Europe Travel Guide

Festivals in Amsterdam

*January, if canals are frozen, ‘Eleven Cities Journey’ skating marathon.
mid March, Blues Festival, 2 days.

*April, Orange [Queens] Day, is the city’s biggest street party. May, 2nd Sat, Windmill day end of May, Drum Rythm Festival [indoors]

*June, Holland Festival [varied arts]
mid July, North Sea Jazz Festival [w/e]
Sept, 1st Sat, Flower Parades
Nov, 2nd or 3rd Sat, Sinterklaas Parade
Nov, Cannabis Cup competition

Cuisine in Amsterdam

There is a huge range of restaurants and cafes for every travelller’s taste and budget in Amsterdam. The best weird experience is the Indonesian ‘rijestafel’ [rice table] speciality; Indrapura, Kantjil and de Tijger are highly recommended.
The hippest restaurant is the French-influenced Supper Club, or trendy seafood Inez IPSC.
It’s worth visiting traditional pubs [‘Brown Cafe’] such as De Dokter. (more…)

Getting to Amsterdam

Many of the world’s airlines fly directly to Amsterdam, but it might be cheaper for you to fly to a nearby city such as London and get to Amsterdam by bus or train. Many airlines will offer you a free side trip within Europe, so ask around and see what offers are available.

Amsterdam is well connected to the rest of Europe, including Britain, by long-distance bus. Buses are consistently cheaper than trains, but on some services you’ll get a lungful of cigarette smoke. Amsterdam’s main train station is Centraal, which has regular and efficient connections throughout the country and to all neighbouring countries. There are train-ferry services to Britain, or you can catch the Eurostar train through the Chunnel. Eurail passes are valid in The Netherlands. (more…)

Traditionally, shops and markets are closed all day Sunday and Monday mornings. Normal shopping hours are 09:00 or 10:00 to 18:00 (17:00 on Saturday) although some are now beginning to stay open later in the evenings and about half of the shops on the main shopping streets are even open on Sundays. There is late-night shopping on Thursdays until 21:00, when most shops on the main streets are open.

The main shopping areas are the Leidsestraat between the Leidseplein and Spui, and the Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk, leading from the Munt Tower via the Dam to near the Central Station. There are large stores near the Munt Tower (V&D and Hema), and at the Dam (Bijenkorf and Magna Plaza). There is a large supermarket behind the Palace at the Dam, open until 22:00, even Sundays. (more…)