Amsterdam Things to Do Tips by morganna

DAM SQUARE Dam Square Review

This is one of hot spots in the city. Maybe it isn't specially beautiful, but it's one of those bustling places that you can find in every city where, at the end, you will walk more than once.

There, you can see the Nationaal Monument, the Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk and Madame Tussaud's Museum.

The NATIONAAL MONUMENT is something like a modern obelisc, a meetind point full of people hanging around. I think local people didn't like a lot the monument when it was built. Well, maybe they still hate it, since it is quite horrible, in my oppinion...

The PALACE is an impressive building that, with the church, becomes the main attraction of the square.

The NIEUWE KERK (new church) is nowadays an exhibition place of modern art, related with Stedelijk and Van Gogh. This is a good thing, because then the church use to be open and you can have a look inside even if you don't want to take in the exhibition. When I was there, there was an exhibition with 19 century stuff, about landscapes.

Address: Dam

Website: http://www.damsite.nl/

STEDELIJK MUSEUM Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art Review

Well, I know this is not really worthful for most of tourists, but if you are interested in modern art or in design, this is the place to go.

The stuff there use to be always changing, so maybe you won't see the same I did.
I enjoyed a lot with a 60's design exhibition, with posters, furniture and so on.
Then, in the first floor, there was what I supose is the permanent collection: works by Malevich, Chagall, Mondriaan and so on. If those names doesn't mean nothing to you, don't waste your time there, heh, you won't like it.

The opening times are from 11.00 to 17.00, daily. The tickets costs 7,00 EUR.

Address: Paulus Potterstraat 13

Directions: Tram stop: Museumplein.

Phone: +31-20-5732737 (recorded info)

Website: http://www.stedelijk.nl

CENTRAAL STATION Central Station Area - St Nicolaas Kerk Review

Well, that's a must since all trains arriven there... but even if you reach the city from the airport in some of those shuttle, you have to go to this station. Look at the picture: it's really wonderful!

Furthermore, around Central Station there are a lot of things to do and see. *

*By the ways, don't make that huge line in the tourist office located in front of it, there are other offices in Amsterdam.

Website: http://www.ns.nl

VAN GOGH MUSEUM Van Gogh Museum Review

There are 3 floors in this museum, but only one of them is dedicated to Van Gogh stuff. So, I recommend you to go soon and start with this second floor, before all the crowds join there, as if you were watching the paintings inside of a metro at 9.00...

The shop is in the ground floor. Go there first of all and buy the little GUIDE (there are in a lot of languages, and it's 6,80 EUR). This allows you to follow the works and avoid the horrible fact of going everytime to see the info next to every painting, which is an adventure when there are so much peple. I supose the audio guide is also useful, but with the book tou will have a nice memorie.

Actually, when I go there there was an EXHIBITION in the other building, don't forget this, cause there I found some highlights by Van Gogh mixed with other modern works.

Hey, in 2003 if you go there in your birthday, you will have FREE ENTRY, and you can bring a friend!!

The fare in 2003 is 9,00 EUR. (Hey, note that in the Stedelijk they give a card with a discount 2 EUR off to visit Van Gogh one)

In the museum there are a lot of stuff from Van Gogh, but most of his works are dispersed around the world, so don't hope to find there some masterpieces like Starry night, for example. Even then, I've put my Van Gogh TRAVELOGUE in the Amsterdam page. Have a look to know more about him.

Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7

Directions: Museumplein tram stop

Phone: +31-20-5705252

Website: http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl

RIJKSMUSEUM Rijksmuseum Review

This is one of those huge national museums you can find in a lot of important european cities (in fact, in the origin, Louis Bonaparte wanted to make a sort of Louvre in Holland, as his brother had in Paris).

I find interesting that it was build over an important road. Nowadays, cars don't go under the museum, troguh a tunnel.

Even if I think it is difficult to compare the Rijks with Louvre, British or even Prado, this museum is an absolute must. The best rooms are, of course, dedicated to dutch paintings. Maybe the most renowned are Vermeer and Rembrandt, but I enjoyed a lot the old masters (15 and 16 centuries), where almost nobody seemed to be interested!

- It's open every day from 10.00 to 17.00 (only closed on 1st Jan). The entrance fee is 9,00 EUR.

Address: Stadhouderskade 42

Directions: Tram stop: Hobbemastraat (this one is better than Museumplein, which next to Van Gogh Museum, but not to the Rijks)

Other Contact: info@rijksmuseum.nl

Phone: +31-20-6747000

Website: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl

BEGIJNHOF Begijnhof - The Wooden House Review

This is a little peaceful "patio" inside the bustling street. Years ago it was a kind of residence for widows and other women who were alone (beguines).

It's not really spectacular, but there you can see the only WOODEN HOUSE (Houten Huys) that remains in Amsterdam after a great burning that destroy almost all the original architecture of the city, made of wood.

In the middle of it there is the ENGELSKERK, a little catholic church that nowadays is used by scottish.

The entrance is free. At least for me, it was difficult to find the way to get inside. At the end I found a simple wooden door in Spui Square.

Address: Tram stop: Spui