Best of Amsterdam

Food

Head to theRembrandtpleinfor Amsterdam’s trendiest restaurants, while theJordaanandDe Pjipare a must-visit for popping street stalls. Indonesian food has a huge presence in The Netherlands, with loaded takeaway boxes ofrendang curry, rice and satayall yours for around €5. If you can stomach it,herringis a popular hangover cure: served raw with onions in little booths along the harbour.

For something a little closer to home,fried salt codmakes a great lunch, served on that day’s newspaper.Oorlog french fries(aka ‘war chips’) are eaten from a cone, topped with mayonnaise, peanut sauce and raw onion - it’s unusual at first, but it gets addictive!

Average Flight Times

Flights from London to Amsterdam:53 minutesFlights from Birmingham to Amsterdam:1 hour 9 minutesFlights from Glasgow to Amsterdam:1 hour 50 minutesFlights from Manchester to Amsterdam:1 hour 16 minutes

The Train

If you prefer to take the scenic route,£35 will get you a comfortable seat aboard the Eurostar from St. Pancras International, cruising past the lush fields of France and Belgium before landing in the land of canals and coffee shops.

Once you've arrived atAmsterdam's Schipol Airport, it's a 22km drive to the city centre. We recommend you take a returnairport transfer with guide.

Centrum

Amsterdam-Centrum a tourist hotspot, marked by its iconic canal belt surrounded by historic Golden Age houses that pop with colour. Come here for most of the city’s biggest attractions like the 17th-century Royal Palace, or get lost in the craziness of Dam Square.

Read more in ourAmsterdam Stag Guide.

Amsterdam has to be my favourite location that I’ve visited so far. It’s a truly versatile destination, accommodating for so many different types of people. It has so many unique qualities, such as the red-light district, coffee shops and loads of bars that are constantly buzzing all night! Not only does the city have great nightlife, but it is gorgeous in daylight with its iconic canals. A perfect package!

Red Light District:Prostitution has been legal in Amsterdam since 2000, with sex workers paying taxes and enjoying the same labour rights as every other profession. Do not, under any circumstances, take photos of the Red Light District window displays - businesses will likely confiscate your camera and give you an earful.

Magic truffles (a close cousin to shrooms), peyote and ayahuasca can be bought legally from ‘smart shops’.

Avoid:Smoking tobacco inside bars (with the exception of cannabis in coffee shops). Hard drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and heroin are forbidden in The Netherlands.

• Explore the birthplace of Heineken or embark on a beer tasting quest

Amsterdam knows a thing or two about crafting beer. Discover the origins of one of the UK’s favourite brews at theHeineken brewery tour, or enjoy a beer tasting session at theBrouwerij de PraelandDelirium Café.

• Take a boat ride on Amsterdam’s historic canals

Clink glasses and fire up thebarbequeon board aprivate party boat, gliding through Amsterdam’s world-famous canals with the skyline as your backdrop.

• Navigate Amsterdam by bicycle and uncover its hidden gems

Amsterdam is a city built for cycling enthusiasts, with stag do activities perfectly designed to get your wheels spinning. Take aguided bike tourand get under the city’s surface, or hit abeer biketo combine the sights with pints.

• Feed your adrenaline

If you've got a need for speed, Amsterdam offersquad biking, Grand Prixindoor kartingand the unique experience ofblow karting(get your mind out the gutter) on 20 miles of beach at Ijmuiden at Sea. If you find the ground overrated, some stand-uppaddleboardingmay be just the ticket.

• Get spooked at the Amsterdam Dungeons and hunt for pub treasure

Prove your stag group is the ultimate team on these activities designed to test your nerves and mettle. Enter theAmsterdam Dungeonsat your own peril, as you take a creepy tour of the city’s 500 year past. Work as a team to conquer apub crawl treasure hunt, or put your brains together for an exhilaratingEscape Roomin the heart of the city.

• Party like you’re VIP

Round your night off in style with a VIP experience in Amsterdam’s top nightspots, includingEscape, Club NovaorLa Vie en Proost. Warm-up with aguided stag bar crawlthrough the city or roll the dice atHolland Casino.