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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Going to Amsterdam for 5 nights, what shouldn't I miss???

34 replies

yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 10:49

I go with sis and a mate on Thursday and can't wait!! I got some books on it but if anyone can recommend something they've done I'd appreciate it. Also any good eateries? TIA

OP posts:
PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 10:53

Van Gogh museum (go here if you nowhere else!)

The Cafes

the market if it's on while you're there

Royal Palace

Rijksmuseum

go for a walk in the Vondelpark

take a day trip somewhere by train.... theres lots of fabulous places to visit within an houror twos train journey

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 10:55

cheers pinktinsel, looking forward to van gogh museum. Was thinking Rotterdam zoo, you been?

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PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 10:57

oooo yes, i'm a zoo addict though, been to tonnes of them over the years

rottedam is quite good from what i remember.

Haarlam is also nice to visit, beautiful city but i might have enjoyed it more coz my parents were showing me where they got married and lived before i was born, can't remember much else except very pretty shopping streets!

tiredemma · 03/12/2006 10:58

DONT EAT THE CAKES!

dingdongmerRADLEYonhigh · 03/12/2006 11:00

The Grasshopper

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 11:01

thanks for tip tiredemma I've never done blow so won't be touching anything!!!

Thanks again PT, so are your parents both dutch?

OP posts:
PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 11:03

nope, just my dad..... he met my mom on holiday and lured her home with him, she's irish and thats where we've lived since i've been 7/8

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 11:07

Oh that's sweet I know all about those dutch me Have met some ermmm...very friendly ones

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PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 11:09

lol, his best mate fell 'in love' with my aunt and turned up on her doorstep in ireland a month later much to her dismay! she was less than poite in telling him she wasn't interested

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 11:12

They are very tenacious to say the least

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IvortheEngine · 03/12/2006 11:19

Top tips:-

Bagels & Beans for lovely coffee, fruit smoothies and bagels.
A deli in or near Emmastradt (sp?) - very nice food and does takeaway pizzas.
Van Gogh museum
Rijksmuseum
Anne Frank house
A trip on a canal boat
The dutch resistance museum was okay but not brill.
The maritime museum was okay.
The science place was great for kids but was very crowded the day we went.
Buy the strips of tickets for the trams.
It might be worth you buying a year long ticket for the museums though some smaller museums don't accept it.
The market was good.
Take care crossing the roads!

PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 11:49

oh yes, don't do the foot out on the road thing to cross or you'll be clipped by a bicycle and those trams are eerily silent at times.

BethleCAM · 03/12/2006 12:02

Second the road thing, there are usually 3 lanes, one for trams, one for bicycles and one for cars, and remember to look the "wrong" way !

Second all the museums but would also add The Stedelijk which is very near the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, all 3 are on Museumplein.

The Ann Frank House is an absolute must.

You can ice skate on the Leidseplein (near the American Hotel) and the Amsterdam Zoo is worth a visit.

Also just walking around getting an eyeful of all the beautiful Dutch boys

If you're going out at night try the Melkweg, opposite the main police station

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 12:38

Oh thanks again going to print this thread before I go!

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BethleCAM · 03/12/2006 13:53

Oh and one other thing, Amsterdam in the winter gives cold a whole new meaning as its below sea level,

take loads of warm clothes!

wheresthehamster · 03/12/2006 14:46

Yes, if you only do one thing, do Anne Frank's house.

Visited in 1975 and still remember my feelings going through those back rooms.

MagicGenie · 03/12/2006 15:59

Hello, long time no 'speak' - missed the meet-up cos I'm PG and feel like shite (can't stay up beyond 10pm!) so if you went, I hope you had a good time.

Anyway - Amsterdam - spent many a drunken evening in the Piano Bar . From what I remember it's right in the city centre (ie loads of pubs/restaurants/sex shops/cafes/whatever nearby) and was hilarious.

Basically it's the place to go if you fancy a cheesy night out with a few beers and a sing-song!

Agree with whoever said it'll be cold - you'll need to wrap up.

Enjoy you lucky devil!! xx

sammac · 03/12/2006 16:43

Tip for visiting Anne Frank's house, which our hotel told us- visit just before closing time- there are no queues. Last entry is 30 mins before closing. It is very small and it doesn't take a huge amount of time. We did this after seeing the queues stretching round the block(up to 4 hours waiting)

alibauble · 03/12/2006 16:58

Okay lived there for three years. So go along with what everyone says. For great nightlife you need to go to the Leideseplein - Bulldog Cafe is famous . But there are loads of great cafes there, just normal ones where you can sit and drink and what the world go by and try the bitterballen - tasty little meatballs. Ask for a plate of apertisers - bitterballen and cheese normally. For a great shopping experience go in the Bijenkorf department store on the Dam which is wonderful especially at this time of year, it's right by the Krasnapolsky Hotel which is also amazing.
And if you want to try something else typically Dutch Pannekoek met stroop. Pancakes and syrup. There's also a pancake house in that area too.They do savoury as well as sweet.
You should be able to pin with your Maestro card in most places and that'll save carrying a load of Euros.

Buy a strippenkaart for the tram available in most tourist shops and at Central Station and stamp it in the automatic machines in the trams. You then get to travel for free for an hour on tram and bus. Be warned the tram drivers can be rather short with you.

Van Gogh museum is wonderful and you have to go there.It can be cold in Amsterdam but it's more due to humidity so it feel damp. Believe me it's far colder here in Colorado

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 03/12/2006 19:44

cheers again Got 2 sets of thermals plus thermal socks I'm a hat addict so should be ok? Got myself a snazzy hot pink rain jacket that's waterproof too.

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WestCountryLass · 03/12/2006 21:32

OMG, yes, we went in February and it was bloody freezing!

We went on a night canal cruise and that was really nice.

We also went on a tour of a diamond factory which was intersting and there were some fantastic rocks on display.

The Van Gogh musuem, museum of modern art are all worth a visit. We also went round a botanical garden which was a pleasant change from "city life", Rembrandts hosue and museum was interesting too. Go to Ann Franks house and then go somewhere cheery after as it is really shocking and sad.

Get an AA guide book and go everywhere!!!

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 05/12/2006 09:05

cheers WCL. We're near to Ann Frank's house so hope we can get in without queueing for hours?
I really fancy a night cruise on the canal but was told they may be frozen? We shall just have to wait and see Not long now!!!

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arfishyheauheauheau · 05/12/2006 09:57

I lived in the 'Dam for a few years too. It's a fabulous place, much more than the cafes and red light district would suggest.

Boom Chicago on the Leidseplein is always fun if you're a Brit - it's a huge comedy show in English.

I always enjoyed going down to Utrecht when I was in Amsterdam - it's not far on the train and Utrecht is lovely, much less touristy than Amsterdam with lots of cute little shops. We used to go to King Arthur's sometimes if we fancied a Roast Dinner.

Yes, definitely get a strippenkaart for the trams, it will save you a packet. You can get them at newsagents or the tourist bureau (VVV - Vay Vay Vay) - there's one opposite Centraal Station -
"een strippenkaart alstublieft".

Apart from that we always enjoyed eating out - there's a huge floating chinese restaurant right next to central station - The Sea Palace, plus lots of good eateries just dotted around. Bitterballen and the mixed platters are good (as have been mentioned before). Sate chicken also good - there's a big indonesian influence there.

I enjoyed the canal trips too - you can do starlit dinner ones. Also Anne Frank - very worth the trip.

Original poster
yULeYSEES · 05/12/2006 10:03

thanks arfishy, sounds like you have good memories of your time there I will try to see the show as love comedy shows, thanks x

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WonderCod · 05/12/2006 10:04

i li9veed on the duthc border as a kid and there was fab ...was it indonesian .. retsurants?

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