Vondelpark, Amsterdam

Located to the southwest of Central Amsterdam, this is a large and beautiful park. There are some lovely lakes, plenty of bike paths and an abundance of grassy areas for relaxing and taking some time out from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city. We came here one afternoon for an hour or so, and sat on the grass watching locals and tourists alike coming and going as the sun began to set. This is the perfect place to come if you're after a bit of peace and quiet, but is also a great spot for people watching.

This is a very HUGE park in the South-East part of Amsterdam,not more than 10min by car from the centre of the city.
Here you can relax yourself looking the gorgeous nature on a banch or directly on the grass lawn!
Obviously,this is an other spot where the most of people smokes..but not only,fortunately!
A curiosity:local girls,exactly as in Scandinavian countries,like to play SOCCER!!!!! Yes!! pratically the totality of the girls around us played-and quite good-the "second passion of the life"of the middle italian!!!!!!!! And unfortunately I'm one of the few Italians
that has never played soccer.... :-( Sick!

Enjoy!

I've always love trees, plants and flowers. So, the next destination was Vondelpark. Located not so far from Rijksmuseum. In fact, we took a tram and stop somewhere near Rijksmuseum and walked to Vondelpark. It took about 15 minutes of walking, not so bad.

The place is big, I only saw not even a quarter of it...ha3. Too lazy to walk. There were people there, doing many activities. Some were exercising, jogging, seating by the lake, reading, talking and walking or even dog-walking. Our visit was quite early in the morning, I didn't see anybody picnicking...perhaps it was a bit early for that or maybe because I didn't see it all, ha3.

It's really green here. The trees, plants and flowers seemed so healthy and 'fat'. For example the yellow iris were big and tall, unlike mine planted at my tiny back yard garden are so slim. I think they love the weather. Anyway, I really think its a good spot for a picnic. Breakfast or lunch by the lake looking out to beautiful views, that would be a great day!

visit the vondelpark in the summer the wholle park is filled with people chilling.... eating nice food drinking wine playing guitare, or go to a movie in the movie museam located in the park

michel
relex atmosphere

Another great place to nap and watch people go by, like Munich's Englisher garden, but with surprisingly less naked people. Before you get to the park keep an eye out for the 'iguanapark' which is a fenced in area with 20 or so bronze iguanas (why I don't know)

Could it be the coffee shops? The bike riding lifestyle? Or the brick roads of the city center? No one was running on the streets of Amsterdam. My 3 guide books say nothing on the subject of running. Our smashing hotel staff suggest running in Vondelpark, the largest park in Amsterdam.
I take an easy-to-manage tram to Vondlepark. At 8:30 am, the park is serene and verdant. Runners are doing their thing! A 4K asphalt bike route and a dirt path ring the park (with straightforward signs to guide me.) While running, I spot a tree full of green parrots! The grand Filmmuseum of Amsterdam (with requisite café) is located mid-park. Stately homes on tiny canals line the perimeter. Some vintage Clash and New Order feels right as I circle the park a few times.
The Dutch, the tallest people on earth, are invariably fit and great looking. We see few cars in the city and nonstop bikes. People of all ages and manners of dress ride them. The bikes are often decorated with Mexican oilcloth bike bags. The fashion: think Eileen Fisher goes Scandinavian hippie princess. Men and women wear messenger bags of smart design; a jewelry of sorts.
The bike riders are patient with Karen (quirky art teacher and treasured old friend) and I as we inadvertently step into the bike lane (watch out!!) People seem relaxed, open and friendly. In a country where tolerance prevails and people are directly connected to their environment, who needs to run and run? Very often, we spot men with their children. Is there a saner work/family dynamic here?
Coffee shops are not the totality of Amsterdam. In fact, the Dutch smoke less marijuana per capita then Americans. Coffee shops have a diverse vibe and clientele. Many are quite civilized and economical. Others are filled with exuberant kids with unfortunate tee shirts.
When it comes to getting around, Amsterdam is the great leveler. The city is not built on a grid. The canals ring the city in a mind boggling manner. On any given corner, people from all walks of life can be found scowling at their maps. The coffee shops cannot be helping this effort!
We visit the Van Gogh Museum. Only 1 wing of the Rijksmuseum is currently open due to renovation. We take in the spectacular Rembrandts, still lives and Vermeers. The fantastic modern art Stedelijk Museum is also currently closed for renovation. Some of its art can be found in the Van Gogh Museum.
We thoroughly enjoyed:
-The Museum of Bags and Purses/The Tassenmuseum–bags from the 1500’s to modern times. Words fail to describe these treasures!

-We caught Public Enemy at the opulent art deco Tuschinski Theatre.
-The Hermitage/Amsterdam, opened in 6/09, is an airy space filled with riches from the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. I was especially taken by the czarina dresses; sumptuous velvets with mirrors and to-die-for embroidery.

-The Amsterdam Public Library, the largest public library in Europe, was built in 2007 by Joe Coenen. This place defines visionary architecture.

-The markets- Albert Cuypmarkt, Westerstraat

-The FOAM contemporary photography museum

We relished the Netherland’s hearty bread, butter, cheeses and apple cake. Terrific Asian (Thai, Indonesian, Surinamese and Chinese) restaurants can be found everywhere. Most restaurants and stores do not accept credit cards.

Our magnificent hotel, the Grand Hotel Amrath, served for a decade as a major shipping office. It is replete with high ceilings, art nouveau décor, charming canal views, a fabulous pool and a FREE minibar every night! The staff is charming, friendly and quite literate (our young porter was fluent in 5 languages.) We purchased our rooms for $130.00 dollars per night via Hotwire. A recent NY Times column, Save or Splurge, Amsterdam on a $1000 Dollars a Day, recommended the Amrath! Could this trip get any better?
www.aboldpace.com

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This is a large park to the South West of the city. There are trams which go to the park.
There are small ponds, places for kids to play around.. greenery, gardens, eateries, etc etc.. Its basically a good place to spend some quiet time specially with a sunshine.
People can also cycle inside the park and ofcourse jog and walk.
Its clean and great place to spend an afternoon..

When the sun comes out on the weekend the city seems to emtpy out here into Vondelpark.
Like a popular beach this place gets crowed in parks so get here early and stake your patch in the grass and then relax for some great people watching or some rays and a good book. This is also a great place to ride a bike or blade after work as my freinds often did.

Vondel park.
Named after a dutch poet.
Lovely place to wonder around when it's warm and you want to get away from the noise of the street and sit down somewhere to have a cup of tea, coffee or something else.
Can get crowded in the summer especially on Sunday

If you're lucky enough to have a sunny Saturday, go to Vondelpark. Half the city will be there with you. Not only are the grounds serene, but there will be a million things to do (football, rollerblading, concerts). It will also be the best people watching experience you could ask for. Vondelpark has some excellent cafes and you can purchase cold beers from guys riding by on bikes. Bring a book and sandwich and you're set.