Concert halls Amsterdam

Unquestionably the most beautiful venue in the city, and why not in Europe and even the world, as Vogue magazine recently reported. The sumptuous main room, in the purest Art Deco style, is well worth a visit. Its comfortable armchairs are ideal for daytime siestas. The dome, marquetry wood panels, carpets and stained glass windows all nostalgically evoke the grandeur of a bygone era. In short, this is one of the city's most beautiful buildings, not to be missed.

The Concertgebouw is first and foremost a superb historical building, both inside and out. Of course, it is also an extraordinary acoustic: the best in the world according to many experts! But the Concertgebouw is also an experience of going out "Dutch style" in a cozy and elegant setting. The program is distinguished by its high level of quality and constant innovation. It is the ideal place for an evening of music when you are in Amsterdam. Free concerts are organized every Wednesday at noon.

For over 10 years, the Ziggo Dome has welcomed all the big names in music to a state-of-the-art venue in the south of the city, next to the Ajax stadium. The hall is very well designed and boasts excellent acoustics. With a capacity of 17,000, it's so well arranged that everything flows smoothly and is designed for a pleasant experience. Designed by Benthem Crouwel, the building is a rectangular box with two rows of seats. The exterior is covered with 840,000 diodes, which animate and illuminate in a futuristic manner.

Felix Meritis is an astonishing place, with a history as rich as it is tormented. It was originally a society (founded in 1777) of enlightened citizens and intellectuals. Its aim was to stimulate the arts, sciences and commerce, in order to achieve more widely shared happiness. The music hall, known as the "Oval Hall", was the place to hear classical music in the Netherlands. The small Concertgebouw hall is a replica. Felix Meritis has just been renovated, and remains the home of the inquisitive mind.

De Nieuwe Anita is a safe bet on the night, with enormous goodwill. It's one of our favourites for a pleasant, surprising evening out, and not at all in the moneyed, chic trend found in the center. The decor is simple and bric-a-brac, and you can enjoy beers and cocktails to a variety of sounds. There's also a cosy area where you can relax on soft, comfortable armchairs. Downstairs is a performance space where concerts and happenings are regularly organized. A great address.

Located in the De Hallen cultural and entertainment center, Filmhallen has 9 screens and is related to The Movies. The setting is inspiring, and the varied program will appeal to families and discerning film buffs alike. Strolling through the center of De Hallen is also a pleasure. The Art Deco-style "Parisien" cinema, originally a historic hall belonging to exhibitor Jean Desmet, is a highlight of the year, with programming in collaboration with the Eye cinémathèque. Every year, the venue hosts the superb "Tapis rouge" French film festival.

Tolhuistuin is a multifunctional space offering a varied cultural program. The peak season is summer, when the gardens are transformed into a happening place with concerts, plays, culinary events, dance performances, debates and more. Since its opening a few years ago, Tolhuistuin has become one of the capital's cultural darlings, where people love to spend special evenings, especially on hot summer nights. The THT restaurant is also very popular. It's easy to get to, just across from the ferry at the main station.

For over 30 years, Veem House has been masterfully shaking up the Dutch and Amsterdam dance and performance scene. The institution is housed in a magnificent building dating from 1898, once a warehouse for luxury goods from the colonies: coffee, tea, tobacco and cocoa. The performance hall on the^3rd floor is reached by superb wooden staircases. The venue has been fighting for its survival in recent years, so you should not hesitate to discover and support it. Don't miss the on-site restaurant, Bak.

Its reputation is well established. Open to contemporary creations, it offers a varied but always grandiose program of operas, ballets and sometimes unusual performances, masterfully served by the National Ballet and the Nederlandse Opera. The Opera has its own production and presents almost exclusively its own shows. In all, 500 people are busy throughout the year. All creations are sur-titled!

It's probably the country's most famous jazz venue, and rightly so. It is now housed in the modern quarters near the central station. The atmosphere is quite unique, between land and sea. The program is excellent, and big names perform here regularly. The different venues offer a variety of programs, including experimental and children's shows. A bar-restaurant is on site for an excellent evening out! A true reference in the capital since 1974!

Located at the end of the Vondelpark, this quiet gay-friendly club, a former squat turned legal, is an institution. There's always something interesting or, failing that, strange going on: concerts for all tastes, cabaret-style shows, inspired readings... The large hall houses a bar, a spacious stage and a dance floor. From the entrance, a grand staircase leads to the café on the second floor, where a colourful crowd chats and listens to the music.

Panama is a cultural complex located just outside the city center, 15 minutes from the train station, in a friendly neighborhood. It's a place that, over the years, has attracted an eclectic public in their thirties, even forties. The atmosphere is very pleasant, with many themed evenings. Panama is an address that appeals more to those in their thirties and forties than to the younger crowd, and the themed evenings are proof of that! Panama is well worth a visit, especially if you're going out with a small group! Popular with locals.

This is not a theater, but a venue for musical and dance performances. Check out the programs, because there's always the possibility of a pleasant surprise. This is where the Christmas circus performs. Superbly renovated a few years ago, it's a place with an old-fashioned atmosphere, at the foot of the Amstel, with a view of the Maigre Bridge. Don't hesitate to dress up when you go out there, as Amstellodammers sometimes do the same. Keep a close eye on the program during your stay, as you may come across some famous artists (and why not from France!).

Here's a nice address that hosts cabaret and comedy programs, sometimes also music and dance. The location, on a pretty canal just behind the Leidseplein, is very convenient and accessible. Of note: Smoeshaan's on-site café-restaurant is also worth a visit, and it's a pleasure to meet the artists over a beer after the show. A city classic, though better known to locals and Batavians than to visiting tourists, don't hesitate to check out the program.

Just a few strides from Leidseplein, behind a storefront framed by brightly colored neon lights that pierce the night, lies a little jewel of Amsterdam's nightlife - and the competition is stiff. Inside, under the low, panelled ceiling, you'll find the cream of the crop of jazzmen from the city and beyond, seated on bar stools in a cosy ambience. An address we warmly recommend, and not to be missed on your visit!

Probably THE building not to be missed on the Damrak, this is the former Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Its architecture is characterized by pure lines and simple materials (brick, steel and glass). Its creator was none other than H.P. Berlage, the father of the "Amsterdam School", an architectural movement that marked a radical break with the historicizing style of the ^19th century, symbolized by the buildings of the Central Station and the Rijksmuseum. Today, the former stock exchange is open to the public for exhibitions, conferences and concerts.

Bourbon Street is, as the name suggests, a music club. Located just a few meters from the Leidseplein, it's a good option for listening to good quality jazz or blues in the heart of the capital. While the decor offers no particular charm, the stage itself is large enough to accommodate big bands, and the New York-style bar is long and well-stocked enough for plenty of thirsty shoppers. It's a tried-and-tested venue, so don't hesitate if you like smaller venues with a warm ambience.

This concert hall is a vibrant reminder of the days of the provos, who demanded that the municipality provide venues for young people. Since the 1970s, this milky way (Melkweg) has never ceased to shine. The Melkweg boasts an incredible multi-disciplinary program: jazz, dance, rock, theater, photography, this venue also doubles as a nightclub... A modern Amsterdam classic. The café, which overlooks Marnixstraat, is quite popular despite its zen-like decor. A bit of a shame, but the program includes some great exhibitions.

Afas Live is an entertainment venue located in the southern suburbs of the capital, right next to the Ajax stadium. It's all modern and very well designed, but purists and nostalgics will inevitably say that it can't compete with the downtown Paradiso and Melkweg for atmosphere, and they'd be right. We particularly like the size of this venue, neither too big nor too small, and the quality of the infrastructure. All the big names come or have come here. So it's important to keep an eye on the programming to ensure a great evening.