More Insider Tips

Go to the immense Vondelpark and head to the open-air theater (near the large fountain). On summer afternoons and evenings, the program includes free theater and music. On Saturday morning, visit the Noordermarkt for the organic farmers' market.

Dutch opera fans enjoy inexpensive performances (around $45 for the best seats) at their Muziektheater, also home to the Dutch National Ballet. Amstel 3. For reservations call 625-5455.

Amsterdam has as many canals as Venice and more bridges than Paris (about 1,300 bridges span the city's 160 canals and rivers). If you stand where the Reguliersgracht crosses Keizersgracht, you can take in a row of seven bridges. The sight is spectacular at night.

Note: Don't confuse Amsterdam's coffeehouses with their American counterparts. Anything called a coffeehouse trades not only in caffeine but also in marijuana. The sale and use of marijuana is, in fact, illegal, but tolerated when done discreetly. Importing or exporting any illegal drug is severely prosecuted.

How to Get Around

Trams: They're the major form of public transportation. Buy a strippenkaart (ticket) at post offices, tobacconists, or train stations (a day pass costs $5). Trams run until midnight.

Taxis: Taxis don't travel the streets looking for customers — you must go to them. Taxi stands are marked, but you can call for one, too (677-7777). Taxi meters start at $2.50; it's $1 per kilometer after that. Don't even think of renting a car: They're nearly impossible to manage in this city.

Bicycles: Traveling by bike is fast and convenient, since cyclists have an absolute right of way. But it's not for the faint of heart. Bikers travel at high speeds in special lanes. Renting a bike for a day will cost about $6; for a week, about $28. If you prefer a peaceful ride, you can rent bikes at train stations in the countryside.

Canal Boats: The best one to try is the Museum Boat, which stops at all the landmark museums (an all-day pass is $12).

A Bloom of One's Own

Four hundred years ago in Holland, a single rare tulip bulb could have cost you 1,000 pounds of cheese or four oxen. These days they go for about 10 cents. When picking out bulbs, don't worry about flaky brown skin — that's normal. But don't choose a bulb with soft spots or with dry sprouts over two inches. You can bring bulbs back home, but they must be dirt-free and you must declare them to U.S. Customs or risk a $1,000 fine. Most major bulb outlets will ship them to you. One final reminder: Don't put cut tulips in a vase with daffodils. Daffodil sap kills them.