December 23, 2018
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Free Things to Do in Amsterdam | 360 Amsterdam Tours
What’s better than exploring Amsterdam in a way where you don’t have to spend any money? We made you a list with free things to do in Amsterdam. Take a look at it & even better: take a look in Amsterdam with our recommendations!
1. Free walking tour (360 Amsterdam tours)
Of course our first recommendation is one of our great Free Tours. We offer Free Tours every day in English and Spanish. During this 2-hour walking tour you can discover Amsterdam and its historical center. Visit our office at Dam Square or look for the guides with the orange umbrellas 15 minutes before one of our free tours starts!
Spanish: 11am, 1pm, 4 pm | English: 11am, 1 pm, 3 pm
2. Free ferry + NDSM-Werf
The ferries behind the central station of Amsterdam are for free. You have different directions to go to, but the NDSM-Werf is really worth seeing. Here you can find lots of art-linked aspects. Think about graffiti, an abandoned shipyard, boats and trams. Discover a different side of Amsterdam!
For the timetable of the ferries take a look at: http://maps.gvb.nl/en/lijnen/905
3. The bridge with a view of 15 bridges
With lots of canals in the city center, it is naturally that you will find lots of bridges as well. There is one special bridge, which gives you the view of 14 other bridges at that one specific spot. Come here at night to experience the romantic atmosphere of all those bridges and lights.
You find this bridge in between the overlap of the Reguliersgracht and the Herengracht (next to Rembrandtplein, at the Thorbeckeplein).
4. OBA Public Library
This public library of Amsterdam offers you a great view of the city.
This library, with its seven floors and more than 600 computers, […]
August 28, 2017
For real? Sex Show next to a Church | 360 Amsterdam Tours
De Wallen, a vibrant neighborhood filled with cozy homes, daycare for the little ones and a church, yet at the same time an absolute hotspot known for prostitution by tourists all around the globe. Yes, we are talking about the Red Light District, perhaps the most mysterious and interesting area of Amsterdam.
For those who plan to uncover its secrets, a good thing to know is that the area is likely the safest in town. As in every large city you always have to be careful with your belongings, but due to the continuous police surveillance in the Red Light District, it is safer than in any other area.
So, why is prostitution legal in the Netherlands, you might wonder? Well, the Dutch reasoned that prostitution is likely to happen anyway, and by legalizing it as a profession it would be easier to control and regulate it to improve safety. It is reassuring to know that most women are voluntarily active in the prostitution sector of the Red Light District, the oldest profession known to mankind.
Unfortunately, not all women are in the prostitution by choice, and our government is working hard to overcome this. This initiative is referred to as ‘Project 1012’, corresponding to the zip code of the Red Light District. The main goal of this project is to improve the standards and safety for the women, in an attempt to eliminate involuntary prostitution, while maintaining its unique identity.
Are you curious and eager to learn more about the area and Project 1012? Join our Red Light District tour, with daily departures at 8pm.
‘Proost’ to Heineken!
Heineken beer: who does not know it? The Dutch beer brand that is famous all around the world. It all started when the 22-year-old Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought a beer brewery called the Hooiberg (the haystack) in Amsterdam. After expanding business in the Netherlands with for example a brewery in Rotterdam, Heineken opened up their vision to the rest of the world. In 1900 they imported the first beer into Africa. Especially after the First World War, Heineken started to focus more and more on export. Unfortunately, in the United States alcohol was prohibited till 1933. After the prohibition was over, the first Heineken beer arrived in New York in 1933.
Nowadays, Heineken is very proud on their position of first and only truly global beer brand, with sales in 178 countries around the world. They have operations in 70 countries around the world, which makes the company reach bigger than any other beer brand. In 1991 the brewery in the middle of the city center of Amsterdam closed and became an interactive museum with free beers and is now called ‘Heineken Experience’.
Do you want to buy tickets for the Heineken Experience? Come visit our tourist information shop at Dam Square to buy skip-the-line tickets with a discount! 360 Amsterdam is a hidden pearl in the heart of the center for everyone who wants honest advise on what to do in Amsterdam. You can find 360 at the right side of the Royal Palace, above a coffee place called Dam Good Coffee! Save time and money: visit 360 Amsterdam!
By the way; the title of this text ‘Proost!’ means ‘cheers’ in Dutch!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Does it still snow in Amsterdam? How warm does it get during summer time? Is it always this rainy? Just some questions about the changing weather in Amsterdam. To answer just these three questions: We do not really get snow anymore in Amsterdam; during summertime the average temperature is around 21 degrees Celsius and yes, it is always rainy.
The weather in Amsterdam is changing. Just a few years ago we were able to ice skate on the beautiful canals. Can you imagine how beautiful that must be? Nowadays, during wintertime the weather is basically just cold and wet. Summertime keeps getting warmer but unfortunately sometimes also rainy. But, does this keep us from riding our famous bikes? Of course it does not. As a matter of fact, we have so-called regenbroeken (rainpants), pants you wear over your normal pants to prevent them from getting wet. During summer, the place where you can find most Amsterdammers is in the Vondelpark or on one of the many terraces in the city. Summers are getting warmer and warmer, so on very hot days the beaches close to Amsterdam are full of people searching for some cooling-down in the sea.
It is clear that in recent years the climate is changing. Of course we do not really mind that it is getting warmer, but unfortunately the reason why this is happening is not a good one. The reason why the weather in Amsterdam is changing? Global warming. There is no hard evidence that global warming is changing the weather, but it is very clear that in recent years the weather in Amsterdam is really changing.
Want to visit Amsterdam? The entire year is great to visit this lovely city. That is […]
Tulips & Flowers in Amsterdam | 360 Amsterdam Tours
Tulips & Amsterdam
One of the best times to visit Amsterdam is when the tulips are in bloom. The bloom period of flowers in the Netherlands (like our famous tulips) is mainly determined by the weather and temperature in the winter and spring. Logically with warmer temperatures during winter and spring, the bloom period starts earlier, so over the past few years the start of the bloom period varied between April and May depending on the weather.
Although the bloom period is variable, on average, the peak bloom period occurs as of mid April. During this peak, the tulip fields are in full blossom allowing for breathtaking sights and a bubbly feeling all around, this is the best time to visit for the tulips.
Keukenhof
The Keukenhof is a park that exhibits the floral beauty of springtime in the Netherlands. Its name literally translates to ‘Kitchen Garden’, dating back to the 15th century during which the garden, belonging to Teylingen Castle, supplied fresh ingredients for the castle’s kitchen. In the year 1950 the garden officially became the public exhibition of springtime flowers we know today.
Plan Your Visit
This year, the Keukenhof opens its doors to flower-enthusiasts between March 22 and May 13, with opening times between 08:00 and 19:30 every day. The park is located in Lisse, at a 30-minute distance from Amsterdam, easily accessible by public transport. From the centre of Amsterdam you can take bus 197 from Leidseplein or Museumplein towards Schiphol airport. You could also decide to take a train from Amsterdam Central Station towards Schiphol airport. At Schiphol you change to the Keukenhof Express (bus 858), which brings you to the Keukenhof.
Tickets
The Keukenhof offers a variety of tickets that can be purchased online, or upon arrival […]
What is the Typical Dutch Food? | 360 Amsterdam
Stamppot, kroketten, frikandellen, pannenkoeken, poffertjes, patat, stroopwafels, to name just a few examples of typical Dutch food. Did you already hear about all of them?
Stamppot can be described as a healthy typical Dutch dish. Although, healthy? It depends on how you make it and what you combine it with. Stamppot is made of mashed potato and vegetables. Normally stamppot is eaten with meat. This can be some kind of sausage or another piece of meat. Then, to finish off the dish, you can add a sauce to it, called ‘jus’, pronounced as ‘sjuu’. This is usually the gravy that comes from baking the meat.
Than, kroketten, frikandellen and patat are a lot less healthy. Kroketten and frikandellen are fried snacks made of meat. ‘Patat’ are just the fries that everybody knows. But did you know that here in Holland we eat fries just with mayonnaise as a meal? Obviously, this is not something you should eat every day, but every now and then we Dutchies like to treat ourselves whit this typical Dutch snack.
Pannenkoeken are pancakes but thinner and a bit sweeter. Poffertjes can be seen as small pancakes.
And last but not least, stroopwafels! These typical Dutch cookies are made of two thin waffles with caramel syrup in between. Yes, they are as delicious as they sound. Want to try them? Come visit our shop at Dam Square 8 and we will give you a free stroopwafel if you go to Dam Good Coffee; the coffeeplace that is right below our shop.
Hopefully, you are even more tempted to come to Amsterdam now and we see you soon!
When you are not allowed to live in your own city anymore
Anne Frank, a name with a heavy weight that is known by everyone. It belongs to the Jewish girl who kept a diary during the Second World War, while hiding from the Nazi’s.
She was born in Germany on June 12th 1929. Four short years later, in 1933, the Frank-family moved from Germany’s Frankfurt am Main to Amsterdam. They moved into a house at the Merwedeplein, which at that time was a new and upcoming neighborhood in Amsterdam. Ready to start their lives in Amsterdam, Anne and her sister Margot accepted having to attend a Jewish school, as they were not allowed to join a ‘regular’ public school.
So, imagine that easy-going life in Amsterdam; going to school, helping out with chores at home and having fun with friends, when a destructive war breaks out forcing you and your entire family to hide in a tiny room just to survive. This is what happened to Anne Frank and her family. In 1942 they had no choice but to hide in a narrow room behind Opekta, the company of Anne Frank’s father, Otto Frank, at the Prinsengracht 263.
The family lived there from July 6th 1942 till August 4th 1944. During their life there, Anne Frank kept a diary, the book that caused Anne Frank and her moving story to be heard across the globe. While in Amsterdam, you have the possibility to visit the house where Anne Frank and her family lived. However, a more personal way to find out more about Anne Frank and the Second World War is by allowing us to take you on a touching, yet unforgettable Anne Frank Walking Tour. Join us, and let us guide you through Amsterdam in the shadows of […]
