Amsterdam Travel Blog

The Keukenhof flower gardens in Spring By Scott Roane The fact that the website of the Keukenhof, the Netherlands famous flower exhibition, is in 11 different languages tells you something about its popularity as a tourist destination. With over 800,000 Germans alone visiting each year, you get an...

By Scott Roane Following Food Film Festivals in New York, Bologna and London, the Netherlands’ first Food Film Festival will be held in Amsterdam from 18 – 20 March. Organized by the Youth Food Movement, the youth arm of the Slow Food Movement. The event will be held at Studio K cultural center...

By Scott Roane Whether you’re gay, straight or on the fence, the annual Pink Film Festival will, if previous events are to go by, draw huge crowds to Amsterdam from 10-20 March this year. The 2011 edition of the Pink Film Days will take place again at cinema “Het Ketelhuis”, on the...

By Scott Roane Amsterdam’s Red-Light District has been a key attraction in the city since the fifteenth century, when sailors visited to satisfy themselves after lonely months at sea. But with over 60 of the red-light windows losing their permits in January 2011 alone, time is running out for you...

As a general rule, if something is not allowed, people go over board the moment they get their hands on that forbidden fruit.  The proof for this exists in the fact that the Dutch, who are constantly exposed to legalized prostitution in the Red Light District and marijuana in coffeeshops, rarely frequent...

Christmas decorations are popping up all over Amsterdam, including on the Warmoestraat, which borders the Red Light District. Full of coffeeshops, sex shops and cinemas, you would wouldn’t think to find a reindeer here… Can you spot it?

Each Christams Amsterdam hosts a variety of winter activities around the city.  This years biggest is Winterland at Rembrandtplein, and contains Christmas decorations, a skating rink (with rentals), and food and drink stalls.  Make sure you try the Gluhwein, a hot drink made of wine and spices.  Poffertjes,...

It’s snowing in Amsterdam, and all the locals are excited because no one under 30 remembers this much snow.  Tram service has been interrupted, but it’s a small price to pay for the pretty scenery.  Besides, the city center is so compact it’s easy to walk to all points of interest. Amsterdam’s...

If you’re cycling around Amsterdam on a snowy day, here are a few tips to keep you from skidding into a canal: 1.  Brake gradually, which means you’ll probably have to cycle slowly.  Hitting the breaks hard will cause you to lose control.  Braking gradually is especially important if you...

Secret Santa is a popular Christmas activity where I’m from (Canada), and is probably popular in other countries too.  It’s simple: we draw names from a hat and then have to buy a present for that person, and sometimes taunt our giftee with secret clues as to our identity. The Dutch do their...