Amsterdam News
March 12, 2010
Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen today resigned effective immediately. He did so after Labour Party leader Wouter Bos in a surprise announcement this morning said he is retiring from politics — and suggested his leadership should be handed over to Cohen.
» Full Story
March 2, 2010
Amsterdam’s most exclusive warehouse is saying goodbye to clothes by Mexx, the troubled Amsterdam-based design firm which just a few years ago was listed among the world’s top fashion brands. Saying the designer’s apparel has become too run of the mill, the Bijenkorf says it will stop carrying Mexx’s women’s lines by this summer. It has already stopped carrying the firm’s men’s and children’s clothes.
» Full Story
March 1, 2010
Two buildings at Vijzelgracht, along the construction site for the new North/South line of the Amsterdam metro system, have subsided. Shopkeepers in the buildings blame the construction work, while the metro project bureau simply says those buildings already had ‘bad foundations.’
» Full Story
February 24, 2010
The disappearance of the giant red letters ‘A’ and ‘M’ from Amsterdam’s IAMSTERDAM marketing logo was a marketing stunt from Sony Computer Entertainment. Locals are not amused by the theft.
» Full Story
February 23, 2010
Two letters of the enormous IAMSTERDAM marketing slogan have gone missing from the iconic logo’s location at Museumplein The letters — 2 meters high and with a combined weight of 500 kilos — were later advertised at a Dutch auction website.
» Full Story
February 22, 2010
Dutch Railways (NS Nederlandse Spoorwegen) earn millions of Euros by duping tourists who travel from Schiphol Amsterdam Airport to Central Station into buying First Class tickets. NS claims that’s what tourists want, but according to the VVV Tourist Office — which also sells train tickets at the airport — tourists usually elect to buy Second Class tickets.
» Full Story
February 21, 2010
A collision between two metro trains in an Amsterdam station has left 31 people injured. The low speed collision occurred at Wibautstraat station, when a train full of passengers ran into a stopped, empty metro train.
» Full Story
February 16, 2010
If you order a Heineken beer in an Amsterdam pub or restaurant there is a good chance that you’ll be served an unbranded brew instead. The beer flows from Heineken owned- and labeled taps and is served in Heineken glasses, but in reality comes from unbranded barrels originating from brewers with overcapacity in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
» Full Story
February 11, 2010
Drilling for the North-South extension of the Amsterdam metro system is scheduled to start on March 11, but now warehouse De Bijenkorf has demanded the city first performs more research into the risks involved. Persistent problems during the construction of underground stations for the metro line have already caused damage to several historical buildings.
» Full Story
February 10, 2010
Dutch police have smashed a drug smuggling operation after members of the National Crime Squad intercepted nine kilos (20 lb) of cocaine at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The drug was hidden among 20,000 long-stem red roses flown to the Netherlands from Colombia for Valentine’s Day.
» Full Story
February 8, 2010
Pay up for the ferry to and from Amsterdam-North. Spend less on arts and culture. Raise real estate and tourist taxes, and make people pay more for parking permits. Budget cuts in the areas of education, healthcare, roadworks, and a sharp reducation in the number of civil servants. Those are some of the options Amsterdam’s Municipal Executive board will have to choose from in order to make sure the city will live within its budget while facing steep cuts over the next four years.
» Full Story
February 5, 2010
Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen later this month will present the city councel with a handful of alternative measures designed to prevent the forced closure of coffeeshops located near schools.Federal rules to go into effect no later than December 2011 will prohibit coffeeshops from operating within 250 meters from a high school.
» Full Story
January 26, 2010
Amsterdam is the most bicycle-friendly city in the world, says American travel agency Virgin Vacations. In its listing of “11 Most Bicycle Friendly Cities in the World,” Amsterdam ranks number one. Small wonder. Amsterdam truly is bike heaven.
» Full Story
January 19, 2010
Amsterdam’s world famous Red Light District should be closed for prostitution between 4 am to 8 am, an Amsterdam alderman says. In addition, the minimum age for prostitutes must be raised from 18 to 23 years, says Deputy Mayor Lodewijk Asscher, proposing measures meant to combat forced prostitution.
» Full Story
January 14, 2010
Effective this thursday, the city of Amsterdam wil cancel a recent ban on sailing through some of its canals. The ban was meant to allow a network of canals to freeze over — turning a large section of the city into a giant ice skating rink. But the weather isn’t playing along…
» Full Story
January 13, 2010
Amsterdam’s most photographed bridge, the Skinny Bridge across the river Amstel, is damaged by wood rot. Large sections of the bridge will have to be restored. The City of Amsterdam will do anything to keep the iconic bridge, a national monument, in its original state.
» Full Story
January 6, 2010
The city of Amsterdam has banned boats from using a number of canals in the hope that they will freeze over, turning the historic water ways into a giant ice skating rink. We’ll show you which canals are affected.
» Full Story
December 15, 2009
The City of Amsterdam should never have approved the construction of the North-South metro line a special city council investigative committee concluded Tuesday. The committee also urges the council to debate the risks associated with the planned drilling of a metro tunnel underneath the historic city center.
» Full Story
November 27, 2009
A panel of customers of prostitutes in Amsterdam has been advising the city since this summer on issues such as human trafficking and forced prostitution. Critics say the city’s policy of reducing window prostitution, as part of efforts to spruce up and repupose Amsterdam’s city centre, will force many prostitutes underground — possibly subjecting them to abuse and exploitation.
» Full Story
November 26, 2009
Billowing clouds of black smoke can be seen throughout Amsterdam at this time as a huge fire is raging in a large self-storage facility. Locals are advised to keep windows and doors closed.
» Full Story
November 24, 2009
Nevzat Koyak, the main suspect in the murder of Amsterdam day care center owner Arzu Erbas has in the past been convicted in Turkey for murder. Meanwhile investigators have determined that, other than first thought, Koyak and Erbas did known each other.
» Full Story
November 23, 2009
A fire in two storage sheds behind the Haarlemmermeerstation has destroyed all fifteen classic vehicles collected and maintained by the Amsterdam department of Keep Them Rolling — a club that restores and maintains military vehicles from the WWII era. The classic cars have also participated in various parades and events, such as those organized during the annual Liberation Day celebrations in the Netherlands.
» Full Story
November 20, 2009
The tourism sector in Amsterdam is showing signs of recovery, with the number of nights booked in the city’s hotels on the way up since April. So says the Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Burea (ACTB), using numbers published by the Netherlands’ Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
» Full Story
November 9, 2009
NH Hotels has cancelled plans to expand Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky. However the flagship hotel, overlooking Dam square in the very center of Amsterdam, will start renovation work at the end of next year.
» Full Story
November 5, 2009
The Dutch are among the lowest users of marijuana or cannabis in Europe despite the Netherlands’ well-known tolerance of the drug, Reuters writes, citing an annual report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. » Full Story
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About DutchAmsterdam.nl
This travel and visitors guide to Amsterdam, Holland, is presented by a handful of Amsterdam locals - not by paid professionals, tourist office officials, or any other agency.
We love this city and enjoy sharing our knowledge and enthousiasm with others. Amsterdam is truly the world's most unique city; a thriving, world-class metropolis in pocket format.
Amsterdam is best experienced in person, and experience shows that the best way to enjoy this city is to simply wander around, browsing and sampling all that it has to offer. There is so much to see, do, taste and otherwise enjoy around every corner that you'll soon find yourself adopting Amsterdam's laid-back attitude.
That's the same way we approach this web site. We've only just started, but as the site grows you'll find that using DutchAmsterdam is much like wandering through Amsterdam itself: you'll enjoy the sights, discover unique shops, decide to sample the food and drink at a local cafe or two, and happen upon lots of other things to see and do.
At the same time our aim is to provide basic, no-nonsense information about Amsterdam. Quick facts you can use in planning your stay. Like so:
- Where to stay: hotels, youth hostels, bed and breakfast, campings...
- Places to see (tourist attractions, museums, unique sights)
- Where to shop (We'll guide you to Amsterdam's best-loved stores and boutiques)
- Things to do and Tourist traps to avoid
- Eating and Drinking (from 'brown cafes' and coffee shops to restaurants)
- Things to do, and lots of other stuff, including:
- Practical information about transportation, the weather, the money, safety, churches, and so on...
Amsterdam Tourist Information
March 5, 2010
Museums:
Outstanding works by Matisse, Picasso, Van Dongen, De Vlaminck, Derain and many other contemporaries of theirs will be seen in a magnificent display from 6 March 2010 to 17 September 2010 at the Hermitage Amsterdam. The exhibition is titled, Pioneers of Modern Art Matisse to Malevich.
» Full Story
March 4, 2010
Museums:
Hermitage Amsterdam is a dependency of the Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg, located in the largest 17th century building in town.» Full Story
March 3, 2010
Museums • The Plantage:
Amsterdam’s Tropenmuseum, the Museum of the Tropics, offers 8 permanent exhibitions as well as an ongoing series of temporary exhibitions.» Full Story
February 10, 2010
Hotels • Where to Stay:
The luxurious Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre has received the Golden Green Key award in recognition of its eco-friendly policies. According to Green Key Amsterdam is at the European top in sustainable hotels.
» Full Story
February 1, 2010
Weather:
February is the coldest month throughout the Netherlands, and the the coldest time of the year to spend in Amsterdam. But it’s also one of the driest months, and with the lengthening days you’ll see a bit more sun.
» Full Story
January 4, 2010
Weather:
January tends to be Amsterdam’s coldest month. Expect anything from gloomy days with (near) freezing temperatures to deep blue, cloudless skies with lots of sun. Plan for rain and don’t be surprised to see snow…
» Full Story
December 14, 2009
Events:
Amsterdam’s first Christmas boat parade is just around the corner: this Christmas Eve join locals and tourists alike to view a parade of decorated boats against the backdrop of Amsterdam’s beautiful canals.» Full Story
December 2, 2009
Weather:
Tourists from countries closer to the equator are often amazed at how short Amsterdam days really are in December, with sunrise on average at about 8:30 am, and sunset around 4:30 pm. » Full Story
November 23, 2009
Amsterdam Blog:
If you’re willing to part with something near and dear to your heart, you may be on your way to Amsterdam as the winner of a contest organized by Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions in partnership with Lloyd Hotel.» Full Story
November 19, 2009
Kalverstraat and Surroundings • Old City Center • Religion in Amsterdam • What to See:
Founded sometime in the 14th century for the Beguines, members of a lay Catholic sisterhood, the Begijnhof is one of Amsterdam’s oldest inner courtyards — and one of the city’s best known landmarks. Access to the private property is strictly regulated in order to maintain both the courtyard’s tranquility and the privacy of its inhabitants.
» Full Story
November 17, 2009
Museums • Parks • The Plantage • Zoo:
Founded in 1838, Artis is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands.
Guidebooks rightly refer to it one of the most pleasant city zoos around, as the whole place breathes a 19th-century garden atmosphere with winding paths, majestic trees, fascinating sculptures and monumental historical buildings.
» Full Story
November 2, 2009
Museums:
Are you an avid museum visitor vacationing in Amsterdam on a budget? Consider getting a Museum Year Pass, which provides free entry to over 400 museums in the Netherlands, including 32 museums in Amsterdam. [Updated]
» Full Story
October 28, 2009
Events • Things To Do:
Buy art at affordable prices, pay a midnight visit to a museum, or celebrate the fact that Amsterdam is the world’s largest cocoa harbor by indulging in the Chocolate Festival. Then there is the largest documentary film festival in the world, as well as the annual arrival of the orginal St. Nicholas.
» Full Story
October 27, 2009
Weather:
The weather in Amsterdam during the month of November is best characterized by word ‘turbulent.’ The Dutch often refer to November as wind- or dolmaand — windy or crazy month.
» Full Story
Furniture • Home Decorating • Old City Center • Shops:
The Droog Design group is a design collective based in Amsterdam whose work has garnered international fame.To a large extent their work has defined Dutch design internationally.
» Full Story
September 25, 2009
Visitors Guide • Weather:
Amsterdam weather in October: rain, sunshine and anything in between. Average temperatures, and what to wear.
» Full Story
Museums • The Plantage • What to See:
Built 1892, the Hollandsche Schouwburg (Dutch Theatre) long was a house of culture and entertainment.But during the Second World War the German occupiers turned the building into a place of grief and sorrow.
It is now a war memorial in remembrance of the Jews who were deported from here.
» Full Story
August 11, 2009
Events • Music:
Amsterdam’s classical music season for 2009 will kick off with the Grachtenfestival [Canals Festival] that this year takes place from August 15th through August 23rd. As always the Prinsengracht concert — performed on a pontoon surrounded by hundreds of pleasure craft and with thousands of people lining the canal and its bridges — is the highlight of the festival
» Full Story
July 30, 2009
Amsterdam Blog:
In the U.S., FOX News is considered by many to be a prime distributor of fertilizer. Thus when a talking head on one of its shows referred to Amsterdam as a ‘cesspool,’ a graduate of Amsterdam’s Film Academy posted a video reply to YouTube.
Statistics included…
» Full Story
June 7, 2009
Nieuwmarkt • Old City Center:
The Nieuwmarkt is one of Amsterdam’s most popular squares, dominated by a castle-like former city gate. The square is lined by two dozen cafés and coffeeshops, and has a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.
» Full Story
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