Off the beaten bike path - Alternative Amsterdam

Our Local Expert Says:

Quirkiest Market

Description:

This square is host to the Stopera (City Hall and Opera) and the outdoor market best known to tourists, which runs every day except Sunday. Antiques, clothes and souveniers are just some of the things you'll find here - and the variety of vendors and items change daily.

Description:

The name translates to "Old Man's Home," which is what stood here from 1602 onward. This covered alleyway is now part of the University of Amsterdam and hosts a regular second-hand book market.

Our Local Expert Says:

Best pancakes!

Description:

Climb the very narrow stairs and you will find yourself in Pannenkoeken Upstairs, quite possibly Amsterdam's smallest restaurant, and definitely the best place to get pancakes. Located in one room with only a few tables, you can chat with the owner as he prepares your pancake in a small corner of the room. From the ceiling hang many teapots, adding to the offbeat, quirky style of this restaurant.

Our Local Expert Says:

Quirkiest Church

Description:

During the Reformation, Catholics weren't allowed to openly practice their religion, so a hidden church in the attic of a house was established. Now known as "Our Lord in the Attic" Museum, it is the second oldest museum in Amsterdam. Guided tours are available. Every first Sunday of the month between October and April, you can join in an "attic celebration." The museum is open 10:00 to 17:00 Monday through Saturday, and 13:00 to 17:00 on Sunday and public holidays. Adults cost €8.00 and children ages 6 to 18 cost €4.00.

- Jessica E. Lipowski, Amsterdam Local Expert

Description:

Conscious Dreams is Amsterdam's most famous Smart Shops. A Smart Shop is where you can buy magic mushrooms and herbal alternatives to hard drugs, and the staff at Conscious Dreams are very informed to help you out on your trip. At the back of the shop is a lounge area over looking the water and Amsterdam's buys street, the Damrak. It is here you can relax for hours and enjoy the view, or read one of the many books they have on various topics relating to altered states of consciousness.

Description:

This store on the edge of the Red Light District claims to be the world's first specialized condom store -- the start of a whole new protection racket. It stocks a vast range of these singular items, in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, from common brands to flashy designer fittings, all but guaranteeing your apparel of choice. Open Monday to Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 6pm, and Thursday from noon to 8pm. Note: At press time, the store was based at adjacent Sint-Jansstraat 33 while the Warmoesstraat store was being renovated. It was slated to move back to its original digs in November 2006, but this date might easily have slipped.

Our Local Expert Says:

Most Spectacular Movie Theater

Description:

The Tuschinski Theatre, located just a few steps from Rembrandtplein, is the most lavish movie theater of the entire Pathe chain of cinemas. Showing a mixture of mainstream releases and more obscure art films, the theater is worth a visit solely for its design.

Built in 1921 by Abraham Tuschinski, a Polish Jew who made his way to Amsterdam with a vision to create a spectacular movie house. The result is an Art Deco masterpiece, with decorative elements from all over the world (including an Egyptian themed main theater and Japanese themed sitting rooms). The building is especially grand, considering it was built in a part of town that was undesirable in the 1920s.

In 2002 the Tuschinski re-opened its doors after a four year restoration project. Today the theater extends to the surrounding buildings and contains multiple modern screening rooms. If you want to see a movie in the original Egyptian screening room, make sure to purchase tickets for screenings in Hall 1 (Zaal 1).

Aside from the spectacular architecture, other novelties include VIP love-seats, and a bar at the concessions stand where you can buy alcoholic drinks and take them to your seat.
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Description:

This former post office designed by Michel De Klerk is now the Information and Documentation Center for Public Housing. It is also the most famous example of the Amsterdam School style of architecture. In recognition of this fact, an exhibition was opened in 2001 about this famous style of early twentieth-century architecture and the social conditions that made it possible. Much of the exhibit can be viewed on computers, but there are guided tours offered every hour from Wednesday to Sunday, 1 to 5 pm.

Our Local Expert Says:

Most Picturesque Canal

Description:

Amsterdam is known for its many canals - 165 of them! Brouwersgracht, or Brewer's Canal, was lined by beer breweries when the city's water was unsafe to drink, and everyone drank beer instead! The red-shuttered houses are typical warehouses from this period. The canal is one of the most charming, with many bridges, houseboats, and Amsterdam's famous leaning houses. Shop at the numerous stores or have a break at one of the many cafes.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Best Apple Pie in Town

Description:

Winkel 43 is a small café tucked away in the corner of the Noordermarkt. On a market day you can go shopping at all the interesting arts & crafts and food stalls, or at one of the many small shops in the neighborhood. But make sure you stop at Winkel 43 or you'll miss out on the best apple pie in town. This title is bestowed on the pie by the Dutch themselves, so the place is always packed.

Description:

This museum is located on the Hendrika Maria, a former commercial sailing ship built in 1914. On board, the visitor obtains information on the nature of this special lifestyle, living on a boat that never moves, which is so unique to Amsterdam. The deckhouse, where the shipper's family resided, is still in place, including the cupboard bed. The former cargo hold has now been converted into comfortable living space. Ship's models, photos and slides complete the tour. See website for photos, routes, visitor details and more.

Our Local Expert Says:

Amsterdam's Quirkiest House

Description:

The narrowest house in Amsterdam is approximately 180cm wide, which is actually less than the height of the average Dutch person. Historically, property in Amsterdam was taxed based on the width, which is why many houses are so narrow and deep. To save floor space in these houses, the stairs were made even narrower, but can you imagine getting large pieces of furniture up the stairs? This was rather impossible, which is why most houses have a hook above the very top window; a pulley and rope are attached to this hook, and furniture is hoisted up through the window. But since Amsterdam is a windy city, it would be very likely that furniture would end up in a neighbor's house, which is why the facades of the houses lean forward, to accommodate for the swing; this was done intentionally. However, many of the houses in Amsterdam also lean side to side, which is actually bad. The ground the houses are built on is unstable, and a house that is leaning to the side has shifted and is often sinking.

Our Local Expert Says:

Best Market

Description:

While the Netherland's largest outdoor market (rumored to be the largest outdoor daily market in Europe) is an important tourist attraction, it is still predominately a Dutch experience. Locals mob this street daily, sifting through cheap clothing, fresh foods, toiletries, and electronics while traditional herring and cheese vendors loudly advertise their wares in Amsterdam's native tongue. Here, visitors to the city can immerse themselves in the authentic Amsterdam experience while buying souvenirs at half the price of those found in the tourist shops of the City Centre. The market is located in the famous de Pijp neighborhood, Amsterdam's Quartier Latin. While many visitors may want to combine a stop at this market with a visit to the nearby Heineken Experience, the savvy traveler won't want to forget the bustling and diverse dining and nightlife scene found here as well.

The Albert Cuypmarkt is named after the street on which it is located which is, in turn, named after a painter of the Dutch Golden Age. Amsterdam's longest-running market was first officially organized in 1904 as a Saturday evening event. Now it runs Monday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and hosts over 300 stalls. read more