Amsterdam Things to Do Tips by pieter_jan_v Top 5 Page for this destination

Heineken Experience Heineken Brewery Review

Visiting the Heineken Brewery is a must for many Amsterdam visitors. Touring the factory lasts about 1.5 hours. You learn everything about the history of the Heineken family, who started the plant. Furthermore the ins and outs of beer brewing are showed.

In 2008 The Heineken Experience re-opened after a major improvement. New elements are the interactive journey through the brewing process; producing a personalised beer bottle and the stable visit.

Admission: Euro 16.00 (2 drinks included).

Opening hours:
Mo - Su: 11AM – 7PM (Last ticket sales at 5.30PM).
Closed on New Year's Day, Queensday and both Christmas days.

Also visit the Heineken The city shop downtown.

Address: Stadhouderskade 78 - 1072 AE Amsterdam

Directions: From the Central Train Station take tram 16, 25 or 25.

By car: Park in the Heinekenplein Parking garage.

Phone: +31-20-5239222

Website: http://www.heinekenexperience.com

De Keizerskroon (The crown of the emperor) Westerkerk - Westertoren Review

The Westerkerk was officially opened on Whitsunday 1631. It is built for Protestant services and is the the biggest Protestant church in the Netherlands.
The tower bears the "golden" symbol of the imperial crown of Maximilian of Austria (Keizerskroon), which was his gift to the city in gratitude for support given tot the Austro-Burgundian princes. Rembrandt, one of the world’s most famous painters, was burried in the church.

Visiting hours: Monday till Friday 11AM - 3PM (April - September).

Church services (in Dutch) Sundays 10.30AM.

Address: Prinsengracht 281

Directions: South of the DAM square

Phone: +31-20-6247766

Website: http://www.westerkerk.nl

The Tulip Museum DAYTRIP: Tulips Review

The Amsterdam Tulip Museum opened in 2006 and brings you the history of the flower that has played a major in the past of the Netherlands.

Visiting hours: Tu-Su: 10AM - 6PM.

Admission: Euro 4.00 (adult)

Address: Prinsengracht 116 - 1015 EA Amsterdam

Directions: Opposite the Anne Frank house

Phone: +31-20-4210095

The Amsterdam Botanic Gardens: Hortus Hortus Botanicus - Botanic Gardens Review

In 1638 the Amsterdam City Counsil founded a medicinal herb garden. Those herbs were well needed as a medicine to counter the plague epidemic. The Hortus was the training location for doctors and pharmacists to prepare prescriptions.

In the 17th and 18th centuries the VOC ships brought back exotic plants and herbs and soon the Hortus expanded and became a botanical garden in 1682.

In 2003 the Hortus was renovated and the orangery is one of the most beautiful Amsterdam outdoor cafés.

Visiting hours:
Daily: 10AM - 5PM

Admission: Euro 7.50

Address: Plantage Middenlaan 2A - 1018 DD Amsterdam

Directions: South East of the Stopera/Waterlooplein.

Phone: +31-20-6259021

Website: http://www.dehortus.nl

De Munt (Mint tower) De Munt - Mint Tower Review

At the Munttoren (the former Regulierspoort) foundations, pieces of the old city wall can be seen.

Next to the Munttower you can find the famous Flowermarket along the Singel canal.

Address: Muntplein

Directions: From the Central Train Station just continue inwards, pass the DAM and go further along the Damrak.

The number one Amsterdam tourist attraction Anne Frank House Review

The Anne Frank House is Amsterdam's number one tourist attraction. As such each day a long line of visitors is waiting to get inside. If you want to avoid that line be early (8.45AM) or visit the house in the evening in the Summer period.

The Anne Frank House with its "Achterhuis" is the place where Anne Frank and her family hide from the Germans during World War II.

Annelies Marie Frank was born at 12 juni 1929 at Frankfurt am Main-Germany. She is the second daughter of Otto Frank and Edith Frank-Holländer. Her sister is Margot who is three years older. Otto works at a bank owned by the Frank family.
In 1933 the NDSAP with Adolf Hitler as its leader comes to power and the discrimination of Jews starts. Otto starts a company in the Netherlands and Edith looks for a house that she finds at the Merwedeplein at Amsterdam. In 1934 he two girls move to the new house after having stayed at their grandmother Holländer at Aachen.
Anne attends a Montessori school.

At May 10, 1940 the German Army invades the Netherlands and many restrictions are forced upon Jewish population.
On her 13th birthday Anne gets a diary. She starts writing from that day on. The rumours that Jews will be transported to Germany are true. At July 5, 1942 Margot receives a notice to report herself.
The Frank family had expected the notice and father Frank already had started preparing a hideout at the building where he his office is (the present Anne Frank House).
Not only the Frank family hides at the Achterhuis; also the van Pels family, Hermann and Auguste and their son zoon Peter, also do.
The families are helped by the office workers Miep Gies, Johannes Kleiman, Victor Kugler and Bep Voskuijl. In November 1942 Fritz Pfeffer joins to two families.

Life is difficult. The eight people hiding have to stay indoors day and night. During daytime when the office and basement warehouse is in operation, they have to stay quiet and not operate the bathroom. Living so close together is hard without quarrels. At times the situation gets tense.
During lunchbreak they get the latest news on the ongoing deportations and what is happening in the concentration camps. In 1944, after D-Day, they are waiting to be liberated and hope for peace.

Unfortunately someone betrays the families and at August 4, 1944 a SS-officer and three Dutch policemen enter the building and force Victor Kugler to show them the hideout. All are arrested and brought to prison. Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl stay behind and save Anne's diary.

The families are transported to camp Westerbork at August 8, 1944. At September 3 1019 Jews, including both families, are deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in a terrible three day train journey. Men and women are seperated and two families are forced to hard labour. Hermann van Pels is the first to die.
At the end of Octobre Anne and Margot are being transported to Bergen-Belsen and both die in March 1945 from typhoid fever. Their mother who stayed at Auschwitz already died in January.

Otto Frank is the only one who survives the war; Auschwitz is liberated at January 27, 1945. Otto returns to Amsterdam at June 3, 1945. He knows his wife died, but still has hope to find his daughters. He meets the four office workers who helped the family and they return the personal belongings, including Anne's diary. At July 18 Otto meets the sisters Brilleslijper who witnessed the dead of Anne and Margot. After reading Anne's diary he decides to grant Anne's wish to publish her experiences after the War.

Opening hours:
January through mid-March:
Daily: 9AM - 7PM

Mid-March through June:
Su-Fr: 9AM - 9PM
Sa: 9AM - 10PM

July through August:
Daily: 9AM - 10PM

September through mid-September:
Su-Fr: 9AM - 9PM
Sa: 9AM - 10PM

Mid-September through December:
Daily: 9AM - 7PM

Admission fee: € 8,50 (adult)

Avoid waiting in line.

Address: Prinsengracht 267 - 1016 GV Amsterdam

Directions: One block North of the Wersterkerk church.

Public Transportation: tram 13 & 17; Connexxion bus 170, 171 & 172; Westermarkt stop.

Phone: +31-20-5567100

Website: http://www.annefrank.org/nl/

Hermitage Amsterdam Hermitage Review

The Amsterdam Hermitage is a branch of the famous State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg housed in the Amstelhof building dating from 1683 as a home for the elderly in need of care (initially only for women, but also for men from 1719). It stayed a nursing home till 1999 and in 2004 the Amsterdam branch opened in the Neerlandia building.

In the Spring of 2009 the Museum reopened after completion of phase 2 of the reconstruction.

Admission: € 15.00 (Adult)

Visiting hours:
Daily: 10AM - 5PM

Address: Amstel 51 - 1018 EJ Amsterdam

Directions: Just South of the Waterlooplein (Stopera). Walk along the East side of the Amstel river.

Phone: +31-20-5308751

Website: http://www.hermitage.nl/index.htm

ARTIS (Natura Artis Magistra) Artis Royal Zoo - Natura Artis Magistra Review

The Artis Zoo is a great place to visit with your children.

Artis is more than just a zoo, it's also an Aquarium, Botanical garden, Zoological Museum, Geological Museum and Planetarium. In fact Artis is the Royal Zoological Society "Natura Artis Magistra" founded on May 1, 1838 at the initiative of G.F.Westerman.

The garden is the oldest in Amsterdam and some of its unique trees are over 200 years old.

Opening hours:
Each day 9AM - 5PM

Admission: Euro 18.95

Play around with the Artis webcam

Address: Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 - 1018 CZ Amsterdam

Directions: South East of center city.

Public Transport: Tram 9

Phone: +31-20-5233400

Website: http://www.artis.nl

NAP Normaal Amsterdams Peil Waterlooplein Area - Stopera Review

The NAP a.k.a. Normaal Amsterdams Peil (Amsterdam Ordnance Datum).

The NAP has been set in 1700 being the high watermark of the Zuiderzee and act as the bases for the constructing of Dutch buildings ever since.

One of the oldest marks is still visible at the Eenhoornsluis in the Korte Prinsengracht. The stone reads: ‘Zeedijks hooghte zijnde negen voet 5 duym hoven stadspeil.’ This is the only remaining indication from the former ones in the eight locks.

In 1956 a pole was driven into the earth beneath the DAM square with a bronze knob on top indicating 1.43 meter above NAP. This knob is located 90 centimeters below the pavement and the hole is covered with a lid.

In the basement of the Amsterdam City Hall (Stopera) there are three water columns representing:
-The Northsea tide at IJmuiden
-The tide at Vlissingen
-The highest level reached during the flood of 1953 (4.55 meters above NAP).

The columns are designed by Louis van Gasteren and Kees van der Veer and inaugurated in 1988.

Visiting hours:
Winter: Th-Sa: 10AM - 5PM
Spring & Fall: We-Sa: 10- 5PM
Summer: Daily: 10AM - 5PM

Admission: Euro 4.--.

Address: Amstel 1 - 1011 PN Amsterdam

Directions: Stopera, main entrance

Website: http://home.tiscali.nl/~wr2777/NAP-niveau.htm

NEMO museum, for kids hands on experiences Nemo Museum Review

The NEMO museum is build in the 1990's on top of the South entrance to the IJtunnel.

It's a museum ideal for kids, because most projects involve hands-on experiences.

From the roof you have a great view over the Amsterdam harbour.

Visiting hours:
Tu-Su: 10AM - 5PM (daily duting the kids school holidays)

Admission: Euro 13,50

In 2007 the ship "Amsterdam" has been moved next to NEMO due to the ongoing renovation of the Maritime Museum.

Address: Oosterdok 2 - 1011 VX Amsterdam

Directions: 15 minutes walking East of the Central Train Station

Phone: 0900-9191100

Website: http://www.e-NEMO.nl