Secret places in Amsterdam that you will not find in a typical guidebook

1. Ortus Botanicus

Amsterdam Botanical Garden is rightly considered to be one of the oldest and largest in Europe. It was laid in 1638 and today has about 6,000 species of plants and trees.

Ortus Botanicus is famous for its greenhouses, each of which accurately recreates certain climatic conditions. So, in the local “tropics” it is very humid, where you can see exotic vines and luxurious orchids. And in the “subtropical” greenhouse there is a bridge from which you can admire ferns and flowering fruit trees. The territory of the garden is huge – if you are tired of studying rare plants, go to rest in a cafe on the territory.

Address: Plantage Middenlaan, 2a
Site: dehortus.nl
Wiki: Amsterdam Botanical Garden
Working hours: daily from 10:00 to 17:00 (on holidays – special opening hours, in addition, the park is closed on January 1 and December 25).

2. Museum of hashish, marijuana and hemp

Recently, in Holland, trade in light drugs is limited: no more than 5 grams in hand, can not be advertised and sold to minors. And from January 1, 2013 – a complete ban on the sale of hashish and marijuana to foreign citizens.

But to go to museums, even specific, tourists are not forbidden. Moreover, the Amsterdam exposition of hashish, marijuana and hemp has a noble educational mission. The museum tells about the species and varieties of these plants, their cultivation methods, their medical properties, and the history of their use in various cultures and industries (our grandmothers, for example, wore clothes made from cannabis).

The cost of the visit is 9 euros. Tasting of exhibits is not provided.

Address: Oudezijds Achterburgwal, 148
Site: hashmuseum.com
Working hours: daily from 10:00 to 23:00

3. The Pancake Bakery Bakery

The taste of Holland is the famous Amsterdam herring, kibbeling, croquettes and bitterballs. But you will not understand anything about the Dutch cuisine unless you try the pannenkoken. These are pancakes with all kinds of fillings – meat, cheese, fruit, chocolate, etc. But, unlike Russian pancakes, the filling in pannenkokens is not wrapped, but is superimposed on top, as for a pizza.

The best pannenkoken in Amsterdam is served at The Pancake Bakery, which is close to the Anne Frank Museum. In the menu of this institution 75 species (!) Of national Dutch pancakes. At the same time, prices “do not bite” – 5,95 euros for a large portion.

Address: Prinsengracht 191, 1015 DS
Site: pancake.nl
Working hours: daily from 12:00 to 21:30

4. Monument to the female breast

In the heart of Amsterdam, in the pavement of one of its streets, there is another unusual sight – a monument to the female breast. The bronze composition, representing a lush female breast, lying in the male palm, symbolizes Yin and Yang. Chest – a symbol of submission and femininity, and palm – firmness and male power. At the same time, the hand is chained to the body of the girl with chains, which means the co-dependence of female attractiveness and male power. True, most tourists do not dig so deeply, for them the message of the sculpture is obvious, because it is in the Red Light District.

A lot of urban legends are associated with this monument. One of them (the most beautiful) once lived in Amsterdam, a young man and a girl who loved each other madly. But the happiness of the young couple did not last long – the war separated them. The guy went to the front and lost his sight, and the girl became a prostitute because of poverty. Returning home, the guy was walking through the streets of his native city, when suddenly someone called to him. This was one of the priestesses of love. Touching her breasts, the young man recognized his lover.

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Besides legends, the monument is covered with signs. For example, men who stood on a bronze chest, guaranteed male longevity, and stroked her – a lot of sexual wins.

Address: Prostitutiegebied, in de buurt van de Oude Kerk

Monument to the female breast
Monument to the female breast in Amsterdam

5. NEMO Research Center

Where does the lightning come from? Why earthquakes happen? How do airplanes fly? Children always have a million questions, and adults know the answers far from all of them. In order to satisfy the curiosity of the “why” (and its own), go to the NEMO Research Center.

It is a unique museum dedicated to science and technology. Its peculiarity is that the rule “Do not touch with your hands” does not work there. On the contrary, it is recommended to take the exhibits in hands, twist, shake, press buttons – children should comprehend the world on personal experience.

The building of the center, reminiscent of the ship’s stern, was built by the project of Renzo Piano. The architect specially “exposed” the ventilation pipes and other functional elements, as this is well correlated with the concept of the museum. On the roof of NEMO there is an observation deck, which offers a wonderful view of Amsterdam.

Address: Oosterdok, 2
Site: e-nemo.nl
Wiki: NEMO Museum
Working hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00

6. The Museum of Tattooing

The tattoo museum is a relatively new institution in Amsterdam. It was founded by Henk Schiffmaher in 2011. Being a tattoo master, Henk collected many different exhibits related to tattoos for many years. As a result, so much has accumulated, that the artist decided to open a museum.

And it really needs to be seen! Tattoo machines, needles, photos, paintings and even a slice of real tattooed skin of a Boston sailor – more than 40 thousand exhibits.

A visit to the museum of tattooing will cost you 10 euro. By the way, there is also a thematic bookshop and a cafe nearby, where you can rest and share your impressions of what you saw.

Address: Plantage Middenlaan 62 1018 DH
Site: tattoomuseum.wordpress.com
Working hours: daily from 10:00 to 19:00

7. Diamond Factory Coster Diamonds

The fact that Amsterdam is a city of flowers, everyone knows, but that it is also a city of diamonds is a unit. Nevertheless, in the capital of the Netherlands, several factories for cutting the hardest minerals on Earth, and one of the oldest is called Coster Diamonds.

It was there in 1852 that the famous diamond “Kohinur”, which is part of the treasures of the British Crown and was stored in the Tower of London, was re-cut. After this cut, the diamond became pure white and “lost weight” from 191 to 108.9 carats.

“Konkhinur” is not the only jewelry masterpiece created in the walls of Coster Diamonds. What other diamonds turned there into diamonds will be told to you on a free excursion, which, besides the theoretical part, includes also various master classes – you can try yourself as a grinder or cutter.

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Address: Paulus Potterstraat, 2-6
Site: costerdiamonds.com
Virtual Tour
Working hours: daily from 9:00 to 17:00

8. The Python Bridge

Officially, this bridge, connecting the Sporenburg peninsula with the island of Borneo, is called Pythonbrug. But it’s big, red and curved, like a crawling snake, so tourists nicknamed it “Python.”

A snake-like pedestrian crossing was built in North Venice in 2001. The project was developed and implemented by West 8, which used steel as its main material – it is light and plastic, which allows creating whimsical designs. The length of this – almost 100 meters. The bridge is also decorated with 2,000 light bulbs, making it particularly beautiful at night.

Address: Pythonbrug, 1019 Zeeburg

9. The Museum of Sex

Amsterdam is a city of tolerance. Here they understand with understanding any manifestation of sexuality and believe that carnal Love is worthy of a separate museum.

The Museum of Sex, or rather the Temple of Venus (as its owners prefer to call it) was opened in 1985. For almost 30 years, a solid collection of exhibits was collected: from the statue of the Goddess of Love, greeting visitors at the entrance, to Merlin Monroe with a wind-lifted skirt.

There is a museum of sex not far from the famous “Red Light District” in an old building of the XVII century. At the same time, the exhibits are exhibited in its back and front parts, as well as on the staircase connecting these rooms – it turns out a kind of frank labyrinth.

If you are older than 16, then be sure to visit this exhibition (ticket price – 4 euros) and pofotkaytes with extravagant artifacts (give an ava against a huge erect phallus!)).

Address: Damrak, 18
Site: sexmuseumamsterdam.nl
Working hours: daily from 9:30 to 23:30

10. Bob’s Youth Hostel

Bob’s Youth Hostel is one of the best hostels in Amsterdam, something that young people traveling in Europe need. The walls of the rooms are painted by local and visiting artists, which creates a special atmosphere.

For 18-23 euros you will get a bed, clean linen, breakfast and a luggage room. From 8 am to 3 am a bar works, where quite cheap beer is sold. In addition, there is no “curfew” in the hostel, but only persons over 18 years of age can be accommodated.

Address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, 92
Site: bobsyouthhostel.nl

11. Art market Art Plain Spyoi

Every Sunday 25 professional artists gather on the small Amsterdam Square of Spae. On street trays, to the sound of a living violin or harp, they present their pictures (less often – sculptures and hand-made articles). In the next weekend, other creators will come to their place to show the world their art (in the market there are about 60 artists who are part of one creative association and succeed one another).

Art Plain Spy is a gallery (you can just wander between the rows and admire the painting) and the marketplace. There you can buy works of modern Dutch artists, and much cheaper than in the gallery, which usually requires a commission – 50% of the cost of the picture.

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Address: Spui Plein, 1012 WZ Amsterdam
Site: artplein-spui.nl
Working hours: on Sundays from 10:00 to 17:00 (does not work in winter)

12. Restaurant De Kas

De Kas is a unique biorestoran, offering its visitors only the freshest products literally just ripped from the beds. De Kas is a restaurant located in a greenhouse.

In 1926, a greenhouse was built in the park of Frankendäl, where fruit and vegetables were to be grown for local social institutions. However, soon the need for this disappeared, and the greenhouse came to desolation. While in 2000, enterprising Gert Jan Hagemann neither bought the building (for 1 euro!) And neither opened an unusual gastronomic institution.

Biorestoran is surrounded by beds, fresh vegetables, fruit and flowers are ripening all year round, which are then on the plates of visitors. But do not think that lovers of meat in De Kas do nothing – the menu is not only vegetarian dishes (meat is supplied by a nearby farm). So in this institution you can taste the best dishes of Dutch cuisine (De Kas marked by the star Michelin). At the same time, bio-fare for one will cost about 50 euros, and lunch for two – at 75.

Address: Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE
Site: restaurantdekas.nl
Working hours: Monday-Friday: lunch from 12:00 to 14:00, dinner – from 18:30 to 22:00; Saturday: dinner from 18:30 to 22:00

13. Monument “Do not drink the branch on which you sit”

If from the Leidseplein area go to the American Hotel, and then slightly to the southwest, you will find yourself in a tiny park, where there is an amazing tree.

Than it is remarkable? On its branch there is a monument of wise thought – “Did not drink the branch on which you sit”.

According to legend, a peasant with a saw on a knot of plane trees appeared in the late 1980s. An unknown artist brought a sculpture, fastened it to a tree and, without telling anyone, left home. Soon the townspeople noticed the sculpture and fell in love with this little Amsterdamer forever. It’s a pity that the name of the author of the composition remained a mystery.

Address: Leidseplein

a monument in Amsterdam
Monument “Do not drink the branch on which you sit”

14. Submarine B-80

In 1956 another submarine B-80 of the project 611 class Zulu was built in Riga. Its combat equipment included 22 torpedoes and 36 min. And in 1991 the submarine B-80 was bought by Dutch businessmen and arrived at the port of Den Helder, where it turned into a floating cafe.

Then, in 2002, the submarine was bought by the Amsterdam architect Mikel Naidam and transported her to the capital’s port. Naidam planned to make a conference room from B-80, but the idea was not successful. As a result, the Soviet submarine was resold several times, but new and new owners could not find it worthy of use. Currently, the boat is mostly idle, only occasionally in its compartments private parties are arranged.

Address: NDSM Amsterdam

Submarine B-80
Submarine B-80 in the port of Amsterdam

This is only part of the unusual sights of Amsterdam. Complete this list in the comments. What do you remember about the Northern Venice?

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