Amsterdam for a few days - never been before
- Thread starter Caveat
- Start date
J
jimbob1234
Guest
and a 3 some with a prostitute???
Also very romantic!
I lived there for a few years - great city. The Red Light District is only one small part of it & unfortunately a lot of tourists never leave it & come away with a very squewed perspective of the city.
In terms of safety it's only got a fraction of the crime that somewhere like Dublin does. RLD is perfectly fine too - just ignore the drug dealers on the corners (they're pretty easy going anyway). I never felt nervous walking around at any time of day.
Check out a few speciality beer pubs like the Arendsnest on Herengracht, or Zotte near Leidseplein (great food there too). Cycling might seem a bit daunting if you're not used to it, but really is the best way to get around. Perfectly safe and you've usually got your own lanes & sets of traffic lights too. Just keep out of the locals way (also when you're on foot).
If you want to see windmills, a day trip to Zaanse Schans is worthwhile (if you do it on a Friday you can combine it with a trip to the v. touristy cheese market in Alkmaar). Ledien, Utrecht and The Hague also make good daytrips (the wife might appreciate a trip to the Mauritus museum in the Hague to see Vermeers Girls with a Pearl Earing).
But personally I always found the best thing to do was simply walk along the canals & sit outside the cafes watching the world (and girls on bikes) go by.
Enjoy,
K.
In terms of safety it's only got a fraction of the crime that somewhere like Dublin does. RLD is perfectly fine too - just ignore the drug dealers on the corners (they're pretty easy going anyway). I never felt nervous walking around at any time of day.
Check out a few speciality beer pubs like the Arendsnest on Herengracht, or Zotte near Leidseplein (great food there too). Cycling might seem a bit daunting if you're not used to it, but really is the best way to get around. Perfectly safe and you've usually got your own lanes & sets of traffic lights too. Just keep out of the locals way (also when you're on foot).
If you want to see windmills, a day trip to Zaanse Schans is worthwhile (if you do it on a Friday you can combine it with a trip to the v. touristy cheese market in Alkmaar). Ledien, Utrecht and The Hague also make good daytrips (the wife might appreciate a trip to the Mauritus museum in the Hague to see Vermeers Girls with a Pearl Earing).
But personally I always found the best thing to do was simply walk along the canals & sit outside the cafes watching the world (and girls on bikes) go by.
Enjoy,
K.
Just to say BTW we had a great time - highly recommended for those who have never been.
Will be going again and for longer this time. Great compact city to walk/cycle around, fantastic food, easy going atmosphere, feels safe...and of course the more "unusual" attractions are always interesting
Will be going again and for longer this time. Great compact city to walk/cycle around, fantastic food, easy going atmosphere, feels safe...and of course the more "unusual" attractions are always interesting
Just to say BTW we had a great time - highly recommended for those who have never been.
Will be going again and for longer this time. Great compact city to walk/cycle around, fantastic food, easy going atmosphere, feels safe...and of course the more "unusual" attractions are always interesting
Glad to hear it, maaaan
ubiquitous
Registered User
- Messages
- 3,782
I would regard Amsterdam as the most over-rated tourist city in Europe. It manages to be sleazy and touristy at the same time, which is saying something. Some of the restaurants are good, others are dirty filthy kips that would be closed down within 5 minutes in Ireland (do not eat in Chinatown, for example). And whoever said the drink is cheap there is telling a porky.
I think Paris gets that particular accolade IMO.
I didn't find this to be the case in a general sense. Sure there are sleazy/touristy areas though. I think this is true of any city really.
Had some great meals in a fantastic variety of restaurants: certainly no filth or 'kippiness' experienced - but didn't eat in Chinatown so can't comment on that.
Well you're right there.
Sarang Mas is an Indonesian on the Damrak....very tasty food. As with most Indonesian restaurants, they do a rice table which is a selection of various meals. [broken link removed]
Long Pura is a superb Indonesian restaurant but a little out from the centre.
Rozengracht 46-48, 1016 ND, Amsterdam, (020) 623 89 50
#
Long Pura is a superb Indonesian restaurant but a little out from the centre.
Rozengracht 46-48, 1016 ND, Amsterdam, (020) 623 89 50
#
Sorry Bosshog, but we didn't pay very much attention to the names of places/streets etc.
We bought the Rough Guide and it didn't let us down. We didn't spend a lot of time in the city centre though.
Utrechtstraat in the southern canal belt is a street with quite a few good restaurants including a great Indonesian (mentioned in the guide). Mexican, Indian, Argentinian steakhouse, French even Ethiopian are all there.
I'll speak to Ms Caveat tonight and see if I can remember more detail.
Lol! I wonder what made you so forgetfull !!
Amsterdam is great, I love it there.
Try to take in a canal trip, the boat drivers are mad but the scenary is great.
The Anne Frank and Van Gogh Museum
The Red Light District (De Wallen, also known as Walletjes or Rosse Buurt)
Amsterdam Arena - home to Ajax Football Club
Waterlooplein outdoor market
Heineken Experience
Amstelkring Catholic chapel, hidden in the attic of an old canal house
Catch the free ferry behind Central Station to North Amsterdam for dykes, windmills and all the cute Dutch villages you can stand just a short ride away
Dam Square
There are an estimated one million bicycles in the city, so watch out when you're crossing the road!
Try to take in a canal trip, the boat drivers are mad but the scenary is great.
The Anne Frank and Van Gogh Museum
The Red Light District (De Wallen, also known as Walletjes or Rosse Buurt)
Amsterdam Arena - home to Ajax Football Club
Waterlooplein outdoor market
Heineken Experience
Amstelkring Catholic chapel, hidden in the attic of an old canal house
Catch the free ferry behind Central Station to North Amsterdam for dykes, windmills and all the cute Dutch villages you can stand just a short ride away
Dam Square
There are an estimated one million bicycles in the city, so watch out when you're crossing the road!
AlastairSC
Registered User
- Messages
- 357
The area around the central canals e.g. Heerengracht is simply beautiful in Autumn when hundreds of trees are turning golden. Canal area is one of the most beautiful areas in any city I've seen. The houses, the markets, the galleries, the cyclists - they have it just right. I came back to Dublin centre, saw the litter, heard the traffic, watched the cyclists fighting for roadspace and wanted to jump on a plane and go back!