Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Amsterdam Tourist Board
Right
Reference books in an Amsterdam library
Sources of Information
Amsterdam
Tourist Board
Still universally known by
its old name, VVV, the
Tourist Board has three
offices in the city
(see
below)
. At these you will
find free maps, and
leaflets on just about
everything - including
walks, canal tours, sights,
exhibitions, transport and
accommodation. Multi-
lingual staff will give
advice, change money,
arrange excursions and -
for a fee - book tickets
and hotels. Here you can
also buy the popular
Amsterdam Pass and
Museumkaart (see p136)
.
d
0900 400 4040
•
www.visitamsterdam.nl
www.amsterdamtourist.nl
Amsterdam Hotel
Service
The friendly staff at this
independent organization
will make hotel reserv-
ations (even last-minute
ones), book excursions
and proffer helpful
advice. d
Damrak 7
•
Map
P1
•
020 520 7000
•
www.amsterdamhotel
service.nl
Uitkrant
. Published
monthly, it is free and
widely available. The
Tourist Board publishes
Day by Day
, a monthly
listings magazine in
English (on sale in news-
agents and free in hotels
and restaurants).
Amster-
dam Weekly
is in English
and free (www.amsterdam
weekly.nl)
Websites
The Amsterdam
Tourist Board has two
official websites: www.
amsterdamtourist.nl (in
Dutch) and www.visit
amsterdam.nl, which is
linked to the NBTC web-
site, www.holland.com.
The City of Amsterdam
has its own website,
www.amsterdam.nl. All
of these have useful, up-
to-date information on
accommodation, events,
exhibitions, shopping and
travel (you can also book
hotel rooms online). To
find out what's on, visit
www.uitburo.nl The
majority of the city's
museums and attractions
have their own websites.
AUB Ticketshop
For information on
plays and concerts, or to
make reservations (for a
small fee), contact
Amsterdam Uitburo. d
Leidseplein 26
•
www.
uitburo.nl
•
Map C5
•
0900
0191
Newspapers
You will find the best
selection of foreign daily
and Sunday newspapers
at Athenaeum Nieuws-
centrum, Waterstone's
and the American Book
Center. d
Athenaeum
Nieuwscentrum: Spui 14-
16. Map M5
•
Waterstone's:
Kalverstraat 152. Map M5
•
American Book Center:
Kalverstraat 185. Map M5
Tourist Offices
There are three VVV
offices in Amsterdam
itself: at Centraal Station
(Platform 2), at
Stationsplein 10 (in front
of the station), and at
Leidseplein 1 (on the
corner with Leidsestraat).
There is another office at
Schiphol Airport (Holland
Tourist Information
Arrivals 2).
Accommodation
To book hotels before
you travel, contact the
Amsterdam Reservation
Center, a branch of the
Amsterdam Tourist Board.
d
PO Box 3901, NL-1001
AS Amsterdam
•
0900 400
4040
•
reservations
@amsterdamtourist.nl
Libraries
Only residents can
borrow, but anyone can
visit a public library. The
Centrale Bibliotheek is
handy, with a good range
of foreign-language books
and newspapers - as well
as a café.
d
Prinsengracht
587
•
Map K5
•
020 523
0900
•
Open 1-9pm Mon,
10am-9pm Tue-Thu,
10am-5pm Fri-Sat;
Apr-Oct: 1-5pm Sun
NBTC (Nether-
lands Board of
Tourism and
Conventions)
You can pick up the
NBTC's own maps,
information leaflets and
brochures at any of its
offices throughout the
world. Visit your nearest
branch before you travel.
d
www.holland.com
Publications
The best listings
magazine in Dutch is
For alternative listings, check out the excellent
www.underwateramsterdam.com
134
