NAVIGATING AMSTERDAM

Tips for this charming, crowded city

Visiting Amsterdam poses a number of challenges. Several of them unique to this city of some 165 canals and 1,500 bridges — far more than that other European canal city, Venice.

With its picturesque 17th-century canals and the largely preserved architecture that has earned it a UNESCO World Heritage designation, Amsterdam is an increasingly popular destination for European and other tourists. More than six million people stayed overnight in 2013, according to the latest figures, a 50 per cent increase from 2000. With such numbers can come crowding, especially at the major museums, but there are ways to avoid most lineups — and reduce costs.

There are two cards visitors should consider purchasing before exploring the city and its environs. The popular I amsterdam City Card offers free admission to some three dozen museums, including the Van Gogh and Stedelijk, two of the three biggies, and to other attractions that individually, can cost as much as $27. The card, among other things, provides free rides on efficient and clean trams and buses, 25 per cent off at some shops, and restaurants and bicycle rentals, as well as a free citywide canal and river tour.

Indeed, canal cruises provide an ideal orientation to the city, day or night. The old gas lamps alongside the canals and the lights above and under the arch bridges, create a magical atmosphere after the sun goes down. Enhance the sunset or after-dark experience with a cocktail or dinner cruise.

For a romantic evening, consider the gourmet cruise on the intimate Henry Schmitz, a 19thcentury teak and mahogany canal boat operated by Amsterdam Jewel Cruises. Passengers place their orders on board, and their requests are transmitted to a restaurant on the canal for pickup during a brief stopover.

I amsterdam City Cards can be ordered online but must be picked up in person at one of the two I amsterdam Visitor Centres — Schiphol Airport or the city’s central train station. The cost is $65 for a 24-hour pass, $79 for 48 hours or $92 for 72 hours. The clock starts ticking when the card is first used.

For museum lovers, an alternative is the Museum Card, which provides free entry to more than 400 museums throughout the Netherlands. This card covers all the major museums on the I amsterdam City Card, but also includes the Anne Frank House, one of the city’s most popular attractions, and the third major museum, the Rijksmuseum. The Museum Card costs $80 for adults and $43 for under-18s, and is valid for an entire year. It can be purchased at the participating museums. One considerable benefit of a Museum Card is special, shorter lineups, a huge plus at the major museums — there is no dedicated line for I amsterdam cardholders.

Another tactic to avoid lineups is to book online for a specific time and day. That’s about the only way to comfortably visit the Anne Frank House, where the blockslong wait can be three hours or more during peak periods, rain or shine. But to secure a time at the Anne Frank House, you may have to book days or weeks in advance.

Amsterdam’s city centre can be crowded, especially during the week when almost everyone rides a bike to work. There are more bicycles in Amsterdam, some 880,000, than there are people, just over 800,000. Cyclists are generally polite and travel at moderate speeds, all but eliminating the possibility of collisions despite the absence of stop signs and traffic lights.

However, the real problem occurs after riders get off their bikes. They park them everywhere, especially on the sidewalks — the canal sidewalks, especially, tend to be narrow. Even when empty, these sidewalks can accommodate only two abreast. But many become so jammed with parked bikes during business hours that pedestrians are forced into the almost equally narrow streets.

There, they compete for space with cyclists and the occasional car brave enough to venture into the congestion. Pedestrians beware — remember to look both ways and behind you.

One solution: if you can’t beat them, join them. Rent a bike for your visit. There are a lot of options, all reasonably priced.

PHOTOS: FOTOLIA Amsterdam’s 17th-century canals and architecture have made the city a popular destination for tourists. Visitors need a strategy to make the most of their stay.

There are more bikes than people in Amsterdam, which tends to create congestion on the city’s roads and narrow sidewalks.