Five hidden hot-spots in Amsterdam

With its canals and merchant houses Amsterdam is one of the most popular European cities to visit but if you’ve done the canal tour and the Van Gough museum, you may like to try out some of the more unusual attractions suggested in my sponsored post from Easytobook.com

Amsterdam is one of the most popular European cities to visit in the world. The beautiful canals, green parks, stressed-free atmosphere  and coffee shops all make it a desirable location to visit over and over again. Because many visitors tend to come back to Amsterdam for a second or third time, we gathered here some of the best hidden hot-spots that are not mentioned in the standard guide books but still worth visiting:

Cafe Vertigo in Amsterdam

1. Lunch in the park at Café Vertigo

This charming café could not be located in a better spot, right in the middle of the famous Vondelpark, underneath the Dutch Film Museum. Not only will the location blow you away but also the décor and the delicious food. The combination of the green surrounding, relaxed environment and the sounds of birds, will all make it an incredible afternoon. The greatest advantage of this café is the option to visit the film museum after a pleasant lunch.

Café Vertigo, Vondelpark 3, 1071 AA Amsterdam, tel: 020 612 3021

2. Dining in the dark at Ctaste

This is a truly unique experience for everybody! Enjoy an evening where you will be using your all senses, except seeing naturally. The food is served by blind individuals and before entering the dark eating room, you will be welcome in the restaurant’s lounge area where you will get a wide explanation about the whole experience. For those of you who are allergic for some kinds of food, no need to worry- the waiter will give you the chance to inform him about things you simply cannot or do not want to eat.

Ctaste, Amsteldijk 55, 1074 HX Amsterdam, tel: +31-(0)6 22335366

Red light district of Amsterdam by Marcel Germain

3. A  red-light walking tour

This 2 hour tour may not be for everyone, but then you can be certain it is not the typical tourist Amsterdam sightseeing experience! The tour through the red light district, will start with visiting the prostitution information centre where you will get an interesting insight about the Dutch attitudes, rules and regulation, in this field. After the introduction meeting is finished, you will start exploring the red light district area, the Wallen. Your tour guide will take you to wander around the Zeedijk, (which in the past used to be a dangerous area and now it is one of the most lively places to have a drink and dinner in Amsterdam) afterwards you will continue strolling around in the old red light district’s narrow alleys and you are likely to finish somewhere in a central area. Please note that this tour is completely safe and you will be surprise how much you will learn! A number of tour companies offer this tour, or ask at the local tourist information office.

4. Dine with the Dutch

This is a must for those of you who would like try an at-home dinner with the locals! Just go on the Internet and register yourself on the Dine with the Dutch website. Fill in your details and this remarkably smart system will be able to find the most suitable family for you. The choices are tremendously broad: from a married gay couple to a large family with 5 children – everything is possible. After choosing your family you will get an invitation to a 3-course traditional Dutch meal. This will cost you 49 EUR per person including tax. Kids over the age of 12 will have to pay 25 EUR.

Amstelkring Museum Our Lord in the Attic by SacredDestination

5. Our Lord in the Attic

Behind the distinguished facade of the canal house and in the center of the famous Red Light District, you will find the 17th-century residence and a completely hidden church, known as Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder or Our Lord in the Attic. This church was used secretly between 1578 and 1795 when Catholicism in Amsterdam was illegal. Today, this amazing spot is a museum where art and religion exhibitions are presented and religious services still held. In 2010 the church is under restoration but the museum is still open.

Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40 , 1012 GE Amsterdam , Tel +31(0)20 624 66 04

My thanks for the Amsterdam tips in this article to EasyToBook.com who can help you  find hotels in Amsterdam. The company’s online portal makes it simple for visitors to locate hotels, compare prices and secure discount rates on hotels all over the world that range from simple motels up to celebrated 5-star venues. For more information about hotels in Amsterdam, visit www.EasyToBook.com.

Photo Credits:  Café Vertigo Courtesy of Amsterdam Tourism and Convention Board,  Dark Amsterdam by MarcelGermain, Amstelkring Museum Our Lord in the Attic by SacredDestination

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