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What Is Amsterdam REALLY like??

A few of us are thinking of going to Amsterdam for a weekend at some point in the Summer, as a sort of mini-getaway. There is VERY cheap coach travel on offer, and seeing as most of us are students - sounds like a good weekend...

However, a couple of people are hinting that we won't enjoy it because all there is to do there is smoke weed and visit brothels... I'm pretty damn sure there are more things in Amsterdam than that!

Has anyone been to Amsterdam? How expensive are things there, (primarily accommodation and alcohol!), and what is there to do outside the smoking/sex/drinking scenes?

Thoughts appreciated! :smile:

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Apparently there are also lots of windmills, tulips, and bicycles. I've never been, but that's what I've heard. Oh and Anne Frank's house.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 2
Like any west European city, I dont see a huge difference between a lot of west European cities.

It will be boring if you are boring or the people you go with are boring
depends on what parts you go to :wink:
but there are a lot, and i mean looot of bikes there...and everyone seems a lot taller lol
Reply 4
I've been a few times and I love Amsterdam because there's so many different sides to it. I've been with mates and it's been a good laugh, yeah you get high on a few joints over a coffee or have some hash brownies, wonder off for waffles then watch a funny sex show then go out to some of the bars and clubs. (most clubs in Amsterdam play EDM)

But on the on the other side it's absolutely beautiful with loads of history. Architecturally it's very interesting, and there are lots of museums to visit and general touristy things to do. A huge choice of lovely restaurants to pick from and a romantic canal ride is always a treat!

It's the kind of place you can go with the lads for the weekend for a good giggle, or go with your girlfriend for the weekend for a romantic get-away.

As for prices, it's pretty much like going to London. I wouldn't say it's particularly cheap, but it's reasonable. You go to London, you pay London prices, you go to Blackpool you pay Blackpool prices, you go to Amsterdam, you pay Amsterdam prices.

There are lots of bars/clubs/things to do... As someone before said, it will be as fun as the people you go with. If you want to watch some crazy midget sex show or some woman popping ping pong balls out of her pussy for a laugh, it's a funny experience and a good laugh. If you want to go out to a few bars and clubs in the night it's got that too. But, if you're after cheap booze and a shag, I'd go to eastern europe.

Feel free to ask anything.
Reply 5
Original post by TimHuak
Like any west European city, I dont see a huge difference between a lot of west European cities.

It will be boring if you are boring or the people you go with are boring


Ohhh.. We're not boring, trust me! :wink:

Sounds great to me! Thanks guys! :smile:
Reply 6
Its got the whole range really and can appeal to just about anyone, either gender, any age group. Obviously its famous for its sex scene as well as cannabis.

But apart from that, the architecture is gorgeous! Everyone rides bikes. Its fairly cheap (for European standards). Everyone is ridiculously tall! Especially as a girl of 5'3 I felt even more minuscule than normal :tongue: Also its a generally FLAT ground, which weird. What else.. oh theres trams! and lots of street art which is gorgeous!

Personally, I loved the arty side of it all :smile: Theres loads to do in the evening/nightlife but i found the red light districts etc pretty sad :frown: obviously i didnt pay a visit but have walked through the area and spoken to locals - a lot of the women are forced into the industry. Just because its legal there doesnt mean everyone is consenting and is a lot more complicated than what it may first appear. Many of the women dancing in the windows are just really sad and doing it for any bit of $$$ they can get, which often isnt much. I think its quite sick, what man would enjoy paying someone and enjoy the act while the whole time shes either crying or generally glum - just earning a living for her children etc? Some of these people are apparently very young!

Anywayyyy, every cafe you go into will serve cannabis in some form such as hash cookies/cakes or even weed lollies! Its a strange experience - but you can go there and enjoy yourself without getting into any of the drug/sex scene (like we did) :smile:
Apart from legal weed? Are you for real? What more could be less boring. :rofl:
I'm going amsterdam this summer too, this was helpful (I was also looking for non-sex/alcohol/drug related stuff for during the day)

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/amsterdam
Reply 9
From a show i watched i concluded the dutch civilians don't smoke weed and aren't fans of the sex industry

Its more of a tourist/druggie thing to do



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Reply 10
I went to Amsterdam last year! As long as you got good people to be around, you'll enjoy it. I went with a friend who "goes on holiday to chill in the hotel" in his own words, so I hated it. Ended up leaving him and checking into a hostel to find randoms to party with.
It's a great city, if you've all got different interests that's no problem, you'll all find something to do I'm sure!

Can I come? Pleeeease? :-)
the heineken museum is worth a visit - its actually quite entertaining - my friend's dad works for heineken, so it was a must when i went over to visit her in holland last summer! - plus you get 2 glasses of free beer on the tour around it! - anne frank house is also worth a visit.
Reply 12
Used to live in Holland, in a town near Amsterdam. There is alot to do in Amsterdam, I love the city. It is not all drugs and sex, the amount of times I get the knowing look of being a druggy just for saying I was born in Holland is hilarious :tongue:. Hire a bike, go sight seeing. There are some beautiful architecture and canals. Awesome shops too. Dont worry though, you wont get bored. There is plenty to do :smile:. And people are really friendly! You have got to eat some stroopwafels mmm! Wafels with a caramel syrup, if only I could get it shipped here. Enjoy!
Van Gogh museum is interesting, so is the bit of the Rijksmuseum that is currently open. Vondelpark nearby is good to walk around.
Reply 14
The banana show
Reply 15
Well what do you think :wink:
Two of my friends and I went to Amsterdam in early February and it is honestly one of the best holidays I have been on.

The people were lovely, and were very tolerant of the fact that we only spoke a few words of Dutch. The city itself is gorgeous and because it was so cold the canals were frozen over and we could skate on them, the shopping is brilliant and the museums were actually interesting (Would highly recommend the Van Gogh museum and the Anne Frank annex. Our favourite was the Nemo science museum. It was absolutely brilliant. You can't fault a museum that lets you play DDR for free!).

It's a lot cheaper than we were expecting. We stayed in a 5 star hotel (Grand Amrath Amsterdam) for a really reasonable price.

The hotel we stayed in was a couple of streets over from the red light district and we walked through it a couple of times (we're not really the type for weed etc.). Even the red light district is nice! It's actually really small and during the day it's pretty quaint. It's not like there are prostitutes hanging out of the windows and people hounding you to try their weed! If you want to go into one of the coffeeshops then you can, but I don't think they really like/promote the culture of tourists coming in to get high.

In terms of things to do, just walking around the city is a thing to do in itself (but be careful of bikes and trams!!) as you'll happen upon things to do all over the city. If you're in the centre and need the toilet, go to '2theloo'. It sounds strange, but it's a shop with a really nice toilet! Also, if you're down by the Van Gogh museum, there's a lovely restaurant called Wok To Walk. I don't think it's exclusive to Amsterdam, but I've never seen it anywhere else. Best Chinese food in the city.

If you want to drink, there's a street with a row of pubs (sorry, I can't remember where it is) where there's a guy there during the day with leaflets for a 'tourist' pub crawl where the drinks are really cheap and they make sure you're safe while you're with them. They're pretty good.

So basically, we had a pretty similar idea that it was going to be all about drugs etc. but it was actually a lovely city, you have nothing to worry about!


TL;DR It's a lovely city which has much more to offer than its red light district, and it's a lot cheaper than I expected.
Reply 17
Original post by MittenRef
A few of us are thinking of going to Amsterdam for a weekend at some point in the Summer, as a sort of mini-getaway. There is VERY cheap coach travel on offer, and seeing as most of us are students - sounds like a good weekend...

However, a couple of people are hinting that we won't enjoy it because all there is to do there is smoke weed and visit brothels... I'm pretty damn sure there are more things in Amsterdam than that!

Has anyone been to Amsterdam? How expensive are things there, (primarily accommodation and alcohol!), and what is there to do outside the smoking/sex/drinking scenes?

Thoughts appreciated! :smile:


Amsterdam is as seedy as it is dirty. The streets stink, the people are rude and the bicycle lanes resemble a crowded NYC street. There is nothing there of particular interest if you dont enjoy cannabis or have an obsession with porn shows, sex shops, sex museums and brothels. The red light district streets remind me of a scene from Hostel and the girls leave little to the imagination, which isnt usually a good thing. I've been three times but only because i live close to the dfds seaways ferry dock and the boat is the best part. I would go every year if it missed amsterdam out. OP you and ur friends are best off saving a little more money and heading abroad for a long weekend. Check lollypop.com for cheap hols. Hope this post helps :smile:


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weed weed weed weed WHORES weed weed WHORES
Reply 19
Original post by Mr Dangermouse
weed weed weed weed WHORES weed weed WHORES


Why did I write that essay-like reply when I could have wrotw this. Sums Amsterdam up a treat lol


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