Oude Kerk
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Nieuwe Kerk
Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace)
Amsterdam’s Red Light District
You may have heard about this famous section of Amsterdam, and quite likely everything you’ve heard is true! Check it out for yourself, it’s unlike any place else.
Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District covers a large area in the oldest part of the city. It has been servicing the personal needs and desires of locals and visitors for five centuries. There is a certain charm to the area thanks to the old buildings leaning at odd angles overlooking tree-enshrouded canals, while inviting pubs, cafes and coffeeshops tempt you to linger longer. Music of every genre can be heard along the streets from a dozen or more venues late at night. Recently redone streets, revamped façades, new, classier resturants are now transforming what was once dark and dingy into one of the most attractive parts of town! Now there are more reasons then ever to visit the Red Light district, and experience this very special place.
The narrow alleyways that reflect the inviting red glow of the large picture windows where an endless stream of horny men oogle nearly naked female flesh is of course the main attraction. The women behind the windows run the gamut from young and beautiful to grandmotherly and almost revolting. There’s enough diversity here including Asian, Black, Latin and of course European women to satisfy any fantasy. So why not Get Laid?!
Leidseplein
The Leidseplein is one of Amsterdam’s biggest centers for nightlife. With hundreds of restaurants and popular clubs like the Melkweg and Paradiso as well as cinemas in the area, the Leidseplein is always jumping especially on warm summer evenings. Have a drink outside in the plaza. Street musicians, jugglers and other performers make the square a lively place until the early hours. See our reviews of restaurants and venues in the Leidseplein area.
Centraal Station
This is Central Station, where you can get the metro, a bus or tram around town or even a train to Paris or Berlin. The NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) counters sell tickets to anywhere in Holland (as do the machines in the lobby) and other International destinations in Europe. In addition you’ll find such convenient services as travel agencies, newstands, bicycle rental, cafes, an Etos (drug store), a Ben and Jerry’s, and many other shops right in the station. In fact Centraal Station is now a decent shopping mall, and worth checking out if you have time.
Centraal Station marks the east/west center of the city and it’s a short walking distance to the Red Light District, the Dam Square or the Jordaan. It’s also the place to catch night buses after 12:30am since most other forms of transport, except taxis, are done for the day.
The street leading from Central Station is the Damrak and this takes you past restaurants, money changers, travel agents, ATM machines, a huge internet cafe (easyEverything), tour boats, department stores, and ends right at the Dam Square, so if you have any business or shopping to do, it’s only minutes away from Central Station. In fact the street paralleling the Damrak towards the west, the Nieuwendyke, is a mile long shopping street! Note: Be careful when transiting through the station as there are many pickpockets here.
Centraal Station is currently undergoing a number of construction projects including a new bus station and a new metro line that will go right down the Damrak to the Museumplein, ending at the RAI convention center.
Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum
If you like ships and boats this museum is a must. So much of Holland’s history and glory happened thanks to overseas commerce. See the ships that carried the spices and riches of the orient to Europe for five hundred years. This museum contains the largest collection of boats in the world! The musuem’s layout is arragned chronologically and the boats, models, ancient maps and navagational aids are wonderful.
Location:
Kattenburgerplein 1
1018 KK Amsterdam
Phone: 020 523-2222
Fax: 020 523-2213
Hours:
Tuesday thru Saturday 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday and Holidays 12 am – 5 pm
In the summer it’s also open on Monday from 10am – 5pm.
The Vondelpark
The Vondelpark is a very popular place on warm, sunny days with the Dutch and tourists alike. The park extends over several hundred acres with bike paths, walking paths, an open-air concert venue, three large outdoor cafes and the Film Museum. Scattered through the park are ponds with swans and ducks, flower gardens, a children’s park, a display of farm animals for the kids and acres and acres of fields to play soccer or frisbee. During the 60’s and 70’s the park became famous as a hippie hangout. Nowadays you’ll still see lots of hippies around and the occasional “camper” on warm nights.
Automobiles
Believe it or not Holland is one of the cheapest places to buy a car. Of course you’d want to buy a European model, like a Mercedes to get a good deal. The population density of Holland and the lack of parking spaces in cities like Amsterdam have forced the Dutch to favor small cars. You’ll see some of the smallest vehicles ever made on the streets of Amsterdam. So if you’re looking for something unusual you might find it here. If you’re planning a long drive through Europe you can buy a car in Holland and either sell it or ship it home when you’re done. Each country in the E.U. has different regulations regarding the purchase of cars by tourists. In some cases you can avoid paying sales tax and registration fees. Check with the authorities before buying anything since the rules are subject to change.
The Amsterdam Coffeeshop Scene
The Dutch have an attitude of tolerance dating back to the 16th century when they forced out the Spanish and their inquisition. Since then, the Dutch make a point of not criminalizing or feigning moral outrage at victimless “crimes”. Prostitution, pornography, homosexuality, euthanasia, and soft drug use are all tolerated and integrated into Dutch society. This permissiveness has resulted in Holland becoming a mecca for those who wish to experience the freedom of cannabis culture, and the flowering of a highly successful coffeeshop scene where marijuana and hashish are legally available for purchase by the public.
The “coffeeshop” is a unique Dutch institution. For over 20 years, coffeeshops have operated with quasi-legal status in the Netherlands. Although there is no law that allows for the production and distribution of large quantities of marijuana and hashish, the Dutch tolerate the presence of coffeeshops because they separate the soft drug users from the hard drug dealers. This makes it less likely that someone desiring cannabis would end up purchasing a more dangerous drug, and keeps a whole market away from the illegal drug trade. The Dutch attitude towards drugs is very straight forward. If you have a drug problem they want to help you, not persecute you! Recreational use of soft drugs is seen as being less harmful to society than persecution and incarceration.