Best Amsterdam holiday apartments

Apartments and holiday rentals in Amsterdam

With rows of Renaissance style buildings intersected by miles of tranquil canals, Amsterdam is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North. The capital city of the Netherlands is a perfect vacation destination, complete with innumerous attractions and its close to proximity to exciting European cities makes it easy to travel. Amsterdam is a densely populated city: its extension is 219.4 km² and it has 4457 inhabitants per km² . Yet it is an extremely green city, just think that 12% of its surface area is occupied by parks and nature reserves.
It is known as the city of tulips, but Amsterdam is also and above all a city devoted to art and culture and, of course, nightlife.
Amsterdam is located 2 meters below sea level and is connected to the North Sea via the long North Sea Canal. The city is divided in seven districts (stadsdelen): Stadsdeel Noord, Stadsdeel Centrum, Stadsdeel Zuidoost, Stadsdeel Nieuw-West, Stadsdeel West, Stadsdeel Zuid and Stadsdeel Oost.

Finding your own Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a unique city in that you can experience tranquility and excitement in equal measures. The famous Canal Ring, made up of a number of 17th century canals, brings an air of relaxation and contentment to the city; the bike friendly pathways add to the laid-back feel. In contrast, the buzzing nightlife of Amsterdam is a hive of activity, where you truly can party till dawn. One of the most popular areas in Amsterdam is the historic Jordaan district, known for its numerous galleries. Choosing a vacation rental in Jordaan will but you in the center of the city’s art and culture in one of the most exclusive and upmarket areas in the city. If you are looking for some peace and quiet, Bos en Lommer is just ten minutes from the city center, and is the perfect location for a city getaway. Find guest houses and vacation rentals in this chiefly multicultural neighbourhood and enjoy the authentic architecture while strolling through the green parks.
For a place with such a rich heritage and fascinating history, it comes as no surprise that Amsterdam that keep travel enthusiasts coming back year after year. The Anne Frank House is one of the most popular destinations for tourists and is a remarkable tribute to the human spirit. In addition, there are countless other museums too, which celebrate the city’s artistic past, such as the Van Gogh and Frans Hals Museums. After a full day of exploring Amsterdam’s rich culture, sit back and relax at one of the many cafes and bars lining the canals and enjoy some traditional licorice sweets.

Visiting Amsterdam

There are many areas, zones, neighborhoods and districts to visit during your stay in Amsterdam. In 9flats you can find the best cheap accommodations, hotels and vacation rentals. We recommend you:

De Jordaan

It is part of the Centrum district (Stadsdeel Centrum) and is certainly the most famous district in Amsterdam and the whole of Holland. It is located in the canal area and is characterised by its “fashionable” vocation, numerous restaurants and cafes, although at the beginning of 1900 it was a working class district. Visit the famous Anne Frank House (Westermarkt 20 1016 DK Amsterdam) and the markets of Wester Straat ( Monday morning: 9.00 am – 1.00 pm, Westerstraat 1015, ML Amsterdam) and Noordermarkt (on Mondays 9 am – 1 pm and Saturdays 9 am – 4 pm, Noordermarkt 42B, 1015 NA Amsterdam).
For those who love fashionable shopping in original boutiques and shops, we recommend the “9 Streets” area (De 9 Straatjes) which is located between Rozengracht, Leidsestraat, Prinsengracht and Singel. Don’t miss the chance to explore this fantastic district by booking a magnificent hotel or an apartment in Jordaan on 9flats.

De Pijp

It is part of the Stadsdeel Zuid district is adjacent to De Jordaan and is located south of the river Amstel. It’s a district with a multi-ethnic vocation. Here you can find Arabic, Turkish, Moroccan, Chinese shops, but also many art galleries and coffee shops. It is definitely one of the most lively and interesting areas of Amsterdam and is also known as the Latin Quarter. Definitely worth a visit is Albert Cuyp (Mon-Sat 9-17, Albert Cuypstraat, 1073 BD Amsterdam), the largest open-air market in Europe. Here you can find literally everything from books to electronic articles, from fruit (especially exotic fruit) to fish.
Also worth seeing is the Sarphatipark (Sarphatipark 37I, 1073 CP Amsterdam), a beautiful public park and the Heineken Experience, an interactive Heineken beer museum. On 9flats you can book any type of accommodation in De Pijp so you can breathe its bohemian and multicultural air.

De Wellen (the red light district)

Everyone in the world has heard of Amsterdam’s red light district at least once. In fact, there are 3 red light districts in Amsterdam, but the most famous one is, as De Wellen said. It is located in the Stadsdeel Centrum, a triangle bordered by Warmoesstraat, Zeedijk and Nieuwmarkt, the oldest area of the city. Rosse Buurt, as the locals call it, is famous for its sex shops, nightclubs and shop windows where the oldest craft in the world is legally practised.
But the red light district is also full of bars where you can taste the jenever, ethnic restaurants and pubs. Also worth a visit is the eastern part of the neighbourhood, which houses Amsterdam’s Chinatown.

Zuidoost

Residential area, is the area of mass entertainment and parks and several beautiful farms.
It is definitely a part of Amsterdam that should not be overlooked. Take a walk on ArenA Boulevard where you will find the ArenA Boulevard, the Ziggo Dome, the Pathé ArenA, the Johan Cruijff ArenA, the AFAS Live, the Nelson Mandelapark, the Gaasperplas park. Here you can attend football matches, mega-concerts or go shopping in the numerous shops and mall centers or even take a break eating at the World of Food, 3000 square meters of dining area where you can taste cuisine from all over the world. 9flats offers you fantastic hotels and hostels as well as apartments and bed and breakfasts in this beautiful and diverse area of Amsterdam.

Stadsdeel Oost

The north-east part of Amsterdam is the ideal place to change the rhythm of the hectic days in the city centre. Elegant squares, a large number of restaurants and bars, museums and the Oosterpark with its unique and beautiful paths. Ideal neighbourhood for family outings. Definitely worth visiting the Botanical Garden (Plantage Middenlaan 2a, 1018 DD Amsterdam), the Dutch branch of the Hermitage Museum (Amstel 51, 1018 EJ Amsterdam) and the Royal Artis Zoo (Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam).
The NEMO Science Museum (Oosterdok 2, 1011VX Amsterdam) is also an interesting destination. Finally, a very special museum: the Micropia (Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam), dedicated entirely to microbes and bacteria. 9flats offers you the best bed and breakfast in the area.

What to do in Amsterdam?

Here are some out of the box things to do in Amsterdam, grouped by area of interest.

Music

• Paradigm X Zeezout Winter Parade. A unique and eccentric winter parade. A stunning Line up !! Het rijk van de Keizer, Amsterdam
• 909 Festival. Techno music festival with massive line up. Nieuwe Meerlaan 1, 1187 NW Amstelveen
• AMF Masterdam Music Festival. 5 non-stop days of electronic music at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, ArenA Park and Ziggo Dome. Not to be missed!

Culture

• Tulip Festival. With the aim of bringing tulips back to the city, beautiful varieties of tulips are planted on public land. Information here.
• International Pop Arts Festival. An annual festival in which puppet and object theatre takes centre stage. Dance, circus, mime, visual arts, film and music. In the Bellevue, De Krakeling and De Brakke Grond theatres.
• Dutch Ice Sculpture Festival. Beautiful area of about 3000 square meters, maintained at a temperature of -10 degrees Celsius, which houses the ice and snow sculptures of the best artists in the world. A unique experience. It is not held in Amsterdam but in Zwolle, about 130 km from Amsterdam, but it is worth it!

Museums

• Huis Marseille. An old house converted into a museum of photography. Works by artists from all over the world. Keizersgracht 401, 1016 EK Amsterdam
• The Outsider art museum. A very special museum, which houses the unique and eclectics works of “outsider” artists. Amstel 51 1018 DR Amsterdam
• Electric Ladyland.The world’s first museum for fluorescent art. The visitor, inside articulated rooms, becomes part of the work himself. Unique. Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 5, 1015 TB Amsterdam
• Katten Kabinet. Another very special museum, dedicated to cats. Paintings, posters, photos, pictures and anything else about cats. Cats also roam free around the museum. Herengracht 497, 1017 BT Amsterdam
• Vrolik Museum. Very special museum and not suitable for everyone. It houses a curious collection of anatomical mutations of humans and animals. Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam
• The torture museum. Museum, also interactive, which displays all the instruments of torture of the past. Singel 449, 1012 WP Amsterdam

Beer

• Oedipus. One mission: transform the Dutch beer landscape by making quality beer available and appealing to everyone. Gedempt Hamerkanaal 85, 1021 KP Amsterdam
• Proeflokaal Arendsnest. More than 50 draught beers and over 100 different bottled beers. All strictly made in the Netherlands!!! Herengracht 90, 1015 BS Amsterdam
• Brouwerij’t IJ. It’s a brewery located inside a windmill. It produces many types of beer, from The classics, to the seasonals and the one-off specials. Great selection of characteristic Amsterdam craft beer. Funenkade 7, 1018AL Amsterdam

Special tours

• BimBimBikes. Bikes rental which offers also guided tour around the city.
• Amsterdam walking tour. A fascinating walking tour of the city which shows the most interesting things in Amsterdam—both the famous and the normally overlooked.
• Those Dam Boat Guys. Electric boat tour of the canals of Amsterdam. Also available for private tours. Prinsengracht 130, Amsterdam

Indoor

• Ski Inn! Skiing and snowboarding in the centre of Amsterdam. Also private lessons. W.G. Plein 281, 1054 SE Amsterdam
• Westergasfabriek. Old industrial complex converted to an area for events, congresses, exhibitions and workshops. With cinemas, restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and more. Pazzanistraat 33, 1014 DB Amsterdam
• Zuiderbad. Beautiful indoor pool in retro style. With Steam bath and sun beds. Hobbemastraat 26, 1071 ZC Amsterdam
• Sauna Deco.The sauna par excellence in Amsterdam. A SPA with stunning art Deco interior. Herengracht 115, 1015 BE Amsterdam

What to eat in Amsterdam?

Biefstuk and friet: beef tenderloin and chips.
Stammpot: mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, endive and cabbage with the addition of a smoked sausage.
Erwtensoep: pea soup enriched with potatoes and leeks and various cuts of pork.
Suddervlees: beef stew with onions.
Patatje oorlog: crispy fries, seasoned with mayonnaise sauce, peanuts butter and onions. A must in Amsterdam.
Broodje haring: sandwich with herring, gherkin and onion.
Kibbeling: fish, often cod, fried and served with herb and garlic mayonnaise, and lemon.
Bitterballen: flavoured beef balls, fried and generally served with mustard.
Nederlandse Kroketten: meat, fish or vegetables strictly already cooked and left over from previous lunches, kneaded and stuffed with meat sauce and then fried in oil.
Cheeses: Holland produces an infinite variety of cheeses, all to be tasted. Among the others, we remember Gouda, Edamer, Leidse Kaas, Leerdammer, Mimolette, Nagelkaas.
Herrings: another Dutch warhorse. Herrings are consumed everywhere, at any time of the day and in so many ways. A very common way is to eat fresh, freshly caught, raw herring.
Pannenkoeken: the classic Dutch pancakes. Generally served with sweet syrup and icing sugar but also with bacon and cheese. But the most popular ones are served with bacon and sweet syrup.
Stroopwafel: thin wafers stuffed with caramel.

Where to eat in Amsterdam?

Haesje Claes. An institution in Amsterdam. Typical Dutch cuisine. Spuistraat 275, Amsterdam
Hap Hhm. Another historic Amsterdam restaurant. Always traditional Dutch dishes, but at very low prices, without sacrificing quality. Eerste Helmersstraat 33, Amsterdam
REM Eiland. Restaurant on top of a pile dwelling on the river IJ. At 22 meters you can eat and have a unique view of the Docklands. Haparandadam 45-2, 1013 AK Amsterdam
Tales & Spirits. Elected as the most beautiful bar in Europe, it offers cocktails and restaurant service, with revisited traditional dishes. Lijnbaanssteeg 5-7, 1012 TE Amsterdam
De Kas. In an old renovated greenhouse, inside the Frankendael Park, the chefs Wim de Beer and Jos Timmer will offer you a kitchen at Km.0, with ingredients coming directly from their garden. Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 NH Amsterdam.
Supperclub. Unique restaurant, every night different themed events, with acrobats, jugglers, dancers. Or even fashion shows, dinner on the beds and more. Singel 460, 1017 AW Amsterdam

Vacation Rentals Around the World

For a trip around Europe, Amsterdam is a perfect destination. Yet, when it comes time to move on, 9flats.com offers a wide range of affordable accommodations all over the world, from a charming bed a breakfast at the heart of in London offering the excitement of the city, to relaxing vacation rentals on the French Riviera. The world is truly at your fingertips with vacation rentals from 9flats.com.

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