World Tourism Blog

Amsterdam is no longer a bargain, but city of canals and bicycles can be had for a discount

Built 400 years ago in concentric horseshoes, they are the rib cage of the city. Coasting their waters on a canal boat opens windows onto a history of vast wealth and global power. The cobbled streets alongside the canals are scenic urban pathways for walking or biking. And they are anchors for funky shops, cafes and — of course — Amsterdam’s flamboyant Red Light district and marijuana bars.

The inner city of the Dutch capital is a compact warren of heritage buildings, of museums both grand and odd, of hidden gardens and outdoor markets — all within easy reach by any mode of transport except the unwelcome car.

No longer the bargain city of Europe, Amsterdam is still a town of wonders that can be had for a discount, and sometimes for free.

WALKING AND BIKING

Seeing 17th century Amsterdam, with its proud past and sometimes quirky culture on display, from a bike or on foot is a happy cost-free experience. Among its 2,000 or so bridges, the Bridge of 15 Bridges at the intersection of two canals is among the most spectacular, with a view of a series of stone spans whose arches are gracefully lit at night.

The city also has hidden gems that require guidance or tips to find: Some gardens, tucked away in courtyards or behind stately apartments, are open to the public any time, while others open on a special day of the year. The Rijksmuseum, with its Rembrandts and Vermeers, costs $14 (?11) entry, but its garden is open year-round for free.

The Begijnhof is a grassy courtyard surrounded by 14th century cottages — an oasis of quiet at one of the busiest sections of town where a small chapel often stages musical recitals. Near the Begijnhof is a covered passageway known as the Civics Guard Gallery, with 15 huge group portraits — from the same time as Rembrandt’s Night Watch — of leading citizens from the Dutch Golden Age.

Outside the well-trod shopping lanes are the lesser known sections, like the “Nine Lanes,” lined with tiny specialty establishments like the handmade soap shop, the spectacles museum and a store dedicated to toothbrushes. The Jordaan, once the working class district, has been revived with boutiques, tapas bars and ethnic restaurants.

Prinsengracht canal in Amsterdam.

Canadian officials have banned most carry-on luggage for U.S.-bound passengers following a failed Christmas Day plot to blow up a plane flying from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Transport Canada said Monday that passengers may only carry medical devices, small purses, cameras, laptop computers, canes, walkers, diaper bags, musical instruments and bags containing “life-sustaining items.”

Travelers headed for the United States have been allowed to carry on only one bag since Saturday, following 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s alleged attempted to bring down a Northwest Airlines flight as it prepared to land in Detroit on Friday.

Transport Canada said it is trying to alleviate backlogs at security checkpoints, after passengers complained of chaos and long lines at Pearson International Airport in Toronto over the weekend and Monday morning.

Police are now helping with security at four of Canada’s biggest airports after Transport Canada requested assistance. Police are performing a secondary search of passengers after they pass the main security check point at airports in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. About 40 Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers are doing searches at Pearson.

Transport Canada spokesman Patrick Charette said the measures are expected to remain in place for at least several days.

“We hope the restrictions on those carry-on baggage will help to assure the effectiveness and efficiency of security screening,” Charette said.

At the Toronto airport Monday morning, every U.S.-bound passenger was subjected to a pat-down and luggage was inspected by hand. Getting through the checks took about three hours, with some information boards citing the security measures for several delays and cancelations.

Trish Krale of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority said Monday went somewhat more smoothly at Pearson after a very difficult weekend. More than 130 flights were canceled.

Air Canada and its affiliate Jazz canceled several short-haul flights to the U.S. due to security delays. Air Canada consolidated flights and operated larger aircraft on some routes — particularly from Toronto to destinations in the Northeastern U.S.

“We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our customers during this challenging time and ask them to assist us in getting them to their destination faster by bringing as little carry-on as possible,” Duncan Dee, Air Canada’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement. “Air Canada is doing everything it can to maintain its schedule, despite the delays caused by security screening issues outside its control. However, our number one priority remains the safety and security of our customers and staff.”

One woman said the lines are the worst she’s seen during her family’s annual Christmas trek to Canada.

“This is probably five times the lines we’ve ever experienced,” said Christin Grand, who was traveling home to Atlanta with her three children and husband. “We come up every Christmas and never experienced lines like this. We usually show up an hour and fifteen minutes before our flight and we’re two plus hours before and it’s still crazy.”

Andre Belanger, a Montreal resident flying to Fort Lauderdale from Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, didn’t mind that he was sent back to check in a carry-on bag. Hard money training.

Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, calls itself  ‘Capital of Inspiration’. And indeed it is an inspiring destination: at one moment the visitor feels himself transported to the 17th century, at another moment he is in the hustle and bustle of a modern city. Compact, traditionally cosmopolitan and solidly rooted in its past, but with a strongly international and forward-looking attitude. It is a true Gateway to Europe, thanks to its seaport and the nearby presence of one of the continent’s busiest airports. Most of Amsterdam’s inhabitants are multilingual. The city itself houses the world’s most beautiful works of art, has more canals than Venice, more bridges than Paris, 7,000 historic monuments and scores of ultramodern buildings.

A melting pot of cultures, Amsterdam offers art forms and architecture from ancient to avant-garde. The city’s waterways offer unique forms of transport.