Amsterdam

It’s easy to see why. Amsterdam provides the perfect blend of history and culture to balance out the more risqué recreational pursuits offered by the Red Light District and plentiful “coffee” shops. As well as a myriad of flight options taking just over an hour, from December 2017 there are even more options

for Brits to get there as Eurostar launches its new direct train service from London St Pancras, taking around three hours and 50 minutes.

 

1.Get on yer bike

Amsterdam is a city of cyclists and there is no better way to discover the sights. It’s also incredibly quick to get around on two wheels, making Amsterdam’s already compact size infinitely easier to explore. Plenty of places hire out bikes and locks – expect to pay around €35 for three days. Bike City (bikecity.nl) rents single speed, three-speed and seven-speed varieties, with the added bonus that they come in unobtrusive black – more gaudy-coloured bikes that have obviously been hired can attract more attention from thieves.

2. Visit Anne Frank’s house

Anne Frank and her famous diary have featured so much in films and television you might feel like you’ve been to her house before. But even being overly familiar with the story doesn’t stop a visit to the place where Anne and her family hid for so long from the Nazis being indescribably moving. The journey takes you from the ground floor up many steep flights of stairs to the secret annex where they lived for over two years – Anne’s room has been preserved with pictures of movie stars and magazine clippings adorning the walls. Most emotive, perhaps, is the range of videos at the end of the tour, showing real-life scenes from concentration camps. It’s all been extremely sensitively done, though you may leave feeling rather subdued. Booking online in advance is recommended (annefrank.org). Open daily 9am-10pm; entry costs €9.50.

3. Roll a joint

If you feel so inclined, Amsterdam’s famously accepting attitude to drugs makes it an ideal place to experiment. If you’re new to the game, steer clear of trying cannabis in any kind of baked good – brownies and spacecakes are often very strong, and it’s difficult to gauge when you’ve had too much. Instead, head to one of the city’s coffee shops and start off light with a pre-rolled joint or choose your poison and roll your own. Share with friends, along with an actual coffee, if you like, and let the good vibes roll. Dampkring (dampkring-coffeeshop-amsterdam.nl) is known for having the most extensive menu in town, and frequently wins the Cannabis Cup. Smoothies, hot drinks and toasted sandwiches are also available.