Nicknamed 'Amsterdam's living room', this splendid art nouveau 1902 grand café is in the Amsterdam American Hotel. Its huge stained-glass windows overlook Leidseplein; within, it's all potted palms, whirring fans and dizzyingly high ceilings. High teas (noon to 5pm; €26.50) are especially atmospheric; you must book 24 hours ahead.

The terrace is popular for cocktails on summer evenings.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Hard Rock Hotel Amsterdam American

0.01 MILES

This building is a magnificent art nouveau beast. The founder of the original hotel, Cornelis Alidus Anne (CAA) Steinigeweg had helped establish a Dutch…

2. Little Woodcutter

0.06 MILES

Hidden up in the Leidsebosje parkland's closest tree to the pedestrian crossing on Stadhouderskade (where it intersects with Leidseplein) is an endearing…

3. Leidseplein

0.07 MILES

Historic architecture, beer, clubs and steakhouses – welcome to Leidseplein. The square is always busy, but after dark it gets thronged by a mainstream…

4. Blauw Jan

0.12 MILES

There's a surprise waiting in Kleine Gartmanplantsoen park: 40 huge, lifelike lizards nestled in the grass and sunning themselves on the brickwork. It's a…

5. Vondelpark

0.15 MILES

Attracting over 12 million visitors per year, Amsterdam’s favorite playground is the green expanse of Vondelpark, with its 116 acres (47 hectares) of…

6. Amsterdam Pipe Museum

0.17 MILES

This museum is located in the grand 17th-century canal house of the marvellously single-minded pipe collector who gathered this unexpectedly fascinating…

7. Diamond Museum

0.3 MILES

The extensive bling on display at the small, low-tech Diamond Museum is all clever recreations. You get a lot of background on the history of the trade…

8. Huis Marseille

0.31 MILES

Large-scale temporary exhibitions from its own collection are staged at this well-curated photography museum, which also hosts travelling shows. Themes…