Amsterdam holidays

Situated just south of the Museum Quarter, Apollolaan is an upscale residential area. It is approximately three kilometres from the city centre (10 minutes by bus), and is favoured by business travellers visiting the RAI Congress and Trade Fair Centre or World Trade Centre. Occasional major pop concerts and sporting events also take place here.

The classic Amsterdam image of stately canals, the Canal Loop is principally the Herengracht and Keizersgracht, lined with gracious tall 17th and 18th-century houses. Some of these are now museums, most notably the eccentric Kattenkabinet. The Amstel is a more down-to-earth waterway, lined with houseboats and famous for its classic much–photographed Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge). The floating Flower Market is also a much-loved canal feature.

The bustling heart of Amsterdam, this district attracts hordes of visitors teeming from Centraal Station to Dam Square and its beautiful Nieuwe Kerk (14th-century). The oldest part of town, Oude Zijde, is famous for its Red Light District, but the University and the docks bring a different kind of colour and buzz to the narrow streets. Don’t miss the Oude Kerk, the Amstelkring Museum or the paintings in the Amsterdams Historisch Museum.

‘The Pipe’ (its derivation is a mystery) is a quiet residential suburb with a cosmopolitan bohemian air thanks to a large number of immigrants and the recent gentrification of the area by an arty crowd. Running through the centre, the daily Albert Cuyp Market is the largest in the city. De Pijp is also renowned for its restaurants which serve some of Amsterdam’s best ethnic (Syrian, Moroccan, Surinamese, Turkish etc) food.

This area is known as Plantage (Plantation) and while its lush parkland has mostly gone, botanical gardens and the small Artis Zoo provide refuge from the hustle of the city. To the north, the excellent maritime Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum is a reminder of Dutch naval power; to the south the ethnographical Tropenmuseum holds exotic treasures from the Dutch East Indies. Waterlooplein is the site of a colourful daily flea market.

Home to Amsterdam’s big three museums, the Museum Quarter includes the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk. The former is the huge national art collection. The Stedelijk is largely cutting-edge post-1945 art. The Van Gogh is home to 200 of the artist’s paintings. Nearby Leidseplein is the centre of Amsterdam’s more raucous nightlife, with famous clubs such as Paradiso and Melkweg. By day, visit the Art Deco Café Americain.

Amsterdam’s international airport, Schiphol is 14 kilometres south-west of the city centre. It’s a modern efficient gateway, well signposted, boasting good shops and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol, which houses a small number of works from the Rijksmuseum. Within the terminal a train station provides a fast frequent service to the city centre and outlying areas. Taxis and airport-to-hotel shuttle services are also available.

This large grassy space is a great place to escape the bustle of the city. In summer Amsterdammers come here to stroll, jog, roller-skate, sunbathe, listen to free concerts and watch the buskers and children’s entertainers. The Nederlands Filmmuseum is a very popular cinema (free outdoor screenings in summer) with an excellent café restaurant. The Hollandse Manege is a charming period building and home to the Dutch Riding School.