The Brown Cafes of Amsterdam

March 3, 2010 — europeantraveller

Going by the name you’d think that these places were simply in need of a good scrub. But no, the ‘Brown Cafes’ of Amsterdam are similar to British pubs (minus the TV screens) and are named after their dark wood furniture, low lighting and generally cosy, congenial ambiance.

They are located in all the neighbourhoods, and I love nipping into these places on a cold afternoon and having a small glass of local beer. Food tends to be limited, but you can always find a cheese sandwich or help yourself to some free hapjes (snacks) of olives, nuts or

Coffee Shop hour in Amsterdam

Coffee Shop hour in Amsterdam

bitterballs (meat croquettes).  On a really cold evening you could have a shot of jenever, a Dutch spirit similar to rum.

One of the most famous brown cafes in Amsterdam is the Three Sisters (Rembrandtplein 17, Tel. 020 6275660 www.driegezusters.nl), which has its original moulded ceiling, and leather sofas, which curve into circular conversation areas, making it an ideal place to go for an intimate evening with small group of friends. If you get hungry, there is a steakhouse upstairs.

Another one is Arendsnest, or ‘The Eagle’s Nest (Herengracht 90 1015BS Amsterdam,  020 421 20 57 www.arendsnest.nl) which sells over 100 types of Dutch beer from the country’s 50 local breweries. Proost!

Update – make sure to enter the brand new Travel Writing Competition to win a Free Weekend in Barcelona. New Amsterdam Travel Guides also online.

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See you at the Spring Flower in ShowKeukenhof Gardens?

February 3, 2010 — europeantraveller

With spring just around the corner, our minds turn to sunnier and happier things, like eating al fresco, walking in the park and flowers. Amsterdam of course, and all of The Netherlands, is famous for its spectacular displays of tulips, and there is no better place to see them than the spectacular Keukenhof Gardens, located about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam.

This year, the Keukenhof Gardens will hold its annual spring flower show from March 18th to May 16th.  Sixteen pavilions will be set up, with countless displays of spring flowers, arranged in compositions from the classical to the avant-

Flower shows

Flower shows

garde. The Netherland’s national flower will of course prominently feature in all its blooming glory and vivid colours.

Keukenhof Gardens has lots of other things to offer too, and makes a perfect family day out. There are playgrounds and restaurants and you can also take a charming boat ride past the bulb fields. One thing I love about the Keukenhof is that for two months a year, the whole

country seems to come here, confirming the fact that these beautiful floral arrangements really are a source of national pride. After a visit here, you’ll never doubt Holland’s claim to being ‘ a country of flowers’ again.

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Blog SAIL Amsterdam

February 28, 2009 — europeantraveller
From 19 until 23 August 2010 the eighth SAIL Amsterdam will take place. On this moment, the organization is very busy with the preparations for the event.

The initiative for the organization of Sail Amsterdam, for the first time in 1975, arose during the preparations for the celebration of the Amsterdam’s 700-year

Boating in Holland.

Boating in Holland.

anniversary. During these preparations there was a proposal to organize an event in the port of Amsterdam. The focus would be on the port and the city of Amsterdam. For the “Sail Amsterdam” sailing ships from around the world were invited. The event was a great success.

After the great success of Sail Amsterdam 1975 there was decided to organize a second Sail in 1980. For this second SAIL Amsterdam a permanent organization “Stichting Sail Amsterdam” was established in 1977. Since then, Stichting Sail Amsterdam found a successful way to organize a Sail in 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. With more than 600 ships and 2.5 million visitors in 2005, SAIL Amsterdam was a great success.

The many Tall Ships were welcomed in IJmuiden by a huge fleet of ships, of all types and models, from all over the world. Under guidance, the ‘Parade of Sail’ takes place. This is the traditional start of Sail Amsterdam.

After arrival at the IJ-haven of Amsterdam, the festivities start, which are closed every night with spectacular fireworks. In and around the IJ-haven, there are many activities and a pleasant activity with the coming and going of many ships. SAIL Amsterdam is visit by people from all over the world. The five-yearly event is visit by a wide audience. Next to the many boat lovers, many people visit the event because of the atmosphere and charm. Also the youth program at the Sea of Friend Ships is well attended.

The highlights in the program of SAIL Amsterdam are the “Parade of Sail ‘, the tours of the ‘Varend Erfgoed’, the ‘Pieremachocheltocht’ and the ‘Tall Ships’ in the IJhaven.

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Amsterdam for kids (Part 2)

October 4, 2008 — europeantraveller

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.

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Amsterdam by Bike

September 1, 2008 — europeantraveller
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.

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The Canal Parade in Amsterdam

July 21, 2008 — europeantraveller

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

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