ART: Amsterdam Nightlife

Amsterdam has no forbidden fruit! The nightlife of Amsterdam has a world wide reputation because of this – as here, anything goes. One has mental images about the scene at night in Amsterdam; seedy areas, bright neon lights, gay bars, drugs and of course the windows in the Red Light District. In reality it is not as tawdry as you may imagine.

Leidseplein is a good area to be out at night. It is packed with restaurants and bars and you start your night of pub crawling right here. The city is famous for its pubs and clubs and you won’t disappointed. The city is one big party zone with a choice of places offering techno, lounge and retro music. Some have live bands others have DJ’s who were on the groove all night. Most places are open till 3 am. Popular places like Sinners have a theme party every week and the best DJ’s are in action here. The themes are usually based on a genre of music and hence are universally popular. The place is jam packed with people from all over the world.

The American and Irish bars are also full of tourists letting their hair down. Smoking of all kinds is allowed in Amsterdam bars and clubs. Soft drugs like hash and grass are freely available as their use is not prohibited in this city either.

It seems that eventually, all roads lead to the Red Light District. Though it is not far from the train station we you can get lost finding our way through the maze of streets. Good areas to check out on your way are the Central Canal Ring, Centre Dam, Jordaan and Nieuwmarkt.

Some of the windows were on two floors with the more beautiful on the higher floor. Like we said it is all upfront here in Amsterdam – nothing furtive about window shopping or more!

ART: London's West End

London's West End houses some of the major theaters of London, so much so that the term ‘West End’ has now became synonymous with the London theatre scene. There is not only a wide variety of theatres in the West End but also many cinemas, clubs, shops and restaurants.

London's West End has been a popular place of residence among the rich and famous and most of the area comes under the City of Westminster. The West End developed through the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where Royal palaces, expensive town houses, fashionable shops and places of entertainment sprung up all over the area.

Oxford Street, Regent Street, Charing Cross Road, Bond Street, The Strand are some the most famous streets linking to Trafalgar Square, Berkeley Square, Grosvenor Square, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus. The main shopping areas are Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Bond Street and around Knightsbridge. Liberty's, Selfridges, Harrods, John Lewis and Debenham's are the five biggest department stores. Since it opened in 1875, Liberty’s has captured the hearts of shoppers around the world and it’s housed in two magnificent buildings. At Liberty's you can shop till you drop for cutting-edge style; from cosmetics and jewellery through to home and fashion.

Most of the commercial theaters of London are located in the West End. These include St Martin’s Theatre, Queen’s Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Fortune Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre, Dominion Theatre, Savoy Theatre and Cambridge Theatre. The theaters at the West End have a history of long running shows like The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre is running for 54 Years and The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre is running for 20 Years.

London's West End also boasts some many famous bars and cubs including Alphabet Bar located at Beak Street which is a great place for enjoying cocktails. The Corner Store at Wellington Street offers everything you want from drinks to dance and food. This place gives you a very relaxing atmosphere. The Coach and Horses at Greek Street had been popular among the famous writers and actors in the past.

ART: Sydney Entertainment

Today's Sydney is a mixture of modern skyscrapers and old buildings from the British colonial period. Just move around the city of Sydney and you will find a wide range of fun & entertainment, beautiful beaches, bars and restaurants.

The area from Darling Harbor to Kings Cross, Oxford Street to The Rocks is full of great pubs, jazz haunts, rock venues and nightclubs. Only in Sydney is the Minus 5° bar world famous. The whole room, the bar itself, tables, chairs, stools - even the curtains at Minus 5° bar are made of ice. Even with the parkas, hats and gloves one can not stay more than 30 minutes in this bar. Dining at the 360 Bar and Dining Room at the top of Sydney Tower offers not only great food but some of the best views across Sydney. Lowenbrau is another place for the fun loving people, where beer and fun flows freely throughout the year. Another attraction of Sydney is IMAX Theatre, which is screening 3D and 2D films on the world’s biggest screen.

Water is obviously a major attraction in Sydney and there are plenty of things to do other than go to many of the city’s beaches. These can include a ferry ride places like Manly, Darling Harbor, and Taronga Zoo or the River Cat to Parramatta and around the Sydney Harbor or Sydney's Northern Beaches. You can also book world-class cruises, such as Harbor Cruises, Matilda Cruises, and Captain Cook Cruises.

One of the major attractions of Sydney is The Sydney Entertainment Center located by the side of Darling Harbor. This center has hosted some of the big names in the field of entertainment. Major museums include The Rocks Discovery Museum, which is located in Kendall Lane, the Susannah Place Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Sydney city center is around the Harbor which is crossed by one of the city's most famous landmarks—Sydney Harbor Bridge. Here you can enjoy one of the most breathtaking views across the harbor with the Opera House and bridge in full view. Sydney also has around 37 beautiful beaches spreading across North Palm in the north and down to the Cronulla in the south. The two best-known beaches are Bondi and Manly.

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ART: Berlin Charlottenburg & Mitte

Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a city that continues to change and evolve. After the collapse of the Wall in 1989, Berlin has since continued to grow and has been compared to other major cities such as London in terms of atmosphere and energy.

There are many areas of the city that are considered to be important sights to visit. One of these is Charlottenburg. The centre of West Berlin when city was still divided, Charlottenburg has been a haven for artists and other such innovators since the 1920’s. There are many very charming and beautiful cafes and restaurants in this area that provide great resting points for people watching.

Now the real heart of Berlin is Mitte. Home to some of the best classically designed architectural buildings in the city located on the Museum Island, you’ll also find the Brandenburg Gate which is probably the most well-known landmark in Berlin, it now stands as a symbol of the reunification of the two sides of this great city. In addition to this, there are many good shops with great buys. The nightlife in this area is also in full force with many bars and clubs.

To find out more about Berlin areas please visit our about Berlin section.