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USACity Overview Legend has it that Amsterdam was founded by two fishermen and a seasick dog. The story goes that the dog jumped ship to deposit the contents of his stomach and the two fishermen became the founders of Amsterdam. In reality the city’s story really began in the 13th century, when the River Amstel was dammed and a settlement grew up on the site, which took the name of Aemstelledamme – today tidied up to Amsterdam. Whichever version is true, Amsterdam has become one of Europe’s great cities, a Mecca for tourists who flock to the city, to explore its richly historic streets, delve into its countless ghosts and legends and, of course, enjoy the hedonistic pleasures this North Holland city is so renowned for. The lifeblood of Amsterdam has long been its aquatic locale, close as it is to the North Sea and built on a myriad of canals that neatly divide the city into easily navigable districts and imbue it with a small town ambience. There seems to be a canal around every corner in Amsterdam – not too surprising, considering that the city is home to a staggering 165 canals. Amsterdam’s sprawl of waterways are now used by a dizzying array of vessels, everything from glass roofed tourist boats and pedalos, right through to speedboats and gigantic industrial barges that testify to the role the canals and waterways still play in the city’s economic life. The local tourist board reckons that Amsterdam boasts more museums per square inch than anywhere else on the planet. And, in a sense, the whole city is one living museum – a crucial part of Amsterdam’s charm. Even in the very heart of the city centre, real people live real lives in their canal-side houses, just as their forefathers have been doing for centuries. The year 2002 marks 400 years since the founding of the Dutch East India Company, the trade body that oversaw the expansion of Dutch merchants and sailors to all corners of the globe, bringing unprecedented wealth into the city. Trade and transport are still key elements of Amsterdam’s development and alongside the tourist boats are container ships and all manner of industrial infrastructure. Amsterdam also still holds its reputation as a no-holds-barred and extremely tolerant port city. This ‘live and let live’ attitude has not only resulted in the infamous red-light districts and the legendary brown cafés but is also an integral part of the relaxed ambience that most visitors enjoy when they visit the city. The downsides are some serious drug problems and an increasing homeless population. In the summer, all of Amsterdam’s eclectic groups come together in Vondelpark to relax in the balmy weather. Amsterdam statistically may be one of Europe’s wettest capitals but as soon as the clouds clear and the sun is allowed to shine, the city’s inhabitants spill out onto the streets, to sit in the numerous pavement cafés, take a cruise on a canal or even that most ubiquitous of Amsterdam pastimes – ride their bicycles. Amsterdam’s winters tend to be cold with plenty of rain but this seldom seems to deter the tourists, who flock to the city all year round. Language The official language of The Netherlands is Dutch (also known as Netherlandish), which is spoken by 14 million people. There are also nearly 6 million Dutch speakers in Belgium, mostly based in Flanders. English is widely (and well) spoken in Amsterdam as it is taught in schools from an early age. Many people also speak German and French. Amsterdam itself has had a profound impact on the formation of Standard Dutch. This is due to the fact that large numbers of people moved from the Southern Provinces to the North, mainly settling in Amsterdam, as a result of the religious upheavals throughout the Low Countries in the latter part of the sixteenth century. These immigrants tended to be wealthy and educated, and inevitably the language they brought with them attained a level of social prestige equal to its speakers. As the language of Amsterdam’s upper classes increasingly became the written norm, so the original dialects of Holland remained entrenched in the spoken language. To this day, there can still be significant differences between the written and spoken forms of Dutch. Phrases Yes - Ja No - Nee Hello - Hallo Goodbye - Tot ziens Please - Alstublieft Thank you - Dank u wel My name is ... - Mijn naam is ... / ik heet ... How are you? - Hoe gaat het? I’m very well - Met mij gaat het goed I feel ill - Ik voel me ziek How much does it cost? - Hoeveel kost het? Do you speak English? - Spreekt u Engels? I don’t understand - Ik begrijp het niet Where is ...? - Waar is ...? Entrance - Ingang Exit - Uitgang Danger - Gevaar Open - Geopend Closed - Gesloten Toilets - Toiletten / WC Doctor - Dokter Hotel - Hotel Restaurant - Restaurant Beer - Bier Wine - Wijn Menu - Menu Today - Vandaag Tomorrow - Morgen Monday - Maandag Tuesday - Dinsdag Wednesday - Woensdag Thursday - Donderdag Friday - Vrijdag Saturday - Zaterdag Sunday - Zondag One - Een Two - Twee Three - Drie Four - Vier Five - Vijf Six - Zes Seven - Zeven Eight - Acht Nine - Negen Ten - Tien Twenty - Twintig Thirty - Dertig Forty - Veertig Fifty - Vijftig Sixty - Zestig Seventy - Zeventig Eighty - Tachtig Ninety - Negentig One Hundred - Hinderd One Thousand - Duizend Getting There By Air Schiphol International Airport (AMS) Tel: (0800) 7244. Fax: (020) 604 1475. E-mail: schiphol@xxlink.nl Website: www.schiphol.nl Schiphol, located 15km (nine miles) southwest of Amsterdam, is a major European hub, with over 90 airlines flying to over 220 destinations. Schiphol ranks fourth behind London, Paris and Frankfurt and was recently voted ‘Best Airport in Europe’ by readers of Business Traveller Magazine. Major airlines: The national airline, KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines (tel: (020) 474 7747; website: www.klm.com), flies direct to all major European, North American and Asia-Pacific cities. KLMuk flies to London Stansted and several regional airports throughout the UK. Transavia (tel: (020) 406 0406; website: www.transavia.nl), 80% of which is owned by KLM, operates scheduled flights to London Gatwick and Barcelona. On the domestic front, KLM Cityhopper operates services between Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Other major airlines include Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Easyjet, Egypt Air, Go and Northwest Airlines. Approximate flight times to Amsterdam: From London is 50 minutes; from New York is 7 hours; from Los Angeles is 10 hours 25 minutes; from Toronto is 7 hours; and from Sydney is 21 hours 20 minutes. Airport facilities: Facilities include bureaux de change, currency exchange machines, restaurants, duty-free shops, left luggage, tour operators, hotel reservations and prayer rooms. Shower facilities and day rooms are available at the terminal hotels (tel: (020) 604 1339; fax: (020) 601 2742). Car hire companies include Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz. Business facilities: The airport business centre (tel: (020) 653 2480; fax: (020) 653 2566) is open to all passengers. Facilities include fax, personal computer, telephone and secretarial services. It is open Monday to Friday 0830-2000. There are two conference rooms in the terminal. These can cater for groups of up to 50 or 80 and must be booked in advance through the business centre. Coin operated fax machines are located throughout the terminal. Computers, printers and mobile telephones – for making and receiving both local and international calls – can be rented from KPN Telecom Rentcentre (tel: (020) 653 0999; fax: (020) 653 0998), which is open 0700-2200. There is also a press centre and some major airlines have executive lounges, which offer some business facilities. Arrival/departure tax: None. Transport to the city: KLM (tel: (020) 653 4975; website: www.klm.com) operates a blue shuttle bus service to the city centre, every 30 minutes between 0600-2300 (journey time 20-30 minutes). Hotel stops include the Pulitzer, Krasnapolsky, Sofitel, Crowne Plaza, Renaissance, Golden Tulip Barbizon, Tulip Inn, Carlton, Okura, Holiday Inn, Novotel and Park. The cost is €10 for a single ticket and €20 for a return. NS (tel: (0900) 9292, for national enquiries or (02) 620 2266, for international enquiries; website: www.ns.nl) trains run between the airport and Amsterdam Centraal Station, every 15 minutes 0600-2400 (journey time – 20 minutes) and every hour throughout the night. A one-way, second-class ticket costs €2.90. There is also a direct link between Schiphol and Amsterdam’s RAI Congress Centre, with trains running every 15 minutes 0525-2410. Schiphol also has direct links to The Hague, Rotterdam and Vlissingen. Official airport taxis pick up passengers from outside the arrivals hall. The journey to the city costs from €30 and takes around 15 minutes, depending on which part of the city is required. Getting There By Water Amsterdam is a busy port city and one of the most important cruise ship harbours in Europe, with around 100 cruise ships and 100,000 cruise passengers arriving every year. Amsterdam’s business ports are run by Ports of Amsterdam (website: www.portsofamsterdam.nl), while information on cruise ship services is available from Amsterdamcruise (website: www.amsterdamcruise.com). The main cruise hub is based at the new passenger terminal at Oostelijke Handelskade (tel: (020) 5091 000), on the edge of the city centre, which is equipped with restaurants, bars and ATMs. The main ferry terminal for services around Europe is further south, at Hook of Holland (tel: (017) 438 9333), where the terminal has a restaurant but no banking or exchange facilities. Ferry services: Cross-channel ferries are run by StenaLine (tel: (08705) 455 455; website www.stenaline.co.uk), which operates a rail/fast-ferry service from London (Liverpool Street) to Amsterdam (Centraal Station), via Harwich and the Hook of Holland. There are two services daily, one in the morning and one in the evening (journey time – 8 hour 40 minutes). Transport to the city: Although it is within walking distance, trains and buses connect the new cruise terminal with Amsterdam city centre. The Hook of Holland is connected by an express rail link with Amsterdam Centraal Station. Getting There By Road The Netherlands is connected to the rest of Europe by a superb network of motorways. Green ‘E’s indicate international highways, red ‘A’s indicate national highways and yellow ‘N’s indicate smaller routes. Although frontier formalities between The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have now all but vanished, motorists – particularly on smaller roads – should be prepared to stop when asked to do so by a customs official. Driving is on the right. Speed limits are 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on major roads and 50kph (30mph) in towns. Children under 12 years should not travel in the front seat. Seatbelts are compulsory. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.05%. The minimum driving age in The Netherlands is 18. An International Driving Permit is not required, as long as a national driving licence from the country of origin is held. EU pink format licences are accepted. Trailers and caravans are allowed in without documentation. A Green Card is advisable but not compulsory. Without it, drivers with motor insurance policies in their home country are granted only the minimum legal cover in The Netherlands – the Green Card tops this up to the level of cover provided by the driver’s own policy. The yellow cars of the Royal Dutch Touring Club, ANWB/Wegenwacht (tel: (070) 314 1420), patrol major roads 24 hours a day, with qualified mechanics equipped to handle routine repairs. Emergency breakdown service: ANWB (0800) 0888 Routes to the city: Schiphol lies on the E19, from where it is an easy 18km (11 miles) ride into Amsterdam. The A10 is the Amsterdam ring road. The main route out of Amsterdam, toward Brussels, is the A2, heading south to join the A27 and finally the A16/E19 at Breda, which continues across the border to Antwerp. The A2 also connects to Utrecht, from there the A12/E35 travels directly through the Duisburg-Essen conurbation, passing Düsseldorf, Cologne and continuing southeast until Frankfurt. Hanover is best reached by taking the E231 out of the city to connect with the A1/E30, becoming the A30/E30, which continues east to Hanover. Driving times to Amsterdam: From Brussels – 2 hours 30 minutes; from Hanover – 4 hours; from Frankfurt – 6 hours 30 minutes. Coach services: Eurolines (tel: (020) 560 8788; e-mail: info@eurolines.nl; website: www.eurolines.nl) operates coach services, sometimes in conjunction with other national companies, to major cities throughout Europe, including London, Paris, Brussels and Frankfurt. Offices are located at Rokin 10, and the coach station, Amstelstation, Julianaplein 5 (tel: (020) 560 8787). Getting There By Rail Amsterdam’s Centraal Station, Leidseplein, is one of the largest railway terminals in Europe. The station has an impressive array of services, from showers and restaurants to hotel and travel booking counters. The national rail provider is Nederlandse Spoorwegen (tel: (0900) 9292, for national enquiries or (02) 620 2266, for international enquiries; website: www.ns.nl), who run an efficient and reliable network that covers destinations all over Holland and further afield into the rest of Europe. International tickets should be reserved at least a week in advance. Rail services: There are regular Eurostar trains (tel: (0990) 186 186, in the UK; website: www.eurostar.com) from London to Brussels (journey time – 3 hours 40 minutes), where a direct connection to Amsterdam can be caught after a 30-minute wait (journey time – 3 hours). THALYS (website: www.thalys.com) high-speed services also connect Amsterdam with Brussels (journey time – approximately 2 hours 30 minutes). There are frequent daytime services from most large Western European cities and night services from all over the continent. Transport to the city: Centraal Station is located in Amsterdam city centre. A number of trams and buses, as well as taxis, are available in the area immediately outside the main building. Getting Around Public Transport Amsterdam’s integrated public transport system is run by the municipal transport company, GVB (tel: (020) 460 6060; website: www.gvb.nl), which has an information office at Centraal Station. The best way to get around the city is on foot or by using the extensive tram, metro, bus and ferry networks. There is a free map of all tram and bus routes in Amsterdam available from tourist offices or the GVB office by Centraal Station. The dedicated circle tram ferries tourists around a city loop, taking in many of the main tourist attractions, with day tickets priced at €10. Trams operate Monday to Friday 0600-2400 (Saturday from 0630 and Sunday from 0730). All trams leave from Centraal Station – trams 1 and 2 traverse the main canals, tram 17 provides a frequent, fast and dependable service, tram 16 takes a route to Museumplein and Concertgebouw, while trams 9 and 14 go to the Muziektheater and Waterlooplein market. Circle tram 20, has been designed with visitors in mind – it runs past almost all the main tourist attractions and many of the major hotels. It runs roughly every ten minutes from 0900-1900. Amsterdam’s three metro lines all start at Centraal Station and serve the southeastern business district and the suburbs. The trains run Monday to Friday 0600-2415 (Saturday from 0630 and Sunday from 0730). The outlying areas of the city – mostly the suburbs that the trams do not reach – are served by 37 bus lines, which run until midnight. Night buses run long after the other services have stopped (numbered from 71 to 79). A free ferry service provides cyclists and pedestrians with connections to Amsterdam Noord, the area across the IJ. The main ferry landing is on De Ruijterkade (behind the Central Station). Ferries are frequent and operate between 0615-2057, with a limited at the weekend (most services do not operate on Sunday). Visitors spending plenty of time travelling around the city are advised to buy a dagkaarten day pass, for €5.60. For single rides, a strippenkaart can be used. This needs to be stamped every time a tram, bus or metro is boarded –each journey uses one strip, plus a strip for every zone travelled. Once stamped, a ticket is valid for an hour, regardless of how often a change of tram or bus is made. It is cheaper to buy a strippenkaart before boarding the public transport system than to pay a cash fare. Strippenkaarten are available from tourist office, tobacconists and large hotels for EU5.90 for 15 units or €17.40 for 45 units. Water Travel Not surprisingly, there are several modes of water travel in Amsterdam. In addition to public ferries, canal buses travel between Centraal Station and the Rijksmuseum, every 25-45 minutes – fares vary between companies. The special Museum Boat leaves from Prins Hendrikkade, every 30 minutes in summer and every 45 minutes in winter, stopping off at the city’s main museums. This costs €14.50. Canal taxis, which can carry up to 25 passengers, are also available. They can either be hailed from the canal-side or ordered in advance (tel: (020) 622 2181). The smallest canal taxi costs €60 for the first 30 minutes and €45 for each subsequent 30 minutes within the city limits. Alternatively, visitors can hire pedalos (also known as canal bikes) and boats to explore the canals. Pedalos are available from Canal Bike, Weteringschans 24 (tel: (020) 626 5574; fax: (020) 624 1033; website: www.canal.nl), open daily 0900-1800. A four-person pedalo costs €7 per person per hour, if there are only one or two in the pedalo, and €6 per person per hour, if there are three or four in the pedalo. A deposit of €50 per pedalo is required. Canal Bike also organises group tours. Taxis Rather than hailing a taxi in the street, it is more usual in Amsterdam for one to order a taxi by phoning the Central Taxi Office (tel: (020) 677 7777) or pick one up at a taxi rank (Centraal Station, Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein). Taxis, which have an illuminated ‘taxi’ sign on the roof, usually come quickly, unless it is raining or a Friday or Saturday night. Although they provide a good service, taxis are relatively expensive. The starting fare is €2.20, with every kilometre costing €1.80 – regardless of the time of day or night – for the first 25 kilometres and then €1.30 thereafter. A meter indicates the fare, on top of which a small tip will be appreciated. Limousines There are a number of limousine companies in Amsterdam, offering airport transfers and hourly or daily hire. Two possibilities are CS Limousine Service (tel: (020) 673 7888; fax: (020) 673 9045) and Delden Limousine Service (tel: (020) 684 8408; fax: (020) 686 3638). Prices start at €100 for an airport transfer and €137 per hour, plus €2.30 per kilometre travelled. Many of the drivers provide an informal guide service. Driving in the City Driving in Amsterdam is not recommended. Even for excursions outside the city, it is preferable to take the train. The city’s streets are not big enough to accommodate the tens of thousands of cars owned by the city’s residents, let alone the 500,000 tourists who annually arrive in their cars. As a result, parking spots are limited and expensive. Visitors are advised to park their car at a P+R (park and ride) lot, from where there are bus, tram and subway lines to the city centre. Motorists also need to watch out for cyclists and the special cycle lanes. Rush hours (0700-0900 and 1700-1900) are best avoided. Car headlights should be dimmed in built-up areas and it is illegal to use sidelights only. Parking at the massive ArenA park and ride costs €5.70 a day. In the city centre, cars must be parked in a designated parking space or in a car park. Parking meters can be recognised by a yellow sign with the letter ‘P’ and charges are split into three zones. Parking tickets for the most central Zone A cost €2.60 per hour, during weekdays and Saturdays (0900-1900), and €1.60 at night (1900-2300), while the charge on Sundays is €1.30 per hour. Zone B charges are a flat €1.60 per hour and for Zone C €0.80 per hour. Special tourist parking tickets are priced at €19.50 for the entire day in any zone or €13.25 for zones B and C. A three day tourist parking pass for the entire city is €58.50 or €40.15 for zones B and C. Parking regulations are quite strict and there are tough measures for violating the city’s car parking laws, with wheel clamping common. The car pound (tel: (020) 555 9833) is located at Cruquiuskade 25 in Havens Oost, the Eastern Harbour district. Car Hire Conditions of hire vary, although, in most cases, the driver will have to be 25 years old and have held a valid national license for one year. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not needed, as long as a valid national license is produced. Payment should usually be made with a credit card bearing the name of the driver. The major European firms are represented in Amsterdam. Cars can also be hired through the airport and most hotels. The companies that have branches in the city centre include Avis International Car Rental, Polderweg 98-100 (tel: (020) 465 1115; fax: (020) 665 9038; website: www.avis.com), Budget Car, Overtoom 121 (tel: (020) 612 6066; fax: (020) 689 0694; website: www.budget.com), Hertz, Engelsesgade 4 (tel: (020) 612 2441; fax: (020) 626 2395; website: www.hertz.com). Rates start at around €50 per day and €220 a week. Fare conditions vary and some companies have an additional mileage charge. Those hiring a car should always check that the rates include the minimum insurance cover required in Amsterdam. Bicycle Hire There are bike lanes that are marked out by white lines but cyclists will still need to watch out for cars, trams and pedestrians. Bikes can be hired from Bike City, Bloemgracht 68-70 in Westerkerk (tel: (020) 626 3721), Damstraat Rent-A-Bike, Damstraat 20-22 (tel: (020) 625 5029), Macbike Too, Marnixstraat 220 (tel: (020) 626 6964), and Koenders Take-A-Bike, Centraal Station, Stationsplein 12 (tel: (020) 624 8391). Bike hire costs approximately €7 for the first day and €5 for subsequent days – Koenders Take-A-Bike’s daily rates are slightly lower. A deposit from €30 to €100 or a credit card imprint is usually required, along with an additional form of identification. Optional insurance, at around 50% of the hire charge, can also be taken. When cycling around Amsterdam, cycling two abreast is illegal, as is a bike without reflector bands on both front and back wheels. Bikes should always be securely locked, as there is a thriving stolen bike market. Business Business Profile For a city that seems, on the surface at least, very reliant on tourism, the tragic events of September 11 were a blow to Amsterdam. Since September, tourist numbers are down, especially from the lucrative American market, although that only tells part of the story. There is in fact a lot more to Amsterdam’s economy than tourism and economic growth in the region is still the fastest in Holland, with a growth level of at least 2.8% per annum expected until 2003. Amsterdam is an important European business centre. As a result, foreign companies are keen to have a presence in the city. Germany is The Netherlands’ biggest trading partner, with 25% of import and export trade, while other major players include Belgium, Luxembourg, France and the UK. Foreign companies are attracted by Amsterdam’s prime position within Europe, with excellent international connections from Schiphol airport and Amsterdam port, a strong infrastructure, a multilingual workforce, a stable political and economic climate and business-friendly policies. It is fitting in a city that was home to the world’s first ever public stock exchange that finance is a major part of the business world, with the financial sector employing 8% of Amsterdam’s workforce. After finance, fashion and flowers are key sectors. Of all Amsterdam’s exports, tulips are probably the most famous. In terms of exports, fresh flowers are a large market and Heineken is the largest export brewery in the world, with sales to 150 countries, although, in 1988, it closed its city centre brewery to relocate to a more practical locale. Over the last 20 years, Amsterdam has also emerged as a strong base in advanced technological industries, computing, telecommunications, biotechnology. Other major companies located in Amsterdam include ABM Amro Bank, Phillips and Shell. Unemployment levels continue to fall in Amsterdam, with 52,896 people registered unemployed in 2001 compared to 59,233 in 2000. The rate stood at 5.4% in 2000, considerably lower than the national average of 6.6%. The facilities provided for businesses in Amsterdam are extensive. The Amsterdam RAI International Exhibition & Congress Center is one of the world’s leading convention centres, located at Europaplein 8 (tel: (020) 549 1212; fax: (020) 646 4469; e-mail: mail@rai.nl; website: www.rai.nl). Business activity in Amsterdam is focused around the city centre, although also important are the port area and the new business parks on the city fringes. Commercial information is available from the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (tel: (020) 531 4000; fax: (020) 531 4699; e-mail:post@amsterdam.kvk.nl; website: www.kvk.nl) and from Amsterdam Promotion Foundation (website: www.amsterdampromotion.nl). Business Etiquette Business hours are Monday to Friday 0900-1700. The Dutch pride themselves on their efficient use of time, so punctuality is important. Dutch business associates should be addressed by their full name and title, and not by their first name, unless they are much younger or they have indicated that it is all right to do so. Most Dutch executives speak English, so it is not essential to have business cards translated into Dutch. However, it is important to have promotional material and instruction manuals translated into Dutch. It is a good idea for businesspeople to put the date their company was founded (if it was a long time ago) and university degree details on their card, as the Dutch respect history and education. While the Dutch wear suits for business meetings, smart-casual wear is worn on social occasions. Business lunches and appointments in the evening are rare. If invited to the home of an associate, guests should bring flowers. If given a present, it is customary to unwrap it immediately. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview With a compact city centre, no hills to speak of and an efficient public transport system, Amsterdam is an easy city to explore. Walking remains the best way of getting around, as many parts of the city are blessed with charming canals and historic buildings, with pavement cafés and bars providing refreshment en route. Indeed, Amsterdam boasts the largest preserved historical inner city in Europe, which in itself is the city’s main attraction. The best way for first time visitors to get acquainted with Amsterdam is to take a canal cruise, which opens up the layout of the city and covers many of the main tourist attractions. The most visited sites in the city are the excellent museums, such as the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank Museum, Amsterdams Historisch Museum, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art and the Van Gogh Museum. Away from these busy places, the city is also blessed with quiet canals and leafy parks, which provide an escape all year round. Breaking away from the main tourist throng is the best way to discover the ‘real’ Amsterdam of grand old canal-side merchants’ houses where modern Amsterdamers still live, in an almost bucolic setting. Thanks to the highly efficient Dutch railway network, there are also endless possibilities for half- and full-day trips from Amsterdam’s Centraal Station. Tourist Information VVV Amsterdam Tourist Office Stationsplein 10 (opposite Centraal Station) Tel: (020) 551 2525 or (0900) 400 4040. Fax: (020) 625 2869. E-mail: info@amsterdamtourist.nl Website: www.visitamsterdam.nl Opening hours: Daily 0800-1700. Other VVV offices are located at Centraal Station, Leidseplein/Leidsestraat; and Stadionplein/Van Tuyll van Serooskerkenweg. Services provided include general tourist information, hotel and package reservations, excursions and canal cruises, maps and guidebooks, walking tours, public transport tickets, theatre, concert and museum tickets, souvenirs and posters, telephone cards, VVV gift vouchers and currency exchange. Passes The new Amsterdam Pass, introduced in April 2002, offers tourists the use of public transport (tram, bus and underground), free admission to 22 museums, a free canal tour, a voucher booklet for 25% discount on several attractions and restaurants, and a full colour pass guide. Attractions offering free entrance to Amsterdam Pass holders include the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Rembrandthuis, Amsterdams Historisch Museum and Hortus Botanicus. Other free benefits include a cup of coffee at Restaurant La Place, an Amsterdam city map and five postcards at Café Ristretto, Magna Plaza shopping centre. The pass is valid for one, two or three days, costing €26, €36 and €46 respectively. Regardless of the validity of the pass, until 31 March 2003, Amsterdam Pass holders can use the discount vouchers, gain free admission to Holland Casino and claim a free guided Amsterdam Diamond Group tour of the city. The passes are available for purchase from the VVV Amsterdam Tourist Office. Key Attractions Rijksmuseum The largest and most popular museum in the Netherlands was opened in 1885 and has grown steadily ever since. Today, it includes paintings dating from the 15th century up until 1850, as well as some quite stunning pieces of furniture. Visotrs with a limited amount of time should head straight for the Dutch Masters on the first floor, where the star painting, Rembrandt’s Nightwatch, hangs alongside several Vermeers and Van Hals. A pamphlet describes all of the museum’s highlights and there are audio tours available. Although part of the Rijksmuseum and included in the price of the museum ticket, the South Wing has its own entrance, at Hobbemastraat 19. Exhibits include 18th- and 19th-century paintings, Oriental objets d’art and a textile and costume section. Stadhouderskade 42 Tel: (020) 674 7000. Fax: (020) 674 7001. E-mail: info@rijksmuseum.nl Website: www.rijksmuseumam.nl Transport: Trams 2, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 20. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700. Admission: €8; concessions available. Anne Frankhuis (Anne Frank House) The queues can be horrendous at the small but very popular, Anne Frank House, which annually attracts roughly half a million people. It is the historic home where Anne Frank, her family and four other Jewish people hid from the occupying Germans during World War II, after fleeing their native Germany. Finally caught by the Nazis, they were taken off to a concentration camp, where Anne died. However, her father survived and published her diary, which has been translated into 50 languages. Prinsengracht 263, Westerkerk Tel: (020) 556 7100. Fax: (020) 620 7999. Website: www.annefrank.nl Transport: Trams 13, 14, 17 or 20. Opening hours: Daily Jan-Mar, Sep to Dec 0900-1700; Apr to Aug 0900-2100. Admission: € 6.50; concessions available. Van Gogh Museum This spacious museum has recently been extensively renovated. It houses a permanent display of 200 paintings and 500 drawings by Van Gogh, as well as works by Toulouse-Lautrec and Gauguin. A new wing is being used to display temporary exhibitions. Also on show, until June 2002, is the highly rated ‘Van Gogh and Gaughin’ exhibition, a joint exhibition of the two great artists’ work. Paulus Potterstraat 7 Tel: (020) 570 5252/00. Fax: (020) 673 5053. Website: www.vangoghmuseum.nl Transport: Trams 2, 3, 5, 12, 16 or 20. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800. Admission: €7 (concessions available). Museum Het Rembrandthuis This museum, a charming three-storey house built in the early 17th century, is where Rembrandt lived for nearly 20 years. Recently, a museum wing has been added, with more space for a permanent collection of his work. It is home to a comprehensive collection of 250 of the artist’s etchings and self-portraits. The work of Rembrandt’s teachers and students are also on display, which add depth and dialogue to Rembrandt’s own work. Jodenbreestraat 4 Tel: (020) 520 0400. Fax: (020) 520 0401. E-mail: museum@rembrandthuis.nl Website: www.rembrandthuis.nl Transport: Trams 4, 9, 14, 20 or metro Nieuwmarkt. Boat to Waterlooplein or Zwanenburgerwal. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1300-1700. Admission: €7; concessions available. Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art The best collection of modern art in Amsterdam is housed in a neo-Renaissance building, designed by AW Weissmann in 1895 – another wing was added in the 1950s. The permanent collection includes Dutch and international art from the second half of the 19th century onwards, with works by Picasso, Cézanne, Chagall and Monet, as well as photography, video, film and industrial design. Recent Dutch artists on display include Mondrian, De Kooning and Lichtenstein. Frequently changing temporary exhibitions are displayed in the New Wing. The museum has a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the sculpture garden – a lovely place in which to sit, on a sunny day. Paulus Potterstraat 13 Tel: (020) 573 2911. Fax: (020) 573 2789. Website: www.stedelijk.nl Transport: Trams 2, 3, 5, 12, 16 or 20. Bus 63. Opening hours: Daily Apr to Oct 1000-1800; Nov to Mar 1100-1700. Admission: €5. Amsterdams Historisch Museum (Amsterdam Historical Museum) The Historical Museum shows how Amsterdam grew from a small medieval town into a modern city. Housed in a former orphanage that dates back to 1524, it is filled with paintings, prints and archaeological finds. One of the most interesting exhibits is an 18th-century coach without wheels. According to council regulations – and to reduce the noise of wheels on the cobble streets – wealthy Amsterdammers had to travel by sleigh, even in summer. The entrance fee to the museum includes free entry to the Civic Guards Gallery, a glass-roofed ‘street’ between Kalverstraat and the Begijnhof, which is lined with 15 massive portraits of the Amsterdam Civic Guards, dating from the 17th century. However, the Rijksmuseum has the most famous painting of the Civic Guard – Rembrandt’s Nightwatch. Kalverstraat 92 or Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 359 Tel: (020) 523 1822. Fax: (020) 620 7789. E-mail: info@ahm.nl Website: www.ahm.nl Transport: Trams 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 14, 16, 20, 24 or 25. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1700, Sat and Sun 1100-1700. Admission: €6; concessions available. Heineken Experience Voted ‘Best Amsterdam Visitor Attraction’ in 2001, the Heineken Experience is a self-guided, multimedia delve into the workings of the world’s largest beer exporter. There is plenty of information on the company’s rich history and also the new ‘Bottle Ride’, where visitors get to feel what it is like to be a beer bottle during the production process. At the end of the tour, there is, of course, the chance to sample the hallowed brew. Stadhouderskade 78 Tel: (020) 523 9666. Website: www.heinekeinexperience.com Transport: Trams 16, 24 or 25. Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800. Admission: €5; concessions available. Sub-Culture Museums Amsterdam is infamous for its Sex Museum but it also boasts the dubious charms of the Hash Museum and the Torture Museum. The extremely tacky Sex Museum, the only one in Europe, is full of erotica – objets d’art, photos, prints, paintings and videos – dating from the Roman era to about 1960, although is totally devoid of eroticism. The Hash Museum is of interest to visitors who come to Amsterdam for the coffee shops and would like to learn a little more about the hallowed weed, while the Torture Museum caters for another sub-group of society altogether. Nevertheless, it is tongue-in-cheek enough to be of interest to all. The three museums are all within walking distance in the city centre. Sex Museum Damrak 18 Tel: (020) 622 8376. Transport: Tram 20. Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200. Admission: €2.50. Torture Museum Damrak 20 Tel: (020) 639 2027. Transport: Tram 20. Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200. Admission: €6. Hash Museum Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148 Tel: (020) 623 5961. Transport: Trams 4, 9, 14, 16, 20, 24 or 25. Opening hours: Daily 1100-2200. Admission: €5.70. Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace) The Royal Palace, designed by Jacob van Campen, was built in 1648, as Amsterdam’s city hall. When King Louis Napoleon arrived in Amsterdam, in 1808, he had the city hall turned into a palace. The large collection of Empire-style furniture, chandeliers and clocks date from this period. Although the palace is still the official royal residence, the royal family lives in The Hague. However, Queen Beatrix does host official functions here. Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147 Tel: (020) 620 4060 or 624 8698, to book guided tours. Website: www.kon-paleisamsterdam.nl Transport: Trams 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 24 or 25. Opening hours: Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat and Sun 1230-1700; guided tours need to be booked two weeks in advance. Admission: €4.50; concessions available. Further Distractions Vondelpark Named after a famous Dutch poet, the Vondelpark is known as the ‘green lung’ of Amsterdam. It contains 49 hectares (120 acres) of ponds, gardens, lakes, playgrounds, cafés and a bandstand. In summer, there are regular free concerts. At times, palm readers and buskers – African drummers, classical quartets and jazz singers – provide entertainment. Just a few minutes’ walk away from the Leidseplein, the Vondelpark is an ideal place for visitors to get away from it all. Vondelpark, Roemer Visscherstraat Transport: Tram 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12. Opening Hours: Daily dawn until dusk Admission: Free. Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) Despite its name, the building of the original church that stood on this site was started in 1408, as the congregation had outgrown the Oude Kerk (Old Church). The present structure dates to the 17th century, the previous wooden church having been badly damaged by fire. One of the most interesting pieces inside, is the pulpit. Rising to a height of more than 10m (33ft), it took sculptor Albert Jansz Vinckenbrinck almost 20 years (1645-1664) to create. A close look at the carved ‘rope’ of the handrail will reveal mischievous angels sliding down it. Located next door to the Royal Palace, on the Dam, the Nieuwe Kerk has been used for the inauguration of Dutch monarchs since 1815 – Queen Beatrix was crowned here in 1980. The church is also renowned for excellent exhibitions and it is rated as one of top three exhibition locations in the Netherlands. Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal Tel: (020) 638 6909, for recorded information E-mail: mail@nieuwekerk.nl Website: www.nieuwekerk.nl Transport: Tram 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 24 or 25. Opening Hours: Variable according to exhibition. Admission: Variable according to exhibition; often free. Hortus Botanicus The very pretty Hortus Botanicus is home to more than 800 plants from all over the world. Conducted tours take place on Sunday at 1300, taking 60-90 minutes. Plantage Middenlaan 2a Tel: (020) 625 8411. Fax: (020) 625 7006. E-mail: hortus.amsterdam@wxs.nl Website: www.hortus-botanicus.nl Transport: Metro Waterlooplein; tram 7 or 9. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat and Sun 1100-1700 (Apr-Oct); Mon-Fri 0900-1600, Sat and Sun 1100-1600 (Nov-May). Admission: €3.50 (Jan-Apr); €5 (Apr-Oct); concessions available. Roemer Visscherstraat Also known as United Europe, or Seven Countries Houses, Roemer Visscherstraat was built in 1894, by the architect, Tjeerd Kuipers, with the intention of focusing on the history of European architecture. Lying between the Vondelpark and Leidseplein, numbers 20 to 30a of this street provide a one-minute excursion through seven European cities. Number 20, with its Gothic windows, is based on romantic German architecture. Number 22 is a miniature French Loire château, while 24 is a Moorish masterpiece reminiscent of Granada’s Alhambra. There is an Italian palazzo at number 26, next door to which, with its onion-shaped dome, is a house reminiscent of a Russian cathedral. Number 30 is a Renaissance-style Dutch house, while 30a is an English cottage. Roemer Visscherstraat 10-30a Transport: Tram 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12. Tours of the City Walking Tours The Amsterdam Tourist Office – VVV (tel: (020) 551 2525 or (0900) 400 4040; fax: (020) 625 2869; e-mail: info@amsterdamtourist.nl; website: www.visitamsterdam.nl) publishes a number of brochures detailing informative and interesting walking tours. The series A Walk Through… includes Maritime Amsterdam, Jewish Amsterdam and The Jordaan. Another, Amsterdam in the Footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh, covers places associated with the artist. Mee in Mokum, Hartenstraat 18 (tel: (020) 625 1390), offers guided tours around the Old Town and Jordaan. All of the tour guides are long-term residents over the age of fifty. The content of the tours varies between guides, as each has their own very personal and individual perspective on the city. The two-hour tours, which only run on Saturday and Sunday, leave from the Historisch Museum and cost €2.50 – advanced booking is essential. Bicycle Tours Yellow Bike, Nieuwezijds Kolk 29 (tel: (020) 620 6940; fax (020) 620 7140; website: www.yellowbike.nl), operates bicycle tours between April and November, with prices starting at €17 for a two-hour tour of the city, including the Vondelpark and the Jordaan. Tours are conducted and English but German, French, Spanish or Italian speaking guides also can be arranged on request. All tours depart from Nieuwezijds Kolk 29, which is a five-minute walk from the Centraal Station. Water Tours Probably the best way to see Amsterdam is from one of the many canal tour boats available. There are a number of companies operating these tours. The hour-long itinerary varies little but the price and delivery of information does. Visitors should choose from The Best of Holland, Damrak 34 (tel: (020) 623 1539), Holland International, Prins Hendrikkade 33A (tel: (020) 622 7788), Lindbergh, Damrak 26 (tel: (020) 622 2766), Lovers, opposite Prins Hendrikkade 25-27 (tel: (020) 622 2181), and Rondvaarten, opposite Kooy BV Rokin 125 (tel: (020) 623 3810). The tours run throughout the year, at regular intervals during the day. Passengers can choose either to go round once in a loop or use the boats as a hop-on hop-off way of getting around the main attractions. The price per adult starts at €8, for the basic once-round loop. Excursions The national tourist office (website: www.visitholland.com) provides information on travelling outside Amsterdam. For a Half Day Castricum: A 25-minute train journey from Centraal Station, approximately 40km (25 miles) north of Amsterdam, this coastal town is wonderful for getting away from it all. Bikes can be hired, for €5.20 per day, at the train station (tel: (0251) 654 035, for reservations) and maps can be obtained from the station restaurant, before cycling through beautiful woodlands and meadows to reach the dunes. VVV Castricum, Dorpsstraat 62 (tel: (0251) 652 009; fax: (0251) 672 363; e-mail: info@vvvcastricum.nl) provides further information. Marken and Volendam: Two of the region’s prime tourist attractions, these pretty fishing villages are easily accessible from Amsterdam. Marken is on an island, joined to the mainland by a bridge, while Volendam is on the banks of the IJsselmeer. Both have plenty of atmosphere – there are lots of wooden houses and many of the locals still wear traditional dress. Visitors can wander through streets of quaint old houses, dress up in traditional costume and learn how to buy and sell fish at the Volendam fish auction. The outing can be extended into a full-day tour, by stopping off for a fresh fish lunch and visiting the Volendams Museum, where one old sailor’s collection of over a million cigar bands is on display. Volendam offers a variety of watersports, including excellent windsurfing. Transport is through an organised coach tour or the excellent bus service from Centraal Station. Departure times are available from the public transport information line (tel: (0900) 9292). VVV Marken, De Zarken 2 Monnickendam (tel: (0299) 651 998) and VVV Volendam, Zeestraat 37, Volendam (tel: (0299) 363 747; fax (0299) 363 484) provide further information. For a Whole Day Tulips: Between the last week in March and the last week in May, is the best time to head for the 28 hectares (69 acres) of the Keukenhof Gardens, Stationsweg 166a (tel: (0252) 465 555; fax: (0252) 465 565; e-mail: info@keukenhof.nl; website: www.keukenhof.nl). Open daily 0900-1800, the themed gardens are filled with tulips, narcissi and hyacinths. Entrance is €11. Trains run from Amsterdam’s central station to Leiden, from where a shuttle bus connects to Keukenhof. Eight kilometres (five miles) north of Keukenhof is Haarlem, where the Frans Roozen Nurseries and Tulip Show, Vogelenzangweg 49, can be visited from late March to late May, daily 0800-1930. Entrance is €11. Haarlem town centre is a beautiful mixture of 16th- and 17th-century buildings, with two fine museums. The Frans Hals Museum, Heiligland 62, houses paintings by the artist, while St Bavokerk Cathedral, contains a 5000-pipe organ, which Mozart is reputed to have played. Regular trains from Amsterdam’s central station run to Haarlem. VVV Haarlem, Stationsplein 1, Haarlem (tel: (0900) 616 1600, at 100c per minute; fax: (023) 534 0537; e-mail: info@wvzk.nl) provides further information. Rotterdam: Holland’s second largest city is often neglected by tourists but has a lot to offer. It may be most renowned as being home to Europe’s largest port and it is, to some extent, blighted by the mass of industrial infrastructure that goes with this. However, Rotterdam also has a buzz and character, which was further enhanced by its recent stint as European City of Culture. Southerly to Amsterdam and neighbouring The Hague, this city boasts a number of first rate museums, an impressively modern city centre and plenty of shopping opportunities. Rotterdam’s nightlife is also legendary, with a more cutting edge and raffish feel than touristy Amsterdam. In addition to this, the red-light districts of Rotterdam have a harder edge that is a million miles away from the much tamer tourist venues in Amsterdam. Over the last few decades, the city has boldly let itself become a testing ground for the avant-garde ideas of some of the world’s more esoteric architects, with a variety of stunning and challenging buildings dotted around the city. The Europoort is an attraction in itself, with daily boat tours of the massive port. Regular trains run to Rotterdam from Amsterdam’s Centraal Station. ANWB/VVV Rotterdam, Coolsingel 67, Rotterdam (tel: (0900) 403 4065; fax: (010) 413 3124; e-mail: info@vvv.rotterdam.nl; website: www.vvv.rotterdam.nl) provides further information. Hotels Hotel prices generally include VAT, which currently stands at 6%, but do not include visitors’ tax, which currently stands at 5%. The visitors’ tax is usually added to the bill at the end, although it is a good idea to check whether it is included when making a reservation. The prices quoted below are the starting prices for double rooms, including VAT, excluding visitors’ tax and breakfast, unless otherwise stated. Business Bilderberg Garden Hotel Conveniently located in the fashionable southern district of Nieuw Zuid, near many of the city’s main museums, Amsterdam’s smallest five-star hotel is a popular choice with business visitors. It prides itself on its relaxed and friendly ‘home from home’ atmosphere, offering guests welcoming touches, such as coffee or tea upon checking-in, a complimentary newspaper at breakfast or fresh fruit at night. The colourful, modern-style bedrooms are functionally furnished and each double room has its own Jacuzzi. The hotel boasts top-class business, conference and banqueting facilities, one of the city’s finest restaurants and an exclusive health and fitness centre next door. Dijsselhofplantsoen 7 Tel: (020) 664 2121. Fax: (020) 570 5654. E-mail: garden@bilderberg.nl Website: www.bilderberg.nl Price: From EUR113. Golden Tulip Barbizon Palace Situated in the city centre, opposite the Centraal Station and providing easy access to Schiphol International Airport (via frequent train connections or KLM shuttle bus), this grand five-star hotel provides modern luxury within a chain of 19 splendid 17th-century townhouses. Many of the bedrooms feature ancient oak beams and split-level designs and all are fitted with full mod cons. Business facilities include a variety of meeting rooms and also a magnificent congress centre, housed in a restored 15th-century chapel and connected to the hotel by an underground passage. Other amenities include a health and fitness club, a private mooring, and a gourmet restaurant and classy cocktail lounge. Prins Hendrikkade 59-72 Tel: (020) 556 4564. Fax: (020) 624 3353. E-mail: info@gtbpalace.goldentulip.nl Website: www.goldentuliphotels.nl/gtbpalace Price: From EUR265. Golden Tulip Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky The dazzling list of former guests at this well-respected city centre hotel includes William III, Brahms, Mahler, Verlaine, Conrad, Joyce and President Mitterand, and it was here that Omar Shariff worked for a short spell as a porter, having lost at the poker table. Located on Amsterdam’s Dam Square, opposite the Royal Palace, the hotel is vast and unprepossessing from the outside but, once inside, there is a great atmosphere of calm, efficiency and comfort. A popular business choice, it is one of the largest congress hotels in Benelux, with 22 modern conference rooms able to accommodate up to 2000 people. It also offers excellent dining options, including the celebrated Art Deco Winter Garden, which is among the most popular breakfast-meeting venues in Amsterdam. Dam 9 Tel: (020) 554 9111. Fax: (020) 622 8607. E-mail: info@krasnapolsky.nl Website: www.krasnapolsky.nl Price: From EUR100. The Grand Sofitel Demeure Amsterdam Originally a 16th-century royal inn, then the Admiralty, and later the City Hall, this splendidly restored historic building is now a world-class hotel, located near Dam Square. The 182 deluxe bedrooms are individually designed to suit both business and leisure guests and they all offer views of the surrounding canals, private gardens and courtyards. There is a dedicated business centre and 19 conference rooms of varying sizes. Other facilities include an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna and massage facilities, and the smart but informal canalside Café Roux, run by world-renowned chef Albert Roux. Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197 Tel: (020) 555 3111. Fax: (020) 555 3222. E-mail: hotel@thegrand.nl Website: www.thegrand.nl Price: From EUR374. Hotel de l’Europe Owned by beer magnate Freddy Heineken and located in the heart of the city’s business centre, the Hotel de l’Europe is among Amsterdam’s most prestigious five-star hotels – a grand, Victorian, red-brick hotel, combining old-world style and elegance with modern comfort and a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Each bedroom is equipped with full mod cons to suit the most discerning professional or leisure traveller and affords magnificent views over the Amstel River and Mint Tower. The hotel offers top-notch business facilities (including six function rooms suitable for meetings, cocktails, luncheons and dinners), an indoor heated swimming pool and a fitness centre. Its Excelsior Restaurant – complete with its own boat dock and famous for its world-class haute cuisine and wine cellar – is an ideal venue for entertaining clients. Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8 Tel: (020) 531 1777. Fax: (020) 531 1778. E-mail: hotel@leurope.nl Website: www.leurope.nl Price: From EUR304. Luxury Amstel Inter-Continental Amsterdam Holland’s most luxurious and prestigious hotel occupies a tranquil, scenic location on the banks of the Amstel River. Since its opening in 1867, it has played host to countless Kings, Queens and celebrities, such as Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn, Madonna and members of The Rolling Stones. With opulent, traditional-style rooms of stately grandeur containing Delft porcelain, spacious conference facilities, an impressive health club and swimming pool, magnificent riverside terraces, limousine service and private motor launches, the hotel fully lives up to its motto ‘Tradition meets excellence’. Even the restaurant – La Rive – headed by chef Edwin Katz, boasts a much-acclaimed Michelin star. Professor Tulpplein 1 Tel: (020) 622 6060. Fax: (020) 622 5808. E-mail: amstel@interconti.com Website: www.amsterdam.interconti.com Price: From EUR452. Blakes Hotel Blakes is the Amsterdam branch of the Anouska Hempel-designed Blakes of London. Located in the trendy Jordaan district, this small, boutique hotel oozes style and sophistication. It is housed in a former 17th-century theatre which, in its heyday, premiered plays by Holland’s ‘Shakespeare’, Joost van den Vondel, and staged concerts conducted by the great Italian composer, Antonio Vivaldi. Today, the minimalist East-meets-West designer decor of the 26 bedrooms – including every imaginable mod con from modem points and voice-mail to CD players and fax machines – combined with an intimate courtyard garden, spectacular canal views, young, efficient staff and a top-notch French-meets-Asian restaurant, ensures an exclusive and luxurious stay. Business services are available upon request and there are conference facilities for up to 30 people. Keizersgracht 384 Tel: (020) 530 2010. Fax: (020) 530 2030. E-mail: blakes@slh.com Website: www.slh.com/blakes Price: From EUR340. Moderate Seven Bridges This delightful, quiet guesthouse counts among the city’s best budget options. It is ideally located on one of the loveliest canals with a view of seven bridges, just a stone’s throw from lively Rembrandtplein. Each room is a comfortable, stylish double, individually furnished and filled with antiques and there are hand-painted tiles in the en-suite bathrooms. Some have TVs, but none have telephones. Guests are assured a warm welcome and, with no dining room at the hotel, they are served breakfast on fine china in their bedrooms. As there are only 11 bedrooms, it is vital to book in advance. Reguliersgracht 31 Tel: (020) 623 1329. Price: From EUR104. Van Ostade It would be hard to miss this hotel because the outside walls are decorated with bicycles. The best way to see Amsterdam is, without doubt, by bike and so where better to stay in town than the two-wheel-friendly Van Ostade bicycle hotel? Situated in the lively De Pijp district, yet only ten minutes by tram from the city centre, this clean, basic bed and breakfast rents out bicycles for just EUR4 a day. On arrival, guests receive maps showing the city’s main cycle routes and the young, friendly staff can also provide advice on how to discover hidden Amsterdam. Rooms are light, airy and simple and there is a relaxing communal area. Children are also welcome. Credit cards not accepted. Van Ostadestraat 123 Tel: (020) 679 3452. Fax: (020) 671 5213. E-mail: info@bicyclehotel.com Website: www.bicyclehotel.com Price: From EUR64 (including breakfast). Other Recommendations De Filosoof De Filosoof (The Philosopher) is a unique, if somewhat eccentric, hotel, run by philosopher Ida Jongsma. Rooms are named after the world’s greatest philosophers and include the Nietzsche room and the Wittgenstein room, each decorated accordingly, with bright, simple and modern furnishings and motifs inspired by philosophical ideas. Even the tablemats at breakfast feature thought-provoking text from celebrated philosophical writings. The hotel is located in a peaceful district of the city, alongside Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s largest and oldest municipal park, and close to all the major art museums. Other guest facilities include a library, garden and cosy bar at night. Anna van den Vondelstraat 6 Tel: (020) 683 3013. Fax: (020) 685 3750. E-mail: reservations@hotelfilosoof.nl Website: www.hotelfilosoof.nl Price: From EUR116 (including breakfast). Seven One Seven This exclusive, luxurious guesthouse offers total privacy to a small and select clientele. Located on Prinsengracht, one of Amsterdam’s most atmospheric canals with its grand merchants’ homes, converted warehouses and flower-laden houseboats, there is no hotel sign on the door and with only eight suites it is advisable to book well in advance. Once inside this glamorous oasis of calm, created by local designer Kees van der Valk, the atmosphere is refined yet relaxed, with discreet and exemplary service, two comfy lounges and a small library, each of which doubles as a reception venue or board room. The bedroom suites feature kingsize beds, TV and video, a CD player and modem point and the room price includes breakfast, mini-bar refreshments, traditional afternoon tea and drinks. Prinsengracht 717 Tel: (020) 427 0717. Fax: (020) 423 0717. E-mail: info@717hotel.nl Website: www.717hotel.nl Price: From EUR352 (including breakfast, mini-bar refreshments, tea and drinks). Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Most restaurants in Amsterdam include the BTW tax, which currently stands at 17%, and a service charge of 15%, within their prices. Nevertheless, Amsterdammers generally round up small bills and leave tips as change rather than include them on credit card payments. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including BTW tax and service charge but not tip. Gastronomic Bordewijk Located in the trendy Jordaan district, Bordewijk is widely regarded as one of the top restaurants in Holland, serving refined French cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian touches, in a striking, black-and-white minimalist setting. The canalside terrace is especially popular during summer months. Noordermarkt 7 Tel: (020) 624 3899. Fax: (020) 420 6603. Price: EUR45. Wine: EUR18. Christophe Chef Jean-Christophe Royer is fully deserving of his Michelin star, as he cleverly blends French style, with US experience and Oriental influences to great effect, creating exotic flavour combinations, such as cod with chorizo, pimentos and fennel or deep-fried sea scallops with coconut, avocado mousse, celery, curry and lime sauce. His culinary creations are served with flair in a chic, ultra-modern, canalside restaurant. Dinner only. Booking is essential. Leliegracht 46 Tel: (020) 625 0807. Fax: (020) 638 9132. E-mail: info@christophe.nl Website: www.christophe.nl Price: EUR61. Wine: EUR32. De Silveren Spiegel Fish is a speciality on the haute cuisine menu of this intimate, candlelit restaurant, housed in two beautifully restored 17th-century townhouses near the Centraal Station. Menu highlights include Zaandam mustard soup with bacon crackling, lukewarm smoked eel from Volendam with cucumber salad and white wine and horseradish sauce, a sensational calves liver terrine with bacon and apple sauce or grilled filet of brill with seasonal vinaigrettes. The wine list is first class with a rare selection of Dutch wines on offer. Dinner only. Kattengatt 4-6 Tel: (020) 624 6589. Fax: (020) 620 3867. E-mail: jim.vd.hoff@desilverenspiegel.com Website: www.desilverenspiegel.com Price: EUR45. Wine: EUR26. La Rive Everything about La Rive is superlative thanks to Edwin Katz, one of the Netherlands’ most acclaimed chefs. It is one of Holland’s finest restaurants, located in the city’s most expensive hotel (Amstel Inter-Continental Hotel) and boasting a Michelin star. North Sea crab salad with green herbs or lemon biscuits and spicy gazpacho, followed by poached rabbit with gratinated leeks, onion and truffle ravioli and creamy rosemary sauce, with marinated pineapple souflée, honey ice cream and nougat for desert count among his signature dishes. The formal dining room affords spectacular views over the Amstel River. Booking is essential. Amstel Inter-Continental Hotel, Professor Tulpplein 1 Tel: (020) 622 6060. Fax: (020) 622 5808. E-mail: amstel@interconti.com Website: www.amsterdam.interconti.com Price: EUR68. Wine: EUR32. Le Ciel Bleu The celebrated modern restaurant, located on the 23rd floor of the deluxe Okura Hotel in the De Pijp district, offers diners the ultimate in French cuisine. Set in stylish surroundings, with blue skies portrayed on the ceiling and the night sky reflected on a carpet of stars, Le Ciel Bleu’s menu boasts many delights, such as lobster soufflé and sautéed scampi topped with melted goat’s cheese. The spectacular bird’s-eye views of the city’s skyline help to make the meal especially memorable. Ferdinand Balstraat 333 Tel: (020) 678 7111. Fax: (020) 671 2344. E-mail: sales@okura.nl Website: www.okura.nl Price: EUR54. Wine: EUR23. Business De Belhamel Stylish continental cuisine at affordable prices is the speciality of chef Victor Kerbosch at this sumptuous Art Nouveau-style restaurant, overlooking a picturesque, leafy canal in the bohemian Jordaan district. The signature dish – beef with poached shallots and armagnac and chanterelle mushroom sauce – is an absolute must, followed by pear strudel with cinnamon ice cream or Dutch cookies served with vanilla-mascarpone and red fruits. Booking is advisable, especially for tables on the terrace. Dinner only. Brouwersgracht 60 Tel: (020) 622 1095. Fax: (020) 623 8840. E-mail: stein.vd.linden@belhamel.nl Website: www.diningcity.nl/debelhamel Price: EUR34. Wine: EUR14. Dorrius Established in 1890, Dorrius is a popular, central restaurant located in the Crowne Plaza hotel, close to Dam Square. The traditional menu in this long-established, old-style restaurant offers a sophisticated take on hearty, rustic Dutch specialities, such as thick split-pea soup, herring dishes or chicory casserole with meatballs. Booking is recommended as the restaurant is especially popular for business lunches. Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 5 Tel: (020) 420 2224. Fax: (020) 521 1794. E-mail: roomeyer.jaap@crowneplaza.nl Website: www.dorrius.nl Price: EUR29. Wine: EUR17. Het Tuynhuys Het Tuynhuys (The Garden House) offers discreet service, an eclectic menu of gourmet European cuisine and an exemplary wine list. Typical dishes include exotic salads combinations, such as sweetbreads, prawns, duck liver and smoked salmon, followed by roasted duck filet with Moroccan seasoning and a warm lentil and raisin salad. Guests can either dine in the formal restaurant, located in a converted coach house, or outside in the elegant garden during fine weather, just a short walk from the city’s famous floating flower market. Reguliersdwarsstraat 28 Tel: (020) 627 6603. Fax: (020) 423 5999. Price: EUR41. Wine: EUR17. Le Zinc et les Dames Guests are advised to book well in advance in this converted 17th-century, canalside warehouse. The rustic Mediterranean interior provides the perfect backdrop for the mouthwatering menu of home-style, regional French fare. The tarte tatin is highly recommended, rounded off with a digestif at the ground-floor zinc bar. Prinsengracht 999 Tel: (020) 622 9044. Fax: (020) 639 0230. Website: www.lezincetlesdames.nl Price: EUR36. Wine: EUR16. Vis aan de Schelde This popular eating place, conveniently located near the RAI International Exhibition & Congress Center in the De Pijp district, is arguably the best fish restaurant in Amsterdam. Its classy, modern black-and-white interior with shiny floor tiles and crisp white linens, is artfully counterbalanced by an impressive menu of dishes from around the world, ranging from sushi to bouillabaisse. Scheldeplein 4 Tel: (020) 675 1583. Fax: (020) 670 4617. Website: www.visaandeschelde.nl Price: EUR41. Wine: EUR17. Trendy Inez IPSC Inez IPSC (International Private Social Club) is one of the hottest restaurants in Amsterdam, drawing a hip crowd to its sparten, modern dining room for inventive dishes, such as lobster ravioli with caviar sauce or cauliflower pannacotta. Inez is so trendy that even the word ‘fusion’ food is considered passé here. Instead, the menu is described as ‘IMF’ (International Modern Freestyle). Diners can not only have as many courses as they like (three starters then a dessert for example), but the restaurant also affords one of the best urban vistas in town. Amstel 2 Tel: (020) 639 2899. Price: EUR36. Wine: EUR20. Kantjil en de Tijger A successful combination of modern decor, relaxed but efficient service, and spicy, imaginative cuisine makes Kantjil en de Tijger (The Deer and the Tiger) one of the capital’s most popular Indonesian restaurants. The sensational rijsttafel is a favoured speciality (literally meaning ‘rice table’, a traditional Indonesian feast of up to 20 rice, vegetable, meat and fish dishes) – only for those with big appetites. Spuistraat 291 Tel: (020) 620 0994. Fax: (020) 623 2166. Price: EUR18. Wine: EUR12. Le Garage This trendy brasserie, in a converted garage near Vondelpark, headed by celebrity chef Joop Braakhekke, is currently the in-place to go. The flamboyant decor of plush red banquettes and mirrored walls is reflected in the ambitious menu which mixes regional French cuisine with strong Eastern influences, together with all-time favourites, such as prawn cocktail, ribeye steak or duck in orange sauce. Ruysdaelstraat 54-56 Tel: (020) 679 7176. Fax: (020) 662 2249. Website: www.diningcity.nl/legarage Price: EUR40. Wine: EUR16. Supper Club Guests can dine with the in-crowd at this innovative restaurant where the predominantly white interior is transformed into various weekly-changing theatrical backdrops according to the cuisine – one night it is a beach, the next a Greek temple, with a sophisticated, five-course gastronomic menu to match the decor. Underneath the restaurant is the Supper Club Lounge, a small, ultra-cool bar. Jonge Roelensteeg 21 Tel: (020) 344 6400. Fax: (020) 344 6405. E-mail: info@supperclub.nl Website: www.supperclub.nl Price: EUR57 (five-course meal). Wine: EUR14. Zushi Zushi, a futuristically decorated restaurant of predominantly wood, glass and stainless steel, serves one of Amsterdam’s latest food trends – conveyor-belt-style Japanese fast food. Here, guests select sushi from different coloured plates, then pay at the end according to the colour of the plates – definitely a fun place, with dishes ranging from EUR2 to EUR8. Amstel 20 Tel: (020) 330 6882. Fax: (020) 330 6883. Website: www.zushi.nl Price: EUR20 (average amount spent). Wine: EUR13. Budget Café de Jaren A smart and spacious, modern café, best known for its trendy clientele and sunny waterfront terraces overlooking the Amstel River. Food ranges from simple soups, snacks and sandwiches to well-priced full menus on the first floor, including a selection of vegetarian dishes, and Dutch staples as hutspot (meat stew) or haring (herring). For dessert, the chocolate pear mousse is hard to resist. Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22 Tel: (020) 625 5771. Fax: (020) 624 0801. Price: EUR23. Wine: EUR13. Café Van Puffelen At the back of this intimate, sawdust-strewn brown bar, there is a cosy restaurant that serves generous portions of tasty, modern Dutch food to a young, lively crowd. The mustard soup with mussels, followed by salmon marinated in beetroot with a saffron dressing, with delicious cherry clafoutis for dessert, is highly recommended, and the handmade chocolates served with coffee are unmissable. During the summer months, a barge moored outside doubles up as a terrace. Prinsengracht 375-7 Tel: (020) 624 6270. Fax: (020) 627 6900. E-mail: vanpuffelen@diningcity.nl Website: www.diningcity.nl/vanpuffelen Price: EUR25. Wine: EUR14. De Keuken van 1870 Once a soup kitchen, this basic, old-fashioned establishment now serves huge platefuls of cheap, no-frills Dutch fare at communal tables to workers and tourists alike. Expect traditional staples, such as stamppot (a meaty stew) and paling (smoked eel). Spuistraat 4 Tel: (020) 624 8965. Fax: (020) 624 8965. Price: EUR14. Wine: EUR9. De Roode Leeuw De Roode Leeuw (The Red Lion) – a popular bistro-style restaurant in the heart of the city centre – specialises in affordable Dutch fare, such as hearty stews and sauerkraut dishes, prepared in a traditional way and served in an old-fashioned, wooden-panelled dining room. The wine list is small but select and the pavement terrace is heated in winter. 93-4 Damrak Tel: (020) 555 0666. Fax: (020) 620 4716. E-mail: info@hotelamsterdam.nl Website: www.hotelamsterdam.nl Price: EUR27. Wine: EUR18. Pancake Bakery Situated in a lovely old gabled canalhouse, the Pancake Bakery is a friendly restaurant that claims to produce ‘the best pancakes in town’, cooked on an old Dutch griddle. With over 70 different sweet and savoury toppings, the choice can be bewildering. Prinsengracht 191 Tel: (020) 625 1333. Fax: (020) 330 4442. Website: www.pancake.nl Price: EUR14. Wine: EUR11. Personal Recommendations De Groene Lantaarn This tiny, intimate restaurant is located in a beautiful 17th-century house on a quiet leafy canal in the Jordaan district. De Groene Lantaarn specialises in Gouda fondues and is especially popular during winter months. Dinner only. Bloemgracht 47 Tel: (020) 620 2088. Fax: (020) 622 0275. E-mail: info@fondue.nl Website: www.fondue.nl Price: EUR32. Wine: EUR14. D’Vijff Vligehen This cosy, candlelit restaurant, meaning ‘The Five Flies’ in English, is popular with both tourists and locals. Set in a series of period rooms and spread over five ancient, rambling 17th-century canalhouses, the dark wooden panelling, crisp white linens and antique furnishings of the interiors (including four original Rembrandt etchings) create a formal yet intimate setting for the impressive, and fanatically organic, ‘new Dutch cuisine’ menu. Typical dishes include spring onion soup laced with berry-flavoured Dutch gin or red perch with sauerkraut, with tangy plum compote for dessert. Dinner only. 294-302 Spuistraat Tel: (020) 624 8369. Fax: (020) 638 8171. Website: www.d/vijffvligehen.com Price: EUR27. Wine: EUR20. Haesje Claes This typically Dutch establishment offers traditional, homemade cuisine at its best, served in a warren of small, atmospheric, panelled dining rooms. The green pea soup, Ijsselmeer smoked eel and Dutch shrimp croquettes are highly recommended, and the tourist menu is especially good value. 273-5 Spui Tel: (020) 624 9998. Fax: (020) 627 4817. E-mail: info@haesjeclaes.nl Website: www.haesjeclaes.nl Price: EUR25. Wine: EUR15. Tempo Doelo Tempo Doelo is arguably Amsterdam’s best Indonesian restaurant, famous for its western-style interior, exotic flower arrangements, impressive wine list and some of the spiciest dishes in town. The satays and gado-gado (vegetables in peanut sauce) are particularly tasty and the mango dessert deliciously tangy and refreshing. Dinner only. Utrechtsestraat 75 Tel: (020) 625 6718. Fax: (020) 639 2342. Website: www.tempodoelorestaurant.nl Price: EUR29. Wine: EUR15. Toscanini Toscanini, in the Jordaan, offers authentic Italian cuisine prepared in an open kitchen, a bustling yet relaxed atmosphere, first-class service and excellent value for money. The menu includes sensational handmade pasta and risotto, as well as simple meat and fish dishes – it really is no wonder that it is Amsterdam’s most popular Italian restaurant. Dinner only. Reservations are essential. Lindengracht 75 Tel: (020) 623 2813. Fax: (020) 638 8949. Price: EUR29. Wine: EUR13. Sport Football is a favourite sport in Amsterdam and the city is home to Ajax (website: www.ajax.nl), one of the top Dutch football teams, who play at the Amsterdam Arena, Arena Boulevard 29 (tel: (020) 311 1444; fax: (020) 311 1480), and regularly play big European matches. If there are no matches being played visitors can still look around the Arena’s World of Ajax museum (tel: (020) 311 1333), which charts the history of the club. Admission to the museum is €8. A valid passport is required to buy tickets match tickets. The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) organises the Dutch Football League, which is divided into the Eredivisie (major league) and Eerste Divisie (premier league). Ajax is one of the most successful teams in the major league, along with PSV Eindhoven and Reyenoord Rotterdam. A truly spectacular sight in Amsterdam in winter is a frozen canal, all the more so when the local people don their skates and claim the smart Keizergracht as their own fun ice rink. Formula One racing fans will want to visit Zandvoort, five kilometres (three miles) west of Haarlem, where the Dutch Grand Prix is held. Tickets to sporting events are available for purchase direct from the football clubs and individual venues. Fitness centres: Sporting Club Leidseplein, Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18 (tel: (020) 620 6631; fax: (020) 638 3531), offers aerobics, tennis and fitness facilities. It is open Monday to Friday 1000-2400 and Saturday and Sunday 1000-1800. A day card costs €11.40. Fitness Aerobic Centre Jansen, Rokin 109-111 (tel: (020) 626 9366), is open Monday to Friday 1000-2230 and Saturday and Sunday 1200-2000. A day card costs €12. Golf: Golf en Conference Centre, Borchlandweg 6 (tel: (020) 697 5000; fax: (020) 697 1306), is a nine hole public course, where the green fees are €15. It is located a ten-minute walk from Duivendrecht metro station. Tennis: Sporting Club Leidseplein, Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18 (tel: (020) 620 6631; fax: (020) 638 3531), provides tennis facilities. It is open Monday to Friday 1000-2400 and Saturday and Sunday 1000-1800. A day card costs €11.40. Shopping Amsterdam has much to offer the avid shopper. On the one hand, there are international fashion labels, books, arts and antiques, while on the other, there are local specialities to buy, such as tulip bulbs, chocolates, cumin cheese, stoneware bottles of jenever (Dutch gin), blue Delft china and diamonds. The main shopping areas are Leidsestraat, between the Leidseplein and Spui, Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk, leading from the Munt Tower via the Dam to near Centraal Station. Pedestrianised Leidsestraat, which – with its fashion boutiques, large fashion store (Metz & Co), souvenir shops and newsagents – is Amsterdam’s answer to Oxford Street, is the perfect place for tourists to combine a spot of shopping with canal views and café stops. At the northern end of Leidsestraat is Singel, the floating flower market. Kalverstraat offers a combination of classy department stores, fashion boutiques and the luxurious shopping centre of Kalvertoren, while Nieuwendijk, one of Amsterdam’s oldest shopping streets, is home to moderately priced fashion, shoe and CD stores. Amsterdam has recently gained a reputation for cool clubbing clobber, with Clubwear House, Herengracht 265, and ZX Fashion, Kerkstraat 113, two of the funkiest outlets, with the latter also boasting a hairdressers that specialises in outlandish styles. DKNY is at PC Hoofstraat 60, while Armani is at 39-41 in the same upmarket shopping street. Maison de Bonneterie, Rokin 140-2, is the Harrods of Amsterdam, here one can find top quality men’s and women’s clothing and fine household goods. The Dam offers a couple of options, including Bijenkorf, Dam 1, the premier department store in Amsterdam, which sells a good range of clothing, accessories, cosmetics and household items. Magna Plaza, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182, is located in a fairy-tale, neo-Gothic pile that was once the General Post Office. Inside are 40 shops ranging from Virgin Megastore to Shu Uemura Cosmetics. Emerging shopping areas include KNSM island, with its designer shops, and Haarlemmerdijk and Tussen de Bogen, with their speciality and niche shops. Wini, Haarlemstraat 29, is a favourite of the local clubbing set with hip clothes and retro fashion. Amsterdam has 25 markets for those seeking a bargain. There is an interesting flea market around the City Hall and Opera. The busy, cosmopolitan, food and clothes market is in Albert Cuypstraat. The colourful Bloemenmarkt (flower market) on the Singel is not to be missed, while the Boerenmarkt (Organic Food Market) is in Noordermarkt, which is open Saturday 0900-1600 (in winter until 1500). The Vogelmarkt (Bird Market), also at Noordermarkt, is open Saturday 0800-1300. Traditional shopping hours are Tuesday to Friday 0900 or 1000-1800 and Saturday 0900-1700. However, some shops now stay open later, particularly on Thursday. Generally, the shops are closed all day on Sunday and on Monday morning. There is a 20% sales tax on luxury goods and 5% on other items. Visitors from outside the EU can obtain a tax refund at shops displaying the tax-free shopping sign. Shoppers must fill in the appropriate forms and present this to customs at the airport, before check-in. The signed form is then handed to ABN AMRO banks in the departure terminals. Culture Amsterdam has always had a vibrant and varied cultural scene but, over the last few decades, it has truly blossomed, thanks to a renewed interest in Dutch culture. First and foremost, Amsterdam is a musical city, offering a range of musical styles from street performers to carillons, to the more highbrow midday and evening performances in the Concertgebouw (Concert Hall), which is noted for its superb acoustics. On most summer evenings, it is possible for punters to attend an organ concert or a recital of Baroque chamber music in one of Amsterdam’s magnificent old churches, such as Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk. The Dutch National Ballet is considered one of the best and most versatile companies in Western Europe. Its many devotees flock to the Muziektheater, a 1600-seat colisseum that overlooks the Amstel River, to see the great classical ballets as well as works by 20th-century dance innovators. The Muziektheater also plays host to the Netherlands Opera and Netherlands Dance Theatre, Holland’s other world-class ballet company, as well as foreign companies. Some international fringe theatre companies perform in English, while musicals and cabarets find a home in the Royal Carré Theatre, on the River Amstel, and in the nearby Kleine Komedie, a charming little theatre dating back to 1788. Amsterdam stages around 15,000 performances every year (roughly 40 a day), although there is a more concentrated cultural season lasting from September to the end of June. Shows do not cost a fortune and a relaxed dress code means that even the opera can be attended in fairly casual clothes. Tickets to cultural events can be booked through AUB, Leidseplein 26, open 0900-2100 (tel: (0900) 0191, for €0.40 per minute). AUB only accepts payment by credit card. Online listings for cultural events (website: www.whatsonwhen.com and www.timeout.com) are updated regularly. Music: The Concertgebouw, Concertgebouwplein 2-6 (tel: (020) 671 8345, for reservations or 675 4411, for information; website: www.concertgebouw.nl), is not only home to the world-famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – whose conductor is Riccardo Chailly – but also plays host to visiting companies and international soloists. Free concerts take place in either the Grote Zaal (Great Hall) or Kleine Zaal (Recital Hall) of the Concertgebouw, on Wednesday 1230-1300. The Beurs de Berlage, Damrak 62a (tel: (020) 627 1161, for information or (020) 627 0466, for bookings between 1400-1700), is an architecturally fascinating building, where the 140-member Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra is based. The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and guest artists tend to perform in the building’s ‘glass box’, the Aga Zaal. The Boekmanzaal is part of the Muziektheater (Opera House), Amstel 3 (tel: (020) 551 8100; fax: (020) 551 8025). It holds a free lunchtime concert at 1230-1300 Tuesday (October-June), often performed by members of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choir of the Netherlands Opera and the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra. Less formal concerts are performed by four of the city’s 17th-century carillons, on a weekly basis. Bell ringing takes place on Tuesday 1200-1300 at Westertoren (Western Tower), Thursday at Zuidertoren (Southern Tower) and Friday at Munttoren. The bell ringer at Oude Kerkstoren (Old Church Tower) gets to sleep in – concerts are Saturday 1600-1700. Theatre: The Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre), Leidseplein 26 (tel: (020) 624 2311; fax: (020) 623 8685; website: www.stadsschouwburgamsterdam.nl), often stages English-language theatre productions, as well as dance performances. The Koninklijk Theater Carré (Royal Carré Theatre), Amstel 115-125 (tel: (020) 622 5225; fax: (020) 624 8499), often plays host to visiting English-language musicals, as well as opera. Dance: The National Ballet and illustrious visitors perform at the Muziektheater (Opera House), Amstel 3 (tel: (020) 551 8100; fax: (020) 551 8025; website: www.het-nationale-ballet.nl), situated on a curve of the Amstel, in the heart of the city. Amsterdam’s latest cultural landmark, the main 1600-seat theatre is amazingly intimate. The Muziektheater is closed in July. Film: The multi-screen City, Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 13-25 (tel: (0900) 1458), on the Leidseplain, shows Hollywood blockbusters. But Amsterdam is also known for its arty cinemas, such as the newly renovated Tuschinski, Reguliersbreestraat 26-28 (tel: (0900) 1458), which shows films from all over the world. Films are rarely dubbed into Dutch but are shown in the original language with subtitles. Films shot in Amsterdam include Mike van Diem’s Karakter (1997), Dick Maas’s Amsterdamned (1987) and the Bond film Diamonds are Forever (1971). Cultural events: Every 30 April, a huge street party and carnival marks Queen’s Day. Floating Amsterdam occupies the last two weeks of May, when outdoor productions are staged on the River Amstel. Every June, the month-long Holland Festival, featuring music, dance and drama, takes place. Tickets can be booked in advance through tourist offices but some same-day sale tickets are always held at the Musiektheater box office. In August, concerts are performed on boats ringing the Prinsengracht canal. All summer long there are regular cultural events in Vondelpark. Literary Notes Ian McEwan won the 1998 Booker Prize for his Amsterdam (1998), which is partly set in the city. The city also provided the inspiration for part of John Irving’s novel, A Widow for One Year (1999), and Sidney Sheldon’s If Tomorrow Comes (1986). Albert Camus wrote La Chute (1970), while based here. More recently, Deborah Moggach’s Tulip Fever (1998) depicted life in 16th-century Amsterdam. The city has played a prominent role in the works of Dutch authors – two well-known books that have been translated into English include Blue Mondays (1994) by Arnon Grunberg and Bitter Herbs (1957) by Marga Minco. The unique ambience of Amsterdam permeates the work of Nicolas Freeling, in his detective novel, A Long Silence (1972). Perhaps the most famous work to come out of Amsterdam, however, is The Diary of Anne Frank. Marga Minco’s Empty House (1986) may be less famous but it explores some of the same issues. A lighter work is Janwillem van de Wetering’s Amsterdam Cops (2001), a collection of cop stories that are mainly set in the capital’s underworld. 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. City Statistics Location: Noord-Holland, The Netherlands. Country dialling code: 31. Population: 724,908 (city); 1,268,908 (metropolitan area). Ethnic mix: 145 nationalities in The Netherlands, 96% Dutch, 4% other nationalities. Religion: 38% Roman Catholic, 30% Protestant, 32% do not profess any religion. Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220 volts AC (moving at the rate of 1 volt per year towards the European standard of 230 volts), 50Hz; two-pin European-style plugs are in use. Average January temp: 3°C (36°F). Average July temp: 17°C (61°F). Average annual rainfall: 804mm (31.5 inches). Special Events National Museum Weekend, free entry to many of Amsterdam’s museums, Apr 2003, throughout the city Queen’s Day, parades, fireworks and celebrations, 30 Apr, throughout the city Floating Amstermdam, outdoor productions, last two weeks May, River Amstel Liberation Day, 5 May, throughout the city National Biking Day, locals take to the streets on their bikes, 11 May, throughout the city National Windmill Day, Amsterdam’s six working windmills open to the public, 11 May, windmills Holland Festival, music, dance and drama, Jun, various venues Over Het IJ, festival of experimental theatre, Jun, NDSM Shipyard, Neveritaweg Canal Run, race around the canals, 9 Jun, Prinsengracht and Vijzelgracht canals Parade, circus and fair, first two weeks Aug, Martin Luther King Park Over Het IJ, festival of experimental theatre, Aug, NDSM Shipyard, Neveritaweg Amsterdam Pride, gay festival with a canalside parade, Aug, various venues Christmas Day, 25 Dec, throughout the city New Year’s Eve, street party, 31 Dec, Dam Square Cost of Living On 1 January 2002, the Dutch Guilder was replaced by the Euro. One-litre bottle of mineral water: €2.50 33cl bottle of beer: €1.50 Financial Times newspaper: €5 36-exposure colour film: €7 City-centre bus ticket: €3 Adult football ticket: €25 Three-course meal with wine or beer: from €30 1 Euro (€1) = £0.68; US$1.07; C$1.62; A$1.80; f2.20 1 Dutch Guilder (f1) = €0.45 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Business Services Business Contacts: Kamer van Koophandel Amsterdam (Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Amsterdam) De Ruyterkade 5, PO Box 2852, 1000 CW Amsterdam Tel: (020) 531 4000. Fax: (020) 531 4799. E-mail: post@amsterdam.kvk.nl Website: www.kvk.nl The Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce (UK) ‘The Dutch House’, 307 High Holborn, London WC1V 7LS Tel: (020) 7405 1358. Fax: (020) 7405 1689. E-mail: nbcc@btinternet.com Website: www.nbcc.demon.co.uk Nederlandse Kamer van Koophandel for North America (USA) Suite 1420, 1 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 Tel: (212) 265 6460. Fax: (212) 265 6402. E-mail: ncocny@compuserve.com Website: www.netherlands.org The Economic and Commercial Affairs department of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Canada (as well as the Consulates-General in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver) can provide information on commercial matters: Royal Netherlands Embassy (Canada) Suite 2020, 350 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1A4 Tel: (613) 237 5030. Fax: (613) 237 6471. E-mail: nlgovecon@sympatico.ca Website: www.netherlandsembassy-ottawa.org Australian Netherlands Chamber of Commerce Inc (Australia) Interim address: Level 7, 80 Arthur Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060 Tel: (02) 9929 9610. Fax: (02) 9955 7521. E-mail: ancoc@ancoc.com.au Website: www.ancoc.com.au Convention and meeting planners Amsterdam Congres Bureau PO Box 3901, 1001 AS Amsterdam Tel: (020) 551 2570. Fax: (020) 551 2575. E-mail: acb@amsterdamcongress.nl Website: www.amsterdamcongress.nl Offers free, independent advice on behalf of the city and conference-related industries. Eurocongres Conference Management Jan van Goyenkade 11, 1075 HP Amsterdam Tel: (020) 679 3411. Fax: (020) 673 7306. E-mail: info@eurocongres.com Website: www.eurocongres.com Convention and meeting venue Amsterdam RAI Congres Centre PO Box 77777, 1070 GZ Amsterdam Tel: (020) 549 1212. Fax: (020) 646 4469. Website: www.rai.nl Offers 22 conference rooms, a total of 5000 seats and a main auditorium, which can accommodate 1750. Office equipment hire Mini Office Singel 417, 1012 WP Amsterdam Tel: (020) 625 8455. Fax: (020) 638 7894. Ruad H&S Audiovisuel Centrum BV Kuiperweg 33, 1101 AE Amsterdam Zuid-Oost Tel: (020) 691 7000. Fax: (020) 697 4065. E-mail: info@ruad.nl Website: www.ruad.nl Audiovisual Conference Service Amsterdam RAI, Europaplein, 1078 GZ Amsterdam Tel: (020) 549 1236. Fax: (020) 549 1206. E-mail: info@acsamsterdam.nl Website: www.acsamsterdam.nl Microrental Van der Veerelaan 31, 1081 PZ Amsterdam Tel: (020) 641 5026. Fax: (020) 645 8016. E-mail: huur@microrental.nl Website: www.microrental.nl Computer hire, for use on the premises. Secretarial service Regus Stravinskylaan 3051, 1077 ZX Amsterdam Tel: (020) 301 2200. Fax: (020) 301 2212. E-mail: atieun.sarfesadesk@regus.nl Website: www.regus.nl Translation services Amstelveen Translation Agency Ouderkerkerlaan 50, PO Box 2263, 1180 E6 Amstelveen Tel: (020) 645 6610. Fax: (020) 647 4542. E-mail: avb@avb.nl Congrestolken Prinsengracht 993, 1017 KM Amsterdam Tel: (020) 625 2535. Fax: (020) 626 5642. E-mail: interpreters@conferenceinterpreters.com Website: www.conferenceinterpreters.com Unusual conference venues Conferences, seminars and meetings can be held in a wide variety of locations, including Amsterdam ArenA (the home stadium of Ajax), De Rode Hoed (a former church converted into five meeting rooms) and the Kapitein Kok (an historic Dutch paddle wheel steamer). History C. 1270 Amsterdam is founded 1275 Amsterdam is granted exemption from paying tolls on Dutch waterways, enabling it to focus on trade and fishing 1287 Storm breaches sand dunes, creating Zuiderzee and giving Amsterdam direct access to the sea 1300 Amsterdam is acknowledged as a city 1317 Amsterdam becomes part of Holland 1323 The city obtains exclusive rights for importing beer from Hamburg 1368 Amsterdam joins the Hanseatic League 1400s Amsterdam is governed by Philip of Burgundy 1519 Amsterdam comes under Spanish rule 1543 The political union of the Netherlands is created by Charles V, a descendant of Philip of Burgundy, with Brussels as the capital 1568 Start of the 80-year war – Holland revolts against the religious persecution of Spain, but Amsterdam remains loyal 1578 Amsterdam, isolated, signs a peace treaty with the rest of The Netherlands 1580 Portugal is conquered by Spain; the Dutch are forced to travel further afield in their search for trade; Amsterdam gains importance as a port 1585 Antwerp falls to the Spanish; Amsterdam experiences economic boom 1600s The Golden Age: Amsterdam emerges as Europe’s leading trade centre and culture flourishes; the age of Rembrandt etc 1602 Dutch East Indian Company is established 1609 Construction of Amsterdam’s three central canals 1648 Spain recognises Dutch independence 1672 The Netherlands is at war with France and is attacked by England 1689 William of Orange succeeds to the English throne as William III following the Glorious Revolution 1747 Willem IV of Orange assumes royal status 1795 Holland is occupied by the French and renamed the Bavarian Republic; Lodewijk Napoleon, brother of the French emperor, is made head of the republic 1815 Willem I of Orange accepts the throne; although Amsterdam remains the formal capital – while the Government takes residence in The Hague – the city’s commercial and maritime glory has declined 1839 Belgium gains independence and The Netherlands is established within its modern-day frontiers late 1800s Suez Canal opens; trade with Indonesia intensifies and the first diamonds arrive in Amsterdam 10 May 1940 Germany invades, and occupies, The Netherlands 5 May 1945 Germany capitulates, ending World War II in Europe 1948 Queen Wilhelmina abdicates in favour of her daughter Juliana 1949 Following a four-year war, The Netherlands grants independence to the Dutch East Indies, which becomes Indonesia 1950s/60s Considerable economic growth 1958 The Netherlands joins the EEC, later known as the EU 1980 Queen Beatrix assumes the throne Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.