Amsterdam. InYour Pocket Essential City Guide Autumn 2014

68 Pages·34.258 MB·English

Maps Events Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Shopping Hotels
Amsterdam
Autumn 2014
Walking Tour
The best sights, cafés and
shops in the city centre
inyourpocket.com Zandvoort aan Zee
N°14 - FREE COPY Holland’s seaside resort is
only a train ride away

Contents
E S S E N TI A L
CITY GUIDES
Foreword 4
A few words from the editor
Arriving & Getting Around 5
How to get to and from your hotel
We’ve put together some city centre sightseeing, eating, shopping
Amsterdam Basics 8 and drinking highlights that can be seen and experienced in a short
Getting to grips with Amsterdam preiod of time. Rent a bike to save time or follow the tour on p.9
on foot.
Centrum 10
Canals, cafés & the Plantage Gay Amsterdam 54
A guide to gay-friendly Amsterdam
Nieuw-West 34
Lakes, parks and modern architecture Coffeeshops 56
Where to smoke responsibly
Noord 36
Rural landscapes and cutting-edge design Lifestyle Directory 60
Spas, doctors and other useful information
Oost 46
Modern islands and ethnic neighbourhoods Amsterdam for kids 62
Interesting ways to spend the day with your offspring
West 48
Restaurants, pubs and the Westergasfabriek Zandvoort aan Zee 63
Discover Holland’s most popular seaside resort
Zuid 50
De Pijp and some of the city’s best museums List of small features
Dutch pancakes 11
Zuidoost 52
Uitsmijter: order the bouncer 15
Colossal shopping centres and the home of Ajax
Bitter... balls? 16
Red Light streets 18
London Calling 19
Bock Beer Festival 21
A farewell to pints 23
Documentary Film Fest 25
Movember 27
Ajax & Noord 39
Oldest gay bar 55
Football matches 60
Miraculous Amsterdam 61
Maps & Index
Centrum: old centre map 31
Centrum: city centre map 32
Holland’s most popular seaside resort is only a short train ride away
Noord map 44
from Amsterdam. Walk along the beach, take advantage of its excel-
lent dining and nightlife, experience the thrill of a live car race or Netherlands map 66
visit the pristine nature that surrounds Zandvoort aan Zee on p.63. Venue index 67
Photo courtesy of Zandvoort aan Zee
facebook.com/amsterdaminyourpocket Autumn 2014 3
Foreword
There’s so much to see in Amsterdam that one often feels
obliged to forgo simple pleasures to visit as many muse-
ums and attractions as is humanly possible. However, a
rainy autumn day is the perfect excuse to enjoy a relatively
guilt-free dash into one of Amsterdam’s centuries-old bars
Publisher E S S E N TI A L
known as bruin cafés. After all, we love local architecture
© In Your Pocket NeCthIeTrlaYnd sGUIDES
and the Dutch old masters as much as the next guy, but Weikesstraat 21, 5335 LE Alem, The Netherlands
we also believe that Vermeer and Rembrandt probably ap- ISSN 2211-2480
preciated a tasty brew now and again, so why deny your-
self a delicious seasonal bock beer at an historic pub whose Company Office & Accounts
quaint wooden floors are either covered in sand or fall foli- Tel. [phone], [email protected],
age? We would also argue that sitting by a warm fireplace www.inyourpocket.com
in a venue where generations of Amsterdammers imbibed Amsterdam In Your Pocket is printed by Microdot in the EU
alcoholic beverages and conversed on the topics of the day
Editorial
is just as authentic a local experience as queuing up for the
Editorial team Martins Zaprauskis & Theo Leerintveld
Rijksmuseum (perhaps even more so). Just keep reading
Layout & Design Martins Zaprauskis
Amsterdam In Your Pocket to find the perfect bruin café, res- Research Theo Leerintveld
taurant, hotel, shop or museum for you. Photography M. Zaprauskis & T. Leerintveld. Others courtesy
of Amsterdam city governments and Amsterdam Marketing.
COVER STORY Cover Martins Zaprauskis
Sales & Circulation
Just beyond the pretty green Theo Leerintveld, tel. [phone], theo.leerintveld@
lights reflected in the waters inyourpocket.com
of the Damrak shown on this
issue’s cover are lights of a dif- Copyright notice
ferent colour that attract tour- Text and photos copyright In Your Pocket Netherlands. Maps
copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this pub-
ists from around the globe.
lication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts
Amsterdam’s famous Red Light
for the purpose of review, without written permission from the
district is only a short walk from publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket
the train station and, oddly, also is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Bernardinu 9-4,
includes one of the city’s most Vilnius, Lithuania tel. [phone]).
impressive pieces of architecture, the Old Church or
Oude Kerk, a national treasure. Social media
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4 Amsterdam In Your Pocket amsterdam.inyourpocket.com
Arriving & Getting Around
Arriving in Amsterdam is simple and no matter what mode BY TRAIN
of transportation you choose nearly all roads lead to the
Amsterdam Central Station right in the heart of the city. Amsterdam’s Central Station is a monumental building that
was completed in 1889. Although an incredible achieve-
BY PLANE ment in its own right, it was later criticised by urban plan-
ners for having cut off the city of canals from its most es-
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is located less than sential waterway, the River IJ. Prior to its construction many
10km southwest of the city centre. It’s one of the busiest of the city’s historic cafés were afforded an impressive vista
airports in Europe receiving nearly 50 million passengers of ships’ masts bobbing up and down in the distance. To-
each year, but it’s easy to navigate and pleasantly efficient. day, the massive edifice and its surroundings are a bit of
You’ll find your luggage at one of 15 baggage belts and a mess as the station is being renovated and retrofitted to
luggage trolleys are abundant and free. Once you clear accommodate a controversial new metro line.
customs you’ll enter the large arrivals hall, which is essen- You’ll arrive at one of 15 platforms and then walk
tially part airport, part train station, part shopping centre downstairs into the central hall, which is full of newsstands,
and part food court. Although located under one roof, the kiosks, fast food restaurants and shops. A GWK Travelex
building is divided, nominally at least, into terminals 1 - 4. (www.gwktravelex.nl - open 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 -
Just walk straight to the main hall to find most services that 22:00) currency exchange and an ATM are available
you might need including transportation to the city. An of- near the south city centre side between platforms 1/2 and
ficial tourist information centre is available in terminal 4/5. For toilets that cost €0.50 you have to go up to plat-
2 (open 07:00 - 22:00). Luggage storage and lockers are form 2. At the far end of the same platform are a Burger
available downstairs between terminals 1 and 2. Lockers King, Ben & Jerry’s, an upmarket restaurant called 1e Klas
cost €6/24hrs and you can pay with a card or with coins. (1st Class) and a bar, Café Balkon.
You can also leave your bags at the storage office for the For tourist information exit the building on the
same price, but it’s only open from 06:15 - 22:45. A small city centre side and walk across the street to the official
bank of lockers is also available on the ground floor be- tourist information centre. Lockers for luggage storage
tween terminals 3 and 4. Banks, currency exchanges are located on the far east side of the station, but it might
and ATMs are plentiful so you won’t have any problems take a while to find an empty locker and even more time to
getting money. figure out how to use one. You can only pay with a credit
Getting to town: If you’d like a taxi, then head to card. Place your belong-
the far right of the arrivals hall after clearing customs and ings in a locker and close
you’ll find a Travel Taxi office. Buses and hotel shut- the door. Find the nearest
tles are available outside the terminal. Just walk straight keypad that corresponds
through the arrivals hall and you’ll see the stops outside with the numbered section
with the names of the city’s biggest hotels that operate of lockers you have chosen.
their own shuttles. Each chain has its own schedule, which Confirm that the locker
is clearly marked at the stop. You can also take the blue number listed is the locker
Connexxion Schiphol Hotel (www.connexxion.nl) shuttle you have chosen and then
that stops at a number of large hotels along a planned swipe your credit card. Just
route. A very long list of hotels is posted at the stand. A stick it in the slot and pull
single ticket costs €15.50 and children 4 - 14 travel for half it out. A ticket good for 24
price. If your hotel isn’t listed it’s possible that it can be ar- hours will be ed. When you
ranged. City bus Nr.197 departs regularly for Leidseplein in want to remove your lug-
the centre of Amsterdam as do other buses to a variety of gage just place the ticket into the slot and the door of your
other destinations in Amsterdam. locker will automatically open.
If you’re like most people you won’t even leave the ter- Getting to town: You are in the very centre of town
minal and you’ll head downstairs to catch a fast train that and all of Amsterdam lays before you. Many of the city’s
will take you to Amsterdam Central Station in 15 minutes best, and worst, hotels are only a short walk from here,
for only €3.70. Just walk into the main hall to find a list of but if you’re staying in another section of town such as the
train departures. If you haven’t already bought a ticket you Museum District you can take one of the many trams out-
can purchase one from one of the many ticket machines side. Buy a ticket from the driver for €2.60. He will activate
with a credit card. Just choose English as your language on the card for you, but you have to place it up against one
the touch-screen then choose the following steps: single, of the ticket readers upon exiting the tram. If you plan on
destination A.Centraal, 2nd class, full fare, valid today and using public transport frequently in Amsterdam it might
the number of tickets. Choose your method of payment, be worth buying an extended ticket. Exit the train station
insert your credit card, enter your PIN, confirm the price and walk across the street to the GVB public transporta-
and then wait for your ticket to be ed. Once you reach the tion office (open 07:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00) to
Central Station see ‘Arriving by train.’ You can also buy train the left of tourist information to buy tickets. Free ferries to
tickets at the Train Tickets & Services office but you’ll pay Amsterdam-Noord are available on the north side of the
an extra €0.50. station on the River IJ.
facebook.com/amsterdaminyourpocket Autumn 2014 5
Arriving & Getting Around
Amsterdam is a wonderfully walkable city and many of its
IN YOUR POCKET MOBILE
major sights are located in or near the city centre. Public
transportation is excellent and we don’t recommend driv-
ing within the ring of canals. Naturally, cycling is the pre- In Your Pocket is now available on all smartphones
ferred Dutch method of travel and some would say it’s the via our responsive mobile platform, found at
only way to truly experience the city. m.inyourpocket.com. Featuring more than 100 cities
across Europe, In Your Pocket Mobile is an invaluable
resource which puts our unrivalled content together
BICYCLE RENTAL
with the technical capabilities of today’s smartphones.
There are many ways to see Amsterdam and its surround- In Your Pocket Mobile allows you to view all venues in a
ings but our favourite option is to hire a set of wheels. There city on a map, quickly showing which are the closest
are around 16 million bikes -that’s twice the number of cars. to your current location. Smart filters can be used to
Amsterdam also has plenty of places to park your bike for ensure that only those places which matter to you are
free, but be sure to remember where you left it. Please note displayed. You can also leave comments about venues,
that around 40,000 bikes are stolen annually. All told, Am- as well as rate them, right in the mobile platform. You
sterdam commuters cycle more than 2,000,000km every can even share your comments with your friends via
day! the most popular social networks. Point your phone’s
web browser to m.inyourpocket.com now.
AMSTERBIKE
Bike and scooter rental.QH-4, Piet Heinkade 11a, tel.
([phone], www.amsterbike.eu. Open 09:00
- 18:00. Closed Wed, Sat, Sun. Prices: €8.50/3 hours,
€12.50/day.
BLACK BIKES
A full day bike rental will set you back only €10 and it has the
longest opening hours in the city.QF-9, Lijnbaansgracht
282, tel. [phone], info@hetzwartefietsenplan.
nl, www.black-bikes.com. Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun
09:00 - 19:00. Also on Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat
88; Maasstraat 106 - 108; Tweede Helmersstraat 49;
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 146. TJA BOAT RENTAL
MIKE’S BIKE RENTAL SHOP
Mike’s Bikes is famous all over Europe for its sightseeing SLOEP DELEN
tours, but we recommend its beach cruisers with special This company rents 15 electric boats from two locations at
tires that hardly ever go flat. Each bike also comes with two Nassaukade 69 and at Borneosteiger 1. You can reserve a
locks, which isn’t a bad idea in Amsterdam where bike theft date and time online. All boats are powered by electricity
is as common as dope smoke.QG-7, Kerkstraat 134, tel. and they’re easy to navigate even without any prior ex-
([phone], www.mikesbiketoursamsterdam. perience.QC-6, Nassaukade 69, tel. [phone],
com. Open 09:00 - 18:00. (€5 - 15). JA www.sloepdelen.nl. Open 10:00 - 22:00. €50/hour.
RECYCLED RENTALS
This company claims to have the cheapest bike rental BUSES
in town and at only €5/day, it might be right.QA-2,
Spuistraat 84a, tel. (+31) 654 68 14 29, rentals@ City buses are primarily used to reach outlying suburbs or as
recycledrentals.com, www.recycledrentals.com. a final option once the trams have stopped running. Night
buses operate from midnight until 07:00 with routes con-
necting Central Station, Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein.
CAR RENTAL
AVIS
Cars are divided in small, medium and large categories
and are available from €40/day.QSchiphol Airport (Aank-
omstpassage 5), tel. [phone], www.avis.nl.
Open 06:30 - 23:30. Also at E-8, Nassaukade 380. A
EUROPCAR
Cars from €40/day.QSchiphol Airport (Aankomstpas-
sage 10), tel. [phone], www.europcar.com.
Open 06:30 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 07:00 - 23:00. Also at E-9,
There’s nothing like autumn in Amsterdam Overtoom 197. A
6 Amsterdam In Your Pocket amsterdam.inyourpocket.com
Arriving & Getting Around
FERRIES
Most Amsterdam ferries are available behind the Central
Station and connect the city centre with Amsterdam Noord
on the other side of the River IJ. In total there are six ferry
lines which transport pedestrians, bicycles and sometimes
mopeds. All of the lines are free.
AMSTERDAM PASSENGER TERMINAL
Amsterdam in particular and the Netherlands in general
have a long seafaring tradition. Passenger Terminal Am-
sterdam hosts more than 250,000 people every year.
The striking architectural monument is within walking
distance of the Central Station and only 25km from the Bikes, boats and canals in the Grachtengordel
North Sea. The cosy hallway offers a giant chess game, TAXIS
some food venues, a functional kids corner and a lug-
gage room with instructions in six languages.QO-1, Piet Taxis can be hailed on the street or found at one of more
Heinkade 27, tel. [phone], fax (+31 ) 205 09 10 than 50 official taxi ranks. The ranks, identifiable by blue
09, [email protected], www.ptamsterdam.com. boards, can be found near tourist attractions such as the
TJAL Dam, Leidesplein and Rembrandtplein.
METRO ELECTRIC TAXI COMPANY TAXI-E
This cab company uses environmentally-friendly electric
The metro is fast and efficient. It’s a combination of under- cars. Free wi-fi is included in the price, credit cards are ac-
ground subway and light rail on the surface (sneltram). Only cepted and it offers cheap rates to the airport.Qtel. (+31)
some 3.5km of track between the Central Station and the 881 00 44 44, www.taxi-e.nl. AW
Amstel are actually located underground. The four metro TCA TAXI
lines all depart from Central Station and head out to their This 24-hour taxi company has stands at the Central Sta-
final destinations at Westwijk, Gein, Gaasperplas and Iso- tion, Leidseplein, Stopera City Hall, Westermarkt, Frederik-
latorweg. A new line to Noord will be added in the future, splein and Haarlemmerplein, but you can also call them
hence all of the construction around town. and order a cab any time of the day or night. Qtel. (+31)
207 77 77 77, www.tcataxi.nl. Open 24hrs.
PETROL STATIONS
TRAINS
TEXACO
QD-7, Marnixstraat 250. Open 24hrs. Also at Sarphatis- Train travel in the Netherlands is really the best option for
traat 225. Open 07:00 - 21:00. A getting around and there are three types of trains available.
The High-Speed line covers larger distances quickly, which
PUBLIC TRANSPORT is ideal when travelling to Germany, Great Britain or Bel-
gium, while the Stoptrein, not surprisingly, makes frequent
GVB (www.gvb.nl) is Amsterdam’s public transportation stops between bigger cities. Finally, the Intercity offers fast
company and it provides integrated metro, tram and bus connections between Dutch cities. There are NS ticket ma-
service throughout the city and its surrounding areas. Since chines at every station. You can pay cash or use a Maestro
2010 a comprehensive OV-chipcard ticket system allows PIN at the NS Tickets & Service desk at major stations and
you to travel on the metro, trams, buses and even trains us- the machines at Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Central
ing just one card. There are a variety of OV-chipcard options also accept credit cards. You can easily find all train depar-
and you can upload them with travel credits at special ma- tures as well as ticket price information at www.ns.nl.
chines located at stations and even in most supermarkets.
You can purchase OV-chipcards for 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 TRAMS
and 168 hours, which afford you unlimited travel on all
trams, buses, metros and night buses and an economical Amsterdammers love their trams and you should, too! They
way to explore the city. A one-hour OV card can be pur- provide the best way of getting around the city and run
chased onboard from GVB drivers and conductors, but a from 06:00 - 00:30. You shouldn’t have to wait longer than
premium is charged for this ticket. It costs €2.70 for one 10 minutes at any tram stop. One-hour tickets for journeys
hour of unlimited travel on different buses and trains in across the city can be bought from newsagents or tram
the city that begins once you board your selected mode of drivers. They cost €2.70, but if you plan on travelling a lot
transportation and check in by placing it next to the scan- you’re better off purchasing a 24-hour ticket for €7. You
ners near the doors. You must also scan your card when have to touch the scanner near the doors of the tram when
leaving the vehicle. entering and exiting the vehicle.
facebook.com/amsterdaminyourpocket Autumn 2014 7
Amsterdam Basics
Read on and find out why the Dutch allow people to smoke
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
joints, but not to operate a bicycle while intoxicated. Plenty
of other funny facts about the Netherlands are available
here. On public holidays shops and museums often close
earlier and some stay closed the whole day. Schools,
city councils, post offices and banks are closed and
ALCOHOL
some shops and restaurants may also take the day off.
Amsterdam is famous for its cafés and restaurants so you’re
January 1 New Year’s Day (Nieuwjaarsdag)
never far from a tasty brew or a glass of wine. Heineken,
April 3, 2015 Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag)
Amstel and Bavaria are the nation’s biggest brewers but
April 5, 2015 Easter Sunday (Pasen)
other large local brands include Grolsch and Hertog Jan. A
April 6, 2015 Easter Monday (Pasen)
wide variety of excellent Belgian brews are also on offer at
April 27, 2015 King’s Day (Koningsdag)
most bars, but keep an eye out for cafés selling beer from
May 1 Labour Day (Dag van de Arbeid)
Amsterdam’s own microbreweries ‘t IJ and De Prael. No trip
May 4 Remembrance of the Dead
to Amsterdam would be complete without a visit to one of
(Nationale Herdenking)
the ancient bars at the beginning of the Zeedijk that spe-
May 5 Liberation Day (Dag van de Vrijheid)
cialise in locally distilled liqueurs and Dutch gin known as
May 9 Mother’s Day (Moederdag)
jenever. You must be at least 16 years old to drink beer or
May 13 Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag)
wine and 18 to imbibe spirits. If you look too young you’ll
May 23 - 24 Whitsun (Pinksteren)
be carded, so always bring identification. This holds true
June 20 Father’s Day (Vaderdag)
for supermarkets and off-licences, too. If you’re a little too
June 26 Veterans’ Day (Veteranendag)
tipsy you’ll probably be asked (firmly, yet kindly) to leave
September 21 Budget Day (Prinsjesdag)
the premises and if you don’t cooperate you could end up
December 5 St. Nicolas (Sinterklaas)
spending a night sobering up in a drunk tank.
December 25 - 26 Christmas (Kerstmis)
December 31 New Year’s Eve (Oudejaarsdag)
CYCLING
Being one of the smaller nations in the world, which is basi- MAIL & PHONES
cally as flat as a pancake, the Netherlands is an attractive
country for cyclists. Add to that an unbelievable selection All In Your Pocket guides list country codes before all tel-
of cycling paths and you’ll see why the Dutch love their ephone numbers. The Dutch country code is (+31), but
bikes so much. Unfortunately, riding a bike in big cities like of course, you only have to use this if you’re dialling from
Amsterdam can still be a nerve-racking experience. Cars, abroad. If you’re already in the Netherlands and want to call
trucks, trams, buses, scooters and even pedestrians can all one of the numbers in this guide, just ignore the (+31) pre-
serve as terrifying obstacles that seem to pop up into your fix, dial 0 and then the nine-digit number.
field of vision from nowhere, but other cyclists can also be
just as dangerous. Although parents are confident enough MONEY
in bicycle safety to attach carts to their bikes to transport
their children around town, loads of other cyclists ignore Since 2002, a large part of the European Union has adopt-
traffic rules and basically ride wherever they like often caus- ed the euro as its local currency and the Netherlands is
ing mayhem on the streets. no exception. One euro contains 100 euro cents. There
are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro cents, and also of
1 and 2 euro. Banknotes are available with the following
values: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Although a collec-
tion of €200 and €500 bills in your wallet might make you
feel like Bill Gates, bear in mind that they’re almost never
accepted in shops or restaurants. You can exchange and
withdraw money at most large banks; there are plenty in
the centre of Amsterdam. All Dutch banks accept Visa and
MasterCard at their cash dispensers, but bear in mind that
ATMs are ridiculously scarce in Amsterdam often leading
to huge queues near hot spots like Leidseplein. At the
train station you can find a GWK Travelex shop (Station-
splein, open Mon - Sat 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 22:00).
Many restaurants, hotels and shops accept Visa and Mas-
terCard, but to avoid disappointment, be sure to carry
some money with you as some bars only accept cash and
others require a minimum purchase of €15 - 20 to use a
Navigate a maze of bikes next to Central Station Lya Cattel card.
8 Amsterdam In Your Pocket amsterdam.inyourpocket.com
Amsterdam Basics
PROSTITUTION CITY CENTRE TOUR
It may surprise you to know that the profession that has
helped to make Amsterdam a household word across Most people arrive at Amsterdam’s Central Station so
the globe, only became legal in 2000. For years, the that’s as good a place to start as any other. Walk down
Dutch did what they always do when confronted with the touristy Damrak, which is lined with bars, souvenir
a sticky social problem. The police simply turned a blind shops and fast food joints. If you’d like to start your day
eye to the practice and tolerated it. The cops in the Red in true Dutch fashion then grab a deep-fried frikandel
Light district only rousted sex workers if they became and frites at Manneken Pis or just keep walking down
too aggressive with passers-by showing off body parts the street. Just ahead is Dam Square home to street
or tapping on the glass. Today, window shopping on the performers as well as the National Monument, a 22m-
Oudezijds Achterburgwal is a popular tourist attraction, high pillar that looks like a white phallus. On the op-
but please bear in mind that these ladies are there to posite end of the square you’ll find Royal Palace Am-
make a living and are not part of some open-air zoo. sterdam whose interior is so opulent you’ll think you’ve
Be respectful and, whatever you do, don’t take any pho- been transported to Versailles.
tographs up close. Use a zoom lens from a distance if Next walk down the Kalverstraat, which is a pedes-
you want some photographic evidence of your visit to trian shopping street where you can find major fashion
Europe’s erotic pleasure capital. For more information brands as well as cafés and fast food shops. Head down
see Nightlife. the street until you see the Spui Square on your right.
It’s full of cafés as well as one of Amsterdam’s premiere
ROADS English-language bookshops, The American Book
Center. For affordable Dutch food you can’t beat ‘t
Despite the excellent state of Dutch roads and cars (it’s Lieverdje just around the corner on the Singel. We al-
compulsory in the Netherlands to have your car checked ways order the uitsmijter or the pea soup. If you’re look-
for faults at least once every two years) traffic quite fre- ing for the ultimate Amsterdam bruin café experience
quently jams at a large number of bottlenecks. The ma- then have a drink and a soup and sandwich at Café
jority of Dutch drivers never break the speed limit, and Hoppe on the Spui, which has been around since 1670.
considering the severity of traffic fines, this seems wise Continue your walk down the Singel until you reach the
enough. Driving through a red light? This will cost you famous Flower Market where you can buy seeds, bulbs
€160. Driving too fast within city limits? Be prepared and lots of souvenirs. Pass the Mint Tower (Munttoren)
to pay €180! And as soon as you exceed the maximum and walk down Reguliersbreestraat, a popular gay-
speed by 50km/h you’ll lose your driving licence and be friendly street flanked by loads of restaurants, until you
fined. Within city limits you must drive 50km/h, outside reach Rembrandtplein. Walk across the bridge over
city limits 80 and on motorways 100 or 120 (check the the Amstel to Waterlooplein where you’ll find many of
road signs). In the Netherlands you must drive on the Amsterdam’s Jewish sights, including the Portuguese
right side of the road, and you’re not allowed to cycle on Synagogue. The Rembrandthuis Museum is just
motorways! You don’t want to know how many tourists around the corner to the left on Jodenbreestraat. If you
are plucked off the road by police each year. walk across another bridge you’ll reach Sint Antonies-
breestraat, which leads to the Nieuwmarkt, home to
SMOKING fashionable cafés and bars as well as Den Waag, Am-
sterdam’s most impressive medieval gate.
Until recently, smoking was very popular in the Nether- From here you can explore Amsterdam’s Chinatown
lands, but since the introduction of the smoking ban on on the Zeedijk. Wing Kee and the stylish New King are
July 1, 2008, smoking has become a lot less common. This both good choices for dinner. If you go left from the
is partially because the government started a huge cam- Zeedijk you’ll run across Oudezijds Achterburgwal and
paign to make people aware of the effects of smoking on Oudezijds Voorburgwal, the main canal streets of the
their health. These days you can have a wild night out and Red Light district. The bars, coffeeshops and prostitutes
come home without your hair and clothes reeking of ciga- behind their windows are the main attractions here, but
rette smoke. For some this is an enormous benefit and oth- if it’s still not too late you can also visit the Oude Kerk,
ers (read: smokers) find it a pain and banish themselves to the city’s oldest church. The Hash, Marijuana & Hemp
the many smoker’s rooms in the country. Thanks to unclear Museum, however, is open every day until 23:00. If you
rules you may suddenly find yourself in a smoke-filled pub. walk down the Zeedijk toward the train station you’ll
This is usually in bars with just a single staff member: the also come across what could be the world’s oldest gay
boss. Or you may find yourself in a pub that flouts the ban and lesbian bar, Café ‘t Mandje. Taste a traditional
on smoking. This will not have any consequences for you. Dutch liqueur or spirit like jenever at De Ooievaar or
If you light a cigarette in a pub and the manager tolerates In de Olofspoort (closed Tuesdays) near the end of the
this, then the manager will receive a fine upon inspection. Zeedijk are both good choices. For excellent microbrews
The Netherlands is of course also known for its wafts of visit Proeflokaal de Prael on Oudezijds Armsteeg.
marijuana (see Coffeeshops).
facebook.com/amsterdaminyourpocket Autumn 2014 9
Centrum
Amsterdam Centrum is the district that most of the city's
SYMBOL KEY
visitors want to see and it's also the place where most
people end up arriving. The Central Station is the city's
most renowned and popular transport hub and all of the A Accepts credit cards P Air conditioning
city centre lies before it. Centrum, as it's called, is actually
quite large, so you may want to use public transportation O Casino T Child-friendly
to get around, but with a comfortable pair of trainers all
U Facilties for disabled I Fireplace
of its sights and sounds can be covered on foot. The infa-
mous Red Light district with its bars and window shopping V Home delivery E Live music
is only a short walk across the square from the station as are
the Zeedijk with its restaurants and Chinatown. The world B Outside seating X Smoking section
famous belt of canals, or simply the Grachtengordel, is also
S Takeaway W Wifi
just a hop, skip and a jump from here not to mention the
Dam and Leidse Square (Leidseplein). The popular Jordaan
neighbourhood in the west is full of bohemian cafés, bars UPMARKET
and shops, while the Plantage area in the east is home to
some of the city's best attractions including the Artis Zoo NH CARLTON AMSTERDAM
and the Hortus Botanical Gardens. You’d have a tough time finding a more central hotel
than the NH Carlton, which is conveniently located near
ARRIVING IN CENTRUM the Flower Market and Amsterdam’s busiest shopping
street, the Kalverstraat. All rooms are equipped with
If you're already in Centrum there's a good chance that you satellite TV, mini-bars, coffee/tea sets, phone, writing
arrived at the Central Station. From here you can take trams desk, free wireless internet access, private bathrooms
No.1, 2 or 5 to the canals and Leidseplein. Trams No.13 and and tasteful interiors. Deluxe rooms are more spacious
17 will take you to the Jordaan, while tram No.9 will take and boast a more modern-looking décor. You can also
you to Rembrandtplein in the east and farther afield to the dine on Mediterranean cuisine at the in-house IlGirasole
Plantage area. restaurant.QB-3, Vijzelstraat 4, tel. [phone],
www.nh-hotels.com. 218 rooms (standard from €161).
ACCOMMODATION PJHAULGBKXW hhhh
Centrum has it all from hostels to award-winning design BOUTIQUE & DESIGN HOTELS
hotels, but rates can be obscenely high so book in advance.
HOTEL NOTTING HILL AMSTERDAM
CREAM OF THE CROP Located on the edge of the city centre only a short walk
from Amsterdam South’s bustling De Pijp district, this styl-
INTERCONTINENTAL AMSTEL AMSTERDAM ish boutique hotel offers 67 comfortable rooms equipped
Already a hotel in 1867, the building gracefully combines with LED TVs, climate control, wireless internet access, Ne-
antique interior design elements with modern conve- spresso machines, tea sets, bathrobes and slippers, safes
niences, so you can enjoy regal surroundings without and private bathrooms as well as designer interiors in neu-
feeling like your trapped in a museum where you’re not tral beige and black colours. Its Brasserie Londen is also a
allowed to touch anything or to raise your voice. A health good place for a casual meal, but locals often visit for its
club with a swimming pool is also at your disposal as well as spectacular Notting Hill high tea. A terrace on the neigh-
a restaurant, brasserie and bar.QI-8, Professor Tulpplein bouring canal is also available.QWesteinde 26, tel. (+31)
1, tel. [phone], amsterdam.intercontinental. 205 23 10 30, www.hotelnottinghill.nl. 67 rooms (dou-
com. 79 rooms. PTJHA6UFLGK� bles from €149). PAULGBKW hhhh
DCWhhhhh
RENAISSANCE AMSTERDAM HOTEL
This luxurious five-star hotel, which is part of the Marriott
group, offers over 400 modern, tastefully decorated rooms
in the city centre only a five-minute walk from the Central
Station. Spread out over several buildings, the hotel was
completely renovated in 2009 and its accommodation in-
cludes all of the amenities one would expect from a five-
star hotel including king size beds, wireless internet ac-
cess, climate control, large flat screen TVs and a few extras
like bathrobes, slippers and fresh fruit. .QA-1, Kattengat 1,
tel. [phone], www.marriott.com. 402 rooms.
PJHAUFLGKDW hhhhh Explore the city centre on foot or on a bike
10 Amsterdam In Your Pocket amsterdam.inyourpocket.com