A DAY IN YOUR CITY - AMSTERDAM

Prepared by Batya ten Brink of AWC Amsterdam, September 2013

Amsterdam is one of the most charming cities in Europe. It has a small city center so you can walk from site to site. Its canals and the quaint houses built along the canals, as well as the boat houses, have led UNESCO to designate Amsterdam Canals as World Heritage treasures. The people of Amsterdam are exceptionally friendly, speak a good English and are very hospitable. In Amsterdam EVERYBODY feels at home!

Must see/Do NOT miss attractions

1. Ladies Day: Get acquainted with the city through its canals – start your visit with a canal cruise. Canal boat companies are situated near the Central Station and along the Damrak. After the cruise walk ten minutes to the Dam Square where you can have a great coffee break on the top floor of Holland’s most exclusive (and expensive) department store – the Bijenkorf (pronounced: bey-en-korf). Walk along the main pedestrian mall – the Kalver Straat – with its many shops

and pass through the “passage” of 17th century paintings of the Amsterdam historical Museum (free of charge). Right beside the museum is the 17th century Begijnhof (pronounced: Be-heyn-hof) – an island of tranquility in the hustle and bustle of the city – enjoy its beautiful gardens, churches and quaint little houses, built for the less fortunate, single, older women of the city. Continue to the Hand Bag Museum on the Herengracht situated in the beautiful, stately home of a 17th century wealthy family. Visit the colorful Flower Market and walk down the shopping mall of Leidse Straat leading to the Leidse Plein, the central square for entertainment in Amsterdam. Time permitting continue to the P.C. Hooftstraat with its unique high fashion shops. Stroll along the Nieuwe Spiegel Straat with its many art galleries. End the day in one of the many pubs or restaurants on the Leidse Plein, or, if you like jazz or blues, you’ll enjoy sitting at the Alto Jazz Club or Burbon Street Blues Café to unwind from an unforgettable day in Amsterdam.

2. With spouse or partner: canal cruise, Arena Ajax home stadium (wife can visit largest home-goods mall [Woon Mall] while husband visits soccer stadium), Marine museum, cycling in the city and Vondel Park, the Jordaan – Amsterdam’s Greenwich Village, Negen straatjes (the Nine Streets with unique boutiques), Rembrandt Plein, flower market, Leidse plein, new Apple computers store. Van Gogh Museum, Heiniken Brewery, The Albert Cuyp Market. Be sure to try some herring, kibbeling (fried cod) or smoked mackerel at one of the fish stands (e.g., near Anne Frank House, opposite Central Station, at the Albert Cuyp market).

3. Family Day: panoramic view of Amsterdam from the NEMO museum of technology. Visit Nemo, visit the Marine museum. Canal cruise. French fries with mayonnaise on Damstraat. Stal straat with its Puccini chocolate boutique and candy factory near by. Amsterdamse Bos for active recreation. Cycle through city to Rembrandt’s windmill and enjoy lunch at the Kleine Kalfje on the banks of the Amstel river. Albert Heijn supermarket behind the Royal Palace for Dutch Stroop Waffels (butterscotch filled waffles) and Hagelslag (chocolate vermicelli eaten by Dutch kids on bread and butter). The best Pancake (pane-kooken in Dutch) house is on the Prinsengracht just past the Anne Frank house. Be sure to stop by with the kids. And don’t forget to taste some poffertjes (mini-pancakes) while in Amsterdam.

Very good things to do/see:

City panoramic view from top floor lounge of the Hilton Double-Tree Hotel. Canal boat cruise, cycle through the city, visit Van Gogh, Rijks, Hand Bag museums, and/or NEMO technology, Marine museums. Meander about in Vondel Park, visit the three large entertainment squares: Dam, Rembrandt Plein, Leidse Pleine. The Jordaan, the Flower Market, Albert Cuyp Market. Take a tuk-tuk ride and/or horse and buggy ride through the city.

Good restaurants:

CAU off Dam Square on Damstraat – variety of excellent steaks, but also choice of fish, prawns and salads - €35-40. SUMO – Japanese Restaurant – eat-all-you-can - €17-20.

Café de Klos for the best spare ribs - €17-20. Indra Pura Indonesian Restaurant - €30- 40. Casa di David Italian Restaurant - €35-50. Rewan Turkish Restaurant €25-35. Momo – exclusive fusion restaurant €45-60. La Place (lunch) - €10-25. For typical Dutch cuisine – Moeders’ (moo-ders – Mother’s) on the Rozengracht cr. Lijbansgracht - €25- 35.

Favorite Walks/areas of town:

Jordaan, Chinese Quarter, Waterloo plein (flea market & old Jewish Quarter), Rembrandt Plein-Flower Market-Leidse Plein, Albert Cuyp Market and the Pijp, the Negen Straatjes (nine streets). Stroll through the Vondel Park.

Where to get drinks:

THE place to have a relaxing beverage and take in the atmosphere (wine or coffee & cake): any café-bar along the canals – beer and snacks – bitterballs highly recommended. Top floor of Hilton Double Tree – drinks on open air terrace with best view (slightly expensive). Coffee Company for great coffee and cakes.

Shopping recommendations (list of what to look for there):

Kalver straat pedestrian mall and Kalver Toren indoor mall – clothing, shoes, toys, bags. P.C. Hooftstraat for high fashion, Apple shop for computer and other electronic equipment, Negen Straatjes for special art and fashion, Nieuwe Spiegel Straat galleries for high class art. Bijenkorf, department store at the Dam for high quality, exclusive fashion.

Three things people might be surprised to learn about city a/o people:

The Church in the Attic – did you know that for 300 years public catholic worship was prohibited in Amsterdam, so regular homes became churches. The Eye – Film Museum – opened in 2012 and has already won a prize for outstanding architecture – take a free ferry from behind the Central Station and visit this amazing building – sit on its terrace and enjoy a coffee or beer while viewing the city from across the water. Did you think the Hermitage Museum is in St. Petersberg, Russia? A replica exists in Amsterdam with changing exhibitions of artifacts from the original Hermitage. Well worth a visit.

Best time to visit (weather, etc.): always chance for rain. April-May best time for tulips and other bulb flowers. July-August can be lovely and warm, but many tourists.

Transportation recommendations

1. within the city: best to walk or cycle, trams available with possibility of purchasing a day ticket (€7), 3-day ticket (approx. €14) and 4-day ticket (approx. €18). 2. getting to the city: from the suburbs by tram, from outside Amsterdam by train.

If you have more than one day (could be a day trip): book a tour to the Fishing Villages or take bus to Volendam and ferry across to the lovely island of Marken.

Hotel recommendations (please include area of town and price range):

3 star range (€100-120 per room): Nova, Mozart, Rembrandt Classic, Omega, City Garden. 4-star range (€120-180): NH City Center, Amsterdam City Center, Carlton, Esteria, Toren, Vondel, Hilton Double Tree. 5-star range (€200 and above): Grand Krasnapolsky, The Grand, American, Mariott, Victoria, Hilton, Hotel de l’Europe, Doelen, Dylan, Grand.

Things to be aware of or to be avoided:

Be very careful not to walk on bicycle paths. Like in all large cities – watch your belongings and be aware of pick-pockets. Best hours for red light district 8-10 pm. If you rent a bike always lock it and attach to a pole. 50,000 bikes are stolen in Amsterdam every year!

How disabled friendly is the city?

Most hotels and museums have ramps and elevators. Old buildings are usually not disabled friendly – no elevators and steep, narrow staircases.