CURRENT POPULATION: 743,000
% POP GROWTH: 0.5 %
CITY AREA: 219 KM2

CITY DENSITY: 4,452 INH/KM2
GDP PER CAPITA: €23,900
DIALLING CODE: +31

WITH FRIENDS
TJING, TJING
CORNELIES TROOSTRAAT 56-58
TEL. 020 676 0923
This cosy South African restaurant is a firm favourite with locals and returning travellers. Combining easy comfort with dedicated service, chef de patron Michael Ricketts has created a menu overflowing with South African delicacies from the sea to the savannah.

ENTERTAINING A CLIENT
VIS AAN DE SCHELDE
SCHELDERPLEIN 4
TEL. 020 675 1583
The football season is here once again and many of the Dutch star players know more than a thing or two about good food. And that’s why they can be found at this fantastic fish restaurant, which is famed for its fresh seafood. An added bonus is its convenient location across from the RAI Congress Centre.

CLOSING THE DEAL
RESTAURANT RED
KEZIERSGRACHT 594
TEL. 020 320 1824
Parisian style, plush but not pompous, and boasting magnificent meat, succulent seafood dishes and an excellent wine list – these are the hallmarks of this elegant brasserie. Service is attentive without being overbearing.

STYLE
MOMO
HOBBEMASTRAAT 1
TEL. 020 671 7474
If you want to see or be seen, this is the place to go. Somehow managing to avoid the crassness that can come with being the latest and greatest venue, MOMO is a land of decadent décor and copious cocktails. The top tipple is Carol Channing: a mix of vodka, raspberry liqueur and bubbles – bottoms up!

RELAX
HARRY’S BAR
SPUISTRAAT 285
TEL. 062 155 8300
A favourite with those who love a perfectly-made martini or mojito, Harry’s Bar is all about master mixology. Pop in here and savour a cocktail menu that’s second to none in Amsterdam.

BUSINESS
CITIZEN M AMSTERDAM CITY
PRINSES IRENESTRAAT 30
TEL. 020 811 7055 The dream team behind the Citizen M hotel at Schiphol has done it again with its second hotel in Amsterdam. With artworks by Andy Warhol and Elspeth Diederix and furniture designed by Vitra, the hotel focuses on affordable luxury. Each room boasts a huge bed, rain shower and TV, along with free movies and Wi-Fi. Within walking distance of the RAI Congress Centre and the WTC Convention Centre, only five minutes from the Museum District and 10 from the city centre, the hotel is ideal for business travellers who want quality and style without stretching the expenses budget.

VALUE
PATOU
P.C. HOOFTSTRAAT 63
TEL. 020 676 02 32
Check into Patou and make your address P.C. Hooftstraat, the illustrious shopping street that’s home to Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci, for less than you’d spend on a pair of sunglasses in those stores. Patou is styled as minimalist yet luxurious – a typical room has black lacquer surfaces, a black crushed velvet headboard and a wet-room shower.

BESPOKE
THE DYLAN
EIZERSGRACHT 384
TEL. 020 530 2010
A haven of low-key luxury, The Dylan’s discreet reception, sumptuous lounge, exquisite restaurant and intimate inner courtyard, framed in this stunningly renovated 17th-century canal house, are a delight. Each of the 41 rooms is designed with dramatic flair.

Look out for Dutch designer Mariska Meijers, who is renowned for her bold and bright designs (www.mariskameijers.com). She has a stunning range available at Stock Interiors (opposite the Okura Hotel) and other designer outlets in the city.

From 9 October the exhibition Van Gogh’s Letters: The Artist Speaks will be on at the Van Gogh Museum (www.vangoghmuseum.nl). Showcasing nearly 900 of his letters, some of which include illustrations, the visitor can follow Van Gogh’s artistic process from idea to scribbles, to sketches, to the completed pieces.

Why are there so many Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam? Simple, because Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony. Among other things, the Dutch brought back a love for the ris tafel (rice table) – deliciously spiced delicacies.

Walk through the city and you’ll see that Amsterdam is steeped in history – nearly onethird of the buildings were built before 1850. Highlights include the 13th-century Oude Kerk, 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk, and the 17thcentury Royal Palace on Dam Square.

WORDS BY KIM CHANDLER