Between the Canals

Must see' ingredient of a great day out in Amsterdam is a visit to the canals. During your visit to the canal district you will come across many unique museums. These offer interesting and out of the ordinary exhibitions.  

'Golden Bend'

The section of this canal which runs from Leidsestraat to Vijzelstraat is known as the 'Golden Bend'. The most beautiful and most magnificent of all canal houses are located in this bend of the canal. In the course of the centuries these houses have been made over to meet changing tastes. During a walk along these canals you will see beautiful examples of this. Quite a few houses are in Louis style; a style which was extremely popular in the 18th century.

Exhibitions 

If you enjoy visiting museums, you will just love the canal district. Especially if you like exhibitions that are a little out of the ordinary. In Leidsestraat, for example, you can visit the Instruments of Torture Museum. The Theater Museum is located along Herengracht. You can admire costumes and photos of artists and divas from the 1930s here.

Multatuli

Korsjespoortsteeg 20 has an interesting museum and a library which are completely devoted to Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker(1820-1887). Public servant Dekker wrote under the synonym of Multatuli (‘I have suffered greatly’). His most famous work is the novel ‘Max Havelaar, or the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company’, which was published in 1860. The book recounts the experiences of Havelaar, an idealistic Dutch colonial official on Java. He rebels against the system of forced cultivation which the Dutch government imposed on Indonesia's peasants.

Leidseplein Square

Leidseplein Square and Rembrandt Square are the main entertainment areas of Amsterdam. Leidseplein Square is a real hot spot. If you want to go clubbing or feel like a nice meal, this is the place to come to. Small wonder; Leidseplein offers a wide range of options for a great night out. Cinemas, discos, theaters and a casino are located right on the square or within easy walking distance. The square boasts Holland’s best-known coffee-shop The Bulldog and music temple De Melkweg (The Milky Way). For real theater you can visit the Stadsschouwburg Theater at the corner of Marnixstraat and Leidseplein. A very impressive building indeed.

Cafe Americain

Opposite the Stadsschouwburg lies the American Hotel. It boasts famous pub and restaurant Americain. If you enjoy a cup of coffee in stylish surroundings do come and order one here. The original art nouveau/art deco interior is almost fully intact.

The canal area offers more cultural activities than any other area in Amsterdam!

Amsterdam in one day

Amsterdam in one day

Where to start and what do you do when you only have 12 hours in a city like Amsterdam?

Check out the absolute must-sees of the Dutch capital, because to actually see the Anne Frank House and the Sunflowers painting by Van Gogh is an experience you can only obtain in Amsterdam.

Rent a canal bike or take a trip on the 17th century canals by canal boat. It's the best way to see the city; looking up at Amsterdam's facades from water level is breathtaking.

Amsterdam is a sparkling city, especially when you visit one of the factories of the Amsterdam Diamond Group. Not only can you see diamonds being cut, crafted and polished, but if you are 'lucky' you can buy one too!

Visit Anne Frank's house on the Prinsengracht Canal. Visiting the house is an overwhelming emotional experience even if you have read the diary or seen the film. A sliding bookcase marks the entrance to the cramped rooms in which, with the help of friends who risked everything, Anne and her family hid for over two years.

Shop till you drop at the Bijenkorf or Magna Plaza, department stores in the city center. Holland is home to some great young fashion designers and you will marvel at the Dutch styles.

Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Who has not seen the Sunflowers on a million postcards and copies in books and on articles, but seeing it for real is another thing all together. The almost fierce yet considered brushwork, the use of color that literally radiates sunshine; when you stand in front of the painting in the Van Gogh Museum you understand the world's obsession and passion for the famous work.

Need a rest from culture, shops and history? Relax and enjoy a coffee at Café Luxembourg. It's a great place to people watch, check out the model wannabes or waiters with starched-white aprons!

Amsterdam’s Canal Ring on UNESCO’S World Heritage List!

It is not only the proud people of Amsterdam who call their ring of canals unique. For centuries, the fame of these seventeenth-century canals has extended far beyond the Netherlands’ frontiers. This obviously stems from the area’s picturesque ambience, with its water and numerous bridges, its trees and canal-houses. But on a more technical level, the semi-circular design and the ideas underlying it, the water management system and the sheer size of this area, make the canal ring an urban phenomenon that is without equal in the rest of the world.

Amsterdam’s canal ring is therefore now rightly acquiring a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This decision reflects international recognition of the uniqueness of this part of Amsterdam’s historical city centre. It serves to confirm what everyone already knew: the ring of canals is an architectural complex of world significance.

14 kilometres, 80 bridges
The phrase ‘canal ring’ is generally taken to refer to the three canals that are easily named, in alphabetical and topographical order: Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. But numerous other canals actually belong to it too: Singel, Nieuwe Herengracht, Nieuwe Keizersgracht, and Nieuwe Prinsengracht east of the river Amstel, and the seven transverse canals. The main canals enclose the old city centre. The entire area is about 160 hectares in surface area, the total length of the canals is some 14 kilometres, with an astonishing 80 bridges.

Seventeenth-century expansion
Aside from Singel, which is older, the canals belong to the large seventeenth-century expansion of the city, which took place in two phases. The first phase (Third Expansion) started in 1610, while the second phase (Fourth Expansion) took place after 1660. Expansion was essential, since Amsterdam was undergoing explosive growth. The city experienced an economic, political and cultural Golden Age. The city council therefore decided to give the new district an ambience that was appropriate to the wealthy, powerful trading city that Amsterdam had become. The distinguished names given to the three main canals were part of this plan.

Linked by a lock
Even so, this elegant ambience was largely confined to Herengracht and Keizersgracht. These extremely wide canals were primarily intended as fashionable stretches of water lined by mansions for affluent merchants. Commercial activity was confined to the transverse streets, with their many shops, and along Singel and Prinsengracht. These two canals were directly linked by a lock to the IJ bay. The busy traffic of goods and passengers over water therefore kept to the canals where the warehouses and markets were to be found.

Defensive function
The distinguished names given to the main canals date from the end of the sixteenth century: in the ‘First Expansion’, what was then the city’s outer canal lost its defensive function and was renamed Koningsgracht – King’s Canal. But this name did not stick; by the seventeenth century, the name ‘Singel’ was being used again. Only the name Koningsplein – King’s Square − survived.

How would you spend 1000 euros in Amsterdam?

Imagine you had 1000 euros to spend as you please in Amsterdam! What would you do with it? Blow the lot in one massive shopping spree? Treat your friends to a magical night on the town? Maybe you’d donate it all to charity? Or perhaps you’d throw caution to the wind and see where the weekend takes you?

Use video, images or good old-fashioned written word to tell us how and where you would spend 1000 euros in Amsterdam and you just might get the chance to turn your dream into reality. The most creative idea will win 1000 euros in cash - so let those creative juices flow and enter today!
How to participate

Video: Upload your video to a video-sharing site like YouTube or Vimeo and share the link with us on our Facebook page.

Images: Upload your image to a photo-sharing site like Flickr, Photobucket or Picasa and share it on our Facebook page.

Text – Tell us in 250 words or less what you would do with the cash by completing the form in English.

Entries need to be received by 12:00 on Friday, November 12 and the winner will be notified by Friday, November 19.

So go on, make a dash for the cash today! It could soon be your 1000 in Amsterdam…
Contest details

The competition winner will be chosen by a jury. Contest closes at 12:00 on Friday November 12, 2010. The winner will be notified by email.

You must be above the age of 18 to participate. For a full list of terms and conditions please read the I amsterdam contest terms and conditions (PDF). Please email any questions or complaints concerning this contest to marketing [at] ATCB.nl

This contest is in accordance with the Dutch Law and Gedragscode Promotionele Kansspelen. The prize will be €1000 and will be transferred to your bank account, the number of which we will request if necessary.

Amsterdam: Gay and Lesbian Stay and Play

It's hard to imagine a more gay- and lesbian-friendly travel destination than Amsterdam. With a rich history as a city of firsts for gay rights, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) visitors needn't search for rainbow flags to find a hotel, restaurant or bar with an open-minded welcome. Gay-friendliness permeates most every corner of the city.

Where to stay, eat, drink and play

That said, there are hundreds of gay bars/dance clubs, restaurants and hotels that could be described more accurately as 'gay-trendy', most of which are located in one of four main districts. The Reguliersdwarsstraat is the hub of upscale gay bars like relaxed Soho, trendy April, and the city's biggest gay dance club, Exit. Sleek ARC serves tapas and transforms into a late-night lounge. In fair weather the street feels like one big terrace, as patrons spill out under the neon glow.

Bars

The area where the Halvemaanssteeg alley meets the Amstel, near Rembrandtplein, is home to old-school Amstel Taveerne and smaller bars like Entre Nous and Montmartre. Leather bars, gay shops and cinemas line the Warmoesstraat in the Red Light District. It's here you'll find the oldest leather bar, Argos, alongside places like Getto, a favourite campy cocktail bar that happens to have some of the best gourmet burgers in town. Kerkstraat, near Leidseplein, is home to gay hotels like the Golden Bear and Amistad, as well as new kinky cruiser club Church.

Lesbians

Lesbians look beyond these gay-dominated districts to find Saarein II, a long-running lesbian bar in the cozy Jordaan area. Vive la Vie welcomes lesbians amongst old-Hollywood posters and an Art Deco atmosphere. For those on a budget or who like to wander off the beaten path, check out the Sunday night party from De Trut, a local-favourite underground gathering in the Oud West (Old West) area.

Not just tolerated...celebrated!

The street parties, club events and exhibitions of Amsterdam Pride draw more than 350,000 participants and visitors each year. On the first Saturday in August, thousands of onlookers line the Prinsengracht to watch the world's only pride parade on water. The cavalcade of colourful canal boats packed with hundreds of extravagantly costumed revellers is like nothing most people have ever seen.

Truly a manifestation of Amsterdam's openness to gay and lesbian culture, several Dutch companies (including the City of Amsterdam, ABN AMRO, ING and TNT) sponsor boats to support their LGBT employees. The unforgettable sight draws throngs of spectators of all sexual orientations. Locals of all ages perch on their stately canal-side stoops to cheer and even follow up the floating parade in their own boats.

Amsterdam: Living, working, leisure

The canal ring is still an extremely popular place to live and work, and is always bubbling with activity. Besides the daily comings and goings, the area welcomes numerous special events, such as the annual Queen’s Day celebrations, the Gay Pride boat parade, and the Prinsengracht concert. Occasionally, as in 2010, the national soccer team tours the canals by barge, welcomed home by a huge crowd of cheering Dutch fans following a successful performance in the World Cup.

The original distinction between canals designated for living and those intended for commercial uses no longer applies. In fact, many former warehouses are private homes today, while commercial companies have moved into what were once mansions. This not only speaks to the magnetic appeal of this area, but it also reflects on the flexibility of the buildings and the scope that exists within the regulations on the conservation of historic buildings. Since 1999, Amsterdam’s entire city centre has been a protected cityscape, where any plans for building or demolition are subjected to the strictest scrutiny.

An arena for wonderful memories
The status ‘world heritage site’ will not change any of this. One of the conditions for the award of this status is precisely that the existing management of the area must be sufficient to protect and conserve its unique value for the future. That is what ‘World Heritage Site’ stands for. The award will not affect rental or purchasing prices, and no one need fear that the city centre will become an open-air museum or that Amsterdam will be deluged by mass tourism. On the other hand, many lovers of history and culture will be more enthusiastic than ever about visiting Amsterdam, since history is literally to be found in the streets here. For these visitors, as well as for all those who live or work here, Amsterdam’s canal ring will be an arena for wonderful memories, for many years to come.