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The best summer locations in A’dam

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Throughout the whole year Amsterdam offers many kinds of attractions and activities – interesting museums, vibrant night-life in the red-light district and canals with the bridges covered in beautiful flowers and bicycles. What is special in the summer (what I didn’t even know when I first visited Amsterdam) is that you can experience something more summer like – urban beaches! During the summer these beaches provide festivals, parties, activities, drinks & food and just a little bit more vacation-like atmosphere to the city holiday!

1.Roest

When asking for recommendations for urban beaches, you probably will hear the name Roest mentioned often. Roest is in the east of Amsterdam near by the Brouwerij’t IJ – so if you cycle there you can pass one of the eight windmills in Amsterdam as well.

The concept of Roest is interesting, the venue is well used in the old industrial area – it is a café, bar and a restaurant (the food looks amazing), it also holds a lot of events and parties. For example, on the 14th of July you can participate in the Respect the 80’s party here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.Strand Zuid

Strand Zuid is located a bit more in the east, easy to get to with the metro line 50 from Sloterdijk. Alternatively cycling is also a nice option, since the area in the south is very scenic.

The first thing I noticed here when I arrived at Strand Zuid, was how charming the surroundings were. Cute little lanterns and a lot of green plants help make the place feel really cozy and fresh. Just a quick turn from the cycling path and you’re experiencing a totally different atmosphere. Strand Zuid offers nice terrace tables by the view to the Zuidpool and the Beatrix park behind it, but also tables and chairs on the beach where you can just take your shoes off and enjoy the day.

3.Dok

One of my favorite ones is definitely Dok. 13-minutes cycling from Teleport and you’re already there! At this place the view towards the water is actually outside of the beach, but when you get inside it doesn’t really matter anymore. At Dok you have almost everything else a beach would require – people walking bare foot, beach volleyball, sand and of course the palm trees! Literally you can just go there, take your shoes off and relax with a beer or a plate of nachos.

Dok also hosts a lot of events and on the 7th of July, you will find a Tapas Food Festival there!

4.Sloterplas

Interested in swimming, renting a kayak or a sailboat, having a picnic, running, yoga, exercising in an outdoor gym or just having a drink on a terrace? Well Sloterplas is a great place to visit then! I cycle pass this lake every day, but only recently found out about the beach (with seashells) where you can actually swim. Albert Heijn is not too far either (5 minutes away), so getting the picnic foods is not too much of a trouble. And if you don’t want to sit in the sand, on the other side of Sloterplas there are nice grass areas.

Sloterplas in very conveniently located from Teleport – only 9 minutes of cycling or 28 minutes of walking.

5.Het Stenen Hoofd

This small beach with more casual-like atmosphere is just 5 minutes from the central station. There is a little beach café, where you can order lemonades, soft drinks and snacks. I tried their lemon lemonade, which was really good – bubbly and sweet. You can have a drink at the café on its terrace or lay on the little beach left-side of the café with your own food.

From here you have a pretty nice view to the north – you can spot the A’dam tower and the NDSM for example.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 7th till the 8th of July you can find a beer festival here with live wrestling, tasty food and different craft beers!

Besides these five, there are other urban beaches in Amsterdam: Pllek in the north and Blijburg aan Zee in the east of Amsterdam. These two also host different events throughout the summer: open air movie nights at Pllek and different music events in the huge beach of Blijburg aan Zee.

As a non-local I definitely recommend these places for the people who are interested in doing something a bit different on their holiday to Amsterdam. After visiting some museums, I can’t think of anything better than relaxing on an urban beach with good music, tasty food and cold drinks or even enjoying a festival!

On this map you can check out all the places I mentioned and find the most convenient one![:]

The coolest urban beaches of Amsterdam

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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.

nemo rooftop

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.

strand zuid

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.