Amsterdam for The Thrill Seekers: a Friday-to-Monday weekend
Brick, black water, and a bell every quarter hour.
You see a city from its hills, its water and its bike lanes. Early starts, real sweat, a hike or a paddle out of town, and the best recovery meals in the place.
Friday: Skyline swing and a boulder wall
- A'DAM Lookout and Over the Edge swing
Take the free ferry behind Centraal, then ride the lift to a swing that goes out over the roof edge, 100 metres above the IJ. Not for the queasy.
- Bjoeks bouldering hall
A big converted warehouse of bouldering walls; rent shoes, pick a colour grade and burn off the jet lag with the regulars.
- Hotel de Goudfazant
A garage turned restaurant on the north bank with a short French menu and a big plate of whatever the kitchen is proud of; the recovery meal.
Saturday: Dunes and the sea
- Ride to Zandvoort
Rent a bike and take the signed route west through Haarlem and the dunes; about 40 km on flat cycle path with the wind your only opponent.
- Bloomingdale Bloemendaal aan Zee
A beach club in the dunes where a burger and a beer taste better after 40 km; it has a terrace on the sand and a wind-block.
- Frans Hals Museum
A stop on the ride back: Haarlem's old almshouse hung with the laughing cavaliers and the great militia portraits. Lock the bike by the door.
Sunday: Park run and a city beach
- Vondelpark loop
Two laps of the 2.5 km path under the plane trees before the city wakes; tip the bench-sitters a nod and keep to the right.
- Blijburg aan Zee
Amsterdam's own urban beach on the IJmeer: swim off the sand, kick a ball with the regulars and dry off on a sun lounger at the beach bar.
- Pllek
Welded shipping containers on a man-made beach, with fish and a burger on the menu; eat outside facing the IJ with a jumper on.
Monday: Amstel at dawn
- Amstel run to the Magere Brug
The towpath south from the Magere Brug is empty before nine: rowers, a heron, and the white bascule bridge as the turning point.
- Het Scheepvaartmuseum
The 1656 admiralty arsenal with a full-size East Indiaman moored outside; go below decks and count the hammock hooks.
- Hannekes Boom
A waterside shack of salvaged timber on the Oosterdok jetty; a sandwich and a beer before the airport train.