Do you know the Vondelpark's best kept secret? Well-hidden underneath the bridge there's an bomb…read moreshelter from the last century called de Vondelbunker. And the Nederlanders wouldn't be famous for their Dutchness, their pragmatical suchness, if they didn't find a new useful use for such a place. If you fancy an alternative evening with music, poetry, games or movies (check the website www.schijnheilig.org), this is the place to be. And because imho the first review for this place is actually supposed to be in Dutch I excel myself to at least write a decent summary: Geen zin in beschaafdheid en dikkedakken? Liever gezellig drankjes doen en lekker ouwehoeren met mensen van de Amsterdamsche alternatieve scène? Dus ga gewoon naar de Vondelbunker.

i visited De Vondelbunker on a trip to Amsterdam in 2016…read more if you can find this thing & enjoy a show here, let me tell you something: 1. you are one cool motherfucker 2. you're prolly the only tourist there it is HARD to find, even with the address, but so worth it. approach the bridge from inside Vondelpark. the entrance is along the NE foundation of the bridge. you won't hear shit - it's a bunker! - but look for people trickling in & out.

I am so bummed!! After being there for 5 hours, I still failed to make it to the 1700-1800 and the…read more2000s zones!! This place is HUGE! I now understand why tourists would plan an entire day there. Unfortunately, I had 2 other stops that day that I couldn't miss, so I had no choice but left at 2pm. I am soo glad I made it to the main hall first to see Rembrandt's Night Watch (granted it was through a piece of glass due to the restoration process). I would've been devastated if I couldn't. Love the info cards for almost all of the major art pieces to explain in detail on how it was created. Some tips: Buy your ticket ahead of time. Get there 15 minutes before your entrance time to get in line and for bag check. No water inside the exhibits. The coat check is your only option if you don't show up right at when they open. The lockers filled up within minutes. Don't be fooled by the opened ones because that means the lock is broken. Definitely worth a stop at the gift shop. (Like I said above) Plan to spend the whole day there.

Beautiful museum... Incredible Rembrandt and other masters…read more Love the architecture... And the café

I cried. I cried the day before…read more I cried the moment the curator said "today we're going to discuss Anne Frank." There is a window that opens on a certain day and it'll cover the next 6 weeks. If you miss this window, you won't get tickets. I almost missed the window as I completely forgot my 9hour time difference. For me, it opens midnight on Monday! Keep that in mind. So we got the 30 minute presentation + the tour of the place. There are no cameras allowed - that's to preserve the integrity of Anne's diary. There was also a section dedicated to Margot. Margot would have been 100 years old if she was here today. May god rest her soul. Turns out, Margot also kept a diary but it was lost when the bad people came to take the family away. Additionally, there was an entire team of people dedicated to keeping the family safe during their difficult time. Walking through the staircase to the annex felt - eerie and heartbreaking, you can see and experience the tight conditions in which the family lived. I had to duck my head to get to through the bookshelf that lead to the annex. Lots of the areas were bare because the bad people destroyed mostly everything. Though Anne's actual posters and pictures remained. There were also anecdotes from the friends and helpers about Anne and Margot. And even Peter as well. This is something I think every human should experience at least once in their lives. If you haven't read her diary, please do. Because sadly history tends to repeat itself.

I went into the Anne Frank House expecting something deeply moving, and while the history behind it…read moreis undeniably powerful, the experience itself felt more lackluster than I anticipated. The biggest issue for me was how crowded it was. The space is very small, which makes sense given the history, but paired with the constant flow of people, it created a "cattle line" feel that really took away from the experience. You're shuffled through room to room without much time to pause, reflect, or fully take in where you are. It felt more rushed than reverent. The museum itself is very minimal, which I understand is intentional, but combined with the crowding, it made it harder to connect emotionally. I was hoping for something more immersive or at least a bit more space to absorb the significance of it all. That said, the historical importance is undeniable. Standing in the actual place where Anne Frank and her family hid still carries weight, and the final section with excerpts from her diary was the most impactful part. Overall, I'm glad I went because of its significance, but the overcrowding and rushed flow made it difficult to fully appreciate the experience. I'd still recommend visiting, just be prepared for a tight, busy environment and manage expectations going in. Also pre-book in advance (far in advance)

I went to Mezrab to see a ply with a friend and I absolutely loved it! It was a 2-person,…read morestorytelling play (so to speak) called The Whistler of Dreams and it was so captivating that the entire room quiet as we listened attentively the whole time. They take creative/performance arts pretty seriously and are very nice to their patrons. You can buy drinks to have during the show and people tend to hang out before and after plays so you'll have people to talk to even if you go alone. It's not fancy by any means but you are guaranteed a good, thought-provoking time.

Mezrab Cafe reflects Amsterdam's unique cultural sense and how it thinks outside the box…read more The cafe is a cultural center with musical performances & workshops, but it's mostly known for its storytelling nights. Held a couple of times a month and some nights are all in Dutch and many are in English. About 4-5 seasoned storytellers recant their funny, poignant, sad & heartfelt experiences and a few newcomers are invited to give it a try afterwards. The stories revolve around a theme that is picked from the last storytellers night audience. It's a unique experience as it's a mix between reading poetry and stand-up comedy. In fact some of the storytellers have a comedy background, so they make natural and engaging talkers. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the audiences are very friendly and supportive of the performers. It's always packed and they have a bar with beer, wine and soft drinks, so you can mingle and hangout between and after the performances. You also have to try their thick, hearty, delicious soups..Entrance is free so Mezrab is an affordable, popular, enriching night out. In the Eastern Docklands section of town. Tram 26 and a short walk easily gets you there. Please watch our vid for a better impression: https://youtu.be/GAHv9sUQ1k0

The Amsterdam Museum is a small museum that covers some portions of Amsterdam's history. I'd say no…read moremore than 2-3 hours of content. There is some good stuff there, but what the museum covers is somewhat arbitrary. One full room deals with a plane crash that happened in the 90s, while the museum has almost nothing about the canals. Half the museum is about slavery in Suriname and nearby areas. Almost everything is in English. The Amsterdam Museum has moved to a temporary location at Amstel 51. It's inside a building called "The Heritage", which also houses other museums. While walking to the museum, you'll see signs for "The Heritage", though you probably won't see any signs for "Amsterdam Museum".

We spent about 2 hours on a self-guided tour of this museum, with an audio guide…read more There were 3 floors to visit. We climbed many stairways during the tour. There is an elevator, but only in one section of the building. We used it to exit. The museum is divided by time period. Each time period is housed in 1 or more rooms. Taking your time to watch the videos, listen to the commentaries and read the placards will be the most immersive way to learn the most here.

The national maritime Museum is really kid friendly. After a day of dragging my child to historic…read moresites, I needed to find something that he would enjoy too. We had the I Amsterdam card and so this made good sense as a choice. We heard it was great for kids and it really was. Doris the diver is basically a play area for kids 2 to 7. There's also bathrooms right next to it that include changing tables, small sinks, and small toilets for littles. We spent most of our time exploring the replica of the Dutch East India company ship. My son and I had a great time walking around the ship and lowering our heads to crawl into tight spaces. My son especially liked the police system in the cargo hold and trying to find the drawings of the wrapin the cargo hold.The views here are nice and it was a fun place to explore on a sunny spring day.

One of the best museums illustrating the the Dutch colonial past. Along with a replica of an actual…read moreboat, you could explore with an amazing video transposing you back in time, it had artifacts, paintings, tapestries etc all with excellent audio explanations to accompany you. Really great find! Not to be missed when in Amsterdam

I was informed by several travel blogs that this is a tourist trap, but honestly, SO WHAT IF IT…read moreIS?? In my opinion, t's absolutely worth the time and money for a 90-minute Heineken experience! Not to mention, my husband and I each got 2 beers for free!! We had to wait a little bit to get in, even though it was a weekday. The lockers were almost full, but I heard that there was a coat check area. The tour guide was very interactive with the audience and we also had moments to sit down and watch a 360 degree video in an elevator. I didn't pay for the roof top extra access, because I wanted to spend more on souvenirs and customized beer bottles. Next time if I ever go back to Amsterdam, I would absolutely go back again just for the gift shop and the beer.

Touring the original Heineken brewery and learning how their beer is made was a delight. There is a…read moresmall walk-through history exhibit in the old grain silo area that describes Heineken's origins and how the business grew. I appreciated the honest look at the company's humble beginnings. Every great business venture has to start somewhere. The most critical lesson: success is rarely an overnight feat. It takes years of dedication, effort, and learning. Learning not just from your mistakes, but from other people who've gone before you. My experience featured a "Brew You" immersive attraction that puts you in the brew chamber and production line. The bottling line is (not really) transformed into a roller coaster, ending in a taste of the Heineken signature beer. There's a brewery-style bar where you can hang out and enjoy your beer. I opted to go up to the rooftop. You get a few more options for your drink and you get to enjoy views of the Amsterdam skyline. I liked their rooftop and will happily go up there again. I can see it from my hotel.