WESTERN EUROPE - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 64

groceries and markets in Amsterdam
and throughout the Netherlands see
W www.biologica.nl (Dutch only).

088 Green spaces
Amsterdam has more than thirty
parks. The largest is Vondelpark in
the museum square, which although
popular with joggers and dog-
walkers is a tranquil haven (except
when it hosts open-air concerts in
the summer). The largest woodland
area is Amsterdamse Bos, home to
the marshy areas at Nieuwe Meer, a
nature reserve where you can hire a
canoe or pedal-boat to explore Lake
Grote Vijver.
In the centre of town, on Plantage
Middenlaan, De Hortus is one of
the oldest botanical gardens in
the world, with more than four
thousand plant species. A café in the
orangery serves organic pastries,
sandwiches and salads. Some thirty
private gardens are opened to the
public for three days in June; a E 15
“Passe Partout” (with proceeds going
to charity) allows you access to all
the gardens.

Need to know Information on the
city's parks is at W www.amsterdam.
info/parks. For opening hours and
information on guided tours at De
Hortus see W www.dehortus.nl; T
[phone]. For opening
times, maps and directions for how
to reach the Open Day gardens visit W www.
canalmuseums.nl.

A lazy day in Vondelpark; The
canal at Herengracht

off by the anonymous numbering - many of these
boats, if not their names, ooze character, such
as BK09 - a small, cosy boat furnished in glossy
wood, marble and copper, on the Amstel River
(opposite De IJsbreker, a popular restaurant,
theatre and café). If you're looking for a boat in a
quiet part of town, try the Blue Wave boat, which
you can rent from a local family; for prices and
reservations see W www.bluewavehouseboat.com;
T + 31 (0) 650 667 760.

089 Stay on a canal boat
There's no better way to get a flavour for the
city's waterways than to spend a night on a
houseboat. There are plenty available to hire
for a weekend or longer - for a comprehensive
listing see W www.houseboathotel.nl. Don't be put