About Amsterdam |
Amsterdam's canals |
Q. How big is Amsterdam?
Amsterdam covers an area of 207 square kilometres.
Q. How many people inhabit it?
There are approximately 738,763 people living in the Dutch capital.
Q. What is the language and currency?
Amsterdammers speak Dutch (although most of them speak English fluently) and they stopped spending Guilders in 2002 to begin spending Euros.
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Things to See |
The Rijksmuseum |
Q. What is Amsterdam's number one paid attraction?
The Van Gogh Museum (Paulus Potterstraat 7; open daily from 10am-6pm/until 10pm Fridays; admission €10), the museum dedicated to the life and times of the prolific painter, is Amsterdam's number one paid attraction. In 2004 over 1.3 million people passed through its doors to discover that the eccentric artist, who died at the age of 37, didn't begin painting until he was 28.
Q. Are there any other attractions that shouldn't be missed?
Many. The Rijksmuseum (Jan Luijkenstraat 1; open daily from 9am-6pm; admission €9) in Museumplein is Amsterdam's largest museum and regarded by many as one of ten principal museums in the world.
Located in the Jordaan district, the Anne Frank House, the house where the girl in question hid from the Nazis for two years, is also a must-see. A trip to this museum is just as emotional as it is enjoyable. If you're looking for something a bit more light-hearted you may enjoy a visit to the Heineken Experience (Stadhouderskade 78, open Tuesdays through Sundays 10am-6pm; admission €10).
Q. On average, how much does it cost to get into Amsterdam's top attractions?
As you can see, it costs anything between €7 and €10 to get into most of the city's top attractions.
Q. Anything else I need to know?
Amsterdam is full of small districts that deserve exploring. Of all these, one which you shouldn't ignore is the Jordaan area where the Anne Frank House is located. Its tree-lined canals are some of the most beautiful in the city.
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Going Out |
Leidseplein |
Q. Is it expensive to go out in Amsterdam?
If you socialise within the tourist zone such as around Dam Square, the Red Light District, Damrak (street in front of Centraal Station), Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein you'll pay more for your glasses of Heineken than in most parts of the city. You'll also be rubbing shoulders with boisterous stag/bachelor parties for your troubles.
Q. Where are most of the bars found?
Well, to be fair, most of them are around those tourist zones I just mentioned. Not all should be totally avoided though. Definitely steer clear of those along Damrak (the street right in front of you as you exit Centraal Station) as these are tacky, as are those around Dam Square and the Red Light District. Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein, however, are nightlife hubs where you'll find many bars and clubs worth checking out.
Q. Any particular bars / clubs worth singling out?
Escape (Rembrandtplein 11) is Amsterdam's number one club, so if house music is your thing join the Dam's movers and shakers there. Melkweg (Lijnbaasgracht 234) is another of the city's top clubs. The Bulldog right in the centre of Leidseplein is hard to avoid and attracts a lot of travellers.
The only thing about all these places are buried in the tourist zones. To see what locals do when they want to let their hair down check out the bars in an area called De Pijp which is the district around the 'Heineken Experience'. There are another few places peppered around the Jordaan. One in particular that is worth finding for a beer or two is Werck (Prinsengracht 277). It's about three doors up from the Anne Frank House.
Q. Is there anything to do that doesn't involve alcohol?
Erm, is that a trick question?? Ok, as we all know Amsterdam is the only place in the world where you can buy soft drugs legally. But that doesn't mean cannabis/hashish etc is actually legal - it's only legal to buy it for personal use. Anyway, if that's your thing this is your city.
If that isn't your thing, and you're not into going to bars packed to the rafters, then brown cafés will be right up your alley. These are centuries-old cafés that are similar to bars but sell coffee too. Finally, if you visit Amsterdam during the summer months you'll enjoy the free concerts staged in Vondelpark.
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Eating Out |
Damrak |
Q. Is it expensive to eat out in Amsterdam?
Not if you like to snack. The Dutch capital is laced with kiosks and take-aways where you'll get pizza slices, chips, fafalels, kebabs, even microwaveable burgers over the counter! Most of these won't cost you more than €3. Understandably, eating out is substantially more expensive. And as in any city in Europe, the further you get from the main tourist areas, the cheaper the eateries get.
Q. Where is the best selection of restaurants in the city?
There are innumberable restaurants scattered around the Leidesplein area. They can be quite expensive, but you usually get what you're paying for. Damrak is also lined with eateries but many aren't of the highest standard.
Q. Are international cuisines well-represented?
Whether its Indonesian food, Thai cuisine or Argentinean culinary delights you fancy, you'll have no problem finding it in the Dutch capital.
Q. Anything else I need to know?
If you are getting chips from a fast-food outlet, before you agree to mayonnaise take note that they really do douse them in it. Vincent Vega wasn't lying!
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Transport |
Amsterdam's trams |
Q. How many different modes of public transport are there in Amsterdam?
Four - trams, buses, metro and taxi.
Q. Is there one ticket that covers all modes of transport?
As the tram, bus and metro network are all run by the same company (GVB), tickets are valid on all modes of transport.
Q. Will I need to use public transport at all?
You'll more than likely need to utilise the public transport network at least once during your visit.
Q. Anything else I need to know?
Amsterdam is a great city for cycling. One in every second person has a push-bike. A day's rental will cost you €9. Rent one and you'll see it is money well spent. You'll also see more of the city than you previously planned.
If the thoughts of ringing your bell to get pedestrians out of the way don't appeal to you and you want to stick trams then buy yourself a 'strippenkart'. You can get them for 8 journeys or for 15 journeys.
Book hostels in Amsterdam | Book tours in Amsterdam
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