spuistraat 108
Europe 41 42 43 44½ 46 47 Known for good service and information,
Japan 26 27 27½ 28 29 30 %624 07 45; www.crackedkettle.nl; Raamstreeg 3 and energising rituals – from bathing to
Cheers! Run by a couple of home brewers, washing the dishes. We especially love its this large shop started as a supplier to large
USA 7½ 8½ 9½ 10½ 11½ 12½ parties, and now the shop sells herbal
this delightful shop stocks about 80 Dutch Rice Scrub, Hammam Body Mud and Lotus
Measurements approximate only, try before you buy beers as well as German Rauchbier (smoked Massage Oil. ecstasy, psychoactive plants and cacti. True

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to its origins, it’s also a good place for party are hilarious, adorable and very colourful: HANS APPENZELLER Map pp62-5 been selling medicinal herbs, homeopathic

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Jewellery
info and tickets. ladies lunching, beach scenes, chocolates, %626 82 18; www.appenzeller.nl; Grimburgwal 1; remedies and natural cosmetics since 1743.
and cheeses. You can custom order as well. hTue-Sat You can also get teas and seasonings for
MAGIC MUSHROOM GALLERY Appenzeller is one of Amsterdam’s leading chicken or fish.
Map pp62-5 Smart Drugs FAIR TRADE SHOP Map pp62-5 Speciality Shop designers in gold and stone, known for the
%427 57 65; www.magicmushroom.com; %625 22 45; Heiligeweg 45 simplicity and strength of his designs. If his PO CHAI TONG
Spuistraat 249 This charity shop features quality, stylish sparse work is not to your taste, all along Map pp62-5 Alternative Medicine
The nifty bubble-glass displays will put products including clothes, toys, CDs and the same street is a row of jewellery shops %428 49 56; Waterlooplein 13; hMon-Sat
ceramics from developing countries. The of all kinds. If nothing seems to take away your stress,
the zap on your head even before you buy
anything. The cool, open-plan ‘gallery’ has company works directly with producers and fatigue or jet lag, pay a visit to Dr Kai
the best choice of ’shroom products and provides ongoing business training. ABSOLUTE DANNY Map pp62-5 Sex Shop Zhang’s kindly Chinese herbal-medicine
%421 09 15; www.absolutedanny.com; Oudezijds and acupuncture shop. It’s far from fancy,
souvenirs in town. Feel free to wobble the
Achterburgwal 78 but clients have included opera singers and
garden swing while you nurse a smart
drink, or wait for the herbal XTC to kick in.
RED LIGHT DISTRICT Named by Dutch Playboy as Amsterdam’s conductors from the nearby Stopera.
ANTIQUARIAAT KOK Map pp62-5 Books classiest sex shop, Absolute Danny special-
%623 11 91; www.nvva.nl; Oude Hoogstraat 14-18 ises in fetish clothing, lingerie and leather, TYPO GALLERY Map pp62-5 Art
BAZAR Map pp62-5 Souvenirs
A wide and engaging range of used and plus hard-core videos and dildos just for fun. %623 85 52; www.ewaldspieker.nl; Groenburgwal
%638 44 04; Nieuwendijk 128 antiquarian stock (literature, coffee-table 63; hring for opening hours
If you collect kitsch souvenirs or want to books, old prints etc) is sold here, including KOKOPELLI Map pp62-5 Smart Drugs A peek inside the artistic mind of Ewald
buy the boys on the bucks’ night some gifts biology, art and architecture titles. %421 70 00; www.consciousdreams.nl; Spieker, who creates graphic art out of
(so they don’t go blabbing back home), Warmoesstraat 12 typography. He’s been exhibited all over
then this is the place to head for the widest Were it not for its main trade, you might and published books of his work. Just a few
range of ridiculous tourist trinkets – every-
WONDERWOOD of his works are for sale; the red ‘YES’ made
Map pp62-5 Design & Homewares swear this large, beautiful space was a fash-
thing from rude-shape egg fryers to fluffy ionable clothing or homewares store. In addi- of stacks of cardboard had our name writ-
clog slippers. %625 37 38; www.wonderwood.nl; Rusland 3; ten all over it.
tion to mushrooms and smart drugs, there’s
hnoon-6pm Wed-Sat & by appt an art gallery, internet facilities, books and a
Head here for originals or reproductions of
3-D HOLOGRAMMEN ’40s and ’50s Dutch furniture design. Classics
chill-out lounge area overlooking Damrak. BOOK EXCHANGE Map pp62-5 Books
Map pp62-5 Speciality Shop include the T46 coffee table by Hein Stolle, %626 62 66; Kloveniersburgwal 58
%624 72 25; Grimburgwal 2; hnoon-6pm Tue- works by Gijs Bakker and Han Pieck, and the CONDOMERIE HET GULDEN VLIES Near the university, this rabbit warren
Fri, noon-5.30pm Sat, 1-5.30pm Sun & Mon box chair, which folds up into its own box – Map pp62-5 Speciality Shop features four rooms of secondhand books,
This fascinating (and trippy) collection of %627 41 74; www.condomerie.nl; Warmoesstraat with temptingly priced occult, sci-fi and
you can actually ship it with your luggage!
holographic pictures, jewellery and stickers 141; hMon-Sat detective novels, many of them in English.
SHOPPING CITY CENTRE

SHOPPING CITY CENTRE

will delight even the most jaded peepers. Where the well-dressed Johnson shops.
GEELS & CO Map pp62-5 Food & Drink Perfectly positioned for the Red Light NIJHOF & LEE Map pp62-5 Books
%624 06 83; Warmoesstraat 67; hMon-Sat District, this boutique stocks hundreds of
BLOND Map pp62-5 Speciality Shop %620 39 80; www.nijhoflee.nl; Staalstraat 13a;
Operating from this aromatic store for over types of condoms, lubricants and saucy hTue-Sat
%06 2468 4086; www.blond-amsterdam.nl; 140 years, this distinguished tea-and-coffee gifts. Some of the condoms are decorated Design fans will want to head here for a
Singel 369; hTue-Sat merchant also sells chocolate, teapots and like minitropical scenes, or may remind you swell selection of international architecture,
Actual blondes Femque and Janneke coffee plungers. Be sure to visit the interest- of your favourite cartoon character. art and typography books and posters in
glaze plates and dishes in designs that ing little museum (h2-4.30pm Tue & Sat) upstairs. an intimate but contemporary setting. One
HIMALAYA Map pp62-5 Speciality Shop wall boasts a substantial selection of well-
%626 08 99; www.himalaya.nl; Warmoesstraat priced remainders.
SMART SHOPS & ’SHROOMS 56; hMon-Sat
Just as raves and house music were hitting Amsterdam in the early 1990s, smart-drug shops began popping up all What a surprise: a peaceful, New Age oasis DE BEESTENWINKEL Map pp62-5 Children’s
over town and filling a retail niche for New Age and designer drugs. Mostly funky but occasionally quite swanky, these in the Red Light District. Stock up on crys- %623 18 05; Staalstraat 11; hTue-Sun
vendors now stock a wild array of hallucinogens such as herbal joints, seeds (poppy, marijuana, psychoactive), mood tals, incense and oils, ambient CDs and From teeny tiny teddy bears to pink plastic
enhancers and aphrodisiacs, both organic and synthetic in origin. Like marijuana in Dutch coffeeshops, these soft drugs books on the healing arts, then visit the pig snouts, this pleasantly crowded shop
are perfectly legal to buy over the counter in Amsterdam, if not for you to take back home. lovely tearoom. sells de best (best) of de beesten (animals).
That said, the days may be numbered for magic mushrooms, or at least ones sold legally. Named for the psychotropic Other bests: plush toys from great toy-
chemicals psilocybin and psilocin, these fungi have been blamed for a recent series of high-profile incidents involving makers, lamps in animal shapes, and lots of
tourists, including the death of a French schoolgirl who jumped from an Amsterdam bridge after eating the plants. NIEUWMARKT plastic reptiles.
As we went to press, the Dutch government had called for a ban on magic mushrooms, and barring a last-minute JACOB HOOY & CO
compromise  such as stiffer controls on buyers, as proposed by Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen  smart shops will take Map pp62-5 Alternative Medicine KNUFFELS Map pp62-5 Children’s
’shrooms off their shelves in 2008. %624 30 41; Kloveniersburgwal 12; hMon-Sat %623 06 32; St Antoniesbreestraat 39-51
Whatever mind-bending products you do pick up in a smart shop, ask what dosage to consume and what to expect This charming chemist’s shop – with its Avert the kids’ eyes or they will be drawn
from your trip, and staff should be eager to put you on the right plane. walls of massive, wooden drawers – has by the irresistible force of bobbing mobiles

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from the ceiling of this busy corner shop. ‘T KLOMPENHUISJE Map pp62-5 HUG GALLERY FOR INTERNATIONAL MECHANISCH SPEELGOED

lonelyplanet.com
Souvenirs
Adults, too, may be drawn in by the soft %622 81 00; Nieuwe Hoogstraat 9a; hMon-Sat PHOTOGRAPHY Map p86 Art Gallery Map p86 Children’s
toys, puppets, beautiful mobiles, teddies Reasonably priced and finely crafted, %489 42 40; www.hughug.info; 1e %638 16 80; Westerstraat 67; hMon, Tue,
and jigsaw puzzles. traditional Dutch clogs are just the thing Tuindwarsstraat 16 Thu-Sat
to potter around the garden in, away from Small but important gallery that attracts This fun shop is crammed full of nostalgic
RIELE Map pp62-5 Clothing & Accessories prying eyes. Good ones are surprisingly some of the top names, especially from toys including snow-domes, glow-lamps,
%623 34 08; St Antoniebreestraat 128; hdaily comfortable. There’s also handmade leather Britain. It’s one of the few galleries that masks, finger puppets and wind-up toys.
Fancy and edgy at the same time, this goods and baby’s woollen slippers. partners with photography museums like And who doesn’t need a good rubber
minimalist space lets the clothes do the Huis Marseille (p95) and FOAM (p99). chicken every once in a while?
talking. Designers include Ines Raspoort JOE’S VLIEGERWINKEL
(Dutch), E Play (Italian), Tone Barker (Dan- Map pp62-5 Speciality Shop KLEURGAMMA Map p86 Art Gallery EVA DAMAVE Map p86 Fashion
ish) and Ghost (British). Accent them with %625 01 39; Nieuwe Hoogstraat 19; hMon-Sat %423 05 03; Hazenstraat 51-55; hMon-Sat %627 73 25; www.evadamave.nl; Lauriersd-
accessories from the Dutch designers Chick Whether you’re after a kite for the kids that In this minimalist space you may find the warsstraat 51c; hWed-Sat
on a Mission. flies in nice patterns, or you’re looking for work of some nearby photographers on the Eva Damave creates funky woollen sweat-
something more exotic, head to this spe- walls, or have your own prints processed. ers and zip jackets with her signature front
cialised kite shop where you can also buy You’ll feel better knowing that the Rijks patchwork panels made up of graphic
DROOG DESIGN
build-it-yourself kits. and Van Gogh Museums get theirs done cotton, silk and wool squares. She only
Map pp62-5 Design & Homewares
here too. produces one-offs or in small series, so
%523 50 59; www.droogdesign.nl; Staalstraat 7b; you’re unlikely to see anyone else wearing
hnoon-6pm Tue-Sun
A relative newcomer on the international
JORDAAN
Shops here have an artsy, eclectic, home-made
TORCH GALLERY Map p86 Art Gallery your woolly knit.
design scene, this slick Amsterdam-based %626 02 84; Lauriergracht 94; hThu-Sat
feel. The area around Elandsgracht is the place Torch, one of Amsterdam’s most cutting- DE BELLY Map p86 Food
firm is already a market leader with inven- for art, particularly photography, and speci-
tions like the 85-lamp chandelier, the cow edge galleries, is proud of its diverse %330 94 83; Nieuwe Leliestraat 174
ality shops from hats to cats. On Haarlem- selection. Around a dozen shows per year This organic supermarket, in the Jordaan
chair, and curtains with dress patterns. merdijk, the extension of Haarlemmerstraat,
There are over 180 products by 100-plus include photography and new media from for over three decades, has a great bak-
lots of new shops have opened to pick up the many countries, and occasional paint- ery and a small but smart selection of
designers. overflow of shoppers. ing and sculpture, from artists like Anton prepared foods, even organic tarts and
Corbijn (whose coverage of U2 was famous) chocolates.
HENXS Map pp62-5 Fashion CLAIRE V Map p86 Accessories and Annie Sprinkle.
%638 94 78; http://shop.henxs.com; St Antonies- %421 90 00; www.clairev.nl; Prinsengracht 234f; ‘T ZONNETJE Map p86 Food
breestraat 136 hMon-Sat ENGLISH BOOKSHOP Map p86 Books
The two tiny floors of this indie clothes The silk handbags, wraps and accessories %623 00 58; Haarlemmerdijk 45; hTue-Sat
%626 42 30; http://shop.englishbookshop.nl; In a space that’s been a teashop since 1642,
SHOPPING JORDAAN

SHOPPING JORDAAN
store are crammed with fave labels of embroidered with patterns and floral
Lauriergracht 71; hTue-Sun you can find teas from all over the world,
skaters and graffiti artists such as Hardcore, designs are gorgeous, but that’s not the
This attractive, canalside shop has a well- coffees and implements, and be waited on
Bombers Best, Evisu and G-Star, along with only reason they’re worthy. Claire’s wares
chosen selection of English-language by a commendably cheerful owner. High
graffiti supplies and edgy accessories. are made at a training centre for Cambo-
biographies, novels and translations of the tea is served upstairs (reserve for large
dian landmine victims, so by shopping here
works of Dutch writers. groups).
PUCCINI BOMBONI Map pp62-5 Food you’ll look good and do good.
%626 54 74; www.puccinibomboni.com; FOTOGRAFIA Map p86 Books HET OUD-HOLLANDSCHE
Staalstraat 17 ROCK ARCHIVE Map p86 Art
%639 39 39; 2e Laurierdwarsstraat 60-64; SNOEPWINKELTJE Map p86 Food & Candy
We’re not the only ones who go gaga %423 04 89; www.rockarchive.com; Prinsengracht
110; hWed-Sat hTue-Sat %420 73 90; Egelantiersdwarsstraat 2
over Puccini’s large, handmade chocolate This classy shop is as simple as a photo This corner shop is lined with jar after
bonbons with rich fillings. Unforgettable The whites are white and the blacks are
black at this professional shop of limited- lab and stocked full of publications featur- apothecary jar of Dutch penny candies with
chocolates include plum, marzipan or the ing the likes of Alfred Stieglitz, Charlotte flavours from chocolate to coffee, all man-
calvados cup. There is another branch at edition rock‘n’roll prints. Robert Plant,
Debbie Harry, Sting and tons of others are Dumas, Rineke Dijkstra and Magritte. ner of fruit and the inscrutable, salty Dutch
Singel 184 (%427 83 41). Note: shops have liquorice known as drop.
been known to close in warm weather – all there to be had for small change, in a
format of your impeccable choice. BROER & ZUS Map p86 Children’s
for the sake of the chocolates, of course. ARNOLD CORNELIS Map p86 Food & Drink
%422 90 02; www.broerenzus.nl; Rosengracht 94;
JOSINE BOKHOVEN Map p86 Art & Antiques hMon-Sat %625 85 85; Elandsgracht 78; hMon-Sat
SEVENTYFIVE Map pp62-5 Shoes Cosy little ‘Bro & Sis’ specialises in Dutch Your dinner hosts will think you’re in the
%623 65 98; www.galeriejosinebokhoven.nl;
%626 46 11; Nieuwe Hoogstraat 24 Prinsengracht 154 designers and fabrics for kids from birth to know if you present them with something
At this true temple to trainers, stimulate Across the canal from the Anne Frank Huis, six years. You can get brands like Kidscase, from this long-standing shop. Just a sam-
your sports-shoe obsession with brands like this friendly gallery features contemporary tiny tops emblazoned with slogans like ‘Mr ple: marzipan fruits, chocolate bonbons
Gola, Diesel, Everlast, Nike and Adidas. Natu- art and the work of emerging young artists, Charming’ and ‘ladykiller’, and wild prints with wasabi (it creeps up on you) and blue
rally, Von Dutch makes an appearance too. including German artist Ralph Fleck. (think Hawaiian shirts). spheres made with Malaga wine. At lunch,

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grab a flaky pastry filled with cheese, meat merchandise need not be kitschy and can Jordaan. The selection is arty, worthwhile and

lonelyplanet.com
or vegetables. There is another branch at even be cool. constantly changing, and lots of cafés mean
Van Baerlestraat 93 (Map p110; %662 12 28). plenty of break time.
CHRISTODOULOU & LAMÉ
JG BEUNE Map p86 Food & Drink Map p86 Speciality Shop KLEIN ANTIEK Map p92 Antiques
%624 83 56; Haarlemmerdijk 156-158 %320 22 69; Rozengracht 42 SHOPPING STRIPS TO WANDER %622 82 61; Gasthuismolensteeg 11; h11am-
This elegant sweet shop with original Handwoven Tibetan silk pillows, velvet Albert Cuypmarkt (p118) Soak up local colour, 6pm Tue-Sat
antique fittings has specialised in pastry throws and hand-beaded saris from this snap up exotic produce. Tiles from tip to toe, including Delft blue, as
and chocolate-making since 1882. Buy a treasure-trove of sumptuous soft furnish- PC Hooftstraat (p109) If you’ve got doubloons well as Dutch pottery, some going back to
box of delicious rich milk chocolates in the ings will transform your home into a plush to spare, this street has the city’s most high-end medieval times. Don’t expect great bargains
shape of Amsterdammertjes, the cast iron sanctuary. It’s a real festival of colours. fashions. (broken pieces sell from €25), but it’s a
bollards around the city that protect you Haarlemmerstraat (Map p92) Head west to this lovely place to shop.
from traffic. DE LACH Map p86 Speciality Shop up-and-coming street for the newest and coolest.
%626 66 25; www.moviepostersdelach.com; 1e Negen Straatjes (p91) Lose yourself in the ‘Nine NIC NIC Map p92 Antiques & Kitsch
GOLDSTRASSE Map p86 Bloemdwarsstraat 14; hTue, Thu-Sat Alleys’, where boutiques specialise in everything
Jewellery %622 85 23; www.nicnicdesign.com;
This eccentric corner shop sells vintage from clothing to art to tempting chocolates. Gasthuismolensteeg 5
%420 20 95; Elandsgracht 89; hWed-Sat
Some 14 designers from the Netherlands, movie posters from all over the world Spiegel Quarter (p107) Hunt for antiques in this A trip here is like a visit to a gallery of 20th-
Germany, Norway, Austria and more (eg the Italian version of Some Like it Hot) quarter in the Southern Canal Belt. century design. Cramped shelves take you
exhibit here. One example is Amsterdam- from €12 to €1000. There’s a mini Walk of from Art Deco to Bauhaus, googie, the ‘70s,
based Marina Alexandre, a jewellery Fame, signed by Dutch stars, on the path NOU MOE STRIPWINKEL The Simpsons and heaven knows what else.
designer and teacher. You’ll see rings in outside. Map p86 Speciality Shop
gold, silver and silicone. Fittingly, since %693 63 45; Lindenstraat 1 MENDO Map p92 Art & Antiques
many of the artists graduated from the INTERNATIONAAL DESIGN CENTRUM This tiny corner shop features Asterix to %612 12 15; Berenstraat 11; hWed-Sun
Rietveld Academy, works here are more Map p86 Speciality Shop Garfield, Tintin to 24 (yes, that 24). More The Mendo ad agency has opened this
like wearable art. %521 87 10; Rozengracht 215-217; hTue-Sat importantly, it sells the merchandise: soft smart, black-walled gallery specialising in
Begun over a century ago, this shop has toys, notebooks, stickers, games, coffee young Dutch painters. Works range from
DISCOSTARS Map p86 Music repped the forefront of Dutch design ever mugs and bedroom slippers. bright to disturbing-but-alluring. It also
%626 11 77; Haarlemmerdijk 86 since – Gispen, Edra and Artifoort – and sells an intriguing selection of art, design,
Both the disco generation and the ‘disco some foreign designers as well. Its affiliate, PETSALON Map p86 Speciality Shop architecture and photography books.
sucks’ generation will enjoy this reposi- De Kasstoor (across the street), applies the %624 73 85; www.petsalon.nl; Hazenstraat 3;
tory of the music of yesteryear. If any of same design concept to kitchens and light- hWed-Sat ARCHITECTURA & NATURA
the names Olivia Newton-John, Engelbert ing (towel hooks are simultaneously slick Map p92 Books
SHOPPING JORDAAN

SHOPPING WESTERN CANAL BELT

In Dutch a pet is a cap, and lifelong milliner
Humperdinck, Paul Young, Celia Cruz, and cute). Ans Wesseling has been designing hats %623 61 86; www.architectura.nl; Leliegracht 22;
Candy Dulfer, Buddy Holly, Yves Montand, from this shop since around 1990. One per- hMon-Sat
Doris Day or Roy Rogers mean anything to KITSCH KITCHEN Map p86 Speciality Shop ennial favourite has an elaborately woven This charming canalside shop has art,
you, you’ll find lots more to like. %622 82 61; www.kitschkitchen.nl; Rozengracht net down the back, which gives new mean- architecture, design, landscape and coffee-
8-12 ing to letting your hair down. Step into his table books. Upstairs, Architectuurantiquariat
LA SAVONNERIE Map p86 Perfumes & Cosmetics You want it flowered, frilly, colourful, over workshop and gasp. Opbouw (Architecture Antique Shop; %638 70 18) has
%428 11 39; www.savonnerie.nl; Prinsengracht the top or just made from plastic? Chances a selection of its namesake.
294; hTue-Sun are you’ll find it here – everything from GALLERIA D’ARTE RINASCIMENTO
Aromatic Savonnerie makes more than 80 handbags to homewares to kiddie toys Map p86 Traditional Souvenirs BOEKIE WOEKIE Map p92 Books
natural soaps on the premises, as well as and doll gowns. Plus lamps, Mexican table- %622 75 09; www.delft-art-gallery.com; %639 05 07; Berenstraat 16; hnoon-6pm Tue-
stocking wonderful varieties from around cloths, pink plastic chandeliers from India Prinsengracht 170 Fri, noon-5pm Sat
the world – from rustic Aleppan olive-oil and, of course, bouquets of plastic flowers. This pretty shop sells Royal Delftware While other shops handle art books, here
soap to gentle Belgian donkey-milk soap. ceramics (both antique and new), all man- they sell books as art, created by artists
There’s an enormous range of loofahs, LA DIABLITA Map p86 Speciality Shop ner of vases, platters, brooches, Christmas specifically for this medium. Some tell sto-
sponges, back-scrubbers and gift-packs. %06 1085 7333; Binnen Oranjestraat 11; hMon ornaments and interesting 19th-century ries (elegantly illustrated, naturally), others
& Wed-Sat wall tiles and plaques. are riffs on graphic motifs; you may want to
CATS & THINGS Map p86 Speciality Shop You’ve got a night on the town and need browse for a long time.
%428 30 28; Hazenstraat 26 sparkly, spangly jewellery, gold sandals,
Head here when the cat (or cat-lover) back
home deserves a souvenir. There’s the
yellow shoes or pink high-tops? This tiny
storefront off the Haarlemmerdijk can help
WESTERN CANAL BELT
You could easily spend all of your shopping
VAN RAVENSTEIN Map p92 Clothing
%639 00 67; Keizersgracht 359
expected assortment of kitty toys, sculp- you. You say you need the same for your time in Amsterdam – indeed all your time in Chic men and women shop here for upmar-
tures, grooming needs, beds and climbers, young daughter? They have a small selec- Amsterdam, period – in the Negen Straatjes ket Dutch and Belgian designers including
but this shop proves that feline-themed tion for her too. (Nine Alleys) in the Canal Belt just east of the Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester,
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Dirk Bikkembergs, Martin Margiela and taken with the groovy tulip-shaped bags MEEUWIG & ZN Map p92 a car get out of traffic). ‘Cooperative’ games

lonelyplanet.com
Food
Viktor & Rolf. from Bali, diaphanous silk shawls and fresh- %626 52 86; Haarlemmerstraat 70; hMon-Sat encourage players to play with, not against,
water pearl necklaces. Fill your own bottle from metal crocks con- each other.
VOLKSBOND SHOP Map p92 Clothing taining over 50 types of olive oil from around
%428 30 72; Haarlemmerstraat 146-148 LADY DAY Map p92 Fashion the world. You’ll also find bottles of gourmet BEADIES Map p92 Jewellery
A relic from the days when Haarlemmer- %623 58 20; Hartenstraat 9 vinegar, mustard, chutney and fresh olives. %428 51 61; Huidenstraat 6
straat was not so chic. Proceeds from sales This is the premier location for unearthing Once the funky jewellery in the window
of used clothing (most items €0.50 to €10) spotless vintage clothes from Holland and UNLIMITED DELICIOUS Map p92 Food draws you in, you’ll find yourself here for
help finance facilities for the homeless: elsewhere. The leather jackets, swingin’ %622 48 29; Haarlemmerstraat 122 hours selecting gorgeous beads, gems,
halfway houses, counselling services and 1960s and ’70s wear, and woollen sailors’ Is it ever! It’s tempting to dive into the gor- charms and trinkets to design your own
the like. coats are well-priced winners. There are geous, sculptural cakes and tarts, but – necklaces and bracelets. Our advice: don’t
also some men’s suits and new shoes. if you can – walk past them to the dozens start from scratch, opt for a variation on
SKINS COSMETICS Map p92 Cosmetics of varieties of chocolates made in-house. Beadies’ fab designs.
%528 69 22; www.skins.nl; Runstraat 9 LAURA DOLS Map p92 Fashion Some of the more outlandish combinations
The Netherlands’ exclusive importer of %624 90 66; www.lauradols.nl; Wolvenstraat 7 (that somehow work) are rosemary sea salt, ZINNE & MINNE Map p92 Sex Shop
special brands of fragrances, cosmetics and Compulsive style-watchers head to this caramel cayenne and Laphroaig whisky. %330 34 82; Wolvenstraat 89
skin-care and beauty products: think Aesop, vintage-clothing store for fur coats, 1920s More standard choices include coffee, nou- Women won’t find this sensual store the
Dyptique, Etro, Laura Mercier and the Art beaded dresses, lace blouses and ’40s gat and our favourite: Ceylon cinnamon. least bit intimidating and its lovely owner,
of Shaving. They also do makeup sessions movie-star accessories like hand-stitched Inez Reijbroek, is happy to help or leave
and facials. leather gloves. DE KAASKAMER Map p92 Food & Drink to browse. Try Geisha’s Secrets, with es-
%623 34 83; Runstraat 7 sential love oils and tickle feathers, or the
FROZEN FOUNTAIN LOCAL SERVICE Map p92 Fashion A small shop with 440 cheeses from around Kamasutra Bedside Box with honey dust
Map p92 Design & Homewares %620 86 38; Keizersgracht 400-402 Europe and Holland, and deli items like and massage oil.
%622 93 75; www.frozenfountain.nl; Prinsen- Media types (male at 400; female at 402) pâté, cured meats and baguettes. At lunch
gracht 629; hMon-Sat hunt here for the latest Paul Smith (Amster- time it does a roaring sandwich trade. ANTONIA BY YVETTE Map p92 Shoes
The city’s best-known showcase of furn- dam’s exclusive dealer for his main line), %627 24 33; www.antoniabyyvette.nl;
iture and interior design. Prices are not and the Ghost, Stone Island and Dreikorn URBAN PICNIC Map p92 Food & Drink Gasthuismolensteeg 12
cheap, but wares are offbeat and very collections. If Sex and the City was shot in Amsterdam,
%320 88 66; www.urbanpicnic.net; Oude
memorable (designer pen-knives, kitchen Spiegelstraat 4 we bet that the girls would spend half their
gadgets). MIAUW Map p92 Fashion Everything you need for a picnic in the park time in this shop. Shoes, boots, sandals and
%422 05 61; www.miauw.com; Hartenstraat 36 or a snack for the train: baskets, plasticware, espadrilles run from supremely classy to
BE INNOCENT Map p92 Fashion just plain fun. There’s also a small section
SHOPPING WESTERN CANAL BELT

SHOPPING WESTERN CANAL BELT

Analik is one of Amsterdam’s edgiest young paper goods, nifty biodegradable wooden
%320 59 87; Oude Spiegelstraat 9 designers. Her latest enterprise, Miauw, is a utensils and, oh yes, the food, like sand- for guys.
Style-savvy fashionistas will be familiar with showcase for her idiosyncratic collections, wiches of smoked Irish salmon with horse-
these Victorian Gothic–inspired frilly baby- and likeminded labels such as Preen, Karen radish cream, or lamb sausage with mustard HESTER VAN EEGHEN Map p92 Shoes
doll dresses from the elegant Gothic Lolita Walker, Kokon to Zai, and Henrick Vibskof. mayo. %626 92 11; www.hestervaneeghen.com;
look of the Japanese Harajuku subculture. It also has changing exhibitions of graphic, Hartenstraat 1; h11am-6pm Tue-Sat
Although it took off in Japan in the ’90s, media, graffiti and conceptual art. NIEUWS Map p92 Gag Gifts Designed in Amsterdam and handcrafted
its recent appropriation by Gwen Stefani is in Italy from fine leather, internationally re-
now popularising it in the West. %627 95 40; Prinsengracht 89
URI DURI Map p92 Fashion A mind-boggling array of kooky trinkets nowned Hester van Eeghen’s unique shoes
%422 94 57; Huidenstraat 30 cram this entertaining store – from quirky are for those who dare to dress their feet
EXOTA Map p92 Fashion South Korean An-Su Kim’s tiny boutique action figures (we love the Crazy Cat Lady, dramatically in bright colours, fur suede,
%620 91 02; www.exota.com; Hartenstraat 10 stocks funky little dresses (little being the the Obsessive Compulsive, Rosie the Riveter and geometric patterns and prints. Her
Head here for hip gear from indie labels key word) in retro fabrics that she de- and Albine Bowler!) to mini patron saints, handbags are just as attention-grabbing.
such as King Louie and Aem Kei to global signs and her mother and sister sew up in foreplay dice and voodoo dolls. Travellers
brands such as Kookai and French Con- Seoul. These sassy numbers you won’t find love the Wash Away Your Sins soap. AMSTERDAM WATCH COMPANY
nection. Also has kitsch accessories such elsewhere are teensy – but they’re worth Map p92 Speciality Shop
as kooky dolly bags by local designer Olga dieting for. GAMEKEEPER Map p92 Games %389 27 89; www.amsterdamwatchcompany.nl;
Harbidge. Hartenstraat 4; hTue-Sat
%638 15 79; Hartenstraat 14
ZIPPER Map p92 Fashion The selection of board games is dizzying, A husband and wife team of watchmakers
FATES Map p92 Fashion %623 73 02; Huidenstraat 7 as is the imagination that went into making restore old watches (postwar to mid-1970s)
%624 05 00; Herenstraat 19 Amsterdam hipsters head here for seriously them. Start with checkers, chess and mah and are the exclusive Amsterdam dealers of
Modern fashion accessories made of natu- nostalgic, retro secondhand gear – wacky jong, and move on to Cathedral (build a city such brands as Germany’s D Dornblüth and
ral materials, from fair-trade studios in India printed shirts, stovepipe jeans, ’40s zoot in the style of the Great Wall of China or the Dutch Christiaan van der Klaauw, who
and Southeast Asia. We were particularly suits, porkpie hats and the like. the souk in Marrakech) or Rush Hour (help makes fewer than 200 watches a year.
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BRILMUSEUM Map p92 faithful prints, books and postcards of REFLEX NEW ART GALLERY SPOILED Map pp100-1

lonelyplanet.com
Speciality Shop Clothing
%421 24 14; www.brilmuseumamsterdam.nl; Amsterdam’s canalscapes (eg images of Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques %626 38 18; Leidsestraat 27
Gasthuismolensteeg 7; hWed-Sat the entire Herengracht or Singel). %423 54 23; www.reflex-art.nl; Weteringschans At this one-stop urban-lifestyle store you’ll
This long-standing shop is an institution, 83; hTue-Sat find labels like Mads Norgaard, Rare, Junk
both for its wares and its presentation. You DECORATIVA Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques This new branch specialising in new art is De Luxe, Skunk Funk, True Religion, Stella
can take in the 700-year history of eye- %320 10 93; Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 9a across the street from the original Reflex. Nova, My Ass, Fred Perry, Tommy Hilfiger
glasses as well as a very 21st-century col- An amazing jumble of European antiques, There’s an emphasis on photography, and and Tiger of Sweden, along with stylish
lection, some of which is pretty outlandish. collectables and weird vintage gifts fills this artists include young up-and-comers like shoes and accessories, cool magazines and
large space. Look up and you’ll even see David La Chapelle, Robin Lowe, Roger Bal- art. You can also throw back an espresso
DE WITTE TANDEN WINKEL paintings on the ceilings. len, Larry Sultan and Nobuyoshi Araki. and get your hair cut.
Map p92 Speciality Shop
%623 34 43; Runstraat 5 EDUARD KRAMER GALERIE LAMBIEK Map pp100-1 Books YOUNG DESIGNERS UNITED
We love shops that are obsessed, and Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques %626 75 43; www.lambiek.nl; Kerkstraat 78; Map pp100-1 Clothing
‘The White-Teeth Shop’ certainly is – with %623 08 32; Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 64 hdaily %626 9191; www.ydu.nl; Keizersgracht 447
dental hygiene. There’s a huge selection Specialising in antique Dutch wall and floor Serious collectors of comics will lose them- Angelika Groenendijk Wasylewski’s
of toothbrushes, toothpastes from around tiles, glass and silver, Eduard Kramer is selves amid tens of thousands of titles boutique is a showcase for young Dutch
the world, brushing accessories you never bursting with vintage homewares. of Dutch and worldwide comic-book art. designers. Check out Suzanne de Jager and
knew you needed and friendly advice. Crumb, Avril and Herriman are just the tip Natasja Leenders’ bold and playful Guten
of the 4000-plus author iceberg. Appetit label, Heidi Long’s striking collec-
EH ARIËNS KAPPERS tion, Marjoleine Innemee’s Asian-inspired
SANTA JET Map p92 Speciality Shop Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques
%427 20 70; Prinsenstraat 7 INTERNATIONAL THEATRE & FILM Minnemee, Ester Peters’ fun Kinky Dream
%623 53 56; www.masterprints.nl; Nieuwe Wear, sexy Amber Rose, and Sarid Khom-
Forgot to pack your love potion? Or fresh Spiegelstraat 32 BOOKS Map pp100-1 Books
out of prayer candles? The interior’s vivid %622 64 89; Leidseplein 26; hMon-Sat noy’s extravagant Amm Couture.
This pretty gallery stocks original prints,
colours alone are worth a visit to this quirky etchings, engravings, lithographs, maps In the Stadschouwburg building, this
shop, as are the Mexican shrines, religious from the 15th to 20th centuries, and Japa- excellent shop is crammed with books on BEBOB DESIGN
icons and Day of the Dead paraphernalia. its namesake subjects, as well as special- Map pp100-1 Design & Homewares
nese woodblock prints.
ity sections on, for example, musicals and %624 57 63; www.bebob.nl; Prinsengracht 764
EPISODE Map p92 Vintage Clothing famous directors. The majority of titles are Lovers of international 20th-century design
JASKI Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques in English. classics – from Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs
%626 46 19; www.episode.eu; Berenstraat 1 %620 39 39; www.jaski.nl; Nieuwe
Visiting rock stars head to Episode to trawl to Isamu Noguchi lampshades – should
Spiegelstraat 27-29 SELEXYZ SCHELTEMA Map pp100-1 Books make this their first stop in Amsterdam.
through two floors of fabulous vintage and
This large, commercial gallery sells paint- While the store arranges shipping, a George
secondhand gear. Most impressive when %523 14 11; Koningsplein 20
SHOPPING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

SHOPPING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

ings, prints, ceramics and sculptures by Nelson ball clock should fit nicely in the
we last dropped in were the seemingly The largest bookshop in town is a true
some of the most famous members of the carry-on.
endless racks of 1970s suede coats, folky department store, with many foreign titles
CoBrA movement (see p36).
peasant blouses, colourful ponchos and and New Age and multimedia sections.
big, bright plastic sunshades. It can be dizzying. Readings and book CORA KEMPERMAN Map pp100-1 Fashion
LIEVE HEMEL Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques launches take place next to the upstairs %625 12 84; Leidsestraat 72
%623 00 60; www.lievehemel.nl; Nieuwe café Kemperman was once a designer with
SOUTHERN CANAL BELT
From sleek Dutch fashion and design to
Spiegelstraat 3
You’ll find magnificent contemporary Dutch
large Dutch fashion houses, but since 1995
CARL DENIG she’s been working on her own empire –
colourful bouquets and rare Dutch jenevers, realist painting and sculpture at this smart Map pp100-1 Camping, Outdoor & Sport now encompassing nine stores, including
the variety of goods on offer in the Southern gallery. It shows works by Dutch painters Ben three in Belgium. Her creations feature
%626 24 36; Weteringschans 113-115; hTue-Sat
Canal Belt is nothing short of staggering. Snijders and Theo Voorzaat, and astounding, Opened in 1912, this is Amsterdam’s old- floaty, layered separates and dresses in
The Nieuwe Spiegelstraat (aka the Spiegel lifelike representations of clothing – hewn est and best outdoor retailer, though you linen, cotton and wool.
Quarter) is celebrated for its antique stores, from wood – by Italian Livio de Marchi. pay for the quality. There are five floors of
bric-a-brac collectibles, tribal and oriental packs, tents, hiking and camping accesso- HANA ZUKI Map pp100-1 Fashion
art, and commercial art galleries. REFLEX MODERN ART GALLERY ries, snowboards and skis. %422 95 63; Vijzelstraat 87
Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques Local designers started this funky boutique-
CITYBOEK Map pp100-1 Art & Antiques %627 28 32; www.reflex-art.nl; Weteringschans TINKERBELL Map pp100-1 Children’s come-studio as a showcase for their cre-
%627 03 49; www.cityboek.nl; Kerkstraat 211; 79a; hTue-Sat %625 88 30; Spiegelgracht 10; hMon-Sat ations and those of their friends. Check
hby appt This prominent gallery, opposite the Ri- The mechanical bear blowing bubbles out Hana Zuki’s own graphic fashion, hip
We normally don’t write up shops selling jksmuseum, is filled with contemporary outside this shop fascinates kids, as do Aiko label, and edgy Phatoak by Dutch
souvenir posters, but this small publish- art and photography, including works by the intriguing technical and scientific toys Natasja van den Elzen, along with illustra-
ing house is an exception, with precisely members of the CoBrA and the Nouveau inside. You’ll also find historical costumes, tions, magazines, Lomos, and Maomaland’s
drawn, multicoloured, architecturally Réaliste movements. plush toys and an entire section for babies. handmade toys.

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LOOK OUT Map pp100-1 on end browsing in here. It’s often cheap,

lonelyplanet.com
Fashion
%625 50 32; www.lookoutmode.com; always interesting and has good listening MARKET WATCH
Utrechtsestraat 91 & 93 facilities.
No visit to Amsterdam is complete if you haven’t experienced one or more of its lively markets. The following are merely
Looking through the racks at these won- a selection. Watch out for pickpockets.
derful neighbouring men’s and women’s GET RECORDS Map pp100-1 Music Albert Cuypmarkt (p118) Exotic goods as well as cheap basics from nations around the globe.
stores is a real delight. Look out for super %622 34 41; Utrechtsestraat 105 Antiques markets Nieuwmarkt (Map pp62-5; h9am-5pm Sun May-Sep); Amstelveld (Map pp100-1;
stylish labels such as Paul Smith, Philoso- This deceptively large store has an eclectic h9am-6pm last Fri of the month in warmer months) There are many genuine articles here and lots of books
phy, Etro, Kenzo, Bruuns Bazaar and Anne- and wide range of rock, folk, country and and bric-a-brac.
mie Verbeke. blues CDs. It’s a decent break from the club Art markets (h10.30am-6pm Sun Mar-Oct) Thorbeckeplein (Map pp100-1); Spui (Map pp62-5) These quiet
music scene. markets, dealing in mostly modern pictorial art, are a bit too modest in scope to yield real finds.
DESHIMA Map pp100-1 Food & Drink Bloemenmarkt (opposite) Amsterdam’s signature flower market.
%625 75 13; Weteringschans 65; hMon-Sat SHOEBALOO Map pp100-1 Shoes Boerenmarkt (Farmers’ Market; h10am-3pm Sat) Noordermarkt (Map p86); Nieuwmarkt (Map pp62-5) Pick up
Downstairs, Deshima is a health-food store %626 79 93; www.shoebaloo.nl; Leidsestraat 10 home-grown produce, organic foods and picnic provisions.
with all sorts of macrobiotic products, but We like the chic shoes here: imports like Book market (Map pp62-5; Oudemanhuispoort; h11am-4pm Mon-Fri) In the old arcade between Oudezijds
upstairs there’s a lovely selection of pre- Fendi, Helmut Lang, Miu Miu and Prada Achterburgwal and Kloveniersburgwal (blink and you’ll miss either entrance), this is the place to find that
pared foods (plates from €8.50 to €10.50) Sport, and the less expensive, but just as 19th-century copy of Das Kapital or a semantic analysis of Icelandic sagas, and some newer books and art prints.
and a few seats for eating in. Try the salads wearable, house label. The branch at PC Hooft- Another book market takes place on the Spui (Map pp62-5; h8am-6pm Fri).
and cooked veggies, cakes and tarts. straat 80 (Map p116; %671 33 10) has one of our De Looier antiques market (Map p86; %624 90 38; Elandsgracht 109; h11am-5pm Sat-Thu) Indoor stalls
favourite interiors in town: imagine a giant selling jewellery, furniture, art and collectibles.
EICHHOLTZ Map pp100-1 Food & Drink spaceship-green tanning bed lined with Lindengracht market (Map p86; Lindengracht; h11am-4pm Sat) General market, very much a local affair.
%622 03 05; Leidsestraat 48 shoe shelves and eggs for you to sit on. Noordermarkt (Map p86; Noorderstraat; h9am-1pm Tue, 9am-6pm Sat) This Jordaan market has a split per-
This small deli is bursting with everything sonality: Tuesdays are for antiques, fabrics and secondhand bric-a-brac, while Saturdays see a delightful farmers
homesick Brits and Americans yearn for, such market with organic produce.
CONSCIOUS DREAMS Plant market (Map pp100-1; Amstelveld; h3-6pm Mon Easter-Christmas) All sorts of living green things, pots
as Oreo cookies, Betty Crocker cake mix, Map pp100-1 Smart Drugs
Heinz baked beans, peanut butter (Skippy, Jif and vases are sold here.
%626 69 07; www.consciousdreams.nl; Kerkstraat Stamp & coin market (Map pp62-5; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 280; h10am-4pm Wed & Sat) This little street-
or Peter Pan!), HP sauce and Bird’s custard. 119 side market, just south of Wijdesteeg, sells stamps, coins and medals.
You can enhance whatever needs enhancing Waterlooplein flea market (Map pp62-5; Waterlooplein; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5.30pm Sat) Amster-
HART’S WIJNHANDEL at Amsterdam’s original smart shop, founded
Map pp100-1 Food & Drink dam’s most famous flea market is full of curios, secondhand clothing, music, electronic stuff slightly on the blink,
in 1993. The enthusiastic staff can explain hardware and cheap New Age gifts.
%623 83 50; Vijzelgracht 27; hTue-Sat everything about trippy herbs, extracts and Westermarkt (Map p86; Westerstraat; h9am-1pm Mon) Cheapish clothes and textiles, some real bargains.
Listen to classical music as you peruse the cacti. There’s a small but excellent book sec-
large selection of jenevers and French and
SHOPPING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

SHOPPING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

tion, club-night flyers and internet facilities.
Italian wines at this peaceful shop. It’s been back in, as do Canada and the USA (ac- adults to babies, and are made by many
around since 1880, and supplies many a BLOEMENMARKT Map pp100-1 Souvenirs companied by a certificate, which will be producers from indigenous weavers to
local restaurant with top tipple. Singel; hclosed Sun winter provided). Japan permits up to 100 certi- large manufacturers.
It’s hard to resist the quivering tulips at fied bulbs, while Australia and New Zealand
CONCERTO Map pp100-1 Music Amsterdam’s signature flower market, near have banned the importation of bulbs VLIEGER Map pp100-1 Speciality Shop
altogether. %623 58 34; Amstel 34
%623 52 28; Utrechtsestraat 52-60 Muntplein. Once you’ve chosen your 10lb
Most excellent. This rambling shop, spread bag of Burning Heart or Queen of Night Since 1869 this two-storey shop has been
over several buildings, has Amsterdam’s bulbs, ask the traders if you can take it AURORA KONTAKT supplying paper to Amsterdam, and not
best selection of new and secondhand back home. Ireland and the UK allow an Map pp100-1 Speciality Shop just any paper: Egyptian papyrus; lush
CDs and records; you could spend hours unlimited number of bulbs to be brought %623 40 62; Vijzelstraat 27-35 handmade papers from Japan, India, Nepal
If your favourite electronic or computer and Guatemala; papers inlaid with flower
gizmo has stopped working, this no- petals or bamboo; and paper textured to
nonsense store can sell you a replacement look like snake skin.
WHERE TO GET YOUR GROOVE ON at competitive prices.
If club music is your thing, you can swing, sway and swap notes with knowledgeable locals at these shops. The chill cat
next to you at the listening booth may be spinning for you that night. Here are just a few of the joints we tested (also HEINEN DELFTWARE
supreme for the latest club and dance-fest info): MARAÑON HANGMATTEN Map pp100-1 Traditional Souvenirs
Map pp100-1 Speciality Shop %627 82 99; www.heinen-delftware.nl;
Back Beat Records (Map p86; %627 16 57; Egelantierstraat 19)
%622 59 38; www.maranon.com; Singel 488 Prinsengracht 440
Boudisque (Map pp62-5; %623 26 93; Haringpakkerssteeg 10-18) Anyone who loves hanging around should With four floors of Delftware, all the major
Killa Cutz (Map pp62-5; %428 40 40; Nieuwe Nieuwstraat 19d) come here and explore Europe’s largest factories are represented and all budgets
Rush Hour Records (Map pp62-5; %427 45 05; Spuistraat 98) selection of hammocks. The colourful catered for (spend about €4 for a spoon,
creations, made of everything from cotton €2600-plus for a replica 17th-century tulip
Wax Well Records (Map p92; %528 68 80; Gasthuismolensteeg 6a) to pineapple fibres, are for everyone from vase).

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BROEKMANS & VAN POPPEL demand. It also sells nongender-specific Labels include fair-trade threads by Fuck

lonelyplanet.com
CHAINS WILL KEEP US TOGETHER Map p110 Music equipment (eg tents). the Fashion, Lazy One, and This is a Story
%679 65 75; www.broekmans.com; Van Baer- by Meike Beckers.
Some shops have several locations around town. For
lestraat 92-94; hMon-Sat MEVIUS & ITALIAANDER
chocolates and ice cream, look out for Australian
Near the Concertgebouw (surprise!), it’s the Map p116 Speciality Shop DE EMAILLEKEIZER Map p119 Home Wares
Homemade Leidestraat 101 (Map pp100-1); Sin-
gel 437 (Map pp62-5). Albert Heijn is a ubiquitous
city’s top choice for classical and popular %618 02 56; Overtoom 21-25 %664 18 47; 1e Sweelinckstraat 15; hnoon-6pm
sheet music, as well as music books. Head This shop doesn’t have a lot of street pres- Tue-Sat
chain of general supermarkets, while Blokker sells
to the 1st floor for a comprehensive se- ence, but it’s cavernous where it counts (in Email sounds like something you want to
simple homewares. Personal-care products can be
lection from the Middle Ages through to the back) and loaded with the unexpected: send, but in Dutch it means ‘enamel’, so it’s
found at any Etos store Nieuwendijk 69 (Map pp62-
classical and contemporary. old posters and dishes from faraway lands, something you’ll want to keep. This colour-
5); Nieuwendijk 182 (Map pp62-5); Leidsestraat 82 ful store brims with it: metal tableware and
(Map pp100-1); Overtoom 77 (Map p116). Gall & new espresso pots and used LPs, furniture
LAIRESSE APOTHEEK Map p110 Pharmacy and lamps. Prices start at €0.50. more coated in interesting designs from
Gall (Map pp62–3; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 226a) China, Ghana, Poland etc.
should fill all your wine and liquor needs; outlets %662 10 22; De Lairessestraat 40hs; hMon-Sat
Both a pharmacy and installation art, with
are also found within most branches of Albert Heijn
supermarkets. graphics of the periodic table filling the DE PIJP
Most shoppers in De Pijp seem to be at the
STENELUX Map p119 Speciality Shop
%662 14 90; 1e Jacob van Campenstraat 2;
entrance and a rotunda of green backlit
cases inside. Albert Cuypmarkt (p118), and with good rea- hThu-Sat
Buy an old fossil for that old fossil you left
OLD SOUTH son. It’s block after block of clothing, food
and homewares, reasonably priced. More back home. Stenelux has a smart collec-
The real concentration of shops is around the
PC Hooftstraat, which teems with brands that VONDELPARK & than that, it’s where the city comes together:
from the most recent immigrant to the Queen
tion from this world and beyond (including
meteorites).
need no introduction: Hugo Boss, Chanel,
AROUND (locals are still talking about how she shopped
Dolce & Gabbana, JA Henckels, Louis Vuit-
ton, Mont Blanc, Zegna and more. Across The winding paths of the Vondelpark must
inspire a certain wanderlust because the
here for the market’s 100th birthday in 2005 –
and ran out of money).
PLANTAGE, EASTERN
the Vondelpark, Overtoom has furniture and
home-design stores as well as secondhand nearby streets are full of outdoor and travel
gear shops. You’re in capable hands: Hol- FIETSFABRIEK Map p119 Bicycles
ISLANDS & EASTERN
shops.
land has produced more than its fair share of
world adventurers. Stroll down Overtoom and
%672 18 34; www.fietsfabriek.nl; 1e Jacob van
Campenstraat 12; hTue-Sun
DOCKLANDS
If you’ve come to Amsterdam to have a new
DE WINKEL VAN NIJNTJE return equipped to tackle something more Wessel van den Bosch trained as an archi-
Map p110 Children’s interior put in your multimillion-dollar yacht,
strenuous than a canal-boat tour. tect, and now he makes custom bicycles the dockyards out here will hit the spot. Other
%671 97 07; Beethovenstraat 71; hMon-Sat from this wild ‘n’ crazy workshop, one of
Dutch illustrator Dick Bruna’s most famous
shoppers come for the renowned deli or maker
SHOPPING OLD SOUTH

SHOPPING DE PIJP
PIED À TERRE Map p116 Books several in Amsterdam. Come in and pick up of custom-made boxes. The pierside cafés
character, Miffy (‘Nijntje’ in Dutch), is a bakfiets (cargo bike), a familiefiets (with
%627 44 55; Overtoom 135 make a great place to unwrap your booty.
celebrated in toys and kids’ merchandise. covered ‘pram’) or even a standard Omafiets
Items range from pencils and soap bubbles The galleried, skylit interior of this classy
(one-gear city bike). Just browsing is a joy. FRANK’S SMOKEHOUSE
to note pads, mouse pads, books, plush travel-book shop feels like a Renaissance
toys, clothing and playhouses, to Royal centre of learning. It specialises in pretty Map p122 Food & Drink
Delftware plates. much any book you’ll need for outdoor STADSBOEKWINKEL Map p119 Books %670 07 74; www.smokehouse.nl; Wittenburger
pursuits: hiking and cycling tomes, topo- %251 15 10; Vijzelstraat 32; h10am-5pm Gracht 303
graphical maps and travel guides. Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun Frank is a prime supplier to Amsterdam’s
XSMALL Map p110 Children’s Run by the city printer, this is the best restaurants. He learned how to smoke fish
%470 26 00; www.xsmall.nl; Van Baerlestraat source for books about Amsterdam’s his- from the Swedes, and his excellent Alaska
108; hMon-Sat BEVER ZWERFSPORT tory, urban development, ecology and
Map p116 Camping, Outdoor & Sport salmon, halibut and yellowfin tuna can be
Outfitting the moppets of the Old South politics. Most titles are in Dutch (but you vacuum packed for easy passage through
with toys and extra-cute clothes for kids %689 46 39; Stadhouderskade 4; hMon-Sat can always look at the pictures) – you’ll airport customs (which works, unlike with
aged 0 to 10. They can also create digital Everything you need for a local hike or a also find some in English. It’s in the City meat).
portraits in Andy Warhol style, from your Himalayan expedition: camping equip- Archives building.
own digital photo of your little darling ment, mountaineering gear, clothes and
(from €45). shoes. DE ODE Map p122 Speciality Shop
YOI Map p119 Fashion %419 08 82; Levantkade 51, KNSM Is; hby appt
%670 55 40; 1e Jacob van Campenstraat 27; only
DE WATERWINKEL Map p110 Food & Drink WOMEN’S OUTDOOR WORLD hTue-Sun Here you can find a final resting place with
%675 59 32; Roelof Hartstraat 10 Map p116 Camping, Outdoor & Sport This ‘hip honest guerrilla store’ sells Dutch a difference: a bookcase that converts in to
Thirsty? With over 100 types of bottled %412 28 79; Overtoom 51-53 fashion produced with respect for humans, a coffin when you join the library in the sky,
water (mineral, sparkling, still and fla- Owned by Bever, one of the city’s leading animals and the environment, made from or a coffin on wheels with bicycle towbar –
voured), this calm and pretty store will keep sporting-equipment shops, the WOW had to organic cotton, hemp, secondhand clothes, perfect for pedalling friends to their last
your juices flowing. open a separate shop due to overwhelming recycled parachutes and prison blankets. bike rack.
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DIAMONDS
Amsterdam has been a diamond centre since Sephardic Jews introduced the cutting industry in the 1580s. The Cullinan,
the largest diamond ever found (3106 carats), was split into more than 100 stones here in 1908, after which the master
cutter spent three months recovering from stress. A large oval diamond cut here, known as the Koh-i-Noor (Mountain
of Light), was acquired by Queen Victoria and now forms part of the British crown jewels.
The four diamond factories listed below offer guided tours, but the Gassan tour is probably the most enlightening.
Tours are free and usually run 9am to 5pm daily.
Diamonds aren’t necessarily cheaper in Amsterdam than elsewhere, but between the tours and extensive descrip-
tions and factory offers, you’ll know what you’re buying.
Amstel Diamonds (Map pp100-1; %623 14 79; Amstel 206-208)
Amsterdam Diamond Center (Map pp62-5; %624 57 87; Rokin 1)
Coster Diamonds (Map p110; %305 55 55; Paulus Potterstraat 2-6)
Gassan Diamonds (p79; %622 53 33; Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 173-175)

OUTER DISTRICTS designers develop their labels into com-

mercial brands. Its showroom at the World
SO DUTCH FASHION Map pp58-9 Clothing Fashion Centre provides haute couture
%617 09 57; www.dutchfashionfoundation.com; 2 ateliers and carries collections by the hot-
World Fashion Centre, Wilhelminaplein 13, Tower 1, test Dutch designers, such as Mada van
fl 13; hMon-Fri Gaans, Jan Taminiau, Bas Kosters and Percy
The Dutch Fashion Foundation promotes Irausquin.
the best of Dutch fashion and helps
SHOPPING OUTER DISTRICTS

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154 155
© Lonely Planet Publications

E ATI N G

De Burgermeester (p173)
The best burgers for discriminating burghers.
Blauw aan de Wal (p160)
A rose among thorns in the Red Light District.
Bordewijk (p161)
French & Italian lessons for picky palates.
Hemelse Modder (p161)
Dutch culinary haven with heavenly mousse.
Le Petit Latin (p159)
Formidable fish with Jacques’ lovely southern accents.
Piet de Leeuw (p168)
Tender steak and fab frites since 1900.
Ristorante d’Antica (p166)
Watch pasta spin in a wheel of cheese.
Supper Club (p158)
Mattress dining with a flair for the dramatic.
Tujuh Maret (p167)
The many side dishes of life: Indonesian rice table.
Van Vlaanderen (p166)
French eatery reaching for the Michelin stars.
 Indonesian can be ordered from 11am to 2.30pm. They’re

lonelyplanet.com
E ATI N G Whatever you do, you must sample this
tasty legacy of Dutch colonial history. Some
great places to hang out, even after the kitchen
shuts down. Many lunch cafés may allow you
to linger until later afternoon.
dishes are concoctions rather than traditional
Breakfast before 10am can be a problem.
Indonesian, but that doesn’t make them less
Dutch cuisine used to be little more than a contradiction in terms. This harks back to the days Unless your hotel serves breakfast, you may
appealing. An Indonesian rijsttafel – a dozen need to wait until the cafés open, or locate
when Holland’s hard-working merchants saw spices, coffee and cheese more as tradable com-
or more tiny dishes, some startling spicy, with a bakery.
modities than something to be enjoyed. The leading Dutch restaurant critic, Johannes van
rice – should be a highlight of your visit. Restaurants tend to be open for business
Dam, recently went so far as to say the Dutch would eat anything if it were well presented (‘if
it had a bow on it’). Smaller nasi rames (boiled rice) is similar in daily, but a few take Sunday and Monday off.
Seriously, and take it from someone who lived here for years, it’s not as bad as all that. A concept and served on one plate. Bami rames Some go ahead and take several weeks off in
memorable meal awaits if you know where to look. And a major delight is the huge choice of is the same dish with thick noodles. Gado- July and August, so phone ahead or risk seeing
cuisine, including delicacies from the former colonies. (When in Amsterdam, you have to eat gado is lightly steamed vegetables with peanut ‘On Holiday’ at the front door.
an Indonesian rice table – it’s the law.) sauce and hard-boiled egg. A delicious staple
Another great joy is the visual flair of Amsterdam’s restaurants. From the sumptuous interiors is saté or sateh (satay), marinated barbecued
of supper clubs to pint-sized designer cafés, you can feast your eyes as well as your stomach. beef, chicken or pork on small skewers. How Much?
Restaurants who care will change their menus seasonally, if not daily. Where we have listed Other stand-bys are nasi goreng – fried rice Eating out may seem reasonable compared
individual dishes, they’re either always on the menu or a reference to give you a line on the with onions, pork, shrimp and spices, often to some other European cities (hello, London
chef’s creativity. Most places will have a few vegetarian choices. topped with a fried egg or shredded omelette – and Paris), but know that prices are up sharply
Last but not least, don’t forget about traditional Dutch cooking. While not exactly refined, and bami goreng, the same thing but with since the euro was introduced in 2002.
with good honest dishes like hutspot (hotchpotch) it can be delicious. noodles. Lunch will set you back anything from €2.50
Indonesian food is usually served mild for for a basic sandwich to €10 for a complicated
Western palates. If you want it hot (pedis, pro- salad. Main courses will cost €8 to €18, lunch
SPECIALITIES (sandwich shops) are like elaborate delis. Pile
hot or cold ingredients onto a choice of breads nounced p-dis), say so but be prepared for the or dinner, at middle-of-the-road restaurants.
You’ll find all colours in the rainbow, but and rolls, from roast beef or fish salads to ride of a lifetime. You can play it safe by ask- To cut your bill, look for the dagschotel (dish of
Italian, French, Thai and Chinese are so wide- cheeses and osseworst (raw beef sausage, a ing for sambal (chilli paste), although it may the day), and heartier appetites might go for a
spread they’re practically seen as national Dutch delicacy). already be on the table. Sambal oelek is red and dagmenu, a set menu of three or more courses.
cuisines. Spanish-style tapas are all the rage, Kroketten (croquettes) are a Dutch clas- hot; the dark-brown sambal badjak is based on Except at top-end restaurants, main courses
as is sushi, Pacific-Rim fusion and wok/noodle onions and is mild and sweet. If you overdo it, a should cost under €25, and three-course din-
sic: a ragout with meat, sometimes even fish
shops. Dutch chefs fly the flag highest at spoonful of plain rice will douse the flames. ners are readily available for €25 to €35.
or shrimp, that’s crumbed and deep-fried.
nouveau cuisine and fish restaurants, but Breakfast tends to be overpriced: at a café,
(Van Dam, the culinary maven, just published
there are also grease vendors like Febo (see you can expect €5 for coffee, something baked
the boxed text, p169). an encyclopaedic history of this creation.)
They are also served as small balls called
Surinamese and maybe some orange juice. Consider hit-
In the De Pijp district, Indian and Turkish This former South American colony has ting a bakery the next morning.
eateries are as common as one-speed bicycles, bitterballen, with mustard. dishes familiar to those who know the Car-
Pannenkoeken translates as ‘pancakes’, A beer will generally set you back around
plus there are cuisines you may never have ibbean, with African, Indian and Indonesian €2, and nonalcoholic drinks are only slightly
heard of, like Surinamese, a pleasant surprise. although North Americans will be in for a influences. Chicken features strongly, along cheaper. House wines are generally €3 to €5
Chinese is always a good bet, particularly in surprise – the Dutch variety is huge and a with curries (chicken, lamb or beef), potatoes per glass, although the sky’s the limit on full
the little Chinatown near the Zeedijk. little stretchy, served flat, one to a plate and and rice, and a hard-boiled egg is usually in bottles.
topped with wide combination of ingredients, there somewhere. Roti are unleavened pan- Last but not least, many restaurants do not
EATING SPECIALITIES

EATING PRACTICALITIES
both sweet and savoury. cakes. It’s a pleasant fire on the tastebuds, accept credit cards; check in advance.
Dutch There’s plenty of seafood at stalls around and great value.
Traditional Dutch cuisine revolves around the city. Haring (herring) is a national institu-
meat, potato and vegetables. That said, con- tion, prepared with salt or pickled but never Booking Tables
temporary chefs have made some great strides,
and what’s now called ‘Dutch’ often has ech-
cooked; your standard model is beheaded, PRACTICALITIES Virtually everyone speaks English well. Apart
split and filleted, served with diced onion and from the busiest upper-crust restaurants,
oes of far-off, mystical lands. sometimes sweet-pickle chips as a garnish. Opening Hours booking a table is rarely a problem. A phone
Some typical dishes include stamppot Paling (eel) is usually smoked. Mosselen (mus- Dinner is the main meal, usually served from
(mashed pot) – potatoes mashed with vegeta- sels) are best eaten from September to April; 6pm to 10pm. Many restaurants only do din-
bles (usually kale or endive) and served with the classic preparation is to cook with white ner, and will fill up by 7pm. Try arriving for
smoked sausage or strips of pork. Hutspot, wine, chopped leeks and onions, and serve the ‘second sitting’, when films and concerts PRICE GUIDE
similar to stamppot but with carrots, onions with a side of frites or patat (French fries). start, between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. Kitchens This guide is based on the average price of a main
and braised meat, is a popular winter dish. Some typically Dutch desserts are fruit pie tend to close by 10pm and leave late-night course, including tax. See individual listings for prices
Erwtensoep is a thick pea soup (a spoon stuck (apple, cherry, banana cream or other fruit), grazing to the street vendors. of set meals where available.
upright in the pot should fall over slowly) with vla (custard) and pancakes. Many snack bars For lunch your best bets are cafés (see also €€€ over €25
smoked sausage and bacon. and pubs serve appeltaart (apple pie) and the Drinking & Smoking chapter, p178). Their €€ €12-25
Year-round favourites include broodjes coffee throughout the day – there’s a reason meals tend to be reliable, but not life-changing. € under €12
(filled sandwiches). Quality broodjeswinkels Dutch apple pie is so admired. Many cafés open as early as 10am, and lunch
156 157
lonelyplanet.com

call a day or two before your arrival should do as well as the little Asia- and Chinatown at The ‘Five Flies’ is a classic, spread out over BRASSERIE HARKEMA

lonelyplanet.com
the trick. Seating at most cafés is first come, the south end of Zeedijk. The bottom of the five 17th-century canal houses. Old-wood Map pp62-5 Brasserie €€
first served. street called Nes in the Medieval Centre offers dining rooms teem with character, featur- %428 22 22; www.brasserieharkema.nl; Nes 67;
several nice cafés and restaurants outside the ing Delft tiles and works by Rembrandt and mains €13-18, set menus €25; h11am-11pm
slipstream. Nieuwmarkt is one of Amsterdam’s Breitner. Some chairs have brass plates for This cavernous ex-tobacco factory started
Tipping liveliest squares, and certainly its loveliest; the the celebrities who’ve sat in them. its career as a restaurant in fine fashion a
If you’re from a ‘service with a smile’ kind of surrounds brim with tempting eateries. couple of years ago. Now the hype has sub-
society, service in Amsterdam may be imper- sided, it’s just a very good stylish brasserie,
sonal, off-putting and just plain slow. Don’t ORIENTAL CITY Map pp62-5 Chinese €€
with a simple lunch menu and staples such
take it personally, it’s not directed at you. MEDIEVAL CENTRE %626 83 52; Oudezijds Voorburgwal 177-179;
mains €8.50-24, dim sum €2.50-4.50; hlunch & as Caesar salad and entrecôte for dinner.
Tax and a service charge are included in SUPPER CLUB
the bill, but unless your server really messes dinner
Map pp62-5 Contemporary Dutch €€€ This huge Hong Kong–style restaurant with
up, a modest tip is in order. Round up to GREEN PLANET Map pp62-5 Vegetarian €€
%638 05 13; www.supperclub.nl; Jonge Roelen- the requisite red lanterns is always lively.
the next number, or around 5%; a 10% tip steeg 21; 5-course menu €65; hdinner %625 82 80; www.greenplanet.nl; Spuistraat
is considered generous. If your bill comes to Join gaggles of local Chinese for daily 122; mains €9.50-16.50, sandwiches & salads €6-10;
If you’re looking for a scene, you’ve found dim sum (11.30am to 4.30pm; we like the
€9.50, you might leave €10. one. Enter the theatrical, all-white room, hdinner Mon-Sat
If you’re paying by credit card or just need meaty, flavoursome cha sieuw bao pork This modern veggie eatery cares…about
snuggle on the enormous mattresses and buns) and a 24-page menu (!) of classic
change, state the amount you want to pay, your health, biodegradable packaging,
snack on victuals as DJs spin house music. Canto cuisine.
including tip, as you hand your payment to peace, love and decent food. Come for a
Shows are provocative and entertaining –
your server (this will usually elicit a proper soup, salad, antipasto or cake. Mains include
if it’s lamb night, live sheep may be led
‘thank you’!). Note that servers appreciate VILLA ZEEZICHT Map pp62-5 Café €€ goulash, dumplings and Indian masala.
through to the kitchen. If it’s hospital night,
being tipped in cash, as they may not actually look out. %626 74 33; Torensteeg 7; mains €3-21;
receive a credit-card tip. hbreakfast, lunch & dinner GREKAS Map pp62-5 Greek €
Although you could try sandwiches and %620 35 90; Singel 311; dishes €8-15; h1.30-
SEA PALACE Map pp62-5 Chinese €€
pastas here, half the patrons seem to be
Self-Catering %626 47 77; www.seapalace.nl; Oosterdokskade eating the famous apple pie. For €4.50 you
9.30pm Wed-Sun
What started as a catering shop has
Amsterdam has some great takeaway shops, 8; mains €9.60-36, yum-cha courses €13.50-15; get a mountain of apples dusted in cinna- bloomed into one of the city’s best-loved
known in some quarters as traiteurs (caterers). hlunch & dinner mon, surrounded by warm pastry and fresh
Funny thing about floating Chinese restau- Greek restaurants. Low overheads (there’s
You’ll find slick delis, bistros or street win- cream. In warm weather tables are set up almost no seating) means low prices with
dows selling Spanish tapas, Italian tagliatelli, rants: they look like tourist traps and may on the bridge over the Singel. high-quality, generous portions of Greek
Indonesian skewers and ol’ stand-bys like well be, but from Hong Kong to Holland
home cooking: moussaka, roasted arti-
pizza or falafel. Department stores like De many are admired for good food. The Sea
HAESJE CLAES Map pp62-5 Traditional Dutch €€ chokes, chicken in lemon sauce.
Bijenkorf (p138) and Vroom & Dreesman Palace’s three floors are busy with people,
(p138) have good cafeterias. both Chinese and non, who come not just %624 99 98; www.haesjeclaes.nl; Spuistraat
The chains Volendamer Vishandel (fish, for the great views of the city from across 273-275; mains €13.30-20, set menus from €28.50; DE KEUKEN VAN 1870
sandwiches and snacks) and Bakkerij Bart the IJ. Even if you order dim sum from a hlunch & dinner Map pp62-5 Traditional Dutch €
(bakeries) can be found in shopping areas. menu instead of a cart, the shrimp in the Haesje Claes’ warm surrounds, a tad tour- %620 40 18; www.keukenvan1870.com; Spuist-
AH To Go has branches in heavy-traffic zones ha kow dumplings go pop in your mouth isty but with lots of dark wood and antique raat 4; mains €6-14, 3-course menu €7.50; hlunch
such as train stations. And fish stands sell- just the same. knick-knacks, is just the place to sample & dinner Mon-Sat
ing broodje haring (herring rolls) are always comforting pea soup and endive stamppot. Thanks to a recent makeover, you’d never
EATING CITY CENTRE

EATING CITY CENTRE

fairly close by. The fish starter has a great sampling of guess that this smart-looking place was
LUCIUS Map pp62-5 Seafood €€
Dutch fishes.
As for supermarkets, Albert Heijn (look for once a restaurant for the poor. It still keeps
%624 18 31; www.lucius.nl; Spuistraat 247; mains
the white AH on blue) is prominent but com- €17.50-28, set menus €35; hdinner up that heritage, though, with decent
petitors such as Dirk van den Broek, Edah and Simple, delicious and consistently full, LE PETIT LATIN Map pp62-5 Mediterranean €€ cooking (think stamppot or couscous) at
Aldi are nicer-priced. Farmers markets are Lucius is known for both fresh ingredients %624 94 25; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 306; exceedingly decent prices.
held throughout town (see p151). The chain and not mucking them up with lots of mains €11-19.50, set menus €32; h7-11pm
Gall & Gall sells wine and beer, and is often sauce and spice. The interior, all fish tanks Tue-Sat PANNENKOEKENHUIS UPSTAIRS
attached to Albert Heijn supermarkets. and tiles, is workmanlike and professional, Easy to overlook, with its step-down en- Map pp62-5 Contemporary Dutch €
just like the service. trance, the ‘Little Latin’ drips with culinary %626 56 03; Grimburgwal 2; mains €4.50-10;
CITY CENTRE
The city centre offers everything from D’VIJFF VLIEGHEN
authority, and it’s not just the curled travel
posters from the Côte d’Azur. If you can’t
hnoon-5pm
Climb some of the steepest stairs in town
read the blackboard scrawl, chef Jacques to reach this small-as-a-stamp restaurant.
supremely elegant Dutch cuisine to the hippest Map pp62-5 Contemporary Dutch €€ from Marseille will crouch to give you the The lure? Pancakes that are flavoursome,
restaurants and DJ clubs. Some of the highest- %530 40 60; www.thefiveflies.com; Spuistraat 294- day’s specials – Aquitaine lamb? Fresh mul- inexpensive (most under €7.50) and filling.
end places are where you’d least expect them, 302; mains €20-28, set menus from €39; hdinner let flown in from the Riviera? Who can say We like the one with bacon, cheese and
such as in the Red Light District. Highlights So what if every tourist and business visitor non. The wine list is brief but formidable. ginger. It’s a one-man show, so service
here are the top-rated Blauw aan de Wal (p160) eats here? Sometimes the herd gets it right. Reserve or weep. operates at its own pace.

158 159
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DOLORES Map pp62-5 cooking. In summer, grab a table in the

JORDAAN

lonelyplanet.com
Organic €
%620 33 02; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal; mains romantic garden.
€2.75-9; hlunch & afternoon tea The restaurants in this part of town exude the
Biologische (organic) is the name of the NAM KEE Map pp62-5 Chinese € conviviality that has long been a hallmark of the
game at this tiny shop, which resembles a Jordaan. The Haarlemmerstraat and surrounds
%624 34 70; www.namkee.net; Zeedijk 113-116;
kiddie train station in the traffic island. Try mains €6-16.50; hlunch & dinner EAT STREETS are trendy, but many people still gravitate to the
organic burgers, tostis (grilled sandwiches), It won’t win any design awards, but year Utrechtsestraat (Map pp100–1) Hands-down our eateries along Westerstraat. You may want to
chicken and frites. Service has been known in, year out, Nam Kee’s the most popular favourite dining street. lose your way in the narrow backstreets, where
to take its time, but it is fun to watch the Chinese spot in town. And why not: there’s Negen Straatjes (Map p92) A great place to the next hot spot may be opening up.
world go by at the picnic-table seating good roast anything, and service is snappy. browse for clothing or lunch, home wares or
outdoors. It is on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, A new, fancier location has opened at dinner. BORDEWIJK Map p86 French €€€
opposite No 289. Geldersekade 117 (Map pp62-5). Haarlemmerstraat (Map p92) This newly trendy %624 38 99; www.bordewijk.nl; Noordermarkt 7;
strip on the way out of town has some cool new mains €22-30, set menus €34-50; hdinner Tue-Sun
VLAAMS FRITESHUIS NEW KING Map pp62-5 Chinese € spots. Other places have grander reputations, but
Map pp62-5 Takeaway € Leidseplein and surrounds (Map pp100–1) some critics dub Bordewijk the king of the
%625 21 80; www.newking.nl; Zeedijk 115; mains
%624 60 75; Voetboogstraat 33; small/large €4-16; hlunch & dinner Included for quantity if not necessarily quality. hill. The interior is so minimal that there’s
€1.70/2.20, sauces €0.50-0.60; h11am-6pm If you want Chinese on the Zeedijk but Prices are reasonable, and it’s minutes’ walk from little to do but appreciate the spectacular
Tue-Sat, noon-6pm Sun & Mon don’t want to feel like you’re slumming entertainment. French/Italian cooking. The chefs are not
This hole-in-the-wall takeaway has drawn it, New King is about the fanciest on the Albert Cuypstraat (Map p119) West of the famous afraid to take risks (we once saw lamb’s
the hordes for its monumental frites since block. The roast meats may have you ask- market you’ll find a stash of exotic choices including testicles on the menu), but its skilled staff
1887. The standard is smothered in may- ing ‘how much is that duckie in the win- Cambodian, Kurdish and Surinamese. take your wishes with aplomb.
onnaise, though you can ask for ketchup, dow?’ (€24 with the full service of different
peanut sauce or a variety of spicy mayos. If courses.) HEMELSE MODDER BALTHAZAR’S KEUKEN
the queue’s too long, consider Wil Graanstra Map pp62-5 Contemporary Dutch €€ Map p86 French-Mediterranean €€
Friteshuis (p166) on Westerkerk square. EAT MODE Map pp62-5 Asian € %420 21 14; www.balthazarskeuken.nl;
%624 32 03; www.hemelsemodder.nl; Oude Waal
9; mains €16, 3-/4-/5-course menus €24/28.50/32; Elandsgracht 108; 3-course set menu €26;
Also recommended: %330 08 06; www.eatmode.nl; Zeedijk 105-107;
mains €4-12.50; hnoon-11pm hdinner hdinner Wed-Fri
Kantjil to Go (Map pp62-5; %620 09 94; www.kantjil This smart little fusion diner covers the Pa- A little hard to locate, but worth it. Extraor- Consistently one of Amsterdam’s top-rated
.nl; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 342; dishes €3.75-6.25; cific Rim in style. Order, take your number dinary care goes into dishes – you might restaurants. Don’t expect a wide-ranging
hlunch & dinner) Cobble your own Indonesian combo and plop down at a New Age marbled- find pot-au-feu with chicken or polenta menu – the byword is basically ‘what-
from rice, noodles, meat and veggies. wood table while they whip up your sea- soufflé – and you may even find a sprig of ever we have on hand’ – but it’s usually
weed salad, California spring rolls or Thai mint in your carafe of water. Desserts are absolutely delectable. Plus, there’s a
Van den Berg’s Broodjesbar (Map pp62-5; %622 83 modern-rustic look and attentive service (!).
56; Zoutsteeg 4; sandwiches €1.60-4.45; h9am-6pm tom yam goong soup. Does a booming wonderful, including the namesake hemelse
takeaway trade too. modder (heavenly mud) chocolate mousse. Reservations recommended.
Mon-Fri) Try gehakt, thin meatball slices served warm with
killer-hot mustard. The dining room is spare yet comfy, or snag
Also recommended: a table out back on a warm night. RAKANG THAI Map p86 Thai €€
Volendamer Vishandel (Map pp62-5; %626 33 88;
Zoutsteeg 6; sandwiches €2.20-4.50; hbreakfast & Kam Yin (Map pp62-5; %625 31 15; Warmoesstraat 6-8; %627 50 12; Elandsgracht 29; mains €17-21,
lunch) This three-table shop has immaculate fresh fish and mains €4-13; hlunch & dinner) Zero atmosphere, just CAFÉ BERN Map pp62-5 Swiss € 4-course menus €27-32; hdinner
EATING CITY CENTRE

EATING JORDAAN
tasty Surinamese and Chinese dishes. %622 00 34; Nieuwmarkt 9; mains €9-14; hdinner Chairs wrapped in straitjackets, bright
a great location.
Indulge in a fondue frenzy at this delight- art on the walls, neckties in the tables (it
Skek (Map pp62-5; %427 05 51; www.skek.nl; Zeedijk makes sense when you see it), a mai pen
fully well-worn brown café. People have
4-8; mains €6.50-13; hlunch & dinner) Trendy student
RED LIGHT DISTRICT hangout (student ID gets you one-third off ) and live bands.
been flocking here for more than 30 years
for the gruyère fondue as well as the
rai (no problem) atmosphere and delicious
cooking (go for the almost buttery tom kha
BLAUW AAN DE WAL
entrecôte. Note: it’s generally closed for gai soup or crunchy, spicy duck salad) keep
Map pp62-5 International €€€
%330 22 57; Oudezijds Achterburgwal 99; mains NIEUWMARKT a large part of the summer, but do you
really want fondue in hot weather anyway?
it busy here night after night.
€24-27, 3-course menu €40; hdinner Mon-Sat KRUA THAI Map pp62-5 Thai €€ Reservations advised.
Definitely a rose among thorns: a long, JEAN JEAN Map p86 French €€
%622 95 33; www.kruathai.nl; Staalstraat 22;
often graffiti-covered hallway in the mid- mains €6.75-25, set menus €19.50-23; hdinner %627 71 53; www.jean-jean.nl; 1e Anjeliersdwars-
dle of the Red Light District leading to a Tue-Sun STERK STAALTJE Map pp62-5 Takeaway € straat 14; mains €17-22, 4-course menu €35;
Michelin-listed garden of Eden. Originally Top-shelf soups, duck or shrimp curries, %624 9065; http://sterkstaaltje.com; Staalstraat hdinner Tue-Sun
a 17th-century herb warehouse, the white- and noodle dishes are the order of the day 12; prices vary; hlunch One of the hottest places in town, this
washed, exposed-brick, multilevel space at this sophisticated restaurant with bright Squarely between the Amstel, the Red cosy neighbourhood bistro offers honest
still features old steel weights and meas- art. Note: some locals refer to it by its old Light District and Nieuwmarkt is this hand- and affordable Gallic comfort food: soups,
ures, plus friendly, knowledgeable service name, Tom Yam. A pretheatre menu is some, rustique takeaway shop with lasagne, meat and fish dishes etc. The setting is
and refined French- and Italian-inspired available. savoury pies, and lovely olives and cheeses. understated yet sophisticated, and service
Lunch will set you back about €5. is professional.
160 161
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NOMADS Map p86 calming alternative. For €23.50 you get the CAFÉ VLINDER Map p86

lonelyplanet.com
Middle Eastern €€ Café €
%344 64 01; www.restaurantnomads.nl; Rozen- meze combo starter of 10 assorted dips, %626 77 08; Brouwersgracht 139; mains €3.50-13; WE DARE YOU
gracht 133; mezze plates €3-8.25, couscous €15- skewers and salads, and we loved ali nazik hbreakfast & lunch
(minced lamb with aubergines in yogurt Amsterdammers love raw fish. Herring season is an-
21.50, 3-course set menu €45; hdinner Tue-Sun This window-lined corner place in the nounced with all the fanfare of the new Beaujolais
It’s the Supper Club concept on the road to garlic sauce), but it was the gracious, sweet Jordaan serves a magnificent, fresh-made
service that will take us back. elsewhere: look for ‘Hollandse Nieuw’ signs at the fish
Morocco. Wine, dine and recline on mat- breakfast (€12.50), laden with Dutch kiosks around town. The proper way to eat a herring is
tresses amid decadent decorations, and cheese, pâté, smoked salmon, eggs, coffee to dangle it above the mouth and bite bit by bit (don’t
graze on platters of mod Middle Eastern MOEDERS Map p86 Traditional Dutch €€ and fresh juice. It’s also pleasant for after- worry, it’s already been filleted for you).
snacks while being entertained by belly %626 79 57; www.moeders.com; Rozengracht noon cake and coffee (try the cheesecake
dancers and DJs. Superbly sexy, and best 251; mains €13-17, 3-course menus €24-28; h or nut tart). We love the sassy service that
experienced with a lively group. dinner describes itself as ‘straight-friendly’. prepared vegetables and meat dishes, and
Mum’s the word at ‘Mothers’. When this you can get a variety of quiches and sand-
LOCAL Map p86 International €€ friendly place opened, staff asked custom- MOEDER’S POT EETHUISJE wiches including fresh tuna, tapenade and
%423 40 39; www.local-amsterdam.nl; ers to bring their own plates, flatware and Map p86 Traditional Dutch € artichoke hearts.
Westerstraat 136; mains €7-19.50; hdinner photos of their own mums as donations, %623 76 43; Vinkenstraat 119; mains €3.80-11.50,
This eel’s nest of contempo-cool, with and the result is still a delightful hodge- 6-course set menus €13-15.50; hdinner Mon-Sat WINKEL Map p86 Café €
long, tall tables stretching its entire length, podge. So is the food, including stamppot, Moeder (mother) is in his 60s (yes, his…he’s %623 02 23; Noordermarkt 43; mains €2.50-6;
ensures that you will never eat alone. Go seafood, Moroccan dishes, a vegetarian big and gruff and probably a sweetheart hbreakfast, lunch & dinner
with friends, and it’s an instant party. In frittata and a rijsttafel of traditional Dutch inside), and he’s been serving up solid, This sprawling, indoor-outdoor space is
keeping with the ‘long and thin’ theme, dishes. inexpensive meals for decades. The tiny great for people-watching, popular for
main dishes are grilled on skewers: there’s kitsch-laden shop serves home cookin’: coffees and small meals, and out-of-the-
an international selection from yakitori to CINEMA PARADISO Map p86 Italian €€ beefsteaks, schnitzels and chicken with park for its tall, cakey apple pie (€2.50).
beef stroganoff, all served with potatoes, %623 73 44; www.cinemaparadiso.info; potatoes and vegetables (some canned) On market days (Mondays and Saturdays)
salad and appropriate sauces. Westerstraat 184-186; mains €9.50-15; hdinner like your own moeder always wanted you there’s almost always a queue out the door.
Tue-Sun to eat. The set menus are a steal.
BURGER’S PATIO Map p86 International €€ Action! Cinema Paradiso opened in 2002 in Also recommended:
%623 68 54; 2e Tuindwarsstraat 12; mains €13- a former movie theatre, and glitterati have DUENDE Map p86 Spanish € Bloemgracht (Map p86; %620 20 88; www.restaurant
19, 3-course menu €25; hdinner been appearing in the dining room ever %420 66 92; www.cafeduende.nl; Lindengracht bloemgracht.nl; Bloemgracht 47; mains €21.50, set menus
Despite its name, this is no hamburger since. Direct yourself to a booth or table 62; tapas €3.50-9.50; hdinner €35; hdinner Wed-Sun) Quality cuisine in a lovely canal
joint. Rather, an air of easy-going cool near the open kitchen, and enjoy pastas, Flamenco music (Saturday night), big house. Try the grilled tuna with smoked potatoes.
permeates the modern interior, and the pizzas, lots of antipasti and stargazing. Go shared tables and reasonably priced tapas Broodje Mokum (Map p86; %623 19 66; Rozengracht
namesake patio is a fun hideout. Meats are for cocktails and drink in the atmosphere. guarantee Duende’s popularity. It’s great 26; sandwiches from €2) Great sandwiches – point and
free-range, pastas are popular, and touches for a party with a big group of friends – or they’ll tell you the price.
like crudités, aïoli and tapenade make the DE BOLHOED Map p86 Vegetarian €€ strangers. The front room is the more lively Noodle & Go (Map p86; %773 09 13; Brouwersgracht
prices seem more reasonable than they
%626 18 03; Prinsengracht 60-62; lunch mains (and attractive) of the two. Note: order at 125; dishes €4-7; hlunch & dinner) Noodles or fried rice,
already are. €3.50-11.75, dinner mains €9.50-14.50, 3-course the bar. plus meat and a veg, and you’re on your way.
menu €22; hlunch & dinner
JAPANESE PANCAKE WORLD The ‘Charlie Brown’s pumpkin patch
DE BLAFFENDE VIS
WESTERN CANAL BELT
EATING JORDAAN

EATING WESTERN CANAL BELT

Map p86 Japanese €€ goes to India’ interior is a nice setting to
Map p86 Contemporary Dutch €
%320 44 47; www.japanesepancakeworld.com; 2e tuck into enormous, organic Mexican-,
Egelantiersdwarsstraat 24a; mains €9-19; hnoon- Asian- and Italian-inspired dishes; in warm %625 17 21; Westerstraat 118; mains under It may not have the ethnic dining diversity of
10pm weather, there’s a verdant little canalside
€8.50; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner other parts of town, but the Western Canal
If the Dutch are famous for pancakes of Meals at the rowdy, corner ‘Barking Fish’ Belt makes up for it with some interesting and
terrace. Leave room for the banana-cream
meat, seafood and veggies, so are the pie. Veggies swear by it – reserve. are better than they need to be for the surprisingly fashionable options. Notably, the
Japanese. At the continent’s only shop price (contemporary Dutch – steak, fish, Negen Straatjes (Nine Alleys) are filled with
specialising in okonomiyaki (literally, ‘cook chicken – changing daily). Students and cafés and small restaurants to match their
DE VLIEGENDE SCHOTEL 30-somethings happily bop and swish beer lovely boutiques.
as you like’), you’ll get yours in a hot iron Map p86 Vegetarian €
dish with your choice of fillings and topped while listening to music with a beat.
%625 20 41; Nieuwe Leliestraat 162-168; mains
with flakes of dried bonito. There’s a J-pop
€9-13.75; hdinner CHRISTOPHE Map p92 French €€€
backdrop and barely two dozen seats.
Service can be spotty at the ‘Flying
SMALL WORLD CATERING %625 08 07; www.christophe.nl; Leliegracht 46;
Map p86 Takeaway € mains €31-53, 4-course set menus €45-65; h
Saucer’, but if you’re prepared to take your
DIVAN Map p86 Turkish €€ time in the summer camp–chic dining %420 27 74; www.smallworldcatering.nl; Binnen dinner Tue-Sat
%626 82 39; Elandsgracht 14; mains €13-17; room, you’ll enjoy some of the city’s Oranjestraat 14; sandwiches €5.45-7.50, other mains Lobster dishes, duck-liver terrine and an
hlunch Fri & Sat, dinner nightly favourite veggie gratins, lasagnes and €4-6; h10.30am-8pm Tue-Sat, noon-8pm Sun unusual elegance keep Jean-Christophe
In a town where ‘Turkish’ usually means Indian-inflected meals. There’s a decent This Australian-run company is known Royer’s Michelin-starred restaurant busy
‘takeaway’ (or ‘pizza’), Divan offers a wine list. for quality. Small cases house gorgeous every night. However, the excellent, caring

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service puts it over the top in our book, WERCK Map p92

lonelyplanet.com
Contemporary Dutch €€
making this an extraordinary restaurant by %627 40 79; www.werck.nl; Prinsengracht 277; SWEET DREAMS
world, not just Amsterdam, standards. mains €14-18.50; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat The Dutch craving for sweet things goes back to the Golden Age, when Brazilian sugar poured into Amsterdam’s 50-plus
Finally, a café that is worthy of the high-
sugar refineries to satisfy the demand for confections and sticky delicacies. Calvinist ministers warned about the evils of
DE BELHAMEL Map p92 French €€ profile location between the Anne Frank
lekkerheid, or the hankering for sweetness, and the nation experienced its first real epidemic of cavities.
%622 10 95; www.debelhamel.nl; Brouwersgracht Huis and Westerkerk. You can choose from
The most famous Dutch sweet is the drop, sweet or salty liquorice sold in a bewildering variety of flavours and
60; mains €18-21, set menu €32; hdinner sandwiches and snacks (€3 to €8) or steaks
shapes. Familiar ones are honing (honey), munt (mint), laurier (laurel) and salmiak (salty). The striped ‘Engelse’ (English)
In warm weather the canalside tables at the and more involved mains; think chicken
with smoked bacon or black tagliatelle drop is dipped in coconut fondant. You can get your drop fix at Het Oud-Hollandsche Snoepwinkeltje (p143), and many
head of the Herengracht are an aphrodisiac, supermarkets or drugstores have a self-serve ‘carousel’ of sweets.
and the sumptuous Art Nouveau interior with morel sauce. Most people come to see
and be seen on the crushed white-stone Traditional pastries, cakes and biscuits are prepared for special occasions. December is a good time to sample the
provides the perfect backdrop for excellent, spicy speculaas cookies or pepernoten, the little crunchy ginger-nuts handed out at Sinterklaas (p19). On New Year’s
French- and Italian-inspired dishes like silky terrace.
Eve the air is thick with the aroma of oliebollen, the deep-fried dough balls dished up with powdered sugar (the Dutch
roast beef. brought them to America, where someone added a hole and called them donuts). Muisjes (little mice) are sugar-coated
CILUBANG Map p92 Indonesian €€ aniseed sprinkles typically served on a round beschuit (biscuit) to celebrate the birth of a child – blue and white for a
LOF Map p92 Fusion €€ %626 97 55; www.cilubang.com; Runstraat boy, pink and white for a girl.
%620 29 97; Haarlemmerstraat 62; mains €18-21, 10; mains €7.25-18, rijsttafel €21-37; hdinner The delicious Dutch appeltaart (apple pie) is eaten year-round, along with a raft of cream cakes such as the popular
3-course menu €35; hdinner Tue-Sun Tue-Sun Tompouce, which has a pink sugary icing. Now as in the 17th century, traditional favourites like waffles and poffertjes
Chef Sander Louwerens combines South- In the Negen Straatjes, cute, cosy and (little pancakes) are covered with a sweet refinement like molasses.
east Asian and Mediterranean flavours in slightly romantic, celadon-hued Cilubang The Dutch have a soft spot for chocolate as well. In 1828 a Dutch chocolate-maker named CJ van Houten invented
complex and complementary ways. This soothes the stomach and soul with rijsttafel the cocoa press, and he added an alkalising agent to cocoa powder so that it would mix more easily with water – a
is evidenced in dishes such as pike served and attentive, personal service. It’s been process known today as ‘dutching’. The result is a chocolate with a dark colour and mild taste, typical of leading Dutch
with fennel and miso sauce. Schoolhouse- at it for 2½ decades. The food is west- brands such as Droste or Verkade.
surplus décor manages to feel cool. Javanese style, and with any luck you’ll
hear gamelan music too.
extras like pine nuts in your quiche. Sit by glam with a slick makeover, a bar and even
STOUT Map p92 Fusion Café €€
DE 2 GRIEKEN Map p92 Greek €€ the window for one of the city’s prettiest occasional DJ nights. They’ve joined the
%616 36 64; Haarlemmerstraat 73; lunch mains canal views. tapas wave, but it’s still popular for creative
€4.75-13, dinner mains €15-21; hlunch & dinner %625 53 17; Prinsenstraat 20; mains €13-17;
sandwiches like grilled chicken with salad
Slick, hip couples congregate at this airy, hdinner
Craving stewed mountain goat or some FOODISM Map p92 Café € and pine nuts.
artful café to air-kiss, read design maga-
zines, gossip and share imaginative fusion juicy lamb chops? This relaxed, family-run %427 51 03; www.foodism.nl; Oude Leliestraat
dishes (carrot and coriander soup with bistro caters to your carnivorous desires 8; mains €4.50-12; h11.30am-10pm Mon-Fri, to LUST Map p92 Café €
spicy tempeh, Thai chicken burger with with great grills and gets ‘opa!’s from locals. 6pm Sat & Sun %626 57 91; Runstraat 13; mains €3.50-8.50;
kimchi) and fruit shakes. In warm weather, In nice weather, grab a seat on the flower- A hip, colourful little joint run by a fun, hbreakfast & lunch
sit on an outdoor cushion and watch the lined terrace out back. If you’re a fan of relaxed crew. All-day breakfasts (€9), sand- Parquet floors and walls, supermod ceiling
world go by. Greek wines, this is the place to go. wiches like chicken mango and salads lamps and Brazilian dance beats animate
make up the day menu; night-time sees this glam café. It’s a fair bet you’ll spot
CASA PERÚ Map p92 Peruvian €€ ENVY Map p92 Mediterranean €€ patrons tucking into platefuls of pasta – models nibbling focaccia sandwiches, tostis,
try the ‘Kung Funghi’ (with three kinds of generous salads or the popular grilled
%620 37 49; www.casaperu.nl; Leidsegracht 68; %344 64 07; www.envy.nl; Prinsengracht 381;
mushrooms, parsley, walnuts and cream). chicken club with avocado.
EATING WESTERN CANAL BELT

EATING WESTERN CANAL BELT

mains €12-20 Tapas €4.50-17; set menus €50; hlunch & dinner
When the weather’s good, there’s nothing Wed-Sun, dinner Mon-Tue
quite like enjoying a crema de ajo (cream This hip, sleek restaurant encourages diners HEIN Map p92 Café € NIELSEN Map p92 Café €
of garlic) soup or lomo saltado (beef with to take a five-course menu of seemingly %623 10 48; Berenstraat 20; mains €4-11; %330 60 06; Berenstraat 19; dishes €4-10;
onion, tomato and French fries) while look- endless, top-notch tasters. The designer hbreakfast & lunch hbreakfast & lunch Tue-Sun
ing out over the Leidsegracht and the Prin- globes are there to light up the media stars Hein simply loves to cook, and it shows in This sunny café, with its bright interior filled
sengracht. Indoors, it’s busy and homelike. here most weekends. her simple, stylish, sky-lit café – you have to with fresh flowers, has a tasty set breakfast –
walk through the kitchen to reach the din- eggs, toast, fruit, juice and coffee (€7.50).
DE STRUISVOGEL Map p92 French €€ BUFFET VAN ODETTE Map p92 Café € ing room. Media types, doing business over During lunch a large variety of salads and
brunch, comment that she has a great touch sandwiches are served: try the BLT or gigan-
%423 38 17; Keizersgracht 312; 3-course menu %423 60 34; www.buffet-amsterdam.nl; Heren-
€19.50; hdinner gracht 309; mains €3-12.50; h8.30am-5.30pm with simple dishes: croque monsieur or mad- tic chicken club sandwich.
This former kitchen to some large canal Mon-Fri, 10am-5.30pm Sat, noon-5.30pm Sun ame, smoked salmon and fresh fruit salads.
houses offers a great deal. It’s in the base- Not a buffet but a sit-down café, Odette PANCAKE BAKERY
ment (struisvogel means ‘ostrich’), and yes and Yvette show how good simple cook- GOODIES Map p92 Café € Map p92 Contemporary Dutch €
they do serve the bird, along with a nightly ing can taste when you start with great %625 61 22; Huidenstraat 9; dishes €3.50-10; %625 13 33; www.pancake.nl; Prinsengracht 191;
rotating menu – generous portions of more ingredients and a dash of creativity. Soups, hlunch & dinner mains €4.95-11.50; hlunch & dinner
conventional French-inspired choices. It sandwiches, pastas and quiches are mostly This once-country place in the Negen This basement restaurant in a restored
gets crowded; book ahead. organic, and you might find smart little Straatjes with rustic picnic tables has gone warehouse features a dizzying 79 varieties
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of this Dutch speciality from sweet (choco- SLUIZER Map pp100-1 Stunning gay couples pack the different

lonelyplanet.com
International €€
late) to savoury (the ‘Egyptian’, topped %622 63 76; www.sluizer.nl; Utrechtsestraat levels of this Art Nouveau–tiled and styled
with lamb, sweet peppers and garlic sauce). 43-45; mains €14.50-24.50, 3-course menu €19.50; space for pizzas, pasta and playful flirting,
There are also omelettes, soups, desserts hdinner and it’s perfect for a low-key lunch with
and lots of tourists given its proximity to This old-line institution – with its roman- your fashion-industry friends.
the Anne Frank Huis. VIEWS WHILE YOU EAT tic, enclosed garden terrace – historically
De Belhamel (p164) In summer, try for an outdoor comprises two restaurants: a Parisian-style TEMPO DOELOE Map pp100-1 Indonesian €€
WIL GRAANSTRA FRITESHUIS table overlooking the canal: you’ll have the ‘meat’ restaurant (No 43) and a fish restau- %625 67 18; Utrechtsestraat 75; mains €19.50-
Map p92 Fries € beautiful Brouwersgracht alongside you and the rant (No 45), though both menus are avail- 21.50, rijsttafel & set menus €25-35; hdinner
%624 40 71; Westermarkt 11; fries €1.70-2.40; handsome Herengracht at your feet. able in both restaurants. Spare ribs are the Mon-Sat
h11am-6pm La Rive (below) As if two Michelin stars weren’t speciality of the former and bouillabaisse One of the best Indonesian restaurants in
This little stall near the Anne Frank Huis enough, this restaurant at the Intercontinental the speciality of the latter. the city (it charges accordingly), Tempo
has been serving up crispy fries with Hotel sits right on the Amstel for riverfront views. Doeloe’s setting and service are pleasant
delectable mayo since 1956. Legions of M Café (p169) Drink in the views from the top RESTAURANT RED and decorous without being overdone.
Amsterdammers swear by them. While floor of the Metz & Co department store on the Map pp100-1 Seafood/French €€ Dishes bring out subtle flavours amid the
you’re there, ask Wil to do his impression of Keizersgracht. spice, and staff are happy to accommodate
%320 18 24; www.restaurantred.nl; Keizers-
‘Terminator’ Schwarzenegger – it’s priceless. Sea Palace (p158) This floating Chinese restaurant gracht 594; mains €14.50-24.50, set menus €25; vegetarians. Plus, there’s an extraordinary
is pleasing on the eye, and pleasing on the IJ. wine list. Downside: it’s a bit supercilious –
h6.00pm-midnight
Also recommended: For those paralysed by choice, the very sexy you have to ring a doorbell to enter.
Koh-I-Noor (Map p92; %623 31 33; Westermarkt 29; LA RIVE Map pp100-1 French €€€ Red is for you. It’s all about steak or lobster
mains €12.50-19.50; hdinner) Venerable Indian with %622 60 60; www.restaurantlarive.com; Amstel here, and whatever way you’re wired, the styl- TAKE THAI Map pp100-1 Thai €€
curries and tandoori close to Anne Frank Huis. Intercontinental Hotel, Professor Tulpplein 1; mains ish waitresses will match the right wine. No %622 05 77; Utrechtsestraat 87; mains €14-19.75,
Letting (Map p92; %627 93 93; www.letting.nl; €34-55; hbreakfast daily, lunch Mon-Fri, dinner prizes for guessing the main colour scheme. set menus €25-36; hdinner
Prinsenstraat 3; sandwiches €4.50-7; h8am-5.30pm) Mon-Sat This modern restaurant plates up some of
Bright, charming snack ’n’ sandwich bar, for pit-stopping Two Michelin stars and a formal dining room TUJUH MARET Map pp100-1 Indonesian €€ the best Thai food in the city. Choose from
between purchases. with graciously spaced tables and views %427 98 65; www.tujuh-maret.nl; Utrechtsestraat a variety of curries spiced according to your
over the Amstel make La Rive the perfect 73; mains €13.50-23.50, rijsttafel €23.50; hlunch palate. The Penang beef curry is a winner, as
’t Kuyltje (Map p92; %620 10 45; Gasthuismolensteeg
venue for an out-to-impress lunch or dinner. Mon-Sat, dinner nightly is the fish fried in lemongrass and Thai basil.
9; sandwiches €2-3.50; hbreakfast & lunch) Tile-lined
The menu changes frequently, but standbys Dare we say it? Tujuh Maret, next door to
sandwich shop. Try the pastrami and raw meats.
include turbot and truffle in potato pasta, or, Tempo Doeloe, is just as good but attitude- PASTA E BASTA Map pp100-1 Italian €€
as you’d expect, a starter of caviar. free and cheaper. Grab a wicker chair and tuck %422 22 26; www.pastaebasta.nl; Nieuwe
SOUTHERN CANAL BELT
All roads in Amsterdam seem to lead to RISTORANTE D’ANTICA
into spicy Sulawesi-style dishes like dried, fried
beef or chicken in red-pepper sauce. Rijst-
Spiegelstraat 8; 3-course menu €34; hdinner
There may be better Italian food in town,
Leidseplein, but we don’t really recommend Map pp100-1 Italian €€€ tafel is laid out according to spice intensity; but Pasta e Basta is popular with large
eating there. While cheap and cheerful, es- %623 38 62; www.dantica.nl; Reguliersdwarsstraat makanan kecil is a mini-rijsttafel for €15. groups year in, year out thanks to its singing
tablishments there tend not to be particularly 80-82; mains €13-39, set menus from €35; hdinner waitstaff, who perform opera, standards and
distinctive. A short walk away, however, you’ll Tue-Sun HERRIE Map pp100-1 International €€ more. Regulars swear by the antipasto buffet
find some attractive options. Although D’Antica’s three dining rooms %622 08 38; Utrechtsestraat 30a; dishes €18-23; and grilled meats. Reserve well in advance.
EATING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

EATING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

Much the same could also be said for Rem- get their share of celebrities, you’d be hard set menus €39.50-49.00;h6-10pm Mon-Sat
brandtplein. Instead of eating there, walk a pressed to find a more welcoming restau- The name translates as ‘uproar’ – after all, THAI CORNER Map pp100-1 Thai €€
few steps to Utrechtsestraat, the finest res- rant in town. There’s a familiar selection of the chef appeared on a Dutch cooking %320 66 84; Kerkstraat 66; mains €9.50-19.50, set
taurant row in town. pastas and meats, but cognoscenti order programme ‘Uproar in the Kitchen’ – but menus €23-28; hdinner
spaghetti al parmigiano (not on the menu) – make no mistake, this skilled team runs like Don’t dismiss this cute little place: it does se-
VAN VLAANDEREN Map pp100-1 French €€€ and everyone may watch as waiters turn clockwork. Refined creations such as mari- riously authentic Thai. Locals and restaurant
steaming pasta inside a wheel of cheese. nated lobster with parmesan cream emerge critics swoon over squid with garlic pepper
%622 82 92; Weteringschans 175; set menus
€39.50-55.00; h6.30pm-10.30pm, closed Sun & from the open kitchen with choreographed and tofu with Thai basil, and stare agog at
Mon SEGUGIO Map pp100-1 Italian €€€ timing, served in the chic grey-and-black the over-the-top, carved wooden bar at the
One of our favourite French restaurants %330 15 03; www.segugio.nl; Utrechtsestraat 96; interior. The only drawback is the limited back. Other restaurants could afford to take
in town, with lovely canal views from the pastas €15-17, mains €26-36; hdinner Mon-Sat ventilation, irritating if smokers are present. lessons from the self-effacing service.
raised deck. Owner Bas Verstift will come This fashionably minimalist storefront with
out to chat and advise on your wine, and two levels of seating is the sort of place SATURNINO Map pp100-1 Italian €€ ROSE’S CANTINA Map pp100-1 Mexican €€
the fine nuances of dishes are always other chefs go for a good dinner. It’s known %639 01 02; Reguliersdwarsstraat 5; mains €7.50- %625 97 97; www.rosescantina.com; Reguliers-
surprising – such as tuna carpacaccio with for risotto and high-quality ingredients 23; hlunch & dinner dwarsstraat 38-40; dishes €5.50-19.50; hdinner
avocado, chicken with bacon mousse or combined with a sure hand. Book ahead – The menu at this Italian bistro is as long Even if the Californians and Texans (not
langoustines done three ways. it’s almost always busy. as the phone book in a village in Tuscany. to mention Mexicans) among us wouldn’t
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stamp this place as authentic, it’s hard not CAFÉ WALEM Map pp100-1

lonelyplanet.com
Café €€
to love the gorgeous courtyard and fiesta %625 35 44; Keizersgracht 449; lunch mains FEBO A-GO-GO
interior. Fajitas, quesadillas and enchiladas €4.50-9.50, dinner mains €9.50-17.50; hbreak-
are super sized, and margaritas taste good The cheesy fast-food chain Febo (fay-bo) deserves the Amsterdam sex-and-drugs treatment: before first contact,
fast, lunch & dinner
on any continent. however delightful, you might as well educate yourself.
The industrial-mod building by Gerrit
With deep-fryers like sewage tanks and a steady clientele of bottom-feeders, Febo is secretly loved for its cheap,
Rietveld, two terraces, friendly service and
filling, heart-clogging treats (mostly €1 to €2). Then there’s the presentation – rows upon rows of tiny glass doors
SZMULEWICZ Map pp100-1 International €€ a changing menu keep this place busy.
like a miniature Red Light District, lined with gorgeous bits that practically wink at you: kroketten of veal or beef,
%620 28 22; www.szmulewicz.nl; Bakkersstraat There’s a popular carpaccio sandwich,
mains including fish and duck, a neat line kipburger (chicken burger), Feboburger (thought to be real beef with BBQ sauce and lettuce) and enough variations to
12; mains €10-19; hdinner send Ronald McDonald screaming for cover. Insert a coin or two into a slot and open sesame, you’ve got the greasiest
Szmulewicz’s décor is at once slick and of soups and salads, and coffee from Illy.
date of your life.
breezy (trompe l’oeil marble walls, sculpted
OK, it’s down and dirty, but as long as you’re in and out quickly, who’s gonna know?
lighting), a diversity reflected in its menu of LOS PILONES Map pp100-1 Mexican €€
reliable, ever-changing international cook- %320 46 51; www.lospilones.nl; Kerkstraat 63;
ing: pastas, tapas, Greek dishes, beef fillets starters €3.50-7.75, mains €12.50-13.75; h4- WAGAMAMA Map pp100-1 Japanese € ZUSHI Map pp100-1 Japanese €
and vegetarian specialities. In summer, 11.30pm Tue-Sun %528 77 78; Max Euweplein 10; mains €8-13; %330 68 82; Amstel 20; dishes €3-8.75; hlunch
buskers play outside on this quiet block off Owners Hector and Pedro consistently set hlunch & dinner & dinner
Rembrandtplein. the standard among Amsterdam’s handful The long rows of rectangular tables, laid This conveyor-belt sushi shop features
of Mexican restaurants. If you’re looking for out cafeteria-style, are often filled with post-industrial chic décor (stainless steel,
PASTINI Map pp100-1 Italian €€ wonderfully grilled bistek, crispy chicken hipsters fortifying themselves for bike trips brick and blondwood), club tunes, light-
%622 17 01; www.pastini.nl; Leidsegracht 29; rolls and fruity margaritas, you’re definitely or nights on the town. Staples include ning service, and new grilled dishes. Add
mains €9.50-19; hdinner in the right place. No tacos (‘we don’t do chicken ramen, Japanese curries and fried up the colours of your plates to figure out
With a gezellig, rustic-renaissance interior Tex-Mex’) but who cares? One of their 60 noodles or rice. the bill.
and a can’t-beat-it location facing two tequilas will help you get over it.
canals, Pastini wins praise for its looks, M CAFÉ Map pp100-1 Café € VAN DOBBEN Map pp100-1 Sandwich Shop €
pastas and prices. Another speciality is the PATA NEGRA Map pp100-1 Spanish €
%520 78 48; Keizersgracht 455; mains €4-12; %624 42 00; Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat 5; dishes
antipasto starter (€10.25 for five choices), %422 62 50; Utrechtsestraat 142; tapas €3.50-15, h10am-5pm €2-7.50; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner
but save room for dessert. most under €8.50; hlunch & dinner Drink in that amazing panoramic view! This diner with the hospital-tile décor has
Tapas and only tapas. The alluringly tiled The location, high above the Keizersgracht been supplying Amsterdam’s best kroket-
PIET DE LEEUW Map pp100-1 Steakhouse €€ exterior is matched by a vibrant crowd in the top-floor gallery of the ritzy Metz ten (€2) since 1945. Also much beloved for
%623 71 81; www.pietdeleeuw.nl; Noorderstraat inside, especially on weekends, downing Department Store, gives new meaning to sandwiches, soups and omelettes, and a
11; mains €11.50-18; hlunch Mon-Fri, dinner sangria by the jug and all those small plates ‘high tea’ (€12), although other dishes are compulsory stop on a Rembrandtplein pub
nightly (the garlic-fried shrimps and grilled sar- nothing you can’t find elsewhere (soup, crawl.
The building dates from 1900, it’s been a dines are standouts). Margaritas are made salads or sandwiches).
steakhouse and hangout since the 1940s, with freshly squeezed lime juice, as they
should be. Arrive before 6.30pm or reserve. VILLAGE BAGELS
and the dark and cosy atmosphere has BOJO Map pp100-1 Indonesian € Map pp100-1 Sandwich Shop €
barely changed since. If you don’t get
PYGMA-LION Map pp100-1 African € %622 74 34; www.bojo.nl; Lange Leidsedwars- %427 22 13; www.villagebagels.nl; Vijzelstraat
your own table, you may meet folks from
straat 51; mains €7.25-11.50; hlunch Sat & Sun, 139; bagel sandwiches €2.80-5.50; hbreakfast
all over (including, admittedly, tourists) at %420 70 22; Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 5a; mains dinner daily (open until 2am) & lunch
EATING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

EATING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

a common table, over well-priced steaks lunch €5.50-13, dinner 14-25; hdinner Tue-Sun
After a night on the town, there’s nothing The people who gave Amsterdam bagel-
with toppings like onions, mushrooms or This modern South African bistro plates up
like a little Indonesian. Bojo is a late-night chic are going like gangbusters. You may
bacon, served with salad and piping-hot animals you normally have to go to a zoo
institution. Clubbers come for sizzling feel like a New Yorker as you dive into a
frites. to see, like ostrich, springbok and zebra.
satays, filling fried rice and steaming bowls bagel with salmon, chive cream cheese
Squeamish stomachs will still find more
of noodle soup. The quality may be uneven, and capers, especially if you grab the
CAFÉ MORLANG Map pp100-1 Café €€ domesticated options: vegetarian dishes,
but the food is certainly well priced. newspaper. But you’ll remember where
%625 26 81; www.morlang.nl; Keizersgracht ‘tipsy’ tart and blackcurrant scones.
you are at the Stromarkt branch (Map pp62-5;
451; lunch mains €3.50-18, dinner mains €10-18; %528 91 52; Stromarkt 2), which has a canal-
hlunch & dinner GOLDEN TEMPLE Map pp100-1 Vegetarian € ULIVETO Map pp100-1 Takeaway €
side terrace.
Grab a fashion magazine, order tomato %626 85 60; www.restaurantgoldentemple.nl; %423 00 99; Weteringschans 118; dishes €4.50-
soup or tarte tatin, or choose from a rotat- Utrechtsestraat 126; mains €6.85-14.25; hdinner 10.50; h11am-8pm Mon-Fri, noon-6pm Sat
ing menu with influences from Italy to Golden Temple’s quietly upscale setting In a capacious, spare atmosphere of under- BAGELS & BEANS
Thailand. The canalside terrace is fab in means that you don’t have to feel like you’re stated luxury, this shop is lined with huge Map pp100-1 Sandwich Shop €
warm weather; indoors enjoy the high ceil- back in school just because you’re eating crocks of olive oil and splendid displays of %330 55 08; www.bagelsbeans.nl; Keizersgracht
ings and gigantic portraits of staff members vegetarian food. Its international menu of In- Italian specialities. If you prefer to dine in, 504; bagels €2.50-5.50; hbreakfast & lunch Mon-
painted on the back wall. Friday nights it’s dian thali, Middle Eastern and Mexican plat- try the long white marble table when cook- Fri, lunch Sat & Sun
a low-key gay hangout – so low-key that ters is good and inexpensive. Leave room for ing demonstrations or classes are not being Join the crowds for bagels with all the
you may not realise it. the totally wicked banana-cream pie. held there. usual toppings, plus some new-fangled
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ones (smoked chicken with avocado and COBRA CAFÉ-RESTAURANT ‘T BLAUWE THEEHUIS Map p116

lonelyplanet.com
Café €€
pesto). Top it all off with a slice of dense fig Map p110 International € Round Blue Teahouse; %662 02 54; www TOO TIRED TO KOOK?
cake; it goes exceedingly well with coffee. %470 01 11; Hobbemastraat 18; mains €5- .blauwetheehuis.nl; Vondelpark 5; lunch €3.50-5, The Kinderkookkafé (Map p116; %625 32 57; Von-
There’s another branch in De Pijp (Map p119; 12;hlunch & dinner dinner mains €14-19; h9am-10pm delpark 6; hring for hours & reservations) lets the
%672 16 10, Ferdinand Bolstraat 70). This arty glass cube of a restaurant, full of This functionalist teahouse from 1936 is a kids take over the kitchen with careful supervision.
original works by Corneille and Appel, sure wonderful multilevel building that serves The small fry prepare meals from pancakes and pizzas
BROODJE VAN KOOTJE is touristy. But when you’re all museumed coffee, cake and alcohol; its terrace and bal- to Moroccan, write up the menus, and even clean up
Map pp100-1 Sandwiches € out and need a salad, a massive club sand- cony are great for a beer on a sunny day, (well, just a little).
%623 20 36; Leidseplein 20; broodjes from €2; wich or a slice of ‘Karel Appel taart’, you’ll even in winter when the heaters are on.
hlunch & dinner hardly notice. The hi-tech toilets are almost
This is Amsterdam’s longest-running worth the €0.50 admission. PALOMA BLANCA Map p116 Moroccan €€ potatoes), served on stainless-steel dishes.
sandwich bar, although you’d never know Beer is cheap too.
%612 64 85; www.palomablanca.nl; Jan Pieter
it by its appearance (Micky D’s has more SABOR DE MARIA Heijestraat 145; mains €13-16.50; hdinner
charm). Still, it stays open for late-night Map p110 Mediterranean Tapas € Tue-Sun PASTA DI MAMMA
munchies, the quality is solid and you %662 62 76; www.sabordemaria.nl; Roelof The name is Spanish, but the lanterns, Map p116 Italian/Takeaway €
can’t beat the two locations (second Hartstraat 60; mains €6.50-8; hlunch & dinner dishware and mosaic-top tables are straight %664 83 14; www.pastadimamma.nl; PC Hooft-
branch at Spui 28, Map pp62–5), right in the Mon-Sat out of a Marrakech souk. Try the starter of straat 52; sandwiches €3.10-5, antipasti per 100g
heart of the pub ’n’ club zone. This catering shop sells tapas from €1.25 olives and brik (spicy tuna spread), mains €2.85-4.90; h9am-7pm Mon-Sat, noon-7pm Sun
per 100g, such as meatballs, stuffed grape of couscous and tajine (Moroccan stew) or Casual, friendly Pasta di Mamma is su-
Also recommended: leaves and garlic chicken wings, and main mixed grills of spicy sausage, lamb cutlets premely located for picking up a picnic to
dishes like rib eye with pepper sauce, veg- and chicken. It’s the only place in town to take to the Vondelpark. You can choose
Gala (Map pp100-1; %623 63 03; Reguliersdwarsstraat
etable lasagne and Spanish chicken. Take it cook with smet, a specially aged butter. from dozens of antipasti, gorgeous salads
38; tapas €6-12; hdinner) Toothsome tapas, each more
away, or settle at one of the few tables. and more substantial plates. The countrified
like a main meal, within Rose’s Cantina (p167). cafeteria space is also pleasant for eating in.
Loekie (Map pp100-1; %624 42 30; Prinsengracht 705; LALIBELA Map p116 Ethiopian €
broodjes €2.25-5.50; hlunch & dinner) Butcher shop
SAMA SEBO Map p110 Indonesian € %683 83 32; 1e Helmersstraat 249; mains €7.50-
with 150 types of fillings to stuff into a broodje for you. %662 81 46; www.samasebo.com; PC Hooftstraat
27; rijsttafel per person €27.50, lunch specials €15,
13; hdinner
This shop just north of the Overtoom was
DE PIJP
Anything can happen on De Pijp’s cuisine
Maoz Falafel (Map pp100-1; %420 74 35; Muntplein 1; dishes €2-6.50; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat the Netherlands’ first Ethiopian restaurant,
sandwiches €2.80-4.30; hlunch & dinner) Its flagship Sama Sebo looks more like a brown café scene – it’s funky, frilly and fashionable, often
and it’s still our favourite. Aksumite-hide
creation is crispy, hot and authentic, with endless salad than a trip to the South Seas, and that’s all at once. West of the Albert Cuypmarkt, the
paintings with Christian motifs hang on the
and toppings OK. The rijsttafel is 17 dishes (four to seven
Albert Cuypstraat is lined with unique ethnic
walls. You can drink Ethiopian beer from a spots, while to the north, the streets around
Wok to Walk (Map pp100-1; %624 29 41; Leidsestraat at lunch time), and you can get individual half-gourd, and taste your stews, egg and Marie Heinekenplein heave with a spirited
96; dishes €4-9.50; h9am-midnight) For noodly refuel- plates if that’s too much. It’s had the same vegetable dishes using endjera, a spongy crowd of local 20- to 40-somethings.
ling. Shockingly healthy in this part of town. formula since 1970, so who are we to pancake, instead of utensils. Trippy African
question? music rounds out the experience.
PUYCK Map p119 International €€€
OLD SOUTH
The refined neighbourhood that hosts the
Also recommended:
La Falote Map p110; %622 54 54; Roelof Hartstraat 26;
WAROENG ASJE
%676 76 77; www.puyck.nl; Ceintuurbaan 147;
set menus from €36; hdinner Mon-Sat
Map p116 Javanese/Surinamese €
EATING OLD SOUTH

EATING DE PIJP
This place near Sarphatipark offers neither
Concertgebouw, major museums and swanky mains €6.50-14; hdinner Mon-Sat) Home-style Dutch %616 65 89; Jan Pieter Heijestraat 180; mains €5- games nor pretension, just imaginative,
shops is home to some very chi-chi restau- cooking. Wait till the owner brings out the accordion. 12, rijsttafel €28; hlunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily sophisticated cooking appropriate for a
rants. Don’t be surprised if you bump into Renzo’s (Map p110; %673 16 73; www.renzos.nl; Van This counter-service shop serves rijsttafel, nice night out. Think baby lobster with let-
tenor Placido Domingo or violinist Anne- Baerlestraat 67; dishes €1.95-2.95; h11am-9pm) Italian but you can get some of the same food in tuce, duck breast in Chinese five-spice, or a
Sophie Mutter as you wait for seating. The takeaway deli with a popular miniterrace. human-sized portions with the nasi rames white wine–poached pear, all served with
eastern part of Van Baerlestraat is less formal, special (€9) – a heaped plate of roasted flair. If it has the Thai curry sorbet, consider
with traditional Dutch and tapas. meats, on skewers or in spicy stews, with yourself lucky.

BARK Map p110 Seafood €€

VONDELPARK & stir-fried or pickled vegetables, and a deep-
fried hard-boiled egg. MAMOUCHE Map p119
%675 02 10; www.bark.nl; Van Baerlestraat 120;
mains €13-24; hlunch Mon-Fri, dinner nightly
AROUND
For lazy grazing, the Vondelpark has several HAP HMM Map p116 Traditional Dutch €
%673 63 61; www.restaurantmamouche.nl;
Moroccan €€

Quellijnstraat 104; mains €14.50-22; hdinner

A quick hop from the Concertgebouw, this cafés whose terraces buzz on a warm sum- %618 18 84; 1e Helmersstraat 33; mains €5-7; Tue-Sun
genteel place does a big pre- and post- mer’s day. The streets just north of the park, h4.30-8pm Mon-Fri Mamouche gets serious acclaim for modern
performance business. For starters, choose meanwhile, are a real find for lovers of world Elsewhere €6 might buy you a bowl of Moroccan amid minimalism. Exposed floor-
from a long shellfish menu or try the blinis of food. Look out for exotic dishes from Asia and soup, but at this wood-panelled neighbour- ing, mottled walls and slat-beam ceilings
smoked oilfish. For mains, we like the grilled Africa served in surrounds that are earthy, hood place €6 might buy an entire dinner: complement the changing selection of
tuna steak with bacon and balsamic sauce. authentic and refreshingly low-key. simple Dutch cooking (meat + veggies + couscous, lamb and fish dishes. Check out
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the brass fixtures in the loo – if you can find young, cheerful, colourful, reasonably DE BURGERMEESTER Map p119
PLANTAGE, EASTERN

lonelyplanet.com
Burgers €
it. Reservations are a must. priced and good-looking both outside and %670 93 39; www.burgermeester.eu; Albert
in. You might see skinny young things dig- Cuypstraat 48; burgers €4-7.50; hnoon-11pm
KLOKSPIJS Map p119 French International €€ ging into enormous plates of fish paella or This sleek little bistro makes the finest
burgers in town, bar none. It uses only
ISLANDS & EASTERN
tempura-style shrimp.
%364 25 60; Hemonystraat 38; mains €19.50, set
menus €28.50; hdinner Wed-Sun organic beef (or lamb, falafel or tilapia), in
mouth-stretching portions that would pass
DOCKLANDS
The Plantage may be just steps from Nieuw-
Located in an old bell-maker’s workshop, TURKIYE Map p119 Turkish €
this charming, intimate restaurant with a as a main dish without a bun. Then come markt, but what a difference those few steps
Ferdinand Bolstraat 48; mains €6.75-15.50; the toppings: spicy fusion veggies, bean
handful of tables makes for a fine end to a make, taking you to an area that’s quiet yet
hbreakfast, lunch & dinner sprouts, piri-piri mayo and more. The name
day of poking around De Pijp. The three- English may not work at this simple shop, close to some important sights. In the Eastern
is a play on ‘mayor’ (burgemeester). Islands, a lot of our favourite places are by (or
course menu of, say, smoked duck breast but it doesn’t matter: the dishes inside the
salad, grilled sea bass and strawberry- glass case are plenty eloquent. Locals value in some cases, literally on) the water. Choose
rhubarb cake is a class act, and the wine BAKKEN MET PASSIE Map p119 Bakery € from the historic and homely to world-class
Turkiye for its grilled mains and small plates
selection is small but superb. %670 13 76; http://debakkerswinkel.nl; Albert slick. The Eastern Docklands is the end of the
like stuffed tomatoes and Turkish pizza (€1 Cuypstraat 51-53; h8am-6pm Tue-Sat
to €3.50). Eat-in or takeaway. line, but many agree that the trek is worth it for
Say your sweetie hates ethnic food but its beautiful eateries and innovative cuisine.
BALTI HOUSE Map p119 Indian €€ you desperately want something exotic on
%470 89 17; Albert Cuypstraat 41; mains €10.50- BAZAR AMSTERDAM the Albert Cuyp. This quietly fancy shop
18; hdinner
One of the best-kept secrets in De Pijp is
Map p119 Middle Eastern/Fusion € bakes the appropriate bribes like yummy
Valrhona chocolate tart (€3.85 per slice) or
PLANTAGE
this exceedingly friendly, quick-serving, %675 05 44; www.bazaramsterdam.nl; Albert PLANCIUS Map p122 International €€
Cuypstraat 182; mains €8-14.50, 3-course menu lemon cake (€6.50 per small loaf ).
always-tasty spot. The butter chicken %330 94 69; www.restaurantplancius.nl; Plantage
masala (€12.50) is consistently smooth and €15; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner Kerklaan 61a; mains €16-19; hlunch & dinner
Beneath a golden angel in the middle TAART VAN M’N TANTE Map p119 Sweets €
tender but the fiery tandooris and biryanis Next to the Resistance Museum and oppo-
of the Albert Cuypmarkt, this one-time %776 46 00; www.detaart.com; Ferdinand Bol- site the Artis Zoo, this dramatically stylish
won’t disappoint either. Start with a rich straat 10; cakes per slice around €4; h10am-6pm
mango lassi and a chapatti amuse-bouche Dutch Reformed church has fab-u-lous space (bright red bar at the back) is where
tile murals and 10,001 Arabian lights to One of Amsterdam’s best-loved cake shops
on the shady terrace. operates from this uber-kitsch parlour at TV execs head to cut deals over big serves
complement the cuisine: from Morocco of upmarket comfort food. Lunch is typi-
the entrance to De Pijp: apple pies (Dutch,
through Turkey, Lebanon and Persia. Even cally sandwiches, salads and pastas. The
ZEN Map p119 Japanese €€ French or ‘tipsy’), pecan pie, and tarts with
the plates are gorgeous and exotic. Break- ingredients like truffles and marzipan with menu changes quarterly, and there are
%627 06 07; Frans Halsstraat 38; mains €6.50- fast and lunch are served all day, or just
17.75; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sat strawberry liqueur. Savouries include the friendly, good-looking waiters.
come for a beer and baklava or coffee and mozzarella-pesto quiche. Hot-pink walls ac-
Let’s be frank: many Japanese restaurants
apple pie. cent cakes dressed like Barbie dolls – or are ABE VENETO Map p122 Italian €
are lovely, elegant poseurs. Zen, however,
offers cooking like okāsan (mum) used to they Barbies dressed like cakes? %639 23 64; Plantage Kerklaan 2; mains €4.50-
make: domburi (bowls of rice with various CAMBODJA CITY Map p119 Cambodian € 12.50; hlunch & dinner
ingredients on top), sushi and tonkatsu %671 49 30; Albert Cuypstraat 58-60; mains MÁS TAPAS Map p119 Spanish € Sometimes you just want a corner place
(deep-fried pork cutlet) are just the start. €3.50-13.50, set dinner for 2 from €24; hdinner %664 00 66; Saenredamstraat 37; tapas per plate with decent food at honest prices. The
Décor: minimalist Dutch-meets-Japanese. Tue-Sun from €3; hdinner pizza menu tops out at €9.50 and has
It’s also popular for takeaway. The owner’s welcome is warm and friendly, While ‘tapas’ has become Amsterdamese 45 choices – the gorgonzola pizza puts

EATING PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

EATING DE PIJP

and the flavours are from across Southeast for anything served on a small plate, this this stinky cheese to excellent use. Other
Asia – loempias (spring rolls), Vietnamese cool, whitewashed room serves the real options include pastas, salads and meat
ZAGROS Map p119 Kurdish €€
thing and is full of funsters having a gar-
%670 04 61; www.zagrosrestaurant.nl; Albert noodle soups, Thai curries etc. Set menus dishes. In summer, a terrace is set up by
also reflect the different traditions, and licky good time. It wins raves from old and the canal.
Cuypstraat 50; mains €10-15.75; hdinner new customers alike.
Never tried Kurdish food? Neither had we, there are fab displays of takeaway foods in
but we’re glad we did. Just as Kurdistan case you don’t feel like eating in.
straddles Greece and Persia, so does the
Also recommended: EASTERN ISLANDS
De Soepwinkel (Map p119; %673 22 93; 1e Sweelinck- A TAVOLA Map p122 Italian €€
cuisine, with grills and stews (mostly lamb ALBERT CUYP 67 Map p119 Surinamese € straat 19f; soups €3.50-10) Sleek, airy soupery, serving
and chicken), salads of cucumber, tomato %671 13 96; Albert Cuypstraat 67; mains €3.20- %625 49 94; Kadijksplein 9; mains €11.50-20;
home-made quiches, cakes and tarts.
or onion, and starters like hummus and 8.40; hlunch & dinner hdinner
dumast (thick, dry yogurt). Gelateria Italiano Peppino (Map p119; %676 49 10; 1e Overlooked by most tourists, this authen-
If you’re looking for stylish surrounds, turn
Sweelinckstraat 16; scoops from €0.90; h11am-11pm) tic Italian restaurant near the Shipping
away now. If, however, you’re after quality De Pijp’s blue-ribbon ice-cream maker, just off the Albert
CAFÉ DE PIJP Map p119 Café €€ examples of Surinamese food, take a seat. Museum serves a small but well-chosen
Cuyp market. menu of meats and pastas that cry out for
%618 16 69; Ferdinand Bolstraat 17-19; mains A colossal portion of roti kip (chicken curry,
Nieuw Albina (Map p119; %379 02 23; Albert Cuyp- a selection from its excellent wine list. Even
€13.50-15; hlunch & dinner flaky roti bread, potatoes, cabbage and
straat 49; mains €5-11.50; hlunch & dinner Wed-Mon) if the service can be a little iffy, the quality
De Pijp, the restaurant, is a fitting emblem egg) is a fine replenishment after a couple
More polished than Albert Cuyp 67, but with flavours just of the cooking is consistent and strong.
of De Pijp, the neighbourhood: bright, of hours at Albert Cuypmarkt.
as bold. Reservations are a must.
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KOFFIEHUIS VAN DEN VOLKSBOND GARE DE L’EST Map p122

OUTER DISTRICTS maître d’ – this new restaurant in the

lonelyplanet.com
International €€
Map p122 International €€ %463 06 20; www.garedelest.nl; Cruquiusweg 9; Western Islands, north of the Jordaan, al-
%622 12 09; Kadijksplein 4; mains €11.50-16.50; 4-course set menu €27; hdinner BLENDER Map pp58-9 French-Mediterranean €€ ready has an army of devoted fans. Expect
hdinner Gare de l’Est has both the smallest menu %486 98 60; Van der Palmkade 16; mains €18-22; reasonable prices, an excellent wine menu
This laid-back place began life as a charit- in Amsterdam and also the largest. They hdinner daily, lunch Sat & Sun and attentive service, plus an artsy interior
able coffee house for dockers, and it still has say that because four chefs (from tradi- Way out west of the Jordaan, Blender’s with mosaics of Venetian glass. The set
a fashionably grungy vibe – wood floors, a tions including North African, Mediter- cheeky, curvy, 1970s airport-lounge interior meals change weekly and feature seasonal
giant red-rose mural and tall candles on the ranean and Asian) take turns nightly in (think lots of orange swivel chairs) is just ingredients.
tables. The ever-changing menu has huge the kitchen, and what their course menus the place to sip cocktails, sample inventive
plates of comfort food with ingredients lack in length they make up for in variety French-Med food and socialise as DJs spin PACIFIC PARC Map pp58-9 International €€
like mussels and merguez (a type of spicy over the course of a year. Portuguese tiles deep house and soul. People love it and %488 77 78; www.pacificparc.nl; Polonceaukade
sausage), or try the risotto. The Belgian and glowing Middle Eastern lamps adorn hate it for the same reason (self-conscious 23; lunch mains €3.50-10, dinner mains €13.50-17,
chocolate terrine has fans all over town. the interior, and courtyard seating exudes hipness), but there’s no doubt it’s a scene. 3-course menu €25; hlunch & dinner
good vibes. Among the many venues in the newly
EASTERN DOCKLANDS PANAMA Map p122 International €€
BETTY’S Map pp58-9 Vegetarian €€
%644 58 96; Rijnstraat 75; mains €17-22;
refurbished Westergasfabriek, Pacific Parc
is the most established and, arguably, the
VOORBIJ HET EINDE Map p122 French €€ %311 86 89; www.panama.nl; Oostelijke Handel- hlunch Wed-Fri, dinner Wed-Sun most interesting. Lunch time is typically
%419 11 33; Sumatrakade 613; mains €24, set skade 4; mains €11-18; hlunch & dinner Some consider it the top vegetarian restau- sandwiches, pastas and salads, although
menus €33-66; hdinner Wed-Sat The Eastern Harbour’s first grown-up rant in the country. The menu’s small on dinner can get pretty adventurous with
It means ‘beyond the end’, and on your trek restaurant has an enormous, sleek dining any given day, but there’s always something selections like ceviche and stuffed lamb
out here to Java Eiland you may begin to room, Mondrian colour scheme and steel new. It’s rounded out by tiny tables and a shanks. Late at night expect to see DJs and
question your judgement. Don’t. This place, light fixtures; it’s a good place to fortify decent wine selection, and everyone says to guest performers.
with its supermod architectural interior yourself before hitting the nightclub on save room for dessert.
(frosted glass walls, lots of right angles), wins the same premises. Gucci-garbed cou- GARY’S MUFFINS Map pp58-9 Bakery €
high praise for high French in high style – ples splurge on oysters (in season) and CAFÉ-RESTAURANT AMSTERDAM %412 30 25; Kinkerstraat 140; dishes €1.50-4.50;
the menu changes every month or so. a weekly changing menu of pastas and Map pp58-9 French International €€ h8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat, 10am-6pm
grills. Wash it down with the – wait for Sun
%682 26 66; wwws.cradam.nl; Watertorenplein 6;
FIFTEEN Map p122 International €€ it – Panamartini (vodka, crema ciocolata, mains €10-21; hlunch & dinner This long-standing bakery serves fresh
%0900 343 83 36; www.fifteen.nl; Jollemanhof espresso). One of the city’s hippest eateries is housed bagels, chocolate brownies from Gary’s
9; mains €18-22, 4-course set menu with wine €42; in a former water-processing plant near the grandma’s recipe, and sweet and savoury
hdinner
‘Naked chef’ Jamie Oliver has brought to
Amsterdam a concept he began in London:
OOSTERPARK & Westerpark. Expect classic French brasserie
cooking (steak bearnaise, mussels, roasted
muffins for anyone craving a healthy(ish)
minimunch.

take 15 young people from underprivileged

backgrounds and train them for a year in
AROUND garlic chicken). Note the 30m-high wooden
ceilings (with hanging metal hooks and SAL MEIJER Map pp58-9 Kosher Deli
For a whiff of the former Dutch colonies, try chains) and the huge floodlights rescued %673 13 13; Scheldestraat 45; dishes €2-5;
the restaurant biz. Results: noble intention, the Ekeko restaurant in the Tropenmuseum from the former Ajax and Olympic stadiums. h10am-7.30pm Sun-Thu, 10am-3pm Fri)
sometimes spotty execution. The setting, (p128) or the simple Indonesian and Suri- This kosher delicatessen has little to no
however, is beyond question: Fifteen faces namese takeaways on nearby Linneausstraat RESTAURANT PS Map pp58-9 International €€ atmosphere, but how can you argue with
EATING OOSTERPARK & AROUND

EATING OUTER DISTRICTS

the IJ, and the busy, open-kitchen space is and 2e Van Swindenstraat. Further south, the %421 52 18; www.restaurant.ps; Planciusstraat a refrigerator case lined with pretty scoops
city-cool, with graffitied walls and exposed park that embraces the sumptuous Franken- 49; dinner mains €14-19, 3-course menu €30; of salmon, potato and egg salads? Order
wood beams. dael (p128) is home to one of the Amsterdam’s hdinner Tue-Sat the heaping corned-beef sandwich – get
finest restaurants. Run by an unlikely yet vastly experienced it warm, you’ll thank us. We love the kicky
ODESSA Map p122 International €€ pair – an English chef and a Columbian ginger cake for dessert.
%419 30 10; www.de-odessa.nl; Veemkade DE KAS Map p129 International €€€
259; lunch mains €3.40-8, dinner mains €17-22; %462 45 62; www.restaurantdekas.nl; Kamer-
hlunch & dinner lingh Onneslaan 3, Frankendael Park; 5-course
Odessa rocks. Literally. This groovy boat, menu €42; hlunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat
with indoor and outdoor eating decks and Admired by gourmets city-wide, De Kas
a 1970s-themed ‘plush-porno’ décor, is just has an organic attitude to match its chic
the sort of place where Hugh Hefner would glass greenhouse setting – try to go dur-
hold a debauched pyjama party – as if to ing a thunderstorm! It grows most of its © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
emphasise that fact, DJs take over late at own herbs and produce right there (if it’s restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
night. The menu changes frequently, and not busy you might be offered a tour),
although opinions on food and service run and the result is incredibly pure flavours
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
the gamut from ‘love it’ to ‘hate it’, there’s with innovative combinations. Romantic everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
no denying it’s a scene. and tony. the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
174 175
© Lonely Planet Publications

D R I N K I N G & SM O K I N G

Café ’t Smalle (p186)

So gezellig: moor the boat right at your table.
Hoppe (p181)
An icon of drinking history with a bottomless vat.
Café de Jaren (p185)
Grandest, most talkative terrace on the Amstel.
Brouwerij ’t IJ (p192)
Columbus, a sweet ostrich and a windmill.
Het Papeneiland (p186)
Cosy tiled café with a secret tunnel story.
Kandinsky (p181)
Cool-vibe coffeeshop free of Rastas and aliens.
Proeflokaal Wijnand Fockinck (p184)
Glorious jenevers for the dedicated tippler.
Café Cuba (p185)
A brown café beamed to the Caribbean.
Bar Bep (p181)
An Eastern European cabaret lounge ca 1950.
Dampkring (p181)
A hobbit’s cave emitting rings of funny smoke.
 especially the potent ‘super skunk’ with up to following section). Lighting up in the former

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D R I N K I N G & SM O K I N G 13% of THC, the active substance (Nigerian
grass has 5% and Colombian 7%). Accord-
will get you a tongue-lashing at best.
Note that relatively few locals frequent the
ing to a recent government-sponsored poll coffeeshops – this is generally something they
of coffeeshop owners, nederwiet has captured try as teenagers, and then leave to the tourists
Given this city’s rep as a wild-running commune of rabid party animals, the first-time visitor over half the market, and hash is in decline (read an insider’s view, p193). That said, the
may be surprised that Amsterdam is still very much a café society. even among tourists. atmosphere in coffeeshops can vary sharply,
A serious and civilised institution, the cafés of any sophisticated metropolis should bring to ‘Space’ cakes and cookies are sold in a and some have abandoned the spacey ‘tune-
mind intellectual types hunched over worn tables in blue-smoky rooms, dissecting the eternal rather low-key fashion, mainly because tour- out, turn-off’ pose (eg aliens, Jamaican locks
themes and poring over newspapers as if they were actually working. While you can still find such ists often have problems with them. If you’re and cartoon fantasies) in lieu of a more mel-
folk in the canal city, and certainly plenty of smoke, they’re both part of the broader Amsterdam unused to their effects, or the time they can low New Age vibe, especially outside of the
culture – and darn good reasons for in-depth research. Someone’s gotta do it, after all! take to kick in and run their course, you could Red Light District.
be in for a rather involved experience.
SPECIALITIES So long overshadowed by other tipples, Some coffeeshops might sell magic mush-
Beer Cafés
DRINKING & SMOKING SPECIALITIES

DRINKING & SMOKING WHERE TO CONSUME

wine is drunk by more Dutch than ever before. rooms, that is, if the psychedelic fungi aren’t
Drinks The average supermarket will stock wines banned by the time you read this. These far- Beer cafés specialise in the brew, with many
seasonal and potent brands on tap and in the
Lager beer is the staple, served cool and from every corner of Europe (with excellent out vendors are the place to go for serious
topped by a two finger–thick head of froth – value from Spain and Bulgaria) and many mind-altering products such as cacti, herbal bottle. At any one time, some establishments
supposedly to trap the flavour. Requests of ‘no countries further afield, such as Chile, South extracts and specialist smokables like dried will be stocked with 300 or more varieties, and
head please’ will meet with a steely response. Africa and Australia. The most expensive bot- sage or wild lettuce (see the boxed text, p140) can offer excellent advice for imbibing.
Een bier, een pils or een vaas will get you a tle in a supermarket rarely costs more than €8 Whatever you decide to purchase, ask the
and will be quite drinkable.
normal glass; een kleintje pils is a small glass
and een fluitje is a small, thin, Cologne-style The hot drink of choice is coffee – after all,
staff how much you should take and heed
their advice, even if nothing happens after
Brown Cafés
it was Amsterdam’s merchants who intro- The most historic and famous type of café is
glass. Many places also serve half-litre mugs an hour. the brown café (bruin café). The name comes
(een grote pils) to please tourists, but somehow duced coffee to Europe. It should be strong
from the smoke stains from centuries of use
draught lager doesn’t taste the same in a mug and can be excellent if it’s freshly made. If you
and goes flat if you don’t drink quickly. simply order koffie you’ll get a sizeable cup WHERE TO CONSUME (although recent aspirants slap on brown
paint to catch up). You may find sand on the
Popular brands include Heineken, Amstel, of java with a small, airline-style container of When the Dutch say ‘café’, they mean a pub,
and there are over 1000 of them in the city. wooden floor or Persian rugs on the tables to
Grolsch, Oranjeboom, Dommelsch, Bavaria koffiemelk, similar to unsweetened condensed
More than just drinking houses, cafés are soak up spilled beer. Some sell snacks or full
and the cheap Brouwersbier put out by the milk. Koffie verkeerd (coffee ‘wrong’) comes meals as well. Most importantly: they provide
Albert Heijn supermarket chain. They con- in a bigger cup or mug with plenty of real places to go and hang out for hours if you
like. Amsterdam has a stunning variety, and an atmosphere conducive to deep, meaningful
tain about 5% alcohol by volume, so a few of milk. Espresso and cappuccino are also avail- conversation – and inducing the nirvana of
those seemingly small glasses can pack quite able, and most anywhere can accommodate some have regular customers or a certain type
of clientele that’s been coming there for years, gezelligheid (see p182).
a wallop. Tasty and stronger Belgian beers, you with decaf. A pleasant Dutch café chain,
such as Duvel and Westmalle Triple, are also Coffee Company, has locations throughout if not generations.
very popular and reasonably priced. Witbier town. Many cafés have outside seating on a terras
(terrace), glorious in summer, and some-
Coffeeshops
(‘white beer’, eg the Dutch Wieckse Witte, the Tea is usually served as a cup of hot water In the Netherlands a coffeeshop is a place that
Belgian Hoegaarden) is a somewhat murky, with a tea bag. Many places offer a choice of times covered and heated in winter. These sells cannabis. You’ll have no trouble finding
crisp and citrus-y blonde beer that’s drunk in bags. If you want milk, ask ‘met melk, graag’ are great places to relax and watch people one of the 200-odd coffeeshops in Amster-
summer with a slice of lemon. The dark, sweet (with milk, please), but many locals add a slice pass by, soak up the sun, read a paper or dam, and any place showing palm leaves and
bokbier comes out in the autumn. Don’t be of lemon instead. write postcards. Most of these cafés serve Rastafarian colours (red, gold and green) will
surprised if the brews sold in supermarkets Amsterdam tap water is fine but it does food as well. Less adventurous chefs get by have something to do with marijuana. Others
are not much cheaper than in pubs. have a slight chemical taste – as any waiter on soups, sandwiches, salads, tostis (ingre- closely resemble normal cafés.
Dutch gin (jenever, pronounced ‘ya-nay-ver’, will suggest – so mineral and soda waters are dients such as cheese and tomato or pesto
also genever) is made from juniper berries and popular. Dairy drinks include chocolate milk, grilled between two slices of bread) and the
is drunk chilled from a tiny glass filled to the Fristi (a yogurt drink), karnemelk (buttermilk) like. Cafés that take their food seriously call Designer Bars
brim. Most people prefer jonge (young) jenever, and of course milk itself. A wide selection of themselves eetcafés, and their food can be The city’s array of watering holes wouldn’t
which is smooth and relatively easy to drink; fruit juices and soft drinks is available too. very good indeed. be complete without these ‘loungey’ designer
oude (old) jenever has a strong juniper flavour There are a number of cafés that don’t fit bars. Some are ultramodern, some retro, oth-
and can be an acquired taste. A common com- into the descriptions of brown cafés, grand ers shabby-chic with furniture that looks bor-
bination, known as a kopstoot (head butt), is a Smoking & Soft Drugs cafés etc that we discuss in the following sec-
tion; we’ve described these as ‘Other Cafés’.
rowed from somebody’s attic.
glass of jenever with a beer chaser – few people Most cannabis products used to be imported,
can handle more than two or three of those. but today the country has top-notch home Remember, there’s a big difference between
Brandy is known as vieux or brandewijn. There produce, so-called nederwiet (nay-der-weet) a café – which is occasionally called a koffee- Grand Cafés
are plenty of indigenous liqueurs, including developed by horticulturists and grown in huis, or ‘coffee house’ – and a ‘coffeeshop’. Grand cafés are spacious, have comfortable
advocaat (a kind of eggnog) and the herb-based greenhouses with up to five harvests a year. The latter may have nothing to do with cof- furniture and are, well, just grand. A good
Beerenburg, a Frisian schnapps. Even the police admit it’s a superior product, fee and a lot to do with cannabis (see the tradition in many is their indoor reading

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table stacked with the day’s papers and news

Opening Hours interior – with its cosy rooms featuring lots Amsterdam’ (most places have vats in a

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magazines, usually with one or two in English. of wood and old leather banquettes – is cellar or side room with long hoses to the
Cafés serving some kind of breakfast tend to
Another difference: they all have food menus, just as appealing in the cooler months. bar); connoisseurs say they can taste the
open around 9am or 10am, while others –
some quite elaborate. They’re perfect for a lazy difference.
notably the cosy brown cafés – are late risers,
brunch with relaxing chamber music tinkling DE SCHUTTER Map pp62-5 Brown Café
turning on the vats around midday. Closing
away in the background. %622 46 08; Voetboogstraat 13-15 ABRAXAS Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
time tends to be late, between midnight and
1am (as late as 3am at weekends). We’ve in- This large student eetcafé has a brown-café %625 57 63; Jonge Roelensteeg 12
Irish Pubs cluded opening hours where a venue’s hours look, a relaxed vibe and inexpensive, tasty
dagschotels (dishes of the day). It’s open for
Hands down the most beautiful coffeeshop
in town. Choose from southwest USA,
Amsterdam has its fair share of rollicking vary from this. Most coffeeshops do business
pubs from the Emerald Isle, often with live 10am to 1am Sunday to Thursday, and until lunch and dinner, and is a good place to Middle Eastern and other styles of décor,
rock or traditional folk music. Most Irish pubs 3am Friday and Saturday, but a few, particu- fortify yourself on the cheap before a night spread over three floors. There are live DJs,
are located around Leidseplein (it teems with larly in the Red Light District, open as early as on the town. extrafriendly staff and free internet usage
them) and Rembrandtplein. 8am. So many joints, so little time... with a drink purchase.
DRINKING & SMOKING CITY CENTRE

DRINKING & SMOKING CITY CENTRE

DE ZWART Map pp62-5 Brown Café
DAMPKRING Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
Tasting Houses
There are also a few tasting houses (proefloka-
CITY CENTRE
When it comes to imbibing and toking, Am-
%624 65 11; Spuistraat 334
‘Not everyone has knowledge of beer, %638 07 05; Handboogstraat 29
but those who have it drink it here’, is the You saw it in Ocean’s Twelve, now see it up
len), on the whole intimate affairs where you sterdam’s old centre is the mother lode. The translation of the slogan on a panel above close. Consistently a winner of the Cannabis
can try dozens of jenevers and liqueurs. Some sheer variety of establishments is astounding, this atmospheric bar with the original tile Cup, Dampkring is darkish, youngish and
are attached to distilleries – a holdover from and staff expertise is prized so highly that floor from 1921. Just across the alley from decorated rather hobbitish. Its name means
the 17th century when many small distiller- a beer café may poach a barkeeper from a Hoppe, De Zwart gets a different (though the ring of the Earth’s atmosphere where
ies operated around town – while others are competitor down the street. amicable) crowd of left-wing journalists smaller items combust.
simply affiliated. and writers, as well as local-government
MEDIEVAL CENTRE people. EL GUAPO Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
Theatre Cafés CAFÉ HET SCHUIM Map pp62-5 Bar %420 05 42; Nieuwe Nieuwstraat 32
Theatre cafés are normally attached or ad- HOPPE Map pp62-5 Brown Café Sorta Latin, sorta caveman, this shop is
jacent to theatres, serving meals before and %638 93 57; Spuistraat 189 populated by friendly people and is known
Schuim means ‘foam’ (on beer) and this %420 44 20; Spui 18-20
drinks after performances. Generally they’re Go on. Do your bit to ensure Hoppe main- for some of the best hash in town. You can
grungy, arty bar is extraordinarily popu-
good places to catch performers after the tains one of the highest beer turnovers in bring your own music and ask them to play
lar with beer-swilling locals – and it gets
show, though they’re lovely any time of day. the city. Since 1670 drinkers have been it – just remember to get it back when you
packed any time of day or night. While the
enticed behind that velvet curtain into the leave.
people-watching can be distracting, it’s
wise to keep one eye on your belongings. dark interior to down a few glasses – the
PRACTICALITIES entrance is to the right of the pub-with- HOMEGROWN FANTASY
The price for a standard beer varies from terrace of the same name. In summer, Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
around €1.25 in the outer suburbs to €2.50 in GOLLEM Map pp62-5 Beer Café
Hoppe’s crowd of boisterous business boys %627 56 83; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 87a
the popular Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein %626 66 45; Raamsteeg 4 spills over onto the pavement of the Spui. Quality Dutch-grown product, pleasant staff,
areas; a mixed drink (eg scotch and Coke) will The pioneer of Amsterdam’s beer cafés is
good tunes and famous space cakes make
set you back €3 to €5. Once you’ve ordered a a minuscule space covered all over in beer
OPORTO Map pp62-5 Brown Café this popular with backpackers from nearby
drink you’ll probably be left alone, but you paraphernalia. The 200 beers on tap and in
the bottle attract lots of drinkers. %638 07 02; Zoutsteeg 1 hostels. Patrons make use of the 3m-long
might be expected to top-up. If all tables are glass bongs to smoke hydroponic weed.
This tiny brown café is worth visiting just
occupied, don’t be shy about asking to share.
IN DE WILDEMAN Map pp62-5 Beer Café for the inlaid woodwork behind the bar
If you occupy a table or sit at the bar, it’s
%638 23 48; Kolksteeg 3
(check out the Zodiac signs). Its wrought- KANDINSKY Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
common to put drinks on a tab and to pay iron-and-parchment lighting fixtures are
when you leave. This former distillery tasting house has %624 70 23; Rosmarijnsteeg 9
been transformed into an atmospheric yet said to have been the same for 60 years. Those not into the grungy, hippy feel of
In coffeeshops, you are free to purchase and
quiet beer café with over 200 bottled beers, most Amsterdam coffeeshops love Kadin-
smoke away. Many coffeeshops also live up to
18 varieties on tap and a smoke-free area. PILSENER CLUB Map pp62-5 Brown Café sky for its clean, contemporary style, funky
their literal name and serve coffee (as well as
Locals rave about the choice of Trappist %623 17 77; Begijnensteeg 4 music, friendly service and infamous space
beer, other drinks and snacks). There are also
ales, the huge selection from Belgium and Also known as Engelse Reet (ask the bar- cakes. Alcohol is no longer available (it’s
a few hashcafés. Price and quality are OK; you
the Netherlands, and the potent French tender for a translation), this small, narrow the new coffeeshop law, folks) but is readily
won’t get ripped off in a coffeeshop. Ask at
‘Belzebuth’ (13% alcohol!). and ramshackle place doesn’t allow you sold at its café opposite.
the bar for the list of goods on offer, usually
packaged in small bags for €4 to €12; the bet- to do anything but drink and talk, which
ter the quality, the less the bag will contain. CAFÉ VAN ZUYLEN Map pp62-5 Brown Café is what a ‘real’ brown café is all about. It BAR BEP Map pp62-5 Designer Bar
You can also buy ready-made joints in nifty, %639 10 55; Torensteeg 4 opened in 1893 and has hardly changed %626 56 49; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 260
reusable packaging, a good idea because the Although the sun terrace is one of the since. Beer comes straight from the kegs With its olive-green vinyl couches and
stuff can be potent. prettiest spots for a drink on the Singel, the in the back, via the ‘shortest pipes in ruby-red walls, Bep resembles a kitsch,
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1950s Eastern European cabaret lounge. of rooms (the one-time home of German for tastings (of jenevers though, not beers). original owner; sailors lodging here left

lonelyplanet.com
It gets groovy with filmmakers, photogra- expressionist Max Beckmann) you’ll find While there, feast your eyes on the Delft- with an itch they could scratch. The story
phers and artists. The heat is off since its warm fireplaces, a cool bar, gorgeous wall blue tile mural (1870s) of a parade of goes that a customer couldn’t pay his bill
heyday, and we prefer it that way. carvings and seats salvaged from an old children bearing gifts to an emperor. and settled the debt with a monkey. The
Irish church. Catch frequent musical hap- place is stuffed with old toys and advertis-
DIEP Map pp62-5 Designer Bar penings and sports on the telly. Meals DE DRIE FLESCHJES ing signs.
%420 20 20; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 256 include Irish stew, and beef and Guinness Map pp62-5 Tasting House
Located just next door to Bar Bep, Diep pie (mains €10.50 to €13.50). %624 84 43; Gravenstraat 18 BABA Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
does first-rate quirky decorations. You Behind the Nieuwe Kerk, the distiller %624 14 09; www.babashops.nl; Warmoes-
might find chandeliers made of bubble B VAN B CAFÉ Map pp62-5 Other Café Bootz’s tasting room dates from 1650. It is straat 64
wrap, a 6ft fibreglass hammerhead shark, %638 39 14; Beursplein 1; h9am-5pm Mon- dominated by 52 vats that are rented out Not the cheapest weed in town, but word
illuminated electronic signs above the bar Wed, 10am-6pm Thu-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun to businesses that entertain clients here. It has it Mike Tyson once took a puff and
and a similarly creative crowd. The café in the Beurs van Berlage (p69), one specialises in liqueurs (although you can immediately got walloped. Pick up a bag of
of the city’s most spectacular buildings, also get jenevers) – the macaroon liqueur is Silver Haze, plant yourself at the front win-
DRINKING & SMOKING CITY CENTRE

DRINKING & SMOKING CITY CENTRE

CAFÉ DANTE Map pp62-5 Grand Café boasts original brick and tilework, and mu- quite nice. Take a peek at the collection of dow and watch the colourful types all run
%638 88 39; Spuistraat 320 rals by Jan Toorop (1903) representing past, kalkoentjes, small bottles with hand-painted together along Warmoesstraat. The hash
This huge Art Deco space is quiet as aunt- present and future. Food includes lasagne, portraits of former mayors. brownies have mother’s special touch.
ie’s back garden during the day, but after croquettes, steaks and the usual assort-
5pm weeknights it transforms into a lively ment of sandwiches and salads. Unless the GREENHOUSE Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
bar for the downtown business crowd. Plus, main building happens to be open to the RED LIGHT DISTRICT %627 17 39; www.greenhouse.org; Oudezijds
you get your choice of outside views: the public (eg concerts), this is your only sure DE BUURVROUW Map pp62-5 Bar Voorburgwal 191
busy Spui out front or the lovely Singel in way to get inside. %625 96 54; St Pieterspoortsteeg 29 One of the most popular coffeeshops in
the back. Upstairs is the Herman Brood Galerie This grungy late-night bar is where you town. Smokers love the funky music,
(p137). VRANKRIJK Map pp62-5 Squat Bar inevitably end up when there’s nowhere multicoloured mosaics, psychedelic
www.vrankrijk.org; Spuistraat 216; hfrom 9pm else to go. Take it easy because someone’s stained-glass windows and the high-quality
LUXEMBOURG Map pp62-5 Grand Café ‘Boom!’ says the colourful cartoon poster of watching: above the entrance is a bust of weed and hash. The central location near
%620 62 64; Spui 24 a façade, till the early ’80s a familiar sound de Buurvrouw (the woman next door). And the Dam is a plus.
Join gaggles of glam locals and tourists at in this squatters pad, once the scene of yes, everyone is probably as drunk as you.
this permanently busy café. Grab a paper scuffles with police in riot gear. It’s mel- Febo (p169), anyone? BUBBLES & WINES CHAMPAGNE BAR
(from the reading table or the Athenaeum lowed a bit but is still active, but more Map pp62-5 Designer Bar
newsagency across the square), procure with social-support groups than protests. CAFÉ ZILT Map pp62-5 Bar %422 33 18; Nes 37; h3.30pm-1am Mon-Sat
a sunny seat on the terrace, order the Monday is Queer Night, and on Thursdays %421 54 16; Zeedijk 49; h9.30pm-3am Mon- Ignore the silly name, this stylish wine bar
‘Royale’ snack platter (bread, cured meats, there’s ‘consultation’ for squatters. The Thu, 11.30pm-4am Fri & Sat is a first for Amsterdam: 54 quality wines
Dutch cheese and deep-fried croquettes) interior is still suitably grubby, mainly out This classy little dive is where the corpus by the glass, tasting flights (several dif-
and watch the world go by. Inside are par- of solidarity. delicti shudders to a halt after a night of ferent wines to try) and the city’s most
quet floors, a marble bar and an Art Deco glorious excess. There’s a great selection of scrumptious bar food: caviar blinis, cheese
stained-glass skylight. DE BLAUWE PARADE seasonal beers (why go easy at this stage?) plates and our favourite, ‘bee stings’ –
Map pp62-5 Tasting House and bar snacks such as gehaktbal (spicy parmesan drizzled with white truffle–
TARA Map pp62-5 Irish Pub %624 48 60; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 176-180 hamburger balls) to buoy the blood sugar. infused honey.
%427 46 57; Rokin 85-89 The building, now the Hotel Die Poort van
This expat meeting place combines Irish Cleve, was the site of the original Heineken CAFÉ LEF Map pp62-5 Bar LIME Map pp62-5 Designer Bar
folksiness with Amsterdam chic. In its maze brewery, so it seems an appropriate place %421 54 16; Zeedijk 23; h5pm-1am, Wed-Thu, %639 30 20; Zeedijk 104
2pm-1am Thu-Sun Small but perfectly formed Lime, with its
This alternative to a blackout at Café ever-changing, kitsch-cool interior and
THE ART OF BEING GEZELLIG Zilt (above) has a robust wooden bar for upbeat grooves, is the perfect preclub pit
This particularly Dutch quality is one of the best reasons to visit Amsterdam. It’s variously translated as snug, friendly, slumped conversation and a bottomless pit stop. The DJs and cocktails might just keep
cosy, informal, companionable and convivial, but gezelligheid – the state of being gezellig – is something more easily of Belgian and Dutch brews. Nicholas, the you there till morn.
experienced than defined. There’s a sense of time stopping, an intimacy of the here and now that leaves all your troubles congenial bartender, knows a great cure for
behind, at least until tomorrow. You can get that warm and fuzzy feeling in many places and situations: the hiccups, and it’s completely legal. DURTY NELLY’S Map pp62-5 Irish Pub
While nursing a brew with friends %638 01 25; Warmoesstraat 117
Over coffee and cake with neighbours (the stoop will do) IN ’T AEPJEN Map pp62-5 Brown Café Huge, dark and always busy, this pub at-
Lingering after a meal (the Dutch call this ‘natafelen’) %626 84 01; Zeedijk 1 tracts foreign visitors from the cheap hotels
Sitting round a beach campfire (or an open hearth) This funny little bar, one of the oldest in in the area with fun, drinks, darts and pool.
A chatty supermarket queue (beats reading De Telegraaf) Amsterdam, got its name ‘In the Monkey’ It serves a first-rate Irish breakfast and has
Anyplace with candles, sparklers or flashlights from the lice-carrying beasts kept by the internet access too.

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MOLLY MALONE’S Map pp62-5 and although there are no seats or stools,

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Irish Pub
%624 11 50; Oudezijds Kolk 9 it is an intimate place to knock back a taste I GET AROUND…
Regularly packed with Irish folk, this dark, or two with a friend. We particularly enjoy
the boswandeling (‘walk in the woods’), a It was only a matter of time before someone combined two legendary Amsterdam pastimes: cycling and beer. Het
woody pub holds spontaneous folk-music
vivacious combination of young jenever, Fietscafé (Bike Café; %06 5386 4090; www.fietscafé.nl; per hr/day €75/250, plus delivery fee €75-190, 30/50L keg
sessions. Bring your own guitar and let
herb bitters and orange liqueur – the effect €60/90) is a pedal-powered party, shaped like an open-sided trolley car with a bar down the middle and barstools on
loose with the other Eireophiles.
is like cloves. either side. Here, though, the barstools sit atop pedals, which you and up to 16 of your mates can use to go anywhere
cars can (except highways). Designate a bartender and a driver (who’s not allowed to drink), pop your favourite CD in
CAFÉ-RESTAURANT KAPITEIN the player, and you’re on your way.
ZEPPO’S Map pp62-5 Other Café BLINCKER Map pp62-5 Theatre Café
%624 20 57; Gebed Zonder End 5 %627 19 38; www.nestheaters.nl; St Barberen-
This site, off Grimburgwal, has assumed straat 7-9 house on the Oude Schans. Today, the soaring, bright and very grand café, one of
many guises over the centuries: a cloister The high ceiling, cosy mezzanine and mel- canalside terrace is one of the nicest spots our favourites. Find a foreign publication
during the 15th, a horse-carriage storehouse low atmosphere make Blincker a popular we know in town to relax and down a beer at the great reading table and settle down
theatre café. At the rear of the Frascati
DRINKING & SMOKING CITY CENTRE

DRINKING & SMOKING JORDAAN

in the 17th and a cigar factory in the 19th. (Dommelsch is the house speciality), and it for Sunday brunch (try the smoked-salmon
These days it’s festive, attractive and almost Theatre, it gets crammed with a young has gorgeous views of the Montelbaanstoren rolls) or an afternoon snack like banana-
romantic, with a beautiful garden and Bel- student crowd having a pre-theatre meal or (p82). cream pie.
gian beers. There’s live music Sunday from post-theatre drinks.
4pm (cover groups and big bands). LOKAAL ’T LOOSJE Map pp62-5 Brown Café CAFÉ CUBA Map pp62-5 Other Café
DE BRAKKE GROND %627 26 35; Nieuwmarkt 32-34 %627 26 35; Nieuwmarkt 3
PROEFLOKAAL DE OOIEVAAR Map pp62-5 Theatre Café With its beautiful etched-glass windows If a brown café was beamed to the tropi-
Map pp62-5 Tasting House %626 00 44; Nes 43 and tile tableaux on the walls, this is one cal Atlantic, it would probably have Café
%420 80 04; St Olofspoort 1; hMon-Sat Part of the Flemish Cultural Centre, this café of the oldest and prettiest cafés in the Cuba’s air of faded elegance. Slouch into
Not much bigger than a vat of jenever, this overlooking a quiet square does an honest Nieuwmarkt area. It attracts a vibrant mix a table with names etched into it, and
magnificent little tasting house has been trade in Flemish beer (try a magnum bot- of students, locals and tourists quaff blender drinks like mai-tais, planter’s
going since 1782. On offer are spirits of tle from a Belgian abbey) and homestyle punch and the legendary mojito. It may
the De Ooievaar distillery, still located in food (think steak au poivre or salmon with remind you of Hemingway or the Buena
the Jordaan. The house was built leaning Ardennes ham). HILL STREET BLUES Map pp62-5 Coffeeshop
www.hill-street-blues.nl; Nieuwmarkt 14 Vista Social Club, although we can’t help
over and has not subsided, as many people wondering whether Café Cuba’s attractive
wrongly assume even before a shot of Old Feels more like a lounge bar than a coffee-
Dutch. NIEUWMARKT shop, with jazz lounge music, an in-the- 20- and 30-something crowd has even
heard of them.
DE BEKEERDE SUSTER groove vibe and an international swathe
Map pp62-5 Beer Café of visitors. Firm beanbag stools and comfy
PROEFLOKAAL WIJNAND FOCKINCK WAAG CAFÉ Map pp62-5 Other Café
%423 01 12; Kloveniersburgwal 6-8 benches make great stations for watch-
Map pp62-5 Tasting House
It’s got the brew tanks, it’s got the beauti- ing the life forms on busy Nieuwmarkt. %422 77 72; Nieuwmarkt 4
%639 26 95; Pijlsteeg 31; h3-9pm Once you’ve settled in on the terrace, This former 15th-century weigh house (and
This small tasting house (dating from 1679) ful hardwood interior, it’s even got the
history: a 16th-century brewery-cloister try a blended smoothie with yogurt or later, gallows! – see p78) is now an impres-
has scores of jenevers and liqueurs – some
run by nuns. Stop in for a meal of pub fresh fruit, or one of its phenomenal sive café-restaurant combining old-world
quite expensive and potent. It’s in an
arcade behind Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, grub, or make it a start of an evening on chocolate shakes, a perfect antidote to the accents (massive, circular wrought-iron
Nieuwmarkt. munchies. candelabras) with new-world drinks and
food, though it is rather expensive. It
HOT CONVERSATION TOPICS CAFÉ DE DOELEN Map pp62-5 Brown Café CAFÉ-RESTAURANT DANTZIG serves pretty good sandwiches (we sug-
%624 90 23; Kloveniersburgwal 125 Map pp62-5 Grand Café gest you try the Club) and salads as well,
You’re enjoying a beer with friends at a café overlook-
On a busy canalside crossroads between %620 90 39; Zwanenburgwal 15 and there’s so-not-medieval wireless inter-
ing a canal. What are you likely to hear?
the Amstel and the Red Light District, this Located in the Stopera building, Dantzig net access.
‘It took me forever to park my bike!’
‘What are you getting Jakob and Pieter as a café dates back to 1895 and looks it: carved doesn’t have the history of some of the
wedding gift?’ wooden goat’s head, leaded stained-glass other cafés in town, but that doesn’t make
‘I wish I could afford to live in the Canal Belt, but lamps, sand on the floor. Still, it’s far from
stuffy, there’s a fun, youthful atmosphere
it any less appealing. The great Amstel-side
terrace is always busy in summer, with
JORDAAN
Visitors who seek a typical café experience
I bought a great flat in Bos en Lommer.’
‘Let’s go for a ride on my boat on Saturday.’ here, and during fine weather the tables excellent views over the water and lots of ‘with the locals’ will love the Jordaan, a
‘Where’s the after-party?’ spill across the street for picture-perfect sunlight. chummy district still touted as the Amster-
‘Sorry, I can’t hear you for all the construction canal views. dam of yore. Of course, the locals may bag a
noise!’ CAFÉ DE JAREN Map pp62-5 Grand Café remote table away from curious foreigners,
‘I wonder if the smoking ban will really be DE SLUYSWACHT Map pp62-5 Brown Café but in this jolly part of town it’s just as likely
%625 57 71; Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20
enforced…’ %625 76 11; Jodenbreestraat 1 Watch the Amstel flow by from the they’ll toast your good health and break out
‘I hope my bike is still there.’ Listing like a ship in a high wind, this tiny in song.
balcony and waterside terraces of this
black building was once a lock-keeper’s
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DE KOE Map p86 DE PRINS Map p86 tables is a crowd-puller. It’s busy on week-

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Bar Brown Café
%625 44 82; Marnixstraat 381 %624 93 82; Prinsengracht 124 NO MORE MUD IN YOUR EYE ends with groups of neo-Jordanese yuppies
‘The Cow’ is loved by a 25-plus crowd of Close to the Anne Frank Huis (p93), this pleas- meeting up for a late brunch and staying
In Amsterdam, if you order a white beer, a soda water, on until dinner.
locals for its gezellig atmosphere, fun pop ant and popular brown café prepares good or any cold drink served with a lemon slice, it will
quizzes, darts tournaments, good (cheap) lunch-time sandwiches, a terrific blue- almost invariably be served with a plastic stick, like a
restaurant and free performances by local
rock bands.
cheese fondue at night, and international
dishes like vegetarian wraps.
swizzle stick on one end, with a plastic disc or clover
with little spikes sticking out on the other. WESTERN CANAL BELT
The cafés of this refined district tend to have a
The stick is called a stamper – sometimes they’re
referred to as stampertjes (little stampers). You use touch more polish than elsewhere – the inte-
CAFÉ ’T MONUMENTJE DE REIGER Map p86 Brown Café riors are slicker, the brass fittings shinier, the
Map p86 Brown Café %624 74 26; Nieuwe Leliestraat 34 the spiked end to crush the lemon in the bottom of
the glass. No more lemon juice in your partner’s eye, menus more elaborate. The rest of the places
%624 35 41; Westerstraat 120 Assiduously local but highly atmospheric, just steep themselves in half-lit atmosphere
Diagonally opposite Café Nol, this slightly this café has a quiet front bar and a noisy, and no wasted lemon juice either.
and hope no-one notices.
scruffy café is always full of barflies, back- more spacious dining section at the back
DRINKING & SMOKING JORDAAN

DRINKING & SMOKING WESTERN CANAL BELT

gammon players and locals. It’s a good serving a short menu (eg steaks or duck ROKERIJ Map p86 Coffeeshop ’T ARENDSNEST Map p92 Beer Café
spot for a beer and a snack after shopping with peppercorns). %626 30 60; www.rokerij.net; Elandsgracht 53 %421 20 57; Herengracht 90
at the Westermarkt. The newest member of the Rokerij chain This gorgeous, restyled brown café, with
DE TUIN Map p86 Brown Café thinks it knows how an Indian living room its glowing, copper jenever boilers behind
CAFÉ ’T SMALLE Map p86 Brown Café %624 45 59; 2e Tuindwarsstraat 13 really looks, with bright blue tiles, orange the bar, specialises in Dutch beer served by
%623 96 17; Egelantiersgracht 12 Always a good place to start the evening. walls and religious icons. Its clientele is helpful staff. Be sure to try the herby, power-
Take your boat and dock right on ’t Join the youngish clientele enjoying the much less touristy than at its outlet near ful Jopen Koyt, brewed from a 1407 recipe.
Smalle’s pretty terrace – there’s hardly a wide selection of Belgian beers, good food Leidseplein (p190).
more convivial setting in the daytime or and funky soul music. CAFÉ DE PELS Map p92 Brown Café
a more romantic one at night. It’s equally FINCH Map p86 Designer Bar %622 90 37; Huidenstraat 25; h10am-1am
charming inside – dating back to 1786 as DE TWEE ZWAANTJES %626 24 61; Noordermarkt 5 Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat
a jenever distillery and tasting house, and Map p86 Brown Café This funkalicious bar with its retro décor The action at this appealingly shabby
restored during the 1970s with antique %625 27 29; Prinsengracht 114; hring for (deliberately mismatched yet somehow traditional brown café – attracting a mix of
porcelain beer pumps and lead-framed opening hours harmonious) is just the spot to hang out students, academics and creative types –
windows. It’s so gorgeous, so authentic, The small, authentic ‘Two Swans’ is at its and knock back a few beers after a visit to is focused on drinking. It’s also a Sunday
and so Dutch gezellig, that there’s a hilarious best on weekend nights, when the market. It’s known for an arty-designy morning breakfast fave.
reproduction of it in Japan. you can join some 100 people belting out clientele, and lipstick lesbians.
torch songs and pop standards. Hours are CAFÉ HET MOLENPAD Map p92 Brown Café
CAFÉ NOL Map p86 Brown Café erratic, so ring ahead first. G-SPOT Map p86 Designer Bar %625 96 80; Prinsengracht 653
%624 53 80; Westerstraat 109; h9pm-1am (till %320 37 33; Prinsengracht 422 h11am-1am This place attracts a nice mix of artists –
Next door to De Pieper (opposite), this contem- some of whose work adorns the walls of
3am Fri & Sat) HET PAPENEILAND Map p86 Brown Café
porary minimalist bar-restaurant with its this gallery-café – students and tourists.
The epitome of the old-style Jordaan café, %624 19 89; Prinsengracht 2 bright light-filled interior couldn’t be more Lunch is the standard sandwich-and-salad
this is sort of place where the original You won’t be the only tourist visiting this affair, but dinner dishes are more interest-
different to its brown-café neighbour, but
Jordaanese (ie before students, artists and café, but that doesn’t make it any less it’s equally as appealing. While the interior ing, with a mix of Dutch and Mediterranean
professionals moved in) would sing oom- worthwhile. It’s a 1642 gem with Delft-blue is stylish, the canalside terrace with pretty flavours.
pah ballads with drunken abandon. They tiles and a central stove. The name, ‘Papists’ views will keep you outside. Good wines
still do, but nowadays everyone from Island’, goes back to the Reformation when available by the glass.
athletic types to drag queens joins in.
DE DOFFER Map p92 Brown Café
there was a clandestine Catholic church
on the north side of the canal. By some %622 66 86; Runstraat 12-14
PROUST Map p86 Designer Bar Writers, students and artists congregate at
DE PIEPER Map p86 Brown Café accounts you got there via a secret tunnel
%623 91 45; Noordermarkt 4 this popular café (with adjoining bar) for
from the top of the stairs.
%626 47 75; Prinsengracht 424 Next door to Finch, this bar is sleek and hip affordable food and good conversation.
Considered by some customers to be with mod colours, and the crowd changes The dining room, with its old Heineken
the king of the brown cafés, De Pieper is LA TERTULIA Map p86 Coffeeshop as the hour does – families in the daytime, posters, large wooden tables and, occasion-
small, unassuming and unmistakably old Prinsengracht 312; h11am-7pm Tue-Sat students (and older) at night. It’s also ally, fresh flowers, is particularly ambient
(1665). The interior features stained-glass A backpackers’ favourite, this mother-and- known for its hot chocolate. at night.
windows, fresh sand on the floors, antique daughter-run coffeeshop has a greenhouse
Delft beer mugs hanging from the bar feel. You can either sit outside by the Van CAFÉ THIJSSEN Map p86 Other Café DE II PRINSEN Map p92 Brown Café
and a working Belgian beer pump (1875). Gogh–inspired murals, play some board %623 89 94; Brouwersgracht 107 %624 97 22; Prinsenstraat 27
It’s a friendly, sweet place for a late-night games, or take in those Jurassic-sized The glowing umber, Art Deco–inspired With its large windows, chandelier, mo-
Wieckse Witte. crystals by the counter. interior with stained-glass windows and big saic floor and big terrace, this café looks

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suitably restrained. You may be surprised refills (it’s organic). It keeps shorter hours CAFÉ DE VERGULDE GAPER
SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

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then by the pumping disco music inside; than most coffeeshops. Map p92 Grand Café
all those students munching on tasty sand- %624 89 75; Prinsenstraat 30 Much of the action gravitates towards two of
wiches don’t seem to mind. SIBERIË Map p92 Coffeeshop Decorated with old chemists bottles and Amsterdam’s busy pleasure centres, the shrill
%623 59 09; www.siberie.nl; Brouwersgracht 11 vintage posters, this former pharmacy – squares called Leidseplein and Rembrandt-
VAN PUFFELEN Map p92 Brown Café It’s a comfortable, living-room-like setting popular with locals, and translated as the plein. Many locales here feel surprisingly au-
%624 62 70; Prinsengracht 377 and the owners are known for supplement- ‘Golden Gaper’, for the open-mouthed bust thentic given the tacky surrounds. A more
This large café-restaurant, popular among ing their wares with cultural events like of a Moor traditionally posted at Dutch discriminating crowd hits Utrechtsestraat,
cashed-up professionals and intellectual poetry slams, acoustic concerts, DJ nights apothecaries – has amiable staff and a ter- where you’ll find some of the city’s most en-
types, has lots of nooks and crannies for and even horoscope readings. race with afternoon sun. It gets busy with ticing cafes and bars.
nice, cosy drinks, and big, communal tables 20- and 30-something media types meeting
for sharing meals like antipasto and large BRIX Map p92 Designer Bar for after-work drinks. AMSTEL BAR & BRASSERIE
salads. %639 03 51; Wolvenstraat 16 Map pp100-1 Bar
DRINKING & SMOKING WESTERN CANAL BELT

DRINKING & SMOKING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

The mod-lounge setting at this new spot DULAC Map p92 Grand Café %622 60 60; Amstel Intercontinental Hotel,
BARNEY’S Map p92 Coffeeshop makes it a great place to chill over a beer %624 42 65; Haarlemmerstraat 118 Professor Tulpplein 1
%625 97 61; www.barneys.biz; Haarlemmerstraat or enjoy small plates like herring and This former bank building is outrageously So you need to entertain a client. She’s very
98 & 102 salmon carpaccio, and chicken lemongrass decked out in a kooky, but kind of spooky, high powered and you can’t leave things
Ever-popular Barney’s is more famous for sticks with banana chutney. There’s live mixture of styles (think Turkish, Art Nou- to chance. The bar at the Amstel Interconti-
its enormous all-day breakfasts (€5.70 to jazz Sunday and Monday nights from veau and Amsterdam School, with a few nental Hotel is dignified and appropriately
€10.50; the traditional Irish is the most about 9pm. Gothic accents). There are DJs Thursday clubby, and its river-view location is the
popular) than its quality weed and hash. Go through to Saturday nights, a pool table power spot in town. We expect you’ll get
figure. Nonsmokers can just go for the food and an amiable mix of students, older folks that contract you wanted and you may
DYLAN Map p92 Designer Bar
and Americans.
at its café down the block. %530 20 10; Keizersgracht 384 even rub elbows with famous financiers for
Like the hotel surrounding it, the Dylan’s your next deal.
DUTCH FLOWERS Map p92 Coffeeshop lobby bar is superposh – sleek black and
POMPADOUR Map p92 Other Café
%624 76 24; Singel 387 white with Indonesian influences, and a %623 95 54; Huidenstraat 12 EYLDERS Map pp100-1 Brown Café
Join society ladies sipping top-notch tea
Were it not for this shop’s main wares, great place to pose…if you can get in. %624 27 04; Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 47
Restaurant patrons get seating priority. and nibbling away at homemade Belgian-
you’d be hard pressed to distinguish it from During WWII, Eylders was a meeting place
style chocolates and pastries at this chichi
a brown café, with the game on TV and a You might swear that all the beautiful for artists who refused to toe the cultural
little tearoom in the Negen Straatjes. If you
lovely view of the Singel. It all means that people surrounding you stepped off the line imposed by the Nazis, and the spirit
just want the chocolates, they’re €4.30 per
you needn’t slum it with the college kids or pages of the fashion magazines on the lingers on. It’s still an artists café with
100g. Note: it’s not open on Sundays, but a
feel as if you’ve gone to Jamaica or India in coffee tables. exhibits, and makes a quiet retreat from the
second branch is, at Kerkstraat 148 (Map pp100-1;
order to enjoy a toke. Leidseplein.
%330 09 81).
WOLVENSTRAAT 23 Map p92 Designer Bar
GREY AREA Map p92 Coffeeshop %320 08 43; Wolvenstraat 23; h9am-1am Sun- OOSTERLING Map pp100-1 Brown Café
DE ADMIRAAL Map p92 Tasting House
%420 43 01; www.greyarea.nl; Oude Leliestraat 2; Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat %623 41 40; Utrechtsestraat 140
%625 43 34; Herengracht 319; h5pm-midnight Opened in the 1700s as a tea and coffee
hnoon-8pm Tue-Sun This funky bar with no name – we dare Mon-Sat
Owned by a couple of laid-back American you to find a sign anywhere – is especially outlet for the United East India Company,
The grandest and largest of Amsterdam’s
guys, this tiny shop introduced the extra- popular with locals, who come for the good Oosterling is as authentic as it gets – run by
tasting houses, De Admiraal is also a res-
sticky, flavoursome ‘Double Bubble Gum’ wines by the glass, great music and tasty the same family since 1877. These days it’s
taurant and party venue. Although some
weed to the city’s smokers. It also keeps up Asian snacks. If this is your kind of place, grumble that they pour only their own packed with the after-work-drinks crowd
the wonderful American tradition of coffee check out their other bar, Finch (p187). house brands (16 jenevers and 60 liqueurs from the bank across the square and is one
made by Van Wees, an Amsterdam distiller), of the very few cafés that has a bottle-shop
it’s hard to quibble over the lovely setting (liquor-store) permit.
and pleasant staff.
TO SPLIFF OR NOT TO SPLIFF? THAT WAS THE QUESTION BULLDOG Map pp100-1 Coffeeshop
Well, not exactly, but we couldn’t resist the title. FELIX MERITIS CAFÉ Map p92 Theatre Café %625 62 78; www.bulldog.nl; Leidseplein 13-17
At the beginning of this century, the Dutch health ministry announced that smoking would eventually be banned in Amsterdam’s most famous coffeeshop
%626 23 21; Felix Meritis Bldg, Keizersgracht 324
bars, cafés, restaurants and nightclubs around the country. A lively debate followed between the government and the chain has evolved into its own empire, with
Join performing artists from around Europe
hospitality industry, which finally agreed to a voluntary phase-in of a ban. Many places remained so smoke-friendly, multiple locations (some double as cafés),
and the city’s cultural cognoscenti imbibing
however, that Health Minister Ad Klink finally lost patience and had a ban imposed effective from mid-2008 including, a hotel, bike rental, even its own brand of
in this high-ceilinged, quietly refined room
believe it or not, the hazy realm of the coffeeshops. Puffers needn’t despair too much, for they can still light up in energy drink. This flagship location on the
(think theatrical lighting). Huge windows
closed-off rooms without waiting service. Café owners will supposedly face stiff fines for violations, but for now, take Leidseplein is in a former police station.
overlooking the canal make it a sunny
a deep breath, sit back and see how (and if ) the law is enforced. How times have changed.
place for breakfast (from 9am).

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GLOBAL CHILLAGE Map pp100-1 photo of Andy Warhol observes. A worthy

lonelyplanet.com
Coffeeshop
%777 97 77; www.globalchillage.com; place to fortify yourself before heading PLACES TO PLAY
Kerkstraat 51 across to Jimmy Woo’s (p197).
You’ll have ample opportunity for mind games at Amsterdam’s bars and clubs, but for something more traditional, try
This relaxed shop with friendly staff looks
one of the following. Some are pretty down-and-dirty. Hours vary, but these places generally open from early afternoon
like a little forest with trippy murals and WEBER Map pp100-1 Designer Bar
through the evening.
chilled-out music (African and jazzy beats), %627 05 74; Marnixstraat 397; h8pm-3am Mon- Snookerclub Final Touch (Map pp100–1; %620 92 52; Prinsengracht 735) This two-storey spot with six
populated by happy smokers relaxing on Thu, to 4am Fri-Sun
snooker tables and five pool tables feels studenty but gets a mixed crowd. Other games include backgammon,
comfortable couches. We love this buzzy bar for its loud indie
darts and chess.
music, retro décor and unpretentious local
vibe. Cheap drinks and friendly service Snookerclub De Keizers (Map p92; %623 15 86; Keizersgracht 256) De Keizers’ five storeys feel like something
ROKERIJ Map pp100-1 Coffeeshop out of The Shining; it’s a once-grand 18th-century canal house whose huge rooms now contain just one or two
%622 94 42; www.rokerij.net; Lange are an added incentive to head here on a
Saturday night – if you can squeeze in! tables each. You can get drinks and bar snacks, and it’s always pretty quiet. It’s bittersweet to see such faded
Leidsedwarsstraat 41 glory; on the other hand, it’s soooo cool that it exists.
Behind this black hole of an entrance you’ll
Café de Laurierboom (Map p86; %623 30 15; Laurierstraat 76) The hub of the Jordaan chess circuit is one of its
DRINKING & SMOKING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

DRINKING & SMOKING OLD SOUTH

find Eastern décor and candlelight for CAFÉ AMERICAIN Map pp100-1 Grand Café
oldest cafés, still bearing a stone tablet labelled tapperij en slijterij. From 3pm the local masters test their wits over
those tired of the Rastafarian vibe. Staff at %556 32 32; Amsterdam American Hotel, a drinkie or three.
this flagship branch have a reputation for Leidsekade 97
This Art Deco monument, opened in 1902, Max Euweplein (Map pp100–1) Enthusiastic chess players can play and schmooze around the oversized outdoor
friendliness, explaining why outlets have
shot up like weed(s). Others include the was a grand café before the concept even chessboard.
Jordaan (p187). existed, with huge stained-glass windows
overlooking Leidseplein, a lovely, library- JANVIER Map pp100-1 Other Café DE BALIE Map pp100-1 Theatre Café
DE HUYSCHKAEMER like reading table and a great terrace.
%626 1199; Amstelveld 12 %623 36 73; Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 10
Map pp100-1 Designer Bar There’s no lovelier place to sit on a sunny In the Balie performance space, lovely
%627 05 75; Utrechtsestraat 137 DE KROON Map pp100-1 Grand Café afternoon than under the shady plane trees Deco-meets-industrial design attracts a
A one-time restaurant, De Huyschkaemer %625 20 11; Rembrandtplein 17-1 at this stylish bar-restaurant. Stick to a drink diverse crowd of artists, politicians, journal-
has made the transition to a full-time A popular venue for media events and and snacks (the food can be hit and miss) ists, actors, filmmakers and anyone else
designer bar, with a mixed crowd – gay and movie-premiere parties, with high ceilings, and watch the kids kick a football around looking for a decent lunch.
straight, expat and local, old and young. velvet chairs, and the chance to wave at in this pleasant down-to-earth neighbour-
The setting is minimalist, with spare walls the Little People below on the Rembrandt- hood. DE SMOESHAAN Map pp100-1 Theatre Café
and booths. plein. There is a lift to get up the two %625 03 68; Leidsekade 90
storeys, but climb the two flights instead Theater Bellevue’s café gets pretty lively,
TWINS BACKSTAGE Map pp100-1 Other Café
and you’ll be rewarded with an Art Deco both before and after the shows, with
KAMER 401 Map pp100-1 Designer Bar %622 36 38; Utrechtsedwarsstraat 67
tiled staircase. theatre visitors and performers. During
%422 44 53; Marnixstraat 401; h4pm-1am The twins Greg and Gary Christmas once
Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat had a song-and-dance act, and in the the day it’s a nice place to relax by the
This glamorous bar glows at night, as do MULLIGANS Map pp100-1 Irish Pub 1970s they opened this café as a sideline. Singelgracht. The pub food is better than
the gorgeous-looking cocktail-drinking %622 13 30; Amstel 100 it needs to be (try the gehakt at lunch
Greg passed away several years ago, and
young locals who pack the place till late. This is probably the most ‘authentic’ Irish time) and there’s a good full-on restaurant
Gary keeps things going with substantial
With DJs providing a funky soundtrack, it’s pub, at least music-wise. There’s a congen- upstairs too (restaurant closed July to mid-
help from the neighbours. Don’t expect
ial atmosphere, Guinness on tap and live August).
perfect for preclubbing drinks. crisp service or top-notch food, but do
Irish music most nights from 9pm (no cover expect encompassing kitsch, from manne-
charge). Sunday sesiàns let you participate.
LUX Map pp100-1 Designer Bar
%422 14 12; Marnixstraat 403; h8pm-3am Sun-
BYOI (instrument) and T (talent).
quins in crocheted shawls to flower-power
decals. No matter your sexual orientation,
OLD SOUTH
‘Old anything’ in a label tends to impress.
Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat you’ll find a titillating photo on the wash-
HERBERG HOOGHOUDT The cafés in the Old South marry a 1920s
One of several happening bars along this room wall. social conscience with Dutch understatement
street, attracting beautiful young Amster- Map pp100-1 Other Café
that still says ‘I’ve arrived’. The result is clas-
dammers and expats-in-the-know – good %420 40 41; Reguliersgracht 11; Mon-Sat 4pm- CAFÉ SCHILLER Map pp100-1 Theatre Café
midnight sic period cafés with a wonderful ambience
DJs keep the crowds happy and the bar %624 98 46; Rembrandtplein 26 of leisure that’s taken for granted, like what
staff very, very busy. Situated on lovely Reguliersgracht, this
venerable café still bears the hallmarks of Most cafés would pay a fortune to have cultured folk should expect anyway.
the Hooghoudt Distillery founded in Gron- Schiller’s fabulous Deco interior, but this
SUZY WONG Map pp100-1 Designer Bar ingen in the late 19th century. You can try is original. Walls are lined with portraits of WILDSCHUT Map p110 Brown Café
%626 67 69; Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 45 a gamut of jenevers, liqueurs and vodkas, Dutch actors and cabaret artists from the %676 82 20; Roelof Hartplein 1
This sure-to-impress bar bustles with Dutch or warm up with a korenwijn right out of 1920s and ’30s. Bar stools and booths are A real gathering place for the Old South.
trendies and actors. The look? Victorian- a barrel on the bar. Note the earthenware often occupied by tippling journalists and When the weather’s warm, pretty much
drawing-room-on-speed, with red velvet- pots still used to give the firewater its artists, and folks tucking into pre- and post- everyone heads to the terrace, with views
een wallpaper and a bamboo garden; a special flavour. theatre menus. of the Amsterdam School buildings. And
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when the weather’s not great, soak up the SARPHAAT Map p119

lonelyplanet.com
Brown Café
atmosphere in the Art Deco interior. %675 15 65; Ceintuurbaan 157 SMOKY TOWN LIVING
Grab an outdoor table by the Sarphatipark, Peter Vloot, 45, is an artist and skipper born in Osdorp, a western suburb of Amsterdam. He now lives in the Western
tuck into a slice of Boston cheesecake and
VONDELPARK & a coffee, and see if you don’t feel like a
local.
Islands north of the Jordaan. We asked Peter to give us the skinny on dope-smoking tourists, police searches and the
arts scene, as well as his past life as a squatter.
AROUND
The scene here revolves around the handful
Do you have much contact with the tourists in the city?
18 TWINTIG Map p119 Designer Bar Well, I used to drive a water taxi in town and now I’m a skipper, taking passengers and tourists around town.
of old-style cafés in the city’s most popular %470 06 51; Ferdinand Bolstraat 18-20
park – wonderful places to cool your heels Do you find it a pain that a lot of tourists come to Amsterdam just to party, drink and smoke dope?
This bar facing Marie Heinekenplein is all
after a stroll round the pond-filled grounds. I’m always surprised when my friends come up from Switzerland and smoke much more in Amsterdam than they do at
pastels, mints and tiny Buddhas to make
The spacey-looking ’t Blauwe Theehuis (p171) home. But there it’s illegal. When you’re born here it seems normal, so I’m used to it and it doesn’t really bother me.
anyone look glam, not that the good-
is as famous for coffee and cake as its generous But if it bothers you, you might as well stay away from the city centre. Most residents don’t ride their bicycles along
looking 20- and 30-somethings need
DRINKING & SMOKING VONDELPARK & AROUND

DRINKING & SMOKING PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

lunch and dinner mains. the Rokin and the Damrak anyway!
enhancement. There’s a contemporary, di-
verse food menu (mains €16.50 to €21.50). Do you think preventative frisking by police on the street is a good thing?
HET GROOT MELKHUIS No. I think it’s idiotic, and disappointing that it’s happening in Amsterdam. It’s like the issue of carrying identity cards –
Map p116 Other Café
BAR ÇA Map p119 Designer Bar going back to the Second World War, we never considered ID cards until the Germans forced it upon us – and then
%612 96 74; Vondelpark 2
%470 41 44; Marie Heinekenplein 30-31 we allow it now. And we allow preventative searches and let ourselves be fobbed off with lists of statistics on illegal
Kind of a Goldilocks apparition, this huge weapons. When you’ve got a few thousand people on the street to choose from, they’ll always find something.
One of the hottest cafés in town, this club
thatched house at the forest’s edge invites
themed like a ‘Barcelona in Amsterdam’
you in. The huge dining forecourt, play- What’s special about Amsterdam for artists?
has brought real life to Marie Heineken-
ground and amazing selection of chewing There’s so much going on. The moment that you say, you want to make art your living, you’ve got the greatest chance
plein. Hang in the posh plush-red and
gum machines cater to families and all of success in Amsterdam. There’s an art to the way the city is constantly changing. As older neighbourhoods were being
darkwood interior, or spread out onto the
kidlike guests. cleaned up, the buildings became a kind of breeding ground, and you could use their rooms as an artist or squatter.
terrace.
But these places are disappearing.
CAFÉ VERTIGO Map p116 Theatre Café
%612 30 21; Vondelpark 3
Bonus: this is both a theatre café (at the
PLANTAGE, EASTERN What was it like being a squatter?
Easy. Someone moved out and I moved in. When I was squatting in 1983, I lived in what was known as the most
main hall of the Filmmuseum, p115) and, in
nice weather, a great place to linger out-
ISLANDS & EASTERN dangerous street in Amsterdam. There were clashes among the dealers and junkies, fires were set and so on. When
I told my landlord I was going to pay rent, and it was a tiny amount in the ’80s, he said, ‘Oh, that’s great!’ Because I
doors watching the cyclists and families
go by in the Vondelpark. Try the uitsmijter
DOCKLANDS was a squatter but not aggressive, he was happy to hear it. And then I lived there for 20 years. Now it’s a school, and
part of a renovation project.
Vertigo (egg sandwich with bacon, mush- In keeping with all the daring architecture
rooms, tomato and melted cheese, €7.50). out here, the Plantage, Eastern Islands and
Eastern Docklands area has seen an invasion CAFÉ KOOSJE Map p122 Brown Café BLOEM Map p122 Other Café
of back-lit designer bars and media-savvy %320 08 17; Plantage Middenlaan 37 %330 09 29; Entrepotdok 36
DE PIJP
The neighbourhood that houses the old
cafés, and we’ve listed those that meld mod
style with good ol’ Dutch gezelligheid. Among
If the three catch-words for real estate are
location, location and location, then Koos-
You’ve always wanted to see those lovely
buildings of the Entrepotdok from the
the more traditional places, the venerable je’s got a lock on the market, between the inside? Now you can, at this dark and
Heineken Brewery (p118) is chock-full with Artis Zoo (p121) and the Hollandsche Schouwburg cosy café-restaurant. Amid the brick and
watering holes that few tourists discover, Brouwerij ’t IJ has tasty brews that are a defi-
nite highlight. (p123). There are lots of windows to watch beams, enjoy a beer or a coffee, and
being well off the beaten track. For a good the action outside, a great corner vibe, meals are better than they need to be
solid pub crawl, start with the enthusiastic and small plates and sandwiches, most
BROUWERIJ ’T IJ Map p122 Beer Café (lunch around €7, three-course menus
after-work crowd on Gerard Douplein and
under €6. around €20).
drink your way south towards Sarphati- %622 83 25; Funenkade 7; h3-8pm Wed-Sun
park. The tasting room of Amsterdam’s leading
microbrewery has a cosy, down-and-dirty KHL Map p122 Other Café STAR FERRY Map p122 Theatre Café
PILSVOGEL Map p119 Brown Café beer-hall feel (walls lined with dried hops %779 15 75; Oostelijke Handelskade 44 %788 20 90; Piet Heinkade 1
and bottles from around the world) and Proof of how far this district has come, KHL It’s practically a commandment nowadays
%664 64 83; Gerard Douplein 14
The kitchen dispenses small plates (€2.50 the house brew is on tap. In nice weather is a one-time squatter café gone legit. Next that any newly built performing space
to €4.50) and dagschotels (€11.50) to a you can enjoy your beer on the terrace at to the Lloyd Hotel, it’s a historic brick build- worth the name has to have a flash café,
20-something crowd, but that’s really the foot of the De Gooyer Windmill (p124). ing with great tilework, and the garden is and the café at the new Muziekgebouw aan
secondary when you’re sitting on De Pijp’s Where better to sample a Columbus (9%), a worth a glass or two. There’s often music ’t IJ is hard to beat for location and views.
loveliest, busiest corner. Watch the world zatte (‘drunk’) or a sweet, orange-coloured on weekends – everything from Latin to Several storeys of glass give you an IJ’s-eye
go by, or at least its ambassadors. struis (ostrich)? pop to Klezmer. perspective.

192 193
lonelyplanet.com

OOSTERPARK & AMSTEL HAVEN Map p129

lonelyplanet.com
Other Café
%665 26 72; Mauritskade 1
AROUND
As the capital of a seafaring nation, Amster-
Bike or boat up to where the Amstel meets
the Singelgracht, snag a canalside table
dam has no shortage of riverside cafés that under an umbrella, and have yourself a
remind you of the age-old Dutch bond with swell view of the water and skyscrapers.
H2O. On gorgeous summer evenings many Daytimes, munch on uitsmijters, sand-
patrons arrive by boat, settle at a terrace table wiches and mains, and on weekend nights,
and watch the freight barges, tugs and rowing the dining room becomes a dance floor
teams ply the waters of the Amstel or the IJ. with DJs or live music.
DRINKING & SMOKING OOSTERPARK & AROUND

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
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194 195
© Lonely Planet Publications

N I G HTLI FE & TH E AR T S

Bitterzoet (p196)
Fresh, exciting dance club that changes its spots nightly.
Concertgebouw (p199)
World-renowned concert hall with superb acoustics.
Escape (p196)
Fabulously flashy ‘n trashy nightclub on Rembrandtplein.
Melkweg (p199)
The stars come out at this restless Leidseplein nightspot.
Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (p200)
Stunning high-tech temple of the performing arts.
Muziektheater (p200)
Crossroads of global opera and choreography.
Panama (p197)
Cool jazz, hot Latin and scores of beautiful, jiggy patrons.
Paradiso (p199)
One-time church that preaches a gospel of rock.
Sugar Factory (p197)
Creative theme nights that hit all the sweet spots.
Tuschinskitheater (p200)
Dazzling Art Deco jewel with a silver screen.
 lonelyplanet.com
N I G HTLI FE & TH E AR T S FIND IT, BOOK IT
To find out what’s on offer, pick up the Amsterdam Weekly or the Dutch-language Uitkrant, NL20 and the PS weekend
supplement in Het Parool newspaper. Another good source is the Amsterdams Uitburo (AUB; www.aub.nl, click on
‘programma’ for the calendar).
Amsterdam’s entertainment scene is wonderfully easy-going and remarkably diverse for a
You can purchase tickets from the venues directly; box-office hours are roughly 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday
city of its size. It may not be as sophisticated as some European cities – minimalist interiors
and an hour before performances. You can also buy tickets (with a surcharge) via the AUB Ticketshop (Map pp100-1;
are still a fairly new concept – but the soft entry to most venues, apart from a few nightclubs,
is refreshing. Dress is for the most part casual, and people won’t blink if you wear jeans to %0900 01 91, per min €0.40; www.aub.nl; cnr Leidsestraat & Marnixstraat; h10am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-7.30pm
Sun). Ticket Service (%0900 300 12 50, per min €0.45; www.ticketservice.nl) and Top Ticketline (%0900 300 50
the opera. This place always feels familiar, like a cosmopolitan village where everyone knows
00; www.topticketline.nl) may also be able to help.
one another.
The AUB Ticketshop also sells half-price tickets on the day of performance; see www.lastminuteticketshop.nl.
There are loads of big concert halls, theatres, cinemas and other performance venues.
Generous subsidies help support a flourishing arts scene with world-renowned orchestras, as
well as ballet and opera. The city really comes alive when there’s open-air entertainment in nights and concerts are held in the grand for theme nights such as Tropical, and the
the parks and streets, and along the canals. hall upstairs. pace hardly slows the rest of the week.
Make an evening of it: dinner or a movie at
CLUBBING
Much of the action takes place in the city centre
DANSEN BIJ JANSEN Map pp62-5
%620 17 79; www.dansenbijjansen.nl;
PANAMA Map p122
%311 86 86; www.panama.nl; Oostelijke
the Westergasfabriek, and then hit the club.

Handboogstraat 11 Handelskade 4 WINSTON KINGDOM Map pp62-5

and Southern Canal Belt, but locals may pre- For over a generation, this rambling space A brilliant venue aimed at 25- to 35-year- %623 13 80; www.winston.nl; Hotel Winston,
NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS CLUBBING

NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS ROCK, JAZZ & BLUES

fer the large, glitzy venues outside town. Most has been Amsterdam’s most famous stu-
nightclubs close at 4am on Thursday and Sun- olds, Panama has a salsa-tango dance salon Warmoesstraat 127
dent nightclub, and it still thumps nightly and glamorous nightclub that spins Latin, Changing theme nights (think the ‘sexy,
day and 5am on Friday and Saturday. Looking on two sweaty floors. The secret? Cheap
for the after-party? Keep an eye out for flyers at Ibiza vibes, Cuban big bands and more. trashy and suave’ Club Vegas on Sun-
drinks, a fun selection of classic disco and
record shops and clubwear stores. days) and a fine line-up of local DJs make
house, and a relaxed dress code. Valid
If there’s a bouncer, you may have to pass SUGAR FACTORY Map pp100-1 Winston very hip, very cool and very
student cards are required.
muster; entry rules are supposed to be posted %626 50 06; www.sugarfactory.nl; Amsterdam.
after a member of the Dutch parliament was Lijnbaansgracht 238
ESCAPE Map pp100-1 A cool spot, an excellent location and a Also recommended:
recently denied admission. Entry fees can be
as much as €20. Others are free, in which case %622 11 11; www.escape.nl; Rembrandtplein 11 varied line-up are the hallmarks here. Most De Nieuwe Anita (Map pp58-9; %415 035 12; www
you should slip the doorperson a couple of A fixture of Amsterdam nightlife for two nights start with music, cinema or spoken .denieuweanita.nl; Frederik Hendrikstraat 111) Living-
euros as you leave. decades, the lights and video screens are word performances, followed by late-night room venue expanded for noiserockers, with a great café.
even slicker since a 2007 revamp. First
DJs and dancing. Jimmy Woo (Map pp100-1; %626 31 50; www
Friday of the month is Salvation, one of
BITTERZOET Map pp62-5 Amsterdam’s leading gay dance nights. .jimmywoo.com; Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18) Platform for
%521 30 01; www.bitterzoet.com; Spuistraat 2 TO NIGHT Map p129 the young and beautiful, with fab light-and-sound shows.
Always full, always changing. This is the
ODEON Map pp100-1 %694 74 44; www.hotelarena.nl; Hotel Arena, Powerzone (Map pp58-9; %0900 769 37 96; www
freshest, friendliest and best-regarded ‘s-Gravesandestraat 51 .thepowerzone.nl; Daniel Goedkoopstraat 1-3) Multilevel
among the newer venues – different nights %521 85 55; www.odeonamsterdam.nl; Singel 460 In keeping with the club’s name, each night
This historic venue from the 1660s was dance factory with a DJ in every corner. Take the metro to
might see pulse, roots, drum’n’bass, Latin, is different – everything from dance clas- Spaklerweg.
Afro-beat, Old School jazz or hip-hop given a top-to-toe glam renovation in 2005,
sics to salsa. The interior is magnificent, the
groove. complete with murals of glam models. Club
chapel of a one-time orphanage.

VAKZUID Map pp58-9

ROCK, JAZZ & BLUES
At most venues you can just turn up at the
IJ LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE %570 84 00; www.vakzuid.nl; Olympic Stadium 35 door, but you might want to book ahead for
Can’t afford Ibiza this year? Don’t worry. Amsterdam’s club promoters have come up with the next best thing: beach A glamorous club-restaurant at the 1928 famous acts (see above).
parties on the canals and waterways. Olympic Stadium, Vakzuid has a large Jazz is popular and there’s a lot of it hap-
A ‘beach’ can be anything from a glorified playpen (such as atop the NEMO science museum, p69) to huge golden dance floor and loads of comfortable pening in cafés; blues thrives less. The world’s
expanses of sand trucked in every year. lounges to pose on. There’s a lot of house, largest jazz festival is the North Sea Jazz Festi-
One jaw-dropping sand-blast is Blijburg (Map pp58-9; %416 03 30; www.blijburg.nl), in the fast-growing IJburg with some ’80s and disco thrown in for val, held in Rotterdam every July (p18).
suburb east of the city centre. Parties here hook anything from jazz to hippie scene, trance or singer-songwriter soirée. good measure.
Tram 26 gets you there from Centraal Station in 15 minutes.
Other beaches include Strand West (Map pp58-9; www.strand-west.nl), off Sparndammerstraat (take tram 22
BIMHUIS Map p122
WESTERGASTERRAS Map pp58-9 %788 21 50; www.bimhuis.nl; Piet Heinkade 3
from Centraal Station) and Amsterdam Plage (Map pp58-9; %06 4601 6005; www.amsterdamplage.nl), a few
hundred metres from Centraal Station – walk or take tram 3 to Zoutkeetsgracht. When the weather cooperates, %475 14 12; www.westergasterras.nl; The Bimhuis is the beating jazz heart of
the good folks at Supper Club (p158) also operate the Supper Club Cruise Oase, a catered cruise around the IJ with
Klönneplein 4 the Netherlands, and its stylish new digs at
This cool, postindustrial, indoor-outdoor the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ (p200) draws interna-
performance art.
space is screamingly popular on Fridays tional jazz greats like Branford Marsalis.
196 197
lonelyplanet.com

BOURBON STREET JAZZ & BLUES DE BADCUYP Map p119 seats and so-so acoustics. The Netherlands

lonelyplanet.com
CLUB Map pp100-1 THE WORLD’S ULTIMATE %675 96 69; www.badcuyp.nl; 1e Chamber Orchestra and the Netherlands
%623 34 40; www.bourbonstreet.nl; Sweelinckstraat 10 Philharmonic are the resident companies.
Leidsekruisstraat 6-8; h10pm-4am Sun-Thu,
PICKUP LINE A low-down and very cool venue off the
10pm-5am Fri & Sat Apart from his duties as international beer magnate, Albert Cuypmarkt, De Badcuyp has regular CONCERTGEBOUW Map p110
Catch blues, funk, soul and rock’n’roll in Freddy Heineken (1924–2002) had a reputation for World Jam and Open Kuip (open mic) nights, %671 83 45; www.concertgebouw.nl; Concertge-
this intimate venue, visited by the likes of being a ladies’ man. As the story goes, an attractive African dance cafés and musical offerings bouwplein 2-6; htelephone sales 10am-5pm, box
Sting and departed Dutch rocker Herman young female approached the bar and uttered the including South Indian, jazz and Latin. office till 7pm
Brood (see p137). Ages 23 and up. familiar phrase: ‘I’d like a Heineken, please.’ Freddy One of the world’s great concert halls, the
(stationed nearby) replied: ‘I’m right here.’ TROPENINSTITUUT THEATER Map p129 Concertgebouw has near-perfect acoustics
BRASIL MUSIC BAR Map pp100-1 %568 85 00; www.kit.nl; Tropenmuseum, that flatter the already wonderful Royal
%626 15 00; www.brasilmusicbar.com; Lange alternative-music venue attracts a young Linnaeusstraat 2 Concertgebouw Orchestra. Bernard Haitink,
Leidsedwarsstraat 68-70 clientele for lashings of punk, metal and The live agenda is like no place else in the celebrated conductor, once remarked
Get jiggy to live Brazilian and Caribbean goth. Amsterdam, mainly South American, Indian that the hall was the best instrument the
music three nights a week, and R&B and and African music, films and offerings like orchestra ever had.
DJs at other times. The club, like the Japanese geisha. Tickets are available by phone, through
LISBOA Map p122
dancing, is hot and steamy. the VVV (p255) or AUB Ticketshop (p197).
%622 12 72; Veemkade 251 Visitors aged up to 27 can purchase last-
CASABLANCA Map pp62-5
At weekends, this restaurant-club boat
moored behind the C1000 supermarket CLASSICAL MUSIC
Amsterdam’s classical music scene, with fine
minute tickets costing a mere €7.50 (when
available) from 45 minutes before the
%625 56 85; www.casablanca-amsterdam.nl;
NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS WORLD MUSIC

NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS CLASSICAL MUSIC

hosts jazz artists such as trumpeter Saskia curtain goes up.
Zeedijk 26 Laroo and Brazilian samba bands. international orchestras, conductors and solo-
ists crowding the agenda, is the envy of many Every Wednesday at 12.30pm from
Even if its glory days are over, this vener-
European cities. It also has a tradition of free September till the end of June, the Con-
able jazz café hosts big bands four nights a MALOE MELO Map p86 lunchtime concerts, from 12.30pm at the Con- certgebouw holds free half-hour concerts,
week and other jazz the rest of the time.
%420 45 92; www.maloemelo.com; certgebouw, except in summer. traditionally of chamber music or public
Lijnbaansgracht 163 rehearsals of an evening event. The con-
COTTON CLUB Map pp62-5 This is the altar of Amsterdam’s tiny blues ductors and musicians often have an inter-
%626 61 92; Nieuwmarkt 5 scene, just a few blocks from Leidseplein. BETHANIËNKLOOSTER Map pp62-5 national pedigree so, unsurprisingly, the
Squish into this dark, bustling brown café There’s everything from Cajun zydeco and %625 00 78; www.bethanienklooster.nl; events are exceedingly popular.
every Saturday (5pm to 8pm) for live, vi- swing to Texas blues and rockabilly. Barndesteeg 6b
brant jazz. It has a storied history, and salsa This former monastery near Nieuwmarkt
has a glorious ballroom, the perfect place CONSERVATORIUM VAN
on Tuesdays. Also recommended: AMSTERDAM Map p110
Heineken Music Hall (%0900 687 42 42; www to take in some Stravinsky or Indian sitar.
%527 75 50; www.cva.ahk.nl; Van Baerlestraat 27
DE HEEREN VAN AEMSTEL Map pp100-1 .heineken-music-hall.nl; Arena Blvd 590, Bijlmermeer) Students at the Netherlands’ largest conserv-
%620 21 73; www.deheerenvanaemstel.nl; Midsized venue praised for its quality acoustics and BEURS VAN BERLAGE Map pp62-5 atory of music offer regular classical recitals.
Thorbeckeplein 5 lighting. %627 04 66; www.beursvanberlage.nl; Damrak 243 Note that at the time of writing the venue
Office workers and students cram into this Pepsi stage (%0900 737 74 78; www.pepsistage The renowned old commodities exchange (p69) has was expected to move to the Oosterdoksei-
grand café-style club to enjoy the roster .nl; Arena Blvd 584, Bijlmermeer) Draws acts like Elvis two small concert halls with comfortable land (near Centraal Station) by late 2008.
of live big bands and pop and rock cover- Costello, Sarah McLachlan and the Gypsy Kings.
bands.
MEGA VENUES
JAZZ CAFÉ ALTO Map pp100-1 WORLD MUSIC You never know what to expect at the following venues. One night it might be an international pop star, then next it
%626 32 49; www.jazz-cafe-alto.nl; Korte Cosmopolitan Amsterdam is a natural breed-
might be dance or a classical concert, or even a club night.
Leidsedwarsstraat 115; h9pm-3am Sun-Thu, to ing ground for world music. Apart from the
Amsterdam ArenA (%311 13 33; www.amsterdamarena.nl; Arena Blvd 1, Bijlmermeer) This ultimate stadium
4am Fri & Sat venues listed here, look into Melkweg (op- venue produces mega-shows like the Rolling Stones, Eminem and dance events.
You’ll enjoy serious jazz and blues at this posite), Paradiso (opposite) and the Latin bars
Koninklijk Theater Carré (Map pp100-1; %0900 252 52 55; www.theatercarre.nl; Amstel 115-125) The largest
respected café near Leidseplein. Try to that give toned bodies another place to sweat theatre in town puts on cabaret circuses, and big-budget musicals.
catch tenor saxophonist Hans Dulfer, father gracefully. Melkweg (Map pp100-1; %531 81 81; www.melkweg.nl; Lijnbaansgracht 234a) The newly expanded ‘Milky
of Candy Dulfer (of Prince and Van Mor-
Way’ draws the masses with its eclectic live music – everything from Afro-Celtic to thrash – plus dance halls,
rison fame). AKHNATON Map pp62-5 cinema, lounges and art galleries.
%624 33 96; www.akhnaton.nl; Nieuwezijds Paradiso (Map pp100-1; %626 45 21; www.paradiso.nl; Weteringschans 6) This former church remains the
KORSAKOFF Map p86 Kolk 25 city’s premier rock venue. Big-name acts like Bright Eyes, Jurassic 5 and Moby come often, and the Paradisco and
%625 78 54; www.korsakoffamsterdam.nl; A young, multicultural crowd jams this Paradisoul dance nights are legendary.
Lijnbaansgracht 161; hfrom 10pm club to catch live hip-hop, Latin and Afro- Stadsschouwburg (Map pp100-1; %624 23 11; www.stadsschouwburgamsterdam.nl; Leidseplein 26) This
Going since the late ‘80s and still grungy centric acts. It’s been going strong for 50 stunning theatre from 1894 features large-scale productions, operettas, and drama by Toneelgroep Amsterdam.
after all these years, this hard-rock and years.
198 199
lonelyplanet.com

DE UITKIJK Map pp100-1

COMEDY DE KLEINE KOMEDIE Map pp100-1

lonelyplanet.com
LEND AN EAR %623 74 60; www.uitkijk.nl; Prinsengracht 452
Given the Dutch are fine linguists and have
%624 05 34; www.dekleinekomedie.nl;
The Van Gogh Museum (p109) has a weekly cultural This fun art-house stalwart, located in an Amstel 56-58
old canal house, is the city’s oldest surviv- a keen sense of humour, it’s natural that This renowned little theatre founded in
series, held on Friday nights, that runs the gamut English-language comedy would thrive in
from classical music recitals to modern dance, lectures ing cinema (dating to 1913). For film buffs 1786 puts on concerts, dance, comedy and
who know their Fuller from their Fellini. Amsterdam. The two premier comedy clubs cabaret, sometimes in English.
and singers. Some nights draw a thousand spectators, in the Leidseplein area are the best places to
others are quiet and civilised. see fast-thinking, fast-talking comics in ac-
FILMMUSEUM Map p116
MUZIEKTHEATER Map pp62-5
%589 14 00; www.filmmuseum.nl; Vondelpark 3
tion. No-one is safe from lampooning, even
the audience.
THEATRE, DANCE &
The esteemed Filmmuseum has two tiny
%625 54 55; www.hetmuziektheater.nl; Water-
looplein 22
cinemas screening cult horror, cutting-edge
foreign films and specials devoted to screen BOOM CHICAGO Map pp100-1
SPOKEN WORD
The following is a shortlist of Amsterdam’s
This swanky Stopera theatre is home to the legends and genres such as Bollywood. At %423 01 01; www.boomchicago.nl; Leidseplein lively theatre scene. Performances are mostly
Netherlands Opera, the National Ballet and the time of writing it was expected to move Theater, Leidseplein 12 in Dutch but sometimes in English, especially
the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra. Interna- into a sleek new complex in Amsterdam- Amsterdam’s leading show for English- in summer. See also Koninklijk Theater Carré
tional dance troupes such as those run by Noord in 2009. language improv comedy, best enjoyed and Stadsschouwburg (p199).
Merce Cunningham and Martha Graham over dinner and a few drinks. The inhouse
also perform here. HET KETELHUIS Map pp58-9 BoomBar has DJs spinning a few nights a AMSTERDAMS MARIONETTEN
week and a quiz night on Mondays. THEATER Map pp62-5
%684 00 90; www.ketelhuis.nl; Westergasfabriek,
MUZIEKGEBOUW AAN ’T IJ Map p122 Haarlemmerweg 8-10 %620 80 27; www.marionettentheater.nl; Nieuwe
NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS CINEMA

NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS COMEDY

%tickets 788 20 00, office 788 20 10; www In the old gas works, the three screening COMEDY CAFÉ AMSTERDAM Jonkerstraat 8; adult/child under 7yr/child 7-14yr
.muziekgebouw.nl; Piet Heinkade 1; performance rooms have a chic post-industrial vibe and Map pp100-1 €15/free/7; hperformance times vary
prices vary; hticket office noon-7pm Mon-Sat comfy seats; it’s a great platform for art- %638 39 71; www.comedycafe.nl; Max Euweplein In a former blacksmith’s shop near Nieuw-
This dazzling new performing-arts venue house films. It also has a cosy café. 43-45 markt, the marionette theatre has a limited
brings together several agendas under one The Comedy Café books Dutch and in- repertoire (mainly Mozart operas such as
roof. Behind the hi-tech exterior you’ll find KRITERION Map p122 ternational stand-up comics. Sundays are The Magic Flute), but kids and adults alike
a dramatically lit main hall with flexible normally reserved for English-speaking are enthralled with the fairy-tale stage sets,
%623 17 08; www.kriterion.nl; Roeterstraat 170
stage layout and great acoustics. Its jazz This UvA-student-run theatre-café has a great acts. period costumes and beautiful singing
stage, Bimhuis (p197), is more intimate. array of premieres, theme parties, classics,
Free lunchtime concerts are normally kids’ flicks and more. This former diamond
held in the main hall once a month on dif- SO YOU THINK THAT’S FUNNY?
factory became a movie theatre after WWII to
ferent weekdays from September to May –
help resistance fighters earn an income. In the early 1990s Andrew Moskos moved to Amsterdam and founded the Boom Chicago comedy club (above) with two
check the website or printed programme
for details. other Americans. We asked him how he and Amsterdam got where they are today.
MOVIES Map p86
%638 60 16; www.themovies.nl; Haarlemmerdijk How did you make the leap to Amsterdam?
CINEMA
Amsterdam’s hungry cinephiles have some
161
Indie features alongside mainstream at this
My best friend and I were tourists here. We were in a coffeeshop and fell in love with Amsterdam, and got obsessed
with the idea of quitting our jobs and coming here. There was a hole in the market for comedy. So we wrote to the
45 cinemas to choose from. The ‘film ladder’ beautiful Art Deco cinema. Treat yourself to city and laid out our idea.
listing of what’s on is posted at pubs and cin- a meal in the restaurant (the three-course
emas, at www.amsterdam.filmladder.nl and ‘dinner and a movie’ costs a reasonable €29). Has Boom’s audience changed?
in the Thursday newspapers. AL means alle Our audience has got more sophisticated. We started off with topics like the Red Light District, soft drugs being legal,
leeftijden (all ages). Screenings are usually in RIALTO CINEMA Map p119 things we thought the tourists would go for. Now we’ve shifted into commenting on politics, American and Dutch.
We had one show called Bite the Bullet, following the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, when big changes were
the original language with Dutch subtitles. %676 87 00; www.rialtofilm.nl; Ceintuurbaan 338
Big multiplexes include the Pathé cinemas This great old cinema near Sarphatipark underway in Holland.
(%0900 14 58, per min €0.35), with a central branch focuses on premieres and gets eclectic art-
house fare from around the world. How has the club scene changed?
at De Munt (Map pp100–1; Vijzelstraat 15). The follow- It’s become less important, maybe 50% of what it was a few years ago. Amsterdam and its nightlife engine has changed
ing cinemas are more interesting. too, not just here but in other cities too. The drinking, the cocaine, ecstasy, the dance culture, all this has moved into
TUSCHINSKITHEATER Map pp100-1 the background. If you go to a hip nightlife place now, you probably won’t be dancing, whereas five years ago, you
CINECENTER Map pp100-1 %623 15 10, 0900 14 58, per min €0.35; www would. It’s more head-bobbing now.
%623 66 15; Lijnbaansgracht 236 .pathe.nl/tuschinski; Reguliersbreestraat 26-34
Euro and American art-house are the Extensively refurbished, Amsterdam’s most Do you like how Amsterdam has cleaned up its act?
standard fare. The last Monday of the famous cinema is worth visiting for its Like moving dirty postcards inside the shops, less graffiti etc? A lot of people were thinking, ‘aw, how bland do we
month is for queer films, except in sum- sumptuous Art Deco/Amsterdam School in- have to get?’ But soon we realized, ‘Wait a minute, that’s actually better.’ They made the garbage cans bigger too,
mer. Don’t miss the hip bar with white terior. The main theatre shows blockbusters, which helped.
padded walls. the smaller one art-house and indie films.
200 201
lonelyplanet.com

De Balie also holds short-film festivals and

lonelyplanet.com
GAMBLING debates, has new-media facilities and a
stylish bar.
Amsterdam’s palette of vices includes the modern
Holland Casino (Map pp100-1; %521 11 11; www
.hollandcasino.nl; Max Euweplein 62; h1.30pm- DE BRAKKE GROND Map pp62-5
3am), an easy walk from the Leidseplein. You can %626 68 66; www.nestheaters.nl; Flemish
play blackjack, touch-bet roulette, 700 slot machines Cultural Centre, Nes 45
and our favourite game, ‘Caribbean stud poker’. A fantastic array of music, experimental
Government-issued photo ID (displaying date of birth) video, modern dance and exciting, young
is required. theatre is performed in Brakke Grond’s
striking 150-seat theatre.
voices that bring the diminutive cast to
FELIX MERITIS Map p92
life. From June to August the theatre only
performs for groups; at other times, check %623 13 11; www.felix.meritis.nl;
Keizersgracht 324
the website for a schedule.
Amsterdam’s former cultural centre puts
on innovative, modern theatre, music and
AMSTERDAMSE BOS THEATRE dance, with lots of co-productions by East-
%643 32 86; www.bostheater.nl; ern and Western European artists.
Amsterdamse Bos
NIGHTLIFE & THE ARTS THEATRE, DANCE & SPOKEN WORD

This large open-air amphitheatre stages FRASCATI Map pp62-5

plays in Dutch (Shakespeare, Brecht, Chek-
hov) in summer. We love it when the actors %626 68 66; www.nestheaters.nl; Nes 63
This experimental theatre is a draw for
pause as planes pass overhead.
young Dutch directors, choreographers and
producers. Expect multicultural dance and
CASABLANCA VARIÉTÉ Map pp62-5 music performances, as well as hip-hop, rap
%625 56 85; www.casablanca-amsterdam.nl; and breakdancing. In May it hosts a cool
Zeedijk 24; dinner & show €34.50, show only €5 urban-dance festival that’s worth checking
The other half of Casablanca contains the out.
Netherlands’ only theatre devoted to the
art of circus performance – sleight of hand, OPENLUCHTTHEATER Map p116
magic, variety shows and singers. Vondelpark Open-Air Theatre; %673 14 99;
www.openluchttheater.nl; Vondelpark
COSMIC THEATER Map pp62-5 From June to August the Vondelpark
%626 68 66; www.cosmictheater.nl; Nes 75-87 hosts free concerts in its intimate open-
Originally from Curaçao, this drama troupe air theatre, and it’s a fantastic experience
stages plays representing a variety of to share with others. Expect world music,
cultures, with an emphasis on Surinamese, dance, children’s theatre and more.
African, Turkish and Moroccan.
THEATER BELLEVUE Map pp100-1
DE BALIE Map pp100-1 %530 53 01; www.theaterbellevue.nl;
%553 51 51; www.debalie.nl; Kleine Leidsekade 90
Gartmanplantsoen 10 Come here for experimental theatre, inter-
The focus here is multicultural and politi- national cabaret and modern dance, mainly
cal, in big international productions. in Dutch.

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
202 203
© Lonely Planet Publications

GAY & LE S B IAN A M STE R DAM

Arc (p206)
Designer meet-market for being seen, air-kissed and
ignored.
Black Tulip Hotel (p207)
Get tied up for a weekend in this spanking fine hotel.
De Engel van Amsterdam (p205)
Cruisey terrace bar for chin-chin wagging.
Getto (p205)
Island of taste in the Zeedijk’s sea of testosterone.
Mr B (p204)
For all your jaw-dropping leather, fetish and
dungeonwear.
Montmartre (p206)
Campy Bohemian bar where the ’80s never die.
Queen’s Head (p205)
Queer contrasts of frocks, jocks and Ken dolls.
Saarein (p206)
The original sisters’ café, democratised for one and all.
 CITY CENTRE COCKRING Map pp62-5

lonelyplanet.com
Gay Club
GAY & LE S B IAN A M STE R DAM CAFÉ BARDEWIJN Map pp62-5 Gay Bar
%623 96 04; www.clubcockring.com; War-
moesstraat 96; h11pm-4am Sun-Thu, to 5am Fri
%420 51 32; Zeedijk 14 & Sat
This very friendly beer bar draws a mix- This popular club has a disco downstairs
The Netherlands was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage (in 2001), and homo- ture of local gay regulars and tourists, playing techno and trance, while upstairs is
sexuality was decriminalised here as early as 1811. So it should come as no surprise that and has killer views of the canal out back a hot cruising area; leather boys are par-
Amsterdam’s gay scene is among the world’s largest. Locals are always fretting about whether and Zeedijk in front, making it a must on ticularly welcome. Look for live strip shows
they’ve lost their cherry as ‘European gay capital’, but as debate takes place in the many gay Queen’s Day. and ‘shoes only’ parties.
and lesbian establishments (about 300 in total if you count the cool ‘friendly’ places) you
may wonder what they’re on about. The lesbian scene is much less active, but that’s about CUCKOO’S NEST Map pp62-5 Gay Bar ARGOS Map pp62-5 Leather Bar
par for the course. %627 17 52; Nieuwezijds Kolk 6 %622 65 95; www.argosbar.com; Warmoesstraat
For orientation, know that there are four hubs that party hardest. In the Red Light District, A small, busy bar said to have the largest 95; h10pm-3am Sun-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat
Warmoesstraat is home to the infamous leather and fetish bars, dungeonlike darkrooms, ‘playroom’ in Europe. You could spend Amsterdam’s oldest leather bar hosts
porn vendors and coffeeshops; Rembrandtplein (p104) is for traditional pubs, brown cafés and a whole night exploring the labyrinth of leather boys of all ages in its famous dark-
nightclubs, some with a sing-songy, campy bent; and the venerable scene around Leidseplein cubicles and glory holes. rooms. The regular ‘Sex on Sunday’ party is
(p99) has a smattering of venues and hotels. The classiest act is located one street down from always wild (though safe). Dress code: nude
the flower market, in Reguliersdwarsstraat, and draws the beautiful twinkies who schmooze DE ENGEL VAN AMSTERDAM or seminude.
and cruise their way along the street. In summer it might seem like a giant block party. Map pp62-5 Gay Bar
Wherever you are, crowds tend to vary with the time of happy hour – it shifts from bar
to bar, and so will you in all likelihood. Note that there have been a number of gay-bashing %427 63 81; www.engelamsterdam.nl; Zeedijk WEB Map pp62-5 Leather Bar
21; hfrom 3pm Tue-Sun %623 67 58; St Jacobsstraat 6; h2pm-1am Sun-
incidents in recent years, so use your street smarts outside of the pleasure zones. The vast The new ‘Angel’ draws a cruisey terrace
majority of Amsterdam’s eateries are gay-friendly, so see the Eating chapter (p156) when the Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat
crowd who toast the evening’s promise Cruisey, well-established leather and clone
munchies hit. with a flute of blended juice or cham- bar with darkrooms and ‘bear nights’. No,
pagne. DJ Mayday spins her favourites on the pit below the grate in the floor is not a
SHOPPING men’s shirts to make you look fabulous.
Look for sale items around €25. Wednesday, and the TGIF drink night is real loo.
GAY & LESBIAN AMSTERDAM SHOPPING

GAY & LESBIAN AMSTERDAM DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE

Amsterdam is many things to many people, starting to gel.
but one thing it’s not is lacking in inhibition.
This means that any shopping needs related
MR B Map pp62-5 Erotica/Gay
%422 00 03; www.misterb.com; Warmoesstraat
GETTO Map pp62-5 Gay Bar JORDAAN
to sexuality are catered to with gusto, and that 89; h10am-6.30pm Mon-Wed & Fri, 10am-9pm %421 51 51; www.getto.nl; Warmoesstraat 51; THERMOS DAY SAUNA Map p86 Gay Sauna
you always leave a shop with more ideas, if less Thu, 11am-6pm Sat, 1-6pm Sun hTue-Sun %623 91 58; www.thermos.nl; Raamstraat 33;
cash, than you entered with. Kinkeeee. The tamer wares at this renowned This groovy, very long restaurant-bar is admission €18; hnoon-11pm Mon-Fri, noon-10pm
Red Light District shop include leather and loved for its entertainment (tarot readers, Sat, 11am-10pm Sun
INTERMALE Map pp62-5 Books rubber suits, hoods and bondage equip- DJs, bingo competitions). Great people- Thermos is a sprawling, popular place for
%625 00 09; www.intermale.nl; Spuistraat 251 ment, all made to measure if you want. watching from the front, and a rear lounge sexual contacts, with porn movies, private
One of Amsterdam’s leading gay book- where you can chill. Draws a cross-section (or not so private) darkrooms, roof deck,
stores, Intermale has 1½ floors of photo of the gay community. hair salon and restaurant.
ROB Map pp62-5 Erotica/Gay
books, sexy mags, videos and pornographic
%625 46 86; www.rob.nl; Warmoesstraat 71
cards. RoB sells anything and everything for one’s PRIK Map pp62-5 Gay Bar CAFÉ SUGAR Map p86 Lesbian Café
bondage and rough-sex fantasy: army %320 00 02; www.prikamsterdam.nl; Spuistraat %623 12 34; Hazenstraat 19; h6pm-1am
VROLIJK Map pp62-5 Books gear, leather and rubber are just the start. 109; h4pm-1am Sun & Tue-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat Thu-Mon
%623 51 42; www.vrolijk.nu; Paleisstraat 135; Oh my! ‘Sexy snacks and liquids’ is the motto of this Not just for lesbians, the Sugar throws great
h11am-6pm Mon, 10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, peppy new retro bar with an ‘I’ve just redone parties and has a conscience for the goings-
10am-7pm Thu, 10am-5pm Sat, 1-5pm Sun, closed my loft’ clientele of 20- to 30-somethings. on of the buurt (neighbourhood). Come on
Sun Oct-Dec
The Netherlands’ largest G&L bookstore
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE
More glasses are emptied and partners swung
Live DJs spin pop, house and dance discs. in, blow up a balloon and hit the dance floor.

carries the major mags as well as novels, in the old City Centre and the Southern Canal QUEEN’S HEAD Map pp62-5 Gay Bar DE TRUT Map pp58-9 Lesbian Club
guidebooks and postcards. Upstairs you’ll Belt than anywhere else, although Jordaan’s %420 24 75; www.queenshead.nl; Zeedijk 20; %612 35 24; Bilderdijkstraat 165e; h11pm-4am
find art, poetry and DVDs. low-key scene has a few lesbian cafés. War- h4pm-1am Mon-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat Sun
moesstraat in the Red Light District is defi- A beautifully decorated, canal-view, old- Just west of the Jordaan, this Sunday-
SHIRT SHOP Map pp100-1 Clothing nitely for those who love it hard – leather and world-style café once run by legendary night club is a lesbian institution held in
%423 20 88; www.shirtshopamsterdam.nl; rubber, piercings and slings, darkrooms and drag queen Dusty. The place has toned the basement of a former squat. Its name
Reguliersdwarsstraat 64 acres of porn. A brighter crowd frequents the down a bit – there are still drag shows on means ‘the tart’ and it comes with an at-
On gay Amsterdam’s main street, this upper end of the Zeedijk, which has seen a Tuesday, but the crowd is more mixed, and titude; arrive well before 11pm, and know
funky, two-storey shop sells tight-fitting revival of sorts. even straights are welcome. that heteros are definitely not welcome.

204 205
lonelyplanet.com

SAAREIN Map p86 MONTMARTRE Map pp100-1

lonelyplanet.com
Lesbian Café Gay Bar
%623 49 01; Elandsstraat 119 %620 76 22; Halvemaansteeg 17; 5pm-1am Sun- GAILY MARRIED IN AMSTERDAM
This one-time feminist stronghold is still a Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat Richard Keldoulis is co-founder of Pink Point, the gay and lesbian information kiosk (see p208). We asked the native
meeting place for lesbians, although gay Regarded by many as the Benelux’s best Australian, married to his Dutch partner since 2004, about the paper chase of tying the knot.
men are welcome too. The café dates gay bar, and a busy weekend will show
from the 1600s, and vestiges remain. why. Patrons sing along, or more like How much bureaucracy was involved?
There’s a small menu with tapas, soups scream along, to recordings of Dutch bal- It was actually quite easy, because I got Dutch citizenship after living with my Dutch partner for five years. But now,
and specials. lads and old top-40 hits. It’s like a campy to bring a partner in, gay or straight, it’s a nightmare. You have to go back to your country of origin to apply, and your
Eurovision song contest. partner has to earn 120% of the minimum income. And it’s virtually impossible now to bring in a partner from, say,
SOUTHERN CANAL BELT SOHO Map pp100-1 Gay Bar
Morocco or Turkey.
ARC Map pp100-1 Bar/Restaurant
%616 13 12; www.pubsoho.eu; Reguliers- What are the pros and cons of registration on one hand, and marriage on the other?
%689 70 70; www.bararc.com; Reguliers- dwarsstraat 36; h6pm-2am Sun-Thu, to 4am Fri Registration is for pets, as one friend put it. Marriage entails the broad spectrum – everything is settled legally, your
dwarsstraat 44; h4pm-1am Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat pensions, benefits and so on. But it also puts your relationship on an equal level. Registration keeps you on a different
& Sat Pure kitsch – imagine an old-world Eng- level, a second-class thing.
The cool minimalist interior is sooo right for lish library on the Titanic – this huge,
beautiful media types (mostly gay, but also two-storey bar pumps with a young and Can anyone just come and get married here?
lesbian and straight). Fancy martinis are ridiculously pretty clientele, drinking and I get a lot of emails from people who want to come to Holland and tie the knot. But it’s not that easy. One partner
the drink du jour, and the kitchen serves up flirting around the bar or on the upstairs already has to be a resident, or have Dutch citizenship. Gay marriage is so normal here that it seems weird that you
zesty fusion cuisine. Chesterfield sofas. don’t have it everywhere else.
OTHER SIDE Map pp100-1 Coffeeshop APRIL Map pp100-1 Gay Club
%421 10 14; www.theotherside.nl; Reguliers- Exit (Map pp100-1; %625 87 88; Reguliersdwarsstraat soft furnishings, in addition to TV, phone,
%625 95 72; Reguliersdwarsstraat 37 42) Cavernous nightclub with a busy darkroom and ‘Drag safe and fridge. The breakfast room (with
dwarsstraat 6 April is equally famous for its happy hour,
This coffeeshop has grass from Jamaica, Planet’ nights. ruby-red walls and make-a-friend com-
a relaxed atmosphere (even when it’s munal tables) becomes a gay internet café
very strong Dutch super-skunk, hash from
GAY & LESBIAN AMSTERDAM DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE

GAY & LESBIAN AMSTERDAM SLEEPING

packed) and beautiful guys who cram into Sappho (Map pp100-1; %06 2868 4906; Vijzelstraat 103)
central Asia and more. Many tokers here are later.
the space to flirt and drink. The revolving Arty mixed-to-lesbian bar; women-only on Friday.
on a time-out from clubs like Arc. bar can make you giddy after too many
cocktails. ORFEO HOTEL Map pp100-1 Hostel
LELLEBEL Map pp100-1 Drag Bar
%427 51 39; www.lellebel.nl; Utrechtsestraat 4;
SLEEPING
Assuming your head actually hits a pillow
%623 13 47; www.hotelorfeo.com;
Leidsekruisstraat 14; dm €35-45, s with bathroom
THERMOS NIGHT SAUNA €60, d with/without bathroom €80/125, tr €150;
h9pm-3am Mon-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat Map pp100-1 Gay Sauna while in Amsterdam, know that this scene’s
This hole-in-the wall just off Rembrandt- hotels have few equals worldwide. You can i
%623 49 36; www.thermos.nl; Kerkstraat 58-60; A cheap option for gay fellas, central
plein has karaoke, singing and comedy admission €18; h11pm-8am Sun-Fri, to 10am Sat expect the three ‘p’s’ – professional, proud
shows that bring out the best in any girl’s and infuriatingly pretty – but also minimal Orfeo has simple, small, wood-panelled
After the clubs close, Thermos Day’s night- rooms (with TV, phone and minibar), sexy
wardrobe. It can get bitchy, but always in owl brother lets it all hang out. It’s similar fuss about the basic comforts, like extra towels
the funniest possible way. or having an organic blend sent up. staff (they told us so themselves) and the
to the day sauna, except there’s no restau- flirtiest breakfast room in town.
rant, roof deck or hair salon.
AMSTEL TAVERNE BLACK TULIP HOTEL
Map pp100-1 Gay Bar AERO HOTEL Map pp100-1 Boutique Hotel
VIVELAVIE Map pp100-1 Lesbian Café Map pp62-5 Boutique Hotel
%623 42 54; Amstel 54 %622 77 28; www.aerohotel.nl; Kerkstraat 45-49;
%624 01 14; www.vivelavie.net; Amstelstraat 7; %427 09 33; www.blacktulip.nl; Geldersekade 16; d €90-110, without bathroom €75
This historic brown café with Delft-blue h3pm-1am Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat incl buffet breakfast s €115, d €125-195; i
tiles draws a 40s-and-up crowd that, in the Just steps away from Leidseplein, the
Just off Rembrandtplein, this lively place This small gay hotel (males only) has more
right temperatures, spills onto the street popular Aero Hotel has been in the throes
is probably Amsterdam’s most popular bondage gear than you can shake a whip at.
to mix with passers-by. Definitely has that of renovation, but will surely be the cat’s
lesbian café for its flirty girls, good-natured Everything is fashionable and (pardon the
trademark ‘only in Amsterdam’ vibe. pink pyjamas by the time you read this.
staff, loud music and large windows. In expression) spanking clean. Rates include
Rooms facing the back are quieter, and
summer the outdoor terrace buzzes. ensuite bathroom, fridge and minibar.
Camp Café’s Sunday champagne brunch
will remain a fixture.
Also recommended: AMISTAD HOTEL Map pp100-1 Boutique Hotel
YIPPEE AYE O-73! De Spijker (Map pp100-1; %620 59 19; Kerkstraat 4a)
%624 80 74; www.amistad.nl; Kerkstraat 42;
The hottest game in town is Gay Super Bingo
(%776 46 00; h8pm 1st Wed of month) at Strand
Friendly leather bar with pool tables and busy darkroom.
Entre Nous (Map pp100-1; %623 17 00; Halvemaans-
s €100-115, d €130-150, s/d without bathroom
€75/94
FURTHER RESOURCES
There are boatloads of G&L resources in this
West Beach (Map pp58–9). Theme: all-American teeg 14) Club recovery zone; cosy despite the blood-red Rooms at this bijou hotel are dotted with
rodeo. No guns allowed.
town, so this is more about focussing on what
wallpaper. Philippe Starck chairs, CD players and chic, you need.
206 207
lonelyplanet.com

INFORMATION WEBSITES

lonelyplanet.com
Amsterdam Police Gay Network (%559 53 85; www.cocamsterdam.nl Organises club nights and other
homonetwork@amsterdam.politie.nl) The place to report events.
any trouble or harassment. www.gayamsterdam.nl Published by the Gay News, and
comprehensive.
COC Amsterdam (Map p86; %626 30 87; www
.cocamsterdam.nl; Rozenstraat 14) The national gay and www.gay.nl Directory to pretty much anything in town, in
lesbian organisation, the oldest of its kind in the world. Dutch only but decipherable.
www.pinkpoint.org Links and information.
Gay & Lesbian Switchboard (%623 65 65; www
.switchboard.nl; hnoon-10pm Mon-Fri, 4-10pm Sat
& Sun) Great source. Provides advice on an anonymous GUIDES & MAPS
basis. Bent Guide (Pink Point) Published in English, full of
insider info on all facets of gay life.
Pink Point (Map p92; %412 44 63; www.pinkpoint.org; Gaymap Amsterdam, Gay News Amsterdam, Gay&Night
Westerkerk Sq; h10am-6pm) Staffed by volunteers, this Listings mags available for free around town.
kiosk next to the Homomonument (p95) is a goldmine for
details on Amsterdam’s gay and lesbian scene, as well as
souvenirs and gifts. RADIO & TV
The local gay radio station MVS (www.mvs.nl)
Schorer Foundation (Map pp100-1; %573 94 44; www broadcasts 7pm to 8pm nightly on 106.8 FM
.schorer.nl; Sarphatistraat 35; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) NGO (cable 103.3 FM), with an English programme
offering healthcare services, HIV prevention and buddy on Sunday. TV shows are broadcast 8pm to
care. 9pm on Saturday via local station Salto A1.
GAY & LESBIAN AMSTERDAM FURTHER RESOURCES

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
208 209
© Lonely Planet Publications

Hotels & Hostels

Want more Sleeping recommendations than we could ever pack into this little
ol’ book? Craving more detail – including extended reviews and photographs?
Want to read reviews by other travellers and be able to post your own? Just make
your way over to lonelyplanet.com/hotels and check out our thorough list of
independent reviews, then reserve your room simply and securely.

S LE E PI N G

Fusion Suites (p220)

A royal domain blessed with art and nature.
Between Art & Kitsch B&B (p222)
Comic relief with a bed attached.
Hotel Luxer (p214)
A slick slumber amid the neon lights.
Hotel Résidence Le Coin (p212)
Designer pods in a killer location.
Hotel Zandbergen (p221)
Peaceful and professional, but personal.
Maes B&B (p216)
Hidden oasis in the not-so-wild West.
Windketel (p224)
Your top romantic hideaway – and octagonal.
Hotel Brouwer (p213)
Few frills but great canal views.
 kind is prohibited in rooms, and others have while the GWK office charges €10 – although

lonelyplanet.com
S LE E PI N G strict no-drugs policies. Don’t be embar-
rassed about asking ahead of time – you’ll
with a little forethought, both services are
free online.
hardly be the first. If you’re targeting a particular hotel, check
its website or phone directly to inquire.
In its typically charming way, Amsterdam has loads of hotels in wild and wonderful spaces: Otherwise, try a travel agent or discount
inspired architects breathed new life into old buildings, from converted schools and industrial Youth Hostels travel websites, where you may be able to
lofts to entire rows of canal houses joined at the hip. Some of these lodgings overlook gorgeous The Netherlands youth-hostel association get last-minute bookings even at the swanki-
canals or courtyards, some are filled with art that’s historic or modern, and still others are goes by the name Stayokay (%551 31 55; www est hotels; try www.amsterdam-hotels-guide
triumphs of clever design. .stayokay.com) and is affiliated with Hostelling .com, www.bookings.com, www.hotelres.nl,
But charm doesn’t come cheap. There are 37,750-plus hotel rooms in Amsterdam, and at peak International (HI). There are several Stay www.lastminute.com or http://amsterdam
times it can seem that all of them are full. If you’re looking to ‘do’ Amsterdam on the cheap, you Okay hostels in Amsterdam, and for those .ratestogo.com.
might find yourself in a tiny, threadbare room and pay more for it than you thought possible. seeking private rooms, most have singles and Some smaller hotels won’t accept credit-
Leave the budget options to the college kids, take a deep breath, swipe that card and sally forth. doubles. card details over the phone (if they accept
Or look on the internet for substantial discounts, even at the top hotels. A youth-hostel card entitles you to receive cards at all) and may insist on a deposit by
If you’re driving, inquire about parking in advance. In almost all cases parking is a major €2.50 a night discount. Prices include break- cheque or money order before they’ll confirm
problem and the most you’ll get is a (payable) parking permit out on the street – with all the fast and clean linen upon arrival. Be sure to the booking.
attendant headaches and security risks – or a referral to the nearest parking garage (up to €40 a book well ahead, especially in busy periods When booking for two people, make it
day), which may be a fair distance away. Top-end hotels have their own parking arrangements (spring, summer and autumn holidays). clear whether you want a twin (two single
but prefer advance notice. See Parking (p241) for other important info. There are also a number of non-Stay Okay/ beds) or double (a bed for two). It usually
Sleeping options specifically for gays and lesbians can be found on p207. HI hostels in town. makes no difference to the price, but the
wrong bed configuration could be impos-
sible to fix on the spot if the hotel is fully
ACCOMMODATION STYLES Bed & Breakfasts LONGER-TERM RENTALS booked.
Amsterdam’s lodgings run the gamut from By law, an inn with four rooms or fewer If you’ll be in town for a while, it may make Always get a confirmation in writing.
baroque palaces and splendid boutique prop- cannot be called a hotel, but a handful of in- sense to rent a flat. Get yourself a bike and
erties to little ‘mum and dad’ B&Bs, youth teresting B&Bs has sprung up in recent years. you’ll practically be a local. Prices for fur-
hostels and sprawling budget hotels. But the Most don’t have exterior signage and access nished apartments start at about €700 per ROOM RATES
digs are modest-sized compared with those in is by reservation only, giving the property an month but can easily be triple that. House- Once you get used to the idea of cramped
other capitals – any hotel with more than 20 intimate feel. Many visitors enjoy the abil- boats are another option. Many agencies have rooms at high rates, in general you’ll find you
rooms is considered large, and many rooms ity to feel more like a local in a home, an a minimum rental period (eg six months). get what you pay for: the more you spend, the
are on the snug side. Quite a few hotels experience that’s difficult to get in a larger See the boxed text, below, for some places to grander you get.
are polished gems strung alongside the old lodging. Styles range from classic to kitsch to start looking. We list rates for single and double rooms,
SLEEPING ACCOMMODATION STYLES

SLEEPING LONGER-TERM RENTALS

canals like Vermeer earrings. Some of the contemporary. and sometimes other options where available.
most tempting hotels link two or more such Some hotels offer family rates.
places; the Hotel Pulitzer (p215) is composed RESERVATIONS The rates in this book are the non-
of 25 houses! Houseboats Offices of the VVV (p255) and GWK (p248) discounted ‘rack’ rates; treat them as a rough
You’ll see a ‘star’ plaque on the front of We’re not talking a hardship cruise here. have last-minute hotel-booking services, guide. Prices at many hotels drop in the low
every hotel, indicating its rating according Amsterdam’s residents have perfected the though expect queues during peak season. season (roughly October to April excluding
to the Benelux Hotel Classification. The art of comfy living above the fishes, and some For bookings, the VVV charges a €4 com- Christmas/New Year and Easter). Even in high
stars (from one to five) have to do with the of the 3000-odd houseboats are rented out mission for walk-ins and €15 by telephone, season it’s worth asking for ‘special’ rates,
existence of certain facilities, rather than at quite reasonable rates. Stick to vessels in
quality. the quieter Western Canal Belt and Jordaan,
This means that a two-star hotel, for exam- where you’re less likely to be disturbed by the FLAT CHAT
ple, may be in better condition than a hotel wake of those monster tour boats. The following websites are a good place to start if you’re looking for an apartment in Amsterdam.
of higher rank, though admittedly with fewer Amsterdam Apartment (Map pp62-5; %668 26 54; www.amsterdamapartment.nl; Oude Nieuwstraat 1)
facilities. Accommodation that rates less than Apartment Services (Map pp58-9; %672 18 40; www.apartmentservices.nl; Waalstraat 58)
one star cannot call itself a hotel, but rather Party & Stoner Hotels Citymundo (Map pp58-9; %470 57 05; www.citymundo.com; Schinkelkade 47)
a pension, guesthouse or B&B. If a room has This being Amsterdam, a number of hotels in
Goudsmit Estate Agents (%644 19 71; www.goudsmit.com; AJ Ernststraat 735)
both ensuite toilet and shower (or bath) we’ve the budget category cater to party guests (not
IDA Housing Services (%624 83 01; www.idahousing.com; Den Texstraat 30)
used the term ‘with bathroom’; if the bath- that reception will ask if that’s you) as well as
room and toilet are in the corridor we’ve used pot smokers. By and large they’re pretty basic
Some visitors (and this author) have achieved excellent results via local message boards. Among them:
‘without bathroom’. Unless otherwise stated, affairs, but we’ve included a few for those who
www.craigslist.com Worldwide resource for just about anything. Its Amsterdam presence is small but effective.
all rooms have ensuite bathroom. can’t resist the temptation.
www.expatica.com An excellent resource for the expat community. Go directly to the classified ads.
If you have a special need (wheelchair access, If in doubt whether smoking is permit-
www.viavia.nl For this one you’ll need to read Dutch (click ‘Woon & Bedrijfsruimte’ to start, then click ‘Tijdelijk’
elevator, bathtub as opposed to shower, triple ted, be sure to ask when you make your
(temporary) under ‘Woningen’ (housing).
or family-size room), be sure to inquire. reservation. At many hotels, smoking of any
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especially for longer stays. Top-end hotels

CITY CENTRE HOTEL HOKSBERGEN knowledgeable staff, and the odd chance

lonelyplanet.com
often rely on business travellers and tend to Map pp62-5 Boutique Hotel €€ of scoring a room with skylights and canal
lower rates in the summer months and on The myriad contrasts of the old centre, only %626 60 43; www.hotelhoksbergen.nl; Singel views. Kitchen facilities are available, but
weekends. Many hotels also offer discounts 1km long and 500m wide, are a powerful 301; s €84-98, d €90-125, apt €165-220 there are no phones or TVs in rooms.
via their websites, especially for last-minute draw for guests who want to be in the thick You sure can’t beat Hoksbergen’s fantastic
bookings. of it 24 hours a day. Accommodation op- canalside location, and there’s a break- FLYING PIG DOWNTOWN HOSTEL
Most of the quoted rates include a 5% city- tions cover all the bases, from the hostels fast buffet, but be warned: even sardines Map pp62-5 Stoner Hostel €
hotel tax; at the more expensive hotels, how- and party hotels of the Red Light District to would have trouble squishing into the
ever, this is added separately to the bill. Also, %420 68 22; www.flyingpig.nl; Nieuwendijk 100;
deluxe establishments with sweeping river microscopically small rooms (with clean dm €22-30; i
if you’re paying by credit card, some hotels views. but plain furnishings). If you feel claustro-
add a surcharge of up to 5% (ouch). Hang out with hundreds of young, dope-
phobic, a self-contained apartment (up to smoking backpackers at this very relaxed,
Deluxe MEDIEVAL CENTRE five people) may be a better option. very central, 30-room hostel; rates vary by
Facilities like air-conditioning, fitness centres HOTEL DE L’EUROPE time of year and number of beds per room
(some with pocket-sized swimming pools), Map pp62-5 Luxury Hotel €€€€ HOTEL BROUWER (the smallest has four). It’s pretty grungy,
conference and banquet rooms, and business %531 17 77; www.leurope.nl; Nieuwe Doelen- Map pp62-5 Boutique Hotel €€ but no-one seems to mind, especially
services are par for the course. Breakfast is straat 2-8; s/d €325/400; as %624 63 58; www.hotelbrouwer.nl; Singel 83; s/d when there’s so much fun to be had in the
rarely included (and can cost €20 and up). Oozing Victorian elegance, L’Europe €55/90; n throbbing lobby bar with a pool table, DJs
welcomes you with a glam chandelier, a Our favourite hotel in this price range, it some nights and a chilled-out, cushion-
Top End marble lobby, 100 gloriously large rooms has just eight rooms in a house dating lined basement nicknamed the ‘happy
For a bit of luxury, loads of privacy and lash- (some have terraces and all have hand- back to 1652. Its rooms, named for Dutch room’.
ings of personal service, these hotels will put some marble bathrooms), and smart extras painters, are furnished with simplicity,
a smile on your dial. Expect lifts, in-room like a shoeshine service and boats for canal but all have canal views. There’s a mix of AIVENGO YOUTH HOSTEL
internet access, minibars and room service. cruises. The attached Excelsior restaurant Delft-blue tiles and early-20th-century Map pp62-5 Hostel €
Unless stated, rates include breakfast. and chichi gym (said to be admired by no furniture, and – get this – a tiny elevator.
%620 11 55, 421 36 70; www.aivengoyouth
less than Governor Schwarzenegger) are Staff dispense friendly advice. Reserve well hostel.com; Spuistraat 6; dm weekday/weekend
Midrange equally impressive. in advance. No credit cards accepted. €18/20; i
Most hotels in this category are big on com- Funky Aivengo’s, with two rooms (18 and
fort, low on formality and small enough to HOTEL RÉSIDENCE LE COIN AMSTEL BOTEL 19 beds respectively), is a real winner. It’s
offer personal attention. Unless otherwise Map pp62-5 Boutique Hotel €€ Map pp62-5 Party Hotel € got a quiet, respectful vibe and wonderful,
stated, rooms have toilet and shower (and/or %626 42 47; www.amstelbotel.com; Ooster- cheery, modern–Middle Eastern interior.
%524 68 00; www.lecoin.nl; Nieuwe Doelenstraat
bath) and come with TV, phone and break- 5; s €110, d €133-147, q €220 dokskade 2-4; s & d with land/water view from Rates here include clean bed linen and
SLEEPING CITY CENTRE

SLEEPING CITY CENTRE

fast. Not many hotels in this category over two €78/83, tr with land/water view from €119/124; towels as well as a safety deposit box, but
This shiny inn owned by the University
storeys have lifts (elevators), and their quaint
of Amsterdam offers 42 small high-class i there’s no breakfast or common rooms.
narrow stairwells can take some getting used Five minutes’ walk from Centraal Station, Note: there’s a 1pm to 5pm lockout and a
apartments spread over seven historical
to, especially with luggage. this floating hotel is usually populated by
buildings, all equipped with designer 4am curfew.
dazed, Europe-in-four-days bus groups
Budget furniture, wood floors, wireless internet
and kitchenettes – and all reachable by and packs of Brit boys/girls celebrating
Lodgings in the lowest price bracket are thin
on the ground in Amsterdam. Some are noth- lift. It’s in the thick of things, opposite the bucks’/hens’ nights. Rooms are sterile (in RED LIGHT DISTRICT
popular grand Café de Jaren (p185) and just both senses) and have TV, phone and NH GRAND HOTEL KRASNAPOLSKY
ing short of run-down flophouses with mouldy
a five-minute stroll to pretty Nieuwmarkt. itty-bitty bathrooms. Breakfast is €10 per Map pp62-5 International Hotel €€€
smells, due to the damp climate and the Dutch
Staff are pleasant, and breakfast costs €9 person. Note there are occasional two- %554 91 11; www.nh-hotels.com; Dam 9;
aversion to decent ventilation. The better
per person. and three-night stay requirements (eg on d €270; i
options tend to be spic ‘n’ span with furnish-
weekends). Pride of place belongs to this gargantuan,
ings that are, at best, cheap ‘n’ cheerful.
BELLEVUE HOTEL 468-room edifice across from the Royal
Map pp62-5 International Hotel €€ HOTEL BRIAN Palace, one of the city’s first grand hotels
%530 95 30; www.bellevuehotel.nl; Martelaars- Map pp62-5 Stoner Hotel € (1866). NG Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky has
PRICE GUIDE gracht 10; s/d/tr/q from €80/110/150/180; ai %624 46 61; www.hotelbrian.com; Singel 69; s/d elegant if compact rooms and spectacular
This guide is based on the average price for a double Of the small hotels around Centraal Sta- without bathroom €37/54; i public spaces. The 19th-century ‘winter
room, tax not included. Breakfast may or may not be tion, this is the only one we’d stay at. This ardently shabby and relaxed joint garden’ dining room, with its soaring
included – see the individual listings. Opened spring 2005, rooms are small, (‘joint’ being the operative word) was steel-and-glass roof, is a national monu-
€€€€ over €270 Deluxe white and tidy, and feature mod loos and ostensibly given a facelift a few years ment (the splendid breakfast buffet costs
€€€ €160-270 Top End themes of sand, water and grass. If you’re ago, but honestly, it’s hard to tell. But it’s an extra €22), and there are fitness and
€€ €80-160 Midrange sensitive to noise, get a room in the back. churlish to quibble when the rates include business centres. Note: rates can vary
€ under €80 Budget American-style breakfast costs €10. a good breakfast buffet, advice from fun, widely.

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HOTEL LUXER Map pp62-5 NIEUWMARKT HOTEL AMSTERDAM WIECHMANN CHRISTIAN YOUTH HOSTEL

lonelyplanet.com
Boutique Hotel €€
%330 32 05; http://hotelluxer.tobook.com; Map p86 Inn €€ ‘THE SHELTER JORDAN’ Map p86 Hostel €
Warmoesstraat 11; s/d/tr €85/110/150; nai MISC EAT DRINK SLEEP %626 33 21; www.hotelwiechmann.nl; Prinsen- %624 47 17; www.shelter.nl; Bloemstraat 179;
A pleasant surprise if ever there was one, Map pp62-5 Boutique Hotel €€ gracht 328; s/d/tr from €85/140/195; i dm €16-22, q €80-94 ni
this smart little number is the probably %330 62 41; www.hotelmisc.com; Kloveniers- This family-run hotel occupies three houses. OK, we’ll put up with the ‘no-everything’
the best option for your money in the burgwal 20; r €135-215; i It has a marvellous canalside location, cosy (smokin’, drinkin’, spliffin’) policy and the
thick of the RLD, with vast numbers of Steps from Nieuwmarkt Square, the Misc’s but lovingly cared-for rooms furnished like curfew at this small hostel because it’s such
pubs and more within staggering distance. six rooms make up in visuals what they an antique shop with country quilts and a gem, on a quiet block yet steps from
Rooms are small but well equipped (air- lack in size. Feeling romantic? Book the chintz, and lobby tchotchkes (knick-knacks) the tram line. Single-sex dorms are quiet
conditioning!) and at night the breakfast lovely ‘baroque’ room. The ‘Africa’ room is that have been there for some 50 years and clean, breakfasts – especially the fluffy
area becomes a chic little bar. The only real an escape, while the ‘room of wonders’ is a (including a suit of armour and a potbellied pancakes – are beaut and the garden patio
drawback is the bathrooms, which are well modern Moroccan escapade. It’s so relaxed stove). It’s very Ghost & Mrs Muir and very is a relaxing retreat. The café serves cheap,
thought out but miniscule. that a freshly cooked breakfast (included friendly. cheap, cheap meals the rest of the day.
in rate) is served until noon, and staff will
HOTEL WINSTON Map pp62-5 Party Hotel €€ arrange for massage services. Canal View
HOTEL ACACIA Map p86 Inn €€
%623 13 80; www.winston.nl; Warmoesstraat
123; s €67-77, d €90-110
rooms cost more, but the Garden View
rooms are equally charming. %622 1460; www.acacia.nl; Lindengracht 251; s/d/ WESTERN CANAL BELT
For sleeping in centuries-old style, the wide,
tr/q €70/85/100/120, on a boat d €115-125, q €130
Party central for touring bands and up-for- If you simply want to park your bones after tree-lined canals and stylish mansions of the
anything tourists, with rock’n’roll rooms STADSDOELEN YOUTH HOSTEL Western Canal Belt take some beating. In-
a day on the canals, the Acacia is just the
and a busy club downstairs. Most rooms Map pp62-5 Hostel € credibly, as many structures are protected
ticket, fully devoid of extras in a sleepy
are ‘art’ rooms: local artists were given free %624 68 32; www.stayokay.com; Kloveniersburg- corner of the Jordaan. Rooms in the an- monuments, there may be little difference
rein, with results from super-edgy (entirely wal 97; dm €20-28, s €25-36, d €36/72; ni between the façade of a luxury hotel and that
gular corner building are larger than the
stainless steel) and playful to questionably Efficient Stadsdoelen is always bustling of a hostel. The café-filled Jordaan district
norm, if oddly shaped, and all have a bath
raunchy. Group rooms sleep up to eight. with backpackers and we can understand is nearby, and shoppers will appreciate the
and WC attached. And if you’ve seen steep
Look for midweek and off-season discounts. why. The staff is friendly and the mix of Negen Straatjes boutiques on their doorstep.
stairs before, think climbing gear this time.
Staff can be less than warm, but hey, it’s 11 ultraclean, single-sex and mixed rooms
Management is friendly and has a few
rock’n’roll, man. Deal with it. (each with up to 17 beds and free lockers)
houseboats to rent too. DYLAN Map p92 Deluxe Hotel €€€€
offer a modicum of privacy. There’s a big TV
room, a great smoke-free bar, a pool table %530 20 10; www.dylanamsterdam.com; Keizers-
HOTEL THE CROWN HOTEL VAN ONNA Map p86 Inn €€ gracht 384; s/d from €295/445
Map pp62-5 Party Hotel €€ and laundry facilities.
%626 58 01; www.hotelvanonna.nl; Bloemgracht London hotelier Anouska Hempel was
%626 96 64; www.hotelthecrown.com; 102-108; r per person €45; n behind the design of this hotel, known until
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 21; s €40-70, d €80-120, tr CHRISTIAN YOUTH HOSTEL
Even if the 41 rooms here won’t win any de- recently as Blakes. Although Hempel has
‘THE SHELTER CITY’ Map pp62-5 Hostel €
SLEEPING JORDAAN

SLEEPING WESTERN CANAL BELT

€120-160; n sign awards, they’re reasonably priced and parted company and the name has changed,
Rooms at this Brit-run, Red Light District %625 32 30; www.shelter.nl; Barndesteeg 21; dm the Dylan remains a true temple of style.
incl breakfast €16, Jul & Aug €19; ni you’re in a gorgeous section of the Jordaan,
hotel are pretty monastic (shared toilet, no Slink through the 17th-century canal house’s
The price is right at this rambling hostel within earshot of the bells of the Westerkerk
TV or phone), and don’t even bother asking courtyard entrance and past the gorgeous
just outside the Red Light District, but (get a room in the back if you’re sensitive to
for breakfast. Although it is priced in our staff to ensconce yourself in the restaurant
only if you can handle Christian rock music noise). Rooms sleep up to four people. Try
midrange bracket, quality is firmly budget. or the black-and-white lobby where world
So what’s the draw? Fun. The 1930s Art piped through the PA system and enor- to book the attic room with its old wooden
roof beams and panoramic views over the beats don’t so much play as fizz. Its 41
Deco bar has sports on TV, a pool table, a mous ‘Jesus loves you’ signs. The pros of
Jordaan. No phone, TV or credit cards. sophisticated, individually decorated rooms
dartboard and hordes of celebrating stag- staying here include large, airy, single-sex
dorms (and bathrooms, which are fre- might have Japanese or Indonesian motifs;
nighters. Spliff-smoking is permitted (some
quently cleaned), filling breakfasts, a quiet INTERNATIONAL BUDGET HOSTEL fluffy towels, silk pillows piled high and
would say encouraged) in the bar, but no
garden courtyard, eternal salvation and a Map p86 Stoner Hostel € spacious bathrooms make them serene and
smoking in rooms.
tough no-drugs or alcohol policy. The cons sumptuous. Plus, there’s free health-club
%624 27 84; www.internationalbudgethostel.
include a 2am curfew – and a tough no- access, and a lounge par excellence.
OLD NICKEL Map pp62-5 Party Hotel € com; Leidsegracht 76; dm €28-30, tw €70;ni
drugs or alcohol policy. Its partner hostel in Reasons to stay: canalside location in a
%624 19 12; www.oldnickel-amsterdam.nl;
Nieuwe Brugsteeg 11; s/d/tr/q without bathroom the Jordaan (opposite) has less missionary zeal. former warehouse; really close to night- HOTEL PULITZER Map p92 Luxury Hotel €€€
€50/80/120/160 life; four-person limit in rooms; cool mix %523 52 35; www.luxurycollection.com/pulitzer;
of backpackers from around the world Prinsengracht 315-331; d from €255; nai
Location, location: the Nickel will appeal
to everyone looking for a simple place to JORDAAN
This colourful district has but a few sleeping
smoking in the lounge (though smoking
is strictly prohibited in rooms, as are hard
Spread over 25 lovely canal houses, the
Pulitzer manages to combine big-hotel
crash after a red-light romp. Go up (and up
and up) the steep stairs from the historic, options in its tangle of narrow lanes, due in drugs); clean rooms with lockers; staff efficiency with boutique-hotel charm.
well-stocked pub, and you’ll find clean part to the paucity of sights close by. But the who’re more pleasant than they need to Beautifully restored rooms vary from house
no-nonsense rooms, all bathrooms shared. cosy cafés, quirky shops and charming village be; lower off-season rates. Reasons not: to house, but all have mod cons galore,
Rates include a big cooked breakfast and character make the Jordaan a great place to your money will go further elsewhere as including sweet and cosy bathrooms. There
drop sharply during the week. get forty winks. breakfast isn’t included. are loads of extras too: choose from a cigar
214 215
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bar, an art gallery, private 75-minute canal Frederic, whose nicely outfitted houseboats red-gold interior, another with delicate rooms, reverential service and luxe extras

lonelyplanet.com
cruises, garden courtyards and a wonderful on the Prinsengracht, Brouwersgracht and French antiques) all with TV, phone, safe such as La Rive restaurant (two Michelin stars,
restaurant, all high on elegance and low on Bloemgracht are bona fide floating holiday and fridge. Your gregarious hostess will p166), chauffeured limousines, heated in-
pomposity. homes with all the mod cons. lend PCs for in-house wireless internetting door pool and fitness centre with all sorts
(€8 per night). Breakfast is €7 extra. of steam options delight even the fussiest
CANAL HOUSE HOTEL MAES B&B Map p92 B&B €€ trans-Atlantic celebrities and Euro-royalty.
Map p92 Boutique Hotel €€€ %427 51 65; www.bedandbreakfastamsterdam HOTEL PAX Map p92 Inn €
%622 51 82; www.canalhouse.nl; Keizersgracht .com; Herenstraat 26hs; s €70-90, d €95-130; in %624 97 35; Raadhuisstraat 37; s without bath- AMSTERDAM AMERICAN HOTEL
148; r €140-190 If you were designing a traditional home in room €25-40, d without bathroom €35-60, d with Map pp100-1 International Hotel €€€
Where to spend your time in this splendid the western canals, it would probably turn bathroom from €60 %556 30 00; www.amsterdamamerican.com;
26-room hotel dating from MDCCLXXX out a lot like this four-bedroom property: This budget choice in hotel-lined Raadhuis- Leidsekade 97; r €140-240; ani
(as it says on the façade)? In the ornately oriental carpets, wood floors and exposed straat – an eight-room hotel run by two You can’t get much closer to the action
furnished, high-ceilinged, 17th-century brick. It’s actually fairly spacious for such an friendly, funky brothers – has an artsy- than this, right off Leidseplein and a quick
dining room resplendent with chandeliers, old building. The kitchen (open all day for student vibe. All eight rooms have a TV and walk to the Museum Quarter. Its grand Art
grand piano and garden views? The plush, guests to use) is definitely gezellig. Rooms each is individually decorated. The larger Deco shell is filled with a mixture of Deco
burgundy-hued bar? Or the small but have TVs but no phones. rooms face a street with noisy trams, but and ’90s contemporary furnishings. Since
inviting, antique-filled guest rooms? Staff the view of the Westerkerk and Keizers- new owners took over several years ago,
are agreeable, and rooms have phones and HOTEL NEW AMSTERDAM gracht more than makes up for it. Breakfast the ornate façade and tower have been
computer connections. Map p92 Boutique Hotel €€ is not included. restored to their original splendour, and
%522 23 45; www.hotelnewamsterdam.nl; Heren- all 175 rooms are now smoke-free. Guests
HAMPSHIRE CLASSIC HOTEL TOREN have use of a gym with a sauna. Thankfully
Map p92 Boutique Hotel €€
gracht 13-19; s €85, d €120-130, tr €140; ni
This building, which was once a brothel, a SOUTHERN CANAL BELT
This is a cradle of Golden Age riches, so no
you don’t need to be staying at the hotel to
dine in the stunning Café Americain (p190).
%622 60 33; www.toren.nl; Keizersgracht 164; sailors’ hostel and the basic Hotel New York,
s/d from €125/155; nai received a makeover in 2004 and has be- surprise that many of Amsterdam’s swanki-
A title-holder for price, room size and per- come a quick favourite among the cultural est hotels are located here, not far from the SEVEN BRIDGES Map pp100-1 Boutique Hotel €€
sonal service. The Toren’s communal areas crowd, as well as establishing quite a con- dining hub of Utrechtsestraat and the antique %623 13 29; Reguliersgracht 31; s €90-220, d
are pure 17th century with gilded mirrors, siderable gay following. Perhaps it’s because shops of Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. Yet the elegant €110-260
fireplaces and magnificent chandeliers, of the fresh-painted murals in guest rooms Southern Canal Belt has accommodation for Private, sophisticated and intimate, the
while its guest rooms are elegantly fur- and common rooms (some peppered with all sizes of wallet. Seven Bridges is one of the city’s loveliest
nished with modern facilities. Treat yourself naughty bits), fresh-pressed OJ for breakfast, little hotels on one of its loveliest canals.
and book the room with the two-person and fresh-faced, friendly staff. Phone calls SEVEN ONE SEVEN It has eight tastefully decorated rooms
Jacuzzi and the garden patio (from €270). and drinks won’t break the bank. Map pp100-1 Deluxe Hotel €€€€ (all incorporating lush oriental rugs and
SLEEPING WESTERN CANAL BELT

SLEEPING SOUTHEREN CANAL BELT

Breakfast costs €12. %427 07 17; www.717hotel.nl; Prinsengracht elegant antiques). The urge to sightsee may
HOTEL NADIA Map p92 Inn €€ 717; r €415-670; ai fade once breakfast, served on fine china, is
MIAUW SUITES Map p92 Boutique Hotel €€ %620 15 50; www.nadia.nl; Raadhuisstraat 51; One of the most wonderful hotels in Am- delivered to your room.
%717 34 29; www.miauw.com; Hartenstraat 36; s/d/tr/q €90/120/170/220; nai sterdam – designed, boutiqued and simply
r/ste €145/245 ni Originally built for an insurance firm, this breathtaking. Its eight hyper-plush, deli- BANKS MANSION
Located above the designer fashion shop handsome building has a precipitous set of ciously appointed rooms come with that Map pp100-1 International Hotel €€€
of the same name, Miauw’s spacious quar- stairs (go figure) but the nice folks at Nadia rare luxury: space. Step into the splashy %420 00 55; www.banksmansion.nl; Herengracht
ters are just what the doctor ordered for will tote your luggage up them and do just Picasso suite – with its soaring ceiling, pro- 519-525; s €159-189, d €189-219; ai
a weekend’s shopping blitz in the Negen about everything else to make you feel at digiously long sofa, gorgeous contemporary One of our favourite new hotels in town.
Straatjes district. The snug rooms mix styl- home. Rooms are immaculate, with linens and antique decorations, and bathroom as There’s no nickel-and-diming over incidentals
ish and vintage interior décor, and have that will bounce coins. Rooms to the front big as some European principalities – and like the lobby bar, breakfast, coffee, internet
electronic goodies such as widescreen TVs have great views of the Westerkerk, and you may never, ever want to leave. Rates and snacks. Thoroughly renovated a few
and wi-fi. Minimum stay is two nights. The apart from the trams (ear plugs) there is include breakfast, afternoon tea, house wine years ago, the rooms now feature contempo-
suites are more like one-bedroom flats with little to fault. and oodles of one-on-one service. rary décor, a plasma-screen TV, a DVD player,
a full living room and an open kitchen. a wet bar (free gin, whisky etc), a terry-cloth
BUDGET HOTEL CLEMENS AMSTEL INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL robe and an enormous showerhead.
FREDERIC’S RENTABIKE & AMSTERDAM Map p92 Inn €€ Map pp100-1 International Hotel €€€€
HOUSEBOATS Map p92 Houseboats €€ %624 60 89; www.clemenshotel.nl; Raad- %622 60 60; www.amsterdam.intercontinental HOTEL AMSTELZICHTMap pp100-1 Inn €€
%624 5509; www.frederic.nl; Brouwersgracht 78; huisstraat 39; s without bathroom €60, d without .com; Professor Tulpplein 1; r from €410;asi %623 66 93; www.hotelamstelzicht.nl; Amstel
d €105-135, tr/q €140/150 bathroom €75-80, d/tr with bathroom Everything about this five-star edifice is 104; s/d €95/159, apt €195-245 ni
Some visitors harbour a Mark Twain fantasy €120/150; i spectacular, from its imposing location The view out front is straight from a 17th-
of drifting on the waves all night (sans the Tidy, renovated, steep-staired Clemens overlooking the Amstel, to its magnificent century painting, so make sure you get one
nasty steering) and then find their rust- gears itself to all budgets. Take your pick colonnaded lobby and, of course, its wallet- of the rooms facing the Amstel river and
bucket is cold and clammy. Not so with of the chic themed rooms (one with a sexy walloping room prices. Lavishly decorated the gabled houses beyond. The ’70s décor
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here has a suitably bourgeois feel, and are outfitted with seriously mismatched QUENTIN HOTEL Map pp100-1 bar is bright and happy, the disco pulsates,

lonelyplanet.com
Party Hotel €€
you’ll enjoy the room amenities (minibar, furniture. There’s also a large ‘family room’. %626 21 87; www.quentinhotels.com; Leidsekade the restaurant serves cheap meals, rooms
hairdryer, coffee and tea kettle etc). It’s The hotel attic was a hideout for Jews dur- 89; s without bathroom €45, d with/without have shower and toilet, and rates include
bang in the action, just a minute’s walk ing WWII, while Nazi soldiers lodged and bathroom €89/72 breakfast and bed linen. Drug-use equals
from Rembrandtplein. The self-catering dined below. Breakfast is not available. The Quentin, decorated with colourful automatic expulsion.
apartment has an open kitchen, a living murals, rock-star art and contemporary
area and a balcony. HOTEL ADOLESCE Map pp100-1 handmade furniture, offers a variety of
%626 39 59; www.adolesce.nl; Nieuwe
Inn €€
rooms for the weary traveller from cramped
to well sized, some with balconies, canal
OLD SOUTH
This quarter of wide, 19th-century boulevards
HOTEL AGORA Map pp100-1 Inn €€ Keizersgracht 26; s/d/tr €65/100/120; i
%627 22 00; www.hotelagora.nl; Singel 462; s & d In a lovely nook near Waterlooplein, this views, phone and TV. It’s popular with the and grand museums shouldn’t be overlooked
€108-126, tr from €165, q €193; i little economy hotel based in an old canal gay community and international actors by hotel-seekers. Rooms here are a stone’s
Fifteen minutes by foot from everything, house will put a smile on your face. There and musicians performing at nearby Thea- throw from the renowned Concertgebouw
the well-run Agora offers smallish rooms are bright art prints in the clean, simple tre Bellevue, Melkweg and Paradiso. There’s and collections of Van Gogh and Rembrandt,
with understated décor, up-to-date bath- rooms. There’s no breakfast, but you can an elevator, and breakfast costs €7. and the delights of the city centre beckon just
rooms, and a cheerful garden off the help yourself all day to coffee, tea and a few steps further.
breakfast room. All rooms have a phone, a snacks, including fruit. HOTEL PRINSENHOF Map pp100-1 Inn €
TV and computer hookups. Rooms without %623 17 72; www.hotelprinsenhof.com; Prinsen- HILTON AMSTERDAM
private bathroom cost about one-third HOTEL ORLANDO gracht 810; s/d without bathroom €49/69, s/d with Map p110 International Hotel €€€
less. Map pp100-1 Boutique Hotel €€ bathroom €84/89 %710 60 00; www.hilton.com; Apollolaan 138-
Honest value, this 18th-century house 140; r from €240; ia
%638 69 15; www.hotelorlando.nl; Prinsengracht features ahh-lovely canal views, a breakfast
EUPHEMIA HOTEL 1099; s/d/tr from €85/100/115; nai Although it’s an old-school hotel with
Map pp100-1 Stoner Hotel €€ room with some Delft-blue tiles, and ‘Cap- lots of business guests, the Hilton grabs
Oh Orlando, how do we love thee? Let us
tain Hook’, the electric luggage hoist in the the spotlight every once in a while. It was
%622 90 45; www.euphemiahotel.com; Fokke count the ways. One: five biggish, high-
central stairwell (gets around the no-lift
Simonszstraat 1; d €70-120, tr €75-132; ni ceilinged, canalside rooms at smallish rates. ‘flower power’ central in 1969 when John
issue). Staff are affable and the rooms spa- Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their ‘bed-in’
Euphemia’s institutional layout falls short Two: hospitable, gay-friendly hosts. Three:
cious with antique and, well, not-antique for world peace (you can rent the room).
of glamorous, but the rooms are neat and breakfast in bed. Four: impeccably chic,
furnishings. The attic quarters with diago- Herman Brood, the famously wrecked
many are quite large. Other pluses? It’s gay- boutique style with custom-made cabinetry
nal beams are most popular. artist-musician, used to frequent the hotel
friendly, on a quiet block (with even less and satin curtains. We could go on, but
traffic during Metro construction on nearby we’ll leave you to discover more. bar carrying a parrot on his head before
Vijzelstraat) and there’s a sharp, funny HEMP HOTEL Map pp100-1 Stoner Hotel € he jumped off the hotel roof (parrot sur-
manager (though maybe too sharp for %625 44 25; www.hemp-hotel.com; Frederiks- vived). This tower fronts a grassy park with
HOTEL KAP Map pp100-1 Inn €€ plein 15; s without bathroom €60, d with/without
some). Smoking is prohibited in the rooms, a marina out back; rooms are international
%624 59 08; www.kaphotel.nl; Den Texstraat 5b; bathroom €75/70; i
SLEEPING SOUTHERN CANAL BELT

SLEEPING OLD SOUTH

but even spliffing is OK in common areas. business standard; the health club features
s/d/tw €60/98/132; i Proof positive that Amsterdam is the
Check the website for specials. a sauna and a Turkish bath; and service is
Wilhelmina Kap ran a pension here before capital of the northern ‘hempisphere’, this crisp and professional.
the war, and some of the features seem chilled-out hotel serves hemp-flour rolls
HOTEL FREELAND Map pp100-1 Inn €€ that historic: midcentury wood panelling, (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC-free) with
%622 75 11; www.hotelfreeland.com; no phones or nonsmoking rooms. Still, your breakfast, the café sells hemp teas and COLLEGE HOTEL Map p110 Boutique Hotel €€€
Marnixstraat 386; s/d/tr €65/110/130; i some bright rooms have French windows, beers, and all five colourful and individually %571 15 11; www.thesteingroup.com/college;
Freeland has the Leidesplein scene wicker furniture and up-to-date bathrooms. decorated rooms (hemp soap and fabrics Roelof Hartstraat 1; r from €175; ai
twigged, because what it supplies – basic A buffet breakfast is served in an attractive included) exude a ‘just back from Goa’ vibe. A breath of fresh air, this venerable prop-
but clean and tidy rooms at an excellent dining room and the courtyard garden, and Dope-smokers reserve now (though you erty was originally a 19th-century school.
location, all with ensuite shower, some with courteous, gay-friendly owners round out can’t buy pot here – you gotta draw the It’s now a trendy hotel with stylish accents:
balconies overlooking a canal, an ashflick the experience. Most rooms have private line somewhere). flat-screen TVs, silk-throw pillows, cordless
from the next coffeeshop and unusually showers but shared toilets. phones, the occasional stained-glass window
quiet – pretty much kills the competition. and exposed beams on the top floor. Here’s
HANS BRINKER BUDGET HOTEL
The congenial owners, Rick and Pascale, CITY HOTEL Map pp100-1 Inn €€ the difference, though: it’s staffed by hotel-
Map pp100-1 Party Hostel €
will make sure you get a big tasty breakfast. school students. Continental breakfast costs
%627 23 23; www.city-hotel.nl; Utrechtsestraat 2; %622 06 87; www.hans-brinker.com; Kerkstraat
d with/without bathroom €90/80; i a steep €17.50, but if the dining hall was this
136; dm €21, tw/tr/q per person €35/30/24; i
HOTEL DE ADMIRAAL Map pp100-1 Inn €€ Above the Old Bell pub, practically on Rem- cool where we went to college, we’d have
When a hotel promotes itself with the
figured out a way not to graduate.
%626 21 50; www.admiraalamsterdam.nl; brandtplein, is this unexpectedly fabulous slogan ‘Improve your immune system’ next
Herengracht 563; s €65-85, d with/without bath- choice: it’s clean, neat, good value and well to a close-up of bacteria, you’re bound to
room €105/75 run by a proud, warm family. The rooms are be pleasantly surprised. The lobby is may- HOTEL FITA Map p110 Boutique Hotel €€
Near bustling Rembrandtplein, the Admiraal decorated with crisp linens and each comes hem, spartan rooms have all the ambience %679 09 76; www.hotelfita.com; Jan Luijken-
is sweet, homey and blessed with an inter- with a TV. Rooms sleep two to eight people of a public hospital, and its 538 beds are straat 37; s €100, d €130-160; ni
esting history. Nine clean and bright canal- (from €25 per person). The attic annex has almost always filled to capacity with school This tiny, family-owned hotel on a quiet
side rooms (all with safes and TV, no phone) a wonderful view of town. groups and boisterous backpackers. But the street off Museumplein and PC Hooftstraat
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was renovated a few years ago and is now HOTEL AALDERS Map p110 lined street, these spacious suites go right HESTIA HOTEL Map p116

lonelyplanet.com
Inn €€ Inn €€
one of the best in the Old South. It’s got %662 01 16; www.hotelaalders.nl; Jan Luijken- off the comfort charts without being over %618 08 01; www.hotel-hestia.nl; Roemer
16 handsome rooms with nicely appointed straat 13-15; s/tw/tr from €79/109/145; ni the top. Four-poster beds with Cocomat Visscherstraat 7; s €85, d €99-140, tr/q €168/198
bathrooms, an English-style breakfast There are fancier hotels in town, but the mattresses, free-standing baths, flat-screen Friendly, family-run Hestia Hotel, with 18
buffet and an elevator. Plus, room rates family-owned Aalders is homely and well computers and TVs, and tasteful décor in rooms decorated in fresh blue and white,
include free telephone calls to Europe and situated on a quiet street near the Museum- Eastern earth tones are just a few reasons offers a quiet retreat after a day of sightsee-
the USA. plein. Each room in its two row homes is you may choose never to go out. Personal ing. Scrupulously neat rooms vary in size
different (the old-style room has wood touches abound, such as vases of fresh and height – some have balconies over-
panelling and leaded windows), but all flowers, international newspapers and tasty looking the Vondelpark. The stair-phobic
XAVIERA HOLLANDER BED & sweetjams at breakfast (€22).
BREAKFAST Map p110 B&B €€ have wireless internet access. The breakfast can rejoice: there’s an elevator here too.
room has a Venetian-glass chandelier. Huge
%673 39 34; www.xavierahollander.com; Stadion-
weg 17; d from €120; i
rooms are available for large groups. HOTEL ROEMER HOTEL PIET HEIN Map p116 Inn €€
Map p116 Boutique Hotel €€€
A living legend of flickering celluloid, and %662 72 05; www.hotelpiethein.nl; Vossiusstraat
glad to provide all the details, the Happy HOTEL ACRO Map p110 Party Hotel €€ %589 08 00; www.vondelhotels.com; Roemer 52-53; s/d €92/135; i
Hooker star has settled down to run this %662 55 38; www.acrohotel.nl; Jan Luijkenstraat Visscherstraat 8-10; d €155-255, ste €295-345 Located close to the museums and looking
fabulous B&B, that is, when she’s not writ- 44; s/d/tr/q €92/109/155/180; i ni at the Vondelpark’s fine old arbour, this
Once a bit austere, the Acro has given its This cosy, beautifully designed hotel is an
ing columns, producing theatre shows or immaculate hotel offers a startling variety
’80s-décor rooms a useful facelift and the oasis of calm, with an excellent location
poring over her next set of memoirs. The of rooms (including good single ‘business’
result is pleasant indeed. Rates are reason- close to the Vondelpark and the Museum
interior contains plenty of racy allusions rooms) in a quiet location. There is a relax-
able for the quiet location (near Museum- Quarter. All rooms overlook either a quiet,
to her past life, in leather, shag and stain- ing bar that’s open late, wi-fi throughout
plein), the bar is welcoming (it’s just had a leafy street or the stately back garden, have
proof formica, but chambers are uniformly the hotel and a decent breakfast.
makeover from its big-hair club to more of high ceilings and an abundance of natural
luxurious, particularly the princely garden light. Room 28 is typical of the gadgetry
a brown café), and the staff are warm and
hut. Xaviera’s still something of a media you’ll find – flat-screen TVs, an iPod dock OWL HOTEL Map p116 Inn €€
helpful. Maybe that’s why so many British
star, and customers past and present are and a DVD player. Business people will ap- %618 94 84; www.owl-hotel.nl; Roemer
guests return year after year.
always dropping by. From the same culture preciate the ergonomic workspaces and the Visscherstraat 1; s/d from €98/128; i
who gave us Calvinism. room service. Breakfast (€23) is a bit pricey Some guests love this place so much that
HOTEL BEMA Map p110 Inn €€
for what you get. they send in owl figurines from all over the
%679 13 96; www.bemahotel.com; Concert- world. Staff are warm and welcoming, and
MUSEUM SQUARE HOTEL gebouwplein 19b; s from €45, d with/without
Map p110 Inn €€ HOTEL VONDEL Map p116 Boutique Hotel €€ the dapper, bright and quiet rooms come
bathroom €85/65; i with lots of facilities (hairdryers, laptop plug-
%671 95 96; www.museumsquarehotel.nl; De Climb the stairs to this seven-room hotel in %612 01 20; www.vondelhotels.com; Vondel-
Lairessestraat 7; s/d/tr from €109/119/149; ni straat 28-30; r €85-185; ni ins). Best of all, buffet breakfast (included in
a higgledy-piggledy mansion house across
SLEEPING VONDELPARK & AROUND

SLEEPING VONDELPARK & AROUND

A great location close to the Concert- Owned by the same attentive people who the price) is served in a serene, light-filled
from the Concertgebouw and filled with
gebouw, this small, family-run hotel has run Hotel Roemer (above), this chic establish- room overlooking a gorgeous garden.
African art. Expect extra-big doubles and
rooms larger than Amsterdam standard breakfast in bed but no phone in the room. ment now consists of seven houses linked
for the price, with big windows and comfy Staff can also arrange private apartments together after a recent makeover. They HOTEL DE FILOSOOF
beds. The superb staff are extremely help- for up to four people. upgraded the rooms too, with minimalist Map p116 Boutique Hotel €€
ful with planning your day out. Trams stop yet comfy décor. Discounts are available in
low season – check the website. %683 30 13; www.hotelfilosoof.nl; Anna van den
right outside the front door (as well as the Vondelstraat 6; s/d from €111/125
Schiphol Interliner bus 370 – nice), but it’s
not noisy at all for guests staying on the
VONDELPARK & HOTEL ZANDBERGEN Map p116 Inn €€
A hotel owned by two sisters, with 38
rooms themed after philosophers. Sounds
street side.
AROUND
An aura of wealth, history and privilege is
%676 93 21; www.hotel-zandbergen.com;
Willemsparkweg 205; s/d/tr/q €109/140/175/205;
quaint, no? But it’s also a professional,
warm and well-run operation near the
ni
COLLECTOR Map p110 B&B €€ inevitable in urban surrounds as beautiful as The Zandbergen stands out like sterling
Vondelpark. There are larger rooms in
%673 67 79; www.the-collector.nl; De Lairesse- the Vondelpark. The difference here is that town, but few more thoughtfully deco-
silver in a tray of plastic cutlery. The caring
straat 46hs; r €80-115; i this neighbourhood is refreshingly free of class rated: from lush furniture and over-the-top
staff in this wonderful, nonsmoking hotel
This B&B is a real find: just three rooms near pretension. The various consular staff and go overboard, the rooms are absolutely wallpaper to minimalist paeans to serenity.
the Concertgebouw. The 1914 building is bankers who casually jog in the park will be faultless and the generous breakfast brings The variety of breakfast rooms may remind
spotless with contemporary renovations happy to confirm it. raves from guests. Rooms at the rear have you of museums you’ve visited.
and furnished with museum-style displays balconies overlooking a quiet courtyard. As
of clocks, Amsterdam School furnishings, FUSION SUITES Map p116 Luxury Hotel €€€ in many Amsterdam hotels, the stairs are FLYNT B&B Map p116 B&B €€
wooden shoes etc. Each room has a bal- %618 46 42; www.fusionsuites.com; Roemer steep but there are nice rooms at ground %618 46 14; www.flynt.nl; 1e Helmersstraat 34;
cony and a TV, and the owner will buy food Visscherstraat 40; ste €245-275; nai level. The beautiful Vondelpark is just over r €70-120; ni
for you to prepare breakfast at your leisure; Just a minute’s walk from the hustle of the road, where the tram will get you to Flynt’s building, on a quiet block off the
the kitchen is open all day. Museumplein, and nestled in a quiet tree- the centre in a jiffy. Overtoom, is almost a century old, but the

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look is contemporary, bright and spotless. the frisson of an ‘ethnic’ neighbourhood with dotted with riverboats. The smart money and amenities including a TV (no phone), a

lonelyplanet.com
Frank, the easy-going owner, will purchase a modicum of comfort and a great restaurant comes here after the party downtown. fridge and books to read. Reservations are
breakfast food for you, and the kitchen is scene? Then De Pijp is for you. required, since there is no bell desk.
yours 24/7. The owners have cats and dogs,
and your pets are welcome too. Rooms are HOTEL AALBORG Map p119 Inn €€ PLANTAGE HOTEL HORTUS Map p122 Stoner Hotel €
nonsmoking, though hallways are not. %676 03 10; www.aalborg.nl; Sarphatipark 106; EDEN LANCASTER HOTEL %625 99 96; www.hotelhortus.com; Plantage
s/d €80/99; i Map p122 International Hotel €€ Parklaan 8; dm €27, s/d €40/54; i
BORGMANN VILLA HOTEL More like a farmed-out Ikea than the %535 68 88; www.edenhotelgroup.com; Plantage Facing the Botanical Garden, this old-shoe
Map p116 Inn €€ Golden Age, but who’s to quibble because Middenlaan 48; s/d from €90/109; ni comfy, 20-room hotel has small doubles
%673 52 52; www.hotel-borgmann.nl; Konings- the rooms at Aalborg are clean, tidy and This 93-room place next to a park is bigger with or without showers (luck of the
laan 48; d/q €107/145; nai newly installed. The front rooms enjoy a than it looks, and a top-to-toe renovation draw); all have a safe and a sink. It’s run
One of the more refined options around fine view overlooking the lush Sarphati- a few years back has made it one of the by the same crew as Hotel Brian (p213), so it’s
the leafy rim of the Vondelpark, the park. It’s only a 10-minute bus ride from the smartest lodgings in the Plantage. Rooms no surprise that the lounge is chock-full
Borgmann has comfortable, quiet, wi-fi– centre and geared toward weekend break- all have TV, phone, free wi-fi and motifs of young, happy stoners transfixed by the
ers, so rates may plummet during the week. of blonde wood, red brick, cream, and the large-screen TV. Large rooms sleep up
linked rooms that overlook an affluent
stylised St Andrew’s crosses of the city seal. to eight people. Rates include a cooked
residential street or, yes, the grand Von-
BETWEEN ART & KITSCH B&B Breakfast costs €14 and includes hot dishes. breakfast.
delpark. The fourth floor is a bit cramped
but other rooms are quite spacious. Sea- Map p119 B&B €€
sonal offers can be sensational, so check %679 04 85; www.between-art-and-kitsch.com; HOTEL PARKLANE
the website. The British Consulate is right Ruysdaelkade 75-2; s/d from €80/90, tr €120; ni Map p122 Inn €€ EASTERN DOCKLANDS
next door. Mondrian once lived here – that’s part of %622 48 04; www.hotel-parklane.nl; Plantage MÖVENPICK HOTEL CITY CENTRE
the art – and the kitsch is bits like a crystal Parklaan 16; s €75-95, d €100-110; i Map p122 International Hotel €€€
chandelier in the baroque room and the This 12-room one-time dressmaker’s shop %519 12 00; www.moevenpick-hotels.com; Piet
APPLE INN HOTEL Map p116 Inn € is being renovated room by room by kindly
smiling brass Buddha nearby. The Art Deco Heinkade 11; d €145-250; naip
%662 78 94; www.apple-inn.nl; Koninginneweg room, meanwhile, has seriously gorgeous owners who care about doing things right.
93; s/d from €59/79; i Situated on the water’s edge next to the
tile work and views of the Rijksmuseum. The rooms (large by Dutch standards) are Passenger Terminal building, the fetching
A good solid find, in a nice residential area comfy and equipped with fridges; the baths
Husband and wife Ebo and Irene (and Ruys- exterior of this 20-storey business hotel is
near the Vondelpark. Note that all doubles are sparkling and modern with great water
dael the Jack Russell terrier) are your hosts, layered with stripes of glass, green granite
are twins, and the rooms (with peppy quilts pressure; and the well-sorted buffet break-
3½ storeys up on a quiet canalbank at the and white concrete. Views of the busy har-
meeting European hardwood) vary a lot in fast will keep you going into the afternoon.
edge of De Pijp. Rooms are nonsmoking, bour, dotted with ferries, cruise ships and
size, from enormous with big bathrooms to
though common areas are not. passing barges, are best from the picture
rather small – clear this up ahead of time.
Whichever way you slice it, it’s fine value HOTEL REMBRANDT Map p122 Inn €€ windows on the upper floors. Rooms have
SLEEPING DE PIJP

SLEEPING PLANTAGE, EASTERN ISLANDS & EASTERN DOCKLANDS

with an easy tram ride to Leidseplein (five BICYCLE HOTEL AMSTERDAM %627 27 14; www.hotelrembrandt.nl; Plantage relaxed contemporary décor, comfy beds,
minutes). Map p119 Bicycle Hotel €€ Middenlaan 17; s €73, d €95-115, tr/q €140/165; i small but sleek bathrooms and lots of little
%679 34 52; www.bicyclehotel.com; Van Although the hallways could stand a extras. It’s a good 10-minute walk to Cen-
Ostadestraat 123; d €115, s/d without bathroom touch-up, the Rembrandt shines where it traal Station but there’s an hourly shuttle
STAYOKAY VONDELPARK Map p116 Hostel € during the day.
€65/80; i matters: rooms are spotless and have TVs,
%589 89 96; www.stayokay.com; Zandpad 5; dm phones and coffeemakers and some have
€24-30, tw €74; in If you’re into the bed-and-bike thing, this
is the place to go. Run by Marjolein, who hardwood floors and bathtubs. The wood- LLOYD HOTEL
A blink away from the Vondelpark, this
loves pedal-power, this casual, friendly, panelled breakfast room is a beaut, with Map p122 Boutique Hotel €€
535-bed hostel attracts over 75,000 guests
green-minded hotel has rooms comfy and chandeliers and 17th-century paintings on %561 36 36; www.lloydhotel.com; Oostelijke
a year – no wonder the lobby feels like a
familiar, and serves a killer organic break- linen-covered walls. Rooms 2 (large double Handelskade 34; d €80-300; i
mini-UN. All bedrooms are nonsmoking,
fast (included). You can hire popular carrier- with a balcony overlooking a small garden) This ultrastylish building used to be a hotel
have lockers, a shower, a toilet and well-
bikes – great for city spins with children. and 21 (four-person, split-level, sunny and for migrants back in 1921, and many of the
spaced bunks. There are lifts, a café, two
modern) offer plenty of bang for your original fixtures still exist (tiles, cabinetry
restaurants and bike-hire opportunities.
buck.
There’s no curfew but the no-visitors-at-
night, no-drugs policy is strictly enforced. PLANTAGE, EASTERN etc), combined with triumphs of more
contemporary Dutch design. The result is
LILIANE’S HOME Map p122 Inn €€ a combination hotel, cultural centre and
From March to October and during public
holidays the maximum stay is three nights. ISLANDS & EASTERN %627 40 06; l.meisen@zonnet.nl; Sarphatistraat
119; d from €90
local gathering place. Rooms span one
star (bathroom down the hall) to five star
Discounts are offered in low season.
DOCKLANDS
If you’re used to thinking outside the box,
Once Amsterdam’s sole women-only inn,
this seven-bedroom private home in a
(plush and racquetball-court sized). Yet
many are also so quirky and individualistic
DE PIJP
A quiet influx of capital for renovations means
welcome. The hotels of these eastern suburbs
offer charms of a sort that are rare in the
smart ‘Herenhuys’ recently began to allow
male visitors, and that’s a nice thing for you
(teeny tiny doubles, bathtub in the centre,
giant bed for eight) that some guests may
this area next to the Southern Canal Belt is an old centre: abundant greenery, cutting-edge gents. It has loads of personality, rooms be turned off. Accept it on its terms and
increasingly rewarding place to stay. Seeking architecture, the rippling expanse of the IJ with huge windows (some with balconies), you’ll love it.
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lonelyplanet.com

OOSTERPARK & WINDKETEL Map pp58-9

lonelyplanet.com
Apartment €€
%682 26 66; www.windketel.nl; Watertorenplein
8c; d €125; i
AROUND
The Oosterpark may look like a Saharan out-
Built into an octagonal, three-storey tower
from 1897, and once part of the municipal
post on the map, but in reality it’s just a short water works, the cute-as-a-button ‘Wind
tram or bus ride away from the City Centre – Kettle’ tops our list of romantic getaways
and the accommodations here are spacious, in Amsterdam. There’s just one apartment,
quiet and comfy. While you’re here, don’t miss but what a place – a kitchen and living
visiting the exotic Tropenmuseum (p128). room with state-of-the-art appliances,
stereo, wi-fi and TV, a bathroom decked out
HOTEL ARENA Map p129 Party Hotel €€ in cosy tile and wood fittings, and a skylit
%850 24 00; www.hotelarena.nl; ’s Gravesand- bedroom directly under the sloping roof. It
estraat 51; d €79-149, ste €154-204; i shares a courtyard with Café-Restaurant Amster-
With more facelifts than a Hollywood star, dam (p175) and the entertainment complex
this building, bordering lush Oosterpark, Westergasfabriek (p130).
has morphed from chapel to orphanage to
backpackers hostel to, now, a modern, 121- QBIC HOTEL Map pp58-9 Boutique Hotel €€
room hotel with a trendy restaurant, café %321 11 11; www.qbichotels.com; Strawinsky-
and nightclub. Minimalist rooms – laan 241; r €39-139; nai
‘designer industrial hospital’ chic – are Located in the World Trade Center office
more Ikea than Wallpaper* magazine, but complex, this spanking new hotel pushes
the large, split-level double rooms are a the design envelope with its ‘Cubis’, queen-
sun-drenched delight. Rooms in sections sized beds and shower-washrooms melded
A, B, E and F tend to be quieter. Breakfast into single monolithic units (note: no WC
costs €12.50. door, so intimacy is assured). You pay up
front, and prices swing with demand like
seats on cheapie airlines. Businessfolk will
OUTER DISTRICTS like its proximity to the RAI conference cen-
tre, and it’s on the metro/tram networks.
CAPTAIN’S PLACE Map pp58-9 Houseboat €€
%419 81 19; www.meesvof.nl; Levantkade 184;
d €95-155 YOTEL Boutique Hotel €€
SLEEPING OOSTERPARK & AROUND

This charming number is set on a rebuilt %44 (0) 207 100 11 00; www.yotel.com; Schiphol
ship, the Pas Meprese, in the former ore Airport Plaza; d from €85; i
harbour of the Eastern Docklands. There As we went to press, Yotel had announced
are all of two rooms, both large and com- plans to open a branch of its Japanese-style
fortably fitted out, with their own heated capsule hotels at Schiphol Airport in early
bathrooms. As the owner is a bit star-struck 2008. Prices for the standard 7-sq-metre
the quarters are dubbed Orion and Cassio- cabins are time-based, starting at four hours
peia. The best part is the on-board garden for short layovers. It’s a blessing for travel-
for grazing (nice breakfast) and plain lazing, lers who need to catch a red-eye flight.
even in the foul Dutch weather because it
has a sliding glass roof. STAYOKAY AMSTERDAM ZEEBURG
Map pp58-9 Hostel €
HOTEL V Map pp58-9 International Hotel €€ %551 31 90; www.stayokay.com; Timorplein 21;
%662 32 33; www.hotelv.nl; Victorieplein 42; s dm from €27, d/q from €60/120; i
€80-90, d €120-145, t €170; i Housed in a former school from the fin-
This small hotel is a modish number, with de-siecle, the newest Stayokay (opened in
a fresh, minimalist style with brilliant summer 2007) is a bit removed from the
flashes of colour and a groovy fireplace. hotspots but a worthy alternative to the © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
With only 24 understated rooms it’s a per- centre’s crowded hostels. Like this chain’s restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
sonal and personable hotel with enough other hostel-hotels (eg in Vondelpark, p222), all
bedrooms have their own bathroom and
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
mod cons (including wi-fi) to keep hipsters
happy while still being close to the bars subtle design touches. Take tram 14 from everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
of de Pijp. Centraal Station, a 15-minute journey. the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’

224 225
© Lonely Planet Publications

DAY TR I PS
 lonelyplanet.com
DAY TR I PS
Vlieland
If you’re like many residents, you’ll have trouble tearing yourself away from Amsterdam. 0 30 km
To Leeuwarden

But you can’t say you’ve really seen the Netherlands until you venture beyond the city gates. 0 20 miles A31
There’s a wealth of beauty, history and tradition within easy reach, and the slower pace of De Cocksdorp Harlingen
life seems a world away from the Dutch capital.
Prepare yourself for a region awash in clichés – the pointy laced hats, wooden clogs, tulips,
cheese and windmills that define the Dutch to the outside world. Still, these items are more Texel
Waddenzee

than decoration. If you look more closely you’ll find a heritage still alive today, proving there’s Den Burg
A7
more to it all than skilful marketing (though there’s plenty of that too). A7
Afsluitdijk
The urban belt around the capital is called the Randstad, literally the ‘rim city’ that takes AMSTERDAM
in a large portion of the Dutch population. These cities boast their own art, architecture and Den Helder
atmosphere that rival anything Amsterdam has to offer. Big industry looms in the south, and NETHERLANDS
if you fly over at night you can’t miss the radiant glow of greenhouses that nurture tomatoes, Den Oever
cucumbers and flowering plants.

Y
AN
Stavoren
But large swathes of this area are also surprisingly rural, with wide expanses of meadow

RM

l
naa
GE
interspersed with patches of pine forest. Stocks of cattle roam freely on the polders, the flat, BELGIUM Amstelmeer

s Ka
marshy lands laced with drainage canals. Between the cities, nature-lovers are in their element:

land
Ijsselmeer
the polders make an ideal habitat for wild birds such as swans, herons or warblers, many of

ol
rd H
which nest in the tall grasses along the canals. Medemblik

The fast, efficient Dutch railway network makes it a snap to get around. Cycle paths are

Noo
A7
everywhere, but don’t bother to bring your own – most train stations have bike-rental shops Enkhuizen
charging around €7 per day, though you’ll need to book ahead. Don’t forget that discounts Bergen
are available for holders of rail tickets. Bergen aan Zee Hoorn
Heerhugowaard
All the following destinations lie within an hour’s journey from Amsterdam by train (and NORTH SEA Alkmaar
Egmond
if need be, by connecting bus). Get an early start and you might ‘do’ two locations without (p236)

feeling rushed. A9 Markermeer

Alkmaardermeer
Castricum
Castricum
aan Zee A7
CITIES & ART In the 17th century, the pilgrim fathers settled
in Leiden before beginning their epic voyage Beverwijk Zaanse
Edam Lelystad

Za
Schans Volendam
Fine paintings can be found in collections

an
(p237)
to the New World. Some of its key artworks Velsen Purmerend
across the Netherlands, and it’s worth noting stem from the Renaissance era, such as the Waterland Marken Oostvaarders- A6
that first-rate galleries even a stone’s throw impressive triptych of The Last Judgment at
IJmuiden
Zaandam Monnickendam plassen
Broek in Waterland
from Amsterdam tend to be less crowded than the Lakenhal museum. Haarlem A10
in the capital. The cities following all have One look at the impressive canals of Utrecht Zandvoort
(p228)
IJmeer Almere-Stad Flevoland
A10
historic quarters and museum treasures that (p233) and you’ll believe it was a trading hub Heemstede
A9
AMSTERDAM Muiden A27
DAY TRIPS CITIES & ART

DAY TRIPS RUNNINGHEADB

invite you to explore. long before Amsterdam. Its soaring Dom- Schiphol
Almere-Haven
Gooimeer
It’s hard to know where to start, but the toren recalls the church’s formidable power Hoofddorp Amstelveen Naarden
Huizen Ee
mm
17th-century heart of lovely Haarlem (p228), in the Middle Ages. An outstanding collec-
Hillegom Aalsmeer Bussum eer

Vecht
Keukenhof A4 (p238) A2

tel
less than 20 minutes away, is always a good tion of medieval art is housed in the Museum
Lisse A1 Nijkerk

Ams
Noordwijk Uithoorn Spakenburg
Hilversum
wager. At one time the city was more impor- Het Catharijneconvent, while the Centraal Westeinder
Plassen Baarn
tant in the art world than Amsterdam, so it’s Museum nearby has superb 16th-century
Katwijk
A44
Kagerplassen Vinkeveen
Loosdrechtse
Soest
no surprise that Haarlem possesses one of the portraits of the Civic Guard. Nieuwkoop Plassen
Amersfoort
A1
Leiden Breukelen
country’s finest assemblies of Dutch paint- Wassenaar (p231)
Alphen a/d Rijn
Ou
Nieuwkoopse
Plassen
Scheveningen Hoge
ings, at the Frans Hals Museum. There are de
Ri
A28 Veluwe
also examples of the CoBrA art movement in CHEESE & WINDMILLS Den Haag
(The Hague)
A4
Zoetermeer
jn Woerden
Utrecht
(p233)
Zeist
National
Park (13km)
museums nearby. The city will seem bite-sized Forget the cutesy postcards: this unlikely pair A12
A12

after the capital, and most sites of interest are of icons helped make Holland what it is today, Delft A12 sel
Am
ster
To Arnhem

within a short stroll of the lively main square, e IJs dam

namely rich and dry. The first big wheels Gouda
Holl
ands -Rij
nK
ana
Grote Markt, and its attractive cathedral. of Gouda and rubbery balls of Edam were Hook of Holland A13 A20 Le
k al

Rembrandt’s birthplace, Leiden (p231), is an originally produced near Amsterdam, and Europoort
A20
A2
Culemborg

easy-going university town with several first- travelled well on sea voyages. The curds are Maassluis
Vlaardingen Rotterdam
A27 Tiel
class museums, the world’s oldest botanical still supplied by Frisian cows – inspiration for Schiedam
Geldermalsen Waal
A15
garden, and a wealth of lively student pubs. many a black-and-white milk jug – and these A15 Ridderkerk

Spijkenisse A29 A16 Gorinchem

Hellevoetsluis Nieuwe A15
Dordrecht
226 Maas
lonelyplanet.com

cows graze on land that was once drained by seven-month siege, but, against the odds, the

lonelyplanet.com
0 400 m
windmills. Many of these graceful structures community recovered quickly. Haarlem then
HAARLEM 0 0.2 miles

are listed monuments, and open as museums soared into the prosperity of the Golden Age, A B C D
or shops throughout the region. attracting painters and artists from around SIGHTS & INFORMATION Teylers Museum............................ 13 C4 DRINKING

ὈὈ ὈὈὈὈὈὈὈ
So, feel like doing the rounds? Then the Europe. Bakenesserkerk.................................1 C3 Tourist Office.................................14 C2 Café 1900......................................22 B3
Brouwers Hofje................................2 A4 Verweyhal...................................(see 15) Café Het Melkwoud.......................23 B3
Saturday cheese market at Alkmaar (p236), one If you arrive by train, your first sight will 1 Frans Hals Museum..........................3 B4 Vleeshal..........................................15 B3 Café Studio....................................24 B3
of the last bastions of the traditional cheese be Haarlem Centraal, a glorious Art Deco mas- Frans Loenen Hofje..........................4
Grote Kerk van St Bavo....................5
A3
B3
Woltheus Cruises........................... 16 C4 Proeflokaal In den Uiver.................25 B3

guilds, is just the ticket. If it’s windmills you terpiece and hands-down the country’s most Hofje van Loo..................................6 A4 EATING ENTERTAINMENT
crave, the place to feed the urging is at Zaanse beautiful train station. Walk to the old centre Hofje van Staats...............................7
Laurens Coster statue.......................8
C2
B3
De Haerlemsche Vlaamse...............17
Eko Eetkafé.....................................18
B3
B3
Café Stiels......................................26 B3
Patronaat.......................................27 A3
Schans (p237), a kitschy but comely open-air along Kruisstraat, and the town’s wealth and Nieuwe Kerk....................................9 A4 Nas Brasas......................................19 B3 Philharmonie..................................28 C3
Proveniershuis................................10 A4 Spektakel .......................................20 B3
museum village. Here you’ll find a half-dozen

Ὀ
elegance becomes apparent by the exclusive Stadhuis.........................................11 B3 Vroom & Dreesman.......................21 B4 SLEEPING
of them twirling their arms in the air and stores, art galleries and antique shops. Teylers Hofje..................................12 C3 Hotel Amadeus...............................29 B3
Hotel Carillon.................................30 B3
churning out mustard, oil and dye. Lined with lovely cafés and restaurants, the To Kennemerduinen Nature Rozenstr
Train Station
14 Joops Hotel....................................31 B4

eg
Reserve (3km); Stations
Grote Markt is the city’s beating heart. It’s Zandvoort (5km) Kenaus

Kruisw
tr pl

weg
Kenau-
fronted by the 14th-century Stadhuis (Town 2
FLOWERS park Lange H

Jans
erenstr
Hall), which features a balcony where judg- 7
The lovely tulip has been seducing Europeans

Pr bru
huissin gel
ments from the high court were pronounced. Parklaan

in g
ὈὈ
Ὀ

se
since the 16th century, when an enterpris-

n-
The Counts’ Hall contains some amazing Nieuwe
Gr
ing Dutch ambassador brought back (read: 15th-century panel paintings, and if it’s open
Zijlweg Oost Nieuwe e

der
t arn O
ud
smuggled out) the first precious bulbs from ark Spa

Kin
Gracht ew

Kruisstr
oim nen eg
you can take a peek.

st
Zijlw eg
Ho Bin sw

ve
n
the Near East. The Netherlands is now a eg
nja

uis
Across from the Stadhuis looms the Grote Ridderstr me

eg
aulaa lkoopstestr
erh
19 r
major world supplier of all kinds of colour- Zakstr Ha

Vog e Heren
Nieuwe

d
Kerk van St Bavo (adult/child €2/1.25; h10am-4pm Mon-

Kou
Kin
Kruisstr

Jansstr
4
ful and exotic blooms, and most thrive in the

Va lsingel

de

-
27

Witt
e

ug e

lgr
Sat), the Gothic cathedral with a 50m-high

br arijn
n

nh
art
ὈὈ
Ὀ ὈὈ
t

inge
cool wet climate. They’re much more than a

ark
Brou

Zij

or
3 wers 23 26

th
18

nm

n
steeple. It contains some fine Renaissance kade 22

Bake
Sm

Ca

sters
Nass

oe
commodity; the ‘flower culture’ means you’ll Main

ed

tr
Gr

't K
Raaksbrug Raaks Post

Janss
artworks, but the star attraction is its Müller

ness
est

Gedampte Oo
Zijls

rom
24

est
Zijlvdse

nestr
see droves of people with a bunch tucked Office ABN-Amro tr 12

r
30

ergr
i
Grote -
organ – one of the most magnificent in the uwe

Le

Begij

Ba
under one arm. Markt 25 Vrotr

Gede
Jaco

ke
bijne 11 17 8 s 1 e
world and played by both Mozart and Han-

nes str
str 29 28 rn

t
The sprawling bulb gardens of the Keukenhof 15 5 aa e Vaart

ark
ser-
Doele

mpte
Sp Amsterdams

str s- Gasthu isstr

n Oude Groenmarkt
del. There are tours in English on request, pl - 20 re ut
m
(a former royal garden taken over by the n k e Ho

Oud
6 13 Do

tr
str

e rt
Gravestenenbrug ouder

tr

Veers
and free organ recitals take place at 3pm Barre 31

jek evaa

gs
voete e Amsterdamse

e Gr
flower trade – see the boxed text, p233) erupt str
An rn w

nin
Ὀ
a

astr
str
ut
ega Spa 16 arn Buurt
e Spa

Ko
ng

ids
ng

ad
on Thursday July to early September and Ho

d
lmin
Botermarkt La M
into a riot of colour between March and May,

Tuchthui
2

lan
Le

Ve
br elk-

gr

rw

tr
ilig
aam
ug

an
at 8.15pm every Tuesday from mid-May to

uts

t
ul
Wilh

es
and you’ll find tulip fields scattered through- 21

He
Or

ote
rst

ft

Ho

el env
St Joris

te R

Gie
Ale Hag

Gr
mid-October. The organ stands 30m high

Kleine
DoelenG estr

ing Her
xan
out North and South Holland. You can also der Lange Annastraat ed

emp
4

al
str n em
ei

rgw
and has about 5000 pipes, and the acoustics

re ge
Wil Kl d pte
visit the world’s biggest flower auction that is

Sp
Ged

He Lan
son Doe lan

ns
Bu
spl lstr

aa
Ou de Gr

g
are terrific.

Heili

rne
held not far south of the capital, in the town Nie
uw
eR
9
10

Groot
The square focuses on De Hallen (%023-511 aam

Tu
of Aalsmeer (p238). Raa str Kerkstr

rfm
mv Kort ge-
est Houste Lan ug

ark
To Leiden To Amsterdam
57 75; Grote Markt 16; adult/child €5/free; h11am-5pm br

t
r (44km) 3 (20km)
Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun), halls including the 17th-
HAARLEM century Vleeshal, a former meat market, and the Haarlem has two excellent museums that
DAY TRIPS HAARLEM

DAY TRIPS HAARLEM

It’s hard not to be enthusiastic about Haarlem, Verweyhal; today they are annexes of the Frans TRANSPORT: HAARLEM can be visited in a day. A short stroll south of
which has retained more of its 17th-century Hals Museum. The Verweyhal contains the Grote Markt, the Frans Hals Museum (%023-511
museum’s collection of modern art, includ- Direction 20km west
heritage than even Amsterdam. The wealth Travel time 15 to 20 minutes 57 75; www.franshalsmuseum.nl; Groot Heiligland 62; adult/
of historic buildings, leafy hofjes (courtyards) ing Dutch impressionists and CoBrA artists. child €9.50/free; h11am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun) is a
On the square north of the Grote Kerk is the Train Services to Haarlem are frequent (€3.60, up
and old-world antique shops give the centre to six per hour); the Grote Markt is a 500m walk to must for anyone interested in the Dutch mas-
a real sense of history and grandeur, and its Laurens Coster statue, whom Haarlemmers believe ters. Kept in a poorhouse where Hals spent his
has a claim, along with Gutenberg, to be called the south.
pretty bridges and winding alleys are just as Car From the ring road west of the city, take the N200 final years, the collection focuses on the 17th-
charming as any in the Dutch capital. the inventor of moveable type. century Haarlem School; its pride and joy are
which becomes the A200
The name Haarlem derives from Haar- Off Grote Houtstraat to the south stands eight group portraits of the Civic Guard that
loheim, meaning a wooded place on high, the Proveniershuis, the former headquarters of reveal Hals’ exceptional attention to mood
sandy soil. You won’t get nosebleeds from the Joris Doelen (Civic Guards of St George), Herenstraat 24), pared out of a merchant’s es- and psychological tone. Look out for works
the altitude, but it’s worth noting that the which started life as an almshouse. Its won- tate; the Hofje van Loo (Barrevoetestraat 7), a former by other greats such as Pieter Brueghel the
surrounding area used to be a huge lake, the derful old hofje is one of Haarlem’s prettiest, women’s hospital; the Hofje van Staats (Jansweg 39), Younger and Jacob van Ruysdael.
Haarlemmermeer. The counts of Holland set and like all hofjes it provides clues about the one of the town’s largest and still occupied by Among the museum’s other treasures
up a toll post here and Haarlem quickly be- origins of the Dutch social state. older women; and the unusually grand Teylers are the works of Hals’ teacher, Flemish art-
came the top inland port after Amsterdam. Others hofjes worth a look include the Hofje (Koudenhorn 144), built by the founder of the ist Carel van Mander: stunning illustrations
When the Spanish invaded in 1572, virtually Brouwers Hofje (Tuchthuisstraat 8), which lodged Teylers Museum. Most hofjes are open 10am of the human anatomy, all ceiling-high with
the entire population was slaughtered after a the brewers’ guild; the Frans Loenen Hofje (Witte to 5pm Monday to Saturday. biblical and mythological references.
228 229
lonelyplanet.com

restaurant with a gorgeous view, especially

LEIDEN Wealth from the linen industry helped

lonelyplanet.com
The Teylers Museum (%023-516 09 60; Spaarne 16;
adult/child €7/2; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun), the from the panelled upper gallery. to make Leiden rich, and provided a fer-
oldest museum in the country (1778), has an This pretty, easy-going town is home to the tile atmosphere for artists during the 17th
eclectic display of everything from drawings by country’s oldest university, the alma mater century. The great Dutch painters Rembrandt,
Michelangelo and Raphael to intriguing 18th- DRINKING of Descartes. Leiden’s 20,000 students make Jan Steen and Jan van Goyen were all from
century inventions. There’s an amazing old Café 1900 (%023-531 82 83; Bartelijoristraat 10) An up a big chunk of the population and lend Leiden, yet the city has only one Rembrandt
electrostatic machine that conjures up visions authentic little gem of a brown café with a a young, dynamic ambience to the place. painting, even though the master lived here
of mad scientists, with batteries the size of a fin-de-siècle interior and long bar perfect for Another claim to fame: it’s Rembrandt’s for 26 years.
milk wagon. Be sure to visit the magnificent, propping up after a day out and about. birthplace.
sky-lit Ovale Zaal (Oval Room) containing Café Het Melkwoud (%023-531 35 35; Zijlstraat 63) The university was a gift from William the
many natural-history specimens in elegant This crunchy brown café, named after a Dylan Silent for withstanding two Spanish sieges in TRANSPORT: LEIDEN
glass display cases on two levels. The magnifi- Thomas radio play, is a great place to sample 1574. It was a terrible time, ending when the
sea beggars arrived and repelled the invaders. Direction 45km southwest
cent interiors alone are worth the entry price. a welter of Dutch and Belgian brews.
Northeast of the museum is the striking Café Studio (%023-513 00 33; Grote Markt 25) A gen- But one-third of the residents starved before Travel time 35 minutes
Bakenesserkerk (cnr Vrouwestraat & Bakenesserstraat; teel watering hole during the day, this grand the Spaniards retreated on 3 October (the Train NS runs services from Amsterdam six times
café-bar with cathedral views becomes flirt town’s big festival day). According to lore, per hour (€7.60)
hclosed to the public), a 15th-century church
with a curious steeple of wood and sand- central after dark. the Spanish left behind a kettle of hutspot
Car From the southwest point of the A10 ring road,
stone. These materials were chosen because Proeflokaal in den Uiver (%023-532 53 99; Riviervismarkt (hotchpotch), and today it’s still a staple of
take the A4
the Grote Kerk proved too weak to support a 13) Housed in an old fishmonger’s, this the Dutch kitchen.
heavy tower. In the evening the steeple glows quirky old place has shipping doodads and
orange from the lamplight within. a schooner sailing right over the bar. There’s LEIDEN 0
0
300 m
0.2 miles
Canal boat tours are run by Woltheus Cruises jazz on Thursday and Sunday evenings.
(%023-535 77 23; www.woltheuscruises.nl; adult/child
SIGHTS & INFORMATION Tourist Office...............................9 B2
€6.50/3.50; h1st tour noon). These tours (also
provided in English) leave from opposite the ENTERTAINMENT Centraal
Station
To Keukenhof
Gardens (17km)
Botenverhuur't Galgewater .........1
De Burcht....................................2
A3
D3
Windmill De Valk.......................10 B2

Teylers Museum six times most days from Café Stiels (%023-531 69 40; Smedestraat 21) For jazz Hortus Botanicus..........................3
Lakenhal.......................................4
B4
B2
EATING
Café Einstein..............................11 C4
March to October. and rhythm & blues, the back stage here Museum Boerhaave.....................5 C3 De Kwebbelen...........................12 A3
hosts bands almost every night from 10pm Stationspl Rederij Rembrandt........................6
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden........7
B2
B4
Frezza........................................13
In den Doofpot...........................14
A3
B2

Mo l e
onwards.

eg
Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde...8 B2 Noodl.........................................15 C3
INFORMATION

lw
w

Statio

n
Patronaat (%023-517 58 58; Zijlsingel 2) Haarlem’s

ho
e rt

hip
DRINKING
Maresingel

Sc
top music and dance club attracts bands with

nsweg
10 Café l'Esperance.........................16 B4
Tourist Office (%0900 616 16 00, per min €0.50; www 9 Het Koethuis..............................17 D3
.vvvzk.nl; Stationsplein 1; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, banging tunes. Events in this cavernous venue Stadscafé
van der
North End...................................18 B3

10am-4pm Sat Apr-Sep, 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm usually start around 7pm or 9pm. Werff stgr
e L a m m e r m ar k t

kt
l nv Langegr
gersinge 8 ne ENTERTAINMENT

Beestenmar
Sat Oct-Mar) Philharmonie (%023-512 12 12; Lange Begijnestraat Rijnsbur B in Café de WW.............................. 19 C4

Scheistr
Lange
2e

Nieuwe
Steenstr
Jazzcafé the Duke .....................20 B2
11) This venerable concert hall emerged from 20 4
22
a recent facelift with its classical face intact, SLEEPING

M or
EATING and features music from across the spectrum. Narmstr
Oude Vest
Oude Sin
gel Hotel de Doelen.........................21 B3

ssing
Beestenmarkt Oude Vest Hotel Mayflower........................22 B2

Lange
De Haerlemsche Vlaamse (%023-532 59 91; Spekstraat 3; The orchestra, Philharmonie Haarlem, ranks

Mare
Hotel Nieuwe Minerva...............23 C3

el
Morsstr 6
regular French fries €1.70) A frites house and local among the best in the Netherlands. 14 Caeciliastr
DAY TRIPS HAARLEM

DAY TRIPS LEIDEN

Blau
wpo Turfmarkt
ortsb 5
institution. Windmill
rug L
Agannge
ieten St
De str
Eko Eetkafé (%023-532 65 68; Zijlstraat 39; mains €7-18) Put

An offshoot of Eko organic foods, this obliging SLEEPING 1

Galgewater
R ij n Apo
the
ke
rsd
ijk
Haa
rlem
mers
tr

little eatery offers fish and vegetarian dishes Hotel Amadeus (%023-532 45 30; www.amadeus-hotel Boommark
t
Stil jn
with a clear conscience and ethnic accents. .com; Grote Markt 10; s/d incl breakfast €60/85; i) Nestled Noordeinde
le e Ri
R ij n Oud
Nas Brasas (%023-532 88 02; Kruisstraat 13; tapas €5-9) in a row of old gabled houses on the main 13 12 18 21
23
de Rijn

Rembr
Ou
square.

r
This lively tapas joint has a Spanish gusto that

Hoogst
Br
ee

S t e e p ad
Lange str 15
keeps up handily with Dutch conviviality. The Hotel Carillon (%023-531 05 91; www.hotelcarillon.com; 17
and

Sc h o
Brug
2

rr
tstraat
tapas menu is huge, and a second round is

olst
Grote Markt 27; with/without bathroom s €60/40, d €80/65)

d
V
practically a given. Great deal on the Grote Markt – a bit snug, 7
11
t
Stadhuis rgs
Spektakel (%023-523 38 41; Spekstraat 4; mains €16-20) but comfy and a primo location. Breakfast e rk Bu
ersk gst
Piet
Witte

Kangaroo, ostrich and Australian emu are is included. bru

Ni

Ni
orn

Rape

Pieters
t

eu
ols

eu
Rapenburg Ko

w
among worldly dishes at this atmospheric Joops Hotel (%023-532 20 08; www.joopshotel.com; W
Singe

str

r
nbur
19

Hooig
Ri
ke
3

jn
t
diner with table views of the Grote Kerk. Groenmarkt 20; r or studio from €95; i) This friendly Kloks Ni

rkhof
g
l

eu
we
Vroom & Dreesman (%0900 235 83 62; Grote Houtstraat hotel has 100-plus quarters spread over an Ri
jn
70; mains €5-12) The top floors of this department entire block; items from this former antique Hoge
woer
store house a huge family-oriented buffet shop provide the ambience. d
16 Steenschuur

230 231
lonelyplanet.com

Leiden is right up there with the great his- A stuffed elephant greets you at Naturalis –

lonelyplanet.com
toric cities of the Netherlands. As you get Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum (National Museum of DETOUR: KEUKENHOF FLOWER GARDENS
further south from its supermodern Centraal Natural History; %071-568 76 00; Darwinweg 2; adult/child Covering some 32 hectares, the Keukenhof (%025-246 55 55; www.keukenhof.nl; Stationsweg 166, Lisse; adult/
Station, the city’s traditional character un- 4-12yr €9/5; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun), a child/senior €13/6/12; h8am-7.30pm late March-late May, last entry 6pm) is the world’s largest bulb-flower garden,
folds. A five-minute walk takes you into Lei- large, well-funded collection of all the usual attracting nearly 800,000 visitors during a mere eight weeks every year. The virtues of the online ticket facility should
den’s district of historic waterways, the most dead critters and, notably, the million-year- be obvious.
notable being the Oude Rijn and the Nieuwe old Java Man discovered by Dutch anthro- The gardens were opened in 1949 with the idea of having a showplace for European growers to show off their hybrids.
Rijn. They meet at Hoogstraat to form a canal, pologist Eugene Dubois in 1891. It’s 300m This isn’t just any old trade show, however. Nature’s talents are combined with artificial precision to create a wonder
simply called the Rijn. west of the town centre. of landscaping where millions of tulips, narcissi and daffodils blossom perfectly in place and exactly on time. You can
De Burcht (admission free; hsunrise-sunset), an Leiden University was an early centre for easily spend half a day here filling your camera’s digital memory.
11th-century citadel on an artificial hill, lost Dutch medical research. You can see the If the temps have been wilting, don’t worry – fresh blooms are planted by helping hands for the duration of the sea-
its protective functions as the city grew around often-grisly results (five centuries of pickled son. Special exhibits are held in the pavilions around the site, and there are cafés and refreshment stands throughout.
it. Now it’s a park with lovely places to view organs, surgical tools and skeletons) at the Opening dates vary slightly from year to year, so check before setting out. During opening season, Connexxion
the steeples and rooftops, and a wonderful Museum Boerhaave (%071-521 42 24; Lange St Agniet- runs special Keukenhof Express buses from Leiden Centraal Station (six ‘strips’ on the strippenkaart, 20 minutes,
café at its base. enstraat 10; adult/concession €6/3; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat, three times hourly).
The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum noon-5pm Sun).
of Antiquities; %0900 660 06 00, per min €0.10; Rapenburg There are leisurely one-hour canal boat
28; adult/child 4-17yr €8.50/5.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, tours of the channel around the old town
In den Doofpot (%071-512 24 34; Turfmarkt 9; mains
lunch €8-12, dinner €12-30; hlunch & dinner) There’s
SLEEPING
noon-5pm Sat & Sun) has a world-class collection centre with Rederij Rembrandt (%071-513 49 38; Hotel de Doelen (%071-512 05 27; www.dedoelen.com;
of Greek, Roman and Egyptian artefacts, the little chance you’ll walk away hungry from Rapenburg 2; s/d €75/95; i) It has a slightly faded
www.rederij-rembrandt.nl; Beestenmarkt; adult/child €6/4; this elegant eatery named after a clever Dutch
pride of which is the extraordinary Temple of h11am-5.30pm Mar-Oct) with commentary (Eng- air of classical elegance; some canalside rooms
Taffeh, a gift from former Egyptian president pun. Expect twists on Dutch home-style cook- are larger and better appointed.
lish available). For a more intimate experi- ing with French touches.
Anwar Sadat to the Netherlands for helping Hotel Mayflower (%071-514 26 41; www.hotelmay
ence, hire a canoe or kayak and navigate the Noodl (%071-513 92 73; Breestraat 88a; dishes €8-16;
to save ancient Egyptian monuments from flower.nl; Beestenmarkt 2; s/d/tr €65/80/95; i) These
canals yourself with Botenverhuur ‘t Galgewater hlunch & dinner) Trendy little dim-sum joint spacious quarters are bright and inviting, with
flood. (Boat Hire Galgewater; %071-514 97 90; www.galgewater.nl;
A sister collection, the Rijksmuseum voor usually buzzing with students. comfy furnishings and lots of trimmings along
Galgewater 44a; per hr €5; h11am-6pm Oct-May, 11am- the pilgrim theme.
Volkenkunde (National Ethnology Museum; %071-516 88
10pm Jun-Sep). It also has a quirky little café sell-
00; Steenstraat 1; adult/child 4-12yr €7.50/4; h10am-5pm ing coffee and lemonade. DRINKING Hotel Nieuwe Minerva (%071-512 63 58; www.nieuw
minerva.nl; Boommarkt 23; s/d €80/110; i) Located in
Tue-Fri, noon-5pm Sat & Sun), focuses on the former Café l’Esperance (%071-512 16 00; Kaiserstraat 1) Long,
Dutch colonies and the cultures of Asia, six 16th-century canalside houses, this central
dark and handsome, all decked out in nostal- hotel has themed rooms, including a room
Africa, Latin America and the Middle East,
much like Amsterdam’s Tropenmuseum (p128).
INFORMATION gic wood panelling and overlooking the canal,
ooh…this place is pumping with people in
with a bed in which King Lodewijk Bonaparte
Tourist Office (%0900 222 23 33, per min €0.50; www (aka Louis Bonaparte) slept.
The lush Hortus Botanicus (%071-527 72 49; .hollandrijnland.nl; Stationsweg 2d; h11am-5.30pm summer and often has live music.
Rapenburg 73; adult/child €4/2.50; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, Mon, 9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-4.30pm Sat year- Het Koethuis (%071-512 16 88; Burgsteeg 13) On a
10am-4pm Nov-Mar), Europe’s oldest botani-
cal garden (1587), is home to the country’s
round, 11am-3pm Sun mid-Apr–Aug)
sunny day, it’s hard to beat the terrace tables
just outside the grand Burcht gate where all of UTRECHT
Breathe in the history in the Netherlands’ oldest
oldest descendants of the Dutch tulips. It’s humankind gathers for an afternoon coffee or
city, picturesque Utrecht. A major political and
a wonderful place to relax, with explosions EATING borrel (drinkypoo of your choice).
religious centre during the Middle Ages, it had
DAY TRIPS LEIDEN

DAY TRIPS UTRECHT

of tropical colour and a fascinating steamy North End (%071-512 15 41; Noordeinde 55) This
Café Einstein (%071-512 53 70; Nieuwe Rijn 19; mains superb English-style pub is full of warmth, some 40 magnificent churches dotting the city.
greenhouse. Today the French Gothic cathedral, the Dom-
lunch €2.75-10, dinner €12.75-20; hlunch & dinner) It’s a cosy nooks and character. It comes complete
The 17th-century Lakenhal (Cloth Hall; %071- toren, with 50 melodious bells, towers above the
516 53 60; Oude Singel 28-32; adult/child under 18yr €4/
relaxed café with a student vibe, river views with its very own ‘bourbon alley’ (not very
and lovely waterside setting. There’s a French English, granted) and patented beer strip- town. It’s the tallest in the Netherlands, and the
free; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, noon-5pm Sat & Sun) houses views from the panoramic tower (stretching as
the Municipal Museum, with an assortment menu except for Sunday and Monday, when penkaart (strip ticket).
it goes Thai. far as Amsterdam) are spectacular.
of works by Old Masters, as well as period Find your way through the building dust
rooms and temporary exhibits. The 1st floor De Kwebbelen (%071-512 61 90; Noordeinde 19; mains
has been restored to the way it would have €12-20, 3-course menu €19.50; hdinner) The most fun ENTERTAINMENT (Utrecht’s centre is a major work site through
restaurant in Leiden, with a kitschy menu Café de WW (%071-512 59 00; Wolsteeg 6) On Fri- to 2013) and you’ll emerge into a beautiful and
looked when Leiden was at the peak of its vibrant old-world city, ringed by striking canal
prosperity. (‘Jack the Ripper’ spare ribs) but always worth day and Saturday, live rock can expand to
the ride. an impromptu stage in the alley with crowds wharves going back to the 13th century. Well
Leiden’s landmark windmill museum, De
Frezza (%071-512 21 15; Rembrandtstraat 2; mains €8; trailing up to the main street. On other nights below street level, the wharves are unique in all
Valk (The Falcon; %071-516 53 53; 2e Binnenvestgracht 1; of the Netherlands, and the streets alongside
there’s a DJ.
adult/child €2.50/1.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun), hdinner) A bit of a Leiden hot spot, Frezza brim with shops, restaurants and cafés.
Jazzcafé the Duke (%071-566 15 85; Oude Singel 2)
has been carefully restored, and many con- has tasty dishes such as oven-baked quail in In summer, Utrecht is festival central, with
‘If we don’t have it, you don’t need it’, is its
sider it the best example of its kind. Its arms honey-thyme sauce for only €8; just imagine offerings such as jazz (with musicians seem-
motto, and amid this cool-cat interior of yel-
are free to turn ‘whenever possible’ and can what deliciousness the Menu Frezza (€29) lowing, vintage jazz posters, the fine live jazz ingly on every corner) and the Netherlands
still grind the ol’ grain. holds. never makes you doubt it. Film Festival in September. On top of that,
232 233
lonelyplanet.com

Ὀ
Ὀ
Of over a dozen museums, the Museum Het Indonesian food trendy in Utrecht, or at least

lonelyplanet.com
0 400 m
UTRECHT 0 0.2 miles
Catharijneconvent (%030-231 72 96; Nieuwegracht 63; popular. Quality is the key, and the rice table,
A B C D adult/child/senior €8.50/4.50/7.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, comprising 14 tasty little dishes, is a winner.
To Kasteel de Haar (5km); 11am-5pm Sat & Sun) is the leader, with the fin- Deeg (%030-233 11 04; Lange Nieuwstraat 71; 3-course
St Amsterdam (37km) Singel enstr

ὈὈὈὈὈὈ
ra
at
Van Wijckskade
Wolv est collection of medieval religious art in the menu €31; hdinner) Acclaimed as much for its

St J
w
eg Lange Lauwerstr Netherlands. All but the most jaded art-lover fresh, organic, creative cooking as the styl-

aco

Korte La
Lauwerhof
1

Pred
tr
Breeds will marvel at the beautiful illuminated manu-

bs
ish décor, it’s in a quiet area south of the

str
l Biltstr

ik
W Vrouwenstr

Oudegracht
ne

uw
Waterstr scripts, carvings and robes.

here
n
Ca

Tu action.

erstr
tha

r
20

Willemstr

thst
e

nstr
als str Others include the Centraal Museum (%030-236
rijn

Da or Café le Journal (%030-236 48 39; Neude 32; mains

Boo
Vo

Drift
eb

Janskerkh
23 62; Nicolaaskerkhof 10; adult/concession €8/6; h11am-5pm
Vin

of
aan

Potterstr €10-22; hlunch & dinner) This classy grand café

ken

nge Vies
tr
Tue-Sun), covering applied arts and Utrecht School

Ὀ
rg La
Vredenbu Nobelstr is made for people-watching on the busy
bu

5 ATMs rgstr To Amersfoort (24km)

Smakkelaars 12 Drakenbu 10

Kort
paintings. There’s a bit of De Stijl to boot, in-
r gs

Telings
Kro
Veld
square, with its crispy fresh salads a running
tr

8 Hoogt mm Nac

e
eN hte
cluding the world’s most extensive collection of

Janst
16 ie g

tr
aa
lstr favourite.
Rij

Stadhuis

uw
tr

Singel
r
Pietersker Gerrit Rietveld’s works, a feast for minimalists.
ers
13
nk
Sta

e gr
str Oudaen (%030-231 18 64; Oudegracht 99; mains €10-
ad

kk tius

hof
tio

Bu
There’s even a 12th-century Viking longboat
Sta

Ba
Voe 3 r
nsp

Re gem
tion

2 Steenweg 23; hlunch & dinner) The best choice along this

Dompl
that was dug out of the local mud.
l

7 ig ee
spl

Da
Min

er st

n
Hoog hof str er

aa
4
popular stretch of canal, the Oudaen is set in
als

Kerk M
Jaa

eb
Catharijne ali
The Universiteitsmuseum (%030-253 80 08; Lange
eu

ein N
r
esin

t es
plaats

ali
ls
rbe

Shopping e
rsla

Maria Zad str ing

M
a restored 14th-century banquet hall. It offers

ὈὈὈὈὈ
ren
Sp
ge

el
urs

Centre
He Nieuwstraat 106; adult/child 4-17yr €7/3.50; h11am-5pm
an

rin
l

Kortwstr
pl

ark

ieu
lsep salads, steaks and succulent seafood, as well
gw

Centraal To Rietveld-
ree Tue-Sun) has a re-created 19th-century class-

e
Station ost erstr Schröderhuis
e

Mo Str 15

Servaa
burg
g

Wa
lst 9
Oudegr Ham (1km)
room, historic dentistry tools (is it safe?) and as its own in-house brew.

s Bolwer
way too many models of medical maladies. Polman’s (%030-231 63 88; cnr Jansdam & Keistraat;

Nie
Gee

19 17

uw
mains €19.50, 3-course menus from €32.50; hdinner)
rteb

6 You can find solace out back in De Oude Hortus,

ac

k
18 Lan str

gr Nieu uweg
ht Aan degracht

n
o

SIGHTS & INFORMATION w

uile the old botanical garden, along with all the Diners are welcomed in an elegant former
l

ge
Z
erk

Oude e Werf

N
Centraal Museum........................1 C3
Ou

ie
we ra
other visiting dentophobes. The venerable ballroom with ceiling frescoes, a hangover
Nie

De Oude Hortus..........................2 C3

ὈὈ
gra cht
grach

11
D

3 Domkerk......................................3 C2
ws

garden has trees and plants collected by the from its days as an elite gentlemen’s club.
cht
Domtoren....................................4 C2
tr
t

str Dutch during their world exploits.

Lovers Utrecht Canal Boats..........5 B2 ets The French and Italian meals are honed for
Cro

Geertestr
Sin

Museum Het Catharijneconvent...6 C3 Be

as
The National Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement
ese

the discriminating palate.

gel

la
Nationaal Museum van ico 2 ge
l
laa

N
Speelklok tot Pierement...........7 B2 Rozendaal sin (National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ; %030-
n

hof eeg
Tourist Office...............................8 B2 kerk 1 lst
231 27 89; Steenweg 6; adult/child/senior €7/4/6; h10am-
t

s
ch

Universiteitsmuseum..................(see 2) olaa To
Ar

ra

Nic
DRINKING
Pelm

ng
thu

5pm Tue-Sun) has a splendid assembly of musical

uite
rV

EATING
olen

machines from the 18th century onward.

dsb
an

Blauw...........................................9 B2 Kafé België (%030-231 26 66; Oudegracht 196; snacks

Sch

Sta
weg

Café le Journal...........................10 B2 These are demonstrated with gusto during €3-8) An absolute mecca for beer-lovers, the
en

e rstr
de

Deeg..........................................11 C3 ouw
Bijlh the hourly tours. Most impressive are the street
lstr

4
Oudaen......................................12 B2 14 ENTERTAINMENT België stocks examples from very many of
Polman's....................................13 C2 Springhaver Theater...................17 B3 and fairground organs from around Europe. Benelux’s brewers. Order nuts under the in-
Tivoli..........................................18 C3
DRINKING Just east of town, the Rietveld-Schröderhuis flatable shark.
Ga
Café Ledig Erf............................14 C4 ns
str
SLEEPING
Ve
nus (%030-236 23 10; Prins Hendriklaan 50; adult/child under Café Ledig Erf (%030-231 75 77; Tolsteegbrug 3) This
Kafé België.................................15 C2 Grand Hotel laa Karel V...................19 B3
Winkel van Sinkel.......................16 B2
n
Strowis Budget Hostel................20 C1 13yr/child 13-18yr €16/8/13; h11am-5pm, reservations
classy pub overlooks a confluence of canals
strongly advised) is a Unesco-protected landmark,
adhering to the ‘form follows function’ creed at the southern tip of town. Patrons gather
some 300 years to complete, and definitely had with amazing invention. on tables around the oversized chessboard
DAY TRIPS UTRECHT

DAY TRIPS UTRECHT

TRANSPORT: UTRECHT staying power: in 1674 the North Sea winds Boat trips with Lovers Utrecht (%030-272 01 11; cnr on the terrace.
reached hurricane force and the nave, which Lange Viestraat & Oudegracht; 1hr boat trip adult/concession €7/5) Winkel van Sinkel (%030-230 30 30; Oudegracht 158)
Direction 40km southeast This 19th-century building houses a grand
wasn’t quite as robust, blew down and opened trace a circular route through the deep canals of
Travel time 30 minutes up the gap on today’s square where the cath- café, nightclub and restaurant with a divine
Train NS runs about five services per hour (€6.40) the old town. The tours provide a unique per-
edral resides. You can see the old extents of the spective on the city, not least because the water interior. It was once the Netherlands’ first
Car From the Amsterdam ring road, take the A2 nave, and visit the Domkerk, the surviving chancel department store – check out the green statues
lies a couple of metres below street level.
of the cathedral with a few tombs within. of females that buckled the loading cranes.
the city’s student community of 40,000 is the Another key point of interest is the undeni-
largest in the country, making it one very in- ably photogenic canal, Oudegracht, the scene of INFORMATION
fectious place. many a wedding photo. At night, the bend in Tourist Office (VVV Utrecht; %0900 128 87 32, per min ENTERTAINMENT
The striking Domtoren (Cathedral tower; %030-236 this canal is illuminated by lamplight. Stretch- €0.50; www.utrechtyourway.nl; Vinkenburg 19; hnoon- Tivoli (%030-231 14 91; Oudegracht 245) This former
00 10; Domplein 9-10; adult/child/concession €7.50/4.50/6.50; ing down toward the southern tip of the old 6pm Mon, 10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, 10am-8pm Thu, monastery, now a cavernous dance hall with
h10am-6pm Tue-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat, noon-5pm Sun & Mon, town, the canal is at its most evocative, and the 9.30am-5pm Sat, noon-5pm Sun Apr-Sep) medieval chandeliers, remains a fixture on
guided tours at 2pm, 4pm & 6pm) is 112m high, and you streets are unexpectedly quiet. A section of the Utrecht’s student music scene.
can climb its 465 steps for a magnificent view. Singel called the Stadsbuitengracht has its own Springhaver Theater (%030-230 30 30; Springweg 52)
Several hundred years ago you would have seen turn as a lovely canal on the eastern side of the EATING This Art Deco complex houses intimate cin-
nearly 40 cathedrals from this vantage point, all old quarter, where it follows parkland along Blauw (%030-234 24 63; Springweg 64; set menu from emas that screen art-house and independent
laid out in the shape of a cross. The tower took the site of the old fortifications. €21; hdinner) Blauw has worked hard to make films, and has a great in-house café.
234 235
lonelyplanet.com

SLEEPING and dealers in white smocks insert a hollow 9am-4pm Fri, 10am-4pm Sat late Mar-early Nov), a rev- Tue-Sun) This place offers creative cuisine in a

lonelyplanet.com
rod to extract a cheese sample, and sniff and erential display of cheese-making utensils, former 15th-century monastery, with court-
Grand Hotel Karel V (%030-233 75 55; www.karelv.nl; crumble to check fat and moisture content. photos and a curious stock of paintings by yard seating.
Geerteblowerk 1; s/d from €210/230) This place is a Once deals are struck, the porters whisk the 16th-century female artists. The mechanical Henry’s Grand Café (%072-511 32 83; Houttil 34;
lavishly converted 14th-century building, with cheeses on wooden sledges to the old cheese tower carillon (h6.30pm & 7.30pm Thu, noon & 1pm lunch €3-12, dinner mains €10-23; hlunch & dinner) A
flawless service. scale, accompanied by a zillion camera clicks. Sat, 11am & noon Fri mid-Apr–mid-Sep) with jousting grand café overlooking the main square with
Strowis Budget Hostel (%030-238 02 80; www.strowis It’s primarily for show – nowadays the dairy knights still springs to life. a comprehensive menu and good range of
.nl; Boothstraat 8; s & d €57.50, dm €14.50-17.50) A 17th- co-ops have a lock on the cheese trade. Still, as Across the square, the Nationaal Biermuseum local beers.
century building and former squat that’s been living relics go it’s a colourful show. (%072-511 38 01; Houttil 1; adult/child €3/1.75; h1-5pm Patisserie Culinaire (%072-511 29 58; Houttil 13; mains
lovingly restored. Lording over this spectacle, the Waaggebouw Tue-Fri, 1-4pm Sat & Sun) has a decent collection of €5-16) This buzzing, artsy café offers freshly
(Weigh House, 1390) also houses the tourist beer-making equipment and wax dummies made filled rolls, quiche and big salads that
office where you can pick up a walking tour showing how the suds were made. The rare spill off your plate. It’s the perfect spot to sip
ALKMAAR
If ever there was a cheese town, Alkmaar is
of Alkmaar’s historic buildings (€2) covering
historical sights. Inside you’ll also find the
video of Dutch beer commercials since the
1950s is a real howler. Choose from 30 beers
a coffee and watch the world go by.

it. Most visitors come to this picturesque Hollands Kaasmuseum (Dutch Cheese Museum; %072-511 (eight on draught) in the friendly bar after
town for the traditional cheese market (Waagplein; 42 84; adult/concession €2.50/1.50; h10am-4pm Mon-Thu, your tour.
The Stedelijk Museum (%072-511 07 37; Canadaplein
DRINKING
h10am-12.30pm Fri Apr-early Sep), dating back to Café Vrije Vogelhuis (%072-511 24 58; Houttil 20) The
the 17th century. 1; adult/child €4.50/free; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 1-5pm Sat place for beer and billiards with rollicking
& Sun) is overlooked by many visitors, which
But the city is more than just a purveyor TRANSPORT: ALKMAAR is a shame because its collection of oils by
Dutch folk music (eg ‘Tante Leen’) and top-
of curdled milk. It holds a special place in 40 hits.
Dutch hearts as the first town, in 1573, to Direction 35km northwest the Dutch masters is first-rate. There are life- Café Lindeboom (%072-512 17 43; Verdronkenoord
repel occupying Spanish troops, by opening sized portraits of Alkmaar nobles and historic
Travel time 30 to 40 minutes 114) Over by the old fish market is this cosy
the locks and flooding their hapless assailants scenes of the city in decline after the Golden
Train Services run at least twice per hour from Age. In the upstairs gallery, Charley Toorop’s bar where talkative locals linger on the canal

ὈὈ ὈὈ
Ὀ ὈὈ
with seawater. terrace.
Amsterdam (€6.40, 40 minutes); the canal-bound painting of the cheese bearers with grotesque
On Friday mornings, waxed rounds of
kaas (cheese) are ceremoniously stacked on centre is 500m southeast of the train station features still stirs controversy.
the main square. Soon, porters appear in
colourful hats (denoting the cheese guild),
Car Take the A9 in the west of Amsterdam, which goes
directly to Alkmaar
The Grote Kerk (Kerkplein; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun;
admission Jun-Aug €4, Sep-May €2.50) reminds us ZAANSE SCHANS
This kitsch open-air museum on the Zaan
that Noord Hollanders are organ-lovers.
The most famous here is the little ‘Swallow River is a bit of a guilty pleasure. It’s undeni-

ὈὈὈὈὈ Ὀ
ὈὈ
ALKMAAR 0
0 0.2 miles
400 m
Organ’ (1511) in the north ambulatory. The ably touristy and tacky in parts, but pictur-
Tu To Den
17th-century organ built by Jaco van Campen esque because of its gardens and canal setting,
Sc ins Huiswaarderpl
ha
rlo
A tr ge
l B Helder Tesselsebrug C D dominates the nave. Organ recitals take place so it’s still a lot of fun.
sin (42km)
Zaa
from noon to 12.30pm and 1pm to 1.30pm The six working windmills along the river-
r
ste

gm
To Train & ole
e

nst
June to August, and Wednesday evenings in
Ge

Bus Stations r banks are the highlight and apart from the
Hoornse

eg
No

(500m) Berger-
sew
or

rt N
July and August. villagers, who actually live and earn their
de

1 weg hout u oo
bu
Frie
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ter ole The Stadhuis (Town Hall) dates from the
ad
str

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Ὀ
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es keep here, are the most authentic thing about
Ze

M Ko lla
ter
ve

W l g r a ch t Fri
os nin nd ese
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nhu

O
Renaissance.
str

gsw s
the place. It was once the world’s first light-
ern

Si Kan we oi
ian
iz

eg g ev
Pat

aalk
en

aa
Canal boat tours (%072-511 77 50; www.woltheus
ast

tr

Ga 6 ade
Doelen-
industrial region, with more than 700 wind-
lens

str sthu Ringersbrug rst

Seb
st

r
Ge

is- Canadapl veld Kan

e

Doe

Ge
cruises.nl; adult/child €6.50/3.50; hevery 20min from 9.30am
Ge

aal
es t

K de
mills powering flour and paint production.
DAY TRIPS ALKMAAR

DAY TRIPS ZAANSE SCHANS

mp
erk
ers

te
ATM Nie Apr-Oct) with multilingual commentary depart
p

Kon
One mill sells fat jars of its freshly ground
ing

uw ing
gstr

3 eslo str
el

Hofpl M
Ke ot 10 a from Mient near the Waag.
Hoo

rks
tr
rkt
str Dijk mustard, while the others turn out pigments,
Voor d am

Ma Friesebrug
am

gda 4
Lindeg

str

ὈὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈὈὈὈ
len
ltuin
terd
Clarisse

5 ens 13
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He 2
ute

Na tr
INFORMATION
Kennemers

ul
Koo
Ach

8
tr

ssa Spa To Hoorn

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Laa La
ers

Ra
Sch

ula ng 7 njaa
est

Lin t 9 Waagplein nd (27km)

nbuurt

2 an est rdstr
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deg Bre
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TRANSPORT: ZAANSE SCHANS
W

Ou r
Ac

r sd
til

ed am
Kre

Victorie-
ag

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Tourist Office (%072-511 42 84; www.vvvalkmaar
p

Ho

Gr
ew

park
glo

11 1 Lutt
ingel

ik O
Pay

eg

udo
.nl; Waagplein 2; h1-5pm Mon, 10am-5.30pm Tue-Fri,
dswal
nt

Fnid rp
Direction 10km northwest
str

Mie
str

sen
r
ter

lst

SIGHTS & INFORMATION 12

O
9.30am-5pm Sat).
der

ke
Bo

ud Vis
Eilan
He
Rid

Canal Boat Tours.........................1 C2

Cheese Market.............................2 C2
eG
r
La
at
ma
rkt Travel time 20 to 30 minutes

ὈὈὈὈὈ
Ge Ve
Grote Kerk...................................3 B2
Ba dem rdr Train In summer, take the Connexxion bus 91 from
Nieuwland

EATING
He
r

on
fst

de

Hollands Kaasmuseum...............(see 7) an pt ken ilig

Groot

slo e
Ho

Amsterdam Centraal (€2.50, 20 minutes, hourly).

rka

ot oo lan
Nationaal Biermuseum.................4 C2 La rd d
Bloemstr

Bie

at
Stadhuis.......................................5 B2 Lim
me De Tromp Kaashuis (%072-511 34 22; Magdalenenstraat The rest of the year board the train towards Alkmaar
Stedelijk Museum.........................6 B1 rho
Tourist Office...............................7 C2
ek 11) If you’re looking to grab some cheese after and get off at Koog Zaandijk (€2.80, 20 minutes, four
eg

Waaggebouw............................(see 7) Oude Gr No seeing so much of it, check out this quality times hourly), and walk the 1km to Zaanse Schans.
tw

3
str

Oude Gr or
a

dh
tra

ma

EATING oll certified shop with Dutch and French cheeses

ers

Car Travel to the northwestern side of the city on

Em

an
ds
em

Wild Sc
De Tromp Kaashuis......................8 C2 Vo stacked everywhere you look.
tr

eman he Ka
els
nn

Henry's Grand Café.....................9 C2 DRINKING str lph or

m na the A10 ring road, and take the A8 turn-off. Exit at
nd
Ke

oe ee al
Het Hof van Alkmaar (%072-512 12 22; Hof van Sonoy
Vo

Het Hof van Alkmaar..................10 B2 Café Lindeboom........................12 C2 Baa k r

nsin Zaandijk.
e

Patisserie Culinaire.....................11 C2 Café 't Vrije Vogelhuis...............13 C2 gel

1; lunch €3.50-13, dinner mains €16-20; hlunch & dinner
Kort

To Amsterdam
(40km)

236 237
lonelyplanet.com

oils, meal and sawed planks. Most are open

lonelyplanet.com
for inspection, and it’s a treat to clamber about TRANSPORT: AALSMEER
the creaking works while the mills shake in the
North Sea breeze. Direction 22km southwest
Travel time 50 minutes
The other buildings have been brought
Bus Connexxion bus 172 from Amsterdam Centraal
here from all over the country to re-create a
Station to Aalsmeer VBA stop (four times hourly)
17th-century community and, understand-
Car Take the A4 a short way to Haarlemmermeer then
ably, some of them look out of place. There
left (southeast) onto the N201
is an early Albert Heijn market, a cheese
maker and a popular clog factory that turns
out wooden shoes as if grinding keys. The Bloemenveiling. Make sure you’re in the view-
engaging pewter smith will explain the story ing gallery by 9am to catch the first flower-laden
behind dozens of tiny figures while the soft carts go to auction. Selling is conducted –
metal sets in the moulds. The spanking new surprise! – by Dutch auction, with a huge clock
Zaans Museum (%075-616 28 62; adult/child €4.50/2.70; showing the starting price. From the starting
h10am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun) shows how the bell, the hand keeps dropping until someone
harnessing of wind and water was done. takes up the offer and a deal is struck. There’s
Admission to the re-created community a self-guided audio tour that will let you peek
site is free, but some buildings charge a small into the auction rooms and see arrangers prep-
admission. The information centre sells area ping the blooms for display.
maps for €1. Once you’ve finished poking The auctions takes place in Europe’s largest
about the village, a tour boat (adult/child €5/2.50, commercial complex (one million sq metres),
hTue-Sun Apr-Sep) does a 45-minute spin on and one look at the parking lot and truck fleets
the Zaan River several times a day. will tell you why so much space is necessary.
Some 90 million flowers and two million plants
change hands here every single day, racking up
AALSMEER
This town is home to the world’s biggest
nearly €7 million in business. More and more
transactions are taking place online, so catch
flower auction (Bloemenveiling; %39 39 39; www.vba the action while it’s still here. Mondays are the
-aalsmeer.nl; Legmeerdijk 131; h7-11am Mon-Fri), the busiest time, Thursdays the quietest.
DAY TRIPS AALSMEER

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
238 239
 © Lonely Planet Publications

TR AN S PO R T
Straddling one of Europe’s busiest cross-
roads, Amsterdam has excellent air links, a Things Change...
fine motorway and train lines fanning out to The information in this chapter is particularly vul-
the rest of Europe. Once in town, you’ll find nerable to change. Check directly with the airline
that Amsterdam is very much a walking city; or a travel agent to make sure you understand
you can traverse the old centre in 30 min- how a fare (and ticket you may buy) works and
utes and reach the outskirts in an hour. The be aware of the security requirements for inter-
tram system is reliable, though not necessarily national travel. Shop carefully. The details given
faster than a bike, the locals’ preferred way of

TRANSPORT AIR
in this chapter should be regarded as pointers and
getting around. are not a substitute for your own careful, up-to-
Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked date research.
online at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_
services.
Meet arrivals in the large lobby known as
AIR Schiphol Plaza. For airport and flight infor-
mation call %0900 01 41 (per minute €0.40)
Airport or see www.schiphol.nl.
A mere 18km from central Amsterdam, Schiphol The airport is in the same telephone area
airport is the Netherlands’ main international code as Amsterdam proper (%020).
airport and the fourth-busiest passenger termi- Luggage may be deposited at the left luggage
nal in Europe. It’s the hub of Dutch passenger office (%601 24 43) in the basement between ar-
carrier KLM, and over 100 airlines have direct rival areas One and Two. Cost is €5 per item
flights and connections to all continents. Its per day. Lockers are available from €5 to €9
shopping arcades, both in public areas and the per day (depending on size) and luggage can
See Buy Fly duty-free areas, are renowned. be stored for up to a week.

GETTING INTO TOWN

The Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS; national railway) runs trains to Centraal Station (one way/return €3.60/5.50, 15 to
20 minutes, every 10 to 15 minutes) from right beneath Schiphol Plaza. Train-ticket counters and vending machines
are in Schiphol Plaza’s central court; buy your ticket before taking the escalator down to the platforms (see p242 for
instructions for domestic tickets). If you need a strippenkaart (a ticket for local transport within Amsterdam), purchase
it at the Ako newsstand near the ticket windows.
Taxi services between Amsterdam and Schiphol airport take 20 to 45 minutes (may be longer in rush hour)
and cost about €30 to €40. Aficionados swear by Amsterdam Airport Business Taxi (%06 5376 9753; www
.aabt.info), who have Mercedes cars and professional drivers and cost €34 to €42 depending on your destination
or origin in town.
Some of the international hotel chains have free shuttle services for their guests. Public services such as Con-
nexxion bus Interliner 370 also run regular services to and from central Amsterdam. Connexxion runs a paid hotel
shuttle (one way/return around €12.50/19.50). When making your hotel reservation, ask whether the shuttle stops
on the route.
Another way to get to or from the airport is by the minivan service Schiphol Travel Taxi (%0900 88 76, per min
€0.10, from outside the Netherlands 31 38 339 47 68; www.schiphol.nl). Figure on about €21 per person.
By car, take the A4 freeway to/from the A10 ring road around Amsterdam. A short stretch of A9 connects to the
A4 close to Schiphol.
Car-rental offices at the airport are in the right-hand corner near the central exits of Schiphol Plaza.
The airport’s P1 and P2 short-term (undercover) parking garages charge €1.90 per half-hour for the first three
hours, then €3 per hour. Daily charges are €26 a day for the first three days, €17.50 a day thereafter. The long-term
(open-air) parking area is a fair distance from the terminal but is linked by a 24-hour shuttle bus. The charge is €50
for up to three days and €6.50 for each day thereafter.

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BICYCLE & SCOOTER To carry a bike aboard a train, you’ll need to

lonelyplanet.com
The vast majority of Amsterdammers get
purchase a bike day pass (€6), valid through- CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
out the country, and carriage is subject to
around town on their estimated 600,000 fiet- Climate change is a serious threat to the ecosystems that humans rely upon, and air travel is the fastest-growing
sen (bikes). Motor scooters and mopeds are availability of space. Many train stations
contributor to the problem. Lonely Planet regards travel, overall, as a global benefit, but believes we all have a
popular too, but few places hire them out (see also have bike rental facilities on the spot.
responsibility to limit our personal impact on global warming.
right). Helmets are not required. Collapsible bikes can be carried for free. An
Many visitors rent a bike towards the end of alternative to renting a bike is to buy one. Flying & Climate Change
their stay and wish they had done so sooner. Figure on about €80 for a used bike and Pretty much every form of motor transport generates CO₂ (the main cause of human-induced climate change) but
See the boxed text, below, before setting out. maybe €40 for two good locks. planes are far and away the worst offenders, not just because of the sheer distances they allow us to travel, but
because they release greenhouse gases high into the atmosphere. The statistics are frightening: two people taking
a return flight between Europe and the US will contribute as much to climate change as an average household’s gas
Bicycle Hire Scooter Hire and electricity consumption over a whole year.
All the companies listed here require ID plus The best bet for scooter hire is to try Moped
a credit card imprint or a cash deposit with a Rental Service Gilex (Map p86; %623 45 50; www.gilex Carbon Offset Schemes
TRANSPORT BICYCLE & SCOOTER

TRANSPORT CAR & MOTORCYCLE

passport. Many rental agencies require that .nl; Marnixstraat 208; weekday/weekend day €37.50/42.50, Climatecare.org and other websites use ‘carbon calculators’ that allow travellers to offset the greenhouse gases they
you bring your passport as proof of ID. Prices weekend/week €80/210, plus deposit €450). Scooters are responsible for with contributions to energy-saving projects and other climate-friendly initiatives in the developing
are for basic ‘coaster-brake’ bikes; gears and come in all colours, as long as it’s yellow. world – including projects in India, Honduras, Kazakhstan and Uganda.
handbrakes, and especially insurance, usually Lonely Planet, together with Rough Guides and other concerned partners in the travel industry, supports the carbon
cost more. offset scheme run by climatecare.org. Lonely Planet offsets all of its staff and author travel.
Bike City (Map p86; %626 37 21; www.bikecity.nl; BOAT For more information check out our website: www.lonelyplanet.com.
Bloemgracht 68-70; per day/week €8.50/41, plus credit
card imprint deposit) There’s no advertising on the bikes, Canal Boat, Bus & Bike
so you can pretend you’re a local. Canal Bus (Map pp62-5; %623 98 86; www.canal.nl; day
pass per adult/child €18/12) does several circuits
CAR & MOTORCYCLE Hire
Damstraat Rent-a-Bike (Map pp62-5; %625 50 29; We absolutely don’t recommend having a car Local companies are usually cheaper than the
between Centraal Station and the Rijksmu- in Amsterdam, but if you must, read on. big multinationals, but don’t offer as much
www.bikes.nl; Damstraat 20-2; per day/week €7/31, plus
seum between 9.50am and 8pm. The day pass backup or flexibility. Rates start at around
credit card imprint deposit)
is valid until noon the next day. The same €34/40 per day for a two-/four-person
Holland Rent-a-Bike (Map pp62-5; %622 32 07;
Damrak 247; per day/week €6.40/34.50, plus deposit €150
company rents canal bikes (pedal boats) for Driving car, but they do change frequently, so call
€8 per person per hour (€7 if more than two Visitors are entitled to drive in the Nether- around. Rentals at Schiphol airport incur a
or credit card imprint) people per canal bike). Docks are by Leidse- lands on their foreign licences for a period €40 surcharge.
MacBike (%620 09 85; www.macbike.nl; per day/week plein (Map pp100–1) and near the Anne Frank of up to 185 days per calendar year. If you Look for local car-rental firms in telephone
€8.50/29.75, plus ID & €50 deposit or credit card imprint) Huis (Map p92). stay longer, you must get a Dutch licence directories under the heading Autoverhuur.
Centraal Station (Map pp62-5); Visserplein (Map pp62-5; See p249 for details of canal boat tours. (with some exceptions). For all queries, ring Following is a list of some of the better-known
Mr Visserplein 2); Weteringschans (Map pp100-1; We- the National Transport Authority (%0900 07 39, per car-rental companies:
teringschans 2) The most expensive (and the bikes are min €0.10). Avis Autoverhuur (Map p116; %683 60 61; www.avis.nl;
equipped with big signs that say ‘LOOK OUT!’ to locals), but Ferries Traffic in Amsterdam travels on the right Nassaukade 380)
it has the most locations. There are free ferries from behind Centraal and is generally quite busy. The minimum easyCar (www.easycar.nl)
Mike’s Bike Tours (Map pp100-1; %622 79 70; www Station to destinations along the IJ, notably driving age is 18 years for cars and 16 years
.mikesbiketours.com; Kerkstraat 134; half-day/full day/ Amsterdam Noord. for motorcycles. Seat belts are required for Europcar (Map p116; %683 21 23; www.europcar.nl;
additional day €5/7/5, plus €200 deposit or passport or The ferry that goes to the Eastern Dock- everyone in a vehicle. Children under 12 must Overtoom 197)
other ID) lands costs €1. ride in the back if there’s room. Hertz (Map p116; %612 24 41; www.hertz.nl; Overtoom
Be alert for bicycles, and if you are trying 333)
to turn right, be aware that bikes have prior- National Car Rental (Map p116; %616 24 66; www
BICYCLE RULES ity. Trams always have the right of way. In .nationalcar-rental.com; Overtoom 184)
The heavy traffic can be intimidating, but observe a few basics and soon you’ll be freewheeling like a native: traffic circles (roundabouts), approaching
Sixt (%023-405 90 90; www.e-sixt.nl; Schiphol Plaza)
Cyclists have the right of way, except when vehicles are entering from the right. However, that doesn’t mean vehicles technically have right of way, but
motorists are as careful as they should be. in practice they yield to vehicles already on
Watch for pedestrians too. Tourists (the poor things) tend to wander in and out of bike paths with no idea of the the circle. Parking
danger they’re putting themselves in. The blood-alcohol limit when driving Parking in the city hits you where it hurts.
By law, after dusk you need to use the lights on your bike (front and rear) and have reflectors on both wheels. If is 0.05%, and the speed limits are 50km/h Pay-and-display applies in the central zone
your bike does not have lights, you need to use clip-on lights, both front and rear. in built-up areas, 80km/h in the country, from 9am to midnight from Monday to Satur-
It’s polite to give a quick ring of your bell as a warning. If someone’s about to hit you, a good sharp yell is highly 100km/h on major rural through-roads and day, and noon to midnight on Sunday. At the
effective. 120km/h on freeways (sometimes this is re- time of writing, the cost was €4.60/27.60/18.40
Chain your bike securely. Most bikes come with two locks, one for the front wheel (attach it to the frame) and the duced to 100km/h, but this is generally clearly per hour/day/evening in most of the City Cen-
other for the back. One lock should also be attached to something stationary. indicated). tre, and €3.60/21.60/14.40 elsewhere within

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lonelyplanet.com

the Canal Belt. Prices ease as you move away

TRAIN Upon entering, pick up a numbered ticket
GVB Fares

lonelyplanet.com
from the centre. Day passes are available. based on the kind of train ticket you need:
Trains are frequent and serve domestic desti- Tickets on trams and buses are calculated by
Nonpayers in the City Centre will find a advance, pick-up of a reservation, or depart-
nations at regular intervals, sometimes five or zone and are valid for one hour from the time
bright yellow wielklem (wheel clamp) attached ing within an hour. Pick-ups and immediate
six times an hour. However, the network has they’re stamped. Within the city centre you
to their car and have to pay €103.60 to get it departures get higher priority. Don’t even
been plagued by poor punctuality in recent are in Zone 1. When in doubt, consult the
removed; visit the closest Stadstoezicht office (City think of taking a number for other than what
years, particularly at rush hour. maps at bus and tram stops, or ask the driver
Surveillance; %553 03 00) to pay the fine. Other- you’re planning to buy – you’ll be sent to the
Amsterdam’s main train station is Centraal or conductor. Single-trip fares for one/two
wise, within 24 hours the vehicle will be towed back of the queue.
Station (CS). There’s a left-luggage desk down- zones are €1.60/2.40.
and the fine skyrockets to €300. You may also purchase tickets by phone
stairs from Track 2, near the southeastern GVB passes are valid in all zones, and fares
Parking garages in the City Centre include (%0900 92 96, per minute €0.35, 8am to mid-
corner of the station. for one/two/three days are €6.50/10.50/13.50.
locations at Damrak, near Leidseplein and night), or by credit card online, but you must
Children (aged four to 11) and seniors can ob-
under Museumplein and the Stopera, but pick them up here. Be sure to reserve interna-
tain a day pass for €4.50 per day, but multiple
they’re often full and cost more than a park- Domestic Tickets tional seats in advance during peak periods.
day passes are not available.
Tickets can be bought at the window or ticket-
TRANSPORT TAXI

TRANSPORT TRAM, BUS & METRO

ing permit. Here are some other options for
parking: ing machines. Buying a ticket on board means
you’ll pay almost double the normal fare.
Schedules Strippenkaart
Amsterdam-Noord Park for free and take the ferry across. In stations, schedules are posted by route,
To use the ticketing machines, find your though trip duration and arrival time infor- Depending on how much you plan to travel,
Car Hotel (%493 12 78; www.carhotel.nl; per 24hr €20) destination on the alphabetical list of place mation aren’t. Outside of the station, con- consider a strippenkaart (‘strip card’; 15-/45-
Collects and delivers your car from and to your hotel. names, enter the code into the machine, then tact the NS (%0900 92 92, per min €0.70; www.ns.nl; strip cards €6.80/20.10), available at train and
choose 1st or 2nd class (there’s little difference bus stations, post offices, many VVV (tour-
Stadionplein Park and ride in from the southwestern h7am-midnight). ist information) offices, supermarkets and
in comfort, but if the train is crowded there are
outskirts. usually more seats in 1st class). Then choose tobacconists.
Transferium parking garage (%400 17 21; Bijlmer; per with/without discount, the former only if you
have a Railrunner or Voordeel-Urenkaart (see
TRAM, BUS & METRO Each strip is numbered, but there’s a trick:
you need to stamp for the number of zones
day incl 2 return tickets for public transport to Centraal Most public transport within the city is by tram;
Station €5.50) Under the Amsterdam Arena. below) and the period of validity, ie ‘today’ buses and Amsterdam’s metro (subway) serve you’re travelling plus one, and you stamp one
or ‘without date’ for a future trip. For tickets some outer reaches. Services are run by the local strip only. In other words, if you’re travelling
without date, be sure to validate the ticket in a transit authority, the GVB; national railway in Zone 1, stamp the second available strip
TAXI yellow punch gadget near the platform before (NS) tickets are not valid on local transport. but not the first (this would invalidate the
Amsterdam taxis are among Europe’s most you board. The machines take coins and PIN The GVB has an information office (Map pp62-5; second stamp). You should begin stamping
expensive. Worse, drivers tend not to know cards, but not credit cards. %0900 80 11, per min €0.10; www.gvb.nl; Stationsplein 10; from the lowest number available. You can
the streets; you often have to tell them how With a valid ticket you can break your h7am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm Sat & Sun) across the also use a strip card if you’re travelling with
to get there. This is complicated because, as a journey along the direct route. Day return tram tracks from the Centraal Station main en- a companion, so if both of you are travelling
group, taxi drivers are among the few people tickets are 10% to 15% cheaper than two trance. Here you can get tickets, maps and the within Zone 1, you stamp the second and the
you meet in town who may not speak English one-ways. like. The website has lots of useful information fourth strips (two strips plus two strips).
well. A notable exception is Taxicentrale Amster- Children under four travel free if they including details of how to reach key sights. If you’re boarding transport with a conduc-
dam (TCA; %777 77 77). don’t take up a seat. Ages four to 11 pay a You must either purchase a ticket on board tor, simply state where you’re travelling and
You’re not supposed to hail taxis in the ‘Railrunner’ fare of €2 as long as an adult or validate it when you board. If you get caught the conductor will stamp your card for you. If
many no-stop zones of the city, but many cabs comes along. without a ticket or properly stamped strip, you need to validate it yourself, fold the card
will halt if you do. You can also usually find If you plan to do a lot of travelling, a one- playing the ignorant foreigner will guarantee so that the strip you want to stamp is first on
them at taxi stands at hotels and, especially at day travel card costs €40.30. For longer stays, that you get fined €37.50. Some trams have the top, and insert it into the machine.
night, on Leidseplein. the €55 Voordeel-Urenkaart is valid for one conductors responsible for ticketing (usually A strippenkaart is valid on local public
Flag fall is around €3.40 and the rate is year and gives a 40% discount on train travel towards the rear of the tram), while others transport throughout the country; however,
€1.94 per kilometre, plus a 5% to 10% tip. weekdays after 9am, as well as weekends, pub- do not. Drivers can also handle tickets but in early 2009 they will be replaced by a smart-
lic holidays and the whole months of July and prefer not to as it slows things down. If you card system, the OV-chipkaart. A dispos-
Some independent cabs charge lower fares
August. The discount also applies to up to are transferring from another line, show your able card costs €8 for four journeys – not a
but many will charge more. There’s also the
three people travelling with you on the same ticket to the conductor or driver as you board. great deal. Or you can pay a one-off fee of
informal strategy of setting a price with the trip. Seniors (60-plus) can pay an extra €14 for
driver before you get in – figure about two Buses are more conventional, with drivers €7.50 for a regular OV-chipkaart and load
seven days of fare-free travel a year. stamping the tickets as you board. it at the GVB ticket vendors and machines
thirds of the metered price. Some haggling
is usually involved. If a driver’s been waiting Chances are you won’t use the metro un- (good for longer stays, as single journeys
long enough, he may agree. International Tickets less you go to the international bus station at
Amstelstation, south to the RAI Convention
begin at €0.90). Don’t forget to swipe it at
the card readers in trams and buses, both
A cute alternative to regular taxis, the open For details of international trains and reser-
three-wheeled scooters of TukTuk (%0900 993 vations, visit the NS international office (www.ns.nl; Centre, or to the World Trade Centre (all upon entering and exiting, or you’ll be liable
33 99, per min €0.55) have a Fellini quality about Map pp58–9). for a fine.
Centraal Station; h6.30am-9pm) facing Track 2 and
them. Costs are zone-based: €3.50/5/6.50 for see Dutch inefficiency at its worst. At peak
one/two/three passengers in the City Centre, times (eg summer) the queues can be up to
plus a flat €3.50 per zone thereafter. two hours.
242 243
 COURSES I Amsterdam Card (per 24/36/72hr €33/43/53) Available

lonelyplanet.com
D I R EC TO RY Here are some options if you’re interested in
studying the Dutch language in all its gut-
at VVV offices and some hotels. Provides admission to most
museums, canal boat trips, and discounts and freebies at
shops, attractions and restaurants. Also includes a GVB
tural glory: transit pass.
Amsterdam Maastricht Summer University (Map
BUSINESS HOURS Babysitting p92;%620 02 25; www.amsu.edu; Keizersgracht 324)
Museumkaart (Museum Card; over/under 26yr €30/15,
plus €4.95 for first-time registrants) Free entry to some 400
Business hours are similar to those of other Eu- Babysitters charge between €5 and €6 an hour Based in the Felix Meritis Building.
depending on the time of day, sometimes museums all over the country for one year. Buy one at the
ropean countries, with a few exceptions. Most ticket counter before you hit an exhibition.
banks and businesses close on public holidays, with weekend and/or hotel supplements and British Language Training Centre (Map pp62-5; %622
but many shops open on Good Friday, Christ- a service fee for the agency, and you might 36 34; www.bltc.nl; Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 328e) Offers
mas and Boxing Day. On other religious days, have to pay for their taxi home if it gets late.
Agencies use male and female students, but
Dutch and English courses and has a good reputation.
ELECTRICITY
such as Whit Monday, it may seem hardly like a Tropeninstituut (Map p129; %568 83 19; www.kit.nl; The standard voltage throughout the Nether-
holiday at all. Venues normally closed on Sun- you may not always be able to specify which Royal Institute for the Tropics, Language Training Depart- lands is 220V, 50Hz. Plugs are of the Conti-
day are likely to be shut on public holidays. gender. Weekends frequently get booked out, ment, Linaeusstraat 2) Intensive language courses with a nental two-round-pin variety. If you need an
Banks Open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday – some till so plan ahead. Ask at hotels about babysitting large component of cultural training, aimed specifically at adapter, get it before you leave home because
9pm Thursday, and Saturday mornings. services, or try Oppascentrale Kriterion (Map p122; foreigners moving to the Netherlands. most of the ones available in the Netherlands
%624 58 48; www.kriterionoppas.org; Valckenierstraat 45hs; Volksuniversiteit Amsterdam (%626 16 26; www are for locals going abroad. See www.kropla
Cafés Open 10am to 1am Sunday to Thursday, till 3am Friday h4.30-8pm daily, 9-11am Mon). .com for issues related to electrical systems,
and Saturday. .volksuniversiteitamsterdam.nl; Rapenburgerstraat 73)
Well-regarded day and evening courses that don’t cost a such as cycle frequencies and how to avoid
General office hours From 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday. frying your hairdryer.
DIRECTORY BUSINESS HOURS

DIRECTORY COURSES
Museums Often closed on Monday.
CLIMATE fortune.
Unlike the climate suggested by 17th-century
Pubs and clubs Opening hours vary. Closing hours 1am
Sunday to Thursday, 3am Friday and Saturday.
landscapes depicting half-frozen skaters, Am-
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS EMBASSIES & CONSULATES
sterdam has a temperate maritime climate Amsterdam is the country’s capital but con-
with cool winters and mild summers. The best For visitors from EU countries, limits only still fusingly, Den Haag is the seat of government,
Restaurants Lunch 11am to 2.30pm, dinner 6pm to 10pm.
time to go is May (when the tulips are out) to apply for perfumes and other luxury products. the result of an old deal among Holland’s rul-
Shops Open from noon to 6pm Monday, 9am to 6pm Special limits apply to visitors from the new
August, when the weather is most reliable, ing elite. So the embassies are in Den Haag,
Tuesday to Saturday. Koopavond (evening shopping) is on EU member states who joined after 2003; see
but an Indian summer during September and but Amsterdam has a raft of consulates:
Thursday nights, with shops staying open until 9pm. Within www.douane.nl for details.
early October can be delightful. France (Map pp100-1; %530 69 69; Vijzelgracht 2)
the Canal Belt, shops are allowed to open from 1pm until Residents of non-EU countries are limited
Rain is spread evenly over the year, often in
5pm on Sunday, although not all choose to do so. to the following: Germany (Map p110; %574 77 00; Honthorststraat 36-8)
the form of endless drizzle, though the stat-
Supermarkets Open until 8pm. isticians tell us that most of it falls at night Coffee 500g of coffee, or 200g of coffee extracts or coffee Italy (Map p110; %550 20 50; Vijzelstraat 79)
(yeah, right). It’s best to bring a foul-weather essences. Spain (Map pp100-1; %620 38 11; Frederiksplein 34)
jacket in case of the occasional cold snap
CHILDREN or rainstorm. Very few hotels have air con- Perfume 50g of perfume and 0.25L of eau de toilette. UK (Map p116; %676 43 43; Koningslaan 44)
There is much to keep kids occupied in Am- ditioning, although higher temperatures due Tea 100g of tea, or 40g of tea extracts or tea essences. USA (Map p110; %575 53 09; Museumplein 19)
sterdam – a zoo, playgrounds and parks, to global warming is slowly forcing a change.
canal boat trips, a marionette theatre and kid- Tobacco 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco (shag or pipe These countries have embassies in Den Haag:
December to February is the coldest period, tobacco) or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars.
friendly museums, just for starters (see the with occasional slushy snow and temperatures Australia (%070-310 82 00; Carnegielaan 4)
boxed text, p105). Lonely Planet’s Travel with around freezing. It rarely freezes hard enough Wine 1L of strong alcoholic drink or 2L of sparkling wine
Children is a goldmine for planning ahead. or fortified wine such as sherry or port; 2L of nonsparkling Canada (%070-311 16 00; Sophialaan 7)
to allow skating on the canals, but when it
In general, attitudes towards children in the wine. Denmark (%070-302 59 59; Koninginnegracht 30)
does, the city comes alive with skaters. And
Netherlands are very positive, apart from some you couldn’t wish for better photo material India (%070-346 97 71; Buitenrustweg 2)
hotels with a no-children policy – check when
you book. Most restaurants have high chairs
than Amsterdam after a dusting of snow.
See also p16 to help you decide on the best DISCOUNT CARDS Ireland (%070-363 09 93; Dr Kuyperstraat 9)
Israel (%070-376 05 00; Buitenhof 47)
and children’s menus. Facilities for changing time to go. Visitors of various professions – artists, jour-
nappies, however, are limited to the big depart- nalists, museum conservators, students and Japan (%070-346 95 44; Tobias Asserlaan 2)
ment stores, major museums and train stations AMSTERDAM -4m (-13ft)
Average teachers – may get discounts at some venues New Zealand (%070-346 93 24; Eisenhowerlaan 77n)
Max/Min
and you’ll pay to use them. Breast-feeding is Temp/Humidity Rainfall
if they show accreditation. Seniors over 65,
generally OK in public if done discreetly. Kids
°C °F % in mm
and with partners of 60 or older, benefit from Norway (%070-311 76 11; Lange Vijverberg 11)
40 104 100 6 150
are allowed in pubs but aren’t supposed to reductions on public transport, museum ad-
EMERGENCY
30 86 80
drink until they’re 16. While they’re still tots, 4 100
missions, concerts and more. You may look
be careful of all the open water (Dutch kids all 20 68 60 younger, so bring your passport. In a life-threatening emergency, the national
learn to swim at school). 10 50 40 Other discount options: telephone number for an ambulance, police
2 50
See also listings in the Neighbourhoods 0 32 20 Cultureel Jongeren Paspoort (Cultural Youth Passport; and fire brigade is %112. It’s an all-in serv-
chapter (p56), or check local listings for special www.cjp.nl; €15) Big discounts to museums and cultural ice that feeds you into the right emergency
-10 14 0 0 0
events (under jeugd for ‘youth’). J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D events nationwide for people under 27 years. service, with no waiting.
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lonelyplanet.com

HEALTH Koninginnedag Queen’s Day, 30 April.

LEGAL MATTERS There are no compulsory vaccinations,

lonelyplanet.com
Bevrijdingsdag Liberation Day, 5 May. This isn’t a but if you’ve just travelled through a yellow-
For information on medical services in Am- The Amsterdam politie (police) are pretty
universal holiday; government workers have the day off fever area you could be asked for proof that
sterdam, see opposite; some information for relaxed and helpful unless you do something
but almost everyone else has to work. you’re covered. Up-to-date tetanus, polio and
women is on p256. instinctively wrong such as chucking litter
diphtheria immunisations are always recom-
Hemelvaartsdag Ascension Day. Usually between mid- or smoking a joint right under their noses.
They can hold offenders for up to six hours mended whether you’re travelling or not.
May and mid-June.
STDs & HIV/AIDS Eerste and Tweede Pinksterdag Whit Sunday (Pentecost) for questioning (plus another six hours if they For minor health concerns, see a local
HIV/AIDS is still a problem in the Nether- can’t establish your identity, or 24 hours if drogist (chemist) or apotheek (pharmacy, to
lands, but has been contained by practical and Whit Monday. Usually between mid-May and mid-June. fill prescriptions). For more serious problems,
they consider the matter serious) and do not
education campaigns and free needle-exchange Eerste and Tweede Kerstdag Christmas Day and Boxing have to grant a phone call, though they’ll ring go to the casualty ward of a ziekenhuis (hos-
programs. The Dutch health ministry and or- Day. your consulate. You’re presumed innocent pital) or try the Centrale Doktersdienst (%0900 592
ganisations such as the COC, HIV Vereniging until proven guilty. 34 34), the 24-hour central medical service that
and Schorer Foundation (listed following) do Many people also treat Remembrance Day (4 May) In principle there’s a ‘limited’ requirement will refer you to an appropriate doctor, dentist
their bit to prevent the spread of STDs and as a day off. for anyone over 12 years of age to carry ID. or pharmacy. For matters dealing with STDs
HIV. Virtually all bars, bookshops and saunas For the visitor this basically means on public and HIV/AIDS, see opposite.
that cater for gays provide safe-sex leaflets; Forget about buying flu tablets and antacids
many also sell condoms. INTERNET ACCESS transport, at soccer games or, increasingly,
in designated ‘security-sensitive’ areas such at supermarkets; for anything stronger than
Free testing for sexually transmitted dis- Amsterdam led the digital revolution in toothpaste you’ll have to go to a pharmacy. A
Europe, so the city is just as wired as many as Rembrandtplein or the Red Light District,
eases is available at the GG&GD STD Clinic (Municipal where the police can conduct random checks convenient one is Dam Apotheek (Map pp62-5; %624
Medical & Health Service; Map p122; %555 58 22; www
of its visitors. 43 31; Damstraat 2; h8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat),
for illegal weapons and drugs. (It’s all part
DIRECTORY HEALTH

DIRECTORY LEGAL MATTERS

Most hotels offer some kind of internet just off the Dam.
.ggd.amsterdam.nl; Weesperplein 1; h8.30-10.30am & 1.30- of a national law-and-order, anti-terrorism
access, from business centres and turbo- A number of hospitals have 24-hour emer-
3.30pm Mon-Fri). You must arrive early in the charged wi-fi to the receptionist’s dusty PC. campaign, but most visitors won’t even no-
morning for same-day testing. If a problem is tice it.) Foreigners should carry a passport gency facilities:
Oftentimes you can borrow a guest laptop. In-
diagnosed staff will provide free treatment im- room connections may be ISDN or modular, or a photocopy of the relevant data pages; a Boven-IJ Ziekenhuis (%634 63 46; Statenjachtstraat
mediately, but blood-test results take a week if there’s no wi-fi; if this is important, check driver’s licence isn’t sufficient. 1, Amsterdam Noord) Take bus 34 north from Centraal
(they’ll give you the results over the phone ahead with the hotel. You can drink beer and wine from age 16, Station.
if need be). The HIV Vereniging offers HIV There are a few internet cafés around town, and spirits from age 18, although bars and
testing on Friday nights (€20; ring for an ap- cafés are pretty lenient when it comes to proof Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (Map p129; %599 91 11; 1e
but they’re a dying breed with more and more Oosterparkstraat 1) At Oosterpark near the Tropenmuseum.
pointment), with results in 15 minutes. visitors logging in via hotel terminals or mo- of age. Coffeeshops require visitors be 18 or
There are bilingual telephone help lines for even 21 to enter and consume soft drugs. The The closest public hospital to the centre of town.
bile devices. Costs are roughly €1.50 to €2 per
those seeking information or a friendly ear: hour, via snappy high-speed lines. legal driving age is 18. St Lucas Andreas Ziekenhuis (Map pp58-9; %510 89
HIV Vereniging (Map p116; %616 01 60, help line 689 11; Jan Tooropstraat 164) In the western suburbs.
easyInternetcafé (Map pp62-5; www.easyeverything
25 77; www.hivnet.org; 1e Helmersstraat 17b-3; h2-
10pm Mon-Fri) National organisation for the HIV positive;
.co.uk; Damrak 33; h9am-10pm) Rows of aging self- MAPS Slotervaart Ziekenhuis (Map pp58-9; %512 93 33;
Louwesweg 6) In the southwestern suburbs.
service screens from the makers of easyJet. The maps in this book will probably suffice
provides personal assistance. for casual touring. Lonely Planet’s handy VU Medisch Centrum (Map pp58-9; %444 44 44; De
goPengo (Map pp62-5; www.gopengo.org; %771 97 58;
Schorer Foundation (Map pp100-1; %573 94 44; www Amsterdam City Map is plastic-coated against Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam Buitenveldert) Hospital of the
Staalstraat 28; h9am-midnight) Linux-loving nonprofit
.schorer.nl; Sarphatistraat 35; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) NGO the elements, and has a street index that covers VU (Vrije Universiteit; Free University).
outfit and defender of open-source software.
offering lesbian and gay health-care services; HIV preven- the most popular parts of the city.
tion, buddy care. Internet City (Map pp62-5; %620 12 92; Nieuwendijk Otherwise you’ll find a wide variety of maps
76; h9am-midnight) Over 100 terminals not far from
the main coffeeshop drag. Draws backpackers and bleary-
for sale at any VVV office, as well as at book- MONEY
stores and newsstands. The Netherlands uses the euro (€). If you’re
HOLIDAYS eyed party animals. coming with US dollars you’ll be aware that
the euro has appreciated sharply against the
Public Holidays Many coffeeshops double as internet cafés. MEDICAL SERVICES dollar in the past couple of years. As for the
People take public holidays seriously, and You can also surf the web for free at outlets The Netherlands has reciprocal health ar- denominations of the currency, there are €5,
if your Dutch visit collides with one, your of the public library (Openbare Bibliotheek); rangements with other EU countries and €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500 notes, and
plans may face a hiccup. Most museums try the following: Australia. If you’re an EU citizen, a Euro- €0.01, €0.02, €0.05, €0.10, €0.20, €0.50, €1 and
adopt Sunday hours on the days listed here Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (Map pp62-5; %523 pean Health Insurance Card (EUIC), avail- €2 coins (amounts under €1 are called cents).
(except Christmas and New Year, when they 09 00; Oosterdokskade 143; h10am-10pm) Free wi-fi able from health centres or, in the UK, post Euro notes are the same in all participating
are closed) even if they fall on a day when the and use of library terminals, in a stunning new edifice offices, covers you for most medical care. countries: coins have a ‘European’ side and
place would otherwise be closed. overlooking the city and harbour (see p71). You still might have to pay on the spot but a ‘national’ side (in the Netherlands, with an
Nieuwjaarsdag New Year’s Day, 1 January. Parties and Openbare Bibliotheek Roelof Hartplein (Map p110; you’ll be able to claim it back again at home. image of Queen Beatrix). All are legal ten-
fireworks galore. Citizens of other countries are advised to der throughout the euro zone area, although
%662 00 94; Roelof Hartplein 430; h2-8pm Mon &
Pasen (Easter) Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday); Eerste and Wed, 10am-5pm Tue & Fri, 11am-5pm Sat) Housed in a take out travel insurance; medical or dental many businesses will not accept notes larger
Tweede Paasdag (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday). fine Amsterdam School building. treatment is less expensive than in North than €50 because of the funny money in
America but still costs enough. circulation.
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lonelyplanet.com

To check the latest exchange rates, visit

PIN Cards are available (the same day), as is the Interna- Waterland district north of central Amsterdam. These tours

lonelyplanet.com
www.oanda.com. See also Costs & Money tional Herald Tribune. are less youth-oriented than Mike’s and are limited to 12
While in Amsterdam you’ll notice people
(p20). English-language ezines with widespread to 15 tour participants per guide. Tours depart from its
gleefully using ‘PIN’ cards everywhere, from
following include Expatica (www.expatica office. Reservations recommended.
shops to public telephones and cigarette
.com), which is tailored to the European expat
ATMs vending machines. These direct-debit cards
set, and Dutch News (www.dutchnews.nl), a
Automatic teller machines can be found out- look like credit or bank cards with little gold-
summary of daily happenings with a great Boat Tours
side most banks, at the airport and at Cen- printed circuit chips on them, but they won’t The companies mentioned here offer a vari-
news archive.
traal Station. Most accept credit cards such be of much use to visitors without a Dutch ety of boat tours (singular rondvaart, plural
as Visa and MasterCard/Eurocard, as well bank account. The Maestro direct-debit cards rondvaarten), from hour-long excursions on
as cash cards that access the Cirrus and Plus popular in Europe work just fine at ATMs. ORGANISED TOURS the inner canals (figure on around €9 per
person) to more elaborate tours of architec-
networks. Check with your home bank for For those with limited time on their hands,
ture on the Eastern Docklands, jazz cruises,
service charges before leaving. ATMs (cash-
points) are so widespread in Amsterdam that
Travellers Cheques a quick tour is not such a bad thing – it lets
dinner cruises and candlelight cruises. Sure
Banks charge a commission of 2% to 3% to you see a whole lot of stuff in a short period
we haven’t mapped them, except for one lo- so you can then decide where you’d like to they’re touristy but on a clear night with the
cash travellers cheques, and require passport
cation in the popular Jordaan district where spend more time. There’s a tour to suit every city lights a-twinkling, who’s to argue it’s not
ID. American Express and Thomas Cook are
ATMs are thin on the ground. taste in Amsterdam, ranging from bike rides delightful? Details are constantly being re-
the leading providers. However, shops, res-
to walking tours. Canal cruises are by far the vised, so check websites or phone for details.
taurants and hotels always prefer cash; a few
Some cruises are included in the I Amster-
Changing Money might accept travellers cheques but the rates
will be anybody’s guess. Direct ATM with-
most popular and are an absolute must. While
some are themed (jazz, candlelight, pizza – dam Card (p245).
Avoid the private exchange booths dotted
DIRECTORY NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES

DIRECTORY ORGANISED TOURS

you name it, they got it), some are simply To hire a paddle-powered Canal Bike, see
around tourist areas. They’re convenient and drawals via a credit card might make more
p252. For details of boat transport around
open late, but rates and commissions tend to sense for cost and convenience – check with practical, enabling you to link many sights in
town, see p240.
be lousy. Banks and the Postbank (at post your bank. a short time in the nicest way possible.
Eurocheques are on their way out, although Blue Boat Company (%679 13 70; www.blueboat.nl;
offices) stick to official exchange rates and
you can still cash them at banks and GWKs Stadhouderskade 30; 75min canal cruises adult/child
charge a sensible commission, as does GWK
Travelex (%0900 05 66), accessible at a number with a guarantee card. Few shops accept Bike Tours under 4yr/child 5-12yr €10/free/6; hevery 30min
them. Cycletours Holland (Map pp58-9; %627 90 32; www 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, every hr 10am-5pm Oct-Mar) Blue
of branches: Centraal Station (h8am-10pm Mon- .cycletours.com; Buiksloterweg 7a) This very experienced Boat’s main tour clocks in at 75 minutes. Evening cruises
Sat, 9am-10pm Sun); Damrak (Map pp62-5; Damrak 1-5; tour company offers a variety of longer tours (one week+) (€14.50/free/10) are offered three times a night from April
h9am-8.45pm); Leidseplein (Map pp100-1; Leidseplein NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES around the Netherlands by bicycle with accommodation in to September, and at 8pm only Thursday to Sunday the
31a; h9.15am-5.45pm) and Schiphol airport (h7am- Based in Amsterdam, De Telegraaf is the Neth- barge-boats for groups of 15 to 30 people. It caters mostly rest of the year. Tour boats depart from the Blue Boat dock
10pm). erlands’ biggest newspaper: an untidy, right- to people who book in advance from abroad, so contact near the Rijksmuseum.
wing daily with sensationalist news, good them well in advance (at least several weeks). A one-week Canal Bus (Map pp62-5;%623 98 86; www.canal.nl;
finance coverage, the closest thing you’ll find tour starts around €600 for cabin with shared facilities,
Credit Cards to a Dutch tabloid. Amsterdammers swear plus a €60 supplement in high season.
Weteringschans 26; day pass adult/child 5-12yr €18/12)
Offers a unique hop-on, hop-off canal boat service visiting
All the major international cards are recog- by Het Parool for its lowdown on the capi-
nised, and most hotels, restaurants and major Mike’s Bike Tours (Map pp100-1; %622 79 70; www most of the big destinations. Routes vary depending on
tal’s culture and politics. The highly regarded .mikesbikeamsterdam.com; Kerkstraat 134; adult/infant where you want to visit. At night, there is a delightful
stores accept them – but always check first to NRC Handelsblad, a merger of two elitist pa-
avoid disappointment. Some establishments in bike seat/child 12yr & under/student bike tour incl bike 1½-hour jazz cruise (€45, runs 8pm and 10pm Saturdays
pers from Rotterdam and Amsterdam, sets rental €22/free/15/19, bike & boat tour €29/free/20/25; from April to November). Sip drinks, enjoy light nibbles
levy a 5% surcharge (or more) on credit cards the country’s journalistic standards, while
to offset the commissions charged by card hbike tour 12.30pm Mar–mid-May & Sep-Nov, 11am and watch the city lights go by.
the populist Volkskrant has leftish leanings. & 4pm mid-May–Aug, bike & boat tour noon Tue-Sun
providers. The Financieële Dagblad is the country’s Classic Boat Dinners (Map p92;%330 19 10; www
To withdraw money at a bank counter Jun-Aug) These fantastic four-hour tours take you both .classicboatdinners.nl; Prinsengracht 391; €214 1st hr,
leading daily for financial and business news. around the centre of town and into the countryside, with
instead of through an ATM, go to a GWK You’ll occasionally see the Algemene Dag- then €195 per hr) Nothing is more romantic than dining
Travelex branch such as at Centraal Station stops at windmills and cheese farms. Guides have insider on this beautifully restored river launch, Klejn Amster-
blad, a middle-of-the-road paper that has lost knowledge of the city, and tours often end with a pub visit.
or Schiphol airport. You’ll need to show your ground to its competitors. Many commuters dam (1905), as you cruise the quieter canals, personal
passport. The ‘bike and boat’ tour (about five hours) includes drinks waiter on hand, feasting on a gastronomic silver-service
pick up copies of the free Metro, Spits or Dag on board and a visit to the Vondelpark. The meeting place
Report lost or stolen cards to the appropri- from racks in the train stations; leaf through six-course meal and marvellous wines. Propose during
ate 24-hour number. For American Express for all tours is the reflecting pool on Museumplein, right dessert and a yes is guaranteed. Also good for showing
and leave them on a seat for the next guy. behind the Rijksmuseum.
and Visa, phoning the emergency contact The English-language Amsterdam Weekly the boss around town.
number for your home country will speed (www.amsterdamweekly.nl) comes out each Yellow Bike Tours (Map pp62-5; %620 69 40; www Classic Canal Charters (Map p122; %421 08 25; www
things up. Thursday with useful cultural features and .yellowbike.nl; Nieuwezijds Kolk 29; city/countryside tour .classiccanalcharters.com; Czaar Peterstraat 147hs; €132-
American Express (%504 86 66) listings. English-speakers can easily find Eu- per person €19.50/27.50; hcity tour 9.30am & 1pm Sun- 316 per hr, minimum 1.5-2hr) Hires out authentic old
ropean editions of the Economist, Newsweek Fri, 9.30am & 2pm Sat, countryside tour 11am, all tours boats (converted cargo barges, sloops and salon boats) for
Diners Club (%654 55 11) Apr-1 Nov) Yellow Bike offered the original Amsterdam
and Time, as well as most of the major interna- six to 60 passengers for cruises (dinner, entertainment,
Eurocard and MasterCard (%Utrecht 030-283 55 55) tional newspapers at book stores such as Ath- bike tour, so it’s got it down pat. Choose from a three-hour outings etc) in Amsterdam and beyond. Rental includes
Visa (%660 06 11, 0800 022 31 10) enaeum (p137). The main British newspapers city tour or a six-hour countryside tour through the pretty skipper.

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 Holland International (%622 77 88; www.hir.nl; Prins
lonelyplanet.com

Centre offers fascinating one-hour tours of the Red Light

SAFETY

lonelyplanet.com
week pass €15/€27.50; h7am-11pm Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm
Hendrikkade 33a; 1hr cruise adult/child €11/6) Its one- District where it explains the nitty-gritty of how the busi- Sat & Sun) Large, well-equipped facility that has been
hour canal cruise (every 15 minutes 9am to 6pm and every ness works. You get to talk to a former prostitute about Theft is rare in normal hotel rooms, al-
though it’s always wise to deposit valuables renovated with a full complement of the latest machines;
30 minutes 6pm to 10pm) is to Amsterdam what the Eiffel her work and the neighbourhood. Profits go to the centre; it offers classes, plus sauna, steam, tanning beds and a
Tower is for Paris – experience it before you die. It also reservations are necessary. for safekeeping at the reception desk or, where
available, in your in-room safe. Theft is more ‘cardio theatre’.
has a roster of candlelight lunch and dinner cruises (adults Red Light District Tour (%623 63 02; www.zoom
€27.50 to €69, children €17.50 to €45). common at hostels; bring your own lock for Fitness First (Map pp62-5; %530 03 40; www2
amsterdam.com; per person €15; h5pm) Zoom Amster- your locker. .fitnessfirst.nl; Nieuwezijds Kolk 15; day €16, month pass
Rederij Lovers (Map pp62-5;%530 10 90; www.lovers dam offers this 2½-hour tour covering both the history and Watch out for pickpockets in crowded from €29; h7am-11pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat & Sun) A
.nl; Prins Hendrikkade 25-27; 1hr tour per person €9, culture (if you will) of the Red Light District. All questions markets and trams. Violent crime is rare, es- central location is not the only thing this modern gym has
Museumboat day pass per adult/child €17/13) Apart from are answered. Meet at the café inside the Schreierstoren pecially involving foreigners, although there going for it. There’s a full range of cardio and weightlifting
a one-hour canal tour (leaves every 30 or 45 minutes from (Prins Hendrikkade 94-95), across from Centraal Station. have been a small number of gay-bashing in- equipment, group classes, sauna, steam and aroma rooms,
the Lovers terminal in front of Centraal Station), there’s Urban Home and Garden Tours (%688 12 43, for last- cidents recently. sun beds, beauty treatments and free video loans for
a variety of night-time cruises, including the candlelight minute bookings 06 2168 1918; www.uhgt.nl; per person Cars with foreign registration are popular members.
cruise (€27.50, running 8.30pm from April to October, and incl drink €25; h10.15am Fri, 11.15am Sat, 12.15pm targets for smash-and-grab theft. Don’t leave
on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from November to Sun mid-Apr–mid-Oct) These well-regarded tours look at valuable items in the car; remove registra- Garden Gym (Map pp62-5; %626 87 72; www
March), with wine and Dutch cheese. Amsterdam dwellings from the perspective of home, garden tion and ID papers and the radio/stereo if .thegarden.nl; Jodenbreestraat 158; day pass €9-12.50,
and even gable. Visits include 18th-century, 19th-century possible. month pass €40-61; h9am-11pm Mon, Wed & Fri,
Don’t forget that the public ferries across the and contemporary homes. Tours take 2½ to three hours. If something is stolen, get a police report noon-11pm Tue, noon-10pm Thu, 9am-4pm Sat, 9am-
IJ river take in some worthy architecture in You’ll need to reserve ahead, and the meeting point for for insurance purposes, but don’t expect the 5pm Sun) Has been rated as Amsterdam’s best gym for
tours (near Rembrandtplein) will be revealed after you do. police to retrieve your property or apprehend women. The Garden Gym offers aerobics and feel-good
DIRECTORY POST

DIRECTORY SAFETY
Amsterdam-Noord and the Eastern Dock-
lands during crossings (see p240). the thief. C’est la vie. activities, including sauna, massage, physiotherapy and
There are occasionally some junkie types dietary advice.
POST around the Zeedijk and Gelderskade, and also
City Tours The postal service is fairly reliable and swift on the Nieuwendijk near Centraal Station. SAUNAS & BATHS
Keytours (Map pp62-5;%06 23 51 51; www.keytours with deliveries. Post offices are generally open Generally they won’t bother you if you don’t Saunas are mixed and there’s no prudish
.nl; Damrak 19; €15-55) Keytours is your one-stop shop 9am to 5pm weekdays. The main post office (Map bother them. swimsuit nonsense, so check your modesty
for city tours – on foot, bike, bus and boat – to all major p92; Singel 250; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) is large Bicycles are numerous and can be danger- at reception (or pick up an extra towel).
sights in and around Amsterdam. While its bus tours get and well equipped, and there’s also a branch ous for pedestrians. When crossing the street Note that gay saunas have another purpose
you to sights you wouldn’t normally see, buses are not the in the Stopera complex (Map pp62-5; Waterlooplein 10; or a bicycle lane look for speeding bikes – the entirely.
best option in town. The tranquil two-hour candlelit cruise h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1.30pm Sat). For queries ‘silent killers’, as we like to call them. Cyclists,
(€25) shows you the city at its loveliest. meanwhile, should take care to watch out Hammam (Map pp58-9; %681 48 18; www.hammam
about postal services ring %058-233 33 33
for unwitting foreign tourists in their paths. amsterdam.nl; Zaanstraat 88; adult/child 2-5yr/child
Lindbergh Tours (Map pp62-5;%622 27 66; www between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, or
And always, always, lock up your bike with 6-12yr €15/4/11; hnoon-10pm Tue-Fri, noon-8pm Sat
.lindbergh.nl; Damrak 26; €7.50-69) While this outfit offers 9am to 4pm Saturday.
a decent lock. & Sun, last entry 2½hr before closing) In the northwest
similar tours to Keytours, it also runs a city sightseeing bus The standard rate (‘priority’) for letters
Finally, two words: dog poo. The city is beyond the Haarlemmerpoort, Hammam is an attractive
tour with commentary, along with Rembrandt Tours, Red under 20g is €0.44 within the Netherlands,
trying though. Turkish-style place for women only, offering a range of spa
Light Tours and day trips out of Amsterdam such as the €0.72 within Europe, and €0.89 outside Eu-
treatments and victuals such as baklava.
Cheese Market and Windmill tour (€30). rope. Unless you’re sending mail within the
Koan Float (Map p92; %555 00 33; www.koanfloat.nl;
New Amsterdam Tours (%in Berlin 49 30 6908 8035; Amsterdam region, use the slot marked Over-
ige Postcodes (Other Postal Codes) on the red
SPORTS & ACTIVITIES Herengracht 321; floating 45/60min €30/38; h9.30am-
www.newamsterdamtours.com; tours free, donations
encouraged; h11am & 3pm) An entertaining three-hour letterboxes. When you buy stamps, you’ll have Health & Fitness 11pm) It’s not a sauna, but come here for salt-water
jaunt to the sights of the Medieval Centre and Red Light to buy a booklet of at least five, so stock up When the weather’s agreeable, it’s popular to floatation tanks – and have music piped in if you like.
District by slick young guides. Meet at the Tourist Informa- on postcards. hit the Vondelpark with your obligatory iPod Management swears that 45 minutes of soaking is the
tion Office (the white building) opposite Centraal Station, for a run. At other times locals hit the indoor equivalent of four hours’ sleep, and great for jet lag. The
rain or shine. fitness facilities to burn off that beer. massages are heavenly, performed by qualified masseurs.
Randy Roy’s Redlight Tours (%06 4185 3288; www
RADIO Inquire about special deals.
Radio stations include Q-music (100.7 FM, GYMS
.randyroysredlighttours.com; per person incl drink €12.50; www.qmusic.nl), Radio 538 (102.1 FM, www Sauna Deco (Map p92; %623 82 15; www.saunadeco
Apart from the places listed below, several .nl; Herengracht 115; admission noon-3pm Mon-Fri €14,
h8pm Sun-Thu, 8pm & 10pm Fri & Sat) The darkest .radio538.nl) and Sky Radio (101.2 FM, www
secrets of Mike Tyson, Quentin Tarantino and other celebs hotels also have fitness centres for day use, in- all other times €15; hnoon-11pm Mon-Sat, 1-6pm Sun)
.skyradio.nl), plus offerings from RTL (www.rtl cluding the Splash Fitnessclub (Map pp62-5; %621 22
feature in this lively 1½-hour tour of the Red Light District, .nl) and NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, Sauna Deco is a stunning Scandinavian-style sauna with
conducted by long-time Amsterdam resident Kimberley. 23; www.splashrenaissance.nl; Kattengat 1) at the Renais- good auxiliary facilities, a snack bar and lots of well-toned
www.nos.nl). All have streaming and broad- sance Hotel and Amsterdam Fitness & Health
Meet in front of the Victoria Hotel (Damrak 1-5) opposite cast half-hourly news reports (in Dutch), with customers. The building itself is a gem, an early creation
Centraal Station. Club (Map p116) at the NH Amsterdam Centre. of architect HP Berlage; its Art Deco furnishings used to
Europop and chat sandwiched in between. Squash City (p254) also has full facilities.
Red Light District Tour (%420 73 28; www.pic BBC Radio 4 (198kHz FM) and BBC Radio grace a Parisian department store. Massages and facials
-amsterdam.com; Engestraat 3; €12.50; h11am Tue, 5 (693kHz FM, sports) lead the English- Barry’s Health Centre (Map pp100-1; %626 10 36; are also available; inquire for rates. Credit cards and PIN
Wed & Fri, 6pm Fri & Sat) The Prostitutes Information language content. www.barryshealthcentre.nl; Lijnbaansgracht 350; day/ cards are not accepted.

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SWIMMING Outdoor Activities destination for Rollerbladers and skateboard-

lonelyplanet.com
Openbare Golfbaan Sloten (%614 24 02; Sloterweg
Amsterdam has a number of indoor pools 1045; 9 holes €13-18; h8.30am-dusk May-Aug, to 8pm ers alike. Good places to practice your moves
Soccer, ice-skating, cycling, tennis, swimming
and summer outdoor pools, some of them Mon-Fri Sep-Apr), located on the southwest side include the asphalt trails in the lovely Von-
and sailing are just a few activities that keep
historic and very cool. However, we strongly of town, also consists of nine holes. Take bus delpark (p115), the half-pipe on Museumplein
the locals fit – and of course jogging, which is
recommend that you phone before you set 145. (p111) and the long, straight waterside roads of
popular in the Vondelpark and other parks.
out. In recent years, some indoor pools shut Java Eiland in the Eastern Docklands (Map p122).
The Amsterdamse Bos has several walking
down in summer to save money, and hours HOCKEY If the weather’s dry, also check out the Friday
and jogging trails for serious exercise. Bikes
can vary from day to day or season to season. Dutch (field) hockey teams compete at world- Night Skate, a popular rolling tour through
are available for rent in many corners of town
Few are open past 7pm. Also, note that ses- championship level. In contrast to football Amsterdam (see the boxed text, p117).
(see p240) and bike tours are available (p249).
sions are often restricted for children, nudes, (soccer), which is played mainly by boys in You can rent in-line skates at De Vondeltuin
The whole coast of Holland is one long
seniors, sports clubs, women, you name it. beach, backed by extensive dunes that are school yards, streets and parks, hockey is still a (Map p116; %664 50 91; www.vondeltuin.nl; Vondelpark
ideal for walks. The closest seaside resort is somewhat elitist sport played by either sex on 7) for one/two/three hours for €5/7.50/10
Bijlmersportcentrum (%697 25 01; Bijlmerpark 76, from March to October. This kiosk is located
Bijlmer; adult/child €2.90/2.60; hTue, Thu, Sat & Sun, Zandvoort, but quieter resorts can be found expensive club fields. For this reason, visitors
further north, such as Castricum north of will have a hard time playing unless they can near the Amstelveenseweg entrance at the
ring for times) Near Bijlmer metro station, this sports southwestern end of the park. Prices include
centre has indoor and outdoor pools with a mixture of lane IJmuiden, or Egmond and Bergen a bit further become affiliated with a team. The season is
north near Alkmaar. similar to that for soccer. For information and protective helmet and knee and elbow pads.
swimming and family free swims. Skateboarders are advised to bring their own
For information about sport and leisure matches, contact Hockey Club Hurley (%645 44 68;
de Mirandabad (Map pp58-9; %536 44 44; De Miran- activities and venues, visit the City Hall Infor- Amsterdamse Bos, Nieuwe Kalfjeslaan 21; h4pm-midnight gear to Amsterdam as rentals are thin on the
dalaan 9; adult/concession €3.30/2.60; hring for times) mation Centre (Map pp62-5; %624 11 11; Amstel 1) in Mon-Fri, 8.30am-6pm Sat, 8.30am-8pm Sun). ground.
A tropical ‘aquatic centre’, complete with beach and wave the arcade between the Stopera and the city
DIRECTORY SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

DIRECTORY SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

machine, indoor and outdoor pools, tanning booths and hall. Local community centres (in the phone- ICE-SKATING KORFBALL
waterslide, the Mirandabad is south of the city centre. This book under Buurtcentrum) organise fitness When the canals freeze over in winter (which, This sport elicits giggles from foreigners who
is probably the city’s best facility for those with little ones. courses. to skaters, doesn’t happen enough) everyone don’t quite grasp its charms. Korfball (liter-
There are also squash courts. goes for a skate. Lakes and waterways fill up ally ‘basketball’) is a lively hybrid of netball,
Flevoparkbad (Map pp58-9; %692 50 30; Insulindeweg CANAL BIKES with skaters, their colourful scarves trailing in volleyball and basketball, a passing game
1002; adult/senior/child 3-15yr €2.50/1.90/2.40; Explore the city from a different perspective the wind. Be aware, however, that people break where male and female players ultimately
h10am-5.30pm May-early Sep, to 7pm in hot weather) with a pedal around the canals. Don’t worry, through the ice and drown every year, so be target a hoop standing 3.5m high, far taller
Located east of the city centre, there’s only an outdoor pool it isn’t as much work as it sounds. As long wary unless you see large groups of people. than in American basketball. It’s billed as
here, but it’s packed when the mercury rises. Take tram 7 as you don’t mind getting a little bit wet, it The edges and areas under bridges are hazard- the world’s only unisex sport, with dozens of
or 14 to the end. is lots of fun. ous because they often don’t freeze properly. active clubs in the Benelux and even a global
Canal Bike (per hr per person €8, more than 2 people per You can only rent skates at a skating rink. championship. For information on venues in
Floraparkbad (Map pp58-9; %632 90 30; Sneeuwbal- boat €7, plus €50 deposit; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, later on A pair of simple hockey skates costs upwards Amsterdam, contact the Amsterdam Sport Council
weg 5, Amsterdam Noord; adult/child €3.50/3) Florapark of €50 at department stores and sports shops. (%552 24 90).
warm nights in summer), affiliated with Canal Bus
has indoor and outdoor pools, an enormous 65m slide, Hockey skates are a cinch for learners, but
(p249), allows you to explore the canals yourself
kids’ play area and a good sunbathing section, not to at water level. Landing stages are by the Rijks- figure skates are difficult to master. Speed SAILING
mention a sauna and lots of different courses. museum, Leidseplein, Anne Frank Huis and skates put a lot of strain on the ankles, but It should come as no surprise that the Dutch
Marnixbad (Map p86; %625 48 43; Marnixplein 5-9; the corner of Keizersgracht and Leidsestraat. are definitely the preferred option for serious, are avid sailors. Yachting is a national sport –
h10am-4pm Mon-Sat) This fancy new complex is the The Rijksmuseum location (Map pp100–1) is high-speed outings. Wood-framed skates that the word ‘yacht’, after all, comes from the
only place in central Amsterdam where lap swimming is open year-round, and there are limited hours you tie under your shoes can be picked up Dutch jachtschip, or ‘chase ship’. This includes
possible, in a 25m pool. While swimming turn your head at other locations. cheaply at antique and bric-a-brac shops. They modern open boats and yachts, but also a
to the waters of the Singelgracht at eye level right outside make you look quaint but make no mistake, more traditional kind revered here like no-
the window. The in-house sauna isn’t bad either. GOLF you’ll move like the wind if they’re sharpened. where else. On weekends a fleet of restored
Golf was long derided as something for the Besides, they make great souvenirs. flat-bottomed boats, called the ‘brown fleet’
Sloterparkbad (Map pp58-9; %506 35 06; Sloter- The Ijscomplex Jaap Eden (Map pp58-9; %694 96
elite but has become increasingly popular in because of their reddish-brown sails, criss-
meerlaan 2-4; adult or child €3.75, child under 2yr free; 52; Radioweg 64; adult/child under 15yr & senior €5.10/3.20;
recent years. However, don’t go expecting cross the Ijsselmeer north of Amsterdam.
hTue-Sun) Set in an attractive recreational area with a lush rolling links such as at St Andrew’s. The hOct–mid-Mar, ring for hours), in the eastern sub-
yacht harbour in the western suburbs, next to the terminus Some are privately owned but many are
Netherlands space crunch means that land urb of Watergraafsmeer, has an indoor and rented, and sailing on one is an unforget-
of tram 14, this place has indoor and outdoor pools. The outdoor rink. Get there on tram 9 to Kruislaan/
is usually more profitably put to other uses. table experience.
latter can get overcrowded, but this bath is known for a Middenweg.
Look under Golfbanen in the pink pages of the Vessels on offer range from ancient pilot
less frequented nudist island, past the pools and across a In winter you can also skate on the frozen
phone book for several other options. boats to enormous four-masted clippers.
causeway. In summer, on cold, rainy days the indoor pool pond on Museumplein, looking like the top
Borchland Sportcentrum (%563 33 33; www.borchland Among the more affordable options are bot-
opens. of a wind-up jewellery box.
.nl; Borchlandweg 6-12; 9 holes daylight €15, evenings €20; ters, one-time fishing boats with a sleeping
Zuiderbad (Map p110; %678 13 90; Hobbemastraat 26; h8am-11pm Mon-Thu, to 9pm Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun) has berth for around eight people, from about
adult/child €3/2.70) This 1912 edifice behind the Rijksmu- a nine-hole all par-three course. Call for hours INLINE SKATING & SKATEBOARDING €400 per day including skipper. Larger groups
seum has been restored to its original glory, full of tiles, of tutored courses or to set up a private lesson. Amsterdam’s extensive bike paths and could rent a converted freight barge known as
character and appreciative paddlers. Take the metro to Strandvliet. flat, open expanses make the city a dream a tjalk, a Frisian design with jib and spritsail
252 253
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rig, from about €600 per day. The best web big event. Dutch football is ‘cool’ and ‘techni- Incoming calls to mobile phones are gener- Orange and Vodaphone, among them – who

lonelyplanet.com
portals include www.zeilklippers.nl, where cal’, characterised by keep-the-ball play and ally free to the recipient (assuming it’s a Dutch usually have better rates. Train stations have
you can tailor your needs to the port of de- surgical strikes. This, after all, is the cradle of mobile phone used in the Netherlands). Telfort phone booths that require a Telfort
parture (eg Amsterdam), type of boat, number ‘Total Football’. Coin phones have made a comeback, but card (available at GWK offices or ticket
of passengers and more. Costs are quite rea- Amsterdam Arena (%311 13 33; www.amsterdam card phones still predominate. You can easily counters), although there should be KPN
sonable if you can muster a group of fellow arena.nl; Arena Blvd 1, Bijlmermeer) is where Ajax pick up a phone card (see below). Many public booths nearby.
enthusiasts, and remember – prices are always plays. This amazing hi-tech complex with a phones accept credit cards, although starting
negotiable. retractable roof seats 52,000 spectators and fees are stiff and cards issued outside of the
Some places only rent boats for day trips, has hosted many a major league champion- Netherlands may require extra steps during TIME
but it’s much more fun to go for a full week- ship. It also has an Ajax museum with cups dialling. The Central European time zone (same as
end. A popular arrangement: you arrive at and other paraphernalia. Soccer games usu- Berlin and Paris) is one hour ahead of the
the boat Friday at 8pm, sleep on board, sail ally take place Saturday evening and Sunday UK, six hours ahead of New York, nine hours
out early the next morning, and visit several afternoon during the playing season (early Mobile Phones ahead of Los Angeles and eight hours behind
destinations around the IJsselmeer before September to early June, with a winter break The Netherlands uses GSM 900/1800, com- Sydney. For Daylight Savings Time, clocks
returning late Sunday afternoon. Note that from just before Christmas to the end of Janu- patible with the rest of Europe and Australia are put forward one hour at 2am on the last
cancellation insurance is rarely available, and ary). Take the metro to Bijlmer or Strandvliet/ but not with the North American GSM 1900 Sunday in March and back again at 3am on
that trips will be called off in heavy weather. ArenA station. (some convertible phones work in both the last Sunday in October.
Readers have recommended the one-hour places). When telling the time, be aware that the
Prepaid mobile phones, which run on chips Dutch use ‘half’ to indicate ‘half before’ the
TENNIS & SQUASH guided stadium tour (%311 13 36; adult/child €10/8.50; that store call credits, are available at mobile-
More courts are listed under Tennisbanen h11am-4.30pm Apr-Sep, noon-4pm Mon-Sat Oct-Mar, hour. If you say ‘half eight’ (8.30 in some dia-
DIRECTORY TELEPHONE

DIRECTORY TIME
phone shops starting from around €35 when
and Squashbanen in the pink pages of the except on game days or major events). The tour includes lects of English), a Dutch person will take this
on special. You can also buy SIM cards for
phone book. a walk on the hallowed turf and entry to the to mean 7.30.
your own mobile phone. Look for KPN, Tel-
Borchland Sportcentrum (%563 33 33; Borchlandweg museum. fort, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone shops in
6-12; per hr tennis 8am-4pm Mon-Fri €15.50, 4-10pm major shopping areas including along Rokin, TOILETS
Mon-Fri or all day Sat & Sun €23, squash until 4pm Mon-
Thu €8, after 4pm Mon-Thu €15, after 4pm Fri or all day TELEPHONE Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat. Some stores,
such as T for Telecom and Bel Company, han-
These are not a widespread facility on Dutch
Sat & Sun €10; h8am-11pm) A huge complex next to The Dutch phone network, KPN, is effi- streets, apart from the redolent, free-standing
cient, and prices are reasonable by European dle many brands. public urinals for men in places such as the
the Amsterdam ArenA in the Bijlmer, it has tennis, squash New prepaid phones generally come with a
and badminton courts, bowling alleys, golf and other facili- standards. Phone booths are scattered around Red Light District. Many people duck into a
town. small amount of call time already stored. To café or department store. The standard fee for
ties including a restaurant. Take the metro to Strandvliet. top it up, purchase more minutes at one of the
Collect call (collect gesprek; domestic%0800 01 01, free toilet attendants is €0.50.
Squash City (Map p86; %626 78 83; www.squashcity branded stores, news dealers or supermarkets,
.com; Ketelmakerstraat 6; day pass €7-14, month pass call; international%0800 04 10, free call). and follow the instructions.
€32-75; h8.45am-midnight Mon, 7am-midnight Tue- International directory inquiries (%0900 84 18, per
number €1.15).
TOURIST INFORMATION
Thu, 7am-11.30pm Fri, 8.45am-7.30pm Sat & Sun) Located
across the railway line Haarlemmerplein, at Bickerseiland, National directory inquiries (%1888, per number
Phone Codes Maps, theatre tickets, hotel bookings and
answers to your queries can be obtained at
To ring abroad, dial %00 followed by the
west of Centraal Station. Sauna is included with squash- €1.30). the VVV’s Amsterdam Tourist Office (Vereniging voor
country code for your target country, the area
court hire, as is use of a well-equipped fitness centre. Vreemdelingenverkeer, Netherlands Tourism Board; www
Operator assistance (%0800 04 10, free call). code (you usually drop the leading 0 if there is
Admission price depends on the services you want to use. .holland.com). Its staff are always helpful, even
one) and the subscriber number. The country
Tenniscentrum Amstelpark (Map pp58-9; %301 07 00; code for calling the Netherlands is %31 and if the offices can be quite busy. Note that
www.amstelpark.nl; Koenenkade 8; court hire per hr sum- Costs the area code for Amsterdam is %020; again, most VVV publications cost money and there
mer €20, per hr winter outdoor/indoor €20/25) Amstelpark Calls are time-based, anytime and anywhere. drop the leading 0 if you’re calling from out- are commissions for services such as hotel
has 42 open and covered courts and runs the country’s KPN Telecom public phone boxes charge side the Netherlands. Do not dial the city code bookings.
biggest tennis school. It’s conveniently close to the World €0.10 per 15 seconds for all national calls if you are in the area covered by it. The VVV information number (%0900 400 40 40;
Trade Center and RAI exhibition buildings, and there are (minimum charge €0.20), and €0.10 per nine h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) costs €0.40 a minute; from
seconds for calling a mobile phone. Phones Free information calls (%0800)
fitness facilities as well. abroad call %020-551 25 25 (no extra charge).
in cafés, supermarkets and hotel lobbies often Mobile or pager numbers (%06)
Offices include inside Centraal Station (Map pp62-5;
charge more. Calling from private phones is Paid information calls (%0900) Cost varies between
Watching Sport considerably cheaper. €0.10 and €1.30 per minute.
h8am-8pm Mon-Thu & Sat, 8am-9pm Fri, 9am-5pm Sun)
by platform 2; in front of Centraal Station (Map
FOOTBALL (SOCCER) The cost of international calls varies with
Local club Ajax features prominently in the the destination, and changes frequently due pp62-5; Stationsplein 10; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri); just off
local competition and usually qualifies for the to competition. At the time of writing, calls to Phonecards Leidseplein (Map p116; Stadhouderskade 1; h10am-6pm);
UEFA Champions League, Europe’s top com- Britain and the USA cost €0.056 to €0.071 per For public telephones, cards are available at as well as at the Holland Tourist Information (h7am-
petition. Other Dutch leaders are PSV (the minute respectively, and Australia €0.19. The post offices, train station counters, VVV and 10pm) at Schiphol airport.
Philips Sport Association) from Eindhoven connection charge is about €0.10. To all three GWK offices and tobacco shops for €5, €10 For anything related to entertainment, head
and Feyenoord from Rotterdam, and if any countries, rates jump to €0.10 every 13 seconds and €20. KPN’s card is the most common but to Amsterdam’s Uitburo (Map pp100-1; %0900 01
of these clubs play against one another, it’s a when ringing from a KPN phone box. there are tonnes of competitors – T-Mobile, 91, per minute €0.40; www.aub.nl in Dutch; cnr Leidseplein &
254 255
lonelyplanet.com

Marnixstraat), which has loads of free brochures Fees vary between €35 and €60, depending on
Doing Business If you’re looking to rent office space and

lonelyplanet.com
and sells tickets (with a €1.50 mark-up). For your nationality. other facilities, try Euro Business Center (Map p92;
bookings from abroad, try the National Reserva- Visa extensions are handled by the Immigratie Amsterdam makes much of its gateway func- %520 75 00; www.eurobc.nl; Keizersgracht 62-64) or
tions Centre (%31 70 320 25 00). en Naturalisatiedienst (Immigration & Naturalisation Service; tion to Europe, with its busy airport, easy- Regus Business Centre (Map pp58-9; %800 020 20 00; www
going tax laws and educated, multilingual .regus.com; Strawinskylaan 3051). For services such
%0900 123 45 61, per minute €0.10; www.ind.nl; Postbus
workforce. Many large international compa- as copying, videoconferencing and a courier,
3211, 2280 GE Rijswijk). Study visas must be applied
TRAVELLERS WITH for via your college or university in the Neth- nies have their European headquarters and
distribution in Amsterdam.
seek out FedEx/Kinko’s (Map p116; %0589 09 10; www
.kinkos.nl; Overtoom 62).
DISABILITIES erlands. For working visas, see below. Also visit
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe
Travellers with reduced mobility will find /netherlands for up-to-date visa information,
Amsterdam only moderately well equipped or check with the Dutch embassy or consulate
to meet their needs. Most offices and mus- in your home country
eums have lifts and/or ramps and toilets for
the disabled. But many budget and midrange
hotels are in old buildings with steep stairs WOMEN TRAVELLERS
and no lifts, and hoteliers’ hands are often tied Equality has long been taken for granted,
as registered monuments cannot be altered although far fewer women than men are em-
structurally. In addition, the cobbled streets ployed full-time, and fewer still hold positions
can present problems for wheelchairs. Res- in senior management.
taurants tend to be on ground floors, though In terms of safety, Amsterdam is probably
DIRECTORY TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES

DIRECTORY WORK
‘ground’ sometimes includes a few steps. The as secure as it gets in the major cities of Eu-
metro stations have lifts, many trains have rope. There’s little street harassment, even in
wheelchair access, and most train stations and the Red Light District, although it’s best to
public buildings have toilets for the disabled. walk with a friend to minimise unwelcome
People with a disability get discounts on attention.
public transport and can park free in desig- Centrum voor Seksuele Gezondheid (Map p122; %624
nated spots, provided they have a windscreen 54 26; Sarphatistraat 618; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, Tue also
marker. There are train timetables published 6-9pm, by appointment) is a clinic offering informa-
in Braille. tion and help with sexual problems and birth
The Amsterdam Uitburo and the VVV (see control, including morning-after pills.
p255) can provide details regarding access to en-
tertainment venues and museums. More ques-
tions? Contact the Stichting Gehandicapten Overleg WORK
Amsterdam (Map p122; SGOA, Amsterdam Forum for the Dis- Work permits must be applied for by your
abled; %577 79 55; www.sgoa.nl; Plantage Middenlaan 141). employer in the Netherlands; in general, the
employer must prove that the position cannot
be filled by someone from within the EU be-
VISAS fore offering it to a non-EU citizen. Nationals
Tourists from nearly 60 countries – including from many countries must apply for a Tem-
Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, porary Entry Permit (MVV or Machtiging tot
Singapore, South Korea, the USA and most of Voorlopig Verblijf). Citizens of EU countries,
Europe – need only a valid passport to visit Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Monaco,
the Netherlands for up to three months. EU New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the
nationals can enter for three months with just USA are exempt.
their national identity card or a passport that You’ll need to apply for temporary resi-
expired less than five years ago. dence before an employer can ask for your
Nationals of most other countries need a work permit. The process should take five
so-called Schengen visa, valid within the EU weeks; contact the Dutch embassy or consu-
member states (except the UK and Ireland), late in your home country.
plus Norway and Iceland, for 90 days within In the Netherlands, residency permits
a six-month period. are issued by the Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst
Schengen visas are issued by Dutch em- (%0900 123 45 61, per minute €0.10; www.ind.nl; Postbus
bassies or consulates overseas and can take a 3211, 2280 GE Rijswijk). For details of work permits,
while to process (like two months). You’ll need contact the CWI (Employment Services Authority; %0800
a passport valid until at least three months 80 01; Westwaarts 11, 2701 AD Zoetermeer). The CWI
after your visit, and prove you have suffi- also runs a bilingual website (www.werk.nl)
cient funds for your stay and return journey. with up-to-date job offers.
256 257
 12 twaalf I want to buy ...
L AN G UAG E 13
14
dertien
veertien
Ik wil een ... kopen.
an aerogram luchtpostblad/
15 vijftien aerogram
16 zestien an envelope envelop
It’s true – anyone can speak another language. Don’t worry if you haven’t studied languages 17 zeventien a stamp postzegel
before or that you studied a language at school for years and can’t remember any of it. It 18 achttien
doesn’t even matter if you failed English grammar. After all, that’s never affected your abil- 19 negentien
ity to speak English! And this is the key to picking up a language in another country. You 20 twintig Phone & Mobile Phones
just need to start speaking. 21 eenentwintig I want to buy a phone card.
Learn a few key phrases before you go. Write them on pieces of paper Ik wil een telefoonkaart kopen.
22 tweeëntwintig
and stick them on the fridge, by the bed or even on the computer – anywhere 30 dertig
that you’ll see them often. I want to make ...
40 veertig Ik wil ...
You’ll find that locals appreciate travellers trying their language, no 50 vijftig
matter how muddled you may think you sound. So don’t just stand a call (to ... ) telefoneren (naar ... )
60 zestig reverse-charge/ voor rekening van de
there, say something! If you want to learn more Dutch than we’ve 70 zeventig collect call opgeroepene
included here, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet’s user-friendly Dutch 80 tachtig telefoneren
Phrasebook. 90 negentig
100 honderd Where can I find a/an ...?
1000 duizend Waar vind ik een ...?
2000 tweeduizend I’d like a/an ...
SOCIAL today
tonight
vandaag
vanavond
Ik wil graag een ...
Meeting People Days adaptor plug
charger for my
adaptor plug
lader voor mijn
Hello. Where are the ...? Monday maandag
Tuesday dinsdag phone telefoon
Dag/Hallo. Waar zijn de ... (rechargeable) (herlaadbare) batterij
clubs (nacht)clubs Wednesday woensdag
LANGUAGE SOCIAL

LANGUAGE PRACTICAL
Goodbye. battery for my voor mijn telefoon
Dag. gay venues gay clubs en cafés Thursday donderdag
phone
Please. places to eat eetgelegenheden/ Friday vrijdag
mobile/cell GSM (telefoon) huren
Alstublieft/Alsjeblieft. (pol/inf) restaurants Saturday zaterdag phone for hire
Thank you. pubs cafés/kroegen Sunday zondag prepaid mobile/ voorafbetaalde GSM
Dank u/je (wel). (pol/inf) cell phone (telefoon)
Thank you very much. Is there a local entertainment guide?
Hartelijk bedankt. Heeft u een plaatselijke uitgaansgids?
Banking SIM card for
your network
SIM-kaart voor uw
netwerk
Yes/No. I’d like to ...
Ja/Nee. Ik wil graag ...
Do you speak English? PRACTICAL cash a cheque
change money
een cheque wisselen
geld/cash wisselen
Internet
Spreekt u/Spreek je Engels? (pol/inf) Where’s the local internet café?
Do you understand (me)? Question Words change some (een paar) reischeques Waar is het plaatselijke internetcafé?
Begrijpt u/Begrijp je (me)? (pol/inf) Who? Wie? travellers cheques wisselen
Yes, I understand. What? Wat? I’d like to ...
Ja, ik begrijp het. When? Wanneer? Where’s the nearest ...? Ik wil graag ...
No, I don’t understand. Where? Waar? Waar is ...? check my email mijn email checken
Nee, ik begrijp het niet. How? Hoe? automatic teller de dichtsbijzijnde get online op het net gaan
machine geldautomaat
foreign exchange het dichtsbijzijnde
Could you please ...?
Kunt u ... alstublieft?
Numbers & Amounts office wisselkantoor Transport
1 één What time does the ... leave?
repeat that dat herhalen
2 twee Hoe laat vertrekt ...?
speak more trager spreken
slowly 3 drie Post bus de bus
write it down dat opschrijven 4 vier Where is the post office? ferry de veerboot/ferry
5 vijf Waar is het postkantoor? train de trein
6 zes
Going Out 7 zeven I want to send a ... What time’s the ... bus?
What’s on ...? 8 acht IkGLOSSARY
wil een ... versturen. Hoe laat is de ... bus?
Wat is er ... te doen? 9 negen fax fax first eerste
locally hier 10 tien parcel pakket last laatste
this weekend dit weekend 11 elf postcard briefkaart next volgende
258 259
 Are you free? (taxi)
Bent u vrij? EMERGENCIES plage – beach straat – street
Please put the meter on. It’s an emergency! plein – square strand – beach
Gebruik de meter alstublieft. Dit is een noodgeval! polder – area of drained land strippenkaart – stampable multi-use ticket used on
How much is it to ...? Could you please help me/us? postbus – post office box public transport
Kunt u me/ons alstublieft helpen? toren – tower
Hoeveel kost het naar ...? Randstad – literally ‘rim-city’; the urban agglomeration
Call the police/a doctor/an ambulance!
Please take me to (this address). including Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Den Haag VVV – tourist office
Haal de politie/een dokter/een ziekenwagen!
Breng mij alstublieft naar (dit address). rondvaart – boat tour
Where’s the police station? waag – old weigh house
Waar is het politiebureau? spionnetje – outside mirror allowing a house occupant wallen – Red Light District
FOOD to see who’s at the door downstairs wielklem – wheel clamp attached to illegally parked
vehicles
For more detailed information on food and
dining out, see p156.
HEALTH stadhuis – town hall
stedelijk – civic, municipal zaal – hall
Where’s the nearest ...?
Waar is de dichtsbijzijnde ...? stichting – foundation, institute ziekenhuis – hospital
breakfast ontbijt chemist (night) apotheek (met nacht-
lunch lunch/middageten dienst)
dinner diner/avondeten doctor dokter
snack snack hospital ziekenhuis
eat eten
drink drinken I need a doctor (who speaks English).
Ik heb een dokter nodig (die Engels
Can you recommend a ... spreekt).
Kunt u een ... aanbevelen? (pol)
Kan je een ... aanbevelen? (inf)
bar/pub bar/café Symptoms
café café/koffiehuis I have (a) ...
LANGUAGE FOOD

LANGUAGE GLOSSARY
coffeeshop koffieshop (note: a café Ik heb ...
where legal soft drugs fever koorts
are sold) headache hoofdpijn
restaurant restaurant pain pijn

GLOSSARY grachtengordel – canal belt

GVB – Gemeentevervoerbedrijf; Amsterdam municipal
apotheek – chemist/pharmacy transport authority
bibliotheek – library GWK – Grenswisselkantoor; official currency exchanges
bier – beer hof – courtyard
bos – woods, forest hofje – almshouse or series of buildings around a small
broodje – breadroll (with filling)
courtyard, such as the Begijnhof
bruin café – brown café; traditional Dutch pub
burgwal – fortified embankment jenever – Dutch gin; also spelled genever
café – pub, bar; also known as kroeg kaas – cheese
coffeeshop (also spelt koffieshop in Dutch) – café kade – quay
authorised to sell cannabis kassa – cashier, check-out
CS – Centraal Station kerk – church
koffiehuis – espresso bar (as distinct from a coffeeshop)
dagschotel – daily special in restaurants
drop – salted or sweet liquorice koninklijk – royal
dwarsstraat – street connecting two (former) canals korfball – a cross between netball, volleyball and
basketball
eetcafé – cafés serving meals
markt – town square © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
fiets – bicycle merguez – type of spicy sausage
gasthuis – hospice, hospital (old)
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
GLOSSARY
gezellig – convivial, cosy
NS – Nederlandse Spoorwegen; national railway company
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
GG&GD – Municipal Medical & Health Service openbare – public
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
gracht – canal paleis – palace
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
260 261
 © Lonely Planet Publications

INDEX
See also separate Alkmaar 236-7, 236 bus travel 243 coffeeshops 179, see also
indexes for: ambulance 245 business hours 244, see also Drinking & Smoking
Drinking Amsterdam Marathon 19 inside front cover subindex
& Smoking p268 Amsterdam Pride Festival cafés 157, 180 business hours 180
Eating p269 18, 12 coffeeshops 180 comedy 201, see also
Gay & Lesbian Amsterdam Underground restaurants 157 Nightlife & Arts subindex
Amsterdam p270 Festival 19 shops 136 Commemoration of the
Nightlife & Arts p270 Anne Frank 94 February Strike 16
Shopping p270 Anne Frank Huis 93 C consulates 245
apartments 211, see also cafés, see Drinking & costs 20
Sights p272
Sleeping subindex Smoking subindex, accommodation 211-12
Sleeping p273 beer 180
architecture 45-52 Eating subindex, food
Top Picks p274 arts 32-42, 196-202, discount cards 107, 245
Calvinism 23
see also individual arts, Canal Belt 77, 91, see also food 157
SYMBOLS Nightlife & Arts subindex Southern Canal Belt, marijuana 180
5 Days Off 18 taxes 136
ATMs 248 Western Canal Belt
canal bikes 240, 252, 9 courses 245
A B canal boats 240 credit cards 248
Aalsmeer 238
B&Bs 210, see also canal buses 240 culture 3, 30-2, 184
accommodation
Sleeping subindex canals 77, see also customs regulations 245
210-24, see also
babysitters 244 Sights subindex Cuypers, Pierre 50
Sleeping subindex
bargaining 136-7 cannabis, see marijuana cycling 17, 125, 240, 2, 9
apartments 211
bars, see Drinking & Cannabis Cup 19 cycling tours 126-7, 132-4,
B&Bs 210
Smoking subindex car travel 241-2 249, 126, 132, 133
City Centre 212-14
costs 211-12 bathrooms 255 Carnaval 16
De Pijp 222 baths 251 cell phones 255 D
Eastern Docklands 223-4 beer 178 Centraal Station 70-1 Dam 69
houseboats 210 costs 180 chess 191 Dam Tot DamLoop 19
Jordaan 214-15 beer cafés 179, see also children, travel with 105, dance 41, 201-2, see also
Medieval Centre 212-13 Drinking & Smoking 244, see also Nightlife & Arts subindex
Nieuwmarkt 214 subindex Sights subindex Dance Valley 18
Old South 219-20 Berlage, Hendrik Petrus 51 churches, see de Keyser, Hendrick 48
Oosterpark 224 bicycle travel, see cycling Sights subindex De Pijp 118-20, 119
party hotels 210-11 bike tours, see cycling tours cinema 39, 200-1, see also accommodation 222

INDEX
Plantage 223 blues 197-8, see also film, Nightlife & Arts drinking 192
Red Light District 213-14 Nightlife & Arts subindex subindex food 171-3
rentals 211 boat tours City Centre 61-83, 62-5 shopping 153
reservations 211 Alkmaar 237 accommodation 212-14 De Ronde Hoep 132
Southern Canal Belt Amsterdam 249-50 drinking 180-5 designer bars 179, see also
217-19 Haarlem 230 food 158-61 Drinking & Smoking
stoner hotels 210-11 Leiden 232 shopping 137-42 subindex
Vondelpark 220-2 Utrecht 235 smoking 180-5 diamonds 113, 154
Western Canal Belt Zaanse Schans 238 classical music 37, 199-200, disabilities, travellers
215-17 boat travel 240, 9 see also Nightlife & Arts with 256
youth hostels 211 books 42 subindex drinking 178-94, see also
activities 251-4, see also history 26 climate 244 Drinking & Smoking
individual activities Red Light District 42 clothing, see subindex
AIDS 246 Broek in Waterland 134 Shopping subindex business hours 180
air travel 239 brown cafés 179, see also clothing sizes 138 City Centre 180-5
Drinking & Smoking clubs 196-7, see also De Pijp 192
000 map pages subindex Nightlife & Arts subindex Eastern Docklands 192-3
000 photographs Bullewijk River 132 coffee 178 Eastern Islands 192-3
264 265
 N HUG Gallery for De Pijp 153 T
lonelyplanet.com

Jordaan 185-7 Eastern Islands 173-4 Holland Festival 17 lesbian travellers 30, 204-8,

lonelyplanet.com
Medieval Centre 180-3 Jordaan 161-3 hotels, see Sleeping see also Gay & Lesbian National Cycling Day 17 International Eastern Docklands 153 tasting houses 180, see also
Nieuwmarkt 184-5 Medieval Centre 158-60 subindex Amsterdam subindex National Museum Photography 143 Eastern Islands 153 Drinking & Smoking
Old South 191-2 Nieuwmarkt 160-1 houseboats 210, see also festivals 18, 12 Weekend 16 Huis Marseille 95 Jordaan 142-5 subindex
Oosterpark 194 Old South 170 Sleeping subindex internet resources 208 National Windmill Day 17 pickpockets 251 Medieval Centre 137-40 taxes 136
Plantage 192-3 Oosterpark 174 Hudson, Henry 74 Liberation Day 17 Negen Straatjes 91 PIN cards 248 Nieuwmarkt 141-2 taxis 242
Red Light District 183-4 Plantage 173 literature 42 Nes aan de Amstel 133 Pinkpop 17 Old South 152 tea 178
Southern Canal Belt Red Light District 160 I Luilak 17 New Year’s Eve 19-20 planning 21, 60 Plantage 153
telephone services 254-5
189-91 self-catering 158 ice-skating 253 Plantage 121-4, 122 Red Light District 140-1
newspapers 53, 248-9 tennis 254
Vondelpark 192 Southern Canal Belt immigration 29, 54 M Nieuwmarkt 77-82 accommodation 223 Southern Canal Belt
theatre 39-40, 201-2,
Western Canal Belt 187-9 166-70 International Fashion magazines 248-9 drinking 192-3 148-51
accommodation 214 Vondelpark 152-3 see also Nightlife &
driving, see car travel tipping 158 Week 18 Magna Plaza 72 food 173
drinking 184-5 Western Canal Belt 145-8 Arts subindex
drugs 31, 140, 179, see also Vondelpark 170-1 International Theatre maps 247 shopping 153
food 160-1 Sinterklaas 19 theatre cafés 180, see also
marijuana Western Canal Belt 163-6 School Festival 18 marijuana 178, see also police 245
internet access 246 shopping 141-2 skateboarding 253 Drinking & Smoking
Durgerdam 133 football 73, 254 Drinking & Smoking politics 44-5
Fortuyn, Pim 44 internet resources 20-1 smoking 184-5 skating 117, 253 subindex
subindex pop music 38
walking tour 82-3, 83 smart drugs 140, see also theft 251
E Frank, Anne, gay & lesbian
travellers 208
costs 180
nightlife 196-202, see also
population 32
Shopping subindex time 255
Eastern Docklands 121, see Anne Frank Hash & Marijuana postal services 250
free activities 103 Irish pubs 180, see also Museum 76 Nightlife & Arts subindex smoking 178-94, tipping 158
124-6, 122
accommodation 223-4 Drinking & Smoking Marken 134 North Sea Jazz Festival 18 Q see also Drinking & toilets 255
Smoking subindex tourist information 255-6
cycling tour 126-7, 126 G subindex markets, see Shopping
O
Queen’s Day festival 17, 12
ban 188 tours 249-50, see also
drinking 192-3 gables 47, 47 itineraries 15, 60 subindex, Sights subindex
food 174 galleries, see Sights measures, see Old South 109-14, 110 R City Centre 180-5 boat tours, cycling tours
shopping 153 subindex J inside front cover accommodation 219-20 radio 208, 250 Jordaan 185-7 train travel 242-3
jazz 37-8, 197-8, see also medical services 247 drinking 191-2 recycling 43 Medieval Centre 180-3 Centraal Station 70-1
Eastern Islands 121, 124, gardens, see Sights
Nightlife & Arts subindex Medieval Centre 66-74 food 170 Red Light District 74-7 Nieuwmarkt 184-5 tram travel 131, 243
122 subindex
Jazz op het Dak 18 accommodation 212-13 shopping 152 accommodation 213-14 Red Light District 183-4 travellers cheques 248
drinking 192-3 gay marriage 207 Southern Canal Belt
jenever 178 drinking 180-3 walking tour 113-14, books 42 tulips 87, 2
food 173-4 gay travellers 30, 204-8 189-91
Jewish Amsterdam 29 food 158-60 113 drinking 183-4 TV 53, 208
shopping 153 see also Gay & Lesbian Western Canal Belt 187-9
Anne Frank Huis 93 shopping 137-40 Oosterpark 128-9, 129 food 160
electricity 245 Amsterdam subindex
Elfstedentocht 16 festivals 18, 12 history 24 smoking 180-3 accommodation 224 shopping 140-1 snooker 191 U
Joods Historisch drinking 194 smoking 183-4 soccer 73, 254 Uitdam 134
embassies 245 internet resources 208 metric conversions, Southern Canal Belt
Museum 79 food 174 walking tour 82-3, 83 Uitmarkt 18
emergencies 245 geology 42 see inside front cover 98-108, 100-1
Portuguese-Israelite Open Garden Days 17 Rembrandt 33 urban planning 43
entertainment, see gezellig 182 metro 243 accommodation 217-19
Synagogue 79 Open Monumentendag 19 sterfhuis 90 Utrecht 233-6, 234
Nightlife & gin 178 Miracle of Amsterdam 73 drinking 189-91
Jordaan 84-90, 86 opening hours, see Rembrandtplein 104
Arts subindex Golden Age 33-5 mobile phones 255 food 166-70
environmental issues 42-3 golf 252-3
accommodation 214-15 modern classical music 37 business hours Remembrance Day 17
shopping 148-51
V
drinking 185-7 Oude Kerk 75, 47 responsible travel 21 vacations 246
exchange rates, government 44-5 Mondriaan, Piet 35 smoking 189-91
food 161-3 Ouderkerk aan de Amstel restaurants, see van Campen, Jacob 48
see inside front cover Grachtenfestival 18, 12 money 247-8, see also walking tour 107-8, 108
shopping 142-5 132 Eating subindex, food Van Gogh Museum 109-11,
experimental music 37 inside front cover
INDEX

INDEX
grand cafés 179-80, see smoking 185-7 Rijksmuseum 111, 7, 50 spoken word performances
credit cards 248 Over Het IJ Festival 18 201-2, see also Nightlife & 200, 7, 52
also Drinking & Smoking walking tour 89-90, 89 Robeco Summer Concerts 18
F subindex Jordaan Festival 19
discount cards 245 Robodock Festival 19 Arts subindex van Gogh, Theo 34, 44
ferries 240 gyms 251 Julidans 18
Monnickendam 134 P rock music 38, 197-8, sporting events van Gogh, Vincent 35, 109
festivals 16-20, see also motorcycle travel 241-2 painting 32-6 Amsterdam Marathon 19 van Rijn, Rembrandt,
Jumping Amsterdam 16 see also Nightlife & see Rembrandt
individual festivals H Museum Night 19 CoBrA 36 Arts subindex Dam Tot DamLoop 19
Verhoeven, Paul 39, 40-1
music 17, 18, 19 museums 107, see also De Stijl 35-6 Elfstedentocht 16
film, see cinema
Haarlem 228-30, 229 K Sights subindex Flemish & Dutch
Rollerblading 253
Jumping Amsterdam 16 Vermeer, Johannes 34
Hals, Frans 33 Keukenhof 233 Roots Music Festival 17
fire services 245 Hartjesdagen Zeedijk 18 music 36-8, see also Schools 32 sports 251-4, see also Vingboons, Justus 48
Koninginnedag 17, 12
food 156-76, see also health 246 korfball 253
Nightlife & Arts subindex palaces, see S individual sports Vingboons, Philips 48
Eating subindex herring 163 blues 197-8 Sights subindex sailing 253-4 squash 254 visas 256
booking 157-8 Hirsi Ali, Ayaan 44 L classical 37, 199-200 Parade 18 saunas 251 STDs 246 Volendam 134
City Centre 158-61 history 22-30 language 53-6, 137, experimental 37 Parkpop 17 scooters 240 Stille Omgang 16 Vondelpark 115-17, 116
costs 157 books 26 258-61, see also festivals 17, 18, 19 parks & gardens, see sea level 80 stoner hotels 210-11, see accommodation 220-2
De Pijp 171-3 HIV/AIDS 246 inside front cover jazz 37-8, 197-8 Sights subindex senior travellers 245 also Sleeping subindex drinking 192
Eastern Docklands 174 hockey 253 courses 245 modern classical 37 party hotels 210-11, see shopping 136-54, see strippenkaart 243 food 170-1
hofjes 85, see also left luggage 239, 242 pop 38 also Sleeping subindex also Shopping subindex sustainable travel 21 shopping 152-3
000 map pages Sights subindex legal matters 247 rock 38, 197-8 photography 36 business hours 136 sweets 165 Vondelpark Open-Air
000 photographs holidays 246 Leiden 231-3, 231 world 38, 198-9 FOAM 99 City Centre 137-42 swimming 252 Theatre 17
266 267
 THEATRE CAFÉS CHEESE INDONESIAN MEDITERRANEAN
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W De Koe 186 Dutch Flowers 188 Café de Vergulde Gaper

lonelyplanet.com
walking tours Proeflokaal in den Uiver 230 El Guapo 181 189 Blincker 184 De Tromp Kaashuis 237 Blauw 235 Balthazar’s Keuken 161
Jordaan 89-90, 89 Global Chillage 190 Café-Restaurant Dantzig Café Schiller 191 Bojo 169 Blender 175
BEER CAFÉS Greenhouse 183 185 Café Vertigo 192 CHINESE
Nieuwmarkt 82-3, 83 Cilubang 164 Envy 164
Brouwerij ’t IJ 192 Grey Area 188 De Kroon 190 De Balie 191 Nam Kee 160
Old South 113-14, 113 Kantjil to Go 160 Frezza 232-8
Café Vrije Vogelhuis 237 Hill Street Blues 185 Dulac 189 De Brakke Grond 184 New King 160
Red Light District 82-3, 83 Sama Sebo 170 Le Petit Latin 159
De Bekeerde Suster 184 Homegrown Fantasy 181 Luxembourg 182, 4 De Smoeshaan 191 Oriental City 159
Southern Canal Belt Tempo Doeloe 167 Sabor de Maria 170
Gollem 180 Kandinsky 181 Winkel van Sinkel 235 Felix Meritis Café 189 Sea Palace 158
107-8, 108 Tujuh Maret 167
In de Wildeman 180 La Tertulia 186 Star Ferry 193 MEXICAN
Western Canal Belt Kafé België 235 IRISH PUBS CONTEMPORARY Waroeng Asje 171
96-7, 97 Other Side 206 Los Pilones 168
’t Arendsnest 187 Durty Nelly’s 183 DUTCH INTERNATIONAL
wall tablets 48, 48 Rokerij (Jordaan) 187
Molly Malone’s 184
EATING De Blaffende Vis 163
Rose’s Cantina 167-8
water 178 BIKE CAFÉS Rokerij (Southern Canal AFRICAN Blauw aan de Wal 160
Belt) 190
Mulligans 190 d’Vijff Vlieghen 158-9 Burger’s Patio 162 MIDDLE
Watergang 134 Het Fietscafé 185 Tara 182 Lalibela 171 Hemelse Modder 161 EASTERN
weather 244 Siberië 188 Pygma-Lion 168 Café-Restaurant
BROWN CAFÉS LESBIAN BARS In den Doofpot 233 Amsterdam 175 Bazar Amsterdam 172
weights, see inside front DESIGNER BARS Pancake Bakery 165-6
cover Café 1900 230 & CAFÉS ASIAN Cobra Café-Restaurant Nomads 162
Café de Doelen 184 18 Twintig 192 Cambodja City 172 Pannenkoekenhuis 170 Zagros 172
Westerkerk 93, 49 Café Sugar 205
Café de Pels 187 Bar Bep 181-2 Eat Mode 160 Upstairs 159 De Kas 174
Western Canal Belt 91-7, 92 Saarein 206 MOROCCAN
Café Het Melkwoud 230 Bar Ça 192 Kam Yin 160 Supper Club 158 De Kwebbelen 232
accommodation 215-17 Sappho 207 Mamouche 171-2
Café Het Molenpad 187 Brix 188 Noodl 233 Werck 164 Fifteen 174
drinking 187-9 Vivelavie 206 Paloma Blanca 171
Café Koosje 193 Bubbles & Wines Wok to Walk 170 Gare de l’Est 174
food 163-6 FRENCH
Café Nol 186 Champagne Bar 183 OTHER CAFÉS Herrie 167 ORGANIC
shopping 145-8 BAKERIES Blender 175
Café ’t Monumentje 186 De Huyschkaemer 190 Amstel Haven 194 Klokspijs 172
smoking 187-9 Bakken Met Passie 173 Bordewijk 161 Deeg 235
Café ’t Smalle 186, 4 Diep 182 B Van B Café 182 Koffiehuis van den
walking tour 96-7, 97 Gary’s Muffins 175 Café-Restaurant Dolores 160
Café van Zuylen 180-1 Dylan 188 Bloem 193 Volksbond 174
Western Islands 130 Patisserie Culinaire 237 Amsterdam 175
De Doffer 187 Finch 187 Café Cuba 185 Local 162 PERUVIAN
wine 178 Christophe 163-4
De II Prinsen 187-8 G-Spot 187 Café Ledig Erf 235 BRASSERIES Odessa 174 Casa Perú 164
women in Amsterdam De Belhamel 164
De Pieper 186 Kamer 401 190 Café l’Esperance 233 Brasserie Harkema 159 Pacific Parc 175
30, 31 De Struisvogel 164
women travellers 256 De Prins 186 Lime 183 Café Thijssen 187 Panama 174 SANDWICH
De Reiger 186 Lux 190 Café-Restaurant Kapitein BUFFET Jean Jean 161
Plancius 173 SHOPS
work 256-7 RESTAURANTS
Proust 187 Zeppo’s 184 Klokspijs 172 Bagels & Beans 169-70
world music 38, 198-9, De Schutter 181 Polman’s 235
De Sluyswacht 184-5 Suzy Wong 190 Herberg Hooghoudt 190 Vroom & Dreesman 230 La Rive 166 Broodje Mokum 163
see also Nightlife & Puyck 171
De Tuin 186 Weber 190 Het Groot Melkhuis 192 Oudaen 235 Broodje van Kootje 170
Arts subindex BURGERS Restaurant PS 175
De Twee Zwaantjes 186 Wolvenstraat 23 188 Het Koethuis 233 Van Vlaanderen 166 Letting 166
World Press Photo 17 De Burgermeester 173 Sluizer 167
De Zwart 181 Janvier 191 Voorbij het Einde 174 Loekie 170
World Book Capital 17 DRAG BARS Spektakel 230
Eylders 189 Lellebel 206
KHL 193 CAFÉS FRITES Szmulewicz 168 Maoz Falafel 170
Y Het Papeneiland 186 North End 233 Bloemgracht 163
De Haerlemsche ’t Kuyltje 166
youth hostels 211, see also Hoppe 181, 4 GAY BARS Pompadour 189 Buffet Van Odette 164-5 ITALIAN Van den Berg’s
Amstel Taverne 206 Twins Backstage 191 Café de Pijp 172 Vlaamse 230 A Tavola 173
Sleeping subindex In ’t Aepjen 183 Vlaams Friteshuis 160 Broodjesbar 160
INDEX

INDEX
Lokaal ’t Loosje 185 April 206 Waag Café 185 Café Einstein 232 Abe Veneto 173 Van Dobben 169
Wil Graanstra Friteshuis
Z Oosterling 189 ARC 206
SNOOKER CLUBS
Café le Journal 235
166
Cinema Paradiso 162 Village Bagels 169
Zaanse Schans 237-8 Oporto 181 Café Bardewijn 205 Café Morlang 168 Pasta di Mamma 171 Volendamer Vishandel
Snookerclub de Keizers Café Vlinder 163
Pilsener Club 181 Café Het Mandje 74 FUSION Pasta e Basta 167 160
191
DRINKING & Pilsvogel 192 Cockring 205
Snookerclub Final Touch
Café Walem 168
Bazar Amsterdam 172 Pastini 168
SMOKING Sarphaat 192 Cuckoo’s Nest 205 Eko Eetkafé 230
Lof 164 Renzo’s 170 SEAFOOD
191 Foodism 165
BARS Van Puffelen 188 De Engel van Amsterdam Stout 164 Ristorante d’Antica 166 Bark 170
Wildschut 191-2 205 SQUAT BARS Goodies 165 Saturnino 167 Lucius 158
Amstel Bar & Brasserie Hein 165
189 Entre Nous 206 Vrankrijk 182 GREEK Segugio 166 Restaurant Red 167
CHESS CAFÉS Fetto 205 Henry’s Grand Café 237 De 2 Grieken 164
Café Het Schuim 180 TASTING Het Hof van Alkmaar 237 JAPANESE SOUP
Café de Laurierboom 191 Montmartre 206 Grekas 159
Café LEF 183 HOUSES Kinderkookkafé 171 De Soepwinkel 173
Max Euweplein 191 Prik 205 Japanese Pancake
Café Lindeboom 237 Be Blauwe Parade 182-3 Lust 165 ICE CREAM
Queen’s Head 205 World 162
Café Studio 230 COFFEESHOPS De Admiraal 189 M Café 169 SPANISH
Soho 206 Gelateria Italiano Wagamama 169
Café Zilt 183 Abraxas 181 De Drie Fleschjes 183 Nielsen 165 Duende 163
Peppino 173 Zen 172
De Buurvrouw 183 Baba 183 GRAND CAFÉS Proeflokaal de Ooievaar Skek 160 Gala 170
Zushi 169
Barney’s 188 Café Americain 190, 5 184 ’t Blauwe Theehuis 171 INDIAN Más Tapas 173
000 map pages Bulldog 189 Café Dante 182, 5 Proeflokaal Wijnand Villa Zeezicht 159 Balti House 172 KOSHER DELIS Nas Brasas 230
000 photographs Dampkring 181, 11 Café de Jaren 185, 5 Fockinck 184 Winkel 163 Koh-I-Noor 166 Sal Meijer 175 Pata Negra 168
268 269
 Josine Bokhoven 142 CLOTHING Cracked Kettle 138-9 Boudisque 150
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STEAKHOUSES Argos 205 Filmmuseum 200 Café de WW 233

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Piet de Leeuw 168 Café Bardewijn 205 Het Ketelhuis 200 Café Stiels 230 Klein Antiek 145 C&A 137 De Belly 143 Broekmans &
Café Het Mandje 74 Kriterion 200 Casablanca 198 Kleurgamma 143 Episode 148 De Bierkoning 139 Van Poppel 152
SURINAMESE Café Sugar 205 Movies 200 Cotton Club 198 Lieve Hemel 148 Female & Partners 138 De Kaaskamer 147 Concerto 150
Albert Cuyp 67 172 Cockring 205 Rialto Cinema 200 De Heeren Van Aemstel Mendo 145 H&M 138 De Waterwinkel 152 Discostars 144
Nieuw Albina 173 Cuckoo’s Nest 205 Springhaver Theater 235 198 Nic Nic 145 Riele 142 Deshima 150 Fame Music 139
Waroeng Asje 171 De Engel van Amsterdam Tuschinskitheater 200 Heineken Music Hall 198 Reflex Modern Art Gallery Shirt Shop 204 Eichholtz 150 Get Records 150
205 Jazz Café Alto 198 148 So Dutch Fashion 154 Frank’s Smokehouse 153 Killa Cutz 150
SWEETS De Spijker 206 CLUBS Jazzcafé the Duke 233 Gall & Gall 152
Reflex New Art Gallery Spoiled 149 Rush Hour Records 150
Taart van m’n Tante 173 De Trut 205 Bitterzoet 196 Korsakoff 198 Geels & Co 140
149 University Shop 138 Wax Well Records 150
SWISS Entre Nous 206 Dansen bij Jansen 196 Lisboa 198 Rock Archive 142 Van Ravenstein 145-6 Hart’s Wijnhandel 150
Exit 207 De Nieuwe Anita 197 Maloe Melo 198 Typo Gallery 141 Volksbond Shop 146 Het Oud-Hollandsche PERFUMES &
Café Bern 161
Fetto 205 Escape 196, 10 Pepsi Stage 198 Young Designers Snoepwinkeltje 143 COSMETICS
TAKEAWAY Gay Super Bingo 206 Jimmy Woo 197 BICYCLES United 149 JG Beune 144 La Savonnerie 144
Febo 169 Lellebel 206 Odeon 196-7 THEATRE, DANCE Fietsfabriek 153 Le Cellier 139 Rituals 139
Noodle & Go 163 Montmartre 206 Panama 197 & SPOKEN DEPARTMENT Meeuwig & Zn 147 Skins Cosmetics 146
Pasta di Mamma 171 Other Side 206 Patronaat 230 WORD BOOKS STORES Puccini Bombon 142
Small World Catering 163 Prik 205 Powerzone 197 Amsterdams Marionetten American Book Center De Bijenkorf 138 ’t Zonnetje 143 PERSONAL CARE
Sterk Staaltje 161 Queen’s Head 205 Sugar Factory 197 Theater 201-2 137 Hema 138 Unlimited Delicious 147 Etos 152
Uliveto 169 Saarein 206 To Night 197 Amsterdamse Bos Antiquariaat Kok 140 Maison de Bonneterie Urban Picnic 147
Vakzuid 197 Theatre 202 Architectura & Natura PHARMACIES
Sappho 207 138
THAI Westergasterras 197 Casablanca Variété 202 145 GAG GIFTS Lairesse Apotheek 152
Soho 206 Vroom & Dreesmann 138
Krua Thai 160 Thermos Day Sauna 205 Winston Kingdom 197 Cosmic Theatre 202 Athenaeum Bookshop & Nieuws 147
DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY
Rakang Thai 161 Thermos Night Sauna De Balie 202 Newsagency 137
Take Thai 167 COMEDY De Brakke Grond 202 Au Bout du Monde 137 HOMEWARES GAMES Amsterdam Photography
206 Gamekeeper 147 139
Thai Corner 167 Boom Chicago 201, 10 Felix Meritis 202 Boekie Woekie 145 BeBob Design 149
Vivelavie 206 Concrete 139
Comedy Café Amsterdam Frascati 202 Book Exchange 141 De Emaillekeizer 153 JEWELLERY
TRADITIONAL Web 205
201 Koninklijk Theater Carré English Bookshop 143 Droog Design 142 SEX SHOPS
DUTCH Amstel Diamonds 154
SHOPPING De Kleine Komedie 201 105, 199, 10 Fotografia 143 Frozen Fountain 146
De Keuken Van 1870 159 Amsterdam Diamond Absolute Danny 141
Intermale 204 Openluchttheatre 202 Galerie Lambiek 149 Wonderwood 140 Center 154 Zinne & Minne 147
Haesje Claes 159 Mr B 204
GAY CLUBS
Stadsschouwburg 106 International Theatre & Beadies 147
Hap Hmm 171 Exit 207 EROTICA & GAY
Rob 204 Theatre Bellevue 202 Film Books 149 Beaufort 139 SHOES
La Falote 170 Shirt Shop 204 Nijhof & Lee 141 Female & Partners 138
GAY SAUNAS WORLD MUSIC Coster Diamonds 154 Antonia by Yvett 147
Moeders 162 Vrolijk 204 Pied À Terre 152 Mr B 204
Thermos Day Sauna 205 Goldstrasse 144 Hester van Eeghen 147
Moeder’s Pot Eethuisje Akhnaton 198 Selexyz Scheltema 149 Rob 204
Thermos Night Sauna 206 Hans Appenzeller 141 Seventyfive 142
163 SLEEPING De Badcuyp 199 Stadsboekwinkel 153 FASHION Shoebaloo 150
Aero Hotel 207 LEATHER BARS Tropeninstituut Theater Vrolijk 204 MARKETS
TURKISH Amistad Hotel 207 199 Be Innocent 146 SHOPPING
Divan 162 Argos 205 Waterstone’s 137 Albert Cuypmarkt 118,
Black Tulip Hotel 207 Concrete 139 151 CENTRES
Turkiye 172 De Spijker 206
Orfeo Hotel 207 SHOPPING CAMPING, Cora Kemperman 149
INDEX

INDEX
Web 205 antiques markets 98, 151 Kalvertoren Shopping
VEGETARIAN ACCESSORIES OUTDOOR & Eva Damave 143 art markets 98, 151 Centre 139
Betty’s 175 NIGHTLIFE & ARTS LESBIAN CLUBS Claire V 142 SPORT Exota 146 Bloemenmarkt 99, 150-1 Magna Plaza 72, 139, 49
CLASSICAL De Trut 205 Bever Zwerfsport 152 Fates 146 Boerenmarkt 151
De Vliegende Schote 162
Golden Temple 168 MUSIC ALTERNATIVE Carl Denig 149 Hana Zuki 149 book market 151 SMART DRUGS
Green Planet 159 Bethaniënklooster 199 PERFORMANCE MEDICINE Women’s Outdoor World Henxs 142 cheese market 236 Chills & Thrills 139
De Bolhoed 162 Beurs van Berlage 199 VENUES Jacob Hooy & Co 141 152-3 Lady Day 146 De Looier antiques Conscious Dreams 150
Concertgebouw 111-12, Amsterdam ArenA 199 Po Chai Tong 141 Laundry Industry 138 market 151 Innerspace 139-40
Melkweg 199 CHILDREN’S Laura Dols 146 Kokopelli 141, 11
GAY & LESBIAN 199, 51
Paradiso 199 ART & ANTIQUES Broer & Zus 143 Local Service 146
Lindengracht market 151
Magic Mushroom Gallery
AMSTERDAM Conservatorium van
Stadsschouwburg 199 Herman Brood Galerie 137 De Beestenwinkel 141 Look Out 150
Noordermarkt 85, 151
140
DRINKING & Amsterdam 199 Cityboek 148 plant market 98, 151
Tivoli 235 De Winkel van Nijntje Miauw 146
NIGHTLIFE Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ stamp & coin market 151
Decorativa 148 152 Uri Duri 146 SOUVENIRS
125, 200 ROCK, JAZZ & Eduard Kramer 148 Waterlooplein flea
Amstel Taverne 206 Knuffels 141-2 YOI 153 Bazar 140
Muziektheater 200 BLUES EH Ariëns Kappers 148, 6 market 151
April 206 Mechanisch Speelgoed Zipper 146 Bloemenmarkt 150-1
Philharmonie 230 Westermarkt 151
ARC 206 Bimhuis 197 HUG Gallery for 143 Galleria d’Arte Rina-
CINEMA Bourbon Street Jazz & International Pinokkio 137 FOOD & DRINK MUSIC scimento 145
000 map pages Cinecenter 200 Blues Club 198 Photography 143 Tinkerbell 149 Arnold Cornelis 143-4 Back Beat Records 150 Heinen Delftware 151-2
000 photographs De Uitkijk 200 Brasil Music Bar 198 Jaski 148 Xsmall 152 Australian Homemade 152 Blue Note 139 ’t Klompenhuisje 142
270 271
 HOUSING Erotic Museum 76 Rijksmuseum voor SYNAGOGUES
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SPECIALITY Kalverstraat 73 Haarlem Centraal 228 Nieuwe Kerk 66-7

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SHOPS La Vie en Rose 74 Haarlemmerpoort 89 Noorderkerk 85 ESTATES Filmmuseum 115 Volkenkunde 232 Portuguese-Israelite
3-D Hologrammen 140 Leidseplein 99 Huis aan de Drie Oude Kerk 75, 47 De Dageraad 120 Frans Hals Museum 229 Sexmuseum Amsterdam Synagogue 79
Amsterdam Watch Negen Straatjes 91 Grachten 48 Ronde Lutherse Kerk Het Schip Housing Estate Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis 71
104 Stedelijk Museum TEMPLES
Company 147 Nes 77 Huis Met de Hoofden 95 73 130
Hash & Marijuana (Alkmaar) 237 Guan Yin Shrine 76
Aurora Kontakt 151 Palmdwarsstraat 89 ING House 52 St Nicolaaskerk 71 Scheepstimmermanstraat
Blond 140 Pieter Cornelisz Kabouterhuis 118 Vondelkerk 117 126 Museum 76 Stedelijk Museum THEATRES
Brilmuseum 148 Hooftstraat 109 Maagdenhuis 50 Westerkerk 93, 49 Venetië 127 Hermitage Amsterdam Building 113 Hollandsche Schouwburg
Cats & Things 144 Reguliersgracht 107 Metz department store Zuiderkerk 80 106 Stedelijk Museum Bureau 123
Christodoulou & Lamé 144 Rembrandtplein 104 106 LIBRARIES Het Oranje Voetbal Amsterdam 88-9 Koninklijk Theater Carré
Condomerie Het Gulden Rokin 69 Moederhuis 52 CONCERT Openbare Bibliotheek Museum 73 Stedelijk Museum CS 69 105, 199, 10
Vlies 141, 6 Rozendwarssstraat 90 Montelbaanstoren 47, 82 VENUES Amsterdam 71 Hollands Kaasmuseum Tassenmuseum Hendrikje Stadsschouwburg 106
De Lach 144 Rozengracht 90 Muiderpoort 124 Concertgebouw 111-12, Pintohuis 80 236-7 103
House of Bols 112-13 Teylers Museum 230 ZOOS
De Ode 153 Spiegel Quarter 107 Munttoren 48 199, 51 University Library 74
Houseboat Museum 88 Theater Instituut Artis Zoo 121-3
De Witte Tanden Winkel Spui 69 Olympic Stadium 131 Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ
MARKETS Huis Marseille 95 Nederland 93-4
148 Utrechtsestraat 106 Oostindisch Huis 80-2 125, 200
Fair Trade Shop 140 Warmoesstraat 77 Oudemanhuispoort 77 Orgelpark 115
Albert Cuypmarkt 118, Joods Historisch Museum Tropenmuseum 128 SLEEPING
Himalaya 141
151 79 Universiteitsmuseum 235 APARTMENTS
Waterlooplein 80 Paleis van Justitie 106
CULTURAL Alkmaar 236 Kattenkabinet 103, 7 Van Gogh Museum Windketel 224
Internationaal Design Westergasfabriek 130 PC Hooft Store 50
CENTRES antiques markets 98, 151 Kröller-Müller Museum 109-11, 200, 7, 52
Centrum 144 Westerstraat 89 Piraeus 126
art markets 98, 151
B&BS
De Rode Hoed 96 132 Verzetsmuseum 123
Joe’s Vliegerwinkel 142 Zandhoek 130 Rasphuis Gate 73 Between Art & Kitsch
Prostitution Information Bloemenmarkt 99, 150-1 Lakenhal 232 Werfmuseum ’t
Kitsch Kitchen 144 Zeedijk 76 Rietveld-Schröderhuis 235 B&B 222
Centre 76 Boerenmarkt 151 Living Tomorrow Pavilion Kromhout 124
La Diablita 144 Scheepvaarthuis 71 Collector 220
BEACHES book market 151 131 Zaans Museum 238
Marañon Hangmatten 151 Schreierstoren 74-5 Flynt B&B 221
Mevius & Italiaander 153 Nemo Beach 70 DIAMONDS De Looier antiques Madame Tussauds Maes B&B 216
Stadhuis 228
Gassan Diamonds 79 market 151 Amsterdam 71 PALACES
Nou Moe Stripwinkel 145 Stadsarchief 106 Royal Palace 67-8, 49 Xaviera Hollander Bed &
BOATS Lindengracht market 151 Max Euwe Centrum 106 Breakfast 220
Petsalon 145 Stopera 79-80 EROTIC
Poezenboot 95 Noordermarkt 85, 151 Multatuli Museum 95 PARKS &
Santa Jet 148, 6 Trippenhuis 79 THEATRES BICYCLE HOTELS
plant market 98, 151 Museum Amstelkring GARDENS
Stenelux 153 BREWERIES Waag 78 Bicycle Hotel Amsterdam
Casa Rosso 76, 11 stamp & coin market 151 75-6 Amstelpark 130
Vlieger 151 Heineken Experience 118 Waaggebouw 236 Museum Boerhaave 232 222
Waterlooplein flea Amsterdamse Bos 131
Westerdokeiland 52 GALLERIES market 151 Museum Het
SIGHTS BRIDGES Westindisch Huis 96 De Burcht 232 BOUTIQUE
Civic Guard Gallery 68 Westermarkt 151 Catharijneconvent 235 HOTELS
AMSTERDAM Blauwbrug 104 Whale 126 Hortus Botanicus
De Appel 99 Museum Het
Drieharingenbrug 130 (Amsterdam) 123, 8 Aero Hotel 207
FOR CHILDREN FOAM 99 MONUMENTS Rembrandthuis 78-9 Amistad Hotel 207
Amsterdam Bos 131 Enneüs Heerma Brug 52 CANALS HUG Gallery for Homomonument 95 Museum van Loon 99-103
Hortus Botanicus
Jan Schaeferbrug 127 Bloemgracht 87 (Leiden) 232 Black Tulip Hotel 207
Artis Zoo 121 International Nationaal Monument 71 Museum Canal House Hotel 216
Magere Brug 105 Brouwersgracht 85, 96 Keukenhof 233
Madame Tussauds Photography 143 Scream 128 Willet-Holthuysen 103 Museumplein 111, 51 College Hotel 219
Amsterdam 71 Torensluis 96 Damrak 70 Nationaal Biermuseum
Netherlands Media Art Oosterpark 128 Hampshire Classic Hotel
Eglantiersgracht 87 MOSQUES 237
INDEX

INDEX
NEMO 69-70, 52 BUILDINGS & Institute 94-5 Sarphatipark 118 Toren 216
Tropenmuseum 128 Keizersgracht 96 De Zaaier 90 Nationaal
STRUCTURES Vondelpark 115, 8 Hotel Brouwer 213
TunFun 80 Noordhollands Kanaal 133 HOFJES Vakbondsmuseum 123 Hotel de Filosoof 221
Amstelsluizen 105 Oudegracht 234 Begijnhof 68, 46 MUSEUMS National Museum
Westerpark 130
Vondelpark 115, 8 Amsterdam American Hotel Fita 219-20
Preinsengracht 96 Brouwers Hofje 228 Allard Pierson Museum
Hotel 99, 217
van Speelklok tot RIDING Hotel Hoksbergen 213
AREAS & Reguliersgracht 104 Claes Claeszhofje 85 73-4
Amsterdam RAI 131
Pierement 235 SCHOOLS Hotel Luxer 214
STREETS Frans Loenen Hofje Amsterdam Tulip Naturalis – Nationaal
Beurs van Berlage 69 CHURCHES Hollandsche Manege 115 Hotel New Amsterdam
Azartplein 127 228-9 Museum 87 Natuurhistorisch 216
Barcelonaplein 126 Centraal Station 70-1 Amstelkerk 104-5 Hofje van Loo 229 Anne Frank Huis 93 Museum 232 STATUES & Hotel Orlando 218
Dam 69 De Gooyer Windmill 124 Bakenesserkerk 230 Hofje van Straats 229 Arcam 70, 45 Nederlands SCULPTURES Hotel Résidence le Coin
Entrepotdok 123-4 De Hallen 228 Begijnhof Kapel 68 Karthuizerhofje 85, 8 Bijbels Museum 95 ScheepvaartMuseum Dockworker statue 78 212
Garden Quarter 90 De Koophandel 90 De Duif 105 Lindenhofje 85 Centraal Museum 235 124 golden torso 74 Hotel Roemer 221
Golden Bend 103 Felix Meritis Building 94 Domtoren 234 Proveniershuis 228 CoBrA Museum 131 NEMO 69-70, 52 Laurens Coster statue Hotel Vondel 221
Heiligeweg 73 Frankendael 128 Engelse Kerk 68 Rapenhofje 89 De Valk 232 News Photo 94 228 Lloyd Hotel 223
Johnny Jordaanplein Gijsbert Dommer Huis 104 Grote Kerk 237 St Andrieshofje 85 Diamond Museum 113 Persmuseum 126 Nelle 74 Miauw Suites 216
84, 90 Greenland Warehouses 48 Grote Kerk van St Bavo Suyckerhofje 85 Electrische Pianola Museum 85-7 statue of educator Misc Eat Drink Sleep 214
Greenpeace Building 228 Teylers Hofje 229 Museumtramlijn Rijksmuseum 111, 7, 50 Theo Thijssen 89 Qbic Hotel 224
000 map pages 50, 51 Krijtberg 106 Van Brienenhofje 96 Amsterdam 131 Rijksmuseum van statue of Queen Seven Bridges 217
000 photographs Groene & Grauwe Valk 89 Mozes en Aäronkerk 82 Venetiae 85 Energetica 124 Oudheden 232 Wilhelmina 69 Yotel 224
272 273
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DELUXE HOTELS INNS INTERNATIONAL STONER

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Dylan 215 Apple Inn Hotel 222 HOTELS HOSTELS &
Hotel Pulitzer 215-16 Borgmann Villa Hotel Amstel Intercontinental HOTELS
Seven One Seven 217 222 Hotel 217 Euphemia Hotel 218
Budget Hotel Clemens Amsterdam American Flying Pig Downtown
HOSTELS Amsterdam 216-17 Hotel 99, 217 Hostel 213
Aivengo Youth Hostel 213 City Hotel 218 Banks Mansion 217 Hemp Hotel 219
Christian Youth Hostel Hestia Hotel 221 Bellevue Hotel 212 Hotel Brian 213
‘The Shelter City’ 214 Hotel Aalborg 222 Eden Lancaster Hotel Hotel Hortus 223
Christian Youth Hostel Hotel Aalders 220 223 International Budget
‘The Shelter Jordan’ Hotel Acacia 215 Hilton Amsterdam 219 Hostel 215
215 Hotel Adolesce 218 Hotel V 224
Orfeo Hotel 207 Mövenpick Hotel City
Stadsdoelen Youth
Hotel Agor 218
Centre 223
TOP PICKS
Hotel Amstelzicht accommodation 209
Hostel 214 217-18 NH Grand Hotel
StayOkay Amsterdam architecture 46
Hotel Amsterdam Krasnapolsky 213
Zeeburg 224 drinking & smoking 177
Wiechmann 215 LUXURY HOTELS eating 155, 161, 166
StayOkay Vondelpark 222 Hotel Bema 220
Strowis Budget Hostel 236 Fusion Suites 220-1 for children 105
Hotel de Admiraal 218 Grand Hotel Karel V 236 free activities 103
HOTELS Hotel Freeland 218 Hotel de l’Europe 212 gay & lesbian Amsterdam
Hotel Amadeus 230 Hotel Kap 218 203
Hotel Carillon 230 Hotel Nadia 216 PARTY HOSTELS Jordaan 85
Hotel de Doelen 233 Hotel Parklane 223 & HOTELS Medieval Centre 68
Hotel Mayflower 233 Hotel Pax 217 Amstel Botel 213 Nieuwmarkt 78
Hotel Nieuwe Minerva Hotel Piet Hein 221 Hans Brinker Budget nightlife & arts 195
233 Hotel Prinsenhof 219 Hotel 219 Plantage, Eastern Islands
Joops Hotel 230 Hotel Rembrandt 223 Hotel Acro 220 & Eastern Docklands
Hotel van Onna 215 Hotel Arena 224 121
HOUSEBOATS Liliane’s Home 223 Hotel the Crown 214 shopping 135, 145
Captain’s Place 224 Museum Square Hotel 220 Hotel Winston 214 sights 55
Frederic’s Rentabike & Owl Hotel 221 Old Nickel 214 Southern Canal Belt 99
Houseboats 216 Hotel Zandbergen 221 Quentin Hotel 219 Western Canal Belt 93
INDEX

INDEX
000 map pages
000 photographs

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