Hip Guide to Amsterdam

A 45 minute train ride from Amsterdam, Utrecht is known for the amazingly tall spire on the cathedral there, as well as it's university. The train station is also a huge indoor mall, which is a new concept for the Dutch. Malls in the States are dying, but just getting popular in Europe.

The Centrum of Utrecht is just a few blocks from the train station, and a lovely canal winds its way through town. The canal is interestingly constructed with two levels alongside the banks. The lower level has iron doors lining a narrow walkway alongside the canal. The barrel-vaulted low-ceilinged rooms are filled with small shops, restaurants, cafes and store rooms. Above is the street level with buildings crammed into every spare inch of canal frontage. 

Typically Dutch, narrow houses and shops line every street. There are a number of interesting restaurants situated at the water level. Every year in June, Utrecht hosts a Blues Festival with bands playing outdoor venues around th
e town - for free!

Only a half hour from Amsterdam by train, the North Sea resort of Zandvoort can be packed with what seems like a million people on nice summer days (or almost empty on a winter one - see photo below). The Dutch are so sun-starved, that when it shines, the entire country seems to take the day off and goes to the beach.

The town itself is geared towards the tourists, with lots of guesthouses and hotels, restaurants and cafes, and shopping that is even open on Sundays. A beautiful promenade with benches overlooking the beach extends for several kilometers north and south of town.

During summer months the strand is lined with temporary structures serving as cafes, bars and restaurants and they can be very busy. The beach is long and wide, stretching for endless miles, and you can get away from the crowds if you are willing to walk. The scenery can be quite nice, as the Dutch women don't hesitate to go topless in public at the beach. (A mixed blessing to be sure...)

A 45 minute stroll north along the beach from Zandvoort is Bloemendaal, a more relaxed place to hang out or a huge party scene, your choice. There is also a posted nudist beach about 3K south of town, a nice walk.

Need an escape from the hectic pace of Amsterdam? Why not plan a day at the Amsterdamse Bos? It's a huge park on the edge of the city where you can leave behind the hustle and bustle and chill out in the woods or picnic on huge grassy lawns.

Planted in the 1930s and 40s, the Bos is now a mature forest covering almost 800 hectares. It offers a diverse range of outdoor pleasures including lakes for boating, wading pools for the kids, the Openlucht theater presenting outdoor plays and music, a bison reserve, a campground, numerous bike, horse and pedestrian paths (all separate), and a wonderful feeling of being far away from the city.

Golf in the Netherlands has become big since World War Two, and courses are to be found just about everywhere in this gem of a little country.

The Amsterdam Old Course is southeast of Amsterdam and was opened in 1990.
Telephone:+31(0)206943650

The Amsterdamse course was opened in 1934, and is west of the city.
Telephone: +31(0)204977866

The Haarlemmermeersche is west of Amsterdam, in Cruquiusdijk.
Telephone: +31(0)235583124