Summer in Amsterdam is brief, hemmed in on either side by a June that can be as wet and freezing as a North American November, and an autumn that arrives whipping off the North Sea. Even in the middle of July, it can rain sideways and evening outing calls for a warm jacket. The Netherlands...
Although Gourmet Indian Cuisine is difficult to come by virtually anywhere outside London, the City Present has had increasingly luck locating interesting Indian eateries outside of SW1. One of the City Present’s best recent discoveries is an excellent spot inside Amsterdam’s canal belt which could hold its own against the best of the West...
While neighboring Belgium and distant Switzerland eclipse the Netherlands when it comes to achievements in chocolatiering, the Dutch capital has several sweet shops worth visiting, and top of the City Present’s stops for both cakes and chocolate is Pompadour. Located in the bustling, trendy Nine Streets section of the central canalbelt, on a gorgeous,...
Amsterdam’s northern side is almost never frequented by tourists, who are largely confined to the canal-belt, and if they do become water-borne, is usually on a guided canal tour through the historic grachtengordel. In the last few years, especially with the construction of the massive NDSM dockland development, out-of-towners have begun to take notice...
The Grote Markt at the center of Haarlem is one of the most superb locations in the Netherlands. The center of Haarlem is nowadays an upscale shopping and dining district, with boutiques and bistros as well as its beautiful, bustling food and flower market on Saturdays. In the looming shadow of the massive, historic...
It is a small tragedy when a traveler acquiesces to the ubiquitous fast food outlets when hunger strikes in a foreign city. Hunched over a Big Mac, sliding around in a plastic booth, the lament takes hold that, if only for better knowledge of the city, the meal would a selection of the finest...
Utrecht, situated less than an hour from Amsterdam by train in the heart of the Netherlands, is well worth a visit. The country’s university town, and the traditional home of Dutch Catholicism, has a very different feel from the Dutch capital. The old city is dominated by its massive cathedral, which is a startling...
The Lloyd Hotel marked a major shift in Amsterdam’s hospitality scene when it opened in 2005. The Lloyd is located outside the tourist-trod canal belt, in the city’s emerging Eastern Dockland’s section, an area which blossomed in the 1990s in an incredible transformation from an industrial shipping area into a major residential and arts...
Bakken met Passie has quietly established itself as one Amsterdam’s most beloved bakeries. Growing in popularity, Bakken met Passie already enjoys a loyal following in Amsterdam, both in the neighborhood and those pedaling from farther afield, but foreign tourists are uncommon. Located in de Pijp, in walking distance of the Heineken Brewery and just...
Vapiano is a rapidly-expanding German-backed empire of Italian fresh cuisine through a Euro-fast food format. The City Present has never experienced anything less than a splendidly prepared and tasty meal, be it Washington or Stuttgart, Berlin or Amsterdam, Boston or Budapest. Other locations are open from Jeddah to Brisbane; a Paris location opened more...
