Amsterdam - cool places to go

Amsterdam is host to a number of diverse festivals whether it be dance, music, arts, films, flowers or parades.

The most interactive is Vondel Parks Open Aired Theater which has been running for over 30 years throughout the summer months, the program includes theater, jazz, pop, classical music, children’s theater, stand up comedy and the audience can even participate actively in singing and dancing lessons.

Amsterdam’s Roots Festival, 20 to 27 June, is an open-aired dynamic event where sounds, colours and smells from all corners of the world come together.

The Amsterdam Canal Parade held on 7 August annually is a part of the Amsterdam Pride Celebrations that run from the 5 to 8 August. This spectacular parade passes down Amsterdam’s main canals with gaily-decorated flat-bottomed boats, barges and "floating clogs" ferrying costumed dancers and partygoers along Amsterdam’s waterways, a hard one to miss.

The Cannabis Cup, oragnised by the High Times magazine, takes place annually in Amsterdam and celebrates all things marijuana-related. During this five-day event the coffeeshops get an opportunity to show off their wares as they compete fiercely in categories such as best marijuana, hashish, seed store and best hemp products.

There is a tranquil ambience throughout Amsterdam streets no matter where you journey out for a good night, each area has much to offer, especially when you’re interested in live music.

The chic artists ’hang-out’ is in Joordann or the numerous bars and clubs in Leidesplein. This is the area with the highest density of jazz clubs: you must not forget that Amsterdam is, together with Paris, one of the few "capitals" of jazz music outside the United States. Some examples are the Alto Jazz Café, the Bourbon Street, the Bamboo Bar, even if lately the most important one is the Bumhuis, a.k.a. Bim, in Oudeschans, 73.

As a whole, Leidseplein has a great atmosphere where you will be certain to meet an array of people with a variety of outfits, preferences, backgrounds and attitudes, so it’s a great place if you want to dive into a cultural melting pot.

Most cafès, restaurants, night-clubs and discos are located around Leidseplein, Jordaan and Rembrandtplein areas, where you can party until the wee hours of the morning. Check out some trendy places such as New Deli, NL-Lounge, Vak-Zuid and the Supper Club. Stand up comedy cafès are also quite popular here with the most note worthy being Boom Chicago and Toomler. Papeneiland is Amsterdam’s oldest cafe serving Dutch gin and glasses of beer since the 1600, situated on the corner of Brouwersgracht.

Amsterdam after dark also offers great Performing Arts. The renowned Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest is based in the, get ready for it, Concertgebouw. This concert hall has ornate Greek Revival facade and some of the best acoustics of any hall in the world. Performances, by this and other orchestras, are held almost every night in the building’s two halls. There are free concerts on Wednesday at 12:30pm, other days tickets range from 12 to 90 euro.

If your up for erotic entertainment or a live sex act in Amsterdam make sure you head down to the Red Light District and look up some of these places, Theatre Casa Rosso, The Bananenbar or Moulin Rouge.