Sunny Beach (Bulgarian: Слънчев бряг, Sluntchev bryag; Dutch: Zonnestrand; German: Sonnenstrand; Russian: Солнечный берег, Solnechniy bereg) is a major seaside resort on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located approximately 35 km north of Burgas in Nessebar municipality, Burgas Province. It is the biggest and most popular holiday resort of the country, and is home to over 800 hotels with more than 300 000 beds. There are also 130 restaurants and numerous live music bars, pubs, nightclubs, discos, cafes. It has been undergoing continuous expansion for many years. In recent years almost the whole hotel base has been renovated and several new luxurious hotels have been built as well as many apartment complexes. It is widely believed in Bulgaria that Sunny Beach was heavily overdeveloped in the 2000s to the detriment of its greenery, former serenity, safety, and the quality of public services.

Sunny Beach has a very small permanent population, but during the summer the resort is home to many thousands of tourists. The main strip of high-rise hotels backing onto the beach is several kilometers long and extends along a wide bay between Sveti Vlas and Nessebar.

The resort’s construction began back in Communist times, in 1958. Construction works began at a site, where two old wells supplying Nessebar with water in ancient times and during the Middle Ages, had been located.

The climate of the area is Mediterranean, explaining Sunny Beach’s popularity with tourists since the Soviet Union existed. Since that time the resort’s popularity has grown among German holidaymakers, who add to the already large numbers of Bulgarian and Russian visitors. More recently, Sunny Beach has begun to attract the attention of the British, Irish, Scandinavian, for which it is a more affordable alternative to the established Mediterranean resorts.

Attractions for tourists include the sunning at the beach, water sports, nightlife, and the nearby historical site of Nessebar. There are two new Aqua Parks near the resort. Sunny Beach is mainly popular amongst young people. The Golden Orpheus International Festival of Popular Song, the Decade of Symphonic Music, part of the International Folklore Festival, fashion-shows and various beach competitions are held there. In 2008, the VIth Stranski-Kaischew Surface Science Workshop, a prestigious triennial international conference sponsored by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and named in honor of two prominent Bulgarian scientists of the 20th century, was held in Sunny Beach.

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The third Ibiza International Film Festival will be taking place at the Ibiza Conference Centre (Palacio de Congresos de Ibiza) in Santa Eulalia between May 27th and June 3rd. Several hundred films have been submitted for consideration, as the organisers and judges seek to promote and encourage independent yet high-class cinema. Festival Director Xavier Benlloch declared, “Our aim is to be considered as the European Sundance.” They appear to be well on track as many of the major global media players have confirmed their attendance to report on the festival.

In the main competition, where films are competing for the Golden Falcon, they are showing eight productions. Alongside these are categories for feature films (Silver Screen), for productions from the archipelago (Balearic Spirit) and Video Clips. There will also be a tribute to the filmmaker and actor Terry Gilliam, by showing a series of films by the director. Gilliam, who is a patron and active sponsor of the Ibiza competition, rose to fame in the 70s as a member of the Monty Python team. His extensive film career has given him a cult following with productions including “Twelve Monkeys”, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Tideland”.

Obviously many other major players from the film industry will be attending, including more than a few VIP household names. For security reasons we aren’t able to disclose this star-studded guest list, but we can confirm that the general public are invited to attend the film showings and, indeed, some of the social events surrounding the festival. One example of these will be a one-off special themed night on May 29th for the conference delegates at the Cardamom Club in Santa Eulalia, entitled “Bollywood v Slumdog”. The power of Indian influences in independent filmmaking is obviously massive at the moment, so this will be one of the highlights of the social side of the Festival. Highlights of the evening will include a famous UK banghra band, a big name Indian DJ, typical street stores in the restaurant’s garden and Punjabi folk dancing.

Tickets for this night are available from the Cardamom Club, but you would be best advised to book early for the chance to catch a glimpse of your heroes, as this is bound to be a sell-out! Details of other festival social events, the details and times of the films to be shown and availability of tickets will all be released on May 15th via the www.ibizaiff.org website. This information will also be displayed on our own website as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime we are advised that the latest information and tickets for the films will all be available from those in the know at the Cardamom Club.

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Throw open the gates and raise the curtain! Come all ye noblemen and gracious maidens to the Festival of Festivals!

From 8th-10th May Ibiza’s Old Town will once again be the showplace for a world between myths and fairytales, the alleyways and streets will be filled with colours, scents and life. The Medieval Festival enchants both young and old alike. Come and get lost in the fun, forget your everyday cares for a moment and let your inner child gape in astonishment and enjoy!

It is one of the most closely guarded secrets on Ibiza. No one, except those involved, know what’s in store for us at the opening spectacle of the Medieval Festival. The organisers simply smile mysteriously and say nothing. Even at the necessary dress rehearsal the day before the event, curious onlookers can only really guess how the revellers in lavish costumes will be enchanting thousands of viewers.

One thing is certain: it will be breathtaking. In years past each new opening celebration has outshone the previous year’s event. We have printed a few pictures from last year’s spectacle. We hope they whet your appetite, as the festival this year will surely be a fireworks display of imagination once again.

We’re not just talking about a few street artists. Acrobats fly through the air. Birds of prey from the falconers swoop and dive in the background. Geese waddle along the alleyways. Even donkeys and camels are part of the everyday scenes in the transformed fortified city of Dalt Vila.

Countless numbers of stands offer you the opportunity to watch craftspeople at work, children can get dressed up or made up or listen to colourful tales from bards – and grown-ups will be seduced by the aromas of fresh classic specialities. Hearty meats from the BBQ, bread from a wood-burning stove, fruits from the Orient and all mixed with the fragrances of noble flower oils and the glitter of colourful glass.

You will run into spontaneous theatre scenes in the crowds. Here rival knights meet, musicians make their way up to the cathedral plaza, a fairy floats by or a witch is being led away in a cage on a cart. It is worth taking the time to explore the hubbub around you. Take a gander at the traditional craftworks of the island that show the centuries-old traditions of how they created the essential goods of those days. Some are still made this way today. There are hand-braided baskets, fine needlework and classic sandals – the heritage of Ibiza still plays an important role for the people here.

Take a break on the plaza in front of the city hall, which is about halfway up to the cathedral. The widest variety of specialities are on sale here. The majority of the action occurs on the first bulwark beneath city hall. With a view of the harbour all you have to do is wait for the next highlight to pass by.

The plaza in front of the cathedral is another great place to be, as they normally set up a small theatre there. Short pieces are played on the stage, as well as dance and music. Be sure to check out the many alleyways too. Suddenly around the next corner you might find a magic guild, come upon crossbowmen testing their abilities with their heavy equipment or you’ll find a fairy-tale forest opening up in front of you. If you need some help getting through the event pick up a festival map and programme near the palace guards at the main gate.

For the opening ceremony, which you definitely should not miss, be sure to get there early in order to find a good spot to watch the event. The pageant and spectacle is absolutely fantastic. However, you will miss the best of it if you end up too far back in the crowd. The opening celebration of the Medieval Festival happens on May 8th at 10:30 am on the ramp to the main gate of the fortified city.

From Friday to Sunday medieval life begins at 10:30am in Dalt Vila. The majority of stands close on Friday evening around 11pm. On Saturday they don’t close until about midnight. Then on Sunday visitors to this historic event will have until 11pm to experience it all. Then normality and quiet will return to the streets of Dalt Vila.

Speaking of quiet, even during the Medieval Festival it is a bit quieter during the midday hours. The siesta was already popular back then. It’s best to visit during the pleasant morning hours or once the sun starts setting and the lights go on everywhere.

A free shuttle bus runs into Dalt Vila every 20 minutes. It starts at the GESA car park and makes stops at the Multicines, the Consell and on the Paseo Vara de Rey. You can also get car hire Spain.

Have fun at this truly fantastic experience.

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Leading magazines for upcoming events and festivals in Ibiza are regularly published and cultural events fill the calendars of Ibiza and other nearby towns on the island. The magazines contain up-to-date listings of events throughout Ibiza and are aimed specifically at tourists and visitors.

These magazines are a useful source for shopping, dining and general entertainment in Ibiza – providing you with a huge choice of things to see and do in Ibiza, including numerous exciting fiestas. Get your car hire Pisa and travel to your preferred place easily.

Public Holidays in Ibiza, Spain – Ibiza, Spain

There are approximately fourteen accepted public holidays in Spain, which can be acknowledged on either a local or national basis. Listed below are those dates observed in Ibiza.

Ibiza National Public Holidays

* 1st January – Año Nuevo / New Year’s Day
* 5th January – Epifanía / Epiphany
* 19th March – Dia de San José / St. Joseph’s Day
* Late March or early April – Jueves Santo / Maundy Thursday
* Late March or early April – Viernes Santo / Good Friday
* 1st May – Fiesta del Trabajo / Labour Day
* 15th August – La Asunción / Feast of the Assumption
* 12th October – Nacional de España / National Day
* 1st November – Todos los Santos / All Saints’ Day
* 6th December – Dia de la Constitución / Constitution Day
* 8th December – La Inmaculada Concepción / Feast of the Immaculate Conception
* 25th December – Navidad / Christmas Day

Ibiza Special Events 2009 / 2010 – Ibiza, Spain

A variety of occasions are detailed for a taste of what Ibiza and nearby islands have to offer. However, the already busy social calendar of Ibiza is continually being added to.

Ibiza Events in January – Ibiza

* Revelta i Beneides de Sant Antoni Abat – January 16th and 17th, this fiesta in Mallorca includes bonfires, parades, dancing, feasting and many people dress up in costumes
* Processo dels Tres Tocs – January 17th, in Ciutadella, Menorca, this procession celebrates the victory of Alfonso III over the Muslims in 1287
* Festa de Sant Sebastia – January 20th, in Pollenca, Mallorca, a procession with two dancers, known as cavallets, mounting wooden horses

Ibiza Events in February – Ibiza

* Carnival Parades – February and March, many fancy dress balls marks the end of the Carnival before Lent. Palma hosts the most spectacular fiesta, known as the Cavalcade (Sa Rua)

Ibiza Events in March – Ibiza

* Semana Santa – held on Maundy Thursday in Palma, Mallorca, a procession leaves the church of La Sang, carrying a crucifix. On Good Friday, many other processions are held in towns, including Palma and Sinue in Mallorca and Mao in Menorca

Ibiza Events in April – Ibiza

* Festa Sant Francesc – April 2nd, a popular feast of St. Francis is celebrated throughout the islands
* Festa Sant Jordi – April 23rd, this feast day of the patron saint of many towns and villages is celebrated on all the islands
* Princess Sofia Trophy – in Palma, Mallorca, this yachting regatta is one of the most important in the Balearic islands

Ibiza Events in May – Ibiza

* Festa de Maig – first Sunday in May in Santa Eulalia, Ibiza, this spring flower festival is one of the most colourful fiestas in the Balearic islands

* Festa de Nostra Sanyora de la Victoria – second Sunday in May, held in Soller and Port de Soller, Mallorca, these mock battles are staged to mark the raid by the Turkish pirates in 1561

* Eivissa Medieval – second Sunday in May, held in Eivissa, Ibiza, this new festival includes concerts and dancing, celebrating the declaration of Dalt Villa as a World Heritage site in 1992

*International film festival in Ibiza – The third Ibiza International Film Festival will be taking place at the Ibiza Conference Centre (Palacio de Congresos de Ibiza) in Santa Eulalia between May 27th and June 3rd.

Ibiza Events in June – Ibiza

* Corpus Christi – held in Pollenca, Mallorca, this popular festival includes the ‘Dance of the Eagles’ and is performed in the main town square
* Sant Antoni de Juny – June 13th, held in Arta, Mallorca, this feast also includes parades of locals dressed up as horses
* Sant Joan – June 24th, held in Ciutadella, Menorca, horses are a major part of the event, which is King Juan Carlos’s name day
* Romeria de Sant Marcal – June 30th, in Sa Cabeneta, Mallorca, this is a popular fair which is also held in other towns

Ibiza Events in July – Ibiza

* Dia de Virgen de Carmen – July 15th to 16th, held all over the Balearic islands, the feast of the patron saint of sailors includes parades and the blessing of fishing boats
* Passejada dies Bou i Carro Triunfal – July 27th to 28th, held in Valldemossa, Mallorca, this celebration includes a feast and a bull and a procession of carts

Ibiza Events in August – Ibiza

* Copa del Rey – first week in August, held in Palma, Mallorca, this large and very popular international yachting regatta is held under the patronage of King Juan Carlos
* Sant Ciriac – August 8th, held in Ibiza, the feast commemorates the Spanish recapture of these islands
* Festa de Sant Lorenc – second week in August, held in Alaior, Menorca, with riding displays in the streets
* Assumption of the Virgin – August 15th, this is a major festival that is held throughout Spain
* Sant Agustin – August 28th, held in Felantix, Mallorca, this fiesta includes horse-riding shows and dancing

Ibiza Events in September – Ibiza

* Processio de la Beata – first Sunday in September, held in Santa Margalida, Mallorca, this process of floats and people dressed in folk costume honouring Sant Catalina
* Diada de Catalunya – September 11th, this is a national holiday throughout the islands
* Festa des Vermar – last Sunday in September, held in Binissalem, Mallorca, this grape-harvest festival includes floats and also concerts
* Festa del Melo – last Sunday in September, held in Vilafranca de Bonany, Mallorca, this watermelon festival celebrates the end of the harvest

Ibiza Events in October – Ibiza

* Dia de la Hispanidad – October 12th, a national Spanish holiday, held to commemorate the discovery of the New World by Christopher Colombus in 1492
* Festa de Virgin – October 21st, held in Palma, Mallorca, this festival includes large amounts of cakes, singing and general festivities
* Festa dies Butifarro – third Sunday in October, held in Sant Joan, Mallorca, this festival includes eating large amounts of tasty sausages

Ibiza Events in November – Ibiza

* Sant Carles – November 4th, held in Ibiza, this is the patron saint’s day and is celebrated throughout Ibiza
* Dilous Bo – third Thursday in November, held in Inca, Mallorca, this is an important agricultural feast, including fairs
* Birthday of Junipero Serra – November 24th, the birthday of this Franciscan monk is celebrated throughout the region

Ibiza Events in December – Ibiza

* Noche Buena – December 24th, Christmas Eve celebrations, including nativity plays and midnight mass, throughout the islands
* Santos Inocentes – December 28th, a Spanish equivalent of April Fool’s day
* Festa de l’Estandard – December 31st, held in Palma, Mallorca, this feast commemorates the town’s conquest in 1229. Don’t forget to bring your checks along as you may want to buy many souvenirs there.

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Queen’s Day (in Dutch: Koninginnedag) in Amsterdam is a unique night and day carnival-like event on 30th of April each year and during the night before – so called Queen’s Night (in Dutch: Koninginnenacht). What is special about the Queen’s Day, that having elements of the huge party across the whole city, it is combined with the market in the streets of the whole city (in Dutch: Vrijmarkt).

Queensday AmsterdamQueen’s Day in Amsterdam attracts each year ca 700 thousands visitors, which makes the city crowded beyond any acceptable norms. Despite overcrowding, the atmosphere on Queen’s Day is traditionally relaxed and joyful. Usually mild, not too hot weather makes the Queen’s Day the day to be in Amsterdam. To feel the atmosphere on the day please, watch the Queen’s Day video.

The tradition of Queensday

The Queen’s Birthday
Queen’s Day festivities began before the World War II with the celebration of birthday of Queen Wilhelmina on August 31 and since 1949, celebration of the birthday of her daughter and successor on the Dutch throne Queen Juliana, on April 30.

When Queen Beatrix succeeded Juliana in 1980, she decided to keep the Queen’s Day on April 30. Her own birthday is in the middle of winter (January 31), so celebrating it outside would be difficult. Until today, many especially older people call the holiday the Queen’s Birthday.

There is a rule that if the day of April 30 falls on the day free of work, the Queen’s Day is celebrated on the day before. Coming years Queen’s Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 and Thursday, April 30, 2009.

The Queen meets people
Traditionally, on this day the Queen visits one of the cities in the country, and meets celebrating people. Television reports live on these meetings during the day.

Dressing in Orange
Celebrating Queen’s Day means dressing in orange clothes (as the reigning dynasty is House of Orange and this is their color), painting faces and hair orange, drinking drinks tinted in this color (or just natural orange juice), wearing mock orange crowns, dressing as the queen and making jokes at the royal family. As some of the jokes may seem to you slightly inappropriate, they express deep attachment Dutch people have to their Royal Family, which seen in the Netherlands as the symbol of national unity.

Free market on Queensday

On the Queen’s Day, starting early in morning (as early as 6 a.m.) in all cities and villages of the Netherlands almost everybody tries to do his own garage sale, selling objects at low, symbolic prices, mostly for 20, 50 cents, and rarely above € 1,-.

It is in the tradition to bargain about the price when buying. Sometimes, especially when children are the sellers, the buyer raises the price – for example from 50 cents to 60, refusing to buy for less. Funny, reversed negotiating starts, where often the seller is ready to give away the merchandise free, while you are expected to refuse to lower your offer. This all is part of fun on this unique day, especially for children who make their first turnover usually selling their old toys.

The best market areas are Vondelpark, where children are selling and buying (Kindermarkt) and shows and concerts for children take place and the Jordan quarter. Last years Apollolaan, a wide street in front of the Hilton hotel in the South Amsterdam, with its vast grass areas used for picnic, became also very popular.

Transportation during the Queen’s Day

The Dutch railways have always a special train schedule for this day. Their main task is to bring Dutch people to the city and back home. Therefore, international trains do not stop on Queen’s Day on the Central Station, but depart from one of the following stations: Schiphol, Utrecht and Amersfoort. On the Queen’s Day, there are fewer connections by train with the Schiphol airport. You may also get to the Schiphol airport by bus 258 or 370 (from the Marnixstraat Bus Station).

Please note that the luggage lockers at Amsterdam Central Station and at Amsterdam Amstel Station are closed from 7 p.m. in the evening before the Queens Day, until 7 a.m. in the morning on the day after the Queen’s Day.

City public transport:
On the Queen’s Day, public transport does not function in a big part of the city center. Trams and busses are rerouted.
There are three simplified routes for all trams to facilitate transport to and from Central Station.
You should pay for the ticket using strippenkaart as any other day.

Cars:
The whole car traffic in the center of Amsterdam stops. In principle, even the taxis may not enter the center of Amsterdam. In some years police stops cars already at the freeway exit, directing them away from the center.
If you are stuck with the car in town and you do not intend to stay for the Queen’s Day, you have to leave early in the morning, at latest at 8 a.m. Later on, because of the crowd in all streets leaving the city will be impossible.

On the positive side for the car owners – you do not have to pay for the parking in Amsterdam on the Queen’s Day (with the exception of the P+R car parks, where a fixed € 5,50 rate pays for the whole day).

We advise you not to park your car in the street in a direct neighborhood of the music concerts or parties. Your car may be involuntarily damaged by the celebrating people.

Queen’s Night (Koninginnenacht)
Celebrating Queen’s Day begins already on the evening of the day before, usually at 7 p.m., and goes on until the early hours of the Queen’s Day. It is so called Queen’s Night, when all clubs across the Netherlands organize special festivities. Especially for the young people this is the night to be in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is very busy that night as many young people move across the city from one party to another, while others prepare the next day market.

Traditional singing and dancing
The quarter of Jordan is the most crowded on the Queen’s Day, not only with traders, food stands and beer taps but also with large groups of people singing traditional Dutch songs. These are simple, rhythmic songs mostly describing the beauty of Amsterdam. While you might not be able to follow the words, the atmosphere is always unique, friendly, relaxed. Enjoy it!

Rock concerts and partying
A rock concert on Museumplein begins usually at 11 a.m. and goes on until late in the afternoon attracting thousands of young participants. Other places with disco music live and recorded are Leidseplein and Stoperaplein (at the Waterlooplein).

All clubs in Amsterdam organize parties on this day. In many parts of the city, speakers with loud music are put out on the street and improvised parties take place. It is natural to join them, even if you do not know the participants.

The boats full of dancing people circulate Amsterdam canals. You may observe most of them on the Prinsengracht, in front of the Anne Frank’s House. Many boats have own, amplified music and are in fact sailing parties.

Gay parties
Amsterdam, being an important city for the world’s gay scene, celebrates Queen’s day in all traditionally gay clubs and bars. Usually a big open-air party for gay and gay friendly people is held on the Westermarkt at the Homo Monument (beginning at 11 a.m. on the Queen’s day until late in the afternoon), and another one at the Reguliersdwarsstraat, in a 10 minutes walking distance from Leidseplein.

Accommodation for Queensday
If you plan to visit Amsterdam during the next Queen’s Day (30 April) make your hotel reservation many months in advance. There is absolutely no chance to find a good hotel or even youth hostel on the last minute, any private apartments or bed and breakfast’s are usually taken years in advance.

Useful tips for Queensday:

• As you are going to spend your day among the crowd, leave you valuables in your hotel.
• You are going to walk a lot. Comfortable shoes are essential.
• Take a lot of change in your pockets, especially 50 cents and € 1 coins. You may want to buy something on the market, even if you had not intended to do it.
• All the main food stores are open on the Queen’s Day. You may get there your food and drinks.
• While you may drink alcohol in the street on the Queen’s Day, it is not allowed to carry more than one alcohol drink with you (one bottle or can). Carrying six-pack of beer in the open may be seen by a police officer as a breach of this rule. Drinks are usually €1,50 or € 2,-.
• Consider forgetting about your camera for this one, special day. Take part in the event! Free Queensday pictures and videos you can always download from our web site.

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Lanzarote is one of the seven small Spanish owned islands that comprises the Canarian archipelago.  Once thought to be the remnants of the lost city of Atlantis.  Located around 90 miles off the coast of West Africa.

The Canaries were once collectively known as the Fortunate Islands, due to the fact that they enjoy a temperate, warm climate all year round.  With temperatures rarely falling below 20 Celsius, even during the winter months.

A Brief History
Lanzarote is the most easterly link in this chain of islands and was first conquered by the Spanish crown in the early 1400´s.  Becoming an important strategic possession – as Spanish galleons traversed the Atlantic between the New World and The Old.  Laden with cargoes of Inca silver and African slaves.

During the 18th Century Lanzarote was rocked by one of the modern world’s longest volcanic eruptions.  Which lasted for six years – destroying valuable farmland, wiping out villages and covering much of the island in a carpet of solidified lava.

Today Lanzarote is a hugely popular holiday destination.  Especially with British, Irish and German tourists.  Attracting around 1.5 million visitors every year.  With the majority staying in one of the islands three main resorts – Puerto de Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca.

Getting There
The island is serviced by a number of the UK´s leading low cost flight operators, such as easyJet and Thomas Cook. Flights to Lanzarote take approximately four hours and the cost of a return ticket is around £200, depending on the time of year.

Accommodation
Playa Blanca, the newest resort on the island, is home to the best selection of hotels in Lanzarote.  With four and five star establishments arrayed along the coastline. 

Visitors who prefer self catering accommodation should opt instead for Puerto del Carmen, the largest resort on the island.  Which offers the widest choice of apartments and villas in Lanzarote.

Sightseeing
Despite its popularity as year round holiday destination Lanzarote still remains largely unspoiled.   There are no ad billboards allowed.  High rise hotels have been outlawed.  And all of the buildings are painted white, creating a uniform, yet harmonious impression.

Despite the devastation caused by the eruptions Lanzarote´s volcanic scenery is now one of the islands greatest assets.  As the Timanfaya National Park, which lies at the epicentre of this volcanic activity is the most popular attraction on the island.  Drawing in close to one million visitors every year.

Hail Cesar
Lanzarote is also home to a series of unique tourist attractions, developed by an island born artist called Cesar Manrique.  Whose work fuses the island’s volcanic terrain with his own creative aesthetic.  Resulting in sites such as The Jameos del Agua.  Where he constructed an incredible underground auditorium out of a collapsed volcanic tunnel.

Thanks to Manrique´s efforts Lanzarote became the first island in the world to be declared a UNESCO protected biosphere back in 1994.

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Portugal’s Best Hotel Bets

• Pestana Carlton Palace (Lisbon; tel. 21/361-56-00; www.pestana.com): One of the grandest hotels to open in Portugal in years, this hotel lies in an upscale residential section 5km (3 miles) from the historic center. It was carved out of a villa built in 1907. It’s a stunning example of the Romantic Revival architectural style.
• Four Seasons Hotel The Ritz Lisbon (Lisbon; tel. 800/819-5053 in the U.S., or 21/381-14-00; www.fourseasons.com): Built in the 1950s and host to a roster that reads like a who’s who of international glamour, the Ritz is one of Portugal’s legendary hotels. Everywhere in the hotel, you’ll get the impression that a swanky reception is about to begin.
• York House (Lisbon; tel. 21/396-24-35; www.yorkhouselisboa.com): A former 17th-century convent and private home, York House is the place to stay in Lisbon. It abounds with climbing vines, antiques, four-poster beds, and Oriental carpeting — fittings and furnishings that maintain the building’s historical character without flattening your wallet.
• Albatroz (Cascais; tel. 21/484-73-80; www.albatrozhotels.com): In a garden overlooking the Atlantic, this inn was originally built as the summer residence of the dukes of Loule. Since its transformation into a stylish hotel, its aristocratic elegance has drawn guests from throughout Europe. Service is impeccable.
• Palacio Hotel (Estoril; tel. 21/464-80-00; www.hotel-estoril-palacio.pt): The Palacio enjoyed its heyday during the 1950s and 1960s, when every deposed monarch of Europe seemed to disappear into the Art Deco hotel’s sumptuous suites. The result: the curious survival in Estoril of the royal ambience of a Europe gone by. Today “the Palace” maintains a staff whose old-timers are among the best in Europe at offering royal treatment to guests.
• Tivoli Palacio de Seteais (Sintra; tel. 21/923-32-00; www.tivolihotels.com): One of the most elegant hotels in Portugal bears one of the country’s most ironic names. In 1807, a treaty ending the Napoleonic campaign in Portugal was signed here, with terms so humiliating to the Portuguese that they labeled the building the Palace of the Seven Sighs. Any sighing you’re likely to do today will be from pleasure — at the setting, the lavish gardens, and the reminders of an old-world way of life.
• Le Meridien Dona Filipa (Almancil; tel. 28/935-72-00; www.lemeridien.com): Rising above the sea, this hotel is comfortable, modern, well designed, and sophisticated, but the most stunning feature is the 180 hectares (445 acres) surrounding it. Part of the land is devoted to a superb golf course. Don’t let the severe exterior fool you — the inside is richly appointed with Chinese and Portuguese accessories, many of them antique.
• Monte do Casal (Estoi; tel. 28/999-15-03): An 18th-century country house on the Algarve converted into one of the most charming and tranquil places along the coast, Monte do Casal is set on 3 hectares (7 1/2 acres) of flowering trees. It offers a chance to escape from the curse of the high-rise sea resort hotels and into an inn of style that captures some of the spirit of the region itself.
• Palace Hotel do Bucaco (Bucaco; tel. 23/193-79-70; www.almeidahotels.com): This palace, built between 1888 and 1907 as a sylvan refuge for the royal family, saw tragedy early. A year after its completion, the king and his oldest son were assassinated, leaving Queen Amelia to grieve within its azulejo-sheathed walls. In 1910, the palace’s enterprising Swiss chef persuaded the government to allow him to transform the place into an upscale hotel. Bittersweet memories of its royal past still seem to linger within the thick walls.
• Ipanema Park Hotel (Porto; tel. 22/532-21-00; www.ipanemaparkhotel.pt): One of the leading government-rated five-star hotels in the north of Portugal offers 15 floors of grand comfort with the largest roster of facilities in the city, including an outdoor pool with a panoramic view on the 15th floor. This bastion of good taste and luxury is as popular with tourists as it is with its business clients.
• Infante de Sagres (Porto; tel. 22/339-85-00; www.hotelinfantesagres.pt): A textile magnate built this hotel in 1951 in the style of a Portuguese manor house. Its elegant detailing makes it appear much older than it is. It’s the most nostalgic, elegant, and ornate hotel in Porto. The managers began their careers here as teenage bellboys, and the staff members take obvious pride in their hotel.
• Reid’s Palace (Funchal; tel. 800/223-6800 in the U.S., or 29/171-71-71; www.reidspalace.com): For more than a century (it was founded in 1891 and enlarged in 1968), Reid’s has fulfilled the colonial fantasies of every British imperialist abroad. Set on a rocky promontory, it serves tea promptly at 4pm, contains English antiques that the Portuguese staff waxes once a week, and plays chimes to announce the beginning of the dinner service. It also features terraced gardens spilling down to the sea and a very correct clientele that once included Winston Churchill.
• * Praia d’el Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort (Amoreira; tel. 26/290-51-00; www.marriott.com/lisdr): Devotees of modern luxury should head to one of the most spectacular resorts north of Lisbon, 16km (10 miles) west of the romantic walled city of Obidos. It opens onto a sandy beach and boasts an 18-hole golf course on 600 acres (243 hectares) of oceanfront property. Its facilities include a spa, health club, tennis courts, and a choice of three first-class restaurants.

The Best Pousadas

• Pousada de S?o Filipe (Setubal; tel. 26/555-00-70; www.pousadas.pt): During the 1500s, this structure served as a defensive link in a chain of fortresses surrounding Lisbon. Today it boasts antique azulejos (glazed earthenware tiles), panoramic views of the town, and a keen sense of Portuguese history. The rooms are simple (some might say monastic) but comfortable and tidy.
• Castelo de Obidos (Obidos; tel. 26/295-50-80; www.pousadas.pt): This pousada lies in a wing of the castle that protects one of the most perfectly preserved medieval towns in Portugal. In 1285, King Dinis offered the castle — along with the entire village — to his beloved Queen Isabel. Inside, the medieval aesthetic coexists with improved plumbing, electricity, and unobtrusive contemporary comforts.
• Pousada de Santa Luzia (Elvas; tel. 26/863-74-70; www.pousadas.pt): This pousada opened in 1942 during the most horrible days of World War II, near the strategic border crossing between neutral Portugal and Fascist Spain. Vaguely Moorish in design, with two low-slung stories, it was most recently renovated in 1992. It offers comfortable, colorful lodgings.
• Pousada da Rainha Santa Isabel (Estremoz; tel. 26/833-20-75; www.pousadas.pt): Housed in a structure built during the Middle Ages, the Santa Isabel is the most lavish pousada in Portugal. Reproductions of 17th-century antiques, about .5 hectares (1 1/4 acres) of gleaming marble, and elaborately detailed tapestries create one of the most authentic old-fashioned decors in the region. Guests have included Vasco da Gama, who was received here by Dom Manuel before the explorer’s departure for India.
• Pousada dos Loios (Evora; tel. 26/673-00-70; www.pousadas.pt): This pousada was conceived as a monastery and rebuilt in 1485 adjacent to the town’s ancient Roman temple. The purity of its design and the absence of exterior encroachments from the modern world contribute to one of the most aesthetically thrilling experiences in Portugal. Inside there are no traces left of its original austerity — everything is luxurious and comfortable

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Addresses — In Portugal, the ground floor is not called the first floor as in the United States; what Americans would call the fourth floor is actually the third floor. “ESP” after a floor number indicates that you should go left, and “DIR” means turn right.

American Express — The entity representing American Express, although operating independently under license from American Express, is Travel Store located in Lisbon at Rua Rodrigues Sampaio (tel. 21/356-53-00). Another office in Lisbon at Aeroporto de Lisboa (tel. 96/696-82-96) also serves as the headquarters for American Express.

Babysitters — Check with your hotel’s staff for arrangements. Most first-class hotels can provide babysitters from lists that the concierge keeps. Remember to request a babysitter no later than the morning if you’re going out that evening. Also request one with at least a minimum knowledge of English, if you and your children do not speak Portuguese.

Business Hours — Hours vary throughout the country, but there is a set pattern. Banks generally are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 3pm. Currency-exchange offices at airports and rail terminals are open longer hours, and the office at Portela airport outside Lisbon is open 24 hours a day. Most museums open at 10am, close at 5pm, and often close for lunch between 12:30 and 2pm. Larger museums with bigger staffs remain open at midday. Shops are open, in general, Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm and from 3 to 7pm, and Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Most restaurants serve lunch from noon until 3pm and dinner from 7:30 to 11pm; many close on Sunday. Many nightclubs open at 10pm, but the action doesn’t really begin until after midnight and often lasts until between 3 and 5am.

Customs — You can take into Portugal most personal effects and the following items duty-free: a portable typewriter and one video camera or two still cameras with 10 rolls of film each; a portable radio, a tape recorder, and a laptop PC per person, provided that they show signs of use; 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco; 2 liters of wine or 1 liter of liquor per person over 17 years old; and sports equipment, including fishing gear, one bicycle, skis, tennis or squash racquets, and golf clubs.

Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for 48 hours or more are allowed to bring back, once every 30 days, $800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You’ll be charged a flat rate of duty on the next $1,000 worth of purchases. Any dollar amount beyond that is subject to duty at whatever rates apply. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is $200. Be sure to have your receipts or purchases handy to expedite the declaration process. Note: If you owe duty, you are required to pay on your arrival in the United States, using cash, personal check, government or traveler’s check, or money order; some locations also accept Visa or MasterCard.

To avoid having to pay duty on foreign-made personal items you owned before your trip, bring along a bill of sale, insurance policy, jeweler’s appraisal, or receipt of purchase. Or you can register items that can be readily identified by a permanently affixed serial number or marking — think laptop computers, cameras, and CD players — with Customs before you leave. Take the items to the nearest Customs office, or register them with Customs at the airport from which you’re departing. You’ll receive, at no cost, a Certificate of Registration, which allows duty-free entry for the life of the item.

With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the U.S. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet “Know Before You Go” online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on “Travel,” then click on “Know Before You Go! Online Brochure.”) Or contact U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 202/354-1000) and request the pamphlet.

For a clear summary of Canadian rules, request the booklet “I Declare,” issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca). Canada allows its citizens a C$750 exemption, and you’re allowed to bring back duty-free one carton of cigarettes, one can of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you’re allowed to mail gifts to Canada from abroad valued at less than C$60 a day, provided they’re unsolicited and don’t contain alcohol or tobacco (write on the package “Unsolicited gift, under $60 value”). All valuables, including serial numbers of valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras, should be declared on the Y-38 form before departure from Canada. Note: The C$750 exemption can only be used once a year and only after an absence of 7 days.

The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$900 or, for those under 18, A$450. Citizens can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 1,125 milliliters of alcohol. If you’re returning with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is “Know Before You Go.” For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

U.K. citizens returning from a non-E.U. country have a Customs allowance of 200 cigarettes; 50 cigars; 250 grams of smoking tobacco; 2 liters of still table wine; 1 liter of spirits or strong liqueurs (over 22% volume); 2 liters of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs; 60cc (ml) perfume; 250cc (ml) of toilet water; and £145 worth of all other goods, including gifts and souvenirs. People under 17 cannot have the tobacco or alcohol allowance. For more information, contact HM Revenue & Customs at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmrc.gov.

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn’t exceed 250g), plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer, or 1,125 milliliters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export listing the valuables you are taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: “New Zealand Customs Guide for Travelers, Notice no. 4.” For more information, contact New Zealand Customs Service, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 09/300-5399 or 0800/428-786 in New Zealand; www.customs.govt.nz).

Drugs — Illegal drugs are plentiful, although penalties can be severe if you’re caught possessing or selling illegal narcotics. Judges tend to throw the book at foreigners caught selling illegal narcotics. Bail for foreigners is rare, and local prosecutors have a high conviction rate. All the U.S., British, and Canadian consulates can do is provide you with a list of local attorneys.

Drugstores — The Portuguese government requires selected pharmacies to stay open at all times of the day and night. They do so under a rotation system. Check with your concierge for the locations and hours of the nearest drugstores, called farmácias de serviço. In general, pharmacies in Portugal are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm and from 3 to 7pm, and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Electricity — Voltage is 200 volts AC (50 cycles). Many hardware stores in North America sell the appropriate transformers. The concierge desks of most hotels will lend you a transformer and plug adapters, or tell you where you can buy them nearby. If you have any doubt about whether you have the appropriate transformer, ask at your hotel desk before you try to plug in anything.

Embassies & Consulates — If you lose your passport or have some other pressing problem, you’ll need to get in touch with your embassy.

The Embassy of the United States, on Avenida das Forças Armadas (Sete Rios), 1600 Lisboa (tel. 21/727-33-00), is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 12:30pm and from 1:30 to 5pm. If you’ve lost a passport, the embassy can take photographs for you and help you to obtain the proof of citizenship needed to get a replacement.

The Embassy of Canada is at Av. da Liberdade 200, EDIT Victoria 4th Floor, 1269 Lisboa (tel. 21/316-46-00). It’s open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and from 2 to 4pm (in July and Aug the embassy closes at 1pm on Fri).

The Embassy of the United Kingdom, Rua São Bernardo 33, 1249 Lisboa (tel. 21/392-40-00), is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30am and from 3 to 4:30pm, Friday 9am to 12:30pm.

The Embassy of the Republic of Ireland, Rua de Imprensa à Estrêla 1, 1200 Lisboa (tel. 21/392-94-40), is open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm and from 2:30 to 4:30pm.

The Embassy of Australia, on Av. de Liberdade 200, 1250 Lisboa (tel. 21/310-15-00), is open Monday through Friday from 9 to 11:30am and 3 to 4:30pm. New Zealanders should go to the British Embassy .

Emergencies — For the police (or an ambulance) in Lisbon, telephone tel. 115. In case of fire, call tel. 32-22-22 or 60-60-60. For the Portuguese Red Cross, call tel. 61-77-77. The national emergency number in Portugal is tel. 115.

Hospitals — A prime choice for medical aid is the Hospital S. Francisco Xavier, SA (Estrada Forte do Alto do Duque, Lisboa; tel. 021/300-03-00; www.hsfx.pt). An alternative is Hospital de Egas Moniz, SA (Rua da Junqueira 126, Lisboa; tel. 021/362-28-39; www.hegasmoniz.min-saude.pt).

Language — English is often spoken in the major resorts and at first-class and deluxe hotels; in smaller places, you’ll often need the help of a phrase book or dictionary. One of the most helpful is the Portuguese Phrase Book (Berlitz).

Legal Aid — Contact your local consulate for a list of English-speaking lawyers if you run into trouble with the law. After that, you’re at the mercy of the local courts.

Liquor Laws — You must be 18 to drink in Portugal. In Lisbon, bars are open until dawn.

Mail — While in Portugal, you can have your mail directed to your hotel (or hotels), to the American Express representative, or to Poste Restante (General Delivery) in Lisbon. You must present your passport to pick up mail. The general post office in Lisbon is on Praça do Comércio, 1100 Lisbon (tel. 21/346-32-31); it’s open daily from 8am to 10pm.

Passports — For residents of the United States: Whether you’re applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. For general information, call the National Passport Agency (tel. 877/487-6868). To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call.

For residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada and from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency, or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service (tel. 0870/521-0410; www.ukpa.gov.uk).

For residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) and at most main post offices.

For residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Contact the Australian Passport Information Service (tel. 131-232; www.passports.gov.au).

For residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from the website. Contact the Passports Office (tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand, or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).

Pets — Pets brought into Portugal must have the approval of the local veterinarian and a health certificate from your home country.

Taxes — Since Portugal and neighboring Spain simultaneously joined the Common Market (now the European Union) on January 1, 1986, Portugal has imposed a value-added tax (VAT) on most purchases made within its borders. It ranges from 8% to 30%. Known in Portugal as the IVA, the amount is almost always written into the bottom line of the bill for any purchase a foreign visitor makes. Hotel and restaurant bills are taxed at 18%. Car rentals are subject to an additional 18% tax (less than in some other European countries).

Such deluxe goods as jewelry, furs, and expensive imported liquors include a 30% built-in tax. Because a scotch and soda in a Portuguese bar carries this high tax, many people have changed their choice of alcohol from scotch to Portuguese brandy and soda or, more prosaically, beer.

To get a VAT refund on purchases that qualify (ask the shopkeeper), present your passport to the salesperson and ask for the special stamped form. Present the form with your purchases at the booth marked for IVA tax refunds at the airport. You’ll get your money refunded right at the booth. For VAT refunds, you can also apply to Global Refund (www.globalrefund.com).

Time — Portugal is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the United States. Like most European countries, Portugal has daylight saving time. It moves its clocks ahead an hour in late spring and an hour back in the fall, corresponding roughly to daylight saving time in the United States; exact dates vary.

Tipping — Most service personnel expect a good tip rather than a small one, as in the past. Hotels add a service charge (known as serviço), which is divided among the entire staff, but individual tipping is also the rule. Tip 1€ ($1.30) to the bellhop for running an errand, 1€ ($1.30) to the doorman who hails you a cab, 1€ ($1.30) to the porter for each piece of luggage carried, 2.50€ ($3.25) to the wine steward if you’ve dined often at your hotel, and 1.50€ ($1.95) to the chambermaid.

In first-class or deluxe hotels, the concierge will present you with a separate bill for extras, such as charges for bullfight tickets. A gratuity is expected in addition to the charge. The amount will depend on the number of requests you’ve made.

Figure on tipping about 20% of your taxi fare for short runs. For longer treks — for example, from the airport to Cascais — 15% is adequate.

Restaurants and nightclubs include a service charge and government taxes of 18%. As in hotels, this money is distributed among the entire staff, so extra tipping is customary. Add about 5% to the bill in a moderately priced restaurant, and up to 10% in a deluxe or first-class establishment. For hatcheck in fado houses, restaurants, and nightclubs, tip at least 1€ ($1.30). Washroom attendants get .50€ (65¢).

Water — Tap water is generally potable throughout Portugal, but bottled water is always safer. Even if the water in Portugal isn’t bad, you won’t be used to the microbes and can become ill. In rural areas, the water supply might not be purified. Under no circumstances should you swim in or drink from freshwater rivers or streams.

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By Plane

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is not only the airport of Amsterdam, but also the primary international airport of the Netherlands. The main airline operating into Schiphol is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (a subsidiary of Air France), which has an alliance with U.S. carrier Northwest Airlines.

From the U.S. and Canada — Carriers with frequent flights to Amsterdam from such cities as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Montréal, Newark, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, D.C., are: Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262; www.aircanada.ca); Continental Airlines (tel. 800/231-0856; www.continental.com); Delta Airlines (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com); KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (tel. 800/225-2525; www.klm.com); Northwest Airlines (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com); and United Airlines (tel. 800/538-2929; www.united.com).

From the U.K. — Airlines that fly to Amsterdam from a roster of cities that includes Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, and Teesside, are: British Airways (tel. 0870/850-9850; www.britishairways.com); bmi (tel. 0870/607-0555; www.flybmi.com); easyJet (tel. 0905/560-7777; www.easyjet.com); and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (tel. 08705/074-074; www.klm.com).

From Ireland — Aer Lingus (tel. 0818/365-000; www.aerlingus.com) flies from Dublin to Amsterdam.

From Australia — KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (tel. 1300/392-192; www.klm.com) and Qantas (tel. 131313; www.qantas.com.au) fly from Sydney to Amsterdam.

From New Zealand — Air New Zealand (tel. 0800/737-000; www.airnewzealand.com) flies from Auckland to London, where you can transfer to Amsterdam.

Arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol — An airliner descending into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (tel. 0900/0141 from inside Holland, and 31-20/794-0800 from outside; www.schiphol.nl; airport code: AMS), 13km (8 miles) southwest of the city center, has to descend more than it would if it were landing at almost any other airport; the runway is 4.5m (15 ft.) below sea level. Where the runway is now was once a lake with access to the sea — the Dutch and Spanish fought a naval battle here in 1573. Schiphol (pronounced skhip-ol) is the main airport in the Netherlands, handling just about all of the country’s international arrivals and departures. It’s easy to see why frequent travelers regularly vote Schiphol a favorite airport: for its ease of use and its massive duty-free shopping center.

After deplaning at one of three adjacent terminals (numbered 1, 2, and 3), moving walkways take you to the Arrivals Hall, where you pass through Passport Control, Customs, and Baggage Claim. ATMs, free luggage carts, currency exchange kiosks, restaurants, bars, shops, baby-rooms, and restrooms are available. If you need a shower, find bathing facilities at Arrivals, in the Transit lounges, and at some executive lounges. There’s also Schiphol Plaza, which offers rail station access, the Airport Hotel, a mall (sporting that most essential Dutch service — a flower store), bars and restaurants, restrooms, baggage storage and lockers, airport and tourist information desks, car-rental desks (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National, and Sixt), hotel-reservation desks, and more. Bus, shuttle, and taxi stops are just outside.

For tourist information and to make hotel reservations, go to the Holland Tourist Information desk in Schiphol Plaza (tel. from inside Holland 0900-400-4040; from outside, 31-20-201-8800), open daily from 7am to 10pm.

Getting into Town from the Airport — Netherlands Railways (tel. 0900/9292; www.ns.nl) trains for Amsterdam Centraal Station depart from Schiphol Station, downstairs from Schiphol Plaza, and stop at De Lelylaan and De Vlugtlaan stations in western Amsterdam along the way. Frequency ranges from six trains an hour at peak times to one an hour at night. The one-way fare is 3.60€ ($4.50); the trip takes about 20 minutes.

An alternative rail route serves both Amsterdam Zuid/WTC (World Trade Center) station and RAI station (near the RAI Convention Center). Be sure to check which route goes closest to your hotel (including any tram or bus interchange). If you’re staying at a hotel near Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, in the Museum Quarter, or in Amsterdam South, this route may be better for you than Centraal Station. The fare to RAI is 2.50€ ($3.15) one-way; the trip takes about 15 minutes. From Amsterdam Zuid/WTC, take tram no. 5 for Leidseplein and the Museum Quarter; from RAI, take tram no. 4 for Rembrandtplein.

The Connexxion Hotel Shuttle (tel. 038/339-4741; www.schipholhotelshuttle.nl) runs daily every 10 to 30 minutes from 6am to 9pm, between the airport and some 100 Amsterdam hotels. Reservations aren’t necessary, and buses depart from in front of Schiphol Plaza. Buy tickets from the Connexxion desk inside Schiphol Plaza or on board from the driver (or, for the return journey, from your hotel). The fare is 12€ ($15) one-way and 19€ ($24) round-trip; for children ages 4 to 14, it’s 5.50€ ($6.90) one-way and 8.75€ ($11) round-trip. It takes only 15 minutes from the airport to the Hilton, but almost an hour to the NH Barbizon Palace; going the opposite direction, the timing’s reversed. In addition, some hotels near the airport and in town have their own shuttle service.

Connexxion line bus service from Schiphol is likely to be less useful for arriving travelers, since line buses are slower than both the train and the Connexxion hotel shuttle. The most useful line, no. 370, departs half-hourly to hourly Monday to Friday, and hourly Saturday, Sunday and holidays from in front of Schiphol Plaza; it goes to Amsterdam’s downtown Marnixstraat bus station via Museumplein and Leidseplein. Connexxion buses also serve other points; comprehensive information is available on the Connexxion website and at bus stops outside Schiphol Plaza.

Taxis are expensive, but they’re the preferred choice if your luggage is burdensome or if there are multiple people to share the cost. You’ll find taxis waiting at the Schiphol Taxi (tel. 0900/900-6666) stands in front of Schiphol Plaza. All taxis from the airport are metered. Expect to pay around 40€ ($50) to the Center. Remember, a service charge is already included in the fare.

In & Around Schiphol Airport — Level 2 at Schiphol Plaza is the “quiet floor,” with first-class, business-class, and private lounges, meeting rooms, and a place of worship and repose. Level 3 bustles with bars, eateries and a diamond store.

Take in an exhibit at the Zonneruiter art gallery or, if the weather is fine, stroll along the open-air promenade and observation deck, which has an excellent view of landing and departing aircrafts (this may be closed for security reasons).

After Passport Control is Schiphol’s tax-free shopping center, renowned for its vast range of merchandise — more than 100,000 items — and low prices. Bars, cafes, and a variety of fast-food and self-service restaurants (including a Japanese sushi bar) are available here. Other services include a bank, post office, lost-baggage desk, and a KLM service center. There are also transfer desks, baggage lockers, and porters.

If you ran out of time to visit Amsterdam’s famed Rijksmuseum, or if you just can’t get enough of the Dutch Old Masters, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol is for you. A dozen or so paintings are permanently displayed at this airport annex, midst changing exhibits of other works. The small museum is on Holland Boulevard, between Pier E and Pier F. It’s open daily from 7am to 8pm, and admission is free.

Getting There by Boat from Britain

DFDS Seaways (tel. 0870/252-0524 in Britain; 0255/54-66-66 in Holland; www.dfdsseaways.co.uk) has daily car-ferry service between Newcastle in northeast England and IJmuiden on the North Sea coast, 24km (15 miles) west of Amsterdam. The overnight trip time is 15 hours. From IJmuiden, take a train via Netherland Railways (the Netherlands’ only train company) to Amsterdam Centraal Station.

P&O Ferries (tel. 08705/980-333 in Britain; 020/210-3333 in Holland; www.poferries.com) has daily car-ferry service between Hull in northeast England and Rotterdam (into Europoort’s harbor). The overnight trip time is 10 hours. Ferry company buses shuttle between the Rotterdam Europoort terminal and Rotterdam Centraal Station, from where there are frequent trains to Amsterdam.

Stena Line (tel. 08705/70-70-70 in Britain; 0900/8123 in Holland; www.stenaline.com) has twice-daily fast car-ferry service, and overnight and daytime “superferry” service between Harwich in southeast England and Hoek van Holland (Hook of Holland) near Rotterdam. The fast-ferry trip time is 3 hours, 40 minutes; the “superferry” trip takes 6 hours, 15 minutes. Frequent trains depart from Hoek van Holland to Amsterdam.

By Cruise Ship

Annually, Amsterdam welcomes some 100 ocean cruise liners from around the world and 700 river cruise boats from Europe’s inland waterways. You’ll likely arrive at the cruise-liner dock, Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, Piet Heinkade 27 (tel. 020/509-1000; www.ptamsterdam.com; tram: 26), on the IJ waterway just east — and within easy walking distance — of Centraal Station.

By Train

Rail service to Amsterdam from elsewhere in Europe is frequent and fast. International trains arrive at Centraal Station from Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Cologne, and some cities in Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Eastern Europe.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Netherlands Railways; tel. 0900/9292; www.ns.nl) trains arrive in Amsterdam from towns and cities around Holland. Service is frequent and trains are modern, clean, and punctual.

Schedule and fare information about travel by train and other public transportation (openbaar vervoer) in the Netherlands is available by calling tel. 0900/9292, or visiting www.9292ov.nl. For international trains, call tel. 0900/9296.

The distinctive burgundy-colored Thalys (www.thalys.com) high-speed trains, with a top speed of 300kmph (186 mph), connect Paris, Brussels, and Cologne to Amsterdam. Travel time from Paris to Amsterdam is 4 hours, 10 minutes; from Brussels, it’s 2 hours, 40 minutes. For Thalys information and reservations in France, call tel. 3635; in Belgium, tel. 020/528-2828; in Germany, tel. 11861; and in Holland, tel. 0900/9296. Tickets are also available from main railway stations and travel agents.

Britain is connected to mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed “The Chunnel”). On Eurostar‘s (www.eurostar.com) high-speed train (top speed 258kmph/160 mph), travel time between London Waterloo Station and Brussels Midi Station (the closest connecting point for Amsterdam) is 3 1/4 hours. For Eurostar reservations, call tel. 08705/186-186 in Britain.

Arriving at Amsterdam Centraal Station — If you arrive by train, you’ll likely find yourself deposited at Amsterdam’s Centraal Station, built in the 1880s on an artificial island in the IJ channel. The building, an ornate neo-Renaissance architectural wonder, is the bustling hub of the city’s concentric rings of canals and connecting main streets, and the originating point for most of the city’s trams, Metro trains, and buses.

An VVV Amsterdam tourist information office is located inside the station’s Platform 2; a similar office is right in front of the station on Stationsplein. Both have hotel reservation desks. Other facilities at Centraal Station include a money exchange, ATMs, train info center, baggage office, luggage lockers, restaurants and snack bars, newsstands, and small specialty stores. The station is a departure point for Metro trains, trams (streetcars), buses, taxis, passenger ferries, water taxis, canal-boat cruises, the Museum Boat, and the Canal Bus. At the station’s rear, there are docks for the ferry boats that shuttle passengers around the city’s fast-developing waterfront.

Outside, on Stationsplein, there might be a barrel organ grinding away. The Smits Coffee House NZH (tel. 020/623-3777) has a pleasant waterside terrace overlooking the inner harbor; watch as canal boats glide by.

An array of tram stops are on either side of the main station exit — virtually all of Amsterdam’s hotels are within a 15-minute tram ride from Centraal Station. The Metro station is downstairs, just outside the main exit. City bus stops are to the left of the main exit, and taxi stands are to the right. At the GVB Tickets & Info office on Stationsplein, you can buy a strippenkaart (strip card) or dagkaart (day card) for trams, Metros, and buses.

Note: The station will be, for some years to come, a confusing construction site. Under development right now: a new Metro station, to be the hub of the Noord-Zuid (North-South) line. It’s due to enter service in 2011. At the same time, construction is underway on a new main entrance and all-around improved passenger facilities. On top of all that, the waterfront zone at the rear is being completely revamped.

Beware: The station is a pickpocket convention that’s in full swing at all times. Messages broadcast in multiple languages warn people to be on guard, but the artful dodgers still seem to do good business. Avoid becoming a victim by keeping money and valuables under wraps, especially amidst crowds. You’ll likely also encounter a “heroin whore” or two, a platoon of panhandlers, and more than a whiff of pot smoke.

By Bus

International buses (sometimes known in Europe as “coaches), especially Eurolines’ (www.eurolines.com), arrive at the bus terminal outside Amstel rail station (Metro: Amstel) in south Amsterdam. Eurolines operates bus service between London Victoria Bus Station and Amstel Station, with up to five daily departures in summer. Travel time is just over 12 hours. For reservations, contact Eurolines (tel. 08705/143-219 in Britain, or 020/560-8788 in Holland). From Amstel bus station, go by train and Metro to Centraal Station, and by tram no. 12 to the Museumplein area, and then to connecting points for trams to the Center. For the Leidseplein area, take the Metro toward Centraal Station, get out at Weesperplein, and go above ground to take tram lines 7 or 10.

Getting There by Car

To drive in Holland, drivers need only produce a valid driver’s license from their home country.

The Netherlands is crisscrossed by a network of major international highways. European expressways E19, E35, E231, and E22 converge on Amsterdam from France and Belgium to the south and from Germany to the north and east. These roads also have Dutch designations; as you approach Amsterdam they become, respectively: A4, A2, A1, and A7. The city’s ring road (beltway) is A10. Traffic is invariably heavy — but distances between destinations are relatively short, road conditions are generally excellent, service stations are plentiful, and highways are plainly signposted.

To drive from Britain to Amsterdam, use the efficient Le Shuttle (www.eurotunnel.com) automobile transporter through the Channel Tunnel from Folkestone to Calais (a 35-min. trip), and drive up from there through Belgium and Holland. Le Shuttle has departures every 15 minutes at peak times, every 30 minutes at times of average demand, and hourly at night. For information and reservations, call tel. 08705/35-35-35 in Britain, tel. 0810/63-03-04 in France, or tel. 0900/504-0540 in Holland. Reserving in advance makes sense at the busiest times, but the system is so fast, frequent, and simple that you may prefer to retain travel flexibility by just showing up, buying your ticket, waiting in line for a short while, and then driving aboard.

The best way to experience most European cities is to drive to the city, park your car, and never touch it again until you leave. In Amsterdam, it’s smart not to even bring a car.

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# Amstel InterContinental Amsterdam,

Professor Tulpplein 1 (tel. 020/622-6060): The last word in opulence offers much more, including one of the city’s best restaurants and a superb location beside the Amstel River. This is the first choice of visiting celebrities, so don’t be surprised if you see famous faces.

# Amsterdam American,

Leidsekade 97 (tel. 020/556-3000): This hotel boasts the best location in town — it’s on Leidseplein, Amsterdam’s most lively square, and is close to theaters, cinemas, and a casino. Location aside, this is a fine hotel, and its Art Deco-style Cafe Americain is a city institution.

# Grand Sofitel Demeure Amsterdam,

Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197 (tel. 020/555-3111): The Grand really is rather grand, both inside and out; it once served as the seat of the Amsterdam Admiralty and the city council, among other official municipal functions since the 15th century. Now it guards its virtue along a tranquil canal edging the Red Light District.

# Hotel Pulitzer,

Prinsengracht 315-331 (tel. 020/523-5235): No fewer than 25 old canal houses on Prinsengracht were reconverted to create this hotel, which would ordinarily be considered a serious loss, except that the Pulitzer is a real prizewinner.

The Best Moderately Priced Hotels
# Hotel Agora

, Singel 462 (tel. 020/627-2200): Those canal-house hotels that don’t hit you over the head with opulence more than make up for it with the personal touch. This paragon of the type feels like a canal-side home.

# Ambassade Hotel,

Herengracht 341 (tel. 020/555-0222): Here, in 10 neighboring canal houses on the Golden Bend (for centuries the city’s most fashionable district), you’ll feel you’re in the home of a rich 17th-century merchant. Most of the spacious, individually styled rooms have large windows overlooking the canal.

# Hotel Arena,

‘s-Gravesandestraat 51 (tel. 020/850-2410): What this unusual place has, in spades, is an action-oriented and informal temperament that’s typical of Amsterdam — the kind of shared outlook that attracts many to this city in the first place. Arena combines this unpretentiousness bustle with genuine style and a judicious level of comfort.

# Hotel de Filosoof,

Anna van den Vondelstraat 6 (tel. 020/683-3013): Few — if any — hotels have an operating philosophy as distinctive as this one, which takes its inspiration from the great thinkers of the past. And this is no shameless sophistry disguising a grim underlying truth. In this case, idealism has produced a more-than-acceptable reality.

# Seven Bridges,

Reguliersgracht 31 (tel. 020/623-1329): In some hotels, you realize the owners aren’t just running a business, but doing what they love. This is that kind of place. It’s obvious that all the furniture, fixtures, and fittings have been selected with loving care, and guests receive the same conscientious attention.

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