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Travel guide – amsterdam

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Overview

Lively, lascivious Amsterdam has a unique atmosphere that belies the caricature of the dour Dutch.

Radiating out from the Dam Square, the historic centre of the city is ringed by quaint canals and cobbled streets, thronged with bicycles, tourists, house-boats, students, and street performers. The city wears two faces: on one it smiles and beckons hedonistic youth with it's notorious Red Light District and liberal view of marijuana use, while on the other it offers some of Europe's finest museums and art galleries.

For the tourist the joy of Amsterdam is its compactness. The old part of town is a pleasure to explore on foot, strolling across ancient bridges and down narrow lanes past gabled houses, dropping in to browse in inviting souvenir boutiques crammed with blue and white Delft china and wooden clogs. Pavement cafes and cosy bars offer rest and refreshment. An alternative is to take a circular canal-boat cruise and see the city from the water, peering in on the lives of the locals who live on house-boats lining the waterways.

At night even the most conservative visitor is drawn by the lively atmosphere of the infamous Red Light District, known as De Wallen, which is bounded by the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudeziujds Achterburgwal canals near the Dam Square. Here prostitutes display their charms in brightly lit shop windows and touts encourage passers-by to view raunchy floor-shows. The best nightclubs, bars, and the theatres and cinemas are mainly to be found in the bustling Leidesplein and Rembrandtplein.

Climate

The Netherlands has a fairly temperate climate, very similar to England; temperatures are variable and rain occurs throughout the year. Despite the hoards of tourists the best time to visit is over the summer, or in spring when the flowers are in bloom - the tulips come out in May.

Health

There are no health risks associated with travel to The Netherlands and no inoculations are required. It is safe to drink tap water. The standard of health care in The Netherlands is very high, but the necessary health insurance provisions must be made before travelling. A reciprocal agreement exists with other EU countries, which entitles nationals to free emergency medical treatment. A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is necessary for this purpose.

The basics

Getting Around

The central area of Amsterdam is fairly compact and easy to get around on foot. When going further afield, there is a good, inexpensive network of trams, buses and metro lines that all converge at Centraal Station, as well as canal boats and a free ferry service across the IJ Canal. The GVB public transport office at Centraal Station has route maps and a guide to the ticketing system, which is based on zones with the same ticket valid on buses, metros and trams. The most widely used type of travel pass is the Strippenkart; a strip gets stamped every time one boards and remains valid for unlimited transfers within an hour (eight-strip card: €6.40; 15-strip card: €6.40; 45-strip card: €18.90). After midnight there are night buses that run from Centraal Station to most parts of the city. Taxis are among the most expensive in Europe and renting a car or driving one's own to Amsterdam is not recommended; it is better to park it outside the city and use public transport to get into the centre and around. An ideal way to get around is the Dutch way - by bicycle. There are several rental agencies around town (about €7 daily or €30 weekly), but be aware that theft is common and make sure that both the frame and a wheel is locked to something fixed and solid.

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Travel Guide by www.wordtravels.com
Disclaimer: By its very nature much of the information in our travel guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Winter Sunshine Holidays & Globe Media cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.