‘This was the most feared address in Amsterdam’: Steve McQueen takes us on a tour for Occupied City
It was a sobering but at times uplifting experience. Bianca Stigter and her husband Steve McQueen reveal how they made their four-hour film about the Nazi invasion that plunged their city into terror
April 2023
Notebook
I felt wheelie awful in Amsterdam; no wonder they want British tourists to stay away
Rachel Cooke
Hard-drinking weekenders, Airbnb and noisy suitcases are no longer welcome in cities such as Venice and Marseille
February 2023
A world of wonders and catastrophes: discovering Vermeer and his hometown
As the biggest ever show of the artist’s work is unveiled in Amsterdam, we retrace the enigmatic painter’s footsteps in Delft and also The Hague
June 2022
From Paris to Galway: expert foodies reveal the very best places to eat on holiday
Fred Sirieix’s guide to Paris, Girorgio Locatelli on Sicily, plus hidden gems in Copenhagen, Seville, Cornwall, Limassol, Amsterdam and Lisbon
February 2021
Kate Mosse: My journey of discovery in medieval Amsterdam
While researching her latest novel the author spent weeks walking the canals and streets, and unearthing the Old Town’s hidden history
December 2020
Interrailing at 50: reliving our backpacking days … in style
The European rail pass offers two friends a second bite at their youth, as they savour bars, views and food from Amsterdam to Copenhagen
September 2020
Airbnb makes ‘power play’ in Dutch high court to retain right to ‘double fees’
The holiday rental giant hopes to overturn an Amsterdam ruling that it is illegal to levy a service fee on both renters and those letting
July 2020
Post-lockdown Amsterdam is a crowd-free joy
The tourists are trickling back but the streets and canals are still quiet enough to make cycling around the city an unexpected summer treat
May 2020
‘Things have to change’: tourism businesses look to a greener future
Amsterdam mayor urges extreme caution over return of tourism to the city
April 2020
A local's guide
How to visit Amsterdam while stuck at home in lockdown
You can still explore this unique city’s culture from your laptop, says Hans Rooseboom, curator of photography at the Rijksmuseum
March 2020
Grace Dent on restaurants
Ron Gastrobar, Amsterdam: ‘Hilariously lopsided’ – restaurant review
This self-declared ‘relaxed’ gastrobar can’t quite escape its fancy-pants past – the lasting memory is still one of quenelles, foams and minuscule portions
February 2020
Amsterdam considering moving red light district indoors
City council releases plans to build an ‘erotic centre’ to prevent rowdy tourists
November 2019
Self and wellbeing
A psychedelic retreat proves a healing trip
Notes on chocolate
Notes on chocolate: Amsterdam’s star turns unwrapped
June 2019
Amsterdam invites tourists to 'marry' a local for a day
Fake weddings aim to improve relations between residents and visitors and include a brief ‘honeymoon’ to explore the city’s less popular sights
May 2019
Rembrandt’s Holland: exploring Amsterdam and Leiden
It is 350 years since the artist’s death but visiting these two Dutch cities you can still feel the echoes of his work, and follow in his footsteps
April 2019
10 of the best restaurants near Amsterdam’s main attractions
When museums and sights have taken their toll, have a break nearby at cafes and restaurants reflecting the city’s mix of traditional and inventive cuisine
August 2018
Europe now
My Amsterdam is being un-created by mass tourism
Joost de Vries
Observer dispatch
Sex, drugs and puke: partygoers turn Amsterdam into an ‘urban jungle’
