So glad you liked Rotterdam ;)


It's kind of spooky: for decades we were seen as a slummy, un-cosy, multicultural hellhole and suddenly we're cool and Lonely Planet and NYT think we're a must visit destination.

Bookmarking for this wkd...

flygirl, if you're after restaurants, consult www.iens.nl or http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/14631...rk/index.dhtml

you'll probably have to google translate that last link, but it's excellent. It used to be Johannes van Dam's spot and he was an excellent reviewer, and this has continued with Hiske Versprille doing the reviews.

I would say most locals who are looking for a restaurant consult either or even both of these sources.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_van_Dam

A short documentary on Cafe Bern, a place I love dearly: this is what you might call the "old amsterdam spirit" around Nieuwmarkt, now being displaced by "Amsterdam for tourists".

http://www.cafebern.com/the-secret-of-heli-von-copter/

PalQ, I bought weed in Haarlem this August. No problem. It is less expensive in Haarlem than in Amsterdam>

Yes indeedy - have stayed in Haarlem often and Haarlem fits its nickname as Hemp City, being at the fore center of the cannabis over the counter movement - my favorite coffeeshop is Willie Wortels, right by the train station - my first stop in Haarlem- one of the legendary coffeeshops around.

https://translate.google.com/transla...l/&prev=search

Very few tourists in the coffeeshops means I think a better value.

Thanks spaarne!

I have a hankering to return to Amsterdam. Last time we stayed on a houseboat on the Prisengracht although we spent a lot of time near the Rijksmuseum. Do you recommend any lodging nearby?

Dear Amy:

Hotels are not my bag but there are many on Fodor's who know a lot of Amsterdam hotels - as for area the one around the Museumplein on the north and west side is IMO a great location and really quiet - any of the canals are sweet of course.

But the point of my post is to tell you to create a separate thread with something to do with Amsterdam and hotels in the title - folks rare open old threads like this and no one will see your question and give lots of different perspectives.

I have been staying in a B&B in Haarlem of late - a city I love and only 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train - I use it as a base from which to day trip all over Holland or to go to Amsterdam for the day. But that is only because I've spent many weeks all told in Amsterdam itself and for rail links Haarlem is tops and a nice regional Dutch town. Not recommending you stay there however as if wanting to see Amsterdam Amsterdam is the logical choice.

Amsterdam is great but it is nowadays full of tourists which I do not like but because this city has its own special charm, especially when it comes to the younger population then you also have plenty of interesting stuffs to see over there. I liked the fact that museums are super urban and I visited Madame Tussaud while I was last time there so it really worth to see it. Here is something that I wrote on my travel blog about that : http://personal-travel-photos.blogsp...amsterdam.html

De Kattencabinet - a museum of cat art in a beautiful building on the golden bend of the Herengraght. Arrive early when it's quiet and you might have a cat escort.
De Hollandse Manege - 19th cen. horse training establishment near the Vondelpark. Watch sessions from the balcony bar.

Hard question to be answered. But I got the chance to visit The Troppen Museum one years ago. The place is really amazing!

zippo -thanks for mentioning those two interesting places -

https://www.google.com/search?q=De+K...HTp3CuIQsAQIHQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=De+H...HYxBBXcQsAQIHg

Raime - Troppen Museum is so so sweet and yes amazing:

https://www.google.com/search?q=trop...HW8vDkQQsAQIHg

Anne Frank House can now only be visited between opening and 15:30 by booking online in advance - thanks to hetismij for posting this on another thread.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-frankhuis.cfm

Some more ideas of places to eat and to visit: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...taurants-clubs

http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/categ...ands/amsterdam

Some nice tips on budget restaurants and hotels in Amsterdam.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...amsterdam.html

A nice update on many Amsterdamish things!

Delft is one of the sweetest day trips from Amsterdam - nice story about it recently:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/tr...elft.html?_r=0

Some more great info from meanchen, a local - about the FREE FERRIES and the new NDSM (mentioned in an above thread).

menachem on Jul 31, 16 at 10:02am
I agree that 5 days will make for a more relaxed pace in Amsterdam. It's also nice to hang out for a bit.

For that I recommend taking a ferry (takes about 20 minutes) to NDSM, across IJ. It's an old shipyard, now art space plus a collection of european hq's of the "creative industry". A number of "berlin chic" places have sprung up there, but the ur-establishment remains Noorderlicht, successor to De Houten Kop which sadly burned down.

It's a fantastic, raw, industrial area, but spruced up. A wonderful excursion across the IJ and the view of the city across can be breathtakingly beautiful.

That's the kind of thing you'll have time for with one extra day ;)

PalenQ on Jul 31, 16 at 6:55pm
I love the free pedestrian bike ferries menachem talks about above. I love taking them- to see the Amsterdam facade from across the harbor is great - and I love to just watch the ferries dock - hundreds of bikes and mopeds impatiently waiting for the gate to come and and get off - a real mob scene - lovely.

menachem on Aug 1, 16 at 2:28am
I consider the one to NDSM to be the most scenic, but there also is the ferry to IJplein (Rem Koolhaas designed social housing) and the one to Java eiland (interesting high quality housing in an old shipyard area). Since 2014 there's a direct service between Azartplein and Zamenhofplein (North). You could spend a morning ferry hopping, easily. Much nicer than a canal tour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ehSaTEs6Rc

The really special one is the IJ Buurtveer, a historic ferry that gets you from Central Station to Nieuwendam, and - with every sunday's first sailing - out to Durgerdam. That one is the special one, that gets you through the Oranje Lock complex, past Lighttower eiland to beautiful Durgerdam. Walk back via Zunderdorp and Ransdorp, or take the mini busservice back.

http://move-amsterdam.nl/ij-buurtveer/

(you'll need to google translate this)

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...amsterdam.html

An interesting view of Amsterdam by a family - lots of useful info!

It's great seeing all of the love for Amsterdam. I'm an American who lives here in Amsterdam with her husband and young daughter. For anyone interested in traveling to Amsterdam with children, I wrote a travel guide for just that situation! It's available on Amazon.

Just search "Family Friendly Amsterdam: A City Travel Guide"

Plus I'm constantly updating our blog with reviews of things here in the city.

http://www.gessellandlee.com

Let me know what you guys think!