The Amsterdam Dance Event will take place again this year, like every year. It will happen from October 22nd to 26th and will color the capital city of the Netherlands with shades unlike the known ones … tulips, reflections on the canals, pub lights. The Amsterdam Dance Event is an experience that can easily be added to an autumn tour of the city, bringing a modern twist to a place often known for its more historic and fairytale aspects. This four-day festival of electronic music and new sounds will attract not only fans of the genre but also those looking for a little extra excitement during their holiday. And it all starts as soon as you land at Amsterdam International Airport (AMS).
Story of a unique festival
The Amsterdam Dance Event, or ADE, has existed since 1996, when it was organized solely as a conference on the subject. It has since taken on the more enjoyable aspect of an interactive event, where audiences can also experience the latest in electronic music live. The program typically revolves around DeLaMar Theater, De Brakke Grond & Compagnietheater, and Generator Hostel, welcoming not only well-known professionals but also young up-and-coming artists and DJs. In 2011, ADE by Day was also launched, an event within an event designed specifically for new technologies. It has gradually expanded with satellite events—art exhibitions and performances, special product lines, film screenings, and discounts at shops and bars—attracting an ever-increasing number of tourists.
…And Amsterdam all around!
The ADE festival is concentrated in the Leidseplein, Binnenstadt (the Old Town), and Oosterpark areas, neighborhoods that can be reached on foot in less than an hour – or by bike, which can be rented everywhere here. You’ll find yourself wandering along the canals of this delightful “Venice of the North,” past high, colorful, vertical houses, quirky shops and markets, and unconventional pubs.
But Amsterdam isn’t just music, transgression, and youthful vibrancy. Immerse yourself in the heart of a city steeped in centuries of history, still captivating with its churches, museums, and palaces from times gone by.
Your itinerary could include the beating heart of the city, Dam Square, with the Royal Palace gracing one side (even though the king no longer lives here). Continue to the Floating Flower Market, where tulips and other colorful plants are sold aboard well-stocked barges. Visit the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest church, which also offers a climb of its 70-meter-tall panoramic tower. Be enchanted by the greenery of Vondelpark, the Botanical Garden, Flevopark, and the vast, wild landscape of the Iperveld.
In the evening, indulge in a stroll through the Red Light District, a temple of free sex and a hallmark of this city’s no-holds-barred mentality.
Amsterdam Museums
If you love culture, Amsterdam is there for you. There are dozens of museums, all very interesting. Almost all tourists visit the Anne Frank House Museum—to remember the heroic Jewish girl who so authentically and beautifully recounted the terrible period of World War 2, or the Rembrandt Museum where to commemorate the famous painter.
But also worth visiting are the NEMO Museum, housed in a gigantic ship-shaped structure, the Stedelik Museum of Contemporary Art, the Maritime Museum, and the Rijksmuseum … the most famous museum in the Netherlands. And how could you not dedicate a whole day to the Van Gogh Museum, immersing yourself in the colorful and crazy world of this “maudit” genius of the European art? The old Royal Palace is also a museum today. It is a museum as the palace in itself and as the many wonders it holds within, which can be admired by following a specific itinerary and opening hours.
Other destinations you shall visit
From Amsterdam, you can easily reach destinations such as Hague – the Dutch Royals’ city, Rotterdam, and Utrecht by car, less than 100 km (and less than an hour’s drive) from the city.
Transportation to and from these destinations is guaranteed by the highly efficient Dutch local and national public transport system. With a customized private transfer, such as our chauffeurs and hourly shuttles, which can be booked well in advance, even from home, you can enjoy the beauty of Holland stress-free and hassle-free.
