Hostelworld Guide for Amsterdam Colm Hanratty The Essentials Climate Getting There Amsterdam experiences cool winters and mild summers. The coldest months of the year are January and February when temperatures can drop By plane: Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is 15km below 0°C. In some instances the canals can southwest of the city. An express train service freeze up in these months, although it doesn't connects it to Centraal Station. The journey takes happen too frequently. The average temperature 20 minutes and costs €3.60. takes a considerable jump in March, and by April the days begin to get mild, although can still be By train: Centraal Station in the city centre is chilly enough in the evening. During the summer the where all trains arrive. There can be some shady weather is quite warm, with temperatures rising to characters around it so have your wits about you at an average of 22°C although they can climb to all times. 27°C. By bus: Buses going to Amsterdam from around Europe go to Amstelstation which is 3.5km southeast of the city centre. It is connected to Centraal Station via metro. Getting Around On foot: Using Centraal Station as your focal point, places such as Dam Square and the Red Light Known as the 'Venice of the North', Amsterdam is a city built on a cobweb of canals that boasts one of the District are within walking distance. most picturesque settings in the world. True, it is a city full of hazy coffee shops where stoners smoke all day and where prostitutes standing in red-lit windows try to lure in prospective customers, but there is By tram: You'll need to use trams to get to other much more to the Dutch capital than hookers and hash. It boasts world-class museums, great architecture major places such as the Leidseplein and the and a buzzing nightlife making it the perfect city for a few days break. museums. They are easy to use and most routes leave from Centraal Station. Useful Information Language: Dutch By bicycle: By far the most enjoyable mode of Currency: Euro transport is the bicycle. One in every two people in Electricity: 220 Volts, AC/50Hz In this Guide... the city owns one. You can rent them for about €9 Telephone Codes: +31 (Netherlands), 020 for the day. (Amsterdam) Useful Information Emergency Codes: Ambulance/Fire/Police 112 After Dark Time Zone: Central European Time (GMT + 1) Places to Eat Useful phrases Central Post Office: Singel 250-256 at Top Attractions Raadhuisstr Budget Tips Hello: Hallo Main Tourist Office: VVV Office, Stationsplein Where to Shop Goodbye: Doei 10 (in front of Centraal Station) Please: Alsjeblieft Thank you: Bedankt You're welcome: Geen probleem Embassies Yes: Ja No: Ne Of course: Natuurlijk USA: +31 (0)70 310 9209 Excuse me: Pardon UK: +31 (0)70 427 0427 How are you?: Hoe gaat het? Canada: +31 (0)70 311 1600 Open: Open Australia: +31 (0)70 310 8200 Closed: Gesloten South Africa: +31 (0)70 392 4501 What is your name?: Hoe heet je? Ireland: +31 (0)70 363 0993 My name is...: Ik heet... Germany: +31 (0)70 342 0600 How much?: Hoeveel? Spain: +31 (0)70 364 3814 May I have the bill?: Mag ik de rekening? Italy: +31 (0)70 302 1030 New Zealand: +31 (0)70 346 9324 France: +31 (0)70 312 5800 Unless stated, all embassies are in The Hague. Hostelworld Guide for Amsterdam www.hostelworld.com Cheap Eats After Dark Don't Miss Mark Your Calendar Eat Mode, 105-107 Zeedijk, Nieuwmarkt Located Escape, Rembrandtplein 11 Located on the Anne Frank House, Prinsengracht 267 A visit to February/March - Ice skating in Dam Square in the heart of Amsterdam's Chinatown, Eat Mode vibrant Rembrandtplein in the city centre, Escape is the house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for Every year in front of the Royal Palace on Dam specialises in Asian fusion cuisine rather than just Amsterdam's number one club. Holding over 2,000 over two years is an extremely emotional Square, a huge ice-rink is set up to allow locals don Chinese food. Here you an enjoy Thai Tom Yam people, the biggest night is 'Chemistry' which is on experience, yet also a very enjoyable one. The their skates for another year. soup, Japanese style curry and much more, all at every Saturday. Dress to kill if you plan on fitting in museum tells the history of the eight people in who reasonable prices. They're also known for their sushi with the rest of the city's clubbers. Open Thurs-Sun hid there between 1942 and 1944 and those who March - Stille Omgang This silent procession which is always fresh. Open daily 12 noon-11pm. 11pm-4am (7am on Sat); admission varies. helped them during their hiding. Open daily from through the streets of Amsterdam commemorates 9am-7pm (10pm March-Sept); admission €8.50. the 'Miracle of the Host' from 1345 where a dying 't Blauwe Theehuis, Vondelpark 5 A sandwich Boom Chicago, Leidseplein Theatre, man vomited after being given his last rites! here is a tad more expensive than in your average Leidseplein Since opening twelve years ago, sandwich bar, but the setting is worth the extra Boom Chicago has become an Amsterdam Amsterdam's largest museum April - Queen's Day Over 1 million people take to couple of Euro. Overlooking Vondelpark, if the sun is institution. Every night this improv-comedy group the streets on April 30th for the year's biggest party. shining you can't beat a couple of hours relaxing entertains packed audiences with their formula of The whole city goes into overdrive for the day when here, watching the rollerbladers zoom through the scripted material and improvisation comedy. Open everyone wears orange and has boot sales. park. Open daily from 9am-1am. daily from 12 noon-1am/3am; shows nightly at 8.15pm; tickets €12-€20. May to August - Vondelpark Summer The Pantry, Leidsekruisstraat 21 It is a crime to Amsterdam's answer to Central Park is awash with travel to a country and leave without trying out some activitiy during the summer months. On the open-air native dishes. So if you fancy a Dutch culinary Gay / Lesbian Amsterdam stage in the middle of the park you can catch delight come here. Located just 5 minutes from concerts along with dance, theatrical and dramatical Leidseplein, the staff are friendly and the meatballs Amsterdam is one of the gay capitals of Europe performances. are particularly tasty. Open Mon-Fri 5pm-11pm, Sat - fact. While there are gay bars and clubs all & Sun 12 noon-11pm. over the city, there are four main areas. May - Liberation Day Shortly after Queen's Day, The Warmoesstraat area is the most central Liberation Day (5th) is celebrated throughout the In the words of Vincent Vega... and also the most daring as this is where the country to mark the end of World War II. Street 'leather bars' are located. The parties take place all over the city and live music Reguliersdwarsstraat area is the trendy gay can be heard everywhere you go. area. Close to the Leidseplein, the Kerkstraat Rijksmuseum, Jan Luijkenstraat 1 The area is the oldest gay area, while around Rijksmuseum is regarded as one of the ten principal museums in the world and is acclaimed June - Holland Festival This annual festival is the Rembrandtplein and the Amstel is also popular biggest arts festival on the Dutch calendar and lasts with the gay community. for its collection of Netherlandish paintings from the 15th to the late 19th century. Its most more than three weeks. Over 80,000 people attend famous painting is Rembrandt's theatrical, musical and other types of performances. Nightwatch.Open daily from 9am-6pm; Red Light District, Oudezijds Achterburgwal No admission €12.50 (18 and under free). August - Canal Parade Part of 'Amsterdam Pride' visit to Amsterdam is complete without a trip to its which occurs every August, this parade sees infamous Red Light District after dark. There is no thousands of Amsterdam's gay community take to denying that it is an extremely seedy part of the city, the canals for the year's most outlandish parade. but it is a tourist attraction in its own right and the Van Gogh Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 7 With Dutch capital is as well-known for its hookers as it is over 1.3 million visitors in 2004, the Van Gogh for its canals. Keep in mind though that it can be an Museum is the Dutch capital's most popular September - Flower Parade Not as risqué as the At the beginning of 'Pulp Fiction', Vincent Vega intimidating place at the best of times, and while it is museum. It houses a permanent collection of over aforementioned canal parade, this one involves talks to his partner in crime Jules about the little safe enough due to all the tourists, avoid walking 200 paintings and 500 drawings by Van Gogh and flower floats which parade from the flower auction differences between the Netherlands and the through it alone at night. tells the story of the eccentric Dutch artist. Open at Aalsmeer to The Dam in the city centre. USA. One of them he mentions is how the Dutch 10am-6pm (10pm Fridays); admission €14 (17 and under free). drown their French fries in mayonnaise. He October - Canoe Tour Over 500 illuminated wasn't lying. All over the Dutch capital are fast Melkweg, Lijnbaansgracht 234 Just minutes from Leidseplein, Melkweg has been around for a long, canoes and kayaks light up the city's canals for this food outlets where you can get burgers, kebabs Heineken Experience, Stadhouderskade 78 annual event making the city look prettier than ever.