"A visit to Amsterdam would certainly be incomplete without a concert at the Royal Concertgebouw. We programme more than 700 concerts a year, and it's not just the orchestra you have to see, but also exceptional acoustics of the building. Located on Museumplein, it faces the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. To avoid the crowds in front of the building La Ronde de nuit or La LaitièreIf you're looking for a more unspoilt place to visit, I highly recommend the Van Loon Museum. This is a patrician house from the 17th century.e This is one of those quiet, luxurious canal houses that plunge you into the refinement of yesteryear.
Not far from there, I like to have lunch at Le Breda, a restaurant that also faces a canal. It is an elegant but informal venuewhich is perfect for a business meal. You can also opt for Incanto, an excellent Italian restaurant, or Assaggi, in the slightly bohemian Jordaan district, with a magnificent view of the Westerkerk, a church from the Dutch Golden Age.
If you're in this area, you can walk to Central Station and take the ferry to the Eye Filmmuseum, one of Amsterdam's new landmark buildings, a sort of white ship on the water. It's a great way to get away from the city for a while. But you can also explore less central areas, such as the West End. That's where you'll find De Hallen, a fully renovated former tram depot which now houses a cinema, shops and, above all, a hall dedicated to gastronomy.
If you want to bring home a typical Amsterdam gift, why not visit Bloemenmarkt, the flower market that has been open since 1862? Of course, it's a touristy place and you won't find many cut flowers there any more, but tulip onions in all colours. Personally, I love wandering around the ZuiderMRKT on Saturday mornings, a small neighbourhood market just behind the Concertgebouw.
In Utrecht, I never fail to climb the 465 steps leading up to the Dom bell tower, the highest in the Netherlands. To reward yourself for your efforts, you can go to Eetwinkel Dado, a gourmet shop where you can find all sorts of tapas, wines and cheeses. But when I have a business meal, I stick to the Podium restaurant, which overlooks a magnificent garden. The chef, Leon Mazairac, trained at Ducasse and the Pré Catelan. His cuisine, with lots of seafood and some Japanese accents, is a real treat."
