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Keukenhof!

With the flowers in full bloom, there's no better time to visit Keukenhof, the Netherlands' world-famous bulb flower spectacular.

Dutch Tulips and More

Amsterdam Travel Spotlight10

May in Amsterdam

Thursday April 28, 2011

VondelparkMay is here -- and the sunny days it heralds -- so head outside to one of the capital's dozens of outdoor attractions and events. Check out May in Amsterdam for the low-down on what to expect and the best events and festivals to hit, and become a fan of Amsterdam Travel on Facebook or subscribe to the RSS feed to keep abreast of all the latest headlines.

Have any tips for May events in Amsterdam? Tell me in the comments!

Amsterdam Outdoors

Photo © Olivier Bruchez


The Canalhouse Museum, Amsterdam's Newest Museum

Tuesday April 26, 2011

Amsterdam has another unique addition to its list of canal house museums: Het Grachtenhuis Museum (The Canal House Museum), dedicated to "one of the best city development projects in the world": the 17th-century canals that enabled Amsterdam -- and the Netherlands as a whole -- to flourish on the world scene. Marvel at the exquisite facade and lavish interiors of this classic canal house, and learn about the contribution of canals to the Dutch capital. Due to the limited number of visitors the museum can accommodate at any one time, visitors are advised to purchase an advance online ticket for a specific time slot from the Grachtenhuis Museum web site.

Have you been to the new Grachtenhuis Museum yet? What did you think? Tell us in the comments!

Queen's Day (April 30) is Back with Fanfare

Thursday April 21, 2011

The Dutch Queen's Day (April 30) is tremendous, with countless dance parties and other events and activities both in Amsterdam and all over the Netherlands. In honor of Queen Beatrix and the Queen Mother Juliana, Amsterdammers take to the streets for a day of outdoor festivities, where bands and DJs perform on open-air podiums, and makeshift stalls serve beer and refreshments to the one million revelers that show up. Other cities have the appeal of calmer activities for families and individuals, not to mention the traditional vrijmarkten (free markets) where locals pawn the junk from their attic.

I like to spend April 30 in Leiden or Haarlem, under-appreciated Queen's Day destinations attended primarily by locals, but that have all the attractions -- and less of the crowds -- of Amsterdam. What are your Queen's Day plans?

BeNeLux Takes On Japanese Opera with Hanjo (April 27 & May 8)

Tuesday April 19, 2011

Het MuziektheaterA new current blows into the Dutch opera scene in late April with Hanjo, a remarkable production on several levels. The sophomore opera of composer Toshio Hosokawa, Hanjo finds inspiration in the Japanese theatrical traditions of and kabuki, while its firm roots in Western opera make for a unique composite of both cultures.

What's more, while the opera will appear at Het Muziektheater, home turf of De Nederlandse Opera, it will be performed by nearby Brussels's opera company, De Munt/La Monnaie ("The Mint", named for their home theater, built on the site of a former mint).

Advance tickets for the two Amsterdam performances, on April 27 and May 8, start from € 20 and are available from the Het Muziektheater web site.

Photo © Andreas Praefcke

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