Amsterdam Travel Blog

Amsterdam Comedy Festival, Melkweg By Scott Roane Over the past three years the Amsterdam Comedy Festival has become known as Holland’s leading English-speaking comedy festival. And if last year is anything to judge by, it certainly lives up to its reputation. On three different stages, varying in...

Views are for Free from the Central Library, Amsterdam By Scott Roane Wherever you are in the world, recent headlines have been dominated by rising food prices, rising inflation and fuel prices on the up. It’s enough to put anyone off taking a well deserved break. But there is good news.  In my...

The Kompasszaal Amsterdam By Scott Roane De Kompaszaal (The Compass Hall) is a Grand Café and restaurant located in the historic 1950s departure hall of the former KNSM (Royal Dutch Shipping Company). The hall offers fantastic views over the IJ river and the terrace is said to be the most spectacular...

Urban Art Amsterdam By Scott Roane Amsterdam’s tradition of producing great artists might have started in the Golden Ags of the 17th century, but it’s something that the city still takes very seriously to this day. In addition to the hundreds of studios, art museums and permanent galleries, this...

BadBuiten - Amsterdam's Floating Pool on the Amstel By Scott Roane Don’t forget to pack your swimming costume; Amsterdam’s BadBuiten has re-opened for business after its winter break! BadBuiten meaning ‘outside bath’ is an18 x 5 meter swimming pool which floats on a wide part of the Amstel...

Organic Farmers Market, Puurmarkt, Selling Local Produce in Amsterdam By Scott Roane As the weather starts to pick up, a great way to discover more of Amsterdam than the popular central area,  is to take yourself on a tour of Amsterdam’s lesser-known markets. As well as seeing various parts of the...

Museum Square, Amsterdam, Queens Day 2010 Koninginnedag, the Queen’s birthday celebration on April 30 is a national holiday in the Netherlands. Officially it’s the birthday of the previous Queen Juliana, the mother of the current Queen Beatrix. Her birthday on January 31 isn’t exactly...

Typical wooden houses along Amsterdam North's original sea djke By Scott Roane Bordering Amsterdam’s Centraal Station, Amsterdam North district, Noord, has been a significant, if less than salubrious part of the city since the late 14th century. Between then and the 19th century, its dubious...

Bloemencorso Flower Parade By Scott Roane The bulb-region (bollenstreek) flower parade (bloemencorso), one of the largest and most spectacular flower parades of the year, starts on Saturday April 21, in the city of Noordwijk, around 20 kilometres from Amsterdam. Departing at 9.30 a.m. it winds its way...

Brouwerij 't IJ, Amsterdam's Local Brewery By Scott Roane Until May, or until the barrels run dry, which given the unusually warm and sunny weather could be sooner rather than later, visitors to Amsterdam’s unique micro brewery, Brouwerij ‘t IJ can sample the special ‘PaasIJ’ brew....