Amsterdam Entertainment

Entertainment, culture and night life:
Amsterdam offers a diverse array of world-class entertainment, as for centuries has been one of the leading centers of culture in Europe. A variety of performances is staged in hundreds of venues throughout the city. There is also plenty of low-cost entertainment, special performances, festivals, cultural events. A multitude of street performers and live bands in bars and cafes completes this rich scene. Check the free press, a very good newspaper published in English - Amsterdam Weekly and an illustrated Dutch magazine, NL 20 - free, with a clear and complete Amsterdam cultural agenda. Both on stands throughout the city.

Theatres:
Amsterdam being an important theatre city has each evening a variety of spectacles to offer. You can also find quality, English-language theatre in Amsterdam. Most of the major theatres are centered around the Leidseplein, and at the Nes street, within an easy stroll of each other.

Cinemas:
Amsterdam has over 50 cinemas and art houses, where films are shown in their original language, with Dutch subtitles. Be careful not to choose the film in some rare exotic language. The Tuschinski Theater deserves a special mention. Constructed in 1921 as exotic mixture of Art Deco and Amsterdamse school style, it features a luxurious foyer, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful cinemas in Europe.

Music:
Amsterdam with one of the best symphonic orchestras in the world – the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and an opera with a rich tradition, is bursting with live music, in many concert halls, clubs and jazz cafes. In summer, concerts can be enjoyed in one of the city's beautiful parks.

Ballet and dance:
There are two world-class ballet companies in the Netherlands. The renowned Dutch National Ballet is one of the resident groups in the Muziektheater, the repertoire encompasses both classical and modern dance. Another one, the Netherlands Dans Theater based in The Hague, regularly performs in venues throughout the city.

Nightlife:
As the evening falls, Amsterdam starts to sparkle, especially on the nice spring and summer days. While all cinemas and theaters are busy, city clubs, cafes and restaurants are full of joyful, friendly crowd. Amsterdam famous Red Light District, an old quarter of town near the big church called Oudekerk (Old Church), not far from the Dam square, is invaded by groups of tourists. They come here to observe working girls exhibiting their charms in the brightly lit windows. This is also an area of many nightclubs, small restaurants and cafes. A big city square, Leidseplein with its theaters, cinemas, cafes, nearby casino and clubs is also a very busy place at night. Another always crowded square - Rembrandtplein, with its clubs and nearby cinemas and the old quarter of Jordan with its cafes and restaurants are also popular.

Street Art Scene:
It is very much in the tradition of the Dutch, to blur the boundaries between the so called “high art” and the “low art”. The motto of an important artistic Holland Festival states openly - “the future is with impure art”. The Amsterdam scene for the new and informal is rich in artistic street events starting from graffiti, new street fashion trends, street performers and musicians. Throughout the year, there are many events where street art scene connects to artistic festivals and shows at Amsterdam's art galleries.

Events:
Throughout the whole year, each day of the week many attractive events take place in Amsterdam. Several of them as the Holland Festival, IDFA documentary film festival or World Press Photo contest and following it exhibit, have already an established high position in the world culture. But the are many other events – film and performing arts festivals, cultural meetings, annual art fairs exhibitions, which will make your stay in Amsterdam more, complete. You may choose from the events calendar.