We know you’ve heard of the sultry after-dark shows in the infamous Red Light District. You know of the many “coffee” shops, strangely lacking a grande Mocha Latte. But few really know how truly remarkable Amsterdam Spring Break is until they step off the train into the city’s center and are surrounded by the best of old-world architecture and the calming waters of the canals.
Instead of honking traffic and car exhaust, Spring Break Amsterdam offers bicycles and cobblestone streets. Take in some of the world's great artwork found inside buildings which are works of art themselves. When the urge to get down arises, Amsterdam Spring Break 2010 will not disappoint. International acts, from Techno to Punk to Traditional Irish fill venues from small dive bars to huge, pyrotechnic-equipped clubs throughout the city.
If you're tired of lying around all Spring Break, cross the Atlantic with Sun Splash Tours and experience Europe's coolest city. You've heard the stories; now see what all the fuss is about. Do something different- do Amsterdam Spring Break 2010.
All you need to know about Amsterdam
Courtesy of Steven Pemberton & The Internet Guide to Amsterdam (www.cwi.nl/~steven/amsterdam.htm)
Geography
Amsterdam is in the Netherlands (also known as Holland).
Time
Amsterdam time is six hours ahead of EST; when daylight saving time is in operation the sun is at its highest point at around 13:40 (which makes for long evenings: since Amsterdam is very far West in its time zone, in mid-Summer the sky is still light as late as 11 in the evening).
Amsterdam is a late city: many shops don't open until 10 in the morning, and bars and cafés stay open till 1 or 2 in the morning.
Weather
Typical weather ranges from a little around freezing in the depths of winter, though usually with little snow, to typically pleasant sunny days of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius in the summer. Spring and autumn are pleasant, but can be wet (100+ mm of rain per month). During March, the weather ranges from rainy to pleasant.
Language
Just about everyone speaks English in Amsterdam, and is proud of the fact. It is a very easy city to communicate in.
A few keys phrases: Yes: Ja (Yah); No: Nee (Nay); Thanks: Bedankt (B'dunked); Please: Graag (hkrahk – pronounce the hk as if you are trying to pronounce an h at the same time as a k, the sort of sound a child says when saying yecchh!); Sorry: sorry (sorry, with rolled r's); excuse me: pardon (parDON).
Money
The currency used in the Netherlands is the Euro expressed as EUR or €. There are 11 other countries apart from the Netherlands that form the Euro Zone: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain. You can use the Euro in all these countries.
Euros are divided into 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros. There are notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros (note the pattern 1, 2, 5). Some shops do not accept large denomination notes, and interestingly some don't like the 1 and 2 cent coins, and so round cash amounts to the nearest 5 cents.
There are many places to change money in town. Post offices usually give the best rates. The GWK at Central station is also good. Compare rates carefully at the exchange offices in town. Hotels are usually an expensive way to change money. Banks can be slow. There's an American Express on the Damrak, and a Thomas Cook on the Dam.
The current exchange rates are avilable on line.
Credit cards are not as widely accepted in the Netherlands as in many other lands, but it's getting steadily better. Always enquire first if you intend to pay by credit card.
If you have an ATM card (a card for getting money out of a machine in the wall) it will most likely work in the Netherlands (indeed throughout Europe), so you don't need to take traveller's cheques. Check with your bank before leaving though. Such cards, certainly if they have a Maestro logo on them, can often also be used for direct debit payments in shops (shops that display the blue "PIN" sign, which is almost all shops).
Tipping
All prices in the Netherlands by law include tax and tips: the price you see is the price you pay. Normal Dutch practice in restaurants is to round up to some whole number of euros, so that the tip is about 5%. Don't feel obliged to leave a tip. If the bill says "service not included" they are just trying to rip you off. You don't need to tip in taxis either.
Electricity
Dutch Electricity was 220 volts, and then moved at a rate of 1 volt per year to the European standard 230 volts. The plugs are the fairly standard European two-pin model.
You can buy voltage and plug converters at Aurora, on the Vijzelstraat at the end of the Flower Market, near the Munt Tower.
Safety and Health
Amsterdam is a safe city, and there is nothing to fear from walking in any part of the city. Even in the red-light district around the Oude Kerk, there are always lots of tourists wandering around. As in any large city you should beware of pick pockets. Don't try to photograph the women in the red-light district though: that would be risky!
The water from taps is perfectly drinkable.
Transportation
Amsterdam has superb public transport facilities. There are many trams, and good facilities for cyclists, like special bike lanes, and traffic lights for cyclists.
There is a national public transport information service: you say when and where you want to go, anywhere in the Netherlands, and they tell you how to get there. The telephone number is 0900-9292; it costs €0.50 per minute, though in our experience the quality of the service is variable, especially considering how much you end up paying for it.
Trams
The best way to travel is by tram. They are frequent, fast and dependable. You can buy a ticket from the driver, the conductor at the back of the tram, or a machine in the middle of the tram, depending on the sort of tram it is. However, it is considerably cheaper if you buy a 'strippenkaart' from a tobacconist, post office or railway station beforehand, for €6.40 for 15 strips. On most trams you stamp these yourself in the yellow machines in the tram: each journey uses one strip plus a strip for every zone you travel in. If you stay within the centre of town, that is one zone, so you leave one strip blank and stamp the second. If you travel over a zone border, you are travelling in two zones, so you leave two strips blank, and stamp the third.
On some trams there is a conductor: you get on at the back of the tram and the conductor stamps your ticket for you.
Once stamped, a ticket is valid for an hour, regardless of how often you change tram or bus.
Several people can travel on one strippenkaart: you just stamp it for the first person, and then for the second, and so on.
There are also day and week passes available.
Day and week passes and strippencards are valid on all trams, buses and metros, and also on trains within the city boundaries (thus not to Schiphol airport: then you have to buy a train ticket). You must stamp a day or week pass the first time you use it only.
You should hail a tram to indicate you want to get on. Press the button near the door to open it. If the tram has a conductor you must use the rear door to get on. You have to press one of the red STOP buttons inside the tram to indicate that you want to get off at the next stop (although there is rarely a stop where no one wants to get out). Again press the button near the door to open it when the tram has stopped.
There is a free map of all tram and bus routes in Amsterdam available from tourist offices or the GVB office in front of Central Station.
The trams run until just after midnight (the last trams leave Central Station at 12.15). After that there is an hourly service of night buses from Central Station.
Bicycles
The fastest way to travel is by bike. There are several addresses around town where you can hire (rent) a bike, for very reasonable prices. Traditionally, Dutch bikes have no hand-brakes, but back-pedal brakes. If you think you can't handle this, ask the hirer for a bike with hand-brakes.
When cycling, cross tram lines at a good angle to avoid getting your wheel caught in the rail. For obvious reasons, lock your bike to something solid when leaving it unattended, and lock the frame, not just the front wheel (otherwise they unbolt your front wheel, take your frame and someone else's front wheel, and have a complete bike).
Taxis
Taxis are normally not hailed in the Netherlands, but taken from a taxi rank, of which there are many (there is an environmental advantage to this: taxis aren't constantly driving round looking for custom). You can order a taxi by phoning 6777 777. A taxi will arrive almost immediately (though be prepared to wait if it is raining on a Friday or Saturday evening). Taxis are good quality but relatively expensive; around €1.50 per km regardless of day or time. You don't need to tip more than rounding up: they are already expensive enough. The bottom line on Taxis – the public transport is excellent so don’t waste your money unless it is really late & you are unable to read a map due to your mental state!
Round trip airfare (except Hotel Only packages)
6 nights hotel accommodations
Round trip train transfer to Central Station
All taxes & gratuities
Free Barney's Goody Bag
Welcome Energy Drink at Bulldog Hotel
Optional Trip Protection Plan
No Credit Card Fees