Information about Amsterdam

 

The City of Amsterdam:

Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a unique city offering an excellent infrastructure for international conferences and businesses, and a wealth of tourist attractions. Amsterdam is known worldwide for its open, tolerant atmosphere and its hospitable citizenry who enjoy meeting people from abroad. Delegates to SING5 will feel at home quickly in Amsterdam, where English has become the second language of many.

With its relatively small population of about 750,000 and is compact layout, Amsterdam is sometimes called an “urban village”. Since the proposed venue is located in the heart of the city, many hotels, attractions and transportation facilities are at a short distance from the venue, often walking distance or one or two stops by tram.

Apart from a wealth of picturesque historic sites, the city prides itself on a swinging nightlife, charming shopping streets, international haute cuisine, galleries and famous museums.

Amsterdam is an international centre of biosciences and research, in particular in the biomedical field, with its two universities, their academic hospitals, the Netherlands Cancer Institute and a range of biotech and pharmaceutical companies within its border or nearby.

 

Main attractions

Amsterdam offers its visitors a wealth of attractions in the fields of culture, entertainment, recreation, shopping and dining. It is impossible to provide a comprehensive overview of all possibilities in these fields. Therefore, only some highlights are listed below.

 

Culture

Amsterdam has over 50 museums, the most well known of which are:
 - Rijksmuseum with a rich collection of Dutch Masters, including Rembrandt’s world-famous Night Watch.
 - Van Gogh Museum dedicated to the work of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries.
 - Stedelijk Museum focusing on contemporary art.

In the field of music, Amsterdam has the Concertgebouw, home of the famous Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Opera, under one roof with the City Hall on the river Amstel, and a range of other, smaller theatres mostly in the inner city, offering a wide selection of performances.

 

Entertainment/recreation

Numerous cozy pubs and bars, many with outdoor terraces during summer, cinemas, and a casino guarantee recreational options to everyone’s liking. Most of these places are situated in the inner city.

 

Sightseeing

The most exciting way to view the ancient inner city of Amsterdam is by a canal cruise by a special boat with explanations in all major languages. One can buy tickets and get on one of the boats at several places along the canals. Several boat tours depart from the Central Station, close to the proposed congress venue. At night, the canals and historic buildings are illuminated adding a romantic dimension to the boat tours.

Many exciting and interesting optional coach tours can be booked by delegates and accompanying persons, e.g. through their hotel reception desk or travel agent.

 

Detailed tourist information (museums, boat trips, excursions, etc.) can be found on the websites of Holland.com and Amsterdamtourist.com

A good guide to Amsterdam with some places where to eat and drink can be found here.