Life on the green streets

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This was published 12 years ago

Life on the green streets

'Prettier than Paris' ... the UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal belt of Amsterdam.

'Prettier than Paris' ... the UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal belt of Amsterdam.Credit: Getty Images

Gabriella Le Breton is led up the garden path in Amsterdam.

It's my idea of a sightseeing dream come true: to stroll into some of the most stunning houses in one of the world's most beautiful cities and catch a glimpse of how the locals live.

On the third weekend of June, the owners of some of Amsterdam's finest 16th- and 17th-century canal houses will open their doors and gardens to the public as part of the annual "Open Tuinen Dagen" (Open Gardens Days) scheme.

Of course, if you're after gardens, there are museums with beautifully renovated and tended grachtentuinen (canal gardens) open to visitors all year. These include the Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis, Willet-Holthuysen Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam and Museum van Loon.

The first two have delightful gardens and provide accurate depictions of how the early owners of the canal houses lived, with original furniture and restored decor.

Furthermore, a handful of hotels located along the Grachtengordel (canal belt), such as the Pulitzer Hotel and the Canal House, have wonderful gardens in which you can enjoy tea and Dutch cakes, or a beer with hapjes (savoury snacks).

But I prefer walking through people's kitchens, sitting rooms and bedrooms to admire their gardens and it's this that makes Amsterdam's Open Gardens Days special.

The owners of 30 houses, offices and museums take great pleasure in sharing their places and appear to trust their guests implicitly. As one man who has participated in the Open Gardens scheme for 10 years tells me, he was once ticked off by a visitor, unaware he was addressing the garden's owner, for subtly trying to remove a slug from a hosta.

Once you have bought your €15 ($20) ticket and received a booklet with a map and brief description of each participating garden, you're free to roam the canal belt, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and drop into as many of the gardens as you like.

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Most follow traditional canal-garden style, with trimmed box hedges in symmetrical shapes and patterns flanked by hostas and ferns and dotted with geraniums, roses and hydrangeas.

The formality of the design was prompted by the fact they were viewed mostly from the first floor; the ground floor was historically the kitchen and staff quarters.

Once the initial impact of stepping into these delightful little gardens wears off, I'm struck by the peace within them. The tall canal houses block all sound from Amsterdam's streets and waterways and the urban hum is replaced by birdsong in centuries-old copper beech and chestnut trees.

By no means do all the gardens adhere to the traditional, formal layout, with some a riot of tumbling roses, wisteria and jasmine overhanging dense camellias, rhododendrons and hydrangeas. Much like Amsterdam itself, the diversity of the gardens reflects the somewhat split personality of the Dutch people: strict and regulated on the one hand and liberal and free-spirited on the other.

This dichotomy is probably nowhere more obvious than in the red light district, where some of the city's oldest and most beautiful houses are used by scantily clad prostitutes, who display themselves casually to prospective clients and curious passers-by while filing their nails.

Not everything about the area is so blatant. The district has one of Amsterdam's "secret" churches. Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic) is a schuilkerk (hidden church), built during the 17th century, when the Dutch Reformed Church banned Catholics and other religious dissenters from worshipping in public. Providing the worship was done in private, in an unmarked building, the Dutch Reformed Church chose to turn a blind eye and small churches came to be secreted away in private homes.

Another hidden church can be found in the Begijnhof, an enchanting mediaeval courtyard in which the Catholic church provided homes for women who were unmarried and devoutly religious but did not take vows. While the original chapel was ceded to English Presbyterians in the 17th century, two small dwellings opposite were converted into a secret chapel, enabling the women to continue their worship.

Today, the Begijnhof retains its sense of sanctuary; the tall, gracious gabled houses overlook peaceful lawns and is still the exclusive abode of unmarried or widowed women.

Looking behind the gables of Amsterdam at its hidden gardens, churches and history is one of the joys of exploring this lovely city. As I sang along with 17 Amsterdammers who had crammed into the tiny De Twee Zwaantjes cafe-bar one night, I couldn't have agreed more with the lyrics: "Geef mij maar Amsterdam, dat is mooier dan Parijs," which means, "Just give me Amsterdam, it's prettier than Paris."

FAST FACTS

Getting there

Emirates has a fare to Amsterdam for about $2050 low-season return from Sydney and Melbourne including tax. You fly to Dubai (14hr), then Amsterdam (7hr 20min).

Insider's tips

Take a boat tour to grasp the history and geography of Amsterdam's canals but then rent an electric sloep, a traditional wooden boat, to explore the canals by yourself. See sloepdelen.nl. Or try the new "Vinkeles on the Water" concept: guests staying at the Dylan Hotel can enjoy an intimate dinner prepared by Michelin-starred chef Dennis Kuipers and served on a restored canal boat.

For a genuine dose of Amsterdam life, drop into the pint-size De Twee Zwaantjes (Two Swans) pub (Prinsengracht 114). It hosts singalong nights on Mondays, salsa on Tuesdays and live music on Sundays.

Harry has been serving Amsterdammers breakfast in the cosy little Koffiehuis de Hoek (corner of Prinsengracht and Reestraat) for decades, making this a great spot to watch the world cycle by.

Join the locals for lunch at the excellent Singel 404 cafe (the name is the address), which serves enormous and well-priced open sandwiches, cakes and soups.

The I amsterdam City Card allows unlimited transport, free access to most museums, a free canal cruise and discounts in restaurants and shops. Available for 24 hours, 36 hours and 72 hours (€39, €49 and €59). See iamsterdam.com.

The Dylan is a glamorous boutique hotel in the heart of Amsterdam's canal belt and "de negen straatjes" (nine streets). Rooms feature original beams and fireplaces. Doubles from €325. At Keizersgracht 384; +31 020 530 2010; dylanamsterdam.com.

- The Telegraph, London

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