AMSTERDAM, GATEWAY TO EUROPE

Characterisation

Amsterdam (http://www.iamsterdam.com/) , The Dutch capital, has been known through the centuries as a city with an international outlook. It is the capital of a country that cherishes its long tradition of an unrestricted exchange of ideas, while on the other hand it takes a relatively neutral position in international politics. Cosmopolitan and colourful, Amsterdam has always been a thriving commercial and industrial centre. You will feel right at home in the Dutch capital, where business opportunities abound and English has become a second language. However, in Amsterdam you can mix business with pleasure as nowhere else. Apart from a wealth of picturesque historic sites, the city prides itself on a swinging night life, charming shopping streets, international "haute cuisine", art galleries and 40 famous museums. Equally important, Amsterdam has a hospitable citizenry who enjoy meeting people from abroad. This mixture has made Amsterdam into one of the World's best congress cities!

Weather

The weather in The Netherlands in June is usually mild. The average temperature is around 20°C. Occasionally some showers can be expected.

Money matters

The currency of The Netherlands is the Euro (€). Major credit cards are widely accepted, but it is better that you always check before sitting down to dinner...unless you like doing the dishes! There are plenty of cash dispensers (ATMs) throughout the city, which are open 24 hours a day. Normal banking hours are from 9 am to 4 pm on weekdays.
Tips are not obligatory, but they are welcome. The standard is 5-10%, but for smaller bills in cafès and bars it's customary to round up to the nearest whole number. Banknotes of € 100 or more are not generally welcome.

Emergency services

Call 112 for police, ambulance or fire brigade. For non-urgent police matters, call 0900-8844 (€0.20/minute).

Telephone

Many public phones only accept prepaid phone cards (available at newsstands) or credit cards. Those making calls to Amsterdam from outside the country need to know that the country code is +31 and the area code is 20. If calling Amsterdam from within The Netherlands, dial 020 as the area code before the subscriber number.

TAXI

For information about taxis in Amsterdam please click HERE
http://www.bereikbaaramsterdam.nl/live/main.asp?action=display_data&name=pagina&item_id=1021

From June 10 on, those wishing get from straatje to straatje in Amsterdam now have a new, economical, environmentally friendly, fun, & very Amsterdam way to go. 'I amsterdam' Taxi-cycles!  Please Click HERE for further information http://www.iamsterdam.com/visiting_exploring/getting_there_around/taxi-cycles

Amsterdam by bike

http://www.bereikbaaramsterdam.nl/live/main.asp?display_framework=startpagina&item_id=104

FIND YOUR WAY IN AMSTERDAM

http://adres.asp4all.nl/asp/get.asp?xdl=Stadsplattegrond&xsl=Iamsterdam&lang=uk

AMSTERDAM, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CITY

Amsterdam, with its 800,000 inhabitants, is a city with a highly individual atmosphere, generated largely by its beautiful canals, its sense of energy and purpose, its cultural treasures and its opportunities for recreation and entertainment. Amsterdam is a lively city, young at heart.
The inhabitants are traditionally friendly, tolerant and cosmopolitan by nature.
No other European city can rival Amsterdam's 7,000 historic buildings dating from as far back as the 14th century. The well-known symmetrical rings of canals with over 1,000 bridges summon up visions of Holland's Golden Age. Come and explore the narrow old streets.

On the cultural front, Amsterdam has 42 museums including the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk (Municipal) Museum and the Scheepvaartmuseum. It is also the home of the world famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Dutch National Ballet and the Dutch Opera.

A unique feature of Amsterdam as a conference city is its infrastructure, since it boasts one of the world's leading airports, numerous hotels in all categories, and a large professional conference centre, all within an exceptionally short distance of one another.

The city of Amsterdam ranks among the top 10 of the world's most preferred conference cities.
Amsterdam offers everything in entertainment and recreation. It has numerous theatres and cinemas, cosy bars and inviting pubs, a casino and a wide variety of superb restaurants, where one "can eat in every language" at prices and levels of comfort to suit everyone.

AMSTERDAM, VISITING SITES

Museums in Amsterdam

Van Gogh Museum
200 paintings and 500 drawings by Vincent van Gogh, from sunflowers to telling self-portraits. Van Gogh's development is shown from the early, sombre canvasses to the bright, luminous works of his last years. The museum also houses work of 19th-century painters such as Gauguin and Toulouse Lautrec; lithographs and preliminary sketches by Van Gogh and Van Gogh's important personal collection of Japanese prints.
Rijksmuseum
From December 2003 to 2008 the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam will undergo the biggest rebuilding, renovation and modernisation programme in its history. During this period the finest works from the 17th century in the Rijksmuseum will continue to be on view under the title The Masterpieces. The redesigned Philips Wing will provide an opportunity to see the highlights of the Golden Age together in surprising combinations. The more than 400 masterpieces will be on display in the Philips Wing from 20 December 2006.
Stedelijk Museum (Municipal Museum)
Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum is a modern-art mecca, with international collections from Matisse to Jeff Coons as well as contemporary Dutch artists. Dutch artists include: Mondriaan, Jan Toorop, Breitner, Sluyters and, more recently, the COBRA (Copenhagen, Brussels, Amsterdam) group of the 1950's whose main Dutch members are Karel Appel and Corneille.
Scheepvaart museum (The Maritime Museum)
In 1990, a replica of a 17th century trading-vessel was reconstructed as a permanent exhibition. The original ship, called the Amsterdam, was launched here in 1736. It was owned by the Dutch East Indies Company. The ship is part of the Maritime Museum, which was built in 1656 as the naval arsenal of the Admiralty of Amsterdam.

Canal tours

A boat tour with running commentary is one of the most rewarding and memorable ways of seeing Amsterdam. There are many canal tour operators around Central Station, Damrak and Rokin, as well as close to the Leidseplein. If you're in Amsterdam and are feeling energetic, you can also hire a waterfiets (canal bike) and have fun pedalling through the waterways under your own steam.

Theatres and performances

Muziektheater
The Amsterdam home of the National Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theatre and the Netherlands Opera Foundation.
National Ballet
Company of eighty dancers of world standing. Their varied repertoire falls into three main categories: standard 19th and 20th century full-length and shorter works.
Netherlands Dance Theatre
'The "daring genius of the Netherlands dance theatres", is how they describe themselves abroad, and the critics ('one of the most inventive and physically exciting companies around') seem to agree.
Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre)
The Municipal Theatre is now home of the Amsterdam Theatre group, which gives performances in Dutch. But also modern dance groups perform here as well as the English Speaking Theatre Amsterdam (ESTA).
Carr Theatre
Mostly short seasons by Dutch entertainers and artists. Also the established place where visiting celebrity entertainers appear and musicals (sometimes from abroad) are staged.