You might well already have a bucket list of things to do in Amsterdam but if you’re looking for suggestions then this is the place for them. Listed here is our own selection of things to do in Amsterdam and we hope you enjoy them on your Arrow Tours citybreak.
Anne Frank’s House is a time capsule standing testament to the heart-breaking story of a young Dutch teenager who was forced into hiding during World War 2 along with her family by an invading force because of their religion. She did not survive the War but her legacy is an everlasting lesson to the world that it must never happen again. It opened to the public in 1960 and is one of the city’s main attractions with more than half-a-million visitors annually.
Westerkerk and Homo-Monument are a few metres south of Anne’s house. The former contains the highest church tower in Amsterdam and is a fine example of the strict, sparse views of what a church really should be as determined by its Calvinist constructors. This is in contrast to the decorative and ornate style applied to most Catholic churches of the time. It is also said to be the resting place of the painter Rembrandt. At the back of the church is the Homo-Monument which is the world’s first commemoration to the LGBT within society pursued by the WW2 Nazis.
Canal Walks along the Singel, Herengracht, Keizergracht and Prinsengracht offer an enlightening insight to how only the very-well-off Dutch lived centuries ago. The houses are narrow and very tall and note the exquisite gables and cornices showing off the intricate architecture of the day. They reflect the wealth of foreign trade and the bounty of a sizeable colony collection.
The Rijksmuseum is in the southern Museum Quarter and the building alone is an eyeful! Inside you will find a treasure trove of masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age including Frans Hals, Jan Vermeer and Rembrandt along with sculptures, prints, drawings and art from the Far East. Of their over 1 million objects in the collection the museum has a mere 8,000 on display the day you call round – but you still haven’t a hope of seeing that few properly in one visit.
Vincent van Gogh sold just one painting in his lifetime. He was plagued with self-doubt, depression and billowing unhappiness. Thankfully his well-balanced younger brother Theo saved virtually his entire oeuvre and it’s on display in the eponymous museum. So come and enjoy The Potato Eaters, View of Paris, Sunflowers and much more then resolve to take up painting as one of your pastimes.
The Stedelijk Museum (City Museum) is right next door to van Gogh and has thousands of modern artworks on display from Mondrian, Picasso, Kelly, Malevich, Jasper Johns, Man Ray and Chagall among many others. If you feel a bit out of your depth just wander about mumbling “I often think the juxtaposition of light, form and texture seeks to highlight, emphasize and underline our own collective angst in the modern post-industrial society………”
The Red Light District is not difficult to find……just follow the crowds. The girls present themselves in narrow, brightly lit shop-front windows. Rates quoted are per quarter hour (cash-only, in advance, naturally) but they will have you in and back out on the street again in under ten minutes if at all possible……the adage ‘time is money’ was probably invented here. Don’t take photos of them – they are at work, you might not like a stranger to walk into your office taking photos of you and their families may not be aware how they scrape an honest living (they pay income tax and National Insurance on their earnings). The atmosphere in the area can vary from a lighted-hearted party one to extremely menacing in a heartbeat – not from the girls, but from the drunken stag parties, pimps, druggies and pickpockets that abound – so be very careful who you pick a fight with, and remember…….an STD never goes away by itself………
Heineken is the home of Holland…….eh, no actually it’s the other way round. We have the drink here in Ireland, brewed in Cork but it doesn’t taste as good as the ultra-fresh and crisp on-site Dutch offering. They also have the excellent Grolsch, Bavaria and Amstel. In the Netherlands you will tend not to find pint glasses (568ml) – they drink from half-litre (500ml) or 125ml options. So slither into the closest bar to you and down at least one……it’s always time…….
When in the Jewish Quarter in the eastern part of central Amsterdam call in to the very well preserved 17th century Portuguese Synagogue and the next-door Jewish Historical Museum and have a look at the legacy of a section of society that contributed much to the development of the city over the centuries.
‘If you really loved me you’d have married someone else’. Amsterdam is renowned as an international diamond trading centre so fit your loved one out with a suitable ring following a visit to Gassan Diamonds along the Uilenburgergracht canal.
Though we have this in “things to do”, maybe we should have this under “things not to do”. While the use, possession and selling of drugs is technically illegal under Dutch law it is not actually enforced. Brown cafés are located throughout the city and the availability of cannabis/ hash/ grass/ dope across the counter is noted by the green leaved cannabis logo appearing on the outside décor of such coffeeshops, cafés or pubs. Whatever you decide, don’t try to bring any of the stuff home with you on the plane. ©ArrowTours
