Neda! Hi, nice to see u r on glocals too:)im from Amsterdam! Hows going with u btw?:) about amsterdam...really depends what ur interests are...if u interested in culture and such, its of course museum of van gogh, state museum, house of anne frank. if u wanna experience typical dutch, u can better buy a tour or exurcion to cheese villages next to amsterdam. i think the prices range between 15 and 20 euros. if ill remember somethng else, i will let u know:) p.s. and take a boat trip through the channels in the evening, its very nice!

Like mentioned by Olga, it depends how your are going to spend these 2 days?

I suggest to rent a bike e.g. at the main railway station, and have a ride along the canals, it's really beautiful! There's so much to see, esp. culturewise. So if you need some advise, please let me know

I think Olga and Smitty have covered the highlights, but let me repeat/rephrase and add a few:

* Rijksmuseum (historic collection, including lots of Dutch masters/painters, and ) - a must.

* Van Gogh Museum - if you like the style, otherwise skip

* Anne Frank museum - if it interests you

* Zaanse Schans (10km from Amsterdam, windmills, cheese and other Dutch stuff) - probably not if you have only 2 days

* Red Light Disctrict - Definitely. It's an essential part of Amsterdam. If you want to skip the worst areas (or perhaps the best), stay at the canals and go through the street Zeedijk.

* Canal boat tour - definitely; great introduction to Amsterdam and biggest tourist attraction in The Netherlands

* Nightlife: look around Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein

* Shopping: Kalverstraat for mainstreet, PC Hooftstraat for premium/luxury.

* Restaurants: Avoid the ones near Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein (touristy), try the ones at Zeedijk and along the canals.

I agree with Smitty that a bike is a great choice.

Club Trouw

Melkweg

Any trance festival.

Rijort for the real underground and Utrecht for the University scene. Get a scooter rental, it is much more useful than a car.

 Does that help?

 Leidseplein has  Melweg, really depends on who is spinning. Rembrandt has Player Nasties, every thing else in both is tourist crap and worth missing. I think Tripadvisor sums up the big club, Escape the best, "never fails to dissapoint".

 Trouw is Dutch, you get some expats but the atmospher is 100% better than the cokehead meatmarkets you see in the tourist areas. Not that there are no drugs, it is Dutch but at least it isn't full of sweaty, desperate guys.

Sorry for the triple post, but since we can't edit out posts.

Ruigoord is the underground outside of Amsterdam, it is an officially recognized artist's squat. Having said that, the class of squatter isn't dirty rasta, but more like struggling artists. I would't go alone ether way, but it isn't that bad.

 I went and had a good time in the chappel they converted to a disco, good drums and base that night. You can take a bus from the bus station, 82 goes to Ruigoord but you can't get back between midnight and 8 am. Around 6:30 some taxis start arriving though if you don't mind paying €30 or more.

 If you like the underground scene, this one will beat anything in France or Switzerland hands down. Both in music selection and crowd quality.

I have a small random list of suggestions from when I was there for a month three years ago:

On rainy days (both days could easily be rainy) definitely the Van Gogh museum and/or the Rijksmuseum
http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?page=144&lang=en
http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/museumbezoek

On a nice day, a tour of Muiderslot Castle
http://www.muiderslot.nl/english

Also, on a nice day a picnic at Vondelpark would definitely be in order.  It also has the advantage of being near the museums.

Otherwise, wandering around the canals near Centraal Station would give you the red light district and also dense shopping, dining and entertainment options.

Enjoy your trip!

Jeanenne

http://photos.petitefreespirit.com/p1048580551

Oops, I posted too soon.  If you do decide on touristy things, http://www.iamsterdam.com/ may help you decide/organize.

Thanks Olga, I am fine. If you come to Geneva let me know too meet. I miss you and others :)

Thanks a lot for all the advice. It seems that there are lots of things in Amsterdam that I shouldn't miss.

I will try to plan to visit all of them  but I don't know if it is possible or not.

Well Thanks Thiago, you've learned me some extra interesting things about A'dam!!

I definately have to go back 

Thanks a lot.

I am so happy that I post my question here. Your advices are so helpful.

Hi Neda!! Currently i dont get out to Geneva very often, but sometimes just for shopping its still better then Lausanne:) R u still studying? To Amsterdam for work or just short break?:) Waiting for ur pictures from Amsterdam on facebook:)

Great recommendations Thiago. I can confirm at least the Suriname cuisine in general and Mok Sam in particular, and the Ethiopian place at Weesperzijde.

Another eatery not to miss: the place where they sell the best (Belgian, not French) fries in Amsterdam. I can't remember the name but it's in a small street just off Spui called 'Voetboogstraat' and there's always a queue. There's no seating, just a small window. Much better and a bit cheaper than McDonalds and Burger King, and great when you don't have time for a normal lunch.

Vondelpark: It's the closest thing locals have to a beach. Great if the weather is nice to sit down and watch people, but if it rains the park is dark and unpleasant.

Waterlooplein: I used to like this place but I've been there too often I guess, and the stuff that the market sells is the same as everywhere else. The area between Waterlooplein and Nieuwmarkt is very friendly and littered with nice cafes and restaurants.

I also need to mention the gold-age ship replica The Amsterdam, next to the naval museum.

English Book shores: American Book Center (ABC) at Spui is best in terms of selection and prices, Waterstones is decent but it's harder to find stuff you want there. Both are on Spui, though at opposite ends.

Weird museums: There are 2 sex museums in Amsterdam, as well as a Marihuana and a Torture museum. I've never been to any of them but apparently the sex museum at Damrak has some quite unbelievable photos.

Madam Tussaud: Not as good as in London, but judging by the queues stil quite good. Never been inside.

If you DO have time to go outside of Amsterdam, go here: http://www.zaanseschans.nl. Don't take an organized tour, just take the train there (see website).

Just to be clear: the best fries in Amsterdam are in the voetboogsteeg. There's also a snackbar at handboogsteeg, but that one is by far not as good (and benefitting from tourists who entered the wrong street).

There is a large sand beach that is only 25 minutes from Amsterdam on the train, it will probably cost about €8 each way. That is what it costs to go to Utrecht which is the same distance. There are a few hostels and hotels out there as well and some small festivals that run in the summer. I didn't go last time as I had planned because I partied too hard at Trouw on Friday lol.

 Even if you aren't staying there, these guys are good about travel information.

http://www.beachhostel.nl/

 I know autunm has arrived here, I doubt Holland is much hotter at the moment though.

I think I havent seen this yet:

If you like animals: www.artis.nl

At the moment they have a special deal. 1 hour Canal boat tour + ticket for the park for 25 euro. http://www.lovers.nl/en/ (is the boating company that offers this deal and other deals).

I worked at an event company in Amsterdam and the  Amsterdam Historical Museum (http://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/) I found one of the most interesting, especially if you want to know more about the city. It`s in the city centre with entree on 2 sides: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 357 - Kalverstraat 92.

Also very nice to take a walk in the Jordaan area. The house of Anne Frank is right next to it. If you will go visit the Anne Frank house, I advice you to be there just before opening hours, Otherwise dont be surprised to see a 100 meter waiting outside.

If the weather sucks and you like movies, next to the Rembrandt Plein (plein = square), you will find Tuschinski. Pathé Tuschinski is a movie theater in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam, originally exploited by Abraham Icek Tuschinski, who had it built in 1921 at a cost of 4 million guilders (2 million euro), in a spectacular mix of styles, as designed by Hijman Louis de Jong; Amsterdam School, Jugendstil, Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The main auditorium is usually the one in which movies premiere in the Netherlands.

If you will be in Amsterdam for 3 days or less I would advice you not to visit anything outside the city. I read as tip Zaanse Schans, but it gets bus loads of tourists. The best thing to see near Amsterdam is very probable Volendam. Train from Amsterdam central station will get you there in about 30 minutes. Trains in Holland are much cheaper then here and go regularly.

If you want to use the tram in Amsterdam to get around, ask for the daycard. Must be less then 10 euro. Otherwise single tickets will cost you around 2,60 per person.

Taxi from the airport to Amsterdam should not cost you much then 50 euro. Above 60 euro you are getting ripped off. In that case tell the driver you need to change in your hotel and ask your hotel for assistence on the matter. In really bad cases they will call the police. Best is to avoid the taxi`s completely and take the train from the airport directly.

Yes!  Take the train.  Fast, cheap, and clean.

check the train schedule on www.ns.nl

WINDOWS is very popular, and you don't even need to know anything about computers;o))

Thanks a lot for all your helps. I finished my trip and I realy enjoyed :)