Your three-day guide to the best of Amsterdam
DAY ONE: Grab lunch at the Cafe de Prins ( deprins.nl), which serves f ormidable Amsterdam meatballs (£5.50).
Then explore the canals with local operator Reederij P. Kooij ( rederijkooij.nl). One-hour cruises from around £7. In the evening, the organic De Culinaire Werkplaats ( deculinairewerkplaats.nl) has sushi, lotus roots and absinthe cocktails (£3.48), where customers are asked to pay what they think is fair.
Pop into jazz cafe Alto ( jazz-cafe-alto.nl) for drinks and live music, where late-night entertainment starts at 10pm.
DAY TWO: Start at the Pancake Bakery ( pancake.nl) with toppings such as bacon and apple. Then head to the Begijnhof ( begijnhofamsterdam.nl), a former medieval convent with a peaceful courtyard.
Lunch at De Foodhallen ( foodhallen.nl) for affordable global cuisine. Visit the Jewish Cultural Quarter ( jhm.nl/visit/jewish-cultural-quarter) — Amsterdam’s soul, with museums, markets, glorious Portuguese synagogue and the Jewish Historical Museum. Dine (tasting menu from £19) at Indonesian restaurant Blauw ( restaurantblauw.nl). Round off the night with drinks at Hiding In Plain Sight, ( hpsamsterdam.com).
DAY THREE: Window-shop in the trendy Jordaan district and sip coffee at Screaming Beans ( screamingbeans.nl). Pick up Dutch cheese and treacle stroopwafels for a picnic among the striking sculptures of the Vondelpark ( hetvondelpark.net). The Rijksmuseum ( rijksmuseum.nl; £12.80) and Van Gogh Museum ( vangoghmuseum.nl; £12) are Amsterdam essentials.
WHERE TO STAY: BUDGET: My Home ( amsterdambudgethotel.com) from £38 per night.
LUXURY: The Conservatorium ( conservatoriumhotel.com) from £360 per night.