Located on and surounded by water, Amsterdam, a very much a seaport city. It is a booming metropolis welcoming millions of tourists a year. Young travelers
book cheap flights to Amsterdam for a smoke and stag party, while entrepreneurs hold meetings on
Amsterdam flights before a night out with
their important clients. There’s plenty of time to explore Amsterdam’s historic district. Take a walk along the cobblestone streets and admire
the ancient architecture and crooked houses that line the city. If you’re too tired from the night before, grab a good book and lay by the
water banks. Enjoy a decent Dutch meal after a long day at the business trade conference. Amsterdam travelers will easily find peace among
all the pleasure; the city’s allure will have you booking return trips before you even leave the city.
When to Fly to Amsterdam:
The best and most popular time to fly to Amsterdam is from the start of the warm weather, when the tulips bloom, through the early fall.
Everyone, including both locals and tourists from around the world, want to be out and about. In spring and summer the weather is usually good,
with outside dining on sidewalks and canal boats. Consequently, accommodations are hard to come by and the city is very crowded. Try to
avoid the height of the summer if you can. If you do take an Amsterdam flight during this time, be prepared for both cool and very hot weather.
September and October are less crowded than the summer, the rates are lower, and the weather is often quite nice.
Peak Season:
The most crowded and expensive time to visit Amsterdam is tulip season (April to mid-May) and July and August.
Off Season:
Most cultural events are scheduled from September through June, so if you go in the cold winter months,
there will be plenty to do and fewer people trying to do it. And if you’re there during one of the winters when the canals freeze, you can
join the Amsterdam residents on skates, which is a lovely way to see the city.
Getting Around Amsterdam:
Amsterdam is a very good city to walk. You can cover the main areas in four or five hours. Just be aware of a few minor hazards. Cars, not pedestrians,
have the right of way, and watch out not only for cars, but also for bikes, trams, and buses.
Bikes are a great way to see the city. There are bike lanes on major streets and plenty of bike racks for parking. There are a number of places to
rent bikes. If you bring your own, be sure the light is working, and use it after dark, or you may get stuck with a hefty fine.
If you want to rent a car for a side trip, it’s cheaper in the city than at Schiphol. The Netherlands has an excellent highway system, so
getting around by car is easy. Getting around by train or bus is also easy.
The 'Amsterdam' that most people know is the city centre, the semicircle with Central Station at its apex. It corresponds to the old city, as it was
around 1850. Five major concentric canals ring the old city; the Singel, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht, the Prinsengracht, and the Singelgracht
(not to be confused with the Singel!), which runs alongside the roads Nassaukade, Stadhouderskade, and Mauritskade and marks the location of the
former city moat and fortifications. Almost everything outside this line was built after 1870. The semicircle is on the south side of the IJ,
which is called a river, but is more exactly an estuary. Going east from central station, the railway passes the artificial islands of the
redeveloped Eastern Docklands. North of the IJ is mainly housing, although a major dockland redevelopment has started there too.
The river Amstel flows into the city from the south. Originally, it flowed along the line Rokin-Damrak. The dam in the Amstel, which gives
the city its name, was located under the present Bijenkorf department store. The original settlement was on the right bank of the Amstel,
on the present Warmoesstraat: it is therefore the oldest street in the city. The city has expanded in all directions, except to the north
of the ring motorway. The region there, Waterland, is a protected rural landscape of open fields and small villages.
The radius of the semicircle is about 2 km. All major tourist destinations, and most hotels, are located inside it or just outside it.
As a result, much of Amsterdam is never visited by tourists: at least 90% of the population lives outside this area. Most economic
activity in Amsterdam -- the offices of the service sector, and the port -- is located on or outside the ring motorway, which is
four to five kilometers from the centre.
Architecture:
Amsterdam is where modern architecture developed organically between facades of historical buildings. Since it is not a big city, all sites of interest are within an acceptable distance. This is why Amsterdam is so popular with lovers of architecture.
Amsterdam in figures:
Some interesting figures on how many bicycles, bridges, canals, cinemas or markets one can find in Amsterdam, as well as some statistics about the tourists and day visitors to Amsterdam.
Timing your visit:
Any time can be the best time to visit Amsterdam. The peak of the tourist season is July and August, when the weather is the finest. Weather, however, is never really extreme at any time of year, and if you're one of the growing numbers who favor off-season travel, you'll find the city every bit as attractive during these months. Not only are airlines, hotels, and restaurants cheaper and less crowded during this time (with more relaxed and cheerful service), but there are also some very appealing events going on. For example, the bulb fields near Amsterdam are bursting with colour from mid-April to mid-May. The cultural season is in full swing between September and May in Amsterdam, along with The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and other nearby towns and cities.
Events:
A variety of cultural events and festivals are held thoughout the year in Amsterdam, some of them with an English-speaking public in mind. For more on events in Amsterdam please visit the web site of Amsterdam Tourist Board: www.visitamsterdam.nl.
Amsterdam hotels:
In co-operation with AmsterdamReservations.com we bring you the most convenient hotel reservation service for Amsterdam.
Apartments:
A great apartment service by
. Your home in Amsterdam.
Books:
Reviewed books with travel information on Holland from our bookshop. Buy now online.
