I studied in Amsterdam in the early 1970s and over the years I have seen many changes to this fascinating city.
In the 1970s and 80s Amsterdam was the centre of the ‘gay universe’ but more recently the city has politely relinquished that crown to other European capitals such as London, and Berlin, leaving LGBT tourists to explore the cultural side of what the city has to offer.
Returning to Amsterdam for me is like visiting an errant child, who has grown up and blossomed. The city now profiles its culture and history while allowing the more traditional aspects associated with a visit to take a back seat.
For much of the last five years Amsterdam has been a work in progress. The building of the new metro system caused a fair amount of visible redevelopment on the main roads and major buildings such as Central Station and the Rijksmuseum were under wraps while undergoing extensive renovation.
The good news is that much of the work has been completed and the city is returning to its former glory.
The best way to see Amsterdam is on foot. Most major attractions are easily accessible and you can stroll everywhere with ease. I tried the Amsterdam in World War II history walk, www.historywalks.eu which was fascinating. There is also a popular red light district tour and historic tour which takes in most of the major sights.
If you fancy seeing the city from two wheels you can hire a bicycle for the day. Mac Bike is the most famous rental brand and their main shop can be found at Stationsplein 5. If you prefer to have someone do the peddling for you try Wielertaxi www.wielertaxi.nl which you will find on Dam Square.
No trip to Amsterdam is complete without a Canal Trip. I chose to cruise with Holland International www.hir.nl who operate one hour cruises from a variety of destinations round central station and take you past many of the city’s must see tourists attractions.
The Rijksmuseum www.rijksmuseum.nl which features a magnificent selection of Dutch paintings from the Golden Age has been undergoing extensive renovations which will be finished in 2013. Pay and print your ticket online to avoid the long queues.
One of Amsterdam’s busiest attractions is the Anne Frank Museum, www.annefrank.org. Limited tickets are available online which fast track you past the daily queues. Check out the Homomonument behind the museum by the church. The inscription reads, “Commemorates all women and men ever oppressed and persecuted because of their homosexuality” and is made up of three pink stone triangles, which form the points of a much larger triangle.
Other must sees include the Royal Palace www.paleisamsterdam.nl/en and the magnificent Van Gogh Museum www.vangoghmuseum.nl which houses the largest collection of the artist’s paintings, anywhere in the world.
Finally after 30 years of visiting the city, this year I visited the Zoo www.artis.nl/en and what a treat it was. The zoo is integrated into a residential area, beautifully laid out with residential houses lining one side of the zoo and canals the other. The animal houses are spacious and I cannot recommend a visit more highly.
The best way to budget a trip to Amsterdam is to buy a City Card www.iamsterdam.com costing just 39 euros for 24 hours, 49 euros for 48 hours and 59 euros for 72 hours. The card gives you free entry to museums, free public transport, free canal cruises and 25% discount at many attraction and restaurants. It is excellent value and a real money saver. The card is available from the I Amsterdam Tourist Shop outside the main Central Station.
For this trip I stayed at the five star Barbizon Palace Hotel at Prins Hendrikkade 59-72 situated opposite Central Station: Tel +31 20 6243353, www.nh-hotels.com. Fantastic location and close to nightlife, trams and buses to get you around the city. The public spaces inside the hotel are first class and the breakfast which included champagne, was the best I have experienced for a long time.
‘Gay Amsterdam’ remains popular as a destination for the LGBT tourist. The Thermos Sauna www.thermos.nl is as busy as ever as are the many traditional bars that have been serving the LGBT community for the last 30 years. Unlike many other gay European destinations, Amsterdam’s gay commercial scene seems as busy as it has always been.
The new boy on the block is Bar Bump located on Kerkstraat 23 www.barbump.nl. The bar is located on two floors, has a dance floor, large smoking room, funky games room and in my experience has some of the best and most attentive staff I have ever working in a gay establishment. Cocktails are their speciality and the bar is open from 5pm on Wednesday to Sunday.
Club Church is just along the street at Kerkstraat 52 www.clubchurch.nl. It is open from Tuesday-Sunday and features regular naked and underwear parties.
My favourite traditional bar remains the Spijkerbar at Kerkstraat 4 www.spijkerbar.nl. Customers smoke openly and there is a fair amount of chomping at the bar.
Dining in Amsterdam has improved beyond recognition during the last few years. We had dinner at Mazzo, Living Room of the Jordaan, at Rozengracht 114 Tel: +31 20 3446402, www.mazzoamsterdam.nl. A modern stylish restaurant with an Italian twist. The food was delicious, service first class and friendly, the dining room quirky, comfortable and not too noisy.
For lunch we tried Brasserie Harkema at Nes 67, Tel: +30 204282222, www.brasserieharkema.nl. The Harkema is a contemporary version of a classic Parisian brasserie. The steaks were tender and tasty, the soups were traditional and quite delicious.
We visited Amsterdam for New Year. The celebrations were spectacular but it was very cold. Remember to pack your woolies.
No trip to Holland is complete without a visit to the flower fields at Keukenhof which are one of the most photographed places on Earth. The 32 hectares are open from March 24-May 20. They are a real must see, one of Europe’s great treasures and well worth a special visit to Holland just to see them.
For more information CLICK HERE: www.amsterdam4gays.com
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