Travel tips: Amsterdam in the summer

 There is much to do in Amsterdam and summer would be the best time to hire a bicycle and tour the city along its canals and through the main central park.  The centre is where the main highlights are in terms of architecture and commercial shopping, and in the south the museum quarter.  There are a couple of main squares which have a mass of every cuisine type, cafe and hotel or souvenir shops.  If arriving from Schiphol, the trains leave regularly for Central station.  It is quite a buzz and in normal tourist summer times you will get swept up with the crowds that flow down the Damrak to the Dam square.  The CS and Rijks Museum are from the same architect.  

                                                                        The Singel in summer

 

Central Station 

 

St Nicolas Catholic Church to the left of CS

 

 

Some also arrive by cruise ship 

The Royal Palace opposite the Dam monument is a good place to visit as it's a short museum trip but beautiful inside.  The Dam square will have people feeding pigeons and street artists. Madame Tussaud is on the corner and two main commercial shopping streets, the Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk.  Whilst walking here you might come across the traditional organ on wheels which plays amongst others, Tulips of Amsterdam. 

 

From the Dam square, you can head off to the boring red light district or journey in the opposite direction towards the canals, where you will actually see 700 year old Amsterdam. The innermost canal is the Singel, then Herengracht, Keizersgracht and finally the Prinsengracht which is where the beloved and famous Anna Frank house is, just in front of the Jewish quarter.  Just behind the Royal Palace is the Spuistraat with an upmarket shopping centre in Magna Plaza. At CS, and in the museum quarter you can also hop onto a canal cruise ride and see Amsterdam from the water.

                                            Top of innermost canals just west of  CS

 
The canals run in circles from CS around to the southern part of Amsterdam and back to CS north. So walking them would mean, the furthest out, is the longest.  Following the water prevents you getting lost.  Close to the Spui square is the famous flower market and at the end the Munt.  A tower which is where gold used to be stored. It is a landmark monument that shows the way to Rembrandt's square which is predominantly a night life spot with hotels, restaurants, cafes and clubs. 

 

Centre east is Nieuwemarkt another district in the centre 

Opposite the Dam monument is a diamond centre and this building with below a view of the Damrak running back to CS for traffic, trams and bicycles.  On the right is the stock exchange. 

 

 

 

 

The famous Skinny bridge (centre east) with the opera house in the background near the Waterloo  square and flea market.

Walking or cycling the canals and viewing the magnificent architecture is a real treat. Lots to see and admire and cafes to stop along the way. 

 

 

                        The Westerkerk on the Prinsengracht next door to the Anna Frank house

If you walk the canals south west, you will get to Leidseplein, another busy square with street artists, cafes, theatre and plenty of restaurants.  Close-by is the city central park: Vondel Park which is a good 1 - 2 hour walk if you walk the entire root.  The rose gardens bloom in June, there are water features, cafes, statues, landscaped gardens and many cyclists.  The local zoo Artis in East is also worth visiting.

 

Artis 

                                                                        Vondel Park         

If you are a first time visitor to Amsterdam you will be amazed at how much there is to see within a relatively small distance, all squares being fairly close to each other.  It's lovely to sit in a glass walled cafe with no annoying smoke and just watch all its inhabitants go by.  There are of course coffee shops but rules are getting stricter as Amsterdam has much more to offer and doesn't really need the cheap tourists just out to have a blast weekend of drink, drugs and rock-n-roll.  Quite insulting actually when you see how old Amsterdam is and what a remarkable work of art in blending the old and modern together for a progressive forward thinking society, conscious in its wake for what its flag stands for. Courage, Determination and Compassion.