Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [168]
Mirandabad De Mirandalaan 9 (Nieuw Zuid) 020/546 4444. Superbly equipped swimming centre (outdoor and indoor pools), with wave machine, whirlpools and slides. Admission €3.55.
Zuiderbad Hobbemastraat 26 (Museum Quarter and Vondelpark) 020/678 1390. Lovely old pool dating from the nineteenth century and refreshingly gimmick-free, though they do have a naturist hour on Sunday from 4.30 to 5.30pm. Pool opens weekdays 7am, Sat 8am, Sun 10am; phone for details, as hours vary according to age. Admission €3.
Sports and activities |
Tennis and squash
Most outdoor tennis courts are for members only, and those that aren’t need to be reserved well in advance. Your best chance of getting a game at short notice is either at the open-air tennis courts in the Vondelpark, or at one of the following.
Frans Otten Stadion IJsbaanpad 43 (Nieuw Zuid) 020/662 8767, www.fransottenstadion.nl. Tram #6 from Leidseplein, #16 or #24 from CS. This complex has eight indoor and fifteen outdoor tennis courts, as well as 21 squash courts. Tennis courts €17.50–27 per hour; squash courts €16–22 per hour. Racket rental €3. Call ahead to reserve a court in the evening. Mon–Fri 9am–midnight, Sat & Sun 9am–8pm.
Squash City Ketelmakerstraat 6 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/626 7883, www.squashcity.nl. Situated west of Centraal Station, with thirteen squash courts at €9.90–11.90 per member for 45min; membership costs €25 and also includes use of the sauna. Racket rental €2.50. Call ahead to reserve courts. Mon–Thurs 7am–midnight, Fri 7am–11.30pm, Sat & Sun 8.45am–8pm.
Festivals and events
Most of Amsterdam’s festivals are music and arts events, supplemented by a sprinkling of religious celebrations, and, as you might expect, the majority take place in the summer. The Queen’s Birthday (also referred to as Queen’s Day) at the end of April is the city’s most touted and exciting annual event, with a large portion of the city given over to an impromptu flea market and lots of street parties. On a more cultural level, the Holland Festival art extravaganza, held throughout June, attracts a handful of big names. Check with the VVV for the latest details, and remember that many other interesting events, such as the Easter performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion in the Grote Kerk at Naarden and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam (www.northseajazz.nl), are only a short train ride away. See "Opening hours and public holidays" for a list of public holidays.
Festivals and events |
January
Chinese New Year Late Jan/early Feb depending on lunar calendar. Dragon dance and fireworks, held at Nieuwmarkt and along the Zeedijk.
Festivals and events |
February
Februaristaking (Commemoration of the February Strike) Feb 25 www.februaristaking.nl. Speeches and wreath-laying at the Dokwerker (Dockworker) statue on J.D. Meijerplein.
Festivals and events |
March
Stille Omgang (Silent Procession) Sunday closest to March 15 www.stille-omgang.nl. Procession by local Catholics commemorating the Miracle of Amsterdam (see "The Oude Kerk"), starting and finishing at Spui and passing through the Red Light District.
Festivals and events |
April
Nationaal Museumweekend First or second weekend www.museumweekend.nl. Free or discounted entrance to most of the museums in the Netherlands. Contact the VVV for more information.
Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day/the Queen’s Birthday) April 30. This is one of the most popular dates in the Dutch diary, a street event par excellence, which seems to grow annually and is almost worth planning a visit around, despite claims that it has become too commercialized in recent years. Celebrations in honour of Queen Beatrix take place throughout the Netherlands, though festivities in Amsterdam tend to be somewhat wilder and larger in scale. Special club nights and parties are held both the night before and the night after; however, to gain