Amsterdam

[93Jay]

I'm off to Amsterdam next week for 4 nights, the hotel we're staying at is 400 yards from Dam square.

What can people recommend doing? and where to go?

Any words of advice?

Thanks

[davepoth]

93Jay said:

I'm off to Amsterdam next week for 4 nights, the hotel we're staying at is 400 yards from Dam square.

What can people recommend doing? and where to go?

Any words of advice?

Thanks

Daytime or nighttime? It's two very different things.

[93Jay]

davepoth said:

93Jay said:

I'm off to Amsterdam next week for 4 nights, the hotel we're staying at is 400 yards from Dam square.

What can people recommend doing? and where to go?

Any words of advice?

Thanks

Daytime or nighttime? It's two very different things.

Both, We're there 5 days 4 nights.

[ClaphamGT3]

93Jay said:

davepoth said:

93Jay said:

I'm off to Amsterdam next week for 4 nights, the hotel we're staying at is 400 yards from Dam square.

What can people recommend doing? and where to go?

Any words of advice?

Thanks

Daytime or nighttime? It's two very different things.

Both, We're there 5 days 4 nights.

If you mean the week starting tomorrow and you're staying in Dam Square then your trip is going to revolve around the abdication of Queen Beatrix/inauguration of King Willem-alexander whether you like it or not!

[93Jay]

ClaphamGT3 said:

93Jay said:

davepoth said:

93Jay said:

I'm off to Amsterdam next week for 4 nights, the hotel we're staying at is 400 yards from Dam square.

What can people recommend doing? and where to go?

Any words of advice?

Thanks

Daytime or nighttime? It's two very different things.

Both, We're there 5 days 4 nights.

If you mean the week starting tomorrow and you're staying in Dam Square then your trip is going to revolve around the abdication of Queen Beatrix/inauguration of King Willem-alexander whether you like it or not!

Not tomorrow, I'm off on the 5th of may

[digger_R]

Rijksmuseum has just reopened, I haven't had the chance to pay a visit yet but should be worth a visit.

[Bec]

Cheese tasting at http://www.reypenaer.com/content/home is a good one - you get to taste 5 of their different cheeses accompanied by wine and port - EUR 15 per person. You will need to book in advance, particularly for weekends.

House of Bols is a museum which shows the history of the jenever drink, and the entry fee includes a cocktail in their bar at the end of the tour, as well as 2 shots of their flavored liqueurs (cocktails are very much full strength!) http://www.bols.com/splash.php?u=/about-house-of-b...

Anne Frank house is definitely a must see - http://www.annefrank.org/. This another one where it's definitely worth booking in advance - queues can be up to a couple of hours long if you don't.

Aside from that, one of the canal cruises (there are a number of companies that go from outside Central station) is always a good one, there are all kinds from hop on hop off, day, evening with dinner, evening with drinks etc.

I personally like wandering around (and usually getting lost) in the Jordaan http://www.jordaaninfo.nl/index.php?lang=en and the negen straatjes www.9straatjesonline.com/. Both are quirky, with individual shop, bars etc.

For drinking I like the Arendsnest (Eagle's nest), www.arendsnest.nl/ which sells all sorts of Dutch real ales from small breweries and Gollem http://cafegollem.nl/ which has a wide variety of Belgian beers. Both are not your typical tourist bars, but you'll probably come across beers you never knew existed. If wine is more your thing, www.vyne.nl/en/ Vyne is recommended although I've not been there myself

[davepoth]

And if that's not your bag, there's always drugs and prostitutes.

The red light district can get a little sketchy down the back streets at night, but it's certainly an experience even if you just go "window shopping".

[93Jay]

davepoth said:

And if that's not your bag, there's always drugs and prostitutes.

The red light district can get a little sketchy down the back streets at night, but it's certainly an experience even if you just go "window shopping".

That's more like it, 5 students going it would be wrong to be sensible

[russy01]

93Jay said:

davepoth said:

And if that's not your bag, there's always drugs and prostitutes.

The red light district can get a little sketchy down the back streets at night, but it's certainly an experience even if you just go "window shopping".

That's more like it, 5 students going it would be wrong to be sensible

The red light district is something else. Had 2 nights there and it was a barrel of laughs.

Sorry not helping out much.

[VinceFox]

No comment.

[manitou]

teasers bar the banana bar & the casa rosso ...enjoy!

[PF62]

Dutch Resistance Museum (http://www.verzetsmuseum.org/museum/en/museum)

Not what I expected, but showed the choices that people made to adapt, collaborate, or resist when invaded, and whether those choices changed over time.

[rich85uk]

http://www.coffeeshop.freeuk.com/Map.html

print that map off and do your best to visit every one within your area (or somewhere you will visit) its what i did for my 21st,get a tram pass for your stay and visit explore the whole city going to coffee shops, bars and the odd nightclub.

enjoy, its a great city (but abit expensive these days)

[Mark.]

Tram pass is a top idea, we used it when there a couple of weeks back and it's a system that works really well.

I wanted to visit the Museum of Medieval Torture but wife wasn't up for it - you could go on my behalf

[93Jay]

Right guys less than 2 days till I fly out.

Recommend me some good: Bars, Clubs. (Strip clubs etc as well), coffee bars, and some other stuff us student might like doing in the day(Thanks to the guys above, we will be going to some of those places when we can)

Also what can I do about my phone? I have a sim only contract with Orange, I don't want a massive bill when I come back, shall I take the sim out, or leave it in the phone and hope no one messages me?

Thanks

[digger_R]

if you;re there this sunday - it's liberation day, there will be circa 7 concerts/festivals dotted around the city on the day.
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en-GB/experience/what-to...

[Salt flat rat]

Don't go for the street markets. I found four and they were all disappointing, mainly being new tat and fruit and veg.
By far and away , though, the best places to visit and the genuine Dutch restaurants and the old pubs....especially those where Yiu can smoke a spliff or a cigar. Ask any taxi driver about these, but watch out for the Eastern European cabbies that hang around the main tourist areas. They'll steal the pennies of their dead grandmothers eyes.

[orangesrule]

93Jay said:

Right guys less than 2 days till I fly out.

Recommend me some good: Bars, Clubs. (Strip clubs etc as well), coffee bars, and some other stuff us student might like doing in the day(Thanks to the guys above, we will be going to some of those places when we can)

Also what can I do about my phone? I have a sim only contract with Orange, I don't want a massive bill when I come back, shall I take the sim out, or leave it in the phone and hope no one messages me?

Thanks

The redlight district is a fairly small area, with all the bars ect there, I did a long weekend there, and quite frankly it was a bit of a blur. But just go into all the little random places and bars. Its a bit of an eye opener!! Be care full though there are some sketchy people around (the amount of times i got offered hard drugs), try not to get completely lost in the alleys and just have your whits about you.

Also beware of the push bikes, they stop for no one, especially if you are stood in one of the cycle lanes!!

P.s. stick with the local cheap largers, i.e amstel for around 5 euro's. I ordered a vodka coke and it was nearly 10 euro's - defo learnt my lesson there lol.

With your phone, i'd defo keep it on your person just incase. The streets are packed until closing time, which is around 2 iirc.

Was one of the funniest weekends of my life!

Edited by orangesrule on Saturday 4th May 21:33

[93Jay]

Got back on Thursday. Great place, highly recommend going there, if you do go, you MUST hire out bicycles and ride around, who knew that could be so much fun. Also when crossing the road cars are the least scary things, watch out for cyclists.

The red light district is unreal, I never imagined it being like that, it makes for some great window shopping.

Some images, obviously the good times can't be pictured , so some pictures of the stunning city.


IMG_8486 by 93Jay, on Flickr


IMG_8499 by 93Jay, on Flickr


IMG_8513 by 93Jay, on Flickr


IMG_8472 by 93Jay, on Flickr


IMG_8546 by 93Jay, on Flickr