While I may not be a total coffee connoisseur, I've downed some grounds. And this is the best coffee I've ever had. The creamy cappuccino is like a holiday in your mouth. The regular coffee is smooth and just strong enough to power you up for an afternoon on the bike. Sipping a latte in front of the rain-dappled stained glass window will have you pondering the good choices you've made in life to get you to this place at this moment. The snacks are decent, with supple croissants and some nice cakes. But you are here for the coffee.

www.dekoffiesalon.nl/
Utrechtsestraat 130, Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 3304314
Google map: bit.ly/LiATkF

* Jeff is our Been there local for Amsterdam. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/amsterdam-local-jeff-funnekotter.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/jefffunnekotter

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So you're on vacation. You've decided to leave your old self behind for those few days abroad, and try something new, maybe even out of character. And you read about these peculiar Dutch people who have none of the hang-ups associated with being naked that you and your people have, so you are tempted to really shed your skin.
I would suggest there are far worse places to take the plunge than Spa Zuiver located in the south of Amsterdam, an easy 15-20 minute bike ride (bus, car, or cab does the trick as well) from the city center on the edge of a large wooded area called the Amsterdamse Bos.
A boss is hardly what you feel like when you experience - early - the shock of disrobing next to members of the opposite sex in the posh changing rooms. You can hardly get your fluffy robe on fast enough, in fact. Since you've come this far, though, you keep on going. You've spent a cool 35 Euros to get in, after all. Bear in mind, you can't wear your bathing suit - it is actually forbidden. (Though rumour has it - in Dutch - that Tuesdays is optional for bathing wear; best to call or email them for more info on this).
And once you step into the exceptionally well-designed sauna, pool, steam room, wellness area, relaxation beds (water beds!), restaurant, all framed by huge windows overlooking an outdoor pool and garden, with more saunas yet at the far end. This place is the most luxurious and biggest of the saunas you'll find in Amsterdam.
Enter the "special" sauna (in Dutch, opgieting). Common in Scandinavian saunas too, a sauna man creates an experience by waving a towel around the room, pouring ice chips on the rocks (and on the sauna people), and in our man Ado's case, cracking jokes while wearing a sarong. He was hilarious, and helped to ease any tension one might have about sitting nude in a room thigh-to-thigh with dozens of strangers.
The room was jammed, as the special sauna is only on schedule four times per day. The mood in the room was jovial, and not a stitch of clothing was to be seen. At the intermission, Ado led us outside into the 0-degree weather, where we stood steaming and chatting while a table of orange slices was awaiting us. Incredibly funny, unusual, and yet somehow utterly normal.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in various steams and saunas, as well as reading a book in the lounge chairs upstairs.
A summary:
Vibe: You will see some very attractive people here, wearing nothing more than a smile. Of course, you can't gawk - the Dutch don't, or maybe they are better at hiding it. The mix when I attended was around 70% female to 30% male, an excellent ratio IMHO.
Plenty of not-so-beautiful as well though, so no need to feel intimidated. It's like the real world - you'll look better than many, not as good as some. And when you want to cover up, just head to the restaurant or the relaxations beds, where a robe is mandatory.
Space: Very big - even on the busiest day, you have plenty of room.
Cost: Quite high, and with robe and towels costing extra, plus some food, you could easily spend 60-70 Euros here. Well worth the price of trying on a new side of yourself, however. They do have new hourly rates starting at under 10 Euros.
Overall, Spa Zuiver is worth spending a day-long visit for sure, and if you only have a few hours it is a great way to expel those toxins you might have picked up earlier in the trip. It's a first-class facility.

www.spazuiver.nl/
Koenenkade 8 (Amsterdam Forest)
+31 20 301 0710
Google map: bit.ly/GCQ3B6

* Jeff is our Been there local for Amsterdam. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/amsterdam-local-jeff-funnekotter.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/jefffunnekotter

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Perfectly situated at the intersection of local and tourist, Cafe van Zuylen is quintessentially Amsterdam. It’s located on a corner overlooking a canal in the city’s Jordaan area.
If you want to get away from the cringe-inducing ugliness of Rokin, the main tourist drag that leads straight to and from Amsterdam’s Central Station, this is the perfect spot. It’s only five minutes away by foot from Rokin and the almost equally garish Dam Square, but it’s as authentic and charming a place as you’ll find in the city.
Full of natural light, natural wood furniture, and naturally a fat house cat, van Zuylen is a great spot to fire up the laptop (free Wi-Fi) and waste away the afternoon with cheap beer and friendly service (a rarity in the city). Not to mention the decent Dutch snacks and pub-ish fare and a very decent cappucino and apple tart (There’s also a restaurant attached - haven’t eaten there yet - for a more intimate setting). And on a nice day, the seating spills over to a bench outside and a sizable collection of tables overlooking a canal.
Better yet, open up your map on the table and plot your next stop, or open the travel journal and watch the people going by - your first entry will likely start with “Maybe I should just move here...” It’s like a movie about Amsterdam, with more than enough interesting faces going by to offset the occasional hipster twirling his sad mustache while looking for jobs online.
How else to put it? It’s a cosy, unassuming, cool place. And it's one of those unique spots that is always busy, but somehow there’s always a spot for you.

www.cafevanzuylen.nl/
Torensteeg 4-8, 1012 TH Amsterdam
+31(0)20 639 10 55
Google map: bit.ly/xCUXte

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Most travelers to Amsterdam will have heard about Vondelpark, the city’s answer to New York’s Central Park (on a much smaller scale, of course). We’ll revisit the pleasures of Vondelpark in a later post, but for now let’s fast forward to a lesser-known urban green space called Beatrix Park.
Located south of the city and nestled behind the RAI Conference Center, it’s an easy 15-minute ride from the city center along the Amstel River (or even quicker if you head down the center of the map along Ferdinand Bolstraat), Beatrixpark is an absolute gem. It is in direct contrast to the blanket-to-blanket crowd shoehorned into Vondelpark.
At Beatrixpark – named after the Dutch Queen Beatrix - you can park yourself on the grass along the canal, watching boaters on their sloops putter along, or head to the center of the park with more quiet corners, tree-lined trails and open space than you can imagine in this busy city. The park itself has quite a history, starting off in the 1930s and undergoing a brief identity change with the Nazi occupation before resuming its Beatrixness. It really feels like a neighbourhood playground, complete with the coolest swingset you or your kids have ever seen. It even has a group to ensure its heritage and beauty stay intact, the Friends of Beatrixpark: www.vriendenbeatrixpark.nl/html/nieuws/home.html.

Station-Zuid WTC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Walk/Bike - from the RAI congress centre, facing the main entry to the right and turn left direction the Amstelhal of the RAI. Pass in front of this building and behind the canal you will see the park - it is located at the rear all exhibit halls.
Tram - line 5, exit on the Beethovenstraat - stop Stadionweg; walk left along Stadionweg, turn right into the Diepenbrockstraat. Cross the bridge. There will be two small passages into the park on your right – they are located at the number 15 and the number 9 of the street. It is about 5 minutes walking from the tram stop.
Car: exit the A10 ring on the RAI exit. Drive into the city in front of the RAI congress centre, turn left direction the Diepenbrockstraat; continue for 200m and you will see the park on your left. Metered parking in the street.
Google map: bit.ly/pmKgVv

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This is the biggest park in the city and has millions of visitors a year. That said, it always seems like a tranquil place to be with many people strolling through the various gardens. A number of people go to Amsterdam, and never get to the Vondelpark ... don't make this mistake!

Try to catch one of the outdoor plays, as they really are a magical experience. The park also houses a fascinating museum, The Filmmuseum which is well worth a visit.

Both the museum and the outdoor plays, have great facilities for children.

www.travelsavvy-amsterdam.com/offbeatsights.html

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Get the tram out to IJburg, a newly built district on reclaimed land: fascinating new architecture, and a man-made beach, complete with lively beach bar, overlooking the IJ.

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Amsterdamse Bos is a campsite in Amsterdam. Great for canoeing, horse riding and really getting a different holiday.

The bar man will wind up an old record player for you and ask you to wipe your bum on a rabbit if there's no toilet roll, but apart from that it's relaxing.

It's close to the metro and motorway but is an ideal retreat if you prefer to be away from the city at night.

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Check out the mixed art-deco sauna on Herengracht 115.

www.saunadeco.nl/

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