DK Travel : Amsterdam : Places of interest

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Red Light District

The world’s oldest profession aptly occupies Amsterdam’s oldest quarter, de Walletjes (“the little walls”), bordered by Zeedijk, Kloveniersburgwal, Damstraat and Warmoesstraat. Today, the district is one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions, with scantily clad prostitutes, pouting or indifferent, sitting in windows or lolling in doorways along Oudezijds Voorburgwal and the lanes off it. At night these lanes become the haunts of junkies and pickpockets, and are best avoided.
Rijksmuseum Garden

Architectural curiosities in a formal garden (see The Garden).
Seven European Houses

See Europe in a minute at Roemer Visscherstraat 20–30a – a row of houses in the style of seven countries(see Quentin Engeland).
Stopera

With the Dutch penchant for clever wordplay, the Stadhuis-Muziektheater is better known as “Stopera” because it combines thestadhuis (town hall) with the headquarters of the city opera and ballet companies. A brutal design in red brick, marble and glass, it was built in 1987 amid intense controversy, since scores of medieval houses, among Jodenbuurt’s few remnants, had to be destroyed in the process. In the passage between Stopera’s two buildings, a bronze button indicates the exact NAP (Normaal Amsterdams Peil ) water level.
The Hague

Political capital of the Netherlands, Den Haag (The Hague) is a stately city, with many public buildings and lovely parks. Centred round the Gothic Ridderzaal, places of interest include the parliament buildings, the International Court of Justice and the Mauritshuis, elegant home of the superlative Royal Picture Gallery. The seaside resort of Scheveningen is a short distance away.
Tram Rides

Go to Haarlemmermeer railway station and then take a 20-minute ride in an old-fashioned tram with wooden seats, clanging bell and friendly conductor to Amsterdamse Bos, where you will find pancakes, peacocks, and plenty of legstretching space.
Tropenmusuem

Stroll through a highly realistic North African street, Indian village or Arab market – all at the Tropenmuseum. There is also a “hands-on” Kindermuseum (Children’s Museum), which is open to 6- to 12-year-olds by appointment (guided tours in Dutch only).
Utrecht

Like Leiden, Utrecht is a university city with much to offer – notwithstanding the vast, unappealing Hoog Catherijne shopping complex. A major medieval religious centre, it still has many traces of its past, and a lovely historic town centre.
Vondelpark

This is the perfect place to go with kids on a summer day – it has a paddling pool, playgrounds, puppet shows and facepainting (at the Melkhuis café), as well as free performances in the open-air theatre (see Vondelpark).
Zeedijk

Built in the early 1300s, the Zeedijk (sea dyke) was part of Amsterdam’s original fortifications. As the city grew the canals were filled in and the dykes became obsolete. At No. 1 is one of the city’s two remaining woodenfronted houses, dating from the 16th century. It is not open to the public. Opposite is St Olofskapel, built in 1445 and named after the first Christian king of Norway and Denmark.