Holidays to Amsterdam

Get ready for the LeBron James of city breaks. The capital of the Netherland’s café culture, uber-cool art scene and calming canals will have you saying Amster-DAM!

All night, every night

Amsterdam is a party-loving insomniac. And Leidseplein entertainment district is the place to wring the best bits of fun out of the early hours. Whether you boogie to live bands or superstar DJs, you can cut a rug until at least 5am.

Leave something in the tank for the Amsterdam nightlife boss – De Wallen, the historic red-light district. Bars, boutiques and booths crisscross the canal – expect boisterous Brits and sights that can’t be unseen.

A hoity-toity holiday

Perfect your pensive art-gallery walk, cos you’re gonna need it for the gazillion masterpieces. Spend your morning with Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst, your afternoon with the Dutch masters – Van Gogh, Rembrandt and loads more – and your evening feeling inferior.

More culture? Ask for directions in your best Dutch accent to De Royal Concertgebouw (the Royal Concert Building and one of the finest concert halls in the world) or De Oude Kerk – Amsterdam’s oldest building. Look at you, you’re practically fluent!

Burn off those bitterballen

Bitterballen may mean nothing to you now, but trust us, after a few days in Amsterdam, they’ll be your main food group. Stewed meat rolled in breadcrumbs then fried, they’re as indulgent as they sound.

Don’t worry about fitting in your holiday wardrobe, you’ll cycle them off before they even start planning their lifetime on your hips. Biking is by far the best way to see this city, so saddle up.

The canals are a-callin’

Amsterdam is the Venice of the North or – as we think of it – the Dutch Birmingham. There are lots of canals. For a duck’s eye view of the city sights, take a boat along the Prinsengracht canal. 

Or wet your whistle with a walk along the Brouwersgracht – Brewers’ Canal – for a tour through gins, liqueurs and questionable spirits. Just try not to fall in on the way home!