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The Anne Frank House
Prinsengracht 267
Tel.: +31 (0)20-5567105
Admission price: € 7,50
Open: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The former hiding place, where Anne Frank wrote her diary, is now a well-known museum. The museum tells the history of the eight people in hiding and those who helped them during the war. Anne Frank’s diary is among the original objects on display.
A lot of care goes to the preservation of the historic building and to preserving the special characteristics from the period of hiding. The museological collection is unique and diverse.
A visit to the Anne Frank House lasts around one hour. There are no tours or guides. A tour brochure with background information about the different rooms in the museum is available at the entrance.
Van Gogh Museum
Paulus Potterstraat 7
Tel: +31 (0)20 570 52 00
Admission price: € 10,-
Open: daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fridays until 10 p.m.
A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience. The museum contains the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. It provides the opportunity to keep track of the artist’s developments, or compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19th century in the collection. The museum also holds an extensive offer of exhibitions on various subjects from 19th-century art history.
During his ten-year artistic career, Van Gogh was highly prolific. A full 864 paintings and almost 1,200 drawings and prints have survived. The largest collection of his work – more than 200 paintings, 437 drawings and 31 prints – can be found in the Van Gogh Museum. Many other drawings and paintings by Van Gogh can be found at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo (The Netherlands) and the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The rest of his work is divided among a large number of museums and private collections around the world, including many in the Netherlands, France, Germany, the United States and Japan.
Vincent van Gogh was a passionate and fairly good letter writer. He put his thoughts and ideas to paper in over 800 letters, some to fellow artists such as Emile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, but most to his brother Theo, who was Vincent’s greatest source of support. Most of the manuscripts are in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum; they form an indispensable source of information about the artist’s life and work.
Royal Palace, The Old Church, The New Church
De dam
Open:
– Both churches are open for visits on a daily bases between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
– The Royal Palace is temporarily closed for visitors due to renovation
The Royal Palace:
The palace was originally built as a city hall for the mayor and magistrates of Amsterdam, who awarded the project to the celebrated architect Jacob van Campen in 1648.
Van Campen also had a hand in building Huis ten Bosch and Noordeinde Palace in The Hague.
The entire building is made of white stone, though centuries of weathering have left none of the original color visible.
The Old Church:
The Old Church has a long tradition of having excellent organs and organists. Even during the fifteenth century, an organ was hanging on the west wall (tower wall) of the nave. In 1539, the church acquired a new instrument that was played between 1577 and 1621 by a famous organist by the name of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck.
The New Church:
This church is famous for its cultural and artistic expositions. After the Old Church, it is the oldest church of Amsterdam with two organs from the 16th and 17th century. The New Church is closely related to the Dutch Royals through weddings and other official ceremonies.
Shopping
For more information on shopping visit: http://www2.holland.com/us/discover/amsterdam/cool/shopping/index.jsp
Department Stores and Malls
Bijenkorf
Shoppers will be delighted to find an extensive range of cosmetics, clothing, shoes, accessories, music, books, toys, furniture, accessories and more in this department store. This renowned store is located in a beautiful building at Amsterdam’s well-known Dam Square.
Dam 1
Hema
Candles, cutlery, curtains, sausages, socks, suntan lotion – you name it, the Hema probably sells it. It is a true Dutch institution (founded in 1926), loved by everyone in the country. The store is known for its design items, they even have a design contest each year among Dutch designers, the winner of which will see his design in the store.
Various locations throughout the city
Magna Plaza
This monument from 1898 has been transformed from the Main Post Office into a modern shopping center. It is a 4-floor mall and offers more than forty shops with an emphasis on fashion and luxury goods, as well as some nice restaurants. The combination of great shopping in a beautiful interior and events as live classical music on the ground floor during weekends make it a unique spot in Amsterdam for hip and trendy shoppers.
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182
Metz
The department store Metz & Co was founded in 1891 and has been an institution in Amsterdam ever since. It is a great store for all kinds of exclusive gifts, glassware, leather goods, clothing, kitchenware and much more. On the upper floor you will find a restaurant with a magnificent view, overlooking the canals, roofs and gardens of Amsterdam.
Leidsestraat 34-36
Kalvertoren
Shortly after its opening, this shopping mall won the 1998 European Shopping Center Award. It is located in one of the most popular shopping streets in Amsterdam’s city center: the Kalverstraat. Inside a beautiful tower of glass and steel, you will find more than thirty exclusive shops and two department stores which will meet the wishes of even the most demanding customer. Furthermore there are various cafes and a nice restaurant on the top floor, offering a nice view of the city.
Singel 457
Markets
The history of the Amsterdam markets goes back more than 100 years. The first market opened in 1783 in the Jewish quarter. The government forced it to move to its current location at the Waterlooplein. World War II caused the market to close and although it was restored after the war, it never regained its original flare. Nowadays, it is still one of the best known flea markets in the city and very popular with both locals and tourists.
However, Amsterdam, has much more to offer when it comes to markets. With over 11 permanent markets, some specializing in antiques, books, coins and flowers, you are sure to find something to bring home.
Flower Market
The Singel canal in Amsterdam is home to the Flower Market, a must see for every visitor and Amsterdammer. It is open daily from 8am-8pm.
Antiques Market
De Looier antiques market is one of the most popular markets in Amsterdam for both locals and tourists. It is held every day on the Elandsgracht and worth a visit if you are hunting for that special antique piece, just want to browse a bit, or maybe find a true bargain. Open Monday-Wednesday 11am-5pm, on Thursday from 11am-9pm and Saturday 9am – 5pm.
Flea Markets
If you want to see a bit of everything, the market at Looiersgracht (open daily from 11am-5pm) is the place to be. Located in the Jordaan area, you will find almost anything at this general market with its special atmosphere.
Waterlooplein
The oldest market in Amsterdam is the Waterlooplein market. Immensely popular with both locals and tourists, this market sells clothing, furniture, collector’s items, accessories, household items, music and much more. Open Monday-Saturday from 9am-5pm.
Where to Eat
There are so many restaurants in Amsterdam that mentioning them all would be extremely difficult. We recommend that you take a look at http://www.diningcity.com/amsterdam/ which gives a complete overview of restaurants whatever your tastes may be. We have listed some restaurants that we recommend:
Barok
Wolvenstraat 22-24
Amsterdam
Tel: +31 20 330 7470
Bloesem
Binnendommerstraat 13
Amsterdam
Tel: +31 20 770 0407
De Roode Leeuw
Damrak 93-94
Amsterdam
Tel: +31 20 555 0666
Reflet
Dam 9
Amsterdam
Tel: +31 20 554 6026
..:: Liarjo of Locksley ::.. 