Overview
Amsterdam is one of the coolest cities in Europe. Beautiful, hip, and laid back, with lots to do, lots to see, food from all over the world and friendly people.
A visit to this very beautiful city is like taking a walk into the 17th century, as the center of Amsterdam has a lot of charming architecture dating from this period. While it may boast a lot of 17th century architecture, that´s about all that´s old fashioned about Amsterdam.
You´ll likely be arriving via the Schiphol (skip-hull) airport. The marvel of Schiphol is that its also a train station and a shopping center.
You have a choice to make: stay near the airport, or in an outlying area, or stay in the center of the city. If you´re staying near the airport, there are a number of hotels, varying in price from high-end to inexpensive. (On the inexpensive side is the Etap chain.) Even the inexpensive have shuttles to Schiphol, so you can catch the train to the Centraal Station in the heart of downtown. Hotels in the outlying areas will require a rental car, not a bad choice, though for travelling in the Netherlands.
Distance from Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is located 15km (9 miles) southwest of Amsterdam.
Getting Downtown Amsterdam
The quickest and the easiest way to travel into the city from Schiphol is by train. The station is directly below the airport. Private and shared taxis are also available as well as the Schiphol Travel Taxi, which is the national taxi service.Travelers heading for the hotels can make use of the Connexxion airport hotel shuttle service. The airport is also well served by local bus service.
When to Fly to Amsterdam
Peak Season:
The most crowded and expensive time to visit Amsterdam is tulip season (April to mid-May) and July and August.
Off Season:Most cultural events are scheduled from September through June, so if you go in the cold winter months (the coldest weather is December-March), there will be plenty to do and fewer people trying to do it. And if you’re there during one of the winters when the canals freeze, you can join the Amsterdam residents on skates, a lovely way to see the city.
Flying time