| Amsterdam > General Information |
Amsterdam is one of the greatest small cities in the world. From its canals to world-famous museums and historical sights, Amsterdam is one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in Europe. Amsterdam is a city of tolerance and diversity. It has all the advantages of a big city: culture, entertainment, international restaurants, good transport - but is relatively small, quiet, and largely thanks to its canals, has a little road traffic. In Amsterdam your destination is never far away. |
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| Amsterdam Quick Facts: |
Population: 735,000
Time zone: CET (UTC +1 hour)
Telephone area code: +20
Country: The Netherlands (also known as Holland) |
| Amsterdam Weather and Climate: |
| In Amsterdam, there is no guarantee of good weather any time of the year. Typical weather in Amsterdam ranges from a little around freezing with in winter, though with little snow, to beautiful sunny days with temperature around 25 degrees Celsius in the summer. Amsterdammers will often carry an umbrella even on the hottest of July days, as summer rain in the morning sometimes precedes the arrival of bright sunshine later. |
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| Language |
Dutch is the national language of Holland. However, English is spoken by everyone in Amsterdam. In addition, many Dutch people speak German and French. Dutch is the mother tongue of well over 21 million Dutch people and Flemish people (Dutch- speaking nationals of Belgium) |
| Money and Currency |
In Amsterdam, as well as in all the Netherlands and many other countries of European Community the accepted currency is Euro (EUR, €), no other currencies are commonly accepted, so you will have to change your dollars, sterling, yens, etc to Euros. Credit cards are widely accepted too, though in some small shops or hotels, there might an extra charge (2-6%) if you pay by a credit card, passport may be required. Generally, the most preferred payment method is Euro cash with the banknotes up to 50 Euro bill. |
| Safety |
Amsterdam is an extremely safe city, and there is nothing to fear when walking in any part of the city. However, don't leave your belongings unattended. When you're in a coffee shop, bar or restaurant, keep your bag near to you - under the table, between your legs. As in every larger city, beware of pickpockets. Some residential suburbs (outside the city) have a bad reputation at night.
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| Shopping |
Amsterdam is the city of antiques, books, diamonds, and curiosities. In general, shop-opening hours are 1-6pm on Mondays and 9/10am-6pm Tuesday to Friday. Most have late night shopping on Thursday until 9pm, and close earlier on Saturdays, at 5pm. Some supermarkets, like Albert Heijn stay open until 8 or 10 pm. On Sundays, you can shop in the city center, Kalverstraat, Damrak, and Leidsestraat.
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| Using the Telephone |
Public telephone in Amsterdam can be found on streets all over the city, at railway stations, post offices and some bars. Using the phone is quite straightforward, when you have the right telephone card. See where you find the phones, where to get the phone-cards, places you can use a credit card or call-direct cards, learn about mobiles and calling from the hotel.
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