Amsterdam:
The place
to be
We hope you fall in love with Amsterdam. The city has all the advantages of a major metropolitan centre while retaining a cosy, small-scale feel.
Nowhere else in the Netherlands will you find so many museums, cinemas, theatres, cultural events… and bicycles
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As the capital city – and the creative, cultural and financial heart of the Netherlands – Amsterdam is an ideal environment for academic study. Amsterdam has long been home to a diverse, multicultural population. And because English is the city’s unofficial second language, Amsterdam continues to be a vibrant international centre.
Amsterdam hotspots
Museums
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Van Gogh Museum
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The world’s largest collection of paintings by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh
Stedelijk Museum
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A renowned collection of modern and contemporary art and design
Eye Film
Institute
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Visitors can watch films, view exhibitions or relax on the terrace
Hermitage Amsterdam
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Includes exhibitions from the art collection of the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg
Rijksmuseum
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The largest and best-known museum, with a famous collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings
Foam Museum
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All about photography
Parks
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Vondelpark
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The garden of Amsterdam and the city’s most famous park
Westerpark
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Relax on the grass with friends or visit the theatre, cinema and restaurant at the Westergasfabriek
Artis Royal Zoo
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The oldest zoo in the Netherlands (student discount available)
Festivals
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Amsterdam Dance Event
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World-famous electronic music festival that attracts around 400,000 visitors each year in October.
Amsterdam Light Festival
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Every December and January, the Amsterdam canals are lit up with installations from the best light artists in the world.
Pride Amsterdam
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Annual gay cultural event held every year at the end of summer. Includes a colourful canal parade through the city centre of Amsterdam.
Theatres
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Paradiso
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This popular concert venue hosts both local and world-famous artists
Stads-Schouwburg
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A leading light when it comes to Dutch theatre culture
Royal Concert Gebouw
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One of the world’s most renowned classical concert venues, acclaimed for its fine acoustics
Bitterzoet
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A leading light when it comes to Dutch theatre culture
Melkweg
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One of the city’s leading entertainment venues with two halls, a cinema, a theatre and a cafe
Neighbourhoods
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Jordaan
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This former working-class area is now an upmarket neighbourhood for students artists and small businesses
Oost
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Home to the Roeterseiland Campus, this neighbourhood is known for its wide streets, 19th-century buildings, and hip restaurants, cafés and bars
Noord
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An emerging, industrial area that is separated from the mainland by the IJ river. It has growing number of hip restaurants, waterside hangouts and festivals
Oud-Zuid
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This well-to-do neighbourhood is most famous for its Museum Quarter, fancy shopping streets and the Vondelpark
The Pijp
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Built in the 19th century, the Pijp is full of lively pubs and restaurants and Amsterdam’s biggest open-air market
Oud West
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Popular neighbourhood with trendy stores, cafés and bars. It’s also home to De Hallen, a popular cultural and culinary centre with a cinema
