October 28, 2008

Ice Skating in Amsterdam

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Unfortunately for the Dutch, it’s not cold enough all year round to go ice skating on the canals. When the barometer drops below zero, the Dutch go crazy and can’t stop staring at the weather and conversations rest solely on  that ultimate skate feeling.  In short, Dutch people like ice skating and some of them go wild just thinking about it. What better way to enjoy the sights of Amsterdam with your family or loved one than skating around on the frozen canals, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying the ice.

Ice skating in Amsterdam.

Ice skating in Amsterdam.

Obviously, the ice needs to be really strong to hold all those determined skaters and this only happens when it’s below zero. It’s been a couple of years since people skated in Amsterdam but last winter the canals outside of Amsterdam froze up, strong enough to skate on.

Every Friday during the cold weather periods, there is a skating trip from 15km to 25KM. It starts between 20.15 and 20.30 near to the Cafe Vertigo Film museum in the Vondelpark. It’s free and if you don’t have skates, you can rent them out at Vondeltuin.

However, you don’t have to miss out on the ice-fever if the temperature gets too warm. There are several locations to skate in the center of Amsterdam. There is one at the Museumplein and another one is located at the Damsquare. Both are pretty small but they are free and very romantic.

For those speed merchants, you can check out a larger rink at the JAAP EDEN COMPLEX which can be easily reached by tra (9) and walking a few blocks. You can call or check the website http://www.jaapeden.nl/ (in dutch) for hours/times.

Bring your own or rent there!
Address: Radioweg 64 1098 NJ Amsterdam
Phone: 0206949652
Directions: can be reached by tram 9 and buses 15, 59, 67, 120, 126, 136 and 157. Exit at Kruislaan / Middenweg or Linnaeusparkweg / Kruislaan. (might need to call or ask someone to be sure!)

 

October 4, 2008

Amsterdam for kids (Part 2)

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Madame Tussaud’s - Everyone knows Madame Tussaud’s and the queues outside show the gallery’s popularity. Local favourites are van Gogh, Rembrandt, Queen Beatrix, Mata Hari and more.

Madame Tussards in Amsterdam

Madame Tussards in Amsterdam

(Madame Tussaud’s, Dam Square; tel: 552 1010; open Jul-Aug daily 9.30am-8.30pm; Sept-June daily 10am-6.30pm; entrance charge is adults 21 euros, children between 5-15 is 6 euros and children under 5 are free).

Children’s Farm - Get right up close to nature in the middle of the city. This miniature waterfront farm on Bickers Island (Bickerseiland) is a wonderful place where children can get to stroke lambs, hold puppies and stare at pigs.

Canal ride - A great way to ease those aching feet, taking one of the many canal boats around the city is a great way to see and experience Amsterdam.

Do not forget that if you are travelling with children, a self-catering apartment in the centre of Amsterdam can be perfect for families and companies such as Holiday Velvet cater for families in Amsterdam.

 

September 29, 2008

Amsterdam for kids (Part 1)

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Amsterdam is normally viewed as being less family friendly that other city break destinations. The trip you take there is generally not the holiday kind but you and the family can have a fantastic weekend break or longer holiday there with the kids at any time of year. There’s plenty of cheap flights to get there and there’s loads for both kids and parents to do.

The essential things to do when window shopping down the red light district just doesn’t do it for the kids. Must do’s include my following suggestions below:

NEMO Science and Technology Centre - This is a section of the revitalised harbour. The NEMO Centre is a must for kids of all ages. There are loads of intereactive exhibits, from refilling radio-controlled model oil tankers to conducting light and sound experiments and carrying out your own investigations in a laboratory. (NEMO, Prins Henrikkade, tel: 0900 919 1100; www.e-nemo.nl/; open Jul-Aug daily 10am-5pm; Sept-June Tues-Sun 10am-5pm; entrance charge is 11.50 euros per person and children up to 3 years are free).

Artis Zoo - An interesting animal habitat in the heart of Amsterdam. You’ll see peacocks to polar bears and there’s also a great quarium and planetarium for those stargazers. They even have an African savannah:

Artis amsterdam

Artis amsterdam

a microplain housing zebras, wildebeests, ostriches and other native birds. (Artis Zoo, 38-40 Plantage Kerklaan, tel: 523 3400; open daily 9am-5pm; entrance charge is adults is € 17,70, for senior (65+) € 16,50 and for children from 3 to 9 years € 14,50).

Tropenmuseum TM Junior - There’s an excellent section on life in tropics that will entertain all kids. The Tropical MUseum is shows the lifestyles and problems in many of the world’s developing countries. The Junior section is aimed at children aged 6-12 and comes with lively hands-on features and activities.(Tropenmuseum, 2 Linnaeusstraat; tel: 568 8215: www.kit.nl. Open daily 10am-5pm; entrance charge over 6 yrs old is 4 euros and 7.50 euros for 18+ years).

Electrische Museumtramlijn (Electric Museum Tram Line) - Far from being borning, this is a “moving” museum onboard antique trams. The trams run during the summer, on Sundays and public holidays, from the old Harlemmermeerstation, just north of the 1928 Olympisch Stadion (Olympic Stadium) at Stadionplein. (Looking for Museum Quarter rentals in Amsterdam?

 

September 1, 2008

Amsterdam by Bike

Posted by europeantraveller under Amsterdam travel, Events, Outdoors, Sports | Tags: , , |
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Out cycling in Amsterdam

Out cycling in Amsterdam

Last summer I went to Amsterdam and was thinking on how to see most sights, get to know the history, and enjoy the city with a group of friends all at once. Then it hit me, a bike ride! What better way to get to know Amsterdam than by bike. I started looking for operating tours and ended up with an amazing tour guide called Mike’s Bike Tours.

They took us through many great sights within the city where we saw the Rembrantplein, Leidse Plein, red light district, the skinny bridge and much more. Later along the Amstel river and even across the countryside where we visited a windmill, a cheese farm and a clog factory. Don’t how people can walk with them though, they are good for kicking but really uncomfortable. The bike ride was just us much fun as informative. They were able to tell us all the inside scoops about the city and after the ride I really felt I saw what I wanted to see and know about Amsterdam.

After a long day we sat down at a terrace, and enjoyed a smooth Heineken under the sun. Unbelievable how many bikes that city has by the way. They told us it was estimated at about 1 million, meaning there are more bikes than people in Amsterdam. As we did the tour, I got to understand why the Dutch use them so much. It is so much faster! Holland benefits from the fact it is small in size and everything is nearby. In a city busy such as Amsterdam, you can easily reach everything by bike because the distances aren’t that long, and it is often faster as well than going by car or public transport. On top of that it feels good to do some exercise too. I definitely became a fan of the city and its ways and would recommend to go and see Amsterdam by bike to everyone. It is worth booking Amsterdam accommodation in a central area so that you can enjoy all of the facilities and benefits of Amsterdam.

 

July 21, 2008

The Canal Parade in Amsterdam

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The Canal Parade in Amsterdam is a one of the highlights of the Pride festival. This is a vibrant and visual affair that manages to pull in over 350,000 people each year. The parade passes through Amsterdam’s main there are colourfully decorated flat-bottom boats, barges and ‘floating clogs’. Costumed dancers and Amsterdam carnival in Hollandflamboyant partygoers make this fantastic spectacle really hard to miss.

Starting off from the Westerdok, the parade floats along the Prinsengracht canal to the Amstel. It then drifts to the Stadhuis and Muziektheater and finally finishes at the Oosterdok via Oude Schans.

The best areas to watch it from are any of the bridges over the Prinsengracht and the Amstel, or from the quaysides by the Muziektheater. Amsterdam accommodation can be rented short-term through companies such as Holiday Velvet or the event.

When: 2 Aug 2008 (annual)
Where: The City’s Canals
Cost: Free
Opening Hours: 2pm-6pm

 

June 18, 2008

Trampodcast Amsterdam

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Tourists who visit Amsterdam and want a tour through the old center, now only have to take the tram. The GVB,  the public transport company of Amsterdam, comes with a podcast where the British comedian Adam Fields explains sightseeing’s amongst tram line 4 from the Central Station.

From the Central Station, tram line 4 brings you by some typical Amsterdam locations, like the Rembrandt square, the Utrechtsestraat and the Albert Cuyp market. Previously the GVB already made a podcast for tramline 5, which drives by the popular Museum square.

The podcasts can be downloaded here:

Podcast tram 4: http://www.gvb.nl/overgvb/nieuws/Documents/podcasttram4.mp3

Podcast tram 5 (start at central station): http://www.gvb.nl/overgvb/nieuws/Documents/podcasttram%205-1.mp3

Podcast tram 5 (start direct from the tram):

http://www.gvb.nl/overgvb/nieuws/Documents/podcasttram%205-2.mp3

 

June 11, 2008

Grachtenfestival Amsterdam

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The Grachtenfestival (Canal Festival) is an annual festival with (classical) music on special locations in the centre of Amsterdam and on the IJ banks. Every year new locations are added. These locations stand out because of special or monumental architecture and cultural and historical value.

Grachtenfestival in AmsterdamThe Grachtenfestival makes a special effort to provide a stage for young talent. Also part of this event is the Kindergrachtenfestival, which brings productions for babies, todlers and teenagers. Many of the concerts are free of charge or accessible against a small fee.

The 11th edition of the Grachtenfestival this year takes place from 16-24 August in the city centre and along the IJ-banks. For more information: www.grachtenfestival.nl. Amsterdam accommodation is also available for the festival with Holiday Velvet, who provide holiday rentals for all major events in Amsterdam.

 

June 2, 2008

Edam - If you’re mad about cheese

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You’re already in Amsterdam and found yourself tired of the tourists, coffee shops and tulips, you might want to consider a day trip out to the quant town of Edam. Famous of world its round red and yellow Edam cheeses, the town is a smaller version of Amsterdam without the hustle and bustle of the urban life. It’s a beautiful town to relax and take in the scenery and if you’re crazy about cheese, you might want to visit the cheese market that’s held every Wednesday in July and August.

Each year, there are 8 morning markets and 1 beautiful enlighten evening market with Festivals in Amsterdam, Hollanda big flee market. The mornings are held on Wednesdays from 10.30 until 12.30 hours and the evening market is held on a Saturday from 21.00 until 23.00 hours.

With Amsterdam, Hoorn and Enkhuizen, Edam an important commercial town in the Netherlands. Today Edam is a pretty town with authentic 17th century architecture. The squares, monuments and bridges are wonderful to see and if you get tired of the walking, take a drink and one of the tea-houses on the ‘Schepenmakersdijk’. Along with the Carillon tower (1561), the Dam itself and the Great Church (one of the largest churches in the Netherlands), Edam is excellent day out from Amsterdam.

Getting there: Bus number 114 and 116 depart every half-hour or so from Amsterdam Centraal Station. If you’re lucky enough to have a car, you can get there from Amsterdam via Monnickendam and Volendam.