Amsterdam

coupleuk

If you like Garlic then the Garlic Queen is a must - bit pricey though and need to book as its a very small place.

Try the garlic beer !!

English Menu http://www.garlicqueen.nl/pdf/GQ_Menu_UK.pdf
Website http://www.garlicqueen.nl/
Tripadvisor http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g188590-d1067243-Reviews-Garlic_Queen-Amsterdam_North_Holland_Province.html

Enjoy

PS might be best to save it for the last night - and apologise to anyone sitting near you on the plane home.

awayfly

Having been to Amsterdam on a number of occasions I can recommend the following:

1. Do a canal boat tour - this costs from €9 for a 1 hour tour.
Reedreik Kooij (http://www.rederijkooij.nl/en/) is the most traditional company but there are many others around the central station area.

2. Visit one of the main museums - Van Gogh museum, Rijksmuseum, Hermitage. The newly renovated Maritime museum (http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/?t=English) is excellent with a stunning glass roofed courtyard.

3. Visit the Anne Frank house (http://www.annefrank.org/en/) but do buy tickets online in advance as the queues are horrendous.

4. Visit one of the lesser known museums - Tropenmuseum (anthropology), FOAM (photography), Dutch Resistance museum, Allard Pierson (archaelogy). Or the Museum Geelvinck-Hinlopen Huis (http://geelvinck.nl/) which is a 17th century grand merchant canal house and garden.

Personally I would avoid the commercial "tourist trap" places near Dam Square such as the Madamme Tussauds, the Amsterdam Dungeon etc.

5. For a great view take a guided tour of the Westerkerk church tower near the Anne Frank house (http://www.amsterdamtips.com/tips/westerkerk-tower-amsterdam.php). It's a bit of a climb as there are no lifts in the church.

6. Wander around the canals and shops of the "9 streets" (Negen Straatjes) just west of the centre. We had a lovely club sandwich at a little cafe (if i remember correctly it was called Vennington).

7. Take time out in Vondelpark, the city's main park. It holds free comcerts at the weekends during summer.

8. For cheap eating in the centre go to the La Place self-service restaurant at Rokin 160 which has a decent selection of food.

9. We rented a bike for the day (€7) and cycled out of the city to a windmill on the banks of the river Amstel. There are loads of bike rental places - we used one called Starbikes.

10. Visit the street market at Albert Cuyp street and try out a pickled herring.

Enjoy your trip..!!

laughingsheep

We were there a couple of years ago and found a visit to "Our Lord in the attic" very interesting. It's a 17th-century home with a completely hidden church in the attic.

adouglasmhor

laughingsheep wrote: »

We were there a couple of years ago and found a visit to "Our Lord in the attic" very interesting. It's a 17th-century home with a completely hidden church in the attic.

A favourite of mine, also called the Amstelkring, it was on the telly last night on a program about Vermeer. The Art Decco altar service on display is amazing.

ellendarnay27

coupleuk wrote: »

If you like Garlic then the Garlic Queen is a must - bit pricey though and need to book as its a very small place.

Try the garlic beer !!

I've tasted this garlic beer a few years ago. Just can't remember where but I still remember the overwhelming aroma of garlic when I opened the bottle. I thought that I would be tasting pure garlic because of the strong scent but the garlic taste was just an initial kick. It actually had a grassy taste in a sort of delicious way I really can't explain. That was one helluva experience...:)

EricGeek

See the list of best Amsterdam Restaurants: http://www.dutchgrub.com/best-amsterdam-restaurants/

markwilkinson

Sorry to bump my own thread but I thought I would give some views on Amsterdam, post visit.

Took some advice from members here and some from 'real' people we know who have been, and ignored it. !!!!!! when someone tells you to pre-book tickets to avoid the queues then please heed the advice! Queuing for the Anne Frank house took 30 mins, not too bad as the sun was shining and we topped up our tans. Queuing for the Van Gogh Museum was about 1 hour and an utterly miserable experience!

Turned out to be one of the most expensive city breaks we have taken, despite the cheap flights. Amsterdam is pretty boring. You know what Amsterdam looks like don't you? Canals and rows of houses, about 4 storeys high and 10 feet wide? Yup, that's what you get, street after street, be prepared for feelings of deja vu lol. I came to conclusion that that must be the reason for all the hash bars, if you arnt off your face you would kill yourself through boredom.

Anne Frank house - fantastic! Just fabulous to visit for €9 each. It's the only 'must see' in my view. It was the main reason for our visit to be fair.

House Of Bols - great too, if you have a wife like mine who is a cocktail fan.

Canal boat trip, great if you like canals and can stay awake for long enough.

Van Gogh museum, dissapointing in my view.

I would go back, but only because the 50 min flight time (from Bristol) puts it up there with Dublin for a night away.

I'm not saying don't bother with it, each to their own.

squirrelchops

markwilkinson wrote: »

. Amsterdam is pretty boring. You know what Amsterdam looks like don't you? Canals and rows of houses, about 4 storeys high and 10 feet wide? Yup, that's what you get, street after street, be prepared for feelings of deja vu lol. I came to conclusion that that must be the reason for all the hash bars, if you arnt off your face you would kill yourself through boredom.

The architecture and difference in pace is exactly why Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities!!!!