GREETINGS FROM GLAMSTERDAM!

 

THE SMOKING BAN HERALDS A NEW ERA FOR AMSTERDAM – ONCE THE WORLD’S STAG NIGHT CAPITAL. NOW TREND-WATCHERS SAY IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE THE DUTCH CITY IS MORE FAMOUS FOR ITS HAUTE COUTURE THAN FOR HASH CULTURE

By Caroline Corcoran

Change is afoot in Amsterdam. Instead of gangs of tanked-up stags heading for seedy sex shops in the red-light area, a sophisticated new breed of tourist is hitting the more glamorous parts of this Dutch city.

A smoking ban came into force a week ago, all part of the reinvention of this captivating city.

Those that want to can still get stoned in one of the many hash-peddling coffee shops, but those who don’t are very exciteSd about everything else Amsterdam has to offer.

Thanks to its increasingly high profile fashion week running from July 19-28, fashionistas have been flooding to the city to check out its many cool boutiques.

As well as big department stores like Bijenkorf that sell the usual fashion and beauty super-brands, check out independent shops like Panc Vergouw which has individual but totally wearable tops and skirts, and Lady Day in the fashionable De 9 Straatjes (The Nine Streets) – a well-stocked vintage haven.

British high street favourites like River Island and H&M are prolific, but save your pennies as they’re about 15 per cent more expensive than in the UK.

Instead, hit the home-grown Dutch store Vero Moda for high street styles – it’s perfect for cheap but funky fashion.

Bargain hunters should visit the markets too.

The Albert Cuypmarkt in the nearby De Pijp district is the biggest and the best, selling cheap but good-quality clothes, food and flowers.

For something more unusual, try the picturesque Bloemenmarkt – a flower market inside floating barges.

When the shopping’s done…It’s difficult to walk anywhere in Amsterdam without stumbling across an intimate Italian eaterie, a lively Mexican café, or one of the many authentic Indonesian restaurants.

Eating out isn’t cheap though (roughly on a par with London prices) but the many pasta or noodle cafés tend to offer a tasty, value-for-money meal.

The city is also a pioneer of classy restaurants-cum-entertainment venues.

Pasta E Basta (Nieuwe Spielelstraat 8) serves up its antipasti buffet in a table made from a converted grand piano. At Supperclub (Jonge Roelensteeg 21) you can enjoy a five-course meal for €65 (£51).

Diners relax on huge white sofas, then enjoy a massage between courses while DJs and singers provide the evening’s entertainment.

Hot on the heels of the city’s fashion boutiques are its stylish boutique hotels.

For the best views of the city, stay in a canal-side hotel. They’re also the most accessible for shopping and sightseeing. Try The Toren for sophisticated but cosy rooms and the perfect post-shopping bar.

Start your day with a bagel tapas at a branch of the Dutch food chain Bagel & Beans, before spending the morning on a canal boat or soaking up one of the many art exhibitions.

No trip to the Dutch capital is complete without a visit to Anne Frank’s house, or you can chart the history of the smoking culture in Amsterdam at the Hash Marijuana & Hemp Museum.

Then, if you really must try one of the city’s coffee shops, the smoky atmosphere that engulfs you will help you relax and unwind – even if you don’t indulge.

 

Photography: Alamy, Peter Stigter, Lancton. All prices correct at time of going to press.