Guide to Amsterdam | Travel + Leisure
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Guide to Amsterdam

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When to Go

Summer can be crowded—and disappointingly drizzly; fall promises sparse crowds and temperatures that hover around 55 degrees. Late spring sees the arrival of Holland's famous tulips and daffodils in Keukenhof gardens, outside the city. (Make this side trip on Queen's Day, April 30, when Amsterdam's streets are always clogged with drunken revelers.)

Getting There

Northwest, Continental, and Delta fly nonstop from New York's JFK and Newark airports to Schiphol Airport; Northwest has nonstop flights from Chicago and Los Angeles.

Where to Stay

College Hotel
Adjacent to the Museumplein and the Oud Zuid shopping district, this 40-room property is run by hospitality students under a seasoned management team. Guests inclined to overlook the occasional service hiccup will enjoy five-star surroundings at wallet-friendly prices.
1 Roelof Hartstraat; 31-20/ 571-1512; doubles from $260.

The Dylan
Gaze out onto the historic Keizersgracht from this 17th-century charity house turned boutique hotel; spend afternoons relaxing in the tranquil courtyard garden after pedaling around town on one of the Dylan's signature black bicycles.
384 Keizersgracht; 31-20/530-2010; doubles from $536.

Grand Sofitel
This refurbished convent, a 17th-century landmark, has 131 individually decorated rooms, a lavish hammam, and an unbeatable central location.
197 Oudezijds Voorburgwal; 31- 20/555-3111; doubles from $430.

Lloyd Hotel
The 116 rooms are rated with up to five stars, based on design. The two-star rooms offer large showers, starkly stylish whitewashed walls and furniture, and river views.
34 Oostelijke Handelskade; 31- 20/561-3636; doubles from $102.

Seven One Seven
It's like bunking with a madcap rich uncle. This über-B&B's eight suites are simultaneously luxurious and laid-back; guests enjoy a jaw-dropping breakfast spread every morning and first-rate South African wines in the firelit library every evening.
717 Prinsengracht; 31-20/427-0717; doubles from $530.

Where to Eat

Blauw aan de Wal
This diminutive multilevel space is reached via an alley off one of the Red Light District's main drags. The Continental menu with Asian and Californian influences is complemented by a wide-ranging wine list.
99 Oudezijds Achterburgwal; 31-20/330-2257; dinner for two $110.

Café Roux
The Michelin-starred brasserie in the Grand hotel.
197 Oudezijds Voorburgwal; 31-20/555-3560; dinner for two $120.

De Kas
Organic meats and produce from De Kas's own gardens make this one of Amsterdam's freshest and best dining experiences. The setting, a converted 19th-century greenhouse, is stunning. Take a cab; it's a 15-minute ride outside the city center.
3 Kamerlingh Onneslaan; 31-20/462-4562; dinner for two $130.

Eleven/Club 11
On the 11th floor of the Post CS building, in the industrial-cool Eastern Docklands. The kitchen dishes up basic lunch fare (sandwiches, salads, beer) and sophisticated dinners (grilled squid with arugula and borlotti beans). After hours, Eleven morphs into the city's premier club.
3-5 Oosterdokskade; 31-20/ 625-5999; dinner for two $150.

Sukasari
A reliable gem just off Dam Square, this family-owned restaurant serves one of Amsterdam's best rijstafels—multiple meat and side dishes with hot sauces and rice.
26-28 Damstraat; 31-20/624-0092; dinner for two $65.

Where to Shop

Droog Design
The showroom of the renowned collective.
7A/7B Staalstraat; 31-20/523-5050.

Frozen Fountain
Owner Cok de Rooy deftly edits a selection of furniture, kitchenware, and accessories, plus the largest selection of Royal Tichelaar porcelain outside the factory showroom in Makkum.
645 Prinsengracht; 31-20/ 622-9375.

Kunsthandel Artist
Dealer Hesdy Artist's stock ranges from 18th-century sculpture to botanical prints.
9 Kerkstraat; 31-20/428-1360.

Pols Potten
A cavernous housewares emporium lined wall-to-wall with handcrafted furniture, pottery, glassware, and lighting, on the main shopping drag on trendy KNSM island.
39 KNSM-laan; 31-20/419-3541.

WonderWood
Gallery-cum-shop specializing in vintage furniture and home accessories from the 40's, 50's, and 60's.
3 Rusland; 31-20/625-3738.

What to Do

Stedelijk Museum
Visit the long-running Municipal Art Acquisitions exhibition, highlighting modern Dutch works, in the Post CS building, the museum's temporary home.
5 Oosterdokskade; 31-20/573-2911; tickets $12.

Tropenmuseum
Part of the Royal Tropical Institute, this fantastically weird collection chronicles the extent of Holland's colonial reach in the 17th and 18th centuries—there are more than 254,000 pieces in all.
2 Linnaeusstraat; 31-20/568-8215; tickets $10.

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