A Tasty Suggestion
Brasserie Harkema is a classic Parisian restaurant right in the heart of Amsterdam. With good food and wine both at reasonable prices, Harkema is a versatile restaurant. It is also a perfect place to go before or after a show as the restaurant is just outside the city’s
west end.
Once a former tobacco factory building in the historic quarter of the city, the restaurant offers no frills stylish French food from an open kitchen in the centre of the restaurant.
Choose the grilled tuna with wasabi mayonnaise for €17.20 or the entrecote steak with a béarnaise sauce for €16.40 and finish the meal off with one of the delicious desserts or a cocktail.
Tel: +31 (0) 20 428 2222. www.brasserieharkema.nl
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AUGUST 16 – 24: The Amsterdam canal festival is a classical music festival performed at 20 locations along the canal banks. Running for nine days, more than 70 concerts are performed to hundreds of visitors. For more information go to www.grachtenfestival.nl
...and here are some more great things to see and do in and around Amsterdam…
OCTOBER 19 2008: The Amsterdam marathon attracts around 22,000 runners every year. Thousands also line the streets to cheer on the runners. To find out more visit www.amsterdammarathon.nl/
NOVEMBER 2008: The Women Inc Festival runs for three days and celebrates the lives of famous women from all over the world in a range of events including lectures and workshops. For further information visit www.women-inc.nl
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Jumping for the world in Amsterdam
Jumping Amsterdam is one of the world’s most important horse jumping events in the calendar and it’s happening in Amsterdam next January 24. Acting as qualification for the show jumping World Cup in 2008, riders from all over the world will be coming to compete. www.jumpingamsterdam.nl/en
Diamonds are forever
If you fancy a peek at the world’s largest diamond, join a new free guided tour around Gasson Diamond’s factory. It was here that Amsterdam polishers cut the world’s biggest diamond, the 3,106-carat Cullinan, commissioned by King Edward VII. The original now adorns the British royal sceptre, but you can see a replica of that and of the Cullinan II, the enormous central rock in the current royal crown.
If they’re too dazzling, there’s also the world’s smallest diamond here, tinier than a splinter at 0,0012 of a carat but it still took three months to cut and manages 57 facets. The tour will tell you everything about this precision trade and, who knows, they might even give out rejects.
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Amsterdam is a compact city, brimming with sights and attractions, many around its romantic canal belt, so you can pack plenty into one day. The peaceful city centre where bicycles and pedestrians rule, boasts some of the world’s finest galleries, cutting-edge museums and top-class orchestras.
Although The Hague is the government’s official seat, Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ nominal capital and its largest city with a population of 750,000. Amsterdam is one of the world’s great cities, offering an impressive mix of heritage sights and more than 50 museums. Somehow this peaceful, laid back town manages to handle 3.5 million visitors a year.
Mostly they come for the museums, it boasts the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Stedelijk and Anne Frank House, but also for its quirky offbeat sights like the Oude Kerk, a calming church, bizarrely placed in the heart of the Red Light District or the self-explanatory Hash Marihuana Hemp Museum.
Bang in the centre of Amsterdam is the country’s oldest zoo, its lush gardens are a delight to stroll around. Besides big cats, apes and gorillas there’s an African savanna where you’ll spot roaming gazelles, zebras and other African species.
Of course the city’s numerous beautiful canals have led to it becoming known as “the Venice of the North” and it’s hard to resist a boat-trip, relaxing by day and enchantingly romantic at night.
In fact Amsterdam originally developed around a dam in the Amstel river at the end of the 12th century, but its golden age was the between 1585 and 1672 when some of the town’s most impressive buildings were established, including the Royal Palace, the Westerkerk and many of the finest canal houses like the Dolphin and the Crowned Turnip (De Gecroonde Hoofden).
If you want a beer and party atmosphere, you’ll no doubt be heading for the Red Light District, which, incidentally, operates a strict No Photography policy. The tourist office markets it as a kind of sexual amusement park and most tourists are compelled to take a look at some stage. It’s relatively safe, but watch out for pickpockets.
The Dutch authority’s liberal attitude to sex and drugs has gained Amsterdam a somewhat slanted reputation. Certainly this is the place for cannabis-selling coffee-shops and the world’s busiest red light district, but this is also a sophisticated city of jazz, canal-side pubs, festivals, flower markets, outstanding classical music and a Calvinist work ethic. In short, it’s a must for any serious traveller.
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Start at the Rijksmuseum. Even though it’s currently undergoing a massive renovation programme, the present collection on display is unmissable. The Rijksmuseum owns the Netherlands’ largest collection of art, totalling over a million pieces. Even though much of it is currently in storage, over 400 pieces are still on show including all the most important works by Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Caravaggio. Then visit the Van Gogh Museum which houses his most famous paintings including the sunflowers and self-portraits. In addition to letters and drawings by Van Gogh, there’s also a display of works by his friends, an elite group which included Gaugin, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec and Pissarro.
After that cultural overload, stroll along the inner canals and then relax over lunch at a café on one of the side streets. Wander about the Jordaan district dipping in and out of its one-off shops and tiny art galleries.
Then spend some time at Anne Franks House, it’s a must - both moving and compelling and Amsterdam’s most famous canal house. The Franks were among the last Jews to be deported from the Netherlands and the 13 year-old’s diary makes horrific reading. A museum provides a permanent reminder of the persecution of the Jews in WW2 and dangers of present-day racism.
To lift your spirits after that, head to the colourful Albert Cuypmarkt, a century-old street market where more than 350 vendors offer everything from jam to jeans.
When the sun sets, there’s plenty of choice. Enjoy a meal in Centrum and a glass of Dutch beer mingling with the friendly locals at a café, then squeeze into the Bamboo Bar for live jazz or blues. Or, if it’s more your thing, the sun never sets in the red light district.
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Space is at a premium in this old city. Any hotel with more than 20 rooms is considered large. Many of the historic, character central hotels have narrow, steep stairs, so check when booking if you need easy access. Parking is also a major problem. There are more upscale hotels here than budget, and all rooms get booked up fast for spring and summer.
Visit Flybe’s hotel website for a wide cross-section. For old-world character, book at the canal-side Banks Mansion, a wonderful four-star property right beside Dam Square and flower markets. The three-star Prinsen Hotel is also ideal for visiting museums and sights as is the three-star Nova which comprises five historical houses. www.flybehotels.com
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By road: Schiphol International Airport is 11 miles (18km) southwest of the city. Take the A4 towards Amsterdam and then the A10 into the city centre. www.schipol.nl
Contact Flybe’s car rental partner Avis for the best available car hire rates. www.flybe.com/avis
By bus: An airport shuttle bus, Connexion, stops at city hotels. It leaves platform A7 every 15 minutes and costs €10.50 one way.
By train: Trains run to Centraal Station every 15 minutes. It costs €3.50 one way for the 20 minute journey.
By taxi: A trip to the city centre costs about €45 and takes around 30 minutes.
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You can easily get around Amsterdam on foot, but there’s also an excellent public transport system combining tram, bus and metro. Most trams and buses converge at Centraal Station. The GVB Information Office in front of the station sells tickets and passes or call +31 (0) 900 9292. The tourist office has a free Tourist Guide to Public Transport booklet and map.
Buy a strippenkaart (strip card) from tobacco shops, post offices and train station, valid on all buses, trams and metros. Price €1.60 for 2 tickets, €6.40 for 15.
This city is built for cyclists and you can get from one side of the city to the other in minutes. Hire one from Holland Rent-a-Bike tel: +31 (0) 20 622 3207 or Bike City tel: +31 (0) 20 626 3721.
A free ferry sails from behind the Centraal Station to north Amsterdam, marked Buiksloterwegveer.
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For its size, Amsterdam probably offers the best quality of entertainment anywhere in the world. From canal-side pubs, jazz dives and live bands to chamber music, orchestras and opera, the city sizzles with life after dark. Pick up a copy of Uitkrant, a free monthly listings paper to see what’s on.
For live music, try Alto Jazz Café (+31 (0) 20 626 3249), a ‘brown café’ featuring local groups or the tiny Bamboo Bar (+31 (0) 20 624 3993) which also offers blues and salsa. Head to Jimmy Woo’s (+31 (0) 20 626 3150) if you want a night with the city’s beautiful people, but expect to queue, it’s the hottest spot in town.
Classical music is also huge here, for cut-price tickets visit Uitlijn or AUB +31 (0) 20 0900 0191. In addition, there are plenty of organ recitals in churches dotted across the city, visit Engelse Kerk, Oude Kerk or Noordekerk. www.uitlijn.nl
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Golf: The De Hoge Dijk 18-hole golf course is situated just on the outskirts of Amsterdam and is easily accessible by car or public transport. The course has a rural atmosphere with stunning views of the countryside as you go round this challenging par 71 course. www.usgolf.nl
Ice Skating: Jaap Edenbaan is one of the only ice skating rinks in Holland which rents skates to the public. The rink which is in the city centre, is highly popular in the wintertime and available for all abilities of skating. Visit www.sidestep.co.uk
Swimming: Mirandabad swimming centre is one of the most modern facilities in all of the Netherlands. With two swimming pools, one indoor, one outdoor, the complex is fitted with water slides, wave machines, a whirlpool, and their own pebble-stone beach. Centre is open daily 07.00 – 22.00 on weekdays and 09.30 – 17.00 at weekends. Check time slots before you go however as nude sessions are reserved weekly. Call +31 (0) 205 464 444 for further information.
Zoo: Artis Zoo is a huge complex just outside the main city. Housing not only a zoo but botanical gardens, planetarium and an indoor rain forest this is fun for the whole family. Open from 09.00 – 18.00 the price for adults is €14 and €11 for children. www.artis.nl
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Amsterdam is one of the first Dutch cities to begin development of the planned ‘Urban Neighbourhoods’. Designed by the government, they make it easier for young people to take their first step onto the property ladder. The idea is that buyers get a say in the design of the house but do not have complete ownership of the property as the ground remains the property of the local municipality. The first reports from the building indicate that the properties are taking longer than planned to be built than the government had first thought.
Currently the average house price is between €240,000 and €250 000, this is compared to just €137,000 five years ago. This sharp incline in the house price market should see the increase in the number of Urban Neighbourhoods as more and more young professionals try to make their way onto the property ladder.
If you’re considering purchasing a property and have the funds, this is the place to buy to let. But, unsurprisingly, in a city where space is at a premium, property does not come cheap. www.viviun.com
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Rijksmuseum: Tel: +31 (0) 20 674 7047. Entry: adults €9, under 18s free. Open 9am-6pm. The Netherlands’ largest collection of art and artefacts - the Dutch answer to the Louvre. However, until 2008, most of the museum is closed for a makeover, but the temporary exhibition displays 400 unmissable masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals. www.rijksmuseum.nl
Van Gogh Museum: Tel: +31 (0) 20 570 5200. Open 10am-6pm. Entry: adults €9, 13-17 year-olds €2.50, children under 12 free. All the most famous canvasses on display, the Potato Eaters, Yellow House in Arles, self-portraits and the sunflower collection. www.vangoghmuseum.nl
Anne Frankhuis: Tel: +31 (0) 20 556 7105. Open 9am-9pm Apr-Aug, and to 7pm Sep-Mar. Closed Yom Kippur. Entry: Adult €7.50, 10-17 year-olds €3.50, under 10s free. The horrors of WW2 come to life through the diary of a 13 year-old girl who went into hiding at this tiny canal house. She died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, her brother published her diary, and now 900,000 people a year visit what has become one of the most moving museums in the world. www.annefrank.nl
Jordaan district: Once a working-class area, its converted warehouses are now highly sought-after. A mix of students, business people and the arts and media crowd spill onto its narrow streets, brown cafés (old, bistro-styled bars serving alcohol), art galleries and unique shops.
Southern Canal Belt: Along the Herengracht, the first of three main outer canals, sit some of Amsterdam’s largest private mansions. The distinctive architecture flanking the canals makes this the ideal place for a stroll.
Artis Zoo: Tel: +31 (0) 20 523 3400. Open 9am-6pm (5pm in winter). Entry: €14.50 adults, €11 for children. Four main areas, zoo, planetarium, botanical gardens and geological and zoological museum. Don’t miss the zoo’s indoor rainforest, crocodile feeding, children’s playground and butterfly house. www.artis.nl
Begijnhof: One of the city’s many tiny courtyards. Surrounded by a former 14th century convent and gabled houses. Number 34 is the oldest house in Amsterdam.
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Utrecht: An hour’s train ride will take you to historic town of Utrecht, loomed over by the great Dom Cathedral which boasts the Netherlands’ tallest church tower. Way back in the early Middle Ages this was the ecclesiastical centre of the Low Countries, today its antique shell surrounds an increasingly modern interior.
Utrecht houses the country’s premier university, so the town bustles with students and locals claim the bars stay open here longer than in Amsterdam. The place is strewn with 14th century canals whose wharves and cellars have been transformed into trendy cafés and chic shops. For one of the best collections of Golden Age paintings, visit the Centraal Museum.
Zaanse Schans: Half an hour’s train journey north from Amsterdam will take you to Zaanse Schans, a picture-postcard village complete with windmills, workshops and several free attractions including a cheese-makers store and clog factory. This achingly pretty village was one of the world’s first light industrial regions, featuring over 700 windmills which originally powered paint and flour production. The centre is a replica of 17th village life and together with the windmills and clogs, makes the perfect Dutch photo opportunity.
Haarlem: Just 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam is Haarlem, a beautiful city with winding alleys, picturesque bridges and some great museums. If you’re a fan of Dutch art, don’t miss the Frans Hals Museum, featuring many of Frans Hals’ most famous pieces, but also work by Jacob van Ruysdael and Pieter Bruegel the Younger. Haarlem also boasts the Grote Kerk, home to the impressively huge Müller organ, once played on by a 10 year-old Mozart. The world’s largest flower gardens at Keukenhof are also close by at Lisse.
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Amsterdam was listed among the top five business locations in Europe by European Cities Monitor in 2002 and has since held onto this position. Up to 100 foreign companies set up business in the Netherlands every year and Amsterdam attracts investment for its prime position within Europe. This is partly due to its excellent international connections from the ever-expanding Schiphol Airport and the port of Amsterdam, but also because of its strong infrastructure, multilingual workforce and stable political and economic climate.
The city boasts an impressive line-up of household company names. ABM Amro Bank, Phillips, Shell, IBM, Sony and Canon all base their European headquarters here. Finance is also a key sector, swallowing eight percent of the workforce with some 70 banks represented in the city, fashion, flowers, tourism and the brewing giant Heineken are also major employers. In the past 15 years, there’s also been a huge advance in technological industries namely in computing, telecommunications and biotechnology.
Amsterdam also boasts one of the world’s leading convention centres, the Amsterdam RAI International Exhibition and Conference Centre.
For further commercial information, contact the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, tel: +31 (0) 20 531 4568, or Amsterdam Promotion Foundation.
www.amsterdampromotion.nl
www.kvk.nl
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Don’t enter an Amsterdam coffee shop expecting an espresso and slice of cake. In 1976 the Netherlands granted coffee shops the right to sell marijuana in an attempt to stop drug-users moving onto hard drugs.
They all display a smoker’s menu giving the price per gram, usually sold in 1g bags. Amsterdam has over 300 coffee shops serving a cross-section of locals and tourists, of all ages and walks of life.
If you’re more of a beer-lover, this is the city for you. The Dutch consume an average of 336 glasses of beer per person but, unlike the in the UK, it’s served with two fingers of froth. This, apparently, traps the flavour and reveals whether the beer’s been watered down. If it has, the head sinks fast, while undiluted beer keeps its head. Now there’s one for the pub quiz night.
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