Visit arty Amsterdam, beyond the sex shows and cannabis cafes
If the thought of stag parties, cannabis cafes, and seedy sex shows leaves you cold, that is no reason to write off Amsterdam. In recent years, the Netherland’s largest city has been working hard to get rid of its tacky reputation and reinvent itself as a more sophisticated tourist destination, with a strong contemporary art scene, innovative restaurants, and some of the most attractive urban areas in Europe. Jump on the Eurostar and treat yourself to a long weekend in a city which is both effortlessly cool and deserves to be taken seriously as a major capital of culture.
WHAT TO DO
Take the free ferry along the river to STRAAT Museum, Amsterdam’s museum for street art and graffiti. Housed in vast warehouses on the NDSM Wharf and spilling out into the surrounding streets and open spaces, the museum exhibits nearly 200 vast artworks by 170 different artists from all around the world. You can’t miss it as there’s a many-times life-size portrait of Anne Frank smiling down on you as you approach the main entrance.
Schedule your visit at the weekend and book onto an hour-long guided tour with Alex or one of his fellow Alltournative guides. The tour is a high-energy deep dive into the history and politics of street art, from Diego Rivera’s muralism to the social activism of oppressed communities and environmental campaigners. Some of the artworks are interactive, and it is likely that there will be at least one artist working in the museum during your visit, so do stop, watch, and have a chat with them. If you are feeling inspired, you can then go on and express yourself artistically during a STRAAT graffiti workshop.
WHERE TO EAT:
At ARCA Restaurant, chef Henrique Sá Pessoa is clearly having a great deal of fun when he brings together the flavours of his native Portugal and various Asian cuisines. Most of the dishes are designed for sharing, and if there are two or more of you at the table, you can order both tasting menus, maximising the number of dishes you get to try. Culinary highlights include the Peixer Marinado (Yellow tail, coriander and citrus marinade, sweet potato Asian coleslaw, hoisin and fried garlic mayonnaise purée, and crispy corn) and the Lombinho de Porco Iberico (Roasted Iberian pork loin, bacon, migas, burnt baby leek, and pepper jus). Make sure you ask the sommelier for recommendations on wine pairings as the wine list is as creative as the food, with some excellent, fairly-priced Portuguese wines by the glass. You can of course round off your meal with a vintage port.
WHERE TO STAY:
Art lovers should check into the appropriately named art’otel, which looks straight across the water at Amsterdam Centraal Station. The hotel doubles as a 3D canvas for Dutch artist Atelier van Lieshout, whose 120+ sculptures bring life to every public space and also adorn the bedrooms. Look out for his distinctive white, life-size figures, many of which represent fertility or family bonds.
Art’otel has a packed programme of temporary exhibitions, pop-ups, and cultural events in its in-house art gallery, and the lobby and bar are one of the best spots in Amsterdam for people watching as a constant stream of young, fashion-forward patrons troop through. Book the hotel’s Amsterdam City Break Experience Package (from £260/night) which includes a double room with breakfast, bike hire, and two complimentary tickets to STRAAT Museum, plus a copy of the museum’s Quote from the Streets photography book.
GETTING THERE:
The Eurostar goes direct from London St Pancras International to Amsterdam Centraal Station in under four hours, so you can finish work on a Friday night and be canal-side in time for a late night drink. Tickets start from £74 each way.