Hoi uit Amsterdam! -

Just a short way from the maze of alleyways and canals, the multicultural district of De Pijp is emerging as the new creative centre of Amsterdam. Countless cafés, stylish shops and the lively Albert Cuyp market lend the city of canals its artistic charm. The journey passes through the harbour district and flat green landscapes to the relaxed beach clubs of Wijk aan Zee. A gentle sea breeze and exhilarating sea views accompany us en route through the rugged dunes back to Amsterdam.

Route profile

Country:	Netherlands
Distance:	122 km
Absolute Driving time :	3 h
Recommended tour duration:	1 Day
Best touring season:	Jan. - Dec.

Route course

Amsterdam - Wijk aan Zee - Bloemendaal - Zandvoort - Amsterdam

Route character

Track
exhilarating	2	relaxing
Landscape
wild	-1	picturesque
Destinations
intellectual	2	pleasurable

Comments:
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Destinations

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Hotels

This beautiful stone house, which opened as a school in 1895, has been stylishly restored. The hotel and restaurant are run by committed students of the Amsterdam School of Hotel Management. The hotel is furnished in a tasteful mix of tradition and fifties design. The service is personalised and discreetly luxurious. The light restaurant, with its inviting sofas and contemporary Dutch cuisine, radiates a comfortable atmosphere.

Address:: The College Hotel, Roelof Hartstraat 1, 1071 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Isabelle van Ouwerkerk, hotel director
Tel.: +31-(0)20-57115 11 Fax: +31-(0)20-57115 11
E-Mail: thecollegehotel@franklynhotels.com
Parking:: Hotel guests can park in the hotel's own underground car park for €45 per day
Opening hours:: : Open all year round; restaurant open for breakfast and lunch Mon. - Fri. from 07:00 - 10:00 and 12:00 - 14:00 hrs, Saturday and Sunday from 07:00 - 10:30 and 12:30 - 14:00 hrs; Dinner Mon. - Sat. from 19:00 - 22:00 hrs
Good to know:: Once a multicultural, working-class district, the chic area of the ‘De Pijp', with its colourful flea market and countless cafés and restaurants, is today one of the city's coolest areas. It's just a few minutes' walk from the hotel to ‘De Pijp'
Further information:: www.collegehotelamsterdam.com

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Food & drink

Kitsch incarnated! A small plastic bulldog radiates a neon pink light as it battles with giant cakes covered with gaudily coloured marzipan. ‘Please don't touch' read the tiny signs on these bizarrely designed culinary creations. That's right: because you really must taste Amsterdam's best, and definitely most attractive, cakes. Sweet-toothed customers nibble crazy cake designs by Siemon de Jong and Noam Offer in the fabulous ‘De Taarte van m'n Tante' café.

Address:: De Taarte van m'n Tante, Ferdinand Bolstraat 10, 1072 LJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Siemon de Jong and Noam Offer, cake designers
Tel.: +31-(0)20-7764600 Fax: +31-(0)20-7764600
E-Mail: info@detaart.com
Parking:: Available at the shop
Opening hours:: Open daily from 10:00 - 18:00 hrs
Good to know:: Guests enjoy sweet dreams in the ‘Cake under my pillow' bed & breakfast which opened in 2004 just above the ‘De Taarte van m'n Tante' land of plenty
Further information:: www.detaart.com

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Local manufacturers

Sid Lee Collective oozes creative energy. The multifunctional space combines a boutique, gallery, studio, bar and café in the heart of the hip and multicultural De Pijp district. Each month, different artists from all over the world decorate the giant blackboards with their designs. The timber floorboards rise diagonally upwards into the space, creating a large, communal table where artists and creatives exchange thoughts about the latest trends in Amsterdam's pulsating creative scene.

Address:: Sid Lee Collective, Gerard Doustraat 74, 1072 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Niels Van De Walle, managing partner
Tel.: +31-(0)20-4707277
E-Mail: info@sidleecollectiveshop.com
Parking:: Available on van der Helststraat close to the shop
Opening hours:: Shop and gallery open daily; Sun. - Wed. from 12:00 - 18:00 hrs, Thursday and Friday from 12:00 - 21:00 hrs, Saturday from 10:00 - 18:00 hrs. The bar is open Sun. - Thur. from 12:00 - 23:00 hrs, Friday from 12:00 - 00:00 hrs, and Saturday from 10:00 - 00:00 hrs
Good to know:: Immediately behind the shop pulsates Amsterdam's hottest, and certainly most colourful market, the Albert Cuyp market
Further information:: www.sidleecollective.com

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Museums

No other museum in the world exhibits more of this famous artist's works. Visitors are treated to an impressive overview of the artist's entire work, with masterpieces from every creative period. From the ‘Potato Eaters' and ‘Sunflowers in Arles' to his final works painted in Saint-Rémy asylum. The queues to enter the museum are legendary. Visit early morning or during the week to queue less and see more.

Address:: Van Gogh Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 7, 1071 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Axel Rüger, museum director
Tel.: +31-(0)20-5705252 Fax: +31-(0)20-5705252
E-Mail: info@vangoghmuseum.nl
Parking:: Available in the Q car park underneath the museum square
Opening hours:: Open daily from 10:00 - 18:00 hrs; open Fridays from 10:00 - 22:00 hrs
Good to know:: Adults €12.50 / adolescents aged 13-17 €2.50 / free entrance for children up until 12 The Van Gogh Museum is open until 22:00 hrs on Fridays. Video projections and DJ sets in the relaxed, lounge-like museum lobby usher in the weekend for culture vultures
Further information:: www.vangoghmuseum.nl

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Local manufacturers

Take an old supermarket, take all the vowels out of its name, and fill its shelves with the hottest designs from the international world of fashion. Among Acne shoes and vintage magazine, or collections by Style Butler or Raf Simons, artists and creatives present their inspirational work. At weekends, live bands and DJs accompany a shopping spree of superlatives.

Address:: SPRMRKT, Rozengracht 191-193, 1016 LZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Anne-Marie Kramer, SPR-art team
Tel.: +31-(0)20-3305601 Fax: +31-(0)20-3305601
E-Mail: info@sprmrkt.nl
Parking:: Available right in front of the building
Opening hours:: Open daily, Tue. - Sat. from 10:00 - 18:00 hrs, Sunday and Monday from 12:00 - 18:00 hrs, open till 20:00 hrs on Thursday
Good to know:: For designer bargains, check out the SPRMRKT Outlet Store on Hartenstraat 36 in Amsterdam's smart ‘De 9 Straatjes' district
Further information:: www.sprmrkt.nl

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Local manufacturers

The Dutch design icon Marcel Wanders converted a former 19th-century school in the midst of Amsterdam's maze of alleyways and canals into a platform for perfection. Opened in November 2008, the Westerhuis is the design temple and melting pot for creative think tanks and new talent from Amsterdam's effervescent design scene. Innovative and sometimes provocative designs and accessories from the Moooi range delight in the white, light-infused spaces on the ground floor.

Address:: Moooi Gallery im Westerhuis, Westerstraat 187, 1015 MA Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Marcel Wanders, art director
Tel.: +31-(0)20-5287760 Fax: +31-(0)20-5287760
E-Mail: info@moooi-gallery.com
Parking:: Available at the gallery
Opening hours:: Tue. - Sun. from 10:00 - 18:00 hrs, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 - 21:00 hrs, closed Monday
Good to know:: Everything Wanders touches turns to gold. In 2006, the renowned magazine ELLE decoration voted Marcel Wanders ‘International Designer of the Year'. This bold designer delights with his extravagant hotel and restaurant concept, the ‘Lute Suites' south of Amsterdam
Further information:: www.moooi-gallery.com

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Food & drink

The seductive aroma of fresh bread immediately draws even the most determined Atkins dieter into De Bakkerswinkel. The pastries, cakes and tarts are all home-made. The pesto, lemon and nut bread also come straight from the in-house bakery. The stylish ambience is a successful blend of cottage style and industrial design. On the large terrace right by the entrance to the culture park sun worshippers can enjoy coffee and scones with a view of the canal.

Address:: De Bakkerswinkel, Regulateurshuis 1, Polonceaukade 1, 1014 DB Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Dorith Duyx and Jan van der Beek, hosts
Tel.: +31-(0)20-688 0632
E-Mail: info@debakkerswinkel.nl
Parking:: Available in the immediate vicinity
Opening hours:: Open daily; the café is open Tue. - Fri. from 09:00 - 17:00 hrs, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 hrs
Good to know:: A real must is a stroll around the corner to enjoy a coffee in the ‘Espressofabriek'. This stylish café is housed in a former gas cooling tower
Further information:: www.debakkerswinkel.nl

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Food & drink

Chill out with views over the North Sea! At the northernmost tip of Wijk aan Zee, the surreal beach paradise of Timboektoe invites you to relax on giant cushions. Surfers, locals, and cool Amsterdam residents enjoy the sea views and relax while summer sounds spin on the turntable. Now and again, an oversized supertanker goes by. The food is simple, in true beach style: grilled steak, sea bream in banana leaves or Moroccan leg of lamb.

Address:: Strandpaviljoen Timboektoe, Relweg 2/A, 1949ED, Wijk aan Zee, North Holland, Netherlands
Contact:: Pieter de Kroon, host
Tel.: +31-(0)251-373 050
E-Mail: info@timboektoe.org
Parking:: Available right by the entrance to the beach
Opening hours:: Open daily from April - October from 10:00 - 22:00 hrs
Good to know:: 100 metres further along, Outstanding Events offers Blowcarting. A single-seat cart that reaches dizzying speeds using a sail and wind power. See www.outstandingevents.nl for more information
Further information:: www.timboektoe.org

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Food & drink

More hippy than hip! Once upon a time, there was a group of bohemians who wanted to find a place to share their love of music, their passion for the sea and the beach, and have wild parties. The beginnings of Woodstock69 are legendary, and its festivals and parties almost mythical. Hammocks hang between palm tress. A camp fire blazes in the midst of the brightly coloured beach party. Today, there are beach clubs ranging from hippy to hip along the wooden promenade of Bloemendaal.

Address:: Woodstock 69, Zeeweg ongenummerd tent 7, Bloemendaal aan Zee, Netherlands
Contact:: Steef Molenaar and Bjørn André de la Porte, hosts
Tel.: +31-(0)23-5732152 Fax: +31-(0)23-5732152
E-Mail: info@woodstock69.nl
Parking:: Available right by the entrance to the beach
Opening hours:: Open April - September
Good to know:: Ask for kite surfing instructors Benn, Suzanne and Lance at Woodstock69 for an adrenaline rush right on the Bloemendaal beach. A two-hour lesson costs from €50 per person
Further information:: www.woodstock69.nl

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Golf courses

In the midst of the scrubland, between pine forests and the rugged dunes of the Kennemerduinen National Park, nestles a true gem of European golf course architecture. In 1927, the legendary English golf course architect Harry S. Colt designed ‘The Colt Course' here. During the post-war period, this idyllic golf course was littered with as many as 122 bunkers and armoured defences. Steep dunes, isolated waterfalls and fresh sea breezes demand extreme golfing precision.

Address:: Kennemer Golf & Country Club, Kennemerweg 78, 2042 XT Zandvoort, Netherlands
Contact:: J. W. Hoving, president
Tel.: +31-(0)23-5712836 Fax: +31-(0)23-5712836
E-Mail: info@kennemergolf.nl
Parking:: Available at the golf course
Opening hours:: The nine-hole course is open all year round; office open daily Mon. - Fri. from 10:00 - 12:00 and 14:00 - 16:00 hrs, Saturday from 10:00 - 12:30 hrs; tee-off daily from 07:00 - 21:30 hrs by arrangement (reservation required); games possible in winter depending on daylight and weather
Course:: Three nine-hole courses (par 72)
Handicap:: Three nine-hole courses (par 72)
Greenfee:: Three nine-hole courses (par 72)
Golf Pro:: Mark Metgod
Good to know:: The world-famous ‘Circuit Park Zandvoort' race track to the north of the city wends its way for just under 4.2 km through the rugged dunes. Between 1952 and 1985, Formula 1 visited the track a total of 30 times for the official ‘Netherlands Grand Prix' world championship race
Further information:: www.kennemergolf.nl

Countries:	Germany
Category:	Food & drink

In the cylindrical construction of the former church of St Nicolas, the outlandish installations of ‘Platform 21' now challenge the future of design. The future of creative cuisine wafts up from one floor below: in the stylish Restaurant AS, head chef Sander Overeinder conjures up his crazy five-course menus using organic ingredients. Like the ambience, his dishes are authentic and creative. The menu changes daily. And even the beer, wine and juices are organic.

Address:: Restaurant AS, Prinses Irenestraat 19, 1077 WT Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact:: Sander Overeinder, Host
Tel.: +31-(0)20-6440100
E-Mail: info@restaurantas.nl
Parking:: Available at the restaurant
Opening hours:: Open year round Tue. - Sun. from 11:00 - 15:00 and 19:00 - 23:00 hrs; closed on Monday
Good to know:: ‘Platform 21' is a laboratory for design of the future. On the second floor of this former church are outlandish installations, art and visionary projects with future potential
Further information:: www.restaurantas.nl

Countries:	Netherlands
Category:	Food & drink

This is where Amsterdam's movers and shakers meet over dim sum, ceviche and sushi. From the kitchen wafts the aroma of Wagyu Beef and Organic Chicken. Fairy-tale cocktails including ‘Sweet Child O Mine' and ‘Salbei Ananas Margarita' seduce Amsterdam's avant-garde. Between low-hanging lampshades and a seemingly endless bar, a fusion menu of Western and Oriental dishes spoils guests with hot snacks in a glamorous atmosphere.

Address:: MOMO Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Hobbemastraat 1, 1071 XZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Parking:: Available at the restaurant
Opening hours:: Open daily; the bar & lounge is open from 10:00 - 01:00 hrs; the restaurant is open from 12:00 - 14:30 and 18:00 - 22:30 hrs
Good to know:: Night owls party on in ‘The Mansion', a hip club right opposite. If you prefer something quieter, head for the fine night-time display windows on Pieter Cornelisz Hofstraat
Further information:: www.momo-amsterdam.com

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