NIGHTLIFE

Amsterdam is the perfect place to party! Most clubs open at 10 pm and stay open until 4 or 5 am. However, usually things only get going after midnight, so try and keep yourself awake. Sometimes the bouncers say you have to be a member of the club, but a little negotiating you can sometimes win them round. Some clubs like the Melkweg offer one night memberships for a few euro. At is worth it.
Amsterdam offers a wide range of music venues. Try to catch a performance of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra that performs in the Beurs, a turn-of-the-century stock exchange. In June the city hosts the Holland Festival-opera, orchestra and dance performances.

CAFES
Amsterdamers do not like staying in, they are definitely no stay-at-Amsterdams. Gezelligheid (sociability) is the watchword. Everyone has their own local pub. You order a Kopstoot, a Borrel or a Hassebassie of beer, usually with a glass of genever. You meet up on the Dam, drink a Vaas on the Rembrandtplein, the Leidseplein or in one of the many street pubs along the picturesque waterways. Bruine Cafés are an Amsterdam invention : cosy pubs fitted out with dark wood and stained golden - (bruin) by years of nicotine.

Casinos Your best bet is the Holland Casino, one of the most modern casino's in the world. Be sure to look at the colorful glass cupola in the playing room, where you can play French and American Roulette, Black Jack, Carribean Stud Poker, Sic Bo, Big Wheel, Poker en Punto Banco. Do not forget to pay a visit to the four international bars, to dine in the Vondel Restaurant or to enjoy a small meal in the stylish lunchroom.

Popular Bars and Brown cafes
't Loosje Very old, brown bar with a lot of character on the edge of the Red Light district. The interior features beautiful tile tableaux dating from the beginning of this century. Attracts a mixed public during daytime, but caters mainly to students during the evening. Outside terrace with a good view of the Nieuwmarkt.
Nieuwmarkt 32-34

Reijnders One of the best bets in the touristic Leidseplein area is this authentic brown bar. It used to be the literary center of the Leidseplein, together with the neighbouring cafe Eylders. Elegant, high-ceilinged interior and waiters clad in traditional black-and-white. The glassed-in front opens during the summer to create a sunny outside terrace. Leidseplein 6

Thijssen Large bar in the Jordaan, frequented by young locals. Though of more recent date then the neighboring bars, it already has managed to acquire a nice 'brown' patina. The large windows provide a nice view of one of the most beautiful parts of the Jordaan. Gets crowded during evenings.
Brouwersgracht 107

Hoppe A famous Amsterdam institution, Hoppe consists of two adjoining properties. The part on the right has been a bar since 1670, the interior reflecting its rich history. There is fresh sand on the floor every day, no music is played and there is standing room only. The left part is bigger and offers seating as well as music. Hoppe is a very popular bar with the crowd spilling out onto the sidewalk on summer days. Spui 18-20

De Twee Zwaantjes De Twee Zwaantjes (The Two Swans) is one of the better known Jordaan bars. Caters mainly to a local public on weekdays, but during the weekend an enthusiastic crowd sings along to old songs from the Jordaan and an occasional opera piece. The bar has a canalside terrace.
Prinsengracht 114

De Tuin Popular Jordaan bar frequented by young locals. Pretty much your basic brown bar, with a friendly and laid-back atmosphere, in a nice mellow part of the Jordaan.
2e Tuindwarsstraat 13

Twee Prinsen Brown Jordaan bar with a friendly and lively atmosphere. A light interior with large windows and a beautiful mosaic floor. Twee Prinsen is famous for its heated outside terrace, which is perfect for colder nights.
Prinsenstraat 27

Nol Very popular bar in true over-the-top Jordaan style: red lights, crystal chandeliers, floral wallpaper and of course loud Dutch songs, which the crowd sings along to at the top of their voices. Always crowded, especially during weekends.
Popular with both locals and students.
Westerstraat 109

Popular Clubs
Melkweg The Melkweg is mainly a live music venue, but on weekends it also hosts a variety of dance events.
Lijnbaansgracht 234A.

Escape Venue One of Amsterdam's most popular clubs with a capacity of well over 3000 people.
Rembrandtplein 11

Paradiso Amsterdam's temple of modern music is set in a former church and has the best acoustics and ambience in the city.
Weteringsschans 6-8.

Arena Club Party in an old chapel! Like Paradiso and Melkweg, the multi-functional Arena hosts club nights - Timezones - during the weekend. Even though it is located a bit out of the center, a fair crowd is drawn to the '60s, '70's and '80s music.
's Gravesandestraat 51

Odeon An elegant club in a converted seventeenth-century canal house. Odeon is three stories high; each floor offers a different taste in music. Popular with university students.
Singel 460

De Club Every Sunday from 5 pm until 1 am (except July and August), De Club organizes a party for 1600 people in Cubic. Started five years ago by two Dutch actors, as a place where televisionmakers, moviemakers and actors would gather. Since then it has grown into a Sunday hotspot for every hip and trendy Amsterdammer between 22 and 40. Each Sunday is different, with DJ's, bands, dance floors, dancers and a restaurant. And bring your children, there is even a childcare center! After 7 pm, you can only enter De Club with a membership pass.
Cubic, Jan van Galenstraat 6-10

Dansen bij Jansen The city's student club (student ID required). Dansen bij Jansen offers various music styles: disco, pop and house. On the ground floor you will find a small dance floor, the bar is upstairs.
Handboogsteeg 11

Club More Founded in 2000, More is one of the trendiest spots in Amsterdam, with an award winning interior and a large variety of music styles. Contrary to the fashionable lounges in Amsterdam, it clearly focuses on dancing.
Rozengracht 133

Sinners in Heaven Sinners' is Amsterdam's one and only jet-set club, frequented by actors, athletes and other Amsterdam celebs. Not big, but an immaculate interior with lots of mirrors and designer furniture. Come early and dress up if you want to get in without membership.
Wagenstraat 3