Synopses & Reviews
Looking for a travel guide that goes where other guides fear to tread? One that rides roughshod over ad-copy puffery to smartly deliver the real scoop on a destination's sites and attractions? One that dares to be honest, hip, and fun? Look no more. Frommer's Irreverent Travel Guides are wickedly irreverent, unabashedly honest, and downright hilarious, and provide an insider's perspective on which attractions are overrated tourist traps and which are the secret gems that locals love. You'll get the lowdown on restaurants, lodging, and shopping, and even find out what the locals think of you. "Like being taken around by a savvy local," said the
New York Times. "Hipper and savvier than other guides," concurred
Diversion magazine. Never shy about confronting the issues, the Irreverents are guides to real travel in the real world.
The one-dimensional Amsterdam of tulips, wooden shoes, and 17th-century architecture is the stuff of many a standard guidebook, but with its booming economy, legalized prostitution, and tolerant attitude toward recreational drug use, the city is much more than that. For savvy travelers who want to fully experience the place as the locals live it, Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Amsterdam, 6th Edition is the way to go, offering the lowdown on this hip, cultivated city, where old and new sunnily coexist. You'll discover the proper way to knock back genever (Dutch gin--the potent national spirit), why Amsterdam is considered the Gay Capital of Europe, plus the inside scoop on the red-light district, complete with advice and warnings.
Synopsis
"Full of solid, insider information with just the right amount of cynicism."
—Travel Savvy magazine
Are you tired of cliché-ridden guidebooks packed with promotional fluff? Then move over to the IRREVERENT GUIDES—the travel series that no tourist board would dare to recommend.
Look inside for the lowdown on
- The best places to stay, whether you're looking for canal-house coziness or unparalleled luxury
- Dutch dining worth seeking out—and tourist traps to avoid
- People watching, hofje hopping, clog shopping, and canal cruising away from the crowds
- The cafes, tap houses, and smoke shops that the locals love
Visit us online at Frommers.com
About the Author
George McDonald is a former deputy editor of and current contributing writer for Holland Herald, the in-flight magazine of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He has written extensively about Belgium and the Netherlands for international magazines and travel books such as Frommer’s Amsterdam and Frommer’s Europe.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.
Maps.
Map 1 Amsterdam Maps Overview.
YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW.
1 ACCOMMODATIONS.
Basic Stuff.
Winning the Reservations Game.
Is There a Right Address in Amsterdam?
The Lowdown.
Maps .
Map 2 Central Amsterdam Accommodations.
Map 3 Southern Amsterdam Accommodations.
The Index.
An A to Z of places to stay, with vital statistics.
2 DINING.
Basic Stuff.
Only in Amsterdam.
Van Dam vs. Iens.
Still Holland’s Best Ice Cream.
How to Dress.
When to Eat.
Getting the Right Table.
Celebrity Chefs.
Dining in Cafes.
The Lowdown.
Maps.
Map 4 Amsterdam Dining Orientation.
Map 5 Central Amsterdam Dining.
The Index.
An A to Z list of places to dine, with vital statistics.
3 DIVERSIONS.
Basic Stuff.
Getting Your Bearings.
King of the Culture Vultures.
The City of the 7,000 Gables.
The Lowdown.
Maps.
Map 6 Amsterdam Diversions Orientation.
Map 7 Central Amsterdam Diversions.
Map 8 Southern Amsterdam Diversions.
Map 9 Eastern Amsterdam Diversions.
The Index.
An A to Z list of diversions, with vital statistics.
4 GETTING OUTSIDE.
Basic Stuff.
The Lowdown.
5 SHOPPING.
Basic Stuff.
What to Buy.
Target Zones.
The Spirit of Amsterdam: Distiller Cees van Wees.
Outdoor Markets.
Bargain Hunting.
Trading with the Natives.
Hours of Business.
Sales Tax.
The Lowdown.
Maps.
Map 10 Central Amsterdam Shopping.
Map 11 Southern Amsterdam Shopping.
The Index.
An A to Z list of places to shop, with vital statistics.
6 NIGHTLIFE & CAFES.
Basic Stuff.
Cafe Society.
Tap Houses.
Smoke Houses.
House of Ill Repute with a Great Reputation.
Sources.
The Lowdown.
Maps.
Map 12 Central Amsterdam Nightlife & Cafes.
Map 13 Eastern Amsterdam Nightlife & Cafes.
The Index.
An A to Z list of nightspots, with vital statistics.
7 ENTERTAINMENT.
Basic Stuff.
Info Sources & Tickets.
The Lowdown.
Maps.
Map 14 Amsterdam Entertainment Orientation.
Map 15 Central Amsterdam Entertainment.
Map 16 Southern Amsterdam Entertainment.
Map 17 Eastern Amsterdam Entertainment.
The Index.
An A to Z list of venues, with vital statistics.
HOTLINES & OTHER BASICS.
GENERAL INDEX.
Accommodations Index.
Restaurant Index.