Visiting Amsterdam in February-Help with basic tips!

[alexkypris]

Good evening everyone,

I'm Alex. I will be visiting Amsterdam with a few friends in February for 4-5 days.

First of all we are not going only for the weed but also to see a couple of things too. So, could you help me with the following?
1. Some nice places, mainly outdoors to walk around/sit and relax.
2. Some nice restaurants around Amsterdam, with relatively cheap prices.

3. A few must-visit coffee shops; Grey Area seems to be popular.
4. I'm not quite sure about the law on smoking in public. I have read that's allowed more or less but it qould be good to avoid doing it in front of people.

5. We have checked a few hotels/youth hostels but I would like to hear your own opinion of have been in a good/cheap one.

Basic tips like that are very welcome. If you want to post a more advance post you are welcome to do so.

Post anything else you can concerning Amsterdam that you think it's worth checking out/be careful with!

Thanks in advance!

[hulldj]

Hi Alex and welcome to ACD.

Check out the Trip reports for whats good at the moment.

For accommodation and with there being a group of you I would advise looking for an apartment, When you break the price down for a group you could be paying as little as 30 euro per night with a group of 4 or 5.

Damcity.com are great, Nothing but good words for these guys, also a member on ACD, Voyagers is a coffeeshop/hotel and a member on ACD, Flying Monkey apartments again were great. Greenhouse Effect apartments were good when we stayed. ApartmentPaul gets some good reviews but I have not stayed with them yet, however emails were responded to quickly when I was trying to set some dates last year. All of these places allow you to smoke in the apartment and Damcity for example have aparatus to use.





Cannabis is illegal in Amsterdam... however it is tolerated. smoke in coffeeshops, in your apartment, in the parks and be respectful of the people around you... i.e. children and you will have no problem.

As for places to go, Once you have had that first smoke all plans will go out of the window. you WILL get lost wandering round but thats part of the fun, there will be plenty to take in on your treks. Take a copy of the ACD MAP or 2 with you so you can set a goal for yourselves after that first smoke.

Personal coffeeshop favorites of mine Hunters, Basjoes, Bluebird, 420, Rookies, Dampkring, Route 99, Abraxas, Barneys and Paradox. All not just for the smoke they sell, Route 99 had some nice Jack Herer a couple of years ago but nothing to note since but I do enjoy buzzing upstairs at the UV pictures on the walls with a coffee. A vist to Nes is a must if you like a beer and a smoke.

I'm sure you will have a great time.


Take a camera and enjoy yourselves.

[alexkypris]

Hi Alex and welcome to ACD.

Check out the Trip reports for whats good at the moment.

For accommodation and with there being a group of you I would advise looking for an apartment, When you break the price down for a group you could be paying as little as 30 euro per night with a group of 4 or 5.

Damcity.com are great, Nothing but good words for these guys, also a member on ACD, Voyagers is a coffeeshop/hotel and a member on ACD, Flying Monkey apartments again were great. Greenhouse Effect apartments were good when we stayed. ApartmentPaul gets some good reviews but I have not stayed with them yet, however emails were responded to quickly when I was trying to set some dates last year. All of these places allow you to smoke in the apartment and Damcity for example have aparatus to use.



Cannabis is illegal in Amsterdam... however it is tolerated. smoke in coffeeshops, in your apartment, in the parks and be respectful of the people around you... i.e. children and you will have no problem.

As for places to go, Once you have had that first smoke all plans will go out of the window. you WILL get lost wandering round but thats part of the fun, there will be plenty to take in on your treks. Take a copy of the ACD MAP or 2 with you so you can set a goal for yourselves after that first smoke.

I'm sure you will have a great time.


Take a camera and enjoy yourselves.

Thanks a lot for your help. I will be checking out the hotel list you gave me since it's smoking-friendly.
We will probably get lost indeed

Once, again thanks for the tips

[Rufus]

What dates in Feb? Im also out there in Feb...

Wrap up warm Amsterdam can be freezing, well it was last Feb when I was out there. Check out coffeeshop review sections for more advice and trip reports as hulldj suggested. The parks are nice to have a walk around, I would also recommend a canal tour of the city. As for what else to do it depends on what you're in to? Plenty of culture in Amsterdam...check out the other threads on the site...also watch for the cyclists it's manic! and the trams too cos they're pretty quiet. Most important of all is to have a ball

[alexkypris]

What dates in Feb? Im also out there in Feb...

Wrap up warm Amsterdam can be freezing, well it was last Feb when I was out there. Check out coffeeshop review sections for more advice and trip reports as hulldj suggested. The parks are nice to have a walk around, I would also recommend a canal tour of the city. As for what else to do it depends on what you're in to? Plenty of culture in Amsterdam...check out the other threads on the site...also watch for the cyclists it's manic! and the trams too cos they're pretty quiet. Most important of all is to have a ball

Hahaha thanks.
I will be there probably mid-February.
I didn't know about the weather, so thank you.

[Rufus]

You're very welcome

[hulldj]

lol, yup, cyclists and trams... Mental.... Bikes have right of way over cars, trams, taxis, submarines and pedestrians... or if they don't legally they damn well seem to everytime I visit!!

12 days for the wife and I so we better wrap up warm.

Don't forget to check out http://www.terena.org/webcam/. You can see what we mean during the daytime on the cam, make sure you turn your volume up a little to hear the sounds of the city.

[mlester187]

http://www.postwar.nl/amsterdam/

a must read for before your first trip.

[winnie]

http://www.e-nemo.nl/index.php?id=5&s=85&d=551

Have a nice puff, wrap up warm and walk up to the top of Nemo

[alexkypris]

Thank you last three posters. Really nice sites and very interesting.

[rolldeep86]

ive heard the RLD is nice