In summer the temperatures in Amsterdam, like in any city, can get quite unbearable. Hire a bike and head for the green Bijlmermeer in the south-east of the city, only half an hour from the centre.

On summer weekends there is the Kwakoe Afro-Caribbean festival, which makes Notting Hill look like a family picnic. Football, food and kaseko and no multicultural pretensions.

When you get really hot and even the ginger beer don't work, take a dive in the sparkling clear waters of the Gaasperplas.

metro 53 or 54: station Bijlmer/Arena or Gaasperplas

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Open air food and music in Amsterdam's little known Afro-Caribbean area.
Friday: Amsterdamse Poort
Saturday: Ganzenhoef

Nearest metro stations:
Amsterdamse Poort: Bijlmer/Arena
Ganzenhoef: Ganzenhoef

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Well, you've missed it for 2007, but it'll surely be back in early August 2008. It's a gay pride carnival and then some, the outrageous floats quite literally that - decorated boats floating along the Prinsengracht canal and Amstel river all afternoon in a riot of noise, colour and campness.

In fact, Canal Pride is a three-day festival to rival The Netherlands' other big weekends during Karnaval in February and Queensday in April - but with more chance of good weather.

www.amsterdamgaypride.nl/

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A 14th century enclosed courtyard chapel complex that somehow manages to be the quietest place in the city whilst also being spitting distance from the centre of everything, just off Spui.

The silence is unbelievable - it's a proper oasis in the middle of the city. It's a private religious property, though, so respect the silence, take a book and spend a half hour getting your breath back.

Walk down the Kalverstraat from the palace, turn right onto Spui and the entrance is on Gedempte Begijnensloot;
www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl/index_engels.html

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Over the last 15 years Amsterdam has converted its docklands on the river IJ from old warehouses, which were once home to squatters, to new structures with innovative architecture. The design is some of the most amazing stuff you will see anywhere around the world.

Exit the rear of Centraal Station and walk towards the east. Ask for Entrepothaven if needed. Or take bus 43 leaving from Centraal
station in the direction of "Borneo eiland" and get off at Cruquiusweg. Walk north into the Entrepothaven.

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