The Dylan Amsterdam

ALL-TIME FAVORITES

Noordermarkt

Below the ‘Noorderkerk’, one of the cities most beautiful squares, the Noordermarkt takes place on Mondays and Saturdays. This market has a tradition that originated in the 17th century. Together with other markets in Amsterdam the Noordermarkt was of great importance for the development and flourishing of the city in the golden age. Don’t miss out on the best apple pie of the city at Winkel 43.

Begijnhof

The Begijnhof is one of Amsterdam’s best known almshouses. It consist of a group of houses built around a secluded courtyard and garden which provided modest homes for the Beguines – a group of unmarried religious women who lived together in a close community under vows of chastity.

Moco Museum

The Moco Museum is a boutique museum with a wide range of inspiring modern and contemporary art. With artist like Banksy, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, visitors are offered an unparalleled collection of subversive art in which irony and humor are used to reflect on modern society.

The Concertgebouw

Bernard Haitink once praised The Concertgebouw as the best instrument of the orchestra that it houses. The swampy fields just outside the city limits boasted a wonder of neoclassic architecture, The Concertgebouw. Nowadays, just like the celebrated Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, this fantastic concert hall enjoys worldwide renown.

Wynand Fockink

The  Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal and liquor store can be found in the in the Pijlsteeg, an alley behind the National Monument on the Dam square in Amsterdam. Wynand Fockink produces more than 70 Dutch liqueurs and jenevers which can be tasted in the authentic 17th century traditional craft methods.

Café Hoppe

Café Hoppe has been located on the Spui since 1670. The café has something unique, indescribable, that speaks to the imagination of many-young and old-who come back every time. Come along for a drink on a Friday afternoon and you’ll see what they mean.

Pllek

Pllek is a sit back place across ‘t IJ for people to meet others, to get to know other cultures and insights. There is live music, international films, yoga classes, art expositions, workshops, mini-festivals and more during the whole year.

Van Stapele Koekmakerij

The cozy, warm atmosphere of the shop will briefly take you back to Amsterdam of yesteryear. The aroma of freshly backed cookies slowly drifts in the air, you hear the soft piano music and light reflected through crystal chandeliers sparkles down on rows of delicious homemade cookies.

A House called Marseille

#TheDylanSuggests a visit to Huis Marseille, located on the beloved Keizersgracht, just a stone’s throw away from The Dylan. Huis Marseille is the very first museum of photography in Amsterdam. Nanda van den Berg has been the director of Huis Marseille for almost seven years now and is delighted to tell you all about this unique museum.

Tell us a bit about yourself..
My name is Nanda van den Berg. I’ve been the director of Huis Marseille since October 2014. I joined the museum as its head curator in 2011, after working as an acquisitions editor at a literary publishing house and as a lecturer of fashion and fashion history at two art academies, in Amsterdam and Arnhem. I studied art history in Utrecht and graduated in Surrealist Photography. Photography has always been a leitmotif in everything I do. A museum, especially Huis Marseille, is one of the greatest places to work, in my opinion

In one sentence, what does Huis Marseille stand for?
Huis Marseille stands for the best photography exhibitions in a beautiful seventeenth century setting.

Tell us a bit about the history of Huis Marseille. How did it become the well-known museum it is today?
Huis Marseille is a privately funded museum that opened its doors to the public in September 1999. For the founder, the building at Keizersgracht 401 is important because of its deep-rooted connection with his family history (which can be read in the book “A house called Marseille” by Caroline Hanken). Huis Marseille collects contemporary photography and works with living artists. It does not manage archives. It was the first-ever photography museum in Amsterdam, and the collection is distinguished by its focus on South African, Japanese and Dutch photography. In recent years, the collection has also included fashion photographers with a clear interest in art photography, such as Viviane Sassen, Jamie Hawkesworth and Coco Capitán. We also pay close attention to diaspora, for instance through the purchase and exhibition of Deana Lawson’s work. Huis Marseille distinguishes itself from other photography museums through its collection and exhibition policy and has thereby established a leading national and international reputation.

Do you have a secret about the museum you can share with us?
Secrets are meant to be kept secret, of course, but what I can share is that very few people know that our offices at the front of the building offer some of the best views of Amsterdam!

What do you like most about your workplace? Do you have a favourite spot?
Huis Marseille is a very special, organic building, which on one hand feels residential – its original function – and on the other hand is like a kind of soukh, with its labyrinthine corridors, staircases, and rooms. The structure of the house enables us to tell stories and use the different rooms as ‘chapters’ in exhibitions, which is something I really love. Huis Marseille is the opposite of a ‘white cube’; I like this aspect of the museum the most. And my office is my favourite spot, because of its beautiful views!

Can you tell us a bit about the latest exhibition?
For Infinite Identities. Photography in the Age of Sharing we invited eight artists I follow on Instagram, all of whom use the platform as an additional, digital layer in the process of their work. For example, they use it to communicate about their work, to make work exclusively for it, to use it as an archive, or to reveal their sources of inspiration. The eight selected artists were invited to make a museum presentation of their autonomous work, but Instagram itself – and the influence that this medium has already had on the artistic and communicative development of photography – is the context in which the exhibition is embedded.

Interested in visiting Huis Marseille? Our Clefs d’Or concierges are ready to assist with making arrangements.

Amsterdam: Gold Edition

As soon as leaves start to color, shades of amber and gold emerge, painting Amsterdam with a pallette that seems to have sprung from the brush of a Dutch Master.  Get inspired by our concierges in this insider's guide to Amsterdam this fall.

The city of canals is a year-round destination, but as soon as the leaves start to color, shades of amber, rust and gold emerge, painting the city with a warm palette that seems to have sprung from the brush of a Dutch master. Get inspired by our Les Clefs d’Or concierge and discover which of the city’s highlights are best visited now the days are getting shorter…

Did you know that Amsterdam is one of the leafiest cities in Europe? With over 400.000 trees, autumn is the perfect time to enjoy a stroll through the parks or along the canals to admire the foliage. The famous Vondelpark would be the nearest and within walking distance, or use one of The Dylan’s Roetz bikes. Navigate to Lomanstraat afterwards and capture the perfect fall picture to send to the homefront. The woods of ”het Amsterdamse bos” is where you’ll find most locals collecting chestnuts.

For nature lovers alike, ride to the trendy Eastern part of Amsterdam and visit Hortus Botanicus, which is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. During fall, their Japanese maple trees turn into a magical shade of crimson that is not to be missed. Their large greenhouses will also feel like a very welcoming warm blanket, as fall can get a bit chilly in Amsterdam.

Talking about the weather, inevitably, the Dutch weather does enjoy some occasional variation. We might even leave out the word occasional here. While some may see it as a good reason to stay in and enjoy OCCO’s acclaimed High Wine at the fireplace, one may also consider it an invitation to explore the city’s cozier corners.

The most tranquil and intimate way to admire the season’s golden glow would be a private boat tour. For a true sense of place, take your waterborne adventure a step further and set sail to the fisherman’s village of Durgerdam, which takes about an hour or so. The town, with its traditional wooden houses and serene harbor feels like a step back in time, it’s an escape from the crowds and a slice of authentic Dutch life. Enjoy a late lunch at restaurant De Mark and take a taxi back to The Dylan.

Another recommended to-do on a drizzly day would be to immerse yourself in the city’s rich and diverse art scene. Just around the corner on the Prinsengracht, you can find contemporary art gallery Ron Mandos. On display are the a new series of Curaçao-based photographer Gilleam Trapenberg and new work of the Viennese artist duo Muntean & Rosenblum (until 29 October). From 11 November onwards, Cuban born Inti Hernandez will present new sculptures and, for the first time, paintings. The same date marks the opening for ‘The Permanent Journey’ at the gallery, a group exhibition of 11 Cuban artists.

Enthused by all contemporary art? Continue your way photography museums Huis Marseille and FOAM, or to the visually appealing Moco museum for somewhat more provocative and edgy works of artists such as Banksy, Kusama and Basquiat.

As interesting as the avant-garde art scene is in Amsterdam, the city’s art heritage also offers a profound connection to the past. Journey from the cutting-edge galleries of today to the hallowed halls of museums where time seems to have stand still, as you delve into the world of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Hals at the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh or the H’ART, the former Hermitage.

The annual PAN art fair offers a vast array of art, antiques and design for both seasoned collectors and casual art enthusiasts alike (19 -26 November). Not in town over these dates specifically? Try your luck at one of the galleries at the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.

Delight in a tasteful season

Autumn is not just a prelude to winter, but a symphony of rich flavours that mark the start of a tasteful season. From plump pumpkins and tart apples, to earthy root vegetables and beautiful game. Time to pull out your coziest sweaters and get ready to dive into a season that promises comfort, joy and an abundance of delicious produce. But where to find all this good stuff? We’ve asked some of our team members to suggest some of their favorite places.

First on the list should definitely be the Noordermarkt, a market in the Jordaan neighbourhood, next to the Prinsengracht canal at the Noorderkerk (North Church). Its roots date back to the seventeenth century and the market has been of great importance for the development and flourishing of Amsterdam in the Golden Age. Each Saturday and Monday morning, you’ll find many locals here, sourcing the best seasonal produce such as fruits, mushrooms, nuts and many other delicacies. A very lively sight. Warm up with a hot chocolate or coffee at the closeby Winkel 43 where you can find the best apple pie in town.

Say the words ‘Holland’ and ‘food’ in one sentence one immediately thinks of cheese. Just around the corner of The Dylan you’ll find cheeseroom De Kaaskamer, with whom we have a long standing partnership as our main cheese supplier. In January last year, they joined forces with their neighbours across the street at De Doffer, a brown café where you can often find someone from our team enjoying
a well-deserved beer and a bitterbal after their shift. Together they’ve opened Smelt, pairing the best cheese from De Kaaskamer with the famous Dutch ”gezelligheid” (the warm and cosy atmosphere) of café De Doffer in a fondue restaurant. A lovely spot to enjoy a hearthwarming cheese fondue after a long day of sightseeing: a great Dutch take on the Swiss tradition.

Talking about brown cafés, the start of fall also marks the start of a new season of bock beer, a tradition that originated in the fourteenth century. These rich, dark beers with tones of chocolate, caramel and coffee are the perfect afternoon treat on a cold day. The best cafés to sample a bock beer from draft would be Cafe Gollem, which has six cafés all over Amsterdam, In de Wildeman, located in a former distillery, Café ‘t Papeneiland, a cosy corner-pub with a rich history dating back to 1642, and Proeflokaal ‘t Arendsnest, which offers a large beer selection, sourced exclusively from Dutch brewers.

After taking in the cities’ vibrant brown cafés, and potentially an afternoon nap, its time to head out for dinner. Most of the Amsterdam restaurants feature seasonal menus, of which many now reflect the rich
taste of autumn. Our favorites include Beulings, Verlan, Sinck, Brasserie van Baerle or RIJKS – the restaurant of the Rijksmuseum.

For an introduction to some of our colonial traditions, our recommendation would be to indulge yourself in an authenic Indonesian ricetable, a staple of the Dutch food scene. This rich tradition serves a wide array of dishes in one seating and is even officially classified to be immaterial heritage. Our concierges would be delighted to make reservations at Restaurant MAX in the closeby Herenstraat, Blue Pepper, or at Restaurant Blauw just off Vondelpark, which in our opinion offer the best ones in town.