The Best “Orange” Day in Amsterdam – King’s Day!

One of the coolest days of the year is coming to Amsterdam on 27 April, turning the city into a huge street party, causing orange madness and massive celebration. In case you’re still wondering why everybody is wearing orange or why 700 000 visitors come to Amsterdam on that one particular day (that’s almost the entire population of the city!), then it’s about time to learn more about crazy and fun King’s Day.

What is in name?

King’s Day  (Koningsdag in Dutch) is an actual birthday of the current king of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander, which is celebrated by everybody and therefore, turned into a national holiday. Why not throw a whole country party for your birthday? Believe it or not, but King’s Day hasn’t been around for too long. The reason is simple-it was known as Queen’s Days for more than hundred years till 2013, as the Dutch throne belonged to the royal ladies then. The change of the name in 2014 didn’t affect the festive spirit, and the honor of the Dutch Royal Family and grand orange party prevailed.

So why orange?

The whole country turns orange on King’ Day out of patriotic feelings and pride for the Dutch monarch’s family. Orange is a national color of the Netherlands, as the House of Orange-Nassau has been ruling the country. So if you want to fit in, you’d better find an orange outfit or get some of those fun accessories: boa, hat, inflatable crown or fake plastic flowers to put around your neck, but all in orange! The whole city dresses up, including the streets, boats and dogs. Would you dare dressing up like a king? Consider the fact that you might actually see him, as the royal family comes to different cities for King’s Birthday.

Citywide fun (especially canals)

Why do you think there are thousands boats in Amsterdam? To party on them for Koningsdag! Just imagine all of them decorated and full of people, dancing, going crazy and enjoying the floating party! Just join the festive parade or watch it from the side, having a great time with the boat traffic and crowded canals (not too appreciated on any other days of the year).

The large scale celebration is not limited to the water, but to all the streets and corners of Amsterdam! And it’s not only about tons of concerts, festivals, different music and dance events, but about the citywide free market. Anybody can sell anything on the streets (as long as it’s legal of course!), without any taxes, regulations or explanations. As from the 6 am you can find just about any second hand items, home-made yummies, arts & crafts and more, more, more. Amsterdam becomes just one gigantic flea market, where bargaining is the right thing to do and the treasures can be found.

King’s Day is just like a day in paradise for children, as there are so many activities for them too. They try themselves as sellers, set up entertaining games (beware, they’ll charge you a few coins for participation!), get their face-painted and attend some small sports events. Most of the family fun takes place in Vondelpark.

Useful tips

Forget about museums on King’s Day- whole Amsterdam becomes a celebration museum, so embrace it and join the party. And don’t think about relying on public transport either-you will never forget your walk around the city on 27 April. For sure you will want to try some nice food, snacks or treats from street stalls, buy some old toys from kids or getting the best find for a few Euros, so prepare some coins and get cash from the ATM in advance (not a few hours in advance, but a few days-avoid wasting your time on King’s Day). Make sure to eat/drink something orange-it brings good luck and makes joyful memories. While coins are welcome, it’s better to avoid taking valuables with you. Big crowds attract pickpockets everywhere and Amsterdam is no exception. But most of all, have the best day in your life in Amsterdam!

Our next blog post will reveal the secrets of all King’s Day 2016 parties in Amsterdam and special things to do! And don’t forget about King’s Night, which is even more festive and fun!

The Pancakes of Amsterdam

Any Dutch person will assure you that typical Dutch pancakes are the best in the world and even if you don’t like pancakes, you will adore them in the Netherlands. No, there are not the first ones who started making this tasty dish, but they have definitely mastered the skill. And pannenkoek is not just a pancake that you can get anywhere, but a very particular one that you can find in specialized pannenkoeken restaurants in Amsterdam and taste the real deal.

The tales of pancakes

If you think that nowadays the Dutch pay too much attention to such a simple dish as pancakes, then you will be surprised to learn how much respect they had in the 18^thcentury. A pancake with honey and milk used to be a traditional wedding breakfast in some parts of the Netherlands, while in other areas it was eaten as a part of Christmas Eve celebration. Luckily, now they won’t serve you a pancake on special occasions, but it’s still often eaten as a main course.

A Dutch pancake is somewhat thicker than a French crêpe and much thinner than an American pancake and usually quite large, which means that you can be full after eating just one. Although the world history of pancakes goes back all the way to the 1^st century AD, the Dutch pancakes are known only from 1683.

The variety of toppings

Whether you like savory or sweet, there will be that particular Dutch pancake that you will love, as they come in tons of different variations. The Dutch favorites are probably apple and raisins or plain with unique Dutch syrup or cheese and salami. But how about going beyond that and tasting something like bacon, banana and chilly pancakes or salmon, guacamole and crème fraiche pancakes or pancakes with cherries, vanilla ice-cream and whipped cream? Go wild and explore the flavors that you’ve never combined before!

Only in Amsterdam you can have a pancake trip around the world with international selection served at the Pancake Bakery (Prinsengracht 191): Greenlandic, Indonesian, Hungarian, Masai, Chilean, Norwegian, Thai and so many more. Play with it and choose your favorite ingredients or trust the professionals and let them astonish you!

The smallest restaurant in Europe

Guess the location and specialty of the smallest restaurant in whole Europe! That’s right: Amsterdam and pancakes: Upstairs Pancakes is tinier than you can imagine and has only 4 tables! As you can guess, booking in advance is needed, but this magical place (in almost 500 years old building) and mouth melting pancakes are so much worth it. You have to deserve your treat-so climb the steep stairs to the second floor, where you will be greeted warmly and surrounded by more than 100 hanging teapots everywhere. And when it comes to pancakes themselves, no words can describe how delicious they are! Our favorite is bacon, cheese and fresh fruit pancake (Slavisch), but all other ones are also very good. Think about any ingredient and Upstairs Pancakes got it- freshest, healthiest and often from local farms.

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Eat and float

What can be more Dutch than a combination of eating pancakes and enjoying a view from a boat? If you want to try these activities at the same time, then get on the Pancake Boat to discover Amsterdam from the water and indulge yourself with all-you-can-eat pancakes. Your eating/floating tour can be either  1 hour or 2.5 hour long, which will be perfectly enough to get completely full of pancakes with a wide choice of toppings. The Pancake Boat departs from the other side of IJ (Amsterdam Noord close to the NDSM Wharf ferry stop) where you can get by a free city ferry. It is totally possible to celebrate your special event on this pancake vehicle too, as so many arrangements can be made with the captain.

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Dutch as it can be

While you’re discovering the delicious world of Dutch cuisine, don’t overlook tiny yummy pancakes called poffertjes. We can bet you haven’t tried those outside of Netherlands, and for sure they’ll impress you! Fluffy, spongy and freshly cooked (often right in front of your eyes!), they will melt in your mouth together with butter and powdered sugar. Everything is special about these small poffertjes- the buckwheat flower, a particular cast iron or copper pan and that sweet smell of childhood. No Dutch festivities, national holidays, fun celebrations and carnivals go without a poffertjes stall selling them hot and tasty for everybody to enjoy. So why won’t you try a dozen or two of them?

Eet smakelijk!

Party all week long in Amsterdam!

Amsterdam is by right the city that never sleeps and always has something happening. If you feel for a party then you should go no further, as this crazy place got it all! Amsterdam has so much to offer and even more so, when it comes to the nightlife scene. Whether your soul is craving for some live music, your feet for some unstoppable dancing, your heart for some broken beats, your ears for some lovely tunes and yourself for something completely different, this city will deliver it at the highest level. Every day of the week brings something new worth attending, so let’s have it all and check all these places out for good music, crazy parties and nice company.

Monday

The Winston Kingdom

You can start your partying week with Cheeky Monday at the Winston Kingdom dancing hard to drum’n’bass and jungle. As a matter of fact, this small a bit more alternative club in the Red Light District is open every night and offers different styles each time: from electro to punk, hiphop to jazz, rock to glam, live music to DJs playing.

Entrance: € 7 (free till 10 pm)

Canvas

Wibaut Avenue Cocktail at Canvas means that you indulge yourself with records from a famous Amsterdam DJ with a small basket on his folding bike. Moreover, you will be stunned by a 360° view of Amsterdam from the seventh floor.

Entrance: free  

Supperclub

Supperclub offers a special fancy Monday party when artists, DJs, promoters and producers from the hottest Amsterdam locations come together. Dance to old school r&b, hip-hop and house at this historical odeon building famous for 190 degrees of visual projections.

Entrance: € 12.50

Tuesday

Sugarfactory

Techno lovers will feel at home at Sugarfactory every Techno Tuesday. This cutting-edge night theater gathers a good crown with a heart for electronic music at its large dance floor. The variety of performing artists and DJs on other days will make you want to come back at other days of the week too.

Entrance: free

Wednesdag

Melkweg

One of the coziest venues and clubs in Amsterdam, Melkweg often hosts some larger festivals and more famous artists. It is also a great place to listen to new talents and extend your playlist with new singer-songwriters’ names. Lots of indie, hiphop, trance, house, d’n’b and new alternative styles can often be relished at Melkweg.

Entrance: price depends on the event

Paradiso

Paradiso is a legendary Amsterdam club in a former church with a few halls for all types of music that you can imagine. It is very popular as a live music venue and hosts huge names and festivals, but it is also a night club. Often you can choose among four or five events per night at Paradiso.

Entrance: hugely varies per event

Thursday

Q-Factory

Q-Factory is way more than a concert venue or club, as it’s one of the largest music makers centers in Europe that gives an opportunity for musicians to rehearse and record. So you can imagine that this creative space unites some of the most talented souls from all over. You will enjoy nice live music (again all the types, sometimes with very touching singer-songwriters), DJs sets, talent shows and more at Q-Factory. You can choose between the performance at the great hall, almost family-like concerts at the small hall or hip tunes in their chilled out café.

Entrance: often free live music on Thursdays at Q-Café

Amsterdam Roest

Do you fancy a cocktail evening to the sound of disco, house and boogie classics? Amsterdam Roest prepares Cocktail Barlag for you each Thursday with swinging music from 70s to 90s combined with discounted cocktails. Discover this industrial space next to the waterside and feel the spirit of more alternative Amsterdam East.

Entrance: free most of the time

Friday

Bitterzoet

Everybody would agree that Friday night is a party night, and that’s why Bitterzoet is the right place to be! DJs, bands and musicians of all backgrounds will surprise you here with the music of your choice: ska, hiphop, funk, soul, rock and punk. Bitterzoet often organizes events together with  Paradiso.

Entrance: price  depends on the event

Depot Amsterdam

Hipsters-oriented Amsterdam North hides a warehouse club, where you can party to deep house, techno and more. Depot Amsterdam has this post-industrial spirit that adds up to the experience.

Entrance: price depends on the event

Saturday

OT301

In case you are more into underground clubbing, then welcome to OT301 with its graffiti-loaded corridor, more anarchic set up, smoking permitted everywhere and bustling hall. The styles vary around techno, house, dubstep and drum’n’bass here.

Entrance: usually around €7-8

The Box

A huge space of the Box (a club within a walking distance from Amsterdam Teleport Hotel) hosts some larger events and must attend concerts full of drive and big line-ups. It reopened only half a year ago, and now you have a chance to see the massiveness of it yourself.

Entrance: price depends on the event

Sunday

Westergasfabriek

Located very close to the hotel, Westergasfabriek attracts progressive independent thinkers who appreciate different type of creativity and counter-culture music. Hip and trendy, this former gas factory can make your Sunday evening with interesting music and locally brewed beer.

Entrance: can be free, but also depends on the event

The Waterhole

If you prefer live music on Sunday evening, then the Waterhole is open for you with its numerous live bands 365 days per year (this year even 366 days!).  Local Dutch or foreign musicians, young  or old, originals or covers, entertaining jams and high quality sound, the diversity of styles and audience –that’s all about this little pub/club right next to Leidseplein. Monday Music Meeting features local music students, who are about to become new stars of Amsterdam.

Entrance: €2,-

Do You Fancy a Good Beer in Amsterdam?

Whether you like ale, I.P.A., stout, pilsner, wheat beer, lager or any other type, Amsterdam has them all in all possible variations. Moreover, this city offers them produced by small independent breweries that have their own styles, flavors and spirit. It is understandable that most of the tourists want to try Heineken in Amsterdam, but we advise you to go further and deeper and discover the world of unique Dutch micro breweries and their tasteful draught beers.

Bits of history

The history of beer in the Netherlands goes back to the Middle Ages, when the Dutch were drinking it like water. As clean drinking water was limited at those times people would drink low alcohol beer instead, which was produced in their homes or monasteries. The number of breweries  was immense then, but it was way before Heineken was established in Amsterdam. The Dutch beer scene has never been the same after that giant entered the market in 1864 and bought numerous small competitors. Since then Heineken has been thriving all over the world, owning half of the beer market in the Netherlands. It even merged with famous beer brand Amstel- so now you know where the similarity in taste of Heineken and Amstel comes from.

If you want to know more about it or learn about the Heineken kidnapping case (when the owner of this company got kidnapped and around 60 million euro had to be paid for him!), then it will be a great idea to get Heineken Experience in the former Heineken Brewery.

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So how come have all those local micro breweries revived in Amsterdam? Believe it or not, but it happened thankfully to punk and squat subculture in the 80’s. They were so much against the capitalism of Heineken, that they started their own alternative beer scene. Later it grew into lots of independent breweries all over the city that offer good beer and different vibe that the mainstream beer pubs.

Oedipus Brewing

Oedipus Brewing offers colorful and diverse flavored beers with super original names. This startup has a fascinating story, hip style, lots of festival experience and most importantly beer that breaks the stereotype “all beer tastes the same.” Their brand new taproom (only half a year old) with 12 rotating taps serves as an artsy space, where beer, music and culture come together every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Oedipus Brewing also features all-inclusive tasting with a tour around the brewery and degustation of their specials.

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Butcher’s Tears

Butcher’s Tears is a vintage and industrial microbrewery that is proud to present hand-crafted beers available to order at their tasting room. They try to do something different from other breweries in Amsterdam and revive nearly forgotten traditions of brewing combining it with lots of experimenting. The proeflokaal is located next wall to Butcher’s Tear brewery, where tasty unfiltered and unpasteurized beers can be tried sometimes accompanied by special events there.

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Brouwerij De Vriendschap

Innovative and modern, Brouwerij De Vriendschap create new beers at their lab almost every week. Their craft beers can be tried in a few local bars in Amsterdam or purchased in one of the beer specialty shops. Although they have a nice spot in the north of the city, there is no tasting room or their own bar where you can enjoy their nice beers.

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Brouwerij ’t IJ

Often mistakenly referred to as the windmill brewery, Brouwerij ’t IJ is one of the oldest small breweries in Amsterdam and located in the building of a former bath house. The truth is that De Gooyer windmill next door is not related to the brewery in any way. It only serves as a memorable landmark and is depicted on Brouwerij ’t IJ logo. When it comes to beer, this brewery has a good reputation and lots of loyal fans. Their 8 standard beers have organic certification, while their seasonal and limited edition beers are very different from the regular types. If you are curious about the scenes behind the bar and brewing process as such, then you can come for a 20 minute brewery tour at Brouwerij ’t IJ on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

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Two Chefs Brewing

Two chefs from Two Chefs Brewing create interesting beers that are far from regular lagers, but full of taste and character instead. From time to time the founders of this small brewery can host popup dinners, but the best way to spot them is to look for pairing events in various restaurants in Amsterdam. Two Chefs Brewing beer can often be found at the special beer festivals around the Netherlands. The best way to follow their schedule is to check their website or facebook group.

http://twochefsbrewing.com/

‘t Arendsnest

There is a great solution called  ‘t Arendsnest for those who don’t want to hop from one local brewery to another, but want to try all sorts of the golden grain juice produced in the Netherlands at one place. This pub features more than 30 types of draught beer and around 100 types of bottled beer from all over the country with beer tasting available at their basement proeflokaal.

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De Bierkoning

And in case you don’t want to go out for a beer in Amsterdam and practice your “Mag ik een biertje alstublieft?” then there is an exciting unique beer shop for you. It has more than 1500 special beers from all over as well as original beer glasses and books. It is hard to image what beer you won’t be able to find there, as even the rarest ones are available there. So don’t limit yourself to the typical beer types that you’ve already tried!

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