Apart from beer, drugs and hookers...

[Nolar Dog]

What else is there to do in Amsterdam?

I'm going over there on Tuesday afternoon to go to a particular shop.
Once I've done that though I have all day Wednesday to kill.

What does anyone recommend?
Where should I go and what should I see?
Is there anywhere good to see some modern art?
Anyone know anywhere for decent live music?

I'm 100% NOT interested in drinking, smoking or red light areas.

I've never been to Amsterdam before so don't know where to start.
Any sensible advice much appreciated.

Please, no sarcastic and boring "Let me Google that for you" rubbish.
I'm looking for personal recommendations not "facts and figures".

Cheers in advance for any help.

Edited by Nolar Dog on Sunday 18th January 17:21

[Marf]

Anne Frank Huis - be warned the queues are usually massive

Van Gogh Musuem

[grumbledoak]

I quite liked the Van Gogh museum last time I was there. It is a good place to spend a few hours before starting on the beer, drugs, and hookers.

The queue at Anne Frank House is the eighth wonder of the world, though. You'd think they were giving away the beer, drugs, and hookers in there!

ETA- Oooh, snap!

Edited by grumbledoak on Sunday 18th January 16:43

[AJS-]

I went to the Van Gogh museum a few years ago and it was excellent.

I'm not particularly wild about his paintings, though they are interesting, and not even especially an art lover but the museum is a joy and shows his work off very well with some very interesting information about his work and his life.

And there's a great lap dancing bar that sells some lovely weed just around the corner too...

[LHDisbest]

Anne Frank's house is well worth a visit, as is the Heineken brewery for the factory tour.

If you get a chance to leave Amsterdam, Arnheim is well worth a visit, if only just to stand on the bridge that the Allied forces didn't capture in Operation Market Garden.

[anonymous-user]

That's a long way for one shop, what's it sell???

[Busa_Rush]

http://www3.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?lang=nl

http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?pid=1&lid...

Have a relaxing guided tour on the canal boats, about euro 12 for an hour. Lots of nice restaurants. Lots of coffee shops but avoid the ones that smell of spliffs, full of loosers.

Some nice pubs too, not piss up shops but genuine nice pubs, they have what is probably the smallest pub in the world, actually a micro brewery i think with just two tables, one each side of the door and apparantly the beer is pretty good.

The Dutch are very friendly people, nice to mingle with.

[Nolar Dog]

Excellent.

The Van Goch museum suggestion looks like a good prospect. I'll look into that. Thanks.

Don't fancy standing around in a queue for ages though so I might pass on Anne Frank.
Sounds interesting though.

Any others?
Any good food places for dinner?

[krallicious]

Flower market in the south of the city is good. Frank de Coop straat I believe it is on. Vondel park and the zoo are nice too but probably better in the summer. Head out to the west of the city and just walk around the canals and old houses? Cheap and a lovely way to spend an afternoon if you like walking. What ever you do, do not anywhere around the train station as it is rammed with tourists. Oh and if you change your mind Catso and le Tetulia are great places for a doobie

[groucho]

Nolar Dog said:

What else is there to do in Amsterdam?

I'm going over there on Tuesday afternoon to go to a particular shop.
Once I've done that though I have all day Wednesday to kill.

What does anyone recommend?
Where should I go and what should I see?
Is there anywhere good to see some modern art?
Anyone know anyone for decent live music?

I'm 100% NOT interested in drinking, smoking or red light areas.

I've never been to Amsterdam before so don't know where to start.
Any sensible advice much appreciated.

Please, no sarcastic and boring "Let me Google that for you" rubbish.
I'm looking for personal recommendations not "facts and figures".

Cheers in advance for any help.

Are you gay?

[whirligig]

Another vote for the Van Gogh museum and Anne Franks house and - just being nosey but what shop is it that you are going all the way to Amsterdam for??

Edited by whirligig on Sunday 18th January 16:51

[Kees]

Nolar Dog said:

Is there anywhere good to see some modern art?

www.cobra-museum.nl

[Orb the Impaler]

If your GF has got big feet there is always The Big Shoe Shop.

[LHDisbest]

In terms of places to eat:

Yam Yam on the Frederik Hendrikstraat - Italian, probably one of the best pizza's i've ever had

Pata Negra II at Reinwardtstraat - Tapas place with a terrace.

There are quite a few dodgy (though cheap) places to eat. These two stood out for me.

[sjg]

Nolar Dog said:

Anyone know anyone for decent live music?

A good find on my last trip was this place: http://www.bourbonstreet.nl/

Live blues/rock every night, nice atmosphere. If jazz is more your thing then Cafe Alto is just round the corner - http://www.jazz-cafe-alto.nl/

Both near the Leidseplein, and plenty of decent restaurants to choose from in the area too.

I'd recommend Boom Chicago too - great mix of stand-up, improv and sketch comedy. Usually finished by 10 which is about the right time to head for one of the above. http://www.boomchicago.nl/en/

During the day, Van Gogh museum, Rijksmuseum (is it finished yet? If not they have a smaller gallery of highlights), NEMO are all worth a look. If you've not been before, a canal trip (there's several operators on the stretch down from the station to the main square) gives a good overview in an hour or so. Worth just wandering down the canal streets though, it's a lovely place to get lost in. Generally the further south the better!

Worth a wander through the red light district though, it's the least threatening-feeling red light district you could imagine. And given how keen the city seems to be on "cleaning up" that bit, it might be your one and only chance to see how it is - and it is one of the defining features of the place.

[sjg]

Actually, the evening at Boom Chicago on Tuesday sounds ace: http://www.boomchicago.nl/en/news-and-images/lates...

You all sit on several long tables so always end up chatting with people around you - better than eating by yourself!

[CarlT]

Anne Frank House is a must do. We went on a Saturday in August and only queued for about 10 minutes. It is a very humbling place to go and see.

[Nolar Dog]

MRSNEAK said:

That's a long way for one shop, what's it sell???

Sorry missed your post before.

I'm going to do some shopping and some research at The People Of The Labyrinth

Their pilot/flagship store is in Amsterdam.

[zhead]

One of my fave restaurants is in Amsterdam, the Five Flies (d'Vijff Vlieghen).

Great place

You really should just try the surprise menu when you go there. The full 6 courses will keep you occupied for a whole night (do also order the corresponding wine menu - a glass of the recommended wine from the sommelier to match each course) and they have the service to ensure you have a great night.

The surroundings, ambience and history of the place is intoxicating too. Ask to sit in the Rembrandt room.

As for what to do during the day - the Van Gogh mueseum is a good recommendation but to be honest as someone else posted, there is so much to see in the area from WWII that a day trip in a hire car or similar would be good.

[hal 1]

You could try leaving Anne Franks place till later on in the day, the queues seem to die down in late afternoon, at least they did when we went, the tip was from a local chap.