Wyand and Fockink
Just off Dam square, but hidden away from those not in the know, is Wyand and Fockink. It’s a classic tasting house where you can sample jenever or ‘The Dutch Gin’ –a clear alcohol distilled into something nice you can drink. It’s about 40%, so there’s a bit of kick. The proper way to drink your measure? Whilst standing up, you bend over and sip your jenever from the shot glass which remains firmly on the bar! You can jump on a free English language tour of the distillery every Saturday at 12.30pm (€9, reservations not required).
Monday – Sunday: 3pm – 9pm
Pijlsteeg 31
T: +31 (0) 20 639 2695 E: contact@wynand-fockink.nl
Café Bern
If melted cheese is your thing (and who doesn’t love a bit of melted cheese?) then Café Bern is the place to head. The gruyere fondue and the entrecôte (steak) have been drawing the crowds for over 30 years. Bear in mind that the doors are often shut for a large part of the summer as the demand for bubbling cheese is lower in the hot summer months!
Monday – Sunday: 6pm – 11pm
Nieuwmarkt 9
T: +31 (0)20 622 00 34
Albert Cuyp Market
De Pijp, arguably Amsterdam’s hippest area, is where locals flock at the weekend to enjoy a relaxed day at Albert Cuyp Market. You’ll find around 260 stands stretching down one long street making it the Netherlands’ biggest open air market. The market has been running since 1905 and is a great place to while away the hours, browsing everything from fresh vegetables and fish to shoes and luggage. You can always grab a taste of Dutch treats like raw herring or warm, freshly made stroopwafels.
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm, Sunday: Closed
E: info@albertcuypmarkt.nl
Albert Cuypstraat
Bakers and Roasters
The owners of Bakers and Roasters hail from New Zealand and Brazil (by way of London and Caifornia) and their arrival in De Pijp has injected the Amsterdam breakfast and lunch scene with a bit of international pizazz. You’ll find carefully brewed coffees, juices and smoothies, a tempting selection of breakfast and lunch treats along with cakes and pastries to die for. The low key entrance belies a sunny interior with whitewashed walls and splashes of colour. Perfect for a lazy brunch followed by a stroll around Albert Cuyp Market.
Monday – Friday: 8.30, Saturday – Sunday: 9.30 – 4pm
Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 54
T: +31 6 14699645 E: hello@bakersandroasters.com
In ‘t Aepjen
If you’re looking for character then head to In ‘t Aepjen, allegedly the oldest bar in Amsterdam. Based in a sixteenth century house, it is one of two remaining wooden buildings in the city. Old photos adorn the walls and antiquities hang from the ceiling. Light emanates only from shaded lamps and candles that burn all day. As the story goes, the bar acted as a crash pad for sailors from the Far East who often brought aapjes (monkey) with them. Hence the name ‘In’t Aepjen.’ Olde-timey Jazz plays on the stereo which helps to bolster the vintage feel.
Monday – Sunday: 12pm – 12am
Zeedijk 1
T: +31 626 84 01
Amsterdam Centraal Station
Amsterdam Centraal is the city’s main train station. Every day around 250,000 visitors and locals pass through its terminals. The original Neo-Renaissance style of the building is bold and dramatic and the station is currently undergoing renewal to accommodate a new metro line. Several city trams, trains and buses begin or end their journeys at the station. The waterfront stations of city ferry lines also take passengers to Amsterdam Noord from here – and that’s where you’ll find ClinKNOORD.
Stationsplein
T: +31 30 2357822
Planning a trip to Amsterdam? Find out more about ClinkNoord or visit our group accommodation page to find out more about our rates and best deals.
