DESTINATIONS AMSTERDAM SHORT BREAKS T
here’s plenty to get excited about in Amsterdam’s city
centre, but some of the best bits can be found in its colourful and lively neighbourhoods. With the introduction of the Eurostar
route from London to Amsterdam last month, this Dutch delight is now easier to get to – you don’t even have to step foot in an airport – so there’s all the more reason to sell it to clients who’ve been before and want to see less- explored sides of the city. To help entice them, here are our
favourite neighbourhoods that are worth a second look.
w DE PLANTAGE When the kamikaze cyclists and crowds of shoppers get too much, head to this neighbourhood, to the south of the city centre, for a moment of calm. More spacious and green than
Amsterdam’s cobbled centre, De Plantage, with its leafy boulevards and squares, brings to mind grand cities such as Vienna and Paris. The biggest attractions are the Artis
Royal Zoo and Hortus Botanicus, one of the world’s oldest botanical gardens. Don’t miss the enormous collection of cacti and the butterfly greenhouse, where the insects will happily land on your head for the ultimate selfie. When hunger hits, head to the beautiful orangery, built in 1875. If the sun’s shining, grab a table on the outdoor terrace. Part of the former Jewish quarter falls within this neighbourhood, and two museums worth checking out are the Joods Historisch Museum (Jewish Historical Museum) and the Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum). For something a little lighter, there’s
LEFT: Hortus Botanicus
De Plantage, with its leafy boulevards and squares, brings to mind grand cities such as Vienna and Paris
Micropia, a museum dedicated to microbes. Head here to learn fascinating (and often stomach-churning) facts about the microbes surrounding us.
w AMSTERDAM NOORD Even if you haven’t set foot in Amsterdam Noord, you’ll definitely have seen it. Exit Amsterdam’s Centraal Station, glance across the water and there it is: a bustling wharf filled with some of the city’s most futuristic buildings. Hop on the free ferry (squeezing
alongside the bicycles, scooters and tiny Canta cars) for the five-minute ride across the water to what has become the city’s most exciting up- and-coming district. It will receive a further boost with the opening in July of the Noord-Zuidlijn (north-south) metro line. Several huge brands, including MTV Europe and Red Bull, have their headquarters here, lending it a hip and urban vibe. One of the most striking buildings is
the A’DAM Toren tower, a skyscraper topped with a revolving restaurant and a viewing platform. Look closely and you’ll spot a bright red structure on the roof. Over The Edge, which opened this year, is Europe’s highest swing; strap yourself in and you’ll fly over Amsterdam, 100 metres above the ground. Afterwards, head to the observation deck, where there’s a bar if you’re in need of a stiff drink. Amsterdam Noord is also a fantastic
place to explore on two wheels. Hire a bike and check out the historic dykes at Nieuwendammerdijk, Schellingwouderdijk and Durgerdammerdijk, or head farther afield to some of the beautiful villages that are just outside the city centre, but still within Amsterdam Noord. Holysloot and Ransdorp date back to the 12th century and are easily accessible by bike.
LEFT: Brown cafe, Jordaan
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travelweekly.co.uk 3 May 2018
w JORDAAN Once a neglected working-class area, Jordaan is Amsterdam’s foodie district, and growing numbers of restaurateurs are making a beeline for this historic neighbourhood.
SAMPLE PRODUCT
Voyages SNCF offers Eurostar rail travel from London to
Amsterdam from £35 one way or £105 return, via Brussels, in standard class.
voyages-sncf.eu
Osprey Holidays has two nights’ B&B at the Hotel Nadia from £310, departing July 4, including return Eurostar travel from London to Amsterdam.
ospreyholidays. com
Jet2CityBreaks offers three
nights’ room-only at the five-star NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky,
from £479. The price includes flights from Leeds Bradford on August 13.
jet2holidays.com/ city-breaks
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