Image by Gisela Clarke

I must admit I’m not the best in bargain hunting. Every once in a while I try to do my best at flea markets or vintage stores but most of the time I have to face the facts: I’m incapable of finding the nice clothes in the midst of all the junk. Still I keep on trying because I do know people that do succeed and I can’t stand the idea that I might miss out on a great bargain just because I didn’t give it a try…

So I gave it a try at the IJhallen in the North of Amsterdam. Every month there is a huge flea market here where people sell mostly clothes but also other things. For an entrance fee of 3.50 you are free to spend as long as you want to rummage around the piles and piles of stuff that are on offer.

The market is usually partly inside and partly outside. Make sure you dress up warm cause both places are cold in wintertime!! The stuff people sell is really very cheap so if you do have an eye for a bargain you rally can’t miss this.

Also the trip over to the market is worth while. You take the free ferry from Central Station over to the NDSM part of North, I always enjoy this!

(Check the website for the upcoming markets)

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IJhallen | Relaxing, Shopping | Entrance adults € 3.50
T.T. Neveritaweg 15 | North
09:00 – 16:30, check website

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Gisela Clarke

It’s the perfect time for iceskating, so what are you waiting for!? 

Ice-skating is a typical Dutch sport so really you should give it a try. Most Dutch people have grown up with skating during the winter time. It is the best when the canals are frozen and you can skate underneath the beautiful bridges but unfortunately I can’t remember when the last time was I did that. Nowadays it hardly ever gets cold enough to be able to skate on natural ice. The Dutch are very obsessed by it though! 

Anyway, the Jaap Eden Baan is a great alternative. The track is nice and big enough for everyone to do as they please. You will see professionals going really fast( these will be on the inside of the track so stay away from there unless you are really good!), little kids going really fast and falling a lot, and lots of other people some quite good and others quite bad. Don’t be afraid if you’ve never ice-skated before. You won’t be the only one. Just rent a pair of skates and let the fun begin.

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Jaap Eden Baan | Relaxing | Entrance adults € 6.30
Radioweg 64 | East | +31206949652
Check the website

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

As I am 100% totally Dutch on the money matter (read: saving as much as possible on none essential things) I always try to get a semi-professional haircut as cheap as possible. If this means trusting my hair in the hands of those who still have to learn the ropes of the trade, that’s totally fine with me.

The kappersakademie is a school for hairdressing. As a huge part of the education is about obtaining different skills, it has a saloon on the ground floor of the building where the students can practice on real models. They learn not only to cut, but also how to do the intake of new clients and how to comfort the regular customers (I think they even learn the obligatory chit chats you often hear at hairdressers). A cup of coffee or tea is included in the treatment.

I’ve been there now a couple of times and they haven’t messed up my hair at all. And there’s always a supervisor who afterwards corrects the students, if necessary. No really, they do a very good job for a very good price.

P.S. It’s necessary to make an appointment.

Winter offers (valid till February 29th): Color treatment (incl. styling/cutting, blow-drying and treatment) for €49.35. Oil treatment (incl. styling/cutting and bottle of oil) for €29.03

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Kappersakademie | Relaxing | Haircut € 11.35
Weteringschans 167 | Center | +31206263430
Mon – Tue & Fri 09:00 – 16:30, Wed – Thu 09:00 – 19:00, Sat 09:00 – 15:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

On the edge of the city, between the suburb ‘Buitenveldert’ and the city of Amstelveen, on the banks of the river Amstel, you’ll find this ideal spot for some self-reflection. It only consists of a stretch of grass with a statue of the painter Rembrandt, a couple of park benches placed around it and a old mill, called ‘de Riekermolen’. I used to live on a student campus close by, passing this spot many times. Especially on my way back home from an evening out I used to stop here. Nowadays it’s still on the route of my favourite duration course (running).

Why this place offers me the moment of self-reflection? I think it’s because of it’s plain beauty. The whole year through you can watch walkers, runners, cyclists, rowers and boats passing by. Between April and September you can also cross the river with a little ferry (only for pedestrians and bikes). On one side of it you have a bar-restaurant called ‘Het Klein kalfje’ (originally a tollhouse and afterwards an inn) with a very nice terrace and on the otherside you’ll find the Amstel park.

The mill, dated back to 1636, was placed here in 1961, when it had to move from it’s original location in the west of Amsterdam. The statue was placed here in 1969 to commemorate the 300th dying day of the painter, who liked to paint alongside the banks of the river.

I guess I’m not the only one who found this spot captivating, so you might find that too!

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Amsteldijk | Relaxing
Amsteldijk | South
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

Cheap is the new expensive, especially when you’re on a tight budget. And like some of you, I’m often on a tight budget as well. But when you really look for it, you can find ‘luxurious’ things for a decent (read: affordable) price as well. For me, one of the comfortable things in life is enjoying a nice sauna from time to time.

The simpler saunas in the city centre already ask €15 – €20 per visit. And even more when it comes with a lot of (in my opinion) unnecessary finery. Recently I finally found a sauna for under 10 euros. This one is located in an old bath house in the neighbourhood called ‘Oud West’, just outside the city centre. Bath houses where very common in Amsterdam till the 70′s when private bathrooms became more popular and affordable. Almost all bath houses closed down. But with the help of volunteers, residents and benefactors this one was saved.

Don’t expect the same treatment you’ll find at the upscale saunas in the city: no satin dressing-gowns, scrubbing salt or silky lotions are available. But if you’re more then satisfied with the single use of the sauna, you don’t need those things (and you don’t need to pay for them as well). A no-nonsense, low-priced sauna for the common people of the area… and you.

Nb. Tuesday is women’s day… no men are allowed in!

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Badhuis Da Costa | Relaxing | Entrance (evening) € 9.50
Da Costakade 200 | Center | +31206125946
Mon – Tue & Thu – Sat 14:00 – 22:30, Sun 14:30 – 21:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

Monday evening, heavy clouds, raining. Not in the mood to go out into town, but still fancy a beer. So, luckily Club 8 is around the corner. Not that I am a fanatic pool player. But I like – even if I don’t play – the atmosphere at Club 8. People who are concentrated, and busy with something, but relaxed. Not as in some hip or less hip places in the center, noisy and overcrowded.

Pool billiard: there are 19 pool tables and 3 snooker tables. Enough to keep the waiting time down to a minimum. Actually the Club is internationally renowned, and sometimes there are international competitions.

But there’s more than pool: the whole upper floor is the actual club floor: all kinds of party events, “Kill All Hipsters” putting their hats here once in a month, next to what they do in Bitterzoet (read the article), or in Berlin.

But now – it’s Monday evening, no club night – well I don’t need to, tonight, I just sit here on one of the old couches, petting the old fat cat that calls this place her home, watch them play pool, and joking around with my buddies. Enjoy the beer.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Club 8 | Bars, Relaxing | 1 Hour pool € 9.50
Admiraal de Ruijterweg 56b | West | +31206851703
Sun -Tue 12:00 – 03:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 04:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

The old stadium of the 1928 Olympic Games is of course an important landmark in its own right. Built in the ‘Amsterdam School‘ style the somewhat rectangular complex is rather impressively plump more than it is an overwhelming beauty. Nevertheless, the stadium is a fine example of the style familiar for its rectilinear composition and no-nonsense use of materials, very popular in the first half of the 20th century. 

There are a lot of different activities hosted in the stadium. As an active runner I especially like to participate in one of the sporty ones. First of all, because it’s fun. Secondly, because it’s free of charge. Every second Friday of the month runners’ club Phanos organizes a duration course. In different groups (with tempos varying from 9 till 13 km/h) two or three ‘pacers’, which will dictate the assigned running speed, head out on the road with anyone who’s willing to follow. It’s up to you to choose which group you wanna follow, but keep in mind that the group will keep its assigned tempo… with or without you.

Starting at 19:30 with a communal warming-up, every group will run a route that takes them approximately an hour, till they are safely back at the same spot they started. Afterwards you can enjoy a well-deserved revitalizing (free) drink at the entrance gate of the stadium. For other drinks or snacks you can visit the Phanos canteen inside the stadium.

So find those old sneakers and join! Next runs are February 10th, March 9th and April 13th.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Free Friday Night Run | Relaxing, Festivals & events | Free
Olympisch Stadion 2 | South
Second Friday of the month 19:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Madelien Schippers

This place is one of my favourite squares in Amsterdam, due to the big green lawn and it being less busy in comparison with the Vondelpark. Nowhere in Amsterdam will you find a square of this size. Museumplein (“museum square”) is a place where youngsters, students, elderly and tourists all come together to enjoy the green, play sports or read a book on one of the many benches.

The museum square is surrounded by the three big museums, namely: the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Rijksmuseum. And on the other side of the street you will find the beautiful Concert Building.

The lawn was recently renewed with a new grass-field. They say the grass is so strong that it will easily hold all the upcoming events on the square with thousands of people. Under the elevated shaped triangle lawn, also called the donkey ear, there is a supermarket where you can buy some refreshments.

You can also go to the Cobra café close to the Rijksmuseum, where they serve some great sandwiches and they have a big busy terrace! In the summer you will find a big pond which turns into a cool ice rink in the winter, next to this cafe.

So combine some culture and relaxation at the museum square, since they are just minutes away from each other!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Museumplein | Art & culture, Relaxing, Theaters | Free
Museumplein | South
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by M-J. Meyer zu Schlochtern

Great place to loosen the aching muscles! In this wet country, it is a treat to give yourself this present, the Corpus Rub.

In this cozy and warm studio in Oud-Zuid you can enjoy a relaxing massage. They offer a width range of massages from Classic Therapeutic Massage to Hot Stone Massage and even a pregnancy massage.

I enjoy the place very much and afterwards I am always mentally refreshed and physical relaxed and a bit tired. The couple that runs this Corpus Rub, recently opened a second place at the Leliegracht in the old centre. It is advisable to make reservations for a good rub job!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Corpus Rub Massage Studio | Relaxing | Per hour € 62.50
Van Breestraat 72 hs | South | +31204165055
Mon 09:00 – 17:00, Tue – Sun 11:00 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Patty de Gruiter

As the picture shows already, it’s great weather since the sun is shining, however it is almost freezing cold… I parked my bike at the start of Westerpark and walked ahead to the petting farm. A lot of children are over there and there’s a small playground for them to play in. Throughout the park there are nice spots for a picnic in the summer and jog in the winter.

Further along the stream and since the coffee place was overcrowded, I headed back to my bike. A lane with trees on both sides made me feel I was not in Amsterdam. At the end I thought, just go left into the field for a shortcut. I shouldn’t have done this…

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Westerpark | Relaxing | Free
Westerpark | West
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Patty de Gruiter

With fall and winter coming up, this is a great time to walk. Leaves are falling down, sporting great colours and just looking over the water and feeding the ducks is relaxing.

You can walk along the Amstel, starting at the Waterlooplein. If you walk on the Waterlooplein side of the Amstel towards the East, you pass:

- the Hermitage, a cultural and historical museum that opened June 20, 2009.- Carre, the most beautiful theater in the Netherlands,- the Amstel Hotel, the most prestigious hotel of the World,- after that a long boulevard with bridges, trees, people jogging, restaurants and bycicles,- and after a long walk, you just walk out of Amsterdam right into the small village of Oudekerk aan de Amstel. This is really a picture perfect village and a must go to.

If you really want to have a nice dinner, make a reservation at Brasserie Paardenburg by chef Herman den Blijker. Do not forget to bring your wallet!

Personally, I love to walk along the Amstel when there is nobody in the early morning on Sunday. I will bring my book, sit, relax, read and watch people passing by. After that, just go in and drink a coffee. This is my perfect Sunday morning!!!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Walking down the Amstel | Relaxing | Free
Amstel | Center
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam