There is a daily clothes market around the City Hall, a busy food and clothes market in the Albert Cuypstraat and a flower market near Singel, which is a must see.

The main shopping areas include Leidsestraat, the Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk. There are large shops near the Munt Tower and the Dam. Also, the Jordaan area and the streets near it, have many interesting shops, while the PC Hoofstraat area has some of the more chic boutiques.

Restaurants in Amsterdam are very diverse, you can find almost any kind of cuisine here. Dutch food consists of meats, cheese, soups, and stews, with a healthy mix of fish from the North Sea. Indonesian and oriental food is popular, as is vegetarian/Vegan food with numerous restaurants found along the canal of the Jordaan area. Tipping isn't part of the culture here but usually you round off the bill and leave something maybe for table service.

There are also interesting tasting rooms such De Admiraal (Herengracht 319 (Dam-Spui), + 31 (0) 20 625 4334, open 17:00-24:00h), where you can sample a variety of strangely named liquors.

Amsterdam could be called one of the greenest cities in Europe due to its abundance of parks and gardens, 28 to be precise. Among the nicest ones are: Hortus Botanicus, one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world; Vondelpark, the biggest and most popular which also has afternoon entertainment; Sarphatipark, a very peaceful garden and finally, the gardens of Museum Willet-Holthuysen and Museum van Loon.

For more information contact one of the Tourist Information Offices