3.5 days in Amsterdam, what to do :0)
 

Title says it all, we enjoy walking, eating good food, (i love seafood!!! ) sightseeing. I have had some excellent advice in another thread, but thought this deserves its own thread.

this is all part of a Concert vacation that starts in Antwerp and ends in Amsterdam, wish we had more days available, but there’s always next time. Our ( my wife and i ) new thing is seeing concerts around the world and doing some sightseeing in area’s in and around the concert venues. This is Concert #1

we are staying at the WiechmannHotel, end of May 2019.

thanx for all your contributions !!! and no arguing :0)

Don't miss Vondelpark! Especially in the springtime I'm guessing it would be especially beautiful. Leidseplein Square at night can be fun for street entertainers.

What sort of concerts do you like? There may be something of interest to you in Amsterdam too.
The usual things to see are the museums - Van Gogh, Rijksmuseum, Anne Frankhuis, Stedelijk, Hermitage and any number of smaller, quirkier ones. Plus just walking the canals (and a boat trip around them maybe), enjoying the city.

Pal will be along shortly to suggest a coffeeshop or two, and the red light district no doubt.

You could do a trip out to Haarlem by train if you want to try somewhere a little different, or even a day out in Rotterdam if you want a more modern vibe after Bruges and Antwerp.

Speaking of.........

What a great idea, kgveteran. What music do you prefer? Amsterdam is still on my list so I'm reading this with interest.

We’ve gone up to Toronto Canada two summers for two big shows, U2 did the 30th anniversary of the JoshuaTree album in 2017, last summer was FooFighters 2018, both were soooo much fun, i thought....we gotta take this on the road Lol.

So, here we are with an epic EltonJohn show in Antwerp Belgium 2019........ i have always wanted to visit the Netherlands, my thought was adding a concert :0)

Paradisio - a municipal youth center in a former church has some big name music concerts - mainly for younger crowd but an eclectic mix.

I'd suggest taking one of the free ferries across the IJ or harbor from behind Centraal Station to the other side to glimpse the neat visages of Amsterdam from there - with a string of old warehouses lining the quays framing Centraal Station. And check out the new multi-media Adamtoren Tower with many attractions and a rave high-up view over Amsterdam.

A'DAM Toren ? Hello, I'm A'DAM

As for coffeeshops - I have no been in Amsterdam in several years and things change - if interested you can Google many sources - I do think popping into one just for a look or more - free entry - is eye opening for many not from the few states allowing them - I believe that travel involves for me at least checking out things that are unique - same for red-light district - one of the very top tourist sights in Amsterdam - for good or bad - but world-famous so to close eyes and not see it to me is missing out on a very very famous and historic part of Amsterdam. Hetismij and other locals are understandably ashamed of it - local government figures are trying to and have trimmed it down and maybe abolish it but whatever your outlook is I would suggest at least a quick look to know what it is all about.

So hopefully not to disappoint hetismij I mention those! (As well maybe as the Sex Museum' Torture Museum and Hashish Museum if all are still going strong.)

Actually some of the lesser known museums are charmers - like the Rubens House; Lord in the Attic; Jewish Museum; Dutch Resistance Museum; the Purse Museum; Troppen Museum; Maritime Museum; a branch of St Petersburg's Hermitage; royal Palace; New Church; Old Church and more - get a National Museum Card at any museum and if going to the big 3 - Rijksmuseum-van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House - all fully covered - the card probably about pays for self and gives priority entrance at some and you can come and go and also hit several lesser museums.

https://www.amsterdam.info/museums/museumkaart/

hI be sure to get a good current travel book on Amsterdam and figure out what is possible in list aboue. One place the is left out, is the Keoukenhof Gardens (spelling might be off a bit), not sure what might be blooming in May, but it is awesome when the spring bulbs are out/tulips/hyacinths/ and millions more. A short ride out to the gardens. much to see in AMsterdam.

Keukenhof Gardens will be closed well before end of May - last day May 19, 2019. And tulips will all be gone well before then too.

Amssterdam has no Rubens house, PalenQ, that's in Antwerp.

Anyway, here's a site with the concert listings for any particular date.

https://www.iamsterdam.com/nl/uit/ag...HGH/A-------1-

You might enjoy this; https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/a...dam-trash.html

HI there,
I'd just walk around and get to know the tiny streets and the good food!
there are also lot's of great museums and a lot of things you can explore! 3.5. days are easily filled!
Jilli

Hi It is the Rembrandt house and I found it very interesting to see. He had light that came thru the windows early in day on one side, and small beds in the wall as one sees during this period. You get a little feel for his life in Amsterdam of this great artist. See Nightwatch at Rijks as you enter.

Yes not Rubens but Rembrandt House - slip up.

Easy mistake - both starting with R and all . . .

Buy Anne Frank house tickets online very early. Always sell out.

Janis - I gave good info with a minor slip up - what is the purpose of your post - how does it help the OP?

Cheers!

Not for the first time, I might add.

we are not perfect, I mispell too much.

What i really see here is people helping, i have a list a mile long of information given by well meaning members.
The anxiety i felt when this began was in a mild way, very overwhelming. You all deserve a big pat on the back for offering up free friendly advice to a total noob :0)
i will always advise friends to hit the forums for advice, ur a wealth of knowledge, even if theres a bit of very light squabbling Lol, and you guys/girls even maintain politeness when squabbling :0)

thank you all

Now, back to Amsterdam, are there icecream shops LOL I would love to visit a coffeeshop then an icecream shop :0)

If youre a beer fan, the Heineken brewery offers a tour package that includes the tour, a couple beers on their awesome rooftop deck, AND a canal boat ride.

FEBOs are all over the centrum area and serve soft ice cream (or yoghurt) - in cone or in a cup with a variety of toppings on it - only take out though there are a few seats.

Heineken Brewery was torn down long ago and today's tours are just via films of the process plus a museum showcasing ingredients, etc but no factory tour in Amsterdam - but still a popular place for tourists and yes free tastings like always. The Heineken Experience it is called.

https://www.heineken.com/gb/Heineken...SAAEgIn4vD_BwE

Free Heineken isn't much of a draw when you're surrounded by "real" beer. Personally I'd just take a canal boat ride and drink elsewhere (you can bring your own drinks on the boat if you're so inclined).

There are better beers than gnats pee Heineken in Amsterdam. Try 't Ij brewery. Or Jopen in Haarlem.

There are better ice creams to be had than at a Febo.
One bloggers top ten: Tip 10 ? De beste ijssalons van Amsterdam |

Another list of Ijssalons: https://www.eet.nu/amsterdam/ijssalons

No recommendations from me.

is there a suggestion for a canal boat tour in
particular ?

Get a canal boat tour that also goes thru the harbor a bit - great view of Amsterdam from the water.

The commentary is kind of, well, really hokey, but Those Dam Boat Guys is a fun tour. And it does go out into the harbor.

A great ides, kgvereran. Elton John's last concert series I believe. Enjoy!

Some it might depends on weather. I ended up with a couple rainy days so walked (a long way) to the Tropenmuseum. That was interesting, both the walk and the place itself. I also went to one of the 'sex museums' in the RLD as another indoor activity.

The museumkaart for non-Dutch residents is not valid for all Amsterdam museums - new rules that PalenQ is probably not aware of since he has not visited Amsterdam in a decade or more. If you follow the link that Pal gives, you will see this.

Do visit the Red Light District since it is one of the oldest parts of town, but go in the morning after the streets have been cleaned of the previous nights' filth left by drunk tourists. FYI Dutch people are not ashamed of it, and the government is not trying to close it down, they are trying to deal with drunk tourists and make the place safe for women who work there. Do go there late at night and report back on what you think about it.

PalenQ, this is really starting to become tiresome. When exactly was the last time you visited Amsterdam? You continue to give out-of-date information, you google things and give links to places that you have never visited, you give wrong information, Do you read the links that you provide?
Recommending Febo is like recommending someone visiting New York that they get icecream at McDonalds.

<According to new rules, only Dutch residents can use the Museum Card for a full one year. To others the card will expire after 31 days and they have to go through some paperwork to get it. The Museumkaart website is in dutch language only and online purchase is only to Dutch residents."

The Amsterdam Museum Card is available to anyone but for 31 days for foreigners> - right, so foreign tourists it seems can use the card but the site in Dutch only does not explain what that paperwork is and how one can do it? Anyone care to translate how foreigners it seems can buy an Amsterdam Museum Card? Seems they make it hard for tourists to get the Amsterdam Museum Card and pushes another City Pass that can be obtained online or at museum and covers only a few museums in full and gives 20% off some others and things like train fare in and out to airport and canal boat, etc - at about 80 euros per adult - could be good deal but if wanting to visit dozens of museums try to get the Amsterdam Museum Card if possible.

Anyway the options are explained: https://www.amsterdam.info/museums/museumkaart/

The Rubens House in Antwerpen is not covered!

There's only one real one: Tofani, on Nieuwmarkt. Rows of coffeeshops nearby, so your wish can be granted.

The museumcard that tourists buy is only valid for 31 days and 5 museums.
This explains it a little better; https://www.amsterdamtourist.info/ti...s/museumkaart/

The reason for the change is that museums were losing money because so many tourists bought the card.
Initially it was changed to having a picture on it so it was person specific due to abuse of the card by AirBnB owners (amongst others) and now has change again this year to only 5 museums in a month.
Dutch taxpayers support all the museums, but subsidiies have been lower over the last few years due ot the econony. So the museums need the entrance fees more than ever. This is why it is now limited to residents only.

Thanks for explanation of Museum Card currently. Too bad tourists can't pay more for the old type card as so many lesser museums one may never pay for were covered.

Thank you for all ur assistance and wonderful suggestions!!!

topping for planning

Let's Go Amsterdam (a tiny pocket-sized guidebook) served me well on my 1st trip.

The VVV or Tourist Office in Centraal Station and opposite itm last I knew sold walking tour maps that are neat for exploring an area on your own.