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5 Unique Things to Do In Amsterdam

Everyone knows the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum, Heineken, Adam Tower and the Hop On Hop Off tours. During my last month in here, I wanted to experience something unusual, something that would make the experience in Amsterdam more immersive.

1. Kayaking in Amsterdamse Bos

Have you ever thought of Amsterdam as an outdoor destination? Well me neither before I found out the big green area in the south of the city. The huge forest is full of different kinds of activities for children and adults – running, zip-lines, stand-up paddling, swimming, kayaking and many more. The activity that caught my eye was kayaking!

The first time I tried kayaking was in Thailand, so I had some doubts how it would be in a city holiday destination, I mean kayaking is not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Amsterdam, but it was definitely worth it. There are 3 different kayak routes you can take around the forest. The route I chose was 1,5 hours and very relaxing – I didn’t have to exert myself at all, instead I could smoothly go forward and enjoy the quietness and green surroundings.

2. Plastic Fishing

How to combine helping the environment and getting the most out of the extra-ordinary canals of Amsterdam? Try the Plastic Fishing from Plastic Whale!

Plastic Fishing was my third canal cruising experience and for sure the best one! It starts from the Westerkerk with an introduction (I missed it though, because I was late, so I recommend being on time!). After you are provided with the nets and the plastic picking adventure begins!

It was surprising and shocking how much we actually pulled out of the water: dozens of full and empty beer cans, cups, glasses, a lot of condoms, packages of food and tons of plastic waste. From the plastic we collect, Plastic Whale creates furniture – which is pretty amazing.

While helping Amsterdam to stay clean, I had the chance to do sightseeing, learn about the surroundings and see the beautiful canal area!

“–The more people join, the more positive impact we create –”

3. Electric Ladyland

Amsterdam is a city of culture – a lot of museums. You can choose from the huge Van Gogh and Rijksmuseums or immerse yourself into history while visiting the Anne Frank House; or if these don’t interest you, you can do what I did and try something completely different.

Electric Ladyland is a small art gallery and museum located in the pretty Jordaan area of Amsterdam. It’s all about fluorescent art. In the right light, I was able to see minerals, rocks and other things I wouldn’t have known to be fluorescent, to turn into amazing bright colors.Also, it was my first experience with participatory art – you could really be part of the art piece in the museum: walk into it, touch it and see every tiny little detail – which is something different from all of the other museums.

In addition to the cool visual aspects of the museum and the fact that you could even be part of it, I loved the personal touch of the visit. You could talk with the people behind the whole experience, hear their story and really sense that your questions are answered with passion and real knowledge.

4. Mystery of A Secret Sender

Exploration, puzzle solving and little-known stories from history to transform the way you explore the city.”

If you are interested in getting to know the city you’re traveling to a bit better in a fun way, this is definitely the activity to choose!

Puzzle by puzzle, the whole (true) story of the Mystery of a Secret Sender takes you around the city immersing you into the Golden Age of Amsterdam. It starts from the Dam Square where you are provided with a map, which(when used properly) will take you to some interesting sights and buildings around the city center. The story you are now a part of is easy to follow and really well put together. This activity can give you a really nice insight into Amsterdam by doing, learning, seeing and exploring! You’re not just walking aimlessly around but instead solving a true mystery happening in Amsterdam.

I liked how you can do it at your own pace and how the puzzles you’ll need to solve during the game are related to Amsterdam. However, if you want to speed it up – you can compete against the time limit!

5. Eat With A Local – Delicious Dutch Dinner Overlooking the Canals

I had heard previously about home restaurants and thought this would be a cool addition to the list – interesting thing to do in Amsterdam from a food-related perspective. After some research I found a really good one and tried my luck with it.

From the moment I booked the dinnerateatwith.com I felt really welcome: Martine and Olav, the hosts of the dinner, sent me a message with their suggestions of their personal highlights in the city – bars, cafes and restaurants.

When I was going to the location of the dinner, I really had no idea what to expect. Who were the people going to be, what will the place be like, and what kind of atmosphere would there be. But in the end, I was so happy with how the whole experience turned out. Martine and Olav were not just great with their cooking (all of their Dutch dishes from organic and local products, from appetizers to desserts were delicious!) but they were also great hosts. They explained the courses, answered all of the questions you could possibly ask about Amsterdam and also shared their stories about living in Amsterdam as a local. The atmosphere at the dinner was very homely and it was also fun to get to know to other guests in this kind of environment – sharing stories over dinner in somebody’s home. Last but not least, the view was incredible – from the window I overlooked the beautiful canals of Amsterdam.

I would definitely recommend this to everyone and specially the dinner with Martine and Olav!

How to book?

It is actually pretty easy to find all of these activities – most of them are in the center of the city. Kayaking is in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) and it is possible to go there without any bookings or reservations beforehand.

Plastic Fishing you can find here https://plasticwhale.com/. You can also read interesting info about their sustainable mission!

For the participatory art in Electric Ladyland, you canmakean appointment for yourself here ontheir website: https://www.electric-lady-land.com/.

Bookings for the Mystery of The Secret Sender can be found here: http://mystery.city/

And all of the immersive food experiences can be bookedfrom the https://www.eatwith.com/ website!

Terrace hopping in Amsterdam

When the sun is shining it is really popular among the Dutch to pick up their cycle and go to the parks or go to have a drink on Amsterdam’s many terraces; rooftop, canal, waterside, historical or just a terrace by a restaurant who put some chairs outside for the summer. So when traveling to Amsterdam, between all the activities and attractions, to get a little extra piece of the lifestyle in the city, you definitely need to stop by a terrace – that’s what I did!

1.Pllek – an amazing place to end a tour around the Noord

This popular restaurant really ticks off quite a few boxes on my list of what makes a good place to spend a sunny summer day: spacious (seats by the beach, terrace, two floors inside!), great service (the waiter recommended me a beer and I must say it actually might be my favorite beer of all time now) and views (what could be better than having a drink by the water and watching the sunset).  There are tons of things I could tell about this place but last but definitely not least the overall atmosphere was extraordinary; groups having drinks, couples eating dinner and also people alone just enjoying the day.

Address: Tt. Neveritaweg 59

Opening times: Sun – Thu; 9.30am – 01am, Fri – Sat; 9.30am – 3am

Busiest times: 7pm – 9.30pm

2. Hannekes Boom – just around the corner from central station

Like Pllek, Hannekes Boom also has a pretty nice view over the water. You can arrive easily from central station by bike or walking or alternatively with your boat! When arriving to the place, it felt kind of a brief getaway from the packed streets of Amsterdam. Instead of the rushing people, you would be spotting the slowly passing boats. Even though there wasn’t any place to sit at the tables when I was there, you could just find your seat by the water and enjoy the view while having a taste of beer for example from the local brewery Brouwerij ‘t IJ.

Address: Dijksgeracht 4

Opening times: Mon – Thu; 10am – 01am, Fri – Sun; 10am – 3am

Busiest times: 5pm – 9pm

3. Café Zurich – exploring the West

By cycling only 13 minutes from Teleport, you’ll find Café Zurich! The terrace looks really inviting from outside –  like a secret garden in the middle of Mercatoplein. While the terrace isn’t the biggest on this list, it didn’t seem as busy as some of the other bars in centrum. The stylish and fresh decoration of the place gives a cozy touch to it and at the same time the atmosphere is less touristic than some other places. Either having lunch, dinner, a draft beer or a gin tonic, you will definitely get enough sunshine here!

Address: Mercatoplein 2b

Opening times: Mon – Thu; 9am – 01am, Fri – Sun; 9am – 3am

Busiest times: 6pm – 8pm

4. Haven van Texel – canal view with the taste of an island

I was walking in the city and came across this spot. What could be better than having a drink or lunch and enjoying the Amsterdam’s architecture and the canals? The view is stunning from this place and even better, they offer a taste of beers from the island Texel, which is located 100km to the north from Amsterdam. Various of these beers from Texel have actually won national prizes! Overall Haven van Texel is a pleasant and convenient place to stop by between all the hectic sightseeing in Amsterdam.

Address: Sint Olofssteeg 11

Opening times: Mon – Thu; 4pm – 00, Fri – Sun; 2pm – 01pm

Busiest times: 7pm – 9pm

5. Schreierstoren – “From here women waved goodbye for the husbands who went overseas”

A friend of mine recommended this hidden gem in the heart of Amsterdam. It can’t be found on the most popular “best terraces in Amsterdam” – lists, what makes it interesting place to visit. Schreierstoren has a significant role in Amsterdam’s history – it is one of the oldest buildings in Amsterdam and was once part of a medieval wall around Amsterdam. You can certainly feel the medieval atmosphere throughout the premises and you can have a beer at the same spot where the women waved to their husbands when they were going to the war.

Address: Prins Hendrikkade

Opening times: Mon-Thu; 10am – 01am, Fri-Sun; 10am – 03am

Busiest times: 6pm – 9pm

So where are they located?

To make your life a little easier I made a small map for you of Amsterdam with the terraces of this article. Just look up the number of your favorite terrace and you know how to get there!

So in conclusion Amsterdam has something to offer for everyone: good beer by the water at Pllek, boat spotting in Hannekes Boom, relaxed atmosphere away from the busy centrum in Café Zurich, canal views with special beers at Haven van Texel and a bit of Dutch history in Schreierstoren.

Besides these examples, there a lot of other places to choose from as well like: Nemo, A’dam Tower, Lion Noir… When walking on the streets of Amsterdam, you’ll see that almost every restaurant has built a terrace for the summer – just pick the one you like and have a taste of Dutch summer![:]

Amsterdam Light Festival Presents

In case you’ve been browsing around Amsterdam and wondering what those beautiful colorful art installations around the city are, we’re happy to share the news with you. Our cozy city is proud to host the fifth annual Light Festival that celebrates art, light and festive holidays. As a matter of fact this year edition celebrates Amsterdam itself with a new theme “A view on Amsterdam” with city being the canvas for artists. These talented creators bring on new ideas on its look and interpret various visions on Amsterdam through their stunning art pieces.imgp2727-4huge-1448445450

Water Colors

What are the water colors of the canals of our charming town? Well, this season (all the way until 22 January 2017!) the water becomes alive with all the rainbow colors (including the rainbow installation itself). Some of the artworks can be seen from the shore, like Wolfert’s dog that marked the foundation of Amsterdam according to the legend or the nest that inspires organic architecture and reevaluation of the idea of home. Other pieces can be admired better from the water, for example illusive three-dimensional houses, which turn out to be just unbelievable flat lines of lights or the dangerous love zone that underlines the contemporary status of love. The most magnificent pieces are the brightest colorful tulips that you can ever imagine (and right in the middle of the canal!), the flower strip full of lilacs on the water and of course the brightly lit bicycles that are falling into the water as a symbol of 15 000 bikes that gets fished out of Amsterdam canals annually.

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We chose KINboat tour

We were lucky to be on the Amsterdam Light Festival tour with KINboat that impressed us with their laid-back guides and a nice vibe on board. It is a friendly company that operates smaller boats allowing for a more personal experience and communication with like-minded people.  So not only you get to enjoy an amazing view of the canals and light art, but also meet local guides who are passionate about their city, ready to crack a funny joke and tell a personal story. If you’re a bit more introverted and find communication with strangers difficult, KINboat will melt the ice with a cup of hot gluhwein or chocolate. Yes, alcohol is included! And it makes the perception of night Amsterdam even better.kinboat31

How great it was to discover that the boat had a 360 degrees overview of the water and leaning Dutch houses dancing in the lights of the art pieces. We could choose between inside seating and being covered against wind and rain or being outside on the deck with a spot for taking perfect pictures.  In addition, it happened to be a silent 100% electric and green boat, which made our experience more environmentally friendly and sustainable. We couldn’t believe that the tour was over, as 75 minutes flew by making us want to come back and explore more with KINboat guys.fountain

Fancy a walk?

If you’re not into looking at Amsterdam from below the ground level (although it’s stunning!), then Illuminade is the right part of the Light Festival for you. Enjoy a long evening walk around the magical city admiring the outdoor exhibition presented to you by local and international artists. 23 light art pieces are waiting for you to see Amsterdam in a different dimension (sometimes you can even walk through them!). This year walking route’s theme is biomimicry that brings nature to solve problems of humans. The best news is that you can enjoy this charming walk for FREE till 8 January 2017, just grab your map and good company.memories

Watch the green flying pigs in a tree (no, you don’t need to smoke to see them!) being a symbol of positivism and recycling, or find an illuminated glass house activated through your voice that would make you feel surreal, or dance with the light trees connecting with nature and art. Your opportunities are endless and will surprise you with each artwork you pass: just think about the flowering phantasm opening its petals with you movement or light waves that operate with the help of the wind and make you think about sustainable energy.net

The Best Christmas Gifts from Amsterdam

This Christmas we challenge you to be more creative with Christmas gifts you bring home from Amsterdam! It’s time to find a worthy alternative to typical Dutch cheese, stroopwafels, tulip bulbs and Delft blue pottery that you usually would get as a souvenir from Amsterdam. This city has so much more to offer when it comes to original presents and fresh ideas. So let us share our favorite unusual Christmas gifts with you.

Scratch maps or solar queens from By Popular Demand

How about a scratch map as an original Christmas present from Amsterdam? A world map poster becomes personalized when your friends take a coin and scratch the surface to reveal the countries they have visited. Look for more of such unique gifts at By Popular Demand, where weird lamps, quirky socks, tote bag with a map of Amsterdam on it and funny pillows only start the list.

Raadhuisstraat 2

scratch-map

Moustache wax or special knives from Concrete Matter

You can find truly manly Christmas gifts at a bit posh Concrete Matter store that has prepared a huge collection of presents for him. Whether it will be whiskey disks to chill a drink without diluting, moustache wax for a great look, a radiometer to have a fancy object or a high quality pocket knife to use while camping, any gentleman would appreciate items from this shop. Just focus on what your man likes and you won’t leave Concrete Matter without a nice buy.

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Street Art Calendar from ASA

Amsterdam Street Art is proud to present a limited edition calendar 2017. Explore the pieces by 14 greatest street artists of Amsterdam and give this wall calendar as a gift to your friends. The most talented guys did their best to create this unique art item that can add up a nice vibe to any place. Teleport Hotel embraces street art (maybe you have noticed one of the colorful rooms with the street art pieces already) and loves ASA!

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Wall vases or paper animals from Store Without a Home

If you want to add some creativity to your friend’s cozy place with your gift, then Store Without a Home is the best destination. Choose among extraordinary interior goods like wall vases, 3D puzzles that you can use as wall decorations, storytiles, porcelain monkey masks and lots of other design accessories. This shop hosts interesting shapes, conceptual designs and inspirational items that you will want to get even as a Christmas gift for yourself

Haarlemmerdijk, 26

paper-animals

Gluhwine chocolate from TONY’s Chocolonely

Since there is no Christmas without chocolate, why not bring an exceptional bar made in Amsterdam? We can’t emphasize how good 100% slavery-free TONY’s Chocolonely chocolate with a story to tell, but Christmas special edition suppresses all expectations. This year’s flavor is milk chocolate with gluhwine! Yes, you’ve heard it right-gluhwine as a flavor, and believe us-it’s delicious!

Polonceaukade, 20

tonys

Coloring book of Amsterdam at Athenaeum Boekhandel

In the times when coloring is not only suitable for kids, but is much appreciate by adults, get a stress relieving gift from the Netherlands-a coloring book of Amsterdam. Your friend will be making the city alive with colors, while you will be sharing you crazy stories from our vacation. Lots of details, recognizable spots and the most famous streets of the city are ready to be colored.

Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat, 1

A colorful mug from Blond Amsterdam

We don’t suggest you a boring mug as a present (that would be way too cliché), but instead we recommend you a bright collection by Amsterdam’s local brand. Blond Amsterdam will help you choose a very personal mug that shows the interests, profession or character of the future owner. Their blond girl is easily recognizable and will make an amazing gift for any ladies.

Gerard Doustraat, 69

blond

 

 

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Street Art Transformation of Teleport

“Blank walls are a shared canvas and we’re all artists.” 

Carla H. Krueger

When we started with alternative art tours for our guests around Amsterdam and met great guys from AllTourNative, little did we know how carried  away we would get. Teleport had no clue where this collaboration would bring us and what would grow out of it. It’s been developing step by step: first we got introduced to Amsterdam Street Art (ASA) association (really talented street artists, who create true masterpieces!), then we decided to make Teleport Hotel more artsy and got so much inspiration that we couldn’t hold it anymore. That’s how the idea of Amsterdam Street Art Event was born.img_0647

We had the canvas of the blank walls, and we felt that we needed the artists to change them into something unique and breathtaking. And we were lucky to know just the right guys for it, who could share their talent with our guests and add up to the open-minded spirit of Teleport Hotel. Now we’re happy to share what turned out of a very special event last week.dotsty

2 days, 8 artists, 20 rooms

We’re fortunate enough to welcome guests to the city of Amsterdam that embodies freedom and liberty, and that has motivated us to give all the freedom of creativity to 8 selected (amazing!) artists from ASA. These talented guys have their own distinctive styles, and we knew that we made the right choice the moment we saw bright color sprays on the once boring white walls.

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This time our hotel started with 20 rooms that were ready for transformation and new character with any form of alternative art on their walls. And since we like sharing happy moments with our guests, we made a 2-days party out of it with free mojitos, yummy snacks, live DJ, live painting and even street art workshop.

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Paint smell, can shakes sound and work in progress

When you entered the hotel you could already smell the work of the artists, but the moment you opened the door of the rooms, you could finally see the work of the creators. Most of ASA guys not only didn’t mind visitors observing their creative process, but they were also willing to tell more about their style and a particular piece. Impressive eyes (whether it was one of a fish, a tree or one by itself) by Sjembakkus were staring at your soul from the walls, while almost real life Salvador Dali by Ives.One was questioning your intentions with his double face. Dotsy’s unique character was teleporting you from one room to another, and PressOne colorful creatures were multiplying without stopping. Beazarility decorated Teleport with detailed Amsterdam symbols easily recognized by tourists, while Sket185 sprayed some old school graffiti throw ups bring Amsterdam streets to the hotel.

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Mojitos, workshop and music

In between observing the talents spraying their artwork and making the walls alive, the visitors could catch some fresh air and enjoy freshly prepared mojitos accompanied by delicious snacks. The most adventurous souls even tried themselves at street art by learning how to spray the famous puzzle pieces by Hero de Janeiro. He was giving some speed lessons on stencils art, cracking jokes and working his way up the long corridor wall.

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Those with dancing feet could enjoy the vibrant tunes by our DJ and then come back to see the final results of the 2-days hard work of Amsterdam Street Art guys.

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What’s now and what will happen next?

Now Teleport Hotel is proud to have 20 rooms decorated with the top street art pieces by all different styles and techniques. The guests are happy with the creative rooms and original walls that they love taking pictures of. The good news is that this event just the start of the Teleport transformation. Amsterdam’s best street artists will return for our next street art event to bring even more colors, creativity and character to the rest of the hotel rooms in February. We can’t wait! Can you?

The Street Art Life of Amsterdam

As the Banksy exhibition has  recently left Amsterdam, it’s time to explore the  stunning street-art of the city available year-round and for free. From the first glance it might look that Amsterdam doesn’t have enough graffiti, murals, stencils, stickers and other forms of alternative art, but the first impressions can be deceiving. The truth is that our radiant city is full of them, but you might need to have your eyes open, pay attention and even know the hot spots of the local street artists. Let us help you a bit with that and send you at the right direction.

The NDSM Wharf

We can’t highlight enough the creative artsy spirit of the northern part of Amsterdam, where you see stunning graffiti and stencils every way you look. The NDSM Wharf is a vibrant industrial area with old cranes, trams turned into art projects, metal containers, huge ship halls and plenty of walls. All the colors of street-art look especially bright and vivid here with the rusty objects on the background. You can even see artists creating new pieces right in front of you, making the old walls come to life again. All you need to do is take a free ferry in the direction of NDSM behind the Central Station, and the best water views and street-art are guaranteed! As soon as your ferry arrives to the other side, you will be astonished by a gigantic colorful mural of Anne Frank’s portrait (240 square meters!!), recently painted by a very talented Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra.IMG_0118

Space Invaders of the Jordaan

The historical and more authentic part of Amsterdam, called the Jordaan, might be one of the least expected places for street-art, but it’s full of small charming pieces. One of the most impressive murals here is done by iconic local artists the London Police that spread love with their joyful LADS characters. The Jordaan also hides a bunch of Space Invaders, which are mosaic artworks spread around 60 cities all over the world. The best news is that now you can collect those pieces through a Flash Invaders app same way as you do with Pokémon these days. Except these invaders are the real art that you find on the walls. Make sure to check out Marnixstraat for constantly updating colorful graffiti.

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The Past Glory of Spuistraat

Not that long ago if you walked down Spuistraat in Amsterdam, you could enjoy numerous art pieces on the walls of all the squatted buildings right in the heart of the city. Creativity used to be limitless here, while the rebellious vibe was felt in the air. The situation has changed quite a bit since the municipality took over the central masterpiece of De Slang. What used to be an iconic picture of alternative scene of Amsterdam is unfortunately no more there. However, you can still find a few brightly painted garages’ doors, squatted bars with their doors full of graffiti and millions of small stencils and stickers along the street. Spuistraat is definitely worth having a look still, but you really need to look closely and check out tiny side streets too.

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Schellingwoudebrug

In case you want to see whether the roots of Amsterdam’s street art are coming from, then welcome to this bridge (under the bridge to be precise). Just take a tram 14 to the Flevopark, and you will find the graffiti paradise in the end of the line. Schellingwoudebrug goes over the IJ and is the witness of the crazy 90s, when street artists from all over the globe presented their wall pieces to Amsterdam.

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Downtown Street Art Map

How about turning your day in Amsterdam into a street art quest? Just use this map to locate the best pieces in town, see how many invaders you can detect and what gallery turns out to be your favorite. Amsterdam’s street art goes way beyond some cool graffiti in the hidden spots, it becomes a trend of the city, worth exhibiting in museums and galleries. Even the local municipality realizes the importance of alternative art for the cultural life, providing the street artists with legal opportunities to create and present their pieces to all the guests to enjoy.

Amsterdam Teleport Hotel is happy to join with our grand Street Art Event on 27-28 November, so stay tuned to learn more!

The coolest urban beaches of Amsterdam

These days when the temperatures are unusually high in Amsterdam, regular sightseeing might get more tiresome and maybe even somewhat boring. This nice sunny weather (that won’t last long by the way, since it’s the Netherlands!) make you want to spend some time chilling, catching a suntan and having a drink next to the water. If you’re still wondering how locals enjoy themselves during the summer in Amsterdam, then continue reading to discover cool hang out spots and urban beaches.

Of course, you might think that we will be recommending you the easiest ways to get to Zandvoort or Bloemendaal beaches, which are great for a swim in the Northern see or observing the Dutch turning red. And even though they are perfect for some sand and nature explorations, we will draw your attention to a different kind of beaches that Amsterdam has to offer even within a shorter distance.

Pllek

Hop on a free ferry behind the Central Station and find yourself at the NDSM wharf on the other side of the IJ that turn outs to be all cool and hip. Industrial Pllek will greet you with its creative vibe, live music or DJs playing and cold beers. Just relax on giant bean bags, try some good food and admire a spectacular view of Amsterdam on the other side.

pllek

Amsterdam Plage

In case you don’t fancy crossing the water and want to stick to the area next to the Central Station, no problem as a small city beach is only a 15 minute walk away. It’s known as the Stenen Hoofd, open for lively crowd till 15 August. The best part is that it features a free open-air film festival called Pluk de Nacht, which will be a great way to spend your evenings from 3 to 13 August.

pluk de nacht

Blijburg aan Zee

One of the biggest city beaches, this one is situated on Ijburg, which is a man-made island to the east of Amsterdam. It’s pretty much the only urban spot where you can swim and enjoy evening camp fires. Blijburg is even more alternative than other beaches and proud to have a hippie atmosphere with the feeling of freedom and bohemian spirit. Taste some of the delicious food here to the tunes of live music. If you’re lucky, you’re might be right on time for dance or music festivals that happen here quite often.

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NEMO’s Rooftop Beach

For those of you who want to experience a very original beach type in Amsterdam, NEMO’s rooftop can be the right spot to spend a relaxed afternoon. This science museum in the shape of a cruise ship will surprise you with deckchairs, decking, an amazing cascade with 4 000 liters of water, olive trees and sand pits. Just have a break, eat your Amsterdam ice-cream and breath in the magnificent view across the city’s roofs. It’s the largest terrace in town, which is ideal for kids as they will have a great entertainment time at Splashing Water Wonder playground.

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Strand Zuid

As the name suggests, this lovely beach is located in the south of Amsterdam very close to RAI Convention Centre. It attracts an upper class crowd that come to relax here, sipping their cocktails, having luxurious food and laying in hammocks or lounge chairs. The area of Strand Zuid is huge with about 2000m2 of property here, but don’t expect any swimming facilities. Play some volleyball and mingle with the richies instead.

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Amsterdam Roest

With the opposite vibe from Strand Zuid, this beach is more for hipsters and trendy young people who like good music, post-industrial architecture, indoor and outdoor bars with an artsy vibe. Roest’s sandy waterside is great for sun tanning, while its alternative markets and film screenings can serve as an interesting entertainment for kids and adults alike.

Strand West

This beach is more of a modern lounge spot where locals come for afternoon tapas and a drink, beach volleyball and hammock lazing. Although swimming isn’t allowed here, you still have plenty of opportunities of having a nice beach day here all year round.

The Best Things in Amsterdam Are Free

The best things in life are free… And they can be found even in Amsterdam! What seems as an expensive city has so much to offer for every budget, taste and preference.  The summer time is the greatest time to enjoy it all and explore the city to its fullest with numerous free events and markets. So why not start now and look at the options!

Free outdoor concerts and festivals

Vondelpark Open Air Theatre will make your days with way more than just theater performances. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday there is something interesting and fun waiting for the spectators. Lots of live music (pop, hip-hop, jazz, orchestras and more), DJs playing their amazing danceable sets, workshops (often for kids too) and festivals that combine all of that are ready to surprise you in Vondelpark. This small stage can fit it all, while you’re enjoying yourself, trying nicely smelling food, dancing, singing and exploring. The best part is that lots of these events are for free, which means you can get an extra drink or mouth melting Belgium fries for the spare change.

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Amsterdam Gay Pride can easily become the highlight of this summer in Amsterdam with its unstoppable street parties, rainbow and pink colors all over the city and ever joyful crowd proud to express themselves. Observe Amsterdam transforming into the most tolerant city in the world from 23 July to 7 August and don’t miss Canal Parade as one of its best parts! Lots of fun, freedom and love are guaranteed with many events for free.

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Bijlmerbios is a free outdoor film festival at Amsterdam Zuidoost on 21-23 August, when you can see a cool movie at a unique location. Have you ever watched a film in the tunnel under the tracks? Well, now you have a chance to broaden your mind and join locals in the great pastime.

Uitmarkt is an ultimate event in Amsterdam that everybody’s looking forward to in the end of August (26-28 August to be precise), as it marks the beginning of the new cultural season in the city. This festival will blow your mind with about 2,000 artists and 450 performances at various venues in Amsterdam. Most of them will gather a huge crowd by both indoors and outdoors events at Museumplein and Leidseplein. And again, you don’t have to pay a cent for it because Uitmarkt became possible thankfully to numerous volunteers, including the artists you see.

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The glory of markets

We can’t promise you free goods at the markets, but you can totally expect a free entrance, nice food, awesome vibe and sweet people. We’ve been mentioning Pure Markt quite a few times, but that’s for a good reason. This biological Sunday market is traveling around the country with its base in Amsterdam (Amstelpark, Amsterdamse Bos, Park Frankendael) and offers you the freshest and most natural food and products. In addition you can entertain yourself with workshops, small concerts, a solar powered merry-go-round and creative shopping (designer, gift and vintage goods).

Neighbourfood Market will become your favorite from the first time you attend it at the hype Westerpark. The location of Westergasfabriek hugely adds up to the special atmosphere at this food and flea market with locally produced items. If you care about small productions, home-made stuff, good music and hip people of Amsterdam, then this is the place to be at on 17 July and 21 August. Yes, it happens only once per month, but is so much worth waiting for.

neighbourfood market

And of course, it’s impossible not to mention IJ-Hallen market that will take place on 23-24 July and 13-14 August in the North of Amsterdam. Even though you have to pay a tiny entrance fee, it has to be in this list here, as there are so many bargains you can get at IJ-Hallen. It’s the largest fleamarket in Europe, so why not visit it for the extraordinary gifts to bring home from Holland.

Don’t limit yourself thinking that you have to spend a fortune in Amsterdam. There are lots of things available for free, you just need to find the right place and time for it. And we haven’t even mentioned free film festival Pluk de Nacht, or Canal Festival with free concerts, or the fabulous Amsterdam Public Library open for everybody, or free classical and jazz concerts at the Royal Concertgebouw and the Bimhuis, or numerous gardens and parks sharing their free beauty with you.

Top 7 Music Festivals in Amsterdam July 2016

The summer has finally come to Amsterdam, and it means that the season of awesome music festivals is open! You would never be able to attend them all, but choose the best ones for yourself and let your feet dance till the sunrise or sunset! Experience the joy of music and dance, meet the most interesting crowd, feel the positive vibe and party till you drop!

4O UP ZOMER FESTIVAL

Who said that festivals are only for the youngest? If you prefer the tunes from the past, then this festival is just for you with its soul and disco kings The Trammps and George McCrae, disco queens Sister Sledge, pop star Bananarama and legendary Robin S. Share your love for retro music, enjoy some theater and indulge yourself to good festival food.

Date: 9 July

Place: Arena Park

Tickets: €37,50

THE SOCIAL GARDEN

This festival is more cozy, intimate and has a special family atmosphere, maybe due to its nice location. The music mix is so diverse here and represented by house, reggae, pop, R&B and hip-hop, which will carry you away easily. The lineup is impressive with artists such as Aeroplane, DJ Kon, The Flexican, Super Social, Darius, Donnie, Wantigga, Boehmer and more.

Date: 16 July

Place: Nieuwe Meer

Final tickets: €32,50

A DAY AT THE PARK

Have a great day at the park with lots of entertainment provided by this electronic music festival. Whether you like deep house, techno, progressive house or disco, you can find them all here with such DJs and artists as The Magician, Rudimental, Tachnasia, DJ Real El Canario, The Him, Faze Action and others.

Date: 16 July

Place: Amsterdamse Bos

Tickets: €49

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ELECTRONIC FAMILY

The name of this festival talks for itself, so expect lots and lots of trippy trance music. Actually it’s one of largest outdoor trance festivals in Europe with its four stages in the forest of Amsterdam this year. It’s a must attend event this summer for the fans of Cosmic Gate, Ferry Corsten, Andrew Rayel, Markus Schulz, Gouryella and Khomha.

Date: 23 July

Place: Amsterdamse Bos

Tickets: €49

WONDERLAND FESTIVAL OUTDOOR

Prepare yourself for the stunning sound of techno and house and something secret at this festival with 3 music areas. The third one will remain a surprise till the very end with a special lineup. The known exciting names are Ansome Live, UVB, ROD & Tripeo, Dekmantel Soundsystem, Cinnaman, Ferro and Philou Louzolo. Join Alice for her summer adventure in wonderland!

Date: 30 July

Place: Thuishaven Festivalterrein

Tickets: €29,50

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CRAFT

This festival is crazy and guarantees you that you won’t remember anything from the day before! Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Add to that the coolest line-up with stars like Activator, Audiotricz, Bass Modulators, Code Black, Demi Kanon, Distractor, Zatox, The Machine, Ran-D, Wars Industry, Sub Zero Project, Digital Punk and tons more.

Date: 30 July

Place: NDSM Werf

Tickets: €29,50

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MILKSHAKE FESTIVAL

A fun dance festival that celebrates diversity in all its shapes and colors. It unites all the society representatives by an amazing line-up and curious entertainment. You will have a good time enjoying Cirkus Klauterwerck, Hausbound, F*cking Pop Queers, Now & Wow, Is Burning, Disco Total, Supertoys, Glitterazzi Freakshow and other extravagant names. Get ready for extraordinary designs, amusing crowd, unexpected shows and lots of pink.

Date: 30-31 July

Place: Westerpark

Tickets: 1day- €36, weekend-€64,50

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Some festivals might seem somewhat pricey, but you won’t regret spending your money on the tickets- that’s for sure! But as we know, Amsterdam is the city of opportunities and choices, so our next article will tell you all about free festivals and concerts around the city this summer.

Last but not least

Our sister hotel in The Hague will be the proud host of one of the stages during the Submarine festival on the 23rd of July. This alternative music festival is 100% free and has a big line up of alternative music. Grab the opportunity to combine discovering the beautiful city of The Hague and attending this great event.

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The Secrets of Our Alltournative Bike Tour

It’s not a secret that the best city for cycling is Amsterdam and the best way to explore Amsterdam is by bike. That’s exactly one of the reasons why our team keeps recommending you our free Alltournative bike tours around the city. But if you want to get an idea of why it’s called an alternative tour or to have a sneak peek at what’s waiting for  you, let us tell you more and explore the details together .

How it all starts

Same way as with trying all cool places around Amsterdam before recommending them to you, we have done Teleport Alternative Bike Tour, loved it and wanted to share it with you. The first best fact about the tour is that it’s free for all– all you need to do is just rent a bike with us! We have a tour waiting for you every day, so just let us know that you would like to join and have fun on a bike. And then the journey begins! Lovely enthusiastic guides  from AllTourNative, full of life and excitement about Amsterdam, will meet you 11 am in front of the hotel and take proper care of your tour. You get your special free map of the city, cool sticker, some not-boring-at-all cycling and road safety instructions and off you go!

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Why so unique

What makes our alltournative tours different from any others in Amsterdam? It’s off-the-beaten-track, not touristy (but quite authentic and local), with the most relaxed young guides ready to crack a good joke and most importantly- customized to your needs and preferences. In the beginning of each tour nice peeps from AllTourNative ask you about what you would be interested in seeing and adjust their route depending on the crowd. In any case, expect some impressive street art, alternative galleries and contemporary exhibitions that you won’t find on your own.  Every tour is unique, so in case you love it, feel free to join the second time, as something new will be waiting for you! Forget about everlasting historical tours, when your guide is cycling in front of the group and telling you easy-to-forget facts in a monotone voice. Instead prepare for a very entertaining, amusing and interactive mix of history, art, unusual facts about Amsterdam and fun cycling in between.

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What is street art?

Amsterdam is full of street art. There is so much more to see than meets the eye at first sight. Our guides will help you to find all those beautiful and interesting art pieces hidden on walls, inside alleys, under bridges  or even on a lantern pole. Street art is so much more than just graffiti; has it’s own unique culture and set of unwritten rules. The beauty of street art not only lies in its variety, creativity and in the messages that street artists are bringing to us but also in the fact that street art usually is very brief and can be gone forever before you know it.

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What’s more

There is much more to see close to Teleport Hotel than you think, and brilliant guides (like cheerful Marnix)will make sure you experience it all. How about the stunning sight of a typical Dutch windmill on the way, or hip Westerpark with its exceptional Westergasfabriek always full of events, amazing coffee and good selection of beer? These small discoveries during the tour will make your stay in Amsterdam more exciting, as you will get to know what to do, where to eat, have a drink, enjoy some live music or party hard in the city. An advice given by a local who is passionate about his hometown is the best advice, so pay attention, learn Amsterdam secrets and create some new memories! And last but not least, taking your opportunity of a free tour at Teleport Hotel you highly increase your chances to make new friends to spend some time with in this amazing city.

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Please ask for more details about our tours at the reception, sign up with our friendly Teleport Hotel team and enjoy the city and art exploration! Our bike rental prices are moderate: 24 hours with a great bike will cost you only 15€, but if you need it just for the tour, then 10€ would do. Ride your bike, discover Amsterdam and have fun with us!

For a short video impression click here!

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