Off to Amsterdam

Leaving for Amsterdam in about 6 hours, anyone have names of really good bars/coffee shops/...? Beer varieties that should be at the top of my list?

Probably a little late to get any significant number of replies, but I didn't want to be swamped and need to choose between them all :cross:

There's a cool bar called THE GOLLUM,go to the main square,on your right is the post office , walk to it and behind it , walk to the SINGLE canal go left towards the flower market take a left at the second bridge its on the left, small street, ask anyone ,and have a BUDWISER from the original brewery in chechoslovakia ,PRonunced BOOT VYEYE zer

I wasn't into beer when I went in November 2006.

For coffee shops, from memory De Rokerij was pretty good.

Also, if you're into cigars, the Dutch make some very good ones, with Tobacco from their ex-colony Indonesia.

Another thing that might interest you is visiting cities close to Amsterdam, such as Edam, where they make Edam cheese. You will also see a more typical Dutch city when you visit. To go to other cities, usually you travel by bus, and they are located at the central station (usually where all the Trams go).

They have a bunch of great museum (Van Gogh museum, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam) and there is an Oranje Voetbal Museum which is about their national football (soccer) team.

I imagine that you have accomodations, but if not, here is a good hostel, where I went, that is right beside Vondelpark (think Central Park in NY): Stayokay Amsterdam. It isn't in the middle of the city, but everything is relatively close in Amsterdam, so that's not a big problem.

If you're interested in seeing a soccer match, here are the next upcoming ones: http://www.amsterdamarena.nl/evenementen/en/. You can buy tickets at some of the record shops, just ask them.

And one last thing: there is a free tour of the city, you tip the person that gave you the tour at the end. Here's some information: Sandemans

This is all I can think of right now, but you have a lot there, depending on how long you are staying.

Get Kawk Bier at Gollum its awesome....
Also a great coffee shops are: Blue Dolphin, Tweed Kammer, Dutch Flowers, Abraxis *Special* hot chocolate, Da Dampkring (SP?), Blues Brothers, Blue Bird
Rip Offs: Bull Dog, Grasshopper

get a map of the "green light" district, you should be good!

Also, in Lidzeplin there is a bar where you can sign up for a private cannal tour. Really awesome....onmy 10eur.

the Heiniken tour is worth the 15 euros(plus you get 4 beers in that price)
take the canal tours they are fun
there are hit the VanGo(sp?) museum, its worth the time.
I would hit the hard rock cafe, if for nothing else then the t-shirt.

Tons of great bars, i love my trip there. The walkplatz is a great place to just people watch, it is just a bit too cold for much of that right now.

In de Wildeman is a popular local hangout - over 200 beers with 17 or so on tap.

Be sure to hunt down a Westvleteren 12 while you're there.

whatever you do, make sure to get some Nepalese Temple Ball.

best hash on the planet.


(by hash, I am of course referring to the beef and potato dish, and not the cannabis-based drug )

Wow, I've already filled up two pages in my little pocket notebook with things to check out, thanks!

Go to Grey Area and forget about the beer. You're in the cannabis capital of the world!

GOOCHY said:

Go to Grey Area and forget about the beer. You're in the cannabis capital of the world!

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+1 for the Gray Area! The place is small but its owned by some guys from NY, really cool. Make sure you hit that place up!

The Bulldog

something that begins with an H,....Heinekin.
and
braindamage brew

GOOCHY said:

Go to Grey Area and forget about the beer. You're in the cannabis capital of the world!

Click to expand...

I wouldn't even think about wasting time on beer if I went to Amsterdam.

Didn't end up doing much drinking... Probably partially because SWMBO doesn't like beer, but also because there were so many other places to check out.

Didn't make it to Grey Area either, but we did manage to visit a dozen or so other coffee houses, including Blue Bird, which had the largest selection of any.

Thanks for your suggestions everybody!

richbrostrom said:

The Bulldog

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Oh, hell yeah!

Look for the little, pointy leaf in the window of "coffee shops".

Be sure and hit the Torture Museum.

Go to the Thieves Market (they say you can have your bike stolen in the morning, and go buy it back there in the afternoon). I bought a glass eye there.

Go down to the red light district and do some "window shopping".

Be wary of food from carts. I got the worst stomach issues of my life doing that (and, I have traveled "hippie style" through Mexico, central and south America).

Be prepared for dozens of junkies that try to sell you every kind of drug in the world, constantly, right on the street.

Cpt_Kirks said:

Oh, hell yeah!

Look for the little, pointy leaf in the window of "coffee shops".

Be sure and hit the Torture Museum.

Go to the Thieves Market (they say you can have your bike stolen in the morning, and go buy it back there in the afternoon). I bought a glass eye there.

Go down to the red light district and do some "window shopping".

Be wary of food from carts. I got the worst stomach issues of my life doing that (and, I have traveled "hippie style" through Mexico, central and south America).

Be prepared for dozens of junkies that try to sell you every kind of drug in the world, constantly, right on the street.

Click to expand...

Ahh, unfortunately I am already back. Here's the summary: Visited a number of coffee shops, skipped the torture museum, had not heard of the thieves' market, walked through the red light district numerous times just to look, didn't eat any cart food, and did get offered hard drugs a couple of times on the streets.

Overall, had quite a good time

I lived in the NL for 3.5 years.

SWMBO would get fed up with the street drug dealers and scream at them.

Oh, and check your shoes. Damn Dutch let their dogs go EVERYWHERE!

Amsterdam is such a great town. I had the best time when I went last spring. I found the dutch to be the nicest people. I split the time of 7 nights between amsterdam and brussels, and I couldn't get myself through 2 grams of you know what. Take into consideration I don't partake that much anymore so it did hit me harder than usual, but damn, they mix some tobacco in for a reason. All that aside, if you wanted nothing to do with the drugs, hookers and alcohol, amsterdam is still a great place to go. Nice people (besides for the expectable sketch balls) easy to get around, and great food. It's a port city, they have so many different great places/cultures to eat from, it's ridiculous. I'm dying to go back. Especially just to go back to Brussels (which is like a 2 hour train ride); I found a list of great Belgian beer places to go (not like their so hard to find anyway) and the one I thought was my personal fav. was like number 10 on this dudes list.

Here we go I just found this again, I went to Delirium which was awesome, but 1-9 look dope.

Belgium King - Top 10 Belgium Beer Bars

Just remembered one of the other things I tried while I was there: Lambic.

Here's a little tip: get a small glass (I'm sure the bartender will oblige if you say that you've never tried a lambic before). I was unable to drink more than a couple sips, and even then I was forcing it down. Really not my thing. Glad I tried it, though, since I was curious.