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Nightlife Amsterdam at night is like a human zoo, with all sorts of weird and wonderful activities on offer. The city can be the venue for a romantic stroll, with the lights of the bridges and old houses reflected in the canals, or a night spent bar hopping from buzzing bar to buzzing bar, before partying until dawn in one of Europe’s top clubs. It could even be a nefarious evening, dipping into the dirty underbelly of a city with few inhibitions. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of bars dotted around and it can be just as pleasant to idle away a few hours in a neighbourhood bar as it is to spend the night in one of the trendier venues in the centre of the city. If, however, you are interested in listening to live bands and dancing the night away, then you should head for the Rembrantsplein-Leidseplein area. If you want seedy, then head for Walletjes and indulge. Over the last few years, the trend in Amsterdam has been away from smoky pubs towards ‘grand cafes’, a mixture of bar and café, where it is equally acceptable to explore the excellent range of Dutch beers or just flick through a newspaper over a café latte. Amsterdam’s clubs usually open at 1000 and, by law, must close promptly at 0400 during the week and 0500 at the weekend. The best nights to go out tend to be Thursday and Saturday. The mainstream clubs prefer a smart-casual dress, with no trainers or jeans. Anything goes at the funkier, more cutting edge venues. Only those over 18 years are allowed to purchase alcohol in bars and clubs and drinks cost in the region of €5. Amsterdam tolerates the sale and use of soft drugs, which centre around smoking cafés or coffee shops. These are easy to recognise, as their names normally include words like ‘free’, ‘high’, ‘happy’ and ‘space’, and, of course, you can smell them too. These places usually have a drugs ‘menu’ with all sorts of nefarious offerings available. The best listings for Amsterdam’s nightlife is available online (website: www.timeout.com), which is regularly updated. Bars: Amsterdam is littered with bars. Danzig, 15 Zwanieburgwal, is a bright and modern café-bar in the city centre, which hovers over a couple of canals, with tables and chairs outside in the warmer months. De Waag, Nieumarkt, is a trendy bar in the red-light district, which also stages cultural performances and exhibitions. Whisky lovers should head for De Stil, Spuistraat 326, which boasts over 150 single malt whiskies. The owners are friendly and will coach whisky virgins through the first stages of discovering whisky unaided by cola or water as a mixer. Meanwhile, beer aficionados should make a beeline for De Wildman, Nieuwezijds Kolk 3, which has an array of over 200 bottled beers from all over Europe. Casinos: Two places in which to win or lose money are Holland Casino Amsterdam, Max Euweplein 62, open daily 1330-0300 (last entry at 0200), and Holland Casino Schiphol Airport, in Terminal West at Schiphol Airport, open daily 0600-1930. Smart attire is requisite and only those over 18 years are admitted – passports are required. Clubs: Over the last decade, Amsterdam’s reputation as a clubbing centre has attracted a host of big name DJs. One of the most popular venues at the moment is the ex-hippie favourite, Paradiso, Weteringschans 6-8. Housed in a converted church, this temple to dance is a Mecca for lovers of everything from deep house through to big beat, with monthly forays into disco and cheesy funk. IT, Amstelstraat 24, is a favourite of the media set, with a mixed crowd, extravagant transvestite dancers and a fair smattering of Dutch celebrities filling the dancefloor at weekends. Escape, Rembrandtplein 11, is a massive venue that can hold up to 2000 revellers. Its Saturday ‘Chemistry’ night is a Dutch institution, attracting some big name international DJs. A more intimate club venue is Sinners in Heaven, Wagenstraat 3-7, with a trendier, older crowd than many of the city’s larger, more mainstream clubs. Live music: Jazz has always been popular in Amsterdam. Many of the jazz greats have lived in the city, including Chet Baker, who died here. Head for Bourbon Street Jazz and Blues Club, Leidsekruisstraat 6-8, or the main jazz venue of Bimhuis, Oude Schans 73-77, in the Old Centre, where the Dutch Jazz Orchestra plays on Wednesday and musicians from all over Europe perform on the other days of the week. Paradiso, Weteringschans 6-8, often has rock gigs and sets by alternative acts. |
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