Amsterdam

Amsterdammers love to party,

beginning in the afternoon, perhaps with bubbly on a boat as they cruise the canals, and end the night dancing and drinking at a club until dawn. Bars, pubs, clubs, and music venues are scattered all over the city. Don´t leave town without downing some beers at an atmospheric brown café. Get tickets for concerts, festivals and events from the venue or Amsterdam Uitburo Ticketshop (www.aub.nl).

Happening ´hoods

LEIDSESTRAAT & LEIDSEGRACHT

The cobbled lanes around Leidsestraat and Leidsegracht on the Southern Canal Belt have plenty of bars, pubs, clubs, live music venues, smoky jazz bars and even comedy clubs. Avoid the square, which gets ugly with groups of boozing guys, and instead hit the hip bars on Marnixstraat – we love Weber (No 397), Kamer 41 (No 401) and Lux (No 403) – and cool clubs on Korte Leidsedwarsstraat, such as Suzie Wong (No 45) and Jimmy Woo (No 18).

REGULIERSDWARSSTRAAT

Amsterdam´s gay scene centres on Pedestrian Reguliersdwarsstraat, one block from the Bloemenmarkt. Balmy summer evenings see the bars bursting at their beautiful seams and gorgeous drinkers of all ages spilling from the sun terraces onto the streets. The best bars are ARC (No 44), Soho (No 36) and Exit (No 42).

Bars & pubs

CAFÉ DE KROON

Rembrandtplein / 625 20 11

Locals like to linger over cocktails at this luxe bar before hitting the clubs. Don´t be surprised if you´re sharing your velvet sofa with a celebrity or two.

CAFÉ VAN ZUYLEN

Gran Via 604 / 93 301 9743

House beats dominate the dance floor at this popular restaurant, bar and disco near the Plaça Universitat, but even better than the music is the spectacular design, featuring fresh, minimalist lines and unexpectedly fun elements like the giant swings in the dining room. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the real action happens Thu-Sat nights from midnight until 3am.

DE PIEPER

Prinsengracht 424 / 626 47 75

If you´re missing your local pub, head to this atmospheric old brown café, dating back to 1665. The staff are jovial, the resident cat is friendly, and the canal-side seating can´t be beat.

Clubs & live music

ARENA

´s-Gravesandestraat 51 / 694 74 44 / www.hotelarena.nl

In a former chapel at funky Hotel Arena, this club sees its dance floors fill with Amsterdam´s hip set most weekends for A-list DJs.

ELEVEN

Oosterdokskade 3-5 / 625 59 99 / www.ilove11.com

While local clubbers arrive late, it´s worth heading to this bar-restaurant-club on the 11th floor of the Stedelijk Museum for sunset over the city with cocktails. If you get too comfortable to move, there´s food and dancing till dawn too.

JIMMY WOO

Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18 / 626 31 50 / www.jimmywoo.com

Dress up, or better yet, get your name on the guest list, for entry to the city´s most exotic Eastern-style bar. Expect hip-hop, funk, soul and R&B.