What should I do in Amsterdam next week?

May 27, 2007 10:06 AM

This sort of question has been asked before, but not recently. I'm in Amsterdam next week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) with the girlfriend. What are Mefites' favourite activities, museums, galleries, tours, clubs, bars, coffeeshops, restaurants etc?

P.S. Is there a way to ask Mefites to "think outside the box" without actually using the dreaded phrase? Or do Mefites think outside the box by default?

posted by alby to travel & transportation (31 comments total)

I was really disappointed by the Van Gogh museum, too crowded and only worth it if you're a huge Van Gogh fan, 'cause that's all there is in it.

I enjoyed the zoo (except for the sad polar bear setup) and watching evening shows at the fillm museum, which is right on the lovely Vondelpark and features a nice cafe.

The Paradiso is a fantastic concert venue (converted church, fits about 1000) that does a great job of lining up musicians. Also, the dutch have a great format for presenting shows. The headlining act will start first, on the main stage, and then "opening" acts will perform after, on smaller stages for those who want to hang around for more drinks and more music. If there's a show you like on the three nights and it's sold out, just go to the venue two hours before and you can get a ticket of a scalper for only a modest markup (we paid 5euro above the ticket price to see Beck last August).
posted by furtive at 10:22 AM on May 27, 2007

A floating cat sanctuary seems pretty out of the box to me.
posted by teleskiving at 10:32 AM on May 27, 2007

Weather predictions are for about 70% rain chance and 35% sunshine chance. Say choose your activities accordingly.

You could find some mefites to meet up with. Try to speak a few words of dutch.
posted by jouke at 10:36 AM on May 27, 2007

The Paradiso is great. You should also go and see the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (I'm not sure what's on but ti's easy to find out if you want to see a concert.) It's the other side of Centraal Station (i.e. towards the water) and it's the big square thing on the water. Sitting out on the deck with the beverage of your choice is a very nice way to while away an hour. Of course the parks are lovely too.

You could also leave the city too as there are many other towns and cities that are easily reachable by train, although there is enough in Amsterdam to keep one entertained...
posted by ob at 10:38 AM on May 27, 2007

I liked walking qround the place to see what i could see... http://www.flickr.com/photos/8175890@N04/510647837/

Went to the Paridiso to see Slint; if you are into Wilco to any degree I recomend you go there for the ambiance alone.
posted by sleslie at 10:48 AM on May 27, 2007

You could go to the Zuiderzeemuseum at Enkhuizen. Not very far from Amsterdam.
posted by jouke at 10:50 AM on May 27, 2007

I always enjoy the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Stedelijk Museum [which is undergoing renovation, but there is a temporary location until 2008].
posted by ericb at 10:51 AM on May 27, 2007

Rent a bicycle. Go have a picnic.
posted by doowop at 11:13 AM on May 27, 2007

Museums:
My favourite museum is Stedelijk Museum (modern art and design), NEMO and Amsterdams Historisch Museum are also nice. I found Rembrandthuis and Scheepvaartsmuseum rather boring. FOAM (Photography) and Electric Ladyland (Fluorescent Art) sound like fun but I haven't been there. Consider buying Museumkaart if you're planning to go to many museums.

If the weather is good:
Rent a bike. Do us Amsterdammers a favour and don't use it in the city center. Here
are some weird but fun cycle routes.
Or just take a walk. This is the route I walk with the people who visit me: Strand West - Houtmankade - Haarlemmerplein - Haarlemmerdijk - Brouwersgracht - Prinsengracht - Raadhuisstraat - Dam - Kalverstraat (Begijnhof) - Muntplein - Staalstraat - Waterlooplein - Plantagebuurt.

Other stuff:
- Hotel de Goudfazant
- Yam Yam
- Avondmarkt (open every day until midnight), Sterk (open until 1)
- Kriterion
- Underwater Amsterdam
- Great online guide
- Club 8
- 11
posted by snownoid at 11:18 AM on May 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

If you do want to go for a bike ride the ideal route would be to cross the Ij by the ferry and cycle to Durgerdum. You are out of the city in a flash, into a lovely old fashioned dutch landscape.
posted by jouke at 11:19 AM on May 27, 2007

Obviously some good advice from snownoid; I liked 11. It's a restaurant in an old high rise building Since the rest of the town is pretty low you have a great view while you eat.
posted by jouke at 11:24 AM on May 27, 2007

furtive
My girlfriend is a huge Kaiser Chief's fan - I tried to get tickets but they're all sold out and I'm not paying scalper rates.

teleskiving
She loves cats. Total score.

snownoid
Wow.
posted by alby at 12:02 PM on May 27, 2007

Living in Amsterdam now... one popular thing is a canal cruise - surely you can avoid the touristy part though by renting a smaller private boat and seeing the sites this way. It may not be very exciting, but its a nice perspective from which to see the city. Some friends of mine just did this, brought a few beers and some food and had a great time.
posted by mateuslee at 12:12 PM on May 27, 2007

The Rijksmuseum is still under renovation as far as I know. The parts that are open are quite boring (at least for me, someone uninterested in historical Dutch art) - still, if you have a museum card (unlimited access to museums), it may be a good place to go if it is raining. There are better museums though: check out Foam (for photography) and/or the Tropical Museum for example.
posted by mateuslee at 12:13 PM on May 27, 2007

some ideas:

1. the maritime museum. holland has a great maritime history, and the museum displays it well. if you are a new yorker, the museum contains some impressive early records of new amsterdam, including the original contract that stuyvesant signed with native americans to buy manhattan island.

2. wind-mill tours. day trip outside the city, see the dutch country-side, including windmills, clogs, and dikes. try to head for towns like marken and volendam.

3. our lord of the attic. a hidden catholic church in an attic spanning a few buildings. built at a time when catholics were rerpressed in amsterdam.

4. singel 7. the smallest house in holland. this one is definitely worth walking past, since it is on singel (a canal near the city center)
posted by Flood at 12:32 PM on May 27, 2007

alby: scalpers rates were nothing but a small markup (5 euro on a 45 euro ticket). If you have a change of heart know that there's a hologram on the tickets if you have questions of authenticity, but I tells ya it was easy as pie.
posted by furtive at 12:45 PM on May 27, 2007

If you're into japanese sword fighting you could come and have a look at the international Katori Shinto Ryu event (note: semi self link, but it's the only page with information about it so I feel justified :) going on while you're here. Qualifies as outside the box.

If you're not... go have dinner at the Garlic Queen, visit Nemo (science museum for kids but great fun), walk around the Jordaan, go sample some great whisky at the famous L&B near the Leidseplein, go to Toomler to see some dutch stand up comedy that you won't understand a word of, and maybe some american stand up comedy you already know, eat raw herring, visit http://www.underwateramsterdam.com/ to see what other fun/quirky stuff is on.
posted by Skyanth at 1:01 PM on May 27, 2007

Some comments on some of the links that I posted since many of the websites don't have an English version or aren't really informative (and because I don't feel like getting back to work):
Strand West is an artificial Beach on the bank of the IJ. You can't swim in the IJ, but it's really nice to just lie on the beach and watch the ships go by. There are also some bars and restaurants there.
Hotel de Goudfazant is situated in the middle of an industrial area in an old factory building with a great view over the IJ. A three course meal is 30 Euros or so and the food is great.
Yam Yam is said to have the best pizza in Amsterdam.
Kriterion is an arthouse cinema/bar right next to the university, it's just a nice, untouristy place to have some beer and maybe catch a movie.
posted by snownoid at 1:13 PM on May 27, 2007

furtive
Holy crap. If I got tickets she'd explode. Is it the same deal in AMS - hang around outside until you see someone likely?
posted by alby at 1:22 PM on May 27, 2007

snownoid writes
'- Yam Yam

Alternatively:

Yab Yum but it's not pizza that they're selling.

Personally, I'm very fond of the Botanical Gardens.

Coffeeshops (as opposed to Coffee bars), I like Grey Area, (followed by a trip to Puccini Bonbons across the street), and the Greenhouse

Given that it's likely to be raining, you may want to check out Pathe Tuschinski.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:48 PM on May 27, 2007

I can't remember the exact location, but it's on one of the charming side streets in Amsterdam proper -- a restaurant/cafe called HEINS. Fabulous breakfast or lunch...the best.

Also, need a super chic but inexpensive hotel, check out The T-Hotel.

And don't forget your shot at some genuine absinthe. Wow! Good times!! Several of the bars in town carry it.

Oh, and bring stuff for MOSQUITOS, you'll be glad you did.
posted by zenpop at 2:22 PM on May 27, 2007

If you have a chance to go out of Amsterdam for a day trip, I would recommend Haarlem and a visit to the Teylers Museum.

It's a museum out of the 19th century - curious objects from every kind of science from geology to zoology in tiny overstuffed rooms, and hundreds of shiny ingenious brass devices - examples of 19th century tech, including a giant static electricity generator.

And, of course, Haarlem itself is a beautiful small town. They have organ concerts inside the big cathedral in the town square. Well worth a visit.
posted by yoz420 at 2:51 PM on May 27, 2007

Just don't behave like this upon return.
posted by chaosscontrol at 2:58 PM on May 27, 2007

I love Amsterdam! One of my favorite coffee shops is Barney's where they have good breakfast, and amazing weed.
posted by Packy_1962 at 3:43 PM on May 27, 2007

I'm seconding the Botanical Gardens (Hortus Botanicus). They were by far, the best thing I saw in Amsterdam, and a lovely break from the outside city.

I also really enjoyed the Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzets Museum), which focuses on the resistance to the Nazis during WWII. The exhibits were really detailed and they had a lot of great first hand accounts and memorabilia, plus it's an interesting topic.
posted by nerdcore at 4:18 PM on May 27, 2007

I'll Third the Hortus Botanicus.

As for tickets, yeah it's the same as anywhere else, I suggest going early like before dinner time to scope out the site, you should be able to pick up a pair then and have lots of time for dinner and then the show. If no luck, well at least you got to have dinner in a nice area.
posted by furtive at 6:49 PM on May 27, 2007

I loved my "sensory deprivation" experience at Koan Float, an art-deco spa, and I went back for massage and soaking and steaming. Highly recommended.

Two favorite "coffeeshops": one of the Rokerij coffeeshops (my photo) which had a very comfy pillow-lounging interior [but in googling that one might be closed]; also the Amnesia was a great place for building Jenga towers and people-watching.

Mmmmmm, Amsterdam. Enjoy it! I can't wait to visit there again.
posted by olecranon at 10:34 PM on May 27, 2007

Skip Madame Tussaud's. Nthing Our Lord in the Attic (make sure to ask why there are ladybugs everywhere) and the Resistance Museums. Pick up an English language IENS restaurant guide. There was a Turkish exhibit at the Nieuwe Kerk last December, but I don't know if it's still there. Strippenkarts for trams can be used all over the country. I gave up trying to use any Dutch phrases when "sprekt u Engels?" wasn't understood. YMMV ( I was able to get by with phrases in France, Austria and Germany). Several guidebooks raved about the (not Alice B. Toklas) chocolate chip cookies at Kandinsky, but I thought enh--not as chewy as I like. If you've read Jack Herer's The Emperor Wears No Clothes, don't bother with the Hashish Museum--it's pretty much the same info.
posted by brujita at 11:05 PM on May 27, 2007

have you had indonesian food? there are a lot of good places in amsterdam. try a rijstaffel or the noodle equivalent (i forget what that is called) for a meal of several different interesting dishes. and eat some local cheese, and some french fries which are delicious there and come with an astounding array of potential toppings from the ubiquitous mayonaise to peanut or curry (though the dutch menus can be kind of tough to figure out). we also had fun renting bicycles one day; the city is very flat and easy to ride around. and there are some really cool squats including bars and other public places, if you can figure out where they are and how to get into them (i don't know, although i was once taken to one once that was awesome)
posted by lgyre at 5:56 PM on May 29, 2007

Another idea for a day out is to go to the Kröller-Müller Museum. A great art gallery in the Hoge Veluwe National Park that has free bikes that you can ride around the woods finiding randomly placed works of art. I guess you don't have time for this, but if you decide to go you'll see a totally different side of the Netherlands.
posted by ob at 7:36 PM on May 29, 2007

Also, the Houseboat Museum.
posted by brujita at 11:20 PM on May 29, 2007