If the Netherlands is Europe’s casual country, Amsterdam is the heart of havoc. Mixing pretentious with precarious, travelers book flights to Amsterdam with one thing in mind: a good time. The city is undoubtedly Dutch, but it thrives on its tourist dollars and keeps visitors coming back for more.
Located on the water and very much a seaport city, Amsterdam is a booming metropolis welcoming millions of tourists a year. Young travelers book cheap flights to Amsterdam for a smoke and stag party, while entrepreneurs hold meetings on Amsterdam flights before a night out with their important clients. There’s plenty of time to explore Amsterdam’s historic district. Take a walk along the cobblestone streets and admire the ancient architecture and crooked houses that line the city. If you’re too tired from the night before, grab a good book and lay by the water banks. Enjoy a decent Dutch meal after a long day at the business trade conference. Amsterdam travelers will easily find peace among all the pleasure; the city’s allure will have you booking return trips before you even leave the city.
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Amsterdam has a mild, damp climate but the weather can be variable with temperature extremes even in summer. Spring and autumn especially bring changeable, unsettled weather. In the winter months clear, frosty days are the norm, the coldest months being December to March. Rain is likely all year round.
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The most popular time to take a flight to Amsterdam is from the start of the warm weather, when the tulips bloom, through to the early fall. Everyone—including locals—wants to be out and about and tourists from around the globe abound. In spring and summer the weather is usually good, with open-air dining on sidewalks and canal boats. Consequently, accommodations are hard to come by and the city is very crowded. Try to avoid the height of the summer if you can. If you do take an Amsterdam flight at this time, be prepared for both cool and very hot weather. September and October are less crowded than the summer, the rates are lower, and the weather is often quite lovely. This is an ideal time for the beautiful low-angle light depicted in Dutch landscape paintings.
Peak Season:
The most crowded and expensive time to visit Amsterdam is tulip season (April to mid-May) and July and August.
Off Season:
Most cultural events are scheduled from September through June, so if you go in the cold winter months (the coldest weather is December-March), there will be plenty to do and fewer people trying to do it. And if you’re there during one of the winters when the canals freeze, you can join the Amsterdam residents on skates—a lovely way to see the city.
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Schiphol (AMS)
Distance: 8 miles southwest of Amsterdam
Drive time: 10 mins
You can get into town by bus, tram, taxi, or shuttle.
Connexxion Schiphol Hotel Shuttle runs frequent shuttles to over 100 hotels. Check the Schiphol web site for up-do-date information about ground transportation
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Amsterdam is a very walkable city. You can cover the main areas in four or five hours. Just be aware of a few minor hazards. Cars, not pedestrians, have the right of way, and watch out not only for cars, but also for bikes, trams, and buses.
Bikes are a great way to see the city. There are bike lanes on major streets and plenty of bike racks for parking. There are a number of places to rent bikes. If you bring your own, be sure the light is working, and use it after dark, or you may get stuck with a hefty fine.
If you want to rent a car for a side trip, it’s cheaper in the city than at Schiphol. The Netherlands has an excellent highway system, so getting around by car is easy. Getting around by train or bus is also easy.
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- Vereniging voor Vreemdelingenverkeer (Association for Foreigner Travel), abbreviated to VVV (pronounced fay-fay-fay), is nationwide. VVV Amsterdam provides information, has brochures and maps, makes reservations for hotels and tours, and sells reduced-rate passes for attractions.
- You can buy an all-day pass for the Canal Bus, which takes you to Amsterdam’s major attractions and provides historical commentary along the way. If you have less time or want to spend a day going only to museums, the Museumboot (Museum Boat) takes you to most museums, and the ticket includes half-price entry.
- Museumplein and Vondelpark are the area where you will find the three major museums—the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum —as well as the Concertgebouw concert hall, a variety of restaurants, Amsterdam's most elegant shopping area, and its best-known park. There are also small hotels that are a much better bargain than those along the canals and in the center of the city.
- The Anne Frankhuis, the building where the Franks and two other families hid from the Nazis for two years, is just as they left it, and remarkably like the descriptions in Anne’s diary. The adjacent building contains exhibits about the occupants of the hiding place, including the original diary.
- If you walk along the canals after dark, you will see Amsterdam at one of its loveliest times. Subtle lighting bathes many of the 17th century houses, and bridges are festooned with lights.
- The Jordaan is an up-and-coming area of Amsterdam that still houses artists and students but is home to an increasing number of trendy restaurants and boutiques.
- The tour of the HeinekenBrewery gives you a good view of beer-making, and the entry fee entitles you to some of the product.
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