66 SATURDAY MAGAZINE- before ending up in the nearby Jordaan
quarter. It’s a similarly scenic labyrinth of narrow
streets, as well as little canals, lined mostly with
art galleries and snug, atmospheric Dutch pubs,
known as ‘brown cafés’ (or bruin cafés), so
named for their wood panelling and
walls once stained by smoke.
The Jordaan is also home to
Anne Frank House, the Jewish
diarist’s hiding place with her
family during Nazi occupation
in the Second World War. The
factory premises and secret
annexe at the back, in which they
hid, is now a museum dedicated to
her life and is a sobering, but necessary,
must-see when in the city.
Just outside Anne Frank House is where
you can pick up a quirky canal boat tour with
Those Dam Boat Guys. It’s probably the least
touristy way of exploring the city’s beautiful
waterways, and we spent 90 minutes enjoying an
entertaining ride. Bringing your own food and
beer is actively encouraged.
There are plenty of major tourist attractions
to visit and we crammed in a dizzying amount
during our weekend. But we also sought out the
more undiscovered, local hotspots, such as De
Hallen – a cultural complex in the hip Oud-West
neighbourhood. Housed in a former tram depot,‘Locals
do just about
everything by
bike, so we
decided to join
the masses
and cycle’A
msterdam is a city of two halves. The
neon-lit backstreets of its infamous
red-light district, the cannabis cafés and
stag parties contrast sharply with the
tranquil, pretty-as-a-postcard canals and historic
gabled houses – not to mention its vibrant
cultural scene. Architecture, painting,
music, film and theatre all thrive here.
It’s this eclectic mix that continues to
pull in the tourists – more than 18
million of them last year – and the good
news for Brits is that the Dutch capital is
easy to reach and compact enough to
navigate on foot, meaning you can get a
real feel for its quirky vibe in a weekend.
My husband and I took the brief flight
of little more than an hour from London
to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport on a
Friday afternoon, where we jumped in
a taxi and were whisked off to the heart
of the city in half an hour. With just two
and a half days to explore, a central base was
a must, so we chose boutique hotel The
Dylan. It’s slap bang in the middle of
Negen Straatjes, or ‘The Nine Streets’- the city’s main canal-belt, as well as
its most chic shopping and dining
district – and is close to the major
sights. Dam Square, where you’ll find
the beautiful Royal Palace, is a
10-minute walk away, and 15 minutes
by taxi or tram will take you to Museumkwartier,
or ‘Museum Quarter’, where you’ll find, among
others, the world-renowned Van Gogh Museum
and the Rijksmuseum.
Locals commute to work, go to the shops,
and do just about everything by bike,
so we decided to join the masses
and mostly cycled our way from
one sight to the next. Handily,
The Dylan has its own fleet of
bicycles for guests to use, too.
We headed first to The Nine
Streets – quaint, quirky and full
to bursting with vintage and
designer boutiques and cosy cafés
Kirsty Nutkins finds canals,
culture and wonderful
cuisine on a whistle-stop
weekend in Amsterdam
A DAM good weekend
The Nine Streets district and
a statue of Anne Frank (left)Historic
Amsterdam
has beautiful
buildings and
bridgesThe RijksmuseumPictures: Getty Images