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Amsterdam

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Amsterdam
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Amsterdam Travel Guide

  • About Amsterdam
Far more than the illicit playground it’s often made out to be, Amsterdam has an atmosphere all of its own, through an amalgam of canals, vintage bicycles, idyllic parks and scintillating galleries.As much a legacy of the city’s illustrious past as the canals is Amsterdam’s legendary cosmopolitanism. With a population comprised of 175 nationalities, the city remains a global crossroads and an ever-vibrant centre of art, music and culture.Aside from such monoliths of art as the Rijks and Van Gogh museums, there are myriad less-visited spaces on quirkier themes such as the Tulip Museum, the Player Piano Museum and the recently opened Museum Of Handbags and Purses.The festival line-up is equally varied; devoted to everything from fringe theatre to minimal music to tattoos. Revelry peaks on King’s Day (formerly Queen’s Day), a birthday party for King Willem Alexander, when the capital is clad in patriotic orange and the canals brim with party boats.But the city’s true charms are decidedly lower-key. Stop into a ‘brown café’ on a chilly evening and experience that unique blend of conviviality and cosiness the Dutch call gezelligheid.When the sun finally emerges, Amsterdammers spill out onto café terraces or set up barbecues in the city’s numerous parks. While cars customarily blight the cityscapes of other capitals, a constant flow of bicycles only enhances Amsterdam’s beauty.Much of the city’s appeal resides in its compactness; some see Amsterdam as a big village. Most visitors limit their explorations to the historic core and adjacent museum district, but it’s easy to go farther afield.Just east of Central Station, the old Eastern Docklands zone stands as a stunning example of innovative architectural reuse. Further east is the green district of De Plantage with its botanical gardens and stately boulevards.Yes, the illicit thrills are there too for those who want them, but Amsterdammers themselves take it all in their stride.
  • Amsterdam History
The Dutch capital has its roots in the damming of the River Amstel in the 13th century, spawning the settlement of Aemstelledamme. The town became a trading centre, with ships delivering grain and timber from the Baltic region, then picking up cloth manufactured in Leiden. As the sea trade grew, more ships were built and in the mid-16th century the harbour was expanded.After the Kingdom of Spain acquired Holland in 1519, King Philip II’s attempts to restore Catholicism were fiercely opposed. In 1579, seven northern provinces formed an alliance against Spain, marking the inception of the Netherlands as a country. In the 17th century, as Dutch ships plied the seas seeking foreign sources of goods, Amsterdam became the centre of a thriving shipbuilding industry.During this period, the city’s network of canals was completed and stately homes were built along their banks for the wealthy merchant class. It was also a golden age for the arts, when The Night Watch and other masterpieces that now hang in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum were painted.The Anglo-Dutch Wars began in 1652, as England challenged Holland for hegemony of its trade routes, which weakened the country. At the end of the 18th century, Revolutionary France invaded and Napoleon installed his brother Louis in Amsterdam’s Royal Palace.After Napoleon’s defeat, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was restored in 1815 and the country slowly began to regain its prosperity. The construction of the grand Centraal Station secured Amsterdam’s position as a rail transport hub.Massive industrialisation and then the Great Depression in the early 20th century were followed by the Nazi invasion in WWII. Unlike Rotterdam and Arnhem, Amsterdam emerged physically unscathed, though it suffered the mass deportation of its substantial Jewish population.In the 1960s the city became a countercultural mecca, with escalating rents in the following decade provoking a squatters’ movement. By the turn of the millennium, Amsterdam had transformed itself into a global business centre with many foreign firms setting up operations in the capital.
  • Did you know?
There are an estimated 847,000 bicycles in Amsterdam – and around 12,000 are pulled from its canals each year. Amsterdam has more museums per square metre than any other city in the world. Schiphol Airport is actually 4m (13 ft) below sea level.
  • Weather in Amsterdam
Amsterdam has an oceanic climate influenced by winds from the North Sea.
  • Spring (March to May) in Amsterdam is lovely with dry and pleasant weather. This is the best time to visit. From mid-March to mid-May, tourists flock to Duin-en Bollenstreek (Bulb District) and enjoy spectacular views of tulips. The average temperatures in May is 12°C (54°F).
  • Summer (June to August) is Amsterdam’s liveliest season – the weather is warm and the festivals are flowing. However, the tourism crush means stiff competition for accommodation, museum entry and canal cruises.
  • Autumn (September to November) is less hectic. Rain is a possibility but as soon as the clouds part, the town’s inhabitants spill out onto the many pavement cafés or cycle blissfully through the Vondelpark.
  • Winter (December to February) can be quite chilly with plenty of rain and wind, though temperatures rarely drop below freezing. Fortunately this is one of the best times to visit some of the world’s best museums as they are less busy. There is also loads going on indoors at theatres and galleries around the city.

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