Part 1 (1/2)
The Rough Guide to Amsterdam.
by Martin Dunford.
Introduction to Amsterdam [image]
Amsterdam gables [image]
Oudeschans ca.n.a.l Amsterdam has grown up in the past decade or so. It is a slicker, more cosmopolitan place than it once was, more business-minded, less eccentric, and overall more integrated into the European mainstream. Yet it still enjoys a reputation as one of Europe's most relaxed cities and with some justification. There's a laid-back feel to the streets and ca.n.a.ls (and its people) that you just don't get in any other European city. Of course, it remains a place for Sixties throwbacks who just want to get stoned, and for well-oiled gangs of blokes on the prowl in the still notorious Red Light District. But it also has a small-city feel: it doesn't take long to get from place to place, and thanks to its ca.n.a.ls many parts of the centre are uncongested and peaceful.
[image]
Amsterdam's welcoming att.i.tude towards visitors has been shaped by the liberal counterculture of the last four decades, but it's emphatically no longer the hippy haven it once was. In fact, in the last few years the city has been more or less absorbed into the rest of Europe, with not only high-end bars and clubs muscling in on its more traditional haunts, but also with the emergence of crime and drug problems that for decades seemed to have pa.s.sed Amsterdam by. However, some things haven't changed, and it's hard not to feel drawn by its vibrant, open-air summer events, by the cheery intimacy of its cafes, and by the Dutch facility with languages; just about everyone you meet in Amsterdam will be able to speak good-to-fluent English, and often more than a smattering of French and German too.
Amsterdam is still far from being as diverse a city as, say, London or Paris; despite the huge numbers of immigrants from the former colonies in Surinam and Indonesia, as well as from Morocco and Turkey, to name but a few, almost all live and work outside the centre and can seem almost invisible to the casual visitor. Indeed, there is an ethnic and social h.o.m.ogeneity in the city centre that seems to counter everything you may have heard about Dutch integration. It's a contradiction that is typical of Amsterdam. The city is world-famous as a place where the possession and sale of cannabis are effectively legal or at least decriminalized and yet for the most part Amsterdammers themselves don't really partake in the stuff. And while Amsterdam is renowned for its tolerance towards all styles of behaviour, a primmer, more conventional big city, with a more mainstream dress sense, would be hard to find. Indeed, these days the city is trying to reinvent itself, geared towards a more up-market kind of tourist who is a little less fixated on smoking and drinking. In recent years, a string of hardline city mayors have had some success in diminis.h.i.+ng Amsterdam's image as a counterculture icon, instead touting it as a centre for business and international high finance. Almost all of the inner-city squats, which once defined local people-power, are gone or legalized; many coffeeshops, especially those in the Red Light District, are closing; and the Red Light District itself for years the beacon of the city's laissez-faire att.i.tude is being cleaned up, and many of its sleaziest establishments closed down. The cityscape, too, continues to evolve, with large-scale urban development on the outskirts and regeneration within.
[image]
Ca.n.a.l house on Prinsengracht Nevertheless, Amsterdam remains a casual and intimate place, and Amsterdammers themselves make much of their city and its attractions being gezellig gezellig, a rather overused Dutch word roughly corresponding to a combination of ”cosy”, ”lived-in” and ”warmly convivial”. Nowhere is this more applicable than in the city's unparalleled selection of drinking drinking places, whether you choose a traditional brown cafe or one of a raft of newer, more stylish bars. The city boasts dozens of excellent places, whether you choose a traditional brown cafe or one of a raft of newer, more stylish bars. The city boasts dozens of excellent restaurants restaurants too, with great Indonesian options and a host of increasingly adventurous Dutch establishments. As for too, with great Indonesian options and a host of increasingly adventurous Dutch establishments. As for cultural attractions cultural attractions, the city holds its own in contemporary European film, dance, drama and music; it harbours several top-notch jazz venues, as well as the Concertgebouw, home to one of the world's leading orchestras, and the state-of-the-art Muziekgebouw, the city's prestigious venue for opera and orchestral music. The club scene is relatively restrained, although a wealth of gay bars gay bars and clubs partly justifies Amsterdam's claim to be the ”Gay Capital of Europe”. and clubs partly justifies Amsterdam's claim to be the ”Gay Capital of Europe”.
[image]
Amsterdam bicycle Introduction to Amsterdam
So much to see, so little time... So much to see, so little time...Amsterdam is perfect for short breaks: it's small, so you can amble about almost everywhere and see pretty much everything; there are very few must-see sights, so you don't have to spend half your time feeling guilty about the cultural icons you should be visiting; and there are literally hundreds of enticing bars, cafes and restaurants where you can take the weight off your feet between attractions. The itineraries below give an idea of how to plan your time. Mostly designed around key sights, they cover everything from a flying visit to a full week in the city, and can be used as rigidly, or as flexibly, as you like.Two daysDam Square * Anne Frank Huis * Red Light District * Oude Kerk * Rijksmuseum * Van Gogh Museum * Leidseplein * Grachtengordel South * Museum Van Loon/Museum Willet-Holthuysen * RembrandtpleinThree daysAs above, plus:Westerkerk * Koninklijk Paleis * Brouwersgracht * Western docklandsFive daysAs above, plus:Rembrandthuis * Waterlooplein * Verzetsmuseum * Artis Zoo * Tropenmuseum * Heineken Experience * De Pijp * Vondelpark * Museumtramlijn * Amsterdamse Bos * Amsterdam ArenASeven daysAs above, plus:Stedelijk Museum * Esnoga * Joods Historisch Museum * Eastern docklands * Amsterdam Noord * Haarlem * Keukenhof Gardens
Where to go The city's layout is determined by a web of ca.n.a.ls radiating out from a historical core to loop right round Amsterdam's compact centre, which takes about forty minutes to stroll from one end to the other. b.u.t.ting up to the River IJ, the Old Centre Old Centre spreads south from spreads south from Centraal Station Centraal Station bisected by the Damrak and its continuation, the Rokin, the city's main drag; en route is the Dam, the main square. The Old Centre remains Amsterdam's commercial heart, as well as the hub of its bustling street life, and also holds myriad shops, bars and restaurants. The area is also home to the bisected by the Damrak and its continuation, the Rokin, the city's main drag; en route is the Dam, the main square. The Old Centre remains Amsterdam's commercial heart, as well as the hub of its bustling street life, and also holds myriad shops, bars and restaurants. The area is also home to the Red Light District Red Light District, just to the east of the Damrak, and contains dozens of fine old buildings, most memorably the Oude Kerk, the Amstelkring and the Koninklijk Paleis.
The Old Centre is bordered by the first of the major ca.n.a.ls, the Singel, whose curve is mirrored by those of the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht collectively known as the Grachtengordel Grachtengordel, or ”Girdle of Ca.n.a.ls”. These waterways were part of a major seventeenth-century urban extension and, with the interconnecting radial streets, form the city's distinctive web shape. This is Amsterdam's most delightful area, full of the handsome seventeenth- and eighteenth-century ca.n.a.l houses, with their decorative gables, and narrow, dreamy ca.n.a.ls, that most people a.s.sociate with the city; a well-worn image, perhaps, but one that is still entirely authentic. Here you'll also find perhaps the city's most celebrated attraction, the Anne Frank Huis Anne Frank Huis, the house in which the young Jewish diarist hid away during the German occupation of World War II, now a poignant reminder of the Holocaust.
[image]
Leidsegracht Immediately to the west of the Grachtengordel lies the Jordaan Jordaan, one-time industrial slum and the traditional heart of working-cla.s.s Amsterdam, though these days almost entirely gentrified. The same applies to the adjacent Western docklands Western docklands, although the origins of this district are very different; the artificial islands of the Westerdok were dredged out of the river to create extra wharves and s.h.i.+pbuilding s.p.a.ce during the seventeenth century, and only in the last few decades has the s.h.i.+pping industry moved out.
On the other side of the centre is the Old Jewish Quarter Old Jewish Quarter, home to a thriving Jewish community until the German occupation of World War II. Postwar development laid a heavy hand on the quarter, but nonetheless there are a couple of significant survivors, princ.i.p.ally the Esnoga Esnoga (Portuguese Synagogue) and the (Portuguese Synagogue) and the Joods Historisch Museum Joods Historisch Museum (Jewish Historical Museum). The adjacent Plantagebuurt is greener and more suburban, but it does possess one excellent museum, the (Jewish Historical Museum). The adjacent Plantagebuurt is greener and more suburban, but it does possess one excellent museum, the Verzetsmuseum Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum); the neighbouring (Resistance Museum); the neighbouring Eastern docklands Eastern docklands, in particular Zeeburg, is another formerly industrial area that has undergone rapid renewal as have some parts of Amsterdam Noord, just across the river from Centraal Station. Amsterdam's Museum Quarter Museum Quarter contains, as you might expect, the city's premier art museums, princ.i.p.ally the contains, as you might expect, the city's premier art museums, princ.i.p.ally the Rijksmuseum Rijksmuseum with its wonderful collection of Dutch paintings, including several of Rembrandt's finest works, and the excellent with its wonderful collection of Dutch paintings, including several of Rembrandt's finest works, and the excellent Van Gogh Museum Van Gogh Museum, which holds the world's largest collection of the artist's work. Both lie just a stone's throw from the city's finest park, the Vondelpark Vondelpark.
[image]
Traditional cafe Finally, the residential suburbs or outer districts outer districts spreading beyond Singelgracht are relatively short of attractions notable exceptions being the wooded parkland of the spreading beyond Singelgracht are relatively short of attractions notable exceptions being the wooded parkland of the Amsterdamse Bos Amsterdamse Bos and the and the Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam ArenA, home to the city's celebrated Ajax football team.
Talk to Amsterdammers about visiting other parts of their country and you may well be met with looks of amazement. Ignore them. The Netherlands is a small nation, and the Dutch have an outstanding public transport system, an integrated network of trains and buses that makes a large and varied slice of the country easily reachable. Consequently, the choice of possible day day-trips is extensive; the towns of is extensive; the towns of Haarlem Haarlem and and Alkmaar Alkmaar, the old Zuider Zee ports of Marken Marken and and Volendam Volendam, and the pretty town of Edam Edam are all worth a visit not to mention the much-touted are all worth a visit not to mention the much-touted Keukenhof Gardens Keukenhof Gardens, which are at their best during spring and early summer.
[image]
Amsterdam bar
When to go Amsterdam enjoys a fairly standard, temperate climate climate, with warm summers and moderately cold and wet winters. The weather is certainly not severe enough to make much difference to the city's routines. That said, high summer roughly late June to August sees the city packed to the gunnels, with parts of the centre almost overwhelmed by the tourist throng, whereas spring and autumn are not too crowded and can be especially beautiful, with mist hanging over the ca.n.a.ls and low sunlight beaming through the cloud cover. At any time of the year, but particularly in summer, try to book your accommodation in advance.
[image]
20 things not to miss It isn't possible to see everything Amsterdam has to offer on a short trip, and we don't suggest you try. What follows, in no particular order, is a subjective selection of the city's highlights, from elegant ca.n.a.l-side architecture and vibrant markets to outstanding art collections and traditional bars.
01 The Jordaan The Jordaan * The Jordaan holds many of the city's most diverting secondhand and bric-a-brac shops and some of its prettiest ca.n.a.ls. * The Jordaan holds many of the city's most diverting secondhand and bric-a-brac shops and some of its prettiest ca.n.a.ls.
[image]
02 Bloemenmarkt Bloemenmarkt * Ma.s.ses of colourful blooms for sale, including of course tulips. * Ma.s.ses of colourful blooms for sale, including of course tulips.
[image]
03 Coffeeshops Coffeeshops * Nowhere else in the world can you smoke high-quality dope in such comfortable and legal surroundings. * Nowhere else in the world can you smoke high-quality dope in such comfortable and legal surroundings.
[image]
04 The Begijnhof The Begijnhof * The fourteenth-century Begijnhof is one of the quietest and prettiest corners of the city centre. * The fourteenth-century Begijnhof is one of the quietest and prettiest corners of the city centre.
[image]
05 The Grachtengordel The Grachtengordel * The elegant bends and handsome ca.n.a.l houses of the city's seventeenth-century extension are what makes the city unique. * The elegant bends and handsome ca.n.a.l houses of the city's seventeenth-century extension are what makes the city unique.
[image]
06 Concertgebouw Concertgebouw * One of the finest concert halls in Europe, attracting some of the biggest names in cla.s.sical music and opera. * One of the finest concert halls in Europe, attracting some of the biggest names in cla.s.sical music and opera.
[image]
07 Brown cafes Brown cafes * Amsterdam is famous for its brown cafes dark, cosy and very traditional. * Amsterdam is famous for its brown cafes dark, cosy and very traditional.
[image]
08 Koninklijk Paleis Koninklijk Paleis * Co-opted by the Dutch royals but originally Amsterdam's town hall, this building speaks volumes about the city during the Golden Age. * Co-opted by the Dutch royals but originally Amsterdam's town hall, this building speaks volumes about the city during the Golden Age.
[image]
09 Anne Frank Huis Anne Frank Huis * The museum created in the Secret Annex home to Anne Frank and her family for two years during World War II is the city's most moving sight. * The museum created in the Secret Annex home to Anne Frank and her family for two years during World War II is the city's most moving sight.
[image]
10 The Vondelpark The Vondelpark * The leafy Vondelpark, with its ponds, footpaths and colony of parrots, is the city's most attractive park. * The leafy Vondelpark, with its ponds, footpaths and colony of parrots, is the city's most attractive park.
[image]
11 Van Gogh Museum Van Gogh Museum * The world's most comprehensive collection of the artist's work simply unmissable. * The world's most comprehensive collection of the artist's work simply unmissable.