Amsterdam (NL)

[mankarat]

I might going to Amsterdam next month for Family oliday trip. Any members here from Amsterdam? Any Advise?

[hectic]

^ Rent bicycles, its very flat and this is a mellow way to spend an afternoon.

[mankarat]

might consider that..thanks HEctic. I remember there is a famous garden over there. Might be the main target.. Wife loves it!

[hectic]

you could take a canal boat trip also, rest the feet.

[kayodic]

the famous garden is vondelpark… near Hard Rock Cafe, Leidseplein area. if you walk through this garden, you will find the famous museum; Rijksmuseum (Rembrandt's) and Van Gogh.

you should go to 9streets area (http://www.theninestreets.com/), some good shops are located there (RW amsterdam, Lee Amsterdam, Spoiled, Carhartt, Tenue de Nimes etc etc…) and also nice cafes and restaurants.

[mankarat]

thanks Ika.. i will visit the place you mention. thanks for the heads up

[kayodic]

walking from station to Leidseplein takes some time, it's quite far. if you're with family, better take the tram.

China town is also Red Light District area (esp the small alleys) so watch out for the children, here and there you will also smell some marijuana and weeds.

[mankarat]

Yes.. i will be with my family this time.. Thanks so much..There is a garden my wife are crazy about and said that it only open around a month or two in a year.. That is the must visit place

[Giles]

Mank, when will you be there.  We want to come over for the night if we can…..

[kayodic]

Mank…. i think what your wife means is KEUKENHOF (http://www.keukenhof.nl/nl/287/keukenhof-2012-open-for-public.html), the tulips garden. it's not in Amsterdam.

let me know when you guys coming, maybe i can join as well….

[Graeme]

This is from memory, as I haven't been to Amsterdam for over a year and a half.

Good places to eat:

• Beurs van Berlage Café, just off Beursplein in the centre. It's only open for lunch.

• Burgermeester - probably the best burgers in Amsterdam.

• Burger Bar - Kolksteeg (off Nieuwendijk), Reguliersbreestreet, and Warmoestraat. They're more or less a hole in the wall, but far, far better than the chains.

• Van Puffelen - restaurant to the west of the centre.

• Eat Mode - Asian fusion food in China Town.

• Vlaamse Friteshuis - on Voetboogstraat, just around the corner from the shopping mall at the bottom of Kalverstraat. Probably the best chips in Amsterdam.

• Pannenkoekenhuis "Upstairs" - Grimburgwal, does a range of very good pancakes.

If you like chocolate, keep an eye open for Leonidas, and Australian (who also sell very good ice cream). The Netherlands has Belgium next door, so you get the good stuff there. In fact, even the Albert Heijn (equivalent of Sainsbury's) own brand is superior to what Cadburys churns out in the UK.

I don't know the pubs in Amsterdam, but De Bierkoning on Paleisstraat stocks an enormous range of Belgian, Dutch, German, Russian, and pretty much anyone else you can think of.

Aside from the Nine Streets, take a look down PC Hooftstraat. That's where the expensive, designer shops can be found.

If you're into more formal wear, Society sometimes produce interesting pieces.

Nesoptiek on Grimburgwal have a fantastic range of spectacles.

For the bikers, De Leertent on Sarphatistraat stock various lids and leathers.

[Graeme]

Forgot to mention the Denham store on Prinsengracht. Prices vary across the range, but some of the more expensive models are made of Japanese denim, and sometimes even sewn there too.

Half day closing in the Netherlands tends to be on a Monday. So bear that in mind if you're making plans.

[Aetas]

@Lenn.DC4:

Tenue de Nimes at the Elandsgracht is one of the best denim shops in Europe. Fun place to hang out, friendly people. They sell IH

http://www.tenuedenimes.com/

I was there last week. Nice shop, but they did not sell IH any more!

[mclaincausey]

There's an amazing Thai restaurant, Klaas Compaen, in the Centrum, not too far from all the er fun er stuff.  The door looks like the place was made for hobbits.  The food is sublime.

[rocket]

can confirm, great place….

[Finn666]

anybody has a recommendation where to stay a couple of nights? looking for a cool hotel. a small hotel with great vibes and where the people are cool and easy to deal with. don´t need breakfast, since i think it´s better to grab something in the city than in a hotel.

thinking about visiting the city in a month or two.

thanks a ton in advance.

[AlanJ]

I usually stay at this place, http://avenue-hotel.nl/ breakfast is included last time i was there. The good thing is it's within walking distance of the train station, and this bar is right round the corner, http://www.indewildeman.nl/index.php?lang=en

[Isogorth]

Stayed at Citizen M last month, would definitely recommend
Staff are friendly and it's pretty reasonable.
It's not that central but is really easy to get to from the airport and is right on a tram line so getting into the centre only takes about 15 mins

Also if you like apple pie Winkel 43 is fantastic

[Finn666]

thanks a ton for your recommendations guys @jonesy4885 @Isogorth but in the end, we went with Airbnb…so a "normal" apartment is where we're staying. should be fun, since it's going to be the first time we're using it ^^

[bryaneidins70]

I took my girlfriend to Amsterdam last year (She had played Miep in her Am-Dram production of Ann Frank) so we went off to Ann franks house following this. I saw a totally different side to Amsterdam, I had only ever seen the coffee houses and red light district as a youth 

Such a lovely place and somewhere we went for dinner was 'Ron Gastrobar', pretty cool place and decent food.

http://www.rongastrobar.nl/en/