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This picturesque district (see Jordaan)makes an ideal setting for a low-key early-autumn festival. The local talent comes out of the woodwork for contests on Westermarkt, and there are concerts, street parties and fairs – like the one devoted to food in Noordermarkt (see Jordaan Festival).

On the Queen’s birthday, the whole city becomes a gigantic street party. The locals sell bric-a-brac from stalls outside their houses, there’s a fair in Dam Square, and people dressed in monarchist orange throng the streets. Music blares, fireworks fill the night sky, and the party goes on till dawn.

A cross between netball and basketball. Blauw Wit is the club to watch.

Most of Amsterdam’s state-run museums participate in this scheme, run by SMK (Stichting Museumkaart), to offer free or reduced-price entry for one weekend. Details are published through the Tourist Board in mid-March.

New Year’s Eve starts slowly and explodes into life at midnight with firework displays (there’s an organized one over the Amstel) and wild street-partying centred on Nieuwmarkt and Dam Square. As with all events of this sort, things can sometimes get out of hand.

An exciting opportunity to see what lies behind the gabled façades and medieval doorways of some of the city’s most historic buildings, which are open to the public for free over this weekend.

Popular among the numerous competitions is the Head of the Amstel River race.

The Amsterdam Marathon began in 1976 and is now an annual event.

Jumping Amsterdam is a series of international indoor competitions.

The Christmas festivities start here. St Nicholas – the Dutch Santa Claus – arrives near St Nicholaas Kerk by boat with his mischievous elves,Zwarte Pieten (Black Peters). Together, they distribute sweets and gifts to the children of Amsterdam.