The Heineken Experience

A guided tour through the world of Heineken, the world’s largest beer exporter, where you can find out the history of Heineken, see the beer-making process and finish it all off with a glass of the golden beer.

Amsterdam Historical Museum

The Historical Museum, housed in an old civic orphanage, chronicles the development of Amsterdam from the Middle Ages to modern times.

Amstelkring Museum

Once the city’s principle place of Catholic worship, this 17th century building is now home to a delightful museum.

Vondelpark

The largest and most popular park in Amsterdam, the park dates back to 1864. It is home to over 100 species of trees, a bandstand, a rose garden, ponds, waterways, children’s play areas, and an open-air theatre as well as a multitude of wild-life including a colony of parakeets.

Jewish Historical Museum & Esnoga Synagogue

The Jewish Historical Museum is made up of four former synagogues, the eldest of which was constructed in 1670. The synagogues were left abandoned after the war but were refurbished and connected by walkways in the 1980’s to form the museum whose exhibitions highlight the history and culture of the Jews in Holland. Nearby is the Esnoga Synagogue, built in 1675, and a reminder of the once thriving Jewish community.

The Holland Experience

At the Holland Experience 3D Movie Theatre you can epxierence an interactive film which will take you on an exhilarating 30-minute ride through the countryside of the Netherlands in full 3D, without you having to leave your seat.

Nemo – Science Centre

Built to resemble a boat run aground, this massive science and technology centre will keep older children amused for a good couple of hours. There are hundreds of hi-tech workstations which let people interact with exhibits through games and experiments.

Red Light District

Amsterdam is well-known for its infamous Red Light District which is concentrated on two canals (Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal) and the interconnecting streets. Surprisingly, you can often see family groups wandering through the district in early evening, although stag and hen parties form the majority of passers-by. Although it is generally considered to be a very safe area, care should still be taken when walking through the quieter streets of the area and there is a strict “No Photography” policy.

Further Afield

Haarlem

Just fifteen minutes by train, this pretty little town is home to the Frans Hals Musem, which is located in the almshouse and is where the artist spent his last but most brilliant years.

Zaanse Schans

At the Zaanse Schans heritage village, just a few kilometres north of Amsterdam, you can see the most distinctive symbols of the Netherlands, the windmill, alongside a selection of historical architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries. It has now become a living museum of a Dutch community from centuries ago with its inhabitants wearing national costume, and cheese and clogs being traditionally manufactured by hand, with demonstrations of other crafts such as woodturning, weaving and milling.

Keukenhof

Keukenhof is home to another famous symbol of the Netherlands, the tulip. The formal gardens are believed to be the biggest bulb garden in the world, with flowerbeds a colourful blanket of every variety of tulip as well as daffodils, hyacinths and many other flowers. The best time to appreciate the flowers is in the spring. www.keukenhof.com

Alkmaar

To the north of Amsterdam lies Alkmaar, a pretty market town that is most famous for its weekly traditional cheese market that has been taking place in the square since the 1300’s. Round Dutch cheeses numbering in their hundreds are laid out in the market place and the buyers perform almost a ceremony of smelling and tasting the cheese before bartering for them. The bought cheeses are then carried away on ornamental carriers by porters to be weighed.