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Amsterdam Brown Cafés: Most bars are located in the Centre and within walking distance of each other, so you don’t have to waste precious drinking time or spend your money on taxis. The bars that I describe may not necessarily be better than other bars in the city, but they will definitely give you a very clear impression of what a classic Amsterdam “brown café” is all about. They have survived disco, house and vicious real estate agents; they’ve been around for a long time, some for centuries, and probably still be here long after we’re gone. If the walls could talk in these places they’d have tales to tell. Amsterdammers are very, very proud people. Amsterdam is the center of the universe and outside its borders (a subject of much debate) the world varies from mediocre to just plain bad. However, you’ll get totally the opposite impression if you enter into discussion with one of this curious breed. They moan about everything in general and particular; public transport, local government, road works (a constant fact of in Amsterdam) and most specifically their common enemy, the parking police. Nothing is ever right in this city. Now, before you start to agree about these “problems”, I would like to give one word of advice… Don’t because if you do, it will be pointed out that wherever you come from, the situation is far worse. Whether this is factually correct or not, just agree, or even better, tell him/her that it’s much worse than he/she ever imagined. This attitude will gain you much respect and almost certainly a free beer. Amsterdammers don’t accept authority in any form. It has, and still does, drive Dutch governments insane. National laws are good but don’t apply to Amsterdam. The queen is considered equal to the local junkie. The locals will wish the latter all kinds of nasty diseases (which he probably already has), but at the end of the day will give him a euro to buy a cup of coffee. It’s a classless society and whether you are a captain of industry or a bricklayer, nobody cares. One prominent aspect of the Amsterdammer is their famous, or should be infamous, sense of humour. They take the piss out of everybody and everything. They’d razor sharp and very quick. If you’re not used to it, the humour may appear at times brutal, if not downright rude, but they mean well. Consider it a compliment if you become the butt of their jokes; it means they like you, if they didn’t, you would be ignored. Amsterdammers are open-minded, talkative and very internationally orientated. You should have no difficulty making contact with them and sharing a beer. In Amsterdam the barman is king, not the customer, never ever treat him as a servant as this will lead to immediate hearing impairment, or worse, you will be asked to leave the premises. So, when trying to order NEVER click your fingers, bang your glass on the bar, wave your money in the air or whistle. Don’t be surprised in Amsterdam to see the barman sharing a beer with his regular customers. Whilst there is great debate currently going on in government circles as to whether bar staff should be allowed to drink while they are working, the traditional “brown barman” will sink some five to fifteen “kleintjes” during a shift, without it having the slightest effect on his performance. Although they may appear a very generous bunch when it comes to buying rounds of drinks, Amsterdam barman are not extremely well paid and an acknowledgement of the service they have to provided is always appreciated. Even if you have already bought them a drink, it’s considered normal to leave a few cents as a tip. Amsterdam has a very open-minded attitude towards drugs, but it’s considered extremely rude to light up a joint in a pub. If that’s what float your boats there are plenty of coffee shops just up the street. It is traditional in most brown bars to run a tab; after all, you are expected to stay for more than one drink. The barman will write down the number of drinks you have consumed and you will be required to pay upon leaving, not after every round. If you are a regular in a bar you may even be allowed to leave your tab running for several days, weeks, months or even years. Never abuse this privilege, always pay when you say you are going to do so, and don’t forget, it is considered extremely bad form to die without first settling your bill. A tip for our friends from more macho-orientated countries: woman in Amsterdam often go to bars on their own. This is not necessarily a sign that they want to be picked up. If they do, they will let you know in no uncertain terms. As opposed to many other countries, food is not commonly available in Amsterdam pubs. Most of the time the best you can hope for is a toasted sandwich or a few chunks of stale cheese, neither of which are highly recommended unless you are very drunk or extremely hungry. The best approach is to eat before you go to the bar, and don’t forget, beer contains all the essential vitamins and minerals that your body requires. All these tips don’t apply in the modern/international establishments in the city. Café Oporto Hidden in one of the side alleys off the main street you’ll find Oporto. Although its name hints of something more exotic, this is a classic brown bar of the first order. Official records tell that Oporto was opened in 1889, but there was almost certainly some form of hostelry on the spot long before that date, providing sustenance to the merchants who plied their trade in the Zoutsteeg (Salt Alley) and other small streets off the Damrak, when that thoroughfare was still a waterway. The interior is a mixture between Jugend Style and the “Amsterdam brown pub school”. Rumour tells that beneath the smoke-stained brown paint on the ceiling are beautiful works of art, but despite some of the regulars having visited the bar for more than 30 years nobody has actually seen them. What can still be seen is the stunning wood painted zodiac arch behind the bar and the paintings on the doors, which date to the turn of the 20th century. The origins of the double bass suspended from the ceiling are as yet unknown, but the tiled fireplace at the back of the bar certainly dates from the 17th century. Although Café Oporto may not be not in one of the most attractive locations, it is without doubt one of the hardest bars to leave. Café Oporto Zoutsteeg 1 1012LX Amsterdam Opening hours Sun-Thurs: 11.00-01:00 Fri-Sat: 11.00-03:00 De Drie Fleschjes The “De Drie Fleschjes” (the three little bottles) is a so-called proeflokaal, which literally means a tasting and trying room lying in the shadow of the New Church; it was once owned by the Bols distillery and has been in existence for more than 350 years. A fact, which is evident the moment you step down from the street into the sand-strewn wooden interior. The back wall of the bar is lined with barrels and kegs of all shapes and sizes, and they’re not just there for decoration but are actually full of liquor. A set up like this is called a drankorgel, literally translated a “booze organ”. Companies and individuals rent a barrel, (their name gracefully etched on the front) filled with the alcoholic beverage of their choice. Once a year on “open keg day”, they all gather to taste each other’s barrels and give away drinks to visitors. As is common for a proeflokaal the bar is very low so you have to bend over to take your first sip of jenever. There are hardly any seats, except for in “het kantoortje”, a small, intimate room, where you can have a more private conversation without the rest of the pub eavesdropping on you. An interesting historical point, Rembrandt used to stop for a drink in De Drie Fleschjes, presumably to moisten his pallet and gain inspiration. De Drie Fleschjes Gravenstraat 18 1012 NM Amsterdam Opening hours Mon-Sat: 14:00-20:30 Sun: 15:00-19:00 Corner House The Corner House is not a typical “brown café” in the true sense of the word. In fact it’s a mixture of styles not yet known to mankind. However, when it comes to atmosphere, it’s the genuine article. The pub is dominated by a long bar, ergonomically positioned at the perfect height for drinking and talking. As is so often the case, the head of the bar is ruled over by the locals, who continually argue about who has the right to sit at the very end-the most prized position. As its name suggest, the Corner House is situated on the Corner of one of the most busiest roads in Amsterdam and its all-round windows provide a goldfish bowl view of the outside world. Hanging on the few inside walls are signs and nameplates related to rains and stations, a throwback to the time when the crews of the international trains stayed here. On the back wall is a large mural of steam trains painted by a local artist. His inspiration stimulated by the increasing large bar bill placed under his nose at regular intervals by the despairing landlord. A peculiar human phenomenon is frequently to be observed in the Corner House when tourists try to find the toilets (situated in the basement). There’s a huge sign pointing down the stairs, but people invariably walk straight ahead into the phone booth or the kitchen, causing the bartender and locals to send them in the right direction with the subtle remark, “Don’t piss in the kitchen”. The fact that there is a hotel attached (which can be booked at www.amsterdamhotels.com) to the pub leads to an interesting mix of locals and tourists. One is amazed by the number of hotel guests who keep coming back year after year to do a weekend “Corner house”. If you, like many, wished that John Cleese had made more episodes of “Falty Towers” don’t worry. Stay a weekend at the Corner house. Hotel Cornerhouse Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 121 1012RH Amsterdam Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 08:00-01:01:00 Fry-Sat: 09:00-02:00 Sun: 09:00-01:00 De Ster The last real stronghold of men in Amsterdam. It’s not that women are unwelcome or treated badly; it’s just that De Ster is a very masculine bar and will always remain that way. In order to avoid logistical problems, there are three doors situated in close proximity to each other, so you’ll have no difficulty entering the establishment, which upon first glance resembles some kind of dilapidated church hall or sports’ club. A huge island bar, staffed by two or three barmen dressed in traditional black and white, dominates the room. You’ll find no stools, so drink your beer standing at the bar. Ashtrays are also obsolete, just drop everything on the ground, here it’s permitted. The official name is De Ster but the place also goes under the name Piet De Waal, recently Piet De Waal sold the place, De Ster can also be called Van Klaveren and “the Killing Fields”. The latter will become self evident after you’ve spent some time here. The locals dominate the bar and the tables on the left. Tourists always seem to end up on the right side or sitting outside on the terrace. “Taking the piss” has reached academic proportions in this pub. One moment of weakness will immediately be seized upon and ruthlessly punished. The volume level (of communication not music-there is none) is also higher than normal. This is due to the fact that the locals seem to prefer to talk to somebody standing at the other end of the bar rather than their neighbour. The national sport in De Ster is to offer as many rounds as your wallet will permit and please don’t wait until all the participants involved have finished their current drink, just order! De Ster Martelaarsgracht 22 1012 TR Amsterdam Opening hours: Daily from 09:00-24:00 In De Wildeman A celebrated beer tasting pub with a long tradition and rich history, In De Wildeman is located inland named after an old distillery. The pub has a long low bar so customers drink their beer standing. For those who want to sit, there are benches along the wall and at the back, tables and chairs. There is even a special non-smoking room; wich is very unusual in Amsterdam pubs. The rear part of the bar has an interesting history, discovered by the owner behind barrels and a fake wall only a few years ago, he of course immediately seized the opportunity and increased the size of his pub by almost a third. In De Wildeman has 18 beers on draught and about 150 (they don’t even know themselves) bottled beers. The draught beers change on an almost daily basis so you’ll see the bartenders constantly amending the chalk beer menu that hangs over the entrance. Their knowledge of beer is unparalleled. If you are a regular, they know your taste and will advise you to try certain beers or, if they think you’ve made a wrong choice, talk you out of it. Their cellar (unfortunately not open for visitors) is a paradise for every beer fanatic. They even have a cellar master to control the enormous amount of, sometimes very rare, beers and their corresponding glasses. The clientele is of course composed of beer lovers from around the world, but also people from the neighborhood. Because of its central location tourist also walk in. During the day it’s the perfect place for a quiet drink, there is no music and the walls exude an air of calm; in the evenings the place can be packed with real beer connoisseurs and wannabes soaking up the ambience of beer appreciation at his best. On Friday afternoon, don’t sit at the round table by the staircase. It’s reserved for a very select group of wise men, who discuss the state of the world while imbibing their favorite brew. In De Wildeman Kolksteeg 3 1012 PT Amsterdam Opening hours Mon-Thurs: 12:00-01:00 Fri-Sat: 12:00-02:00 Sun: closed.

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Amsterdam, the capital the Netherlands, is one of the world's best places to hangout. You can immerse yourself in culture, history, art, or walk through the red light district. Amsterdam is situated 20 km from the sea, at the point where river Amstel joins the river IJ. The city has a population of about 750,000 and is the country's second largest port after Rotterdam. Amsterdam is at the center of a part of the Netherlands where there are many places of interest within easy reach.