Things to Do in Amsterdam! Leisure Tips for Industry Pros

(eap) Preparations for Europe’s largest leisure & attractions industry trade show, which takes place again next week from September 24 to 26 in Amsterdam, are now entering the final spurt... For all those industry colleagues and professionals who would like to discover a few of the many exciting attractions in the Dutch capital outside the hustle and bustle of the trade show, we have put together a few tips below (a selection that you – dear readers – are of course welcome to supplement with personal recommendations by leaving a comment on social media!).

A popular tourist destination is the 85-metre-high A’DAM Tower in the Overhoeks district of Amsterdam, which houses a viewing platform with “Over the Edge” swings, among other things. Two swings (each with two seats) are available for brave visitors, who can swing through the air at a height of around 100 meters beyond the roof of the skyscraper and enjoy spectacular views of the city with a dose of thrills. Recently, guests have also been able to have their experience recorded as a personal 360-degree video (see our EAP news of 30 Aug 2024).

Visitor information center This is Holland Just a minute’s walk from the A’DAM Tower you find the This is Holland visitor center, which provides information about the history, diversity and beauty of The Netherlands – and with a flight simulation theater as its centerpiece (by Brogent/Vekoma), which is a special ride highlight that makes it possible to experience the beauty of the country from a bird’s eye perspective (also read our cover story about This is Holland, published in EAP 2/2018). Also, just a few steps away from the A’DAM Tower and This is Holland is the Eye Film Museum – where you can still visit the special exhibition by Catalan film director and video artist Albert Serra (program title: “Albert Serra – Liberté”) still until 29 September. Serra has transformed the entire gallery of the Film Museum into an “immersive set” that is sure to amaze even the “leisure pros”...

NEMO Science Center, "Living Looonger", Photo by: Digi Daan The Fabrique des Lumières next to the city’s Waternatuurtuin nature reserve attracts visitors with digital art installations. The digital art program “Dutch Masters – From Vermeer to Van Gogh” is currently running there, which stages well-known and particularly outstanding works by the painters in focus here in the form of digital projections in an immersive way. You should plan in about half an hour for the visit at least. If you are in the mood for even more history and culture, you can discover Amsterdam’s diverse museum landscape. Museums include the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House (reminding of her and her family in the Jewish Holocaust), and the modern NEMO science center.

As in many European capitals, various attractions from the British operating group Merlin Entertainments provide all kinds of fun family entertainment also in Amsterdam – e.g. the Madame Tussauds wax museum or in the history-based spooky theater attraction The Amsterdam Dungeon. If you are not yet familiar with these “classics” of Merlin’s Midway attractions brand, a visit is recommended!

Heineken Experience, © Twycer Last but not least, and for all beer lovers and those interested in breweries, the Heineken Experience near the Rijksmuseum should not be missed either. Within the old brewery walls of the most famous Dutch beer brand, the Heineken Experience attracts several hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The brand experience, which the Dutch design agency Northern Light has regularly helped to stage until to date, can be explored interactively as part of a self-guided tour, for example, ending up with a Heineken tasting directly on site...

In addition to these tips, there are many more leisure attractions to discover in and around Amsterdam – as a leisure professional, what recommendations do you have for your industry colleagues? “Thank you & tot snel” says your EAP team! ■