Guidebook for Amsterdam
Getting Around
Amsterdam Lelylaan Station
37 Cornelis LelylaanTrain station to Schiphol Amsterdam Airport
Postjesweg 1
1 PostjeswegTram stop coming from or going to the airport.
One of many bike rental shops, but we've used this one often for our guests.
45 locals recommend
Bike 4 U
1 KinkerstraatOne of many bike rental shops, but we've used this one often for our guests.
Admiraal de Ruijterweg 78
78 Admiraal de RuijterwegTram stop, coming from or going to Amsterdam Sloterdijk.
Amsterdam, Marco Polostraat station
Tramstop for going to or coming from Amsterdam Central Station.
Food Scene
Radijs Amsterdam
41HS Jan EvertsenstraatGreat place for any meal of the day, or just drinks/coffee.
Bar Baarsch
91 Jan EvertsenstraatNice place for drinks, lunch etc. Great terrace in summer.
Especially in summer, great place for coffee and watching the world go by on the square.
371 locals recommend
Café Zurich
2b MercatorpleinEspecially in summer, great place for coffee and watching the world go by on the square.
Nice place to stop for coffee and cake when strolling through the hood.
354 locals recommend
Café Cook
2 James CookstraatNice place to stop for coffee and cake when strolling through the hood.
One of our favorite coffee places, especially in summer when you can sit outside and watch the people go by on busy Kinkerstraat.
67 locals recommend
Coffee Room
110 KinkerstraatOne of our favorite coffee places, especially in summer when you can sit outside and watch the people go by on busy Kinkerstraat.
Recent development in old tram garage, very hip indoor foodmarket, many different styles of food, bars included.
1500 locals recommend
Foodhallen Amsterdam
16 BellamypleinRecent development in old tram garage, very hip indoor foodmarket, many different styles of food, bars included.
Very good Italian restaurant with a modern twist. Takes no reservations, so come in time...
138 locals recommend
Restaurant FAAM
10 Reinier ClaeszenstraatVery good Italian restaurant with a modern twist. Takes no reservations, so come in time...
The best of the 4 different Ethiopian restaurants in this area, very tasty.
19 locals recommend
Fenan Klein Afrika
147 Jan Pieter HeijestraatThe best of the 4 different Ethiopian restaurants in this area, very tasty.
Mediterranean restaurant with large selection of small dishes, to share with your friends (or not :-)).
59 locals recommend
Foodism
Mediterranean restaurant with large selection of small dishes, to share with your friends (or not :-)).
Tapas and Mediterranean cuisine, good wines. Check out the Monday tapas-for-two deal and their collection of about 100 different grappas.
8 locals recommend
Frenzi
232 ZwanenburgwalTapas and Mediterranean cuisine, good wines. Check out the Monday tapas-for-two deal and their collection of about 100 different grappas.
Lunchroom with American bakery attached --> great cakes! Another branch on Rokin, but this one is our favorite.
68 locals recommend
De Drie Graefjes
130 RokinLunchroom with American bakery attached --> great cakes! Another branch on Rokin, but this one is our favorite.
Great location, in an old synagogue, beautiful building. Food ranges from Morocco to Iran. Our favorite: Irfan's starter, almost a meal in itself.
258 locals recommend
De Bazar Amsterdam B.V.
182 Albert CuypstraatGreat location, in an old synagogue, beautiful building. Food ranges from Morocco to Iran. Our favorite: Irfan's starter, almost a meal in itself.
Go here for the view over the IJ and the city, after exploring the NDSM wharf area.
1052 locals recommend
Pllek
59 T.T. NeveritawegGo here for the view over the IJ and the city, after exploring the NDSM wharf area.
Noorderlicht Café
102 NDSM-PleinNice bar in the NDSM wharf area.
Vamos a Ver
308 Govert FlinckstraatOur favorite Spanish restaurant.
Local gem with authentic Syrian food, served in a friendly atmosphere; the shoarma is really Syrian. Cheap too.
Palmyra Castle
125 Witte de WithstraatLocal gem with authentic Syrian food, served in a friendly atmosphere; the shoarma is really Syrian. Cheap too.
Great restaurant with many small dishes for sharing and a nice view over the water. There's also a concert hall in the building, a subsidiary to the famous Paradiso. Right behind Central Station, take the free ferry for 3 minutes.
322 locals recommend
Tolhuistuin
2 IJpromenadeGreat restaurant with many small dishes for sharing and a nice view over the water. There's also a concert hall in the building, a subsidiary to the famous Paradiso. Right behind Central Station, take the free ferry for 3 minutes.
Dignita Vondelpark
218 KoninginnewegGreat brunches and cakes. Open only from 9 to 17.
Very international lunch place, as the name suggests. Very nice food, great pit stop when spending some time in the Vondelpark.
26 locals recommend
Dish Global Kitchen
322 Johan van HasseltkadeVery international lunch place, as the name suggests. Very nice food, great pit stop when spending some time in the Vondelpark.
Restaurant Beyrouth
18-20 KinkerstraatLebanese mezze, just eat it.
Siriphon
47 Eerste Jacob van CampenstraatOf the many Thai places in Amsterdam, this is one of our favorites.
Pho 91
91 H Albert CuypstraatVietnamese restaurant, specialises in noodle soups. Small and popular.
Essentials
Dirk van den Broek
25 Marie HeinekenpleinGrocery store, large and cheap
AH Jan Evertsenstraat
13 A Jan EvertsenstraatLarge and well stocked supermarket.
Drinks & Nightlife
Belgian beer cafe (and many others), very large selection, always busy and great atmosphere.
174 locals recommend
Gollem's Proeflokaal
160-162 OvertoomBelgian beer cafe (and many others), very large selection, always busy and great atmosphere.
Nice cosy wine bar, specialising in 'vin naturel', natural wines. An extensive wine menu is present, but subject to change, and the owners are quick to serve many wines by the glass, even though the menu says otherwise. Be open to let them surprise you...
146 locals recommend
Glou Glou
3 Tweede van der HelststraatNice cosy wine bar, specialising in 'vin naturel', natural wines. An extensive wine menu is present, but subject to change, and the owners are quick to serve many wines by the glass, even though the menu says otherwise. Be open to let them surprise you...
One of Amsterdam's main venues for popular music and also popular for late night entertainment after the show. See www.paradiso.nl for the agenda
937 locals recommend
Paradiso
6-8 WeteringschansOne of Amsterdam's main venues for popular music and also popular for late night entertainment after the show. See www.paradiso.nl for the agenda
The other main venue for popular music and late night dancing, see www.melkweg.nl
444 locals recommend
Melkweg
234A LijnbaansgrachtThe other main venue for popular music and late night dancing, see www.melkweg.nl
De Zotte
29 RaamstraatBelgian beer cafe, very cosy, large selection. Also serves food.
Entertainment & Activities
9 rooms of arthouse cinema and the 'better' Hollywood stuff, right next door to the Foodhallen.
243 locals recommend
Filmhallen
12 Hannie Dankbaarpassage9 rooms of arthouse cinema and the 'better' Hollywood stuff, right next door to the Foodhallen.
Arts & Culture
National Museum of the Netherlands, home to many Dutch masterpieces such as Nachtwacht. Great permanent collection, showing Dutch history from early Medieval times. Interesting temporary exhibitions.
3186 locals recommend
Rijksmuseum
1 MuseumstraatNational Museum of the Netherlands, home to many Dutch masterpieces such as Nachtwacht. Great permanent collection, showing Dutch history from early Medieval times. Interesting temporary exhibitions.
Holland's prime museum for modern art with a large permanent collection starting late 19th century. Always a few temporary exhibitions going on as well.
1544 locals recommend
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
10 MuseumpleinHolland's prime museum for modern art with a large permanent collection starting late 19th century. Always a few temporary exhibitions going on as well.
Home of the largest collection of van Gogh works in the world. In the extra wing there is always an interesting temporary exhibition, with work related to van Gogh, his contemporaries and/or his era.
2485 locals recommend
Van Gogh Museum
6 MuseumpleinHome of the largest collection of van Gogh works in the world. In the extra wing there is always an interesting temporary exhibition, with work related to van Gogh, his contemporaries and/or his era.
A museum all about Amsterdam, from its early beginnings a thousand years agoup till now. No great masterpieces like in the Rijksmuseum, but it will tell you a lot more about Amsterdam.
111 locals recommend
Amsterdam Museum Building
92 KalverstraatA museum all about Amsterdam, from its early beginnings a thousand years agoup till now. No great masterpieces like in the Rijksmuseum, but it will tell you a lot more about Amsterdam.
Amsterdam's prime theater, home to Toneelgroep Amsterdam. Shows include a lot of (contemporary) dance and plays are sometimes in other languages than Dutch. On Thursdays there are often English surtitles.
136 locals recommend
Internationaal Theater Amsterdam
26 LeidsepleinAmsterdam's prime theater, home to Toneelgroep Amsterdam. Shows include a lot of (contemporary) dance and plays are sometimes in other languages than Dutch. On Thursdays there are often English surtitles.
Parks & Nature
Amsterdam's "Central Park', a great place for a walk, to hang out, have a picknick/barbeque, mingle with locals etc. Gets very very busy in summer.
Check out one of the cafe's in the park or the free live entertainment in summer.
4196 locals recommend
Vondelpark
Amsterdam's "Central Park', a great place for a walk, to hang out, have a picknick/barbeque, mingle with locals etc. Gets very very busy in summer.
Check out one of the cafe's in the park or the free live entertainment in summer.
A bit closer to our apartment than Vondelpark and further away from the city centre, this park is in many ways as nice as Vondelpark, but much quieter.
329 locals recommend
Rembrandt Park
PostjeswegA bit closer to our apartment than Vondelpark and further away from the city centre, this park is in many ways as nice as Vondelpark, but much quieter.