Photo: Taygete05 /CC

Amsterdam’s famous network of canals is in full gear any given month of the year. Houseboats of all shapes and sizes occupy the waterways year round, ice skaters take over during the wintertime, and tour boats make way during the warmer seasons. But summertime is when canal life in Amsterdam really thrives. You have the choice of canalside cafés, cafés with a view, floating terraces and floating restaurants. For satisfying my canal craving, these are my top spots — take your pick.

De La Soul at Melkweg Photo: Trey Guinn

Every day is a celebration of the arts in Amsterdam. Alongside spectacular dance and theatre performances, live music is a city specialty. Amsterdam is home to some of the world’s best DJs and has top-notch music venues to match. Pleasure your senses at my specially selected Amsterdam music venues for pop, jazz, rock, indie and karaoke-loving fans.

Photo: Baked Beans /CC

An enjoyable hotel experience is essential for an all-around great trip. So if you’re into trying new things — wait, of course you are, you’re coming to A’dam! — you’ll have to check out my five favorite stay-over spots. I guarantee a night in any one of these unusual and special “hotels” will make the cut for your ‘Amsterdam experimental list'. Slaap lekker (sleep well)!

See my favorites below

Photo: Moody 76

Not many people praise Dutch cuisine like they do the French or Italian. I guess dishes of potatoes and meat with lots of cheese and mayonnaise mixed in doesn’t appeal to many, nor to their waistlines. But what the Dutch have done right is the rijsttafel (‘rice table’). Back in the day Dutch colonists combined all of the exotic dishes of Indonesia and viola: rijsttafel was a reality! You can find a great rijsttafel all over Amsterdam, but the key is knowing where to go!

Summer is up and cities across the globe have planted palm trees and trucked in tons of sand to urban riverfronts to create the feeling of a lazy day at the shore. Urban beaches are a hit and Momondo guides you to our favourites.

Amsterdam’s Urban Beach Escapes: bringing sunshine to this cloudy city

Blijburg Ann Zee Photo: Marco Buddingh

Amsterdam is anything but traditional, and the same goes for its ‘beaches’. From atypical to boho to lay-back-and-relax, Amsterdam beachgoers have all the man-made hot spots they need to get their cherished annual ration of sun. Located right within the sun-craving city borders are the beaches of Blijburg aan Zee, Amsterdam Plage, Strandzuid, Strand West and BovenNEMO.

All those miserable days of pedaling through rain and wind must have really motivated the Dutch to perfect the art of urban beaching. Fake handbags are a no-no, but Amsterdam’s artificial beaches - let’s go!