It is easy to engage with Amsterdam. Perhaps this explains why the city attracts so many tourists from both Europe and further afield. Life is lived at a slower pace and, with most places 30 minutes walk away, city dwellers pedal among the meandering canals and seem all the more connected with their surroundings. You may be pleasantly surprised at the unique opportunities the city provides for budget travellers too. If you stay in a hostel in Amsterdam you may chose from private or shared rooms, many equipped with en suite facilities. Alternatively, booking an apartment is ideal for travellers wanting a bit more independence and a home away from home.
Although the Red Light District and liberalist attitudes towards cannabis are issues deeply rooted in Amsterdam’s culture and hold their own historic appeal, the city is rich in museums and galleries that demonstrate the wealth and power wielded by the Dutch, particularly in the 17th century.
You may arrive in Amsterdam by train and have the opportunity to take in the central station which was designed by architect Petrus Josephus Hubertus Cuypers. Built between 1884 and 1889, only recently has the station begun to win admirers but on first impressions, the façade is an impressive introduction to your visit. The Funky Chickin Apartment is a ten minute walk from the station and just three minutes from Dam Square. The apartment, equipped with kitchenette and appliances, TV, Wi-Fi and private bathroom, sleeps up to four people in single beds.
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The Eastern docklands saw their glory days in the two World Wars and decayed into living quarters for squatters, artists and nomads. Occupying large warehouses, the area is now a hub of creative activity and exists as part of the cultural quarter.
Developing wealth resulted in expansion but the once primarily residential areas of Jordaan and de Pijp are now full of cosmopolitan cafes, flea markets and some fantastic art galleries. You will find the majority of the city’s historic interest ideally located in the centre within the grachtengordel (the girdle of canals). For accommodation with a personal touch at St. Christopher’s Inn – The Winston, each of the rooms, such as the Absolute Danny room or the Billy the Kid room, are uniquely designed by local artists. They are all en suite and you can relax in the hostel beer garden outside.
The man-made canals are really what characterise the city and its unique, romantic geography. Ambling alongside, you will see numerous examples of merchants’ houses and medieval buildings. Heavy property taxes forced architects to design beanpole thin houses; tall with gables to decorate the pitched roofs. Canal houses remain similar in overall shape but the intricate detail of the various gables reveals classical, Renaissance and modern influences.
Another good choice for travellers wishing to remain independent is the Apartments Leidse Amsterdam. Each apartment is ideally located to explore the main attractions, accommodates up to four guests and is equipped with bathroom and kitchen facilities.
Visit the city’s museums and galleries for vivid history lessons. The city is home to some marvellous paintings by Dutch masters who bring historic Amsterdam to life: van Velde, Rembrandt and Cabel restore the harbour to its former glory, revel in its trading power and reminisce of leisure time spent skating on the frozen canals.
Although the main building on the Museumplein square is currently undergoing restoration (due to finish in 2013) the Rejksmuseum is currently displaying key pieces from the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age in the newly refurbished Philips Wing. It houses the largest collection in the world of paintings by Dutch masters including The Night Watch by Rembrandt and other works by Jan Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Jacob van Ruisdael.
The Hermitage Amsterdam opened in June 2009 and is a wonderful extension of the St Petersburg collection. Aside from the usual modern museum perambulation (chic bar and gift shop), there is generous exhibition space with some permanent displays focussing on connections between Holland and Russia.
The Bulldog, located at the edge of the Red Light District is not your typical hostel. You can book either private or shared rooms and hen and stag parties are not accommodated. They also have an over 18s policy.
The Amsterdam Historical Museum is housed in a former orphanage. The museum boasts the oldest surviving plan of Amsterdam revealing the way in which the once waterlogged city sat at the mouth of the River Amstel. Discover how Amsterdam evolved from a small medieval settlement to a 17th century world power.
Pass through several courtyards to exit the museum then continue along Gedempte Beginjnensloot. Turn right at the corner and enter the Begijnhof through a wooden door. Tucked away and only discovered by the most curious of folk, this enclosure of 17th and 18th century gabled houses and a chapel encircle a village green. A group of pious women settled here, primarily to nurse the sick. They were Begijntjes, a catholic sisterhood living like nuns, although they had not taken monastic vows and were free to leave and marry if they chose. Pressure from Protestant reformers resulted in the church being given to the English. A new chapel was commissioned and the Catholic architect Philips Vingboons was instructed to design a building that, from the outside, would not resemble a church. Today, it is cut off from city traffic and noise and includes one of Amsterdam’s oldest surviving houses, the Het Houten Huis dating back to around 1420. The Begijnhof is still occupied by single women and is open daily between 9am and 1pm.