We recently spent a delightful few days in Amsterdam on a City break holiday. Even though it was October, the weather was wet and cold, we filled our time with a variety of activities. We had no problems booking our flights and found a beautiful hotel right in the middle of the action.
Despite ... Read review
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: Tremendous value Disadvantages: Poorly advertised
We recently spent a delightful few days in Amsterdam on a City break holiday. Even though it was October, the weather was wet and cold, we filled our time with a variety of activities. We had no problems booking our flights and found a beautiful hotel right in the middle of the action.
Despite planning, reading guide books and asking friends and travel agents it is often a problem navigating the transport system and choosing from ... ...We were lucky to find “The Amsterdam Pass” on our first day – a scheme run by the Amsterdam Tourist Board. We found their office in the square opposite Central Station. It is available in a 1-, 2- and 3-day version and provides travel on the City’s transport system (trams, buses and the underground Metro – although the latter does not service much of tourist interest), admission to a wide range of attractions and vouchers giving discounts at other ... more
We recently spent a delightful few days in Amsterdam on a City break holiday. Even though it was October, the weather was wet and cold, we filled our time with a variety of activities. We had no problems booking our flights and found a beautiful hotel right in the middle of the action.
Despite planning, reading guide books and asking friends and travel agents it is often a problem navigating the transport system and choosing from the list of sights to see and things to do. We were lucky to find “The Amsterdam Pass” on our first day – a scheme run by the Amsterdam Tourist Board. We found their office in the square opposite Central Station. It is available in a 1-, 2- and 3-day version and provides travel on the City’s transport system (trams, buses and the underground Metro – although the latter does not service much of tourist interest), admission to a wide range of attractions and vouchers giving discounts at other sites and restaurants. There is also a voucher that can be swapped for a tourist map of the City and, usefully, the tram system The pack consists of a Guide Book (four languages – English, Dutch, French and German), a Smart Card and a transport ticket.
The Smart Card is the central part of the package, initialised when you present it at your first port of call and then gaining you free admission thereafter. The 2- and 3- day travel tickets are valid for the appropriate number of consecutive days. The travel ticket needs to be stamped on the first bus or tram that you use and then is valid until 6am on the morning following the last day.
ADMISSION FREE
The Guide Book contains descriptions of all the places on offer. Of most immediate interest is free admission to either the Rijksmuseum where Rembrandt’s “Nightwatch” and many other famous old masters are housed or the Van Gough Museum. There are a further 22 museums – some well known, some not so; some new, others more esoteric; some off the beaten track. I would mention the following: Amsterdam Historical Museum (tracing the history of the City and area); The Bible Museum; “Foam” – the Museum of Photography; the Rembrandt House (Rembrandt’s restored living and work quarters); Museum van Loon and Museum Willet-Holthuysen (two preserved and restored 17th century canal houses); the House Boat Museum; the Sloten windmill.
It is perhaps noteworthy that the Anne Franck House Museum is not included in the package.
MORE TO SEE AND DO
There is a one hour courtesy narrated boat tour around the harbour and the canals in a scenic launch.
Several of the major diamond companies offer guided tours of their cutting and polishing establishments (sorry, no free samples!). The one we went to also had an exhibition of Delft pottery painting. We were given a complementary glass of champagne at the end of our visit.
Many of the sites also offer free coffee, drinks and snacks. One of the famous brown bars offers a free glass of Jenever gin or liquer.
25% OFF
If your quest for culture has still not been assuaged how about a guided tour of Amsterdam Arena – home of Ajax football club? Alternatively there is the Zoo (with Planetarium, dinosaur museum and aquarium), a 3D cinema presenting the sights, sounds and smells of the Netherlands in “Holland Experience”, Madam Tassaud’s and the Botanical Gardens.
Discounts are available on tickets for the Canal bus, canal boat dinner cruises and bicycle hire.
At the end of a tiring day, you may be in need of a good meal. There is a selection of restaurants (Thai, Italian, Argentinian, Dutch, French, Indonesian, Japanese) offering 25% off your bill. You can even get a subsidised herring roll and pickled gherkin at Jonk’s Herring Cart.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Our three day Pass cost us Euro 48 each. However when we added up the admission prices of the places that we had visited (the museums ranged from Euro 6.50 to Euro 11.50) we were in credit by the beginning of the third day. The Guide Book introduced us to places that we would never otherwise have discovered and we saw several places that we would have missed. There was also a feeling that we could ‘dip in and out’ – not lingering at places of lesser interest just because we had paid at the door. The advantage of an open transport ticket was also immense.
We also realise that we have many more interesting places to visit when we next go back to Amsterdam.
Advantages: top rate public transport Disadvantages: get lost easily
Getting around in Amsterdam
At first glance Amsterdam is complete Bedlam.The noise of trams, traffic, bikes and people as far as you can see.I thought how can anyone make sense of this mess.Factor in a good smoke and a few drinks and you have a recipe for disaster.
Once you have been a few times it starts to make some sense.I will start with the basics, first of all the centre of Amsterdam is not that big and is probably best viewed on foot anyway, ... ...up with little bridges all throbing with activity.There is an old joke they somtimes play on tourists asking for directions they point and tell them to go to the end of the canal.
If you look at a map the canal network looks like the bottom half of a spiders web with the main station (Amsterdam Centraal) at the top in the middle, this is where most people will start from. Having arrived on the boat train from the Hook or the shuttle from Schipol, ...
sonicmk 12.10.2002 (21.10.2002)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Getting around in Amsterdam
Advantages: you'll get there Disadvantages: The PRICE
If you ever consider taking a taxi when you visit Amsterdam, think twice, or you must have all the money in the world to spend, in which case i would advice to rent a limo. The taxi's are nice, Mecedes, and comfortable, but, next to Tokio, Amsterdam has the highest prices. You'll better take the public transport, or walk. Taxidrivers in Amsterdam have had an monopoly for years. When, a couple of years ago, the ministry of transport changed that, ...
politeterror 27.12.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Getting around in Amsterdam
Advantages: One of the best citys for transport Disadvantages: None
...Centraal Station is the hub of it all, where tram, bus, train and metro lines converge. Trams are good for the inner city, buses go farther out, while the train is most useful for getting to the airport and the metro is best for getting to the international bus station. ...
westybrook 25.05.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Getting around in Amsterdam
Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "Getting around in Amsterdam"
Advantages: Fun Historic Romantic and compact Disadvantages: Blisters and exhaustion
see).I catch Jo looking, she gives me one of her Phwoaar! faces I wink back.See what I mean I was back there again.
Behind Teasers is NieuwenDijk (NewDyke) one of the main shopping streets (clothing, perfume,hats ect;) it also has LaCanna one of the poshest Coffeeshops I have been in, although I do like the PinkFloyd much further down on the right just past the Sensi Seedbank.
The area around Spui (spew) is also worth a look.There are some exellent markets in this area most days.
The public transport is among the best I have seen in any City (see my op GettingaroundinAmsterdam).
vvv stands for the tourist info, there is one at the station, platform 2 (upstairs). There is another in Spui.
THE BAD
Maybe I should include the Torture Museum and maybe the Sex Museum, The Bannana Bar, the Erotic Museum, the Hash museum ...
Advantages: Cheapness and close to amenities Disadvantages: No bar in the hotel
Recently stayed at this hotel and I found it in a very good location. I personally think that people that visit Amsterdam head straight to stay around Dam Square area. We stayed in the Museum Quarter and found it much easier to get out and about to areas inAmsterdam other than Dam Square as the tram and canal bus were all in a 5 minute walk of this hotel aswell as the Reiksmuseum which was 10 minutes walk from the hotel. The hotel itself was cloase to the Leidersplein Square where there was lots of street entertainment and was very relaxed and not busy at all.
The hotel itself was of a good standard for a 2 star the only thing I would say is not to stay on the top floor of the hotel as it was very noisy with the lift and also the stairs were very steep so wouldnt be suitable fo rthose with walking difficulties. All rooms were ...
Advantages: you can aget a bicycle everywhere ! Disadvantages: none found !
i really like the middle of the town with this crazy wax museum where they copy all kinds of famous people... out of wax . in front of this museum there is an interesting place where you can get an impression of all kinds of people who run aroundinamsterdam ! and this is very multi-kulti ! believe me ! especially all the coffee shops are a great idea of what a good and friendly drug law can create ,all in all i think these 2 things are the main thing for amsterdam to go there . this town can be a very fast ,but it is really nice to get chilled everywhere you want -very fast . i will go there soon ,again ! ...
![At The Foot Of My Rival [Digipak] - New Amsterdams (The)](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/283/At_The_Foot_Of_My_Rival_New_Amsterdams_The__6893283.jpg)
