Something special
Friday night at the Van Gogh Museum
On Friday nights the Van Gogh Museum is open until 22.00 and there’s always something special going on. Every Friday night, lounge chairs, video projections, live music, DJs and a bar transform the museum’s central hall into a relaxed place to meet. The Van Gogh Museum is on Museumplein in Amsterdam, between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum. The museum entrance is at Paulus Potterstraat 7.
Rent your own boat and explore Amsterdam
The beautiful canals of Amsterdam are one of the most popular attractions for visitors. One of the best ways to see the city is from the water. Rent a boat and explore the canals at your own leisure. For example with Boaty Rental Boats (the boats are electrically driven). You can also hire a boat with its own captain and full crew. Classic Canal Charters organises tours aboard classic ships and salon boats along the waters of Amsterdam. You decide the route, where your stop off and how long the tour takes. Same goes for the food and drinks. They also offer running dinners, for each dish they will hit a different restaurant. More info on Classic Canal Charters.
The beautiful canals of Amsterdam are one of the most popular attractions for visitors. One of the best ways to see the city is from the water. Rent a boat and explore the canals at your own leisure. For example with Boaty Rental Boats (the boats are electrically driven). You can also hire a boat with its own captain and full crew. Classic Canal Charters organises tours aboard classic ships and salon boats along the waters of Amsterdam. You decide the route, where your stop off and how long the tour takes. Same goes for the food and drinks. They also offer running dinners, for each dish they will hit a different restaurant. More info on Classic Canal Charters.
City Beaches in summer
With the city beaches Amsterdam offers a refreshing twist on the traditional sun and sand experience during the summer. For example Strand West: a broad sandy expanse with a panoramic view of the River IJ. Laze in a hammock or beanbag, sip a cocktail, snack on tapas or play a game of beach volleyball. A popular sandy beach, with a bohemian vibe, is Blijburg aan Zee. Situated on the eastern side of the modern IJburg island complex, the beach is 250 metres long and 40 metres wide. It hosts evening campfires and often a DJ or live band. Science Centre NEMO has an impressive ‘roof with a view’ for the whole family to enjoy a fun day in the sun. From June to September, under the name 'BovenNEMO', a beach is set up on the roof complete with lounge chairs, olive trees, ice-cream, exotic snacks, cocktails and of course sand.
With the city beaches Amsterdam offers a refreshing twist on the traditional sun and sand experience during the summer. For example Strand West: a broad sandy expanse with a panoramic view of the River IJ. Laze in a hammock or beanbag, sip a cocktail, snack on tapas or play a game of beach volleyball. A popular sandy beach, with a bohemian vibe, is Blijburg aan Zee. Situated on the eastern side of the modern IJburg island complex, the beach is 250 metres long and 40 metres wide. It hosts evening campfires and often a DJ or live band. Science Centre NEMO has an impressive ‘roof with a view’ for the whole family to enjoy a fun day in the sun. From June to September, under the name 'BovenNEMO', a beach is set up on the roof complete with lounge chairs, olive trees, ice-cream, exotic snacks, cocktails and of course sand.
Free ferry to the IJ-Kantine
The IJ-Kantine with its fabulous terrace on the NDSM harbour (Amsterdam North) occupies a wonderful spot at the water’s edge. They serves international dishes throughout the day. Or just go there for a coffee or a beer. Take the free ferry behind Central Station to NSDM werf. The trip takes 10 minutes and the ferry arrives next to the IJ-Kantine.
The IJ-Kantine with its fabulous terrace on the NDSM harbour (Amsterdam North) occupies a wonderful spot at the water’s edge. They serves international dishes throughout the day. Or just go there for a coffee or a beer. Take the free ferry behind Central Station to NSDM werf. The trip takes 10 minutes and the ferry arrives next to the IJ-Kantine.
Brewery and windmill
Brouwerij 't IJ is a local brewery and tasting house. Many people don’t just associate the brewery with traditionally brewed organic beer, but also with ‘De Gooyer’, the highest wooden windmill in the Netherlands. It’s an easy landmark to spot when you are on your way to the brewery. Guided tours of the brewery are available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The tasting room and terrace are open every day from 15.00 to 20.00. Brouwerij ’t IJ is situated in the east of Amsterdam’s city centre, near the zoo Artis and between Oostenburgergracht and Mauritskade.
Address: Funenkade 7
Phone: 020 - 320 1786
Brouwerij 't IJ is a local brewery and tasting house. Many people don’t just associate the brewery with traditionally brewed organic beer, but also with ‘De Gooyer’, the highest wooden windmill in the Netherlands. It’s an easy landmark to spot when you are on your way to the brewery. Guided tours of the brewery are available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The tasting room and terrace are open every day from 15.00 to 20.00. Brouwerij ’t IJ is situated in the east of Amsterdam’s city centre, near the zoo Artis and between Oostenburgergracht and Mauritskade.
Address: Funenkade 7
Phone: 020 - 320 1786
Enjoy three-course meals at bargain prices
The Amsterdam Restaurant Week takes place twice a year, in March and August. During this week guests can enjoy a three-course dinner for 25 euro, or a three-course lunch menu for 20 euro. The participating restaurants in Amsterdam include toprestaurants like Le Garage and restaurant d’Vijff Vlieghen. For reservations go to www.restaurantweek.nl
The coolest hotspot of Amsterdam
XtraCold Amsterdam is divided into two different types of venues complementing each other. The interior, completely designed by the well known Dutch designer Jan des Bouvrie, spectacularly illustrates the contrast between ‘hot’ and ‘cold’. At first the guest enters the XtraCold Lounge with the theme ‘Some like it hot’. Lunch is served here daily and great variety of finger food is available. Contrasting the XtraCold Lounge is the XtraCold Ice Bar with the theme ‘Some like it cold’. As the name already suggests, everything is made out of ice. The walls, the bar, the seats and even the cocktail glasses are frozen. A temperature of minus 8 degrees Celsius is maintained in order to enjoy a Smirnoff cocktail or a Heineken XtraCold beer in this unique atmosphere. To embrace the cold, every visitor receives special thermal clothing including gloves before entering the IceBar. Artists from all over the world work together regularly to create beautiful ice-sculptures, creating the Ultimate Ice Xperience. Address: Amstel 194-196 (the Rembrandt Square area).
Ctaste - Dining in the Dark
Enjoying your food, but in a different way. Using your senses, but see nothing. Visiting ctaste Amsterdam is not like visiting an ordinary restaurant. In ctaste you will enjoy your food in the complete dark. Address: Amsteldijk 55. Tel: +31-(0)6 22335366.
Cocktail and genever experience
House of Bols is an adventure of the senses and an initiation into the world of cocktails and bartending. Taste, smell, see, hear, touch and become familiar with the exciting world of bartending and enjoy a delicious cocktail of your choice. Address: Paulus Potterstraat 14 (opposite the van Gogh Museum). House of Bols is open from Monday through Sunday 12pm – 6pm (closed Tuesdays). Friday House of Bols is open from 12pm - 10pm. The entrance fee is € 11,50 per person. Including a cocktail in the Mirror bar.
Friday Night Skate
XtraCold Amsterdam is divided into two different types of venues complementing each other. The interior, completely designed by the well known Dutch designer Jan des Bouvrie, spectacularly illustrates the contrast between ‘hot’ and ‘cold’. At first the guest enters the XtraCold Lounge with the theme ‘Some like it hot’. Lunch is served here daily and great variety of finger food is available. Contrasting the XtraCold Lounge is the XtraCold Ice Bar with the theme ‘Some like it cold’. As the name already suggests, everything is made out of ice. The walls, the bar, the seats and even the cocktail glasses are frozen. A temperature of minus 8 degrees Celsius is maintained in order to enjoy a Smirnoff cocktail or a Heineken XtraCold beer in this unique atmosphere. To embrace the cold, every visitor receives special thermal clothing including gloves before entering the IceBar. Artists from all over the world work together regularly to create beautiful ice-sculptures, creating the Ultimate Ice Xperience. Address: Amstel 194-196 (the Rembrandt Square area).
Ctaste - Dining in the Dark
Enjoying your food, but in a different way. Using your senses, but see nothing. Visiting ctaste Amsterdam is not like visiting an ordinary restaurant. In ctaste you will enjoy your food in the complete dark. Address: Amsteldijk 55. Tel: +31-(0)6 22335366.
Cocktail and genever experience
House of Bols is an adventure of the senses and an initiation into the world of cocktails and bartending. Taste, smell, see, hear, touch and become familiar with the exciting world of bartending and enjoy a delicious cocktail of your choice. Address: Paulus Potterstraat 14 (opposite the van Gogh Museum). House of Bols is open from Monday through Sunday 12pm – 6pm (closed Tuesdays). Friday House of Bols is open from 12pm - 10pm. The entrance fee is € 11,50 per person. Including a cocktail in the Mirror bar.
Friday Night Skate
The route is a different one every week. They combine the busy city-center with more quiet parts, ultra-smooth asphalt with occasional bumpy cobbles. Every Friday throughout the year (if the streets are dry) they will make a skate tour through Amsterdam of about 20 kilometers. Anyone can join in, free of charge. Participation is allowed under the condition that you are a skilled skater who is able to brake well. If it turns out you cannot keep up or if you are not skilled enough, you will be asked to leave the tour and practise more before you join again.
Where: the round bench next to the Film museum in the Vondelpark
Gathering: Fridays 20.00 h (20.15 h in the winter)
Gathering: Fridays 20.00 h (20.15 h in the winter)