The spirit and style of Ibiza returns to Amsterdam for the third time with the popular Pacha Festival on 17 May, 2014. Get ready for music, entertainment and hippie market fun at Java Eiland from 12:00 to 23:00.

Perfectly positioned at various locations across the city, many of which are just minutes away from several of our Amsterdam holiday apartments, Amsterdam’s superb collection of iconic squares are all definitely worthy of a visit. Ranging from famous landmarks to nightlife hotspots, each individual square offers something for everyone who visits this truly remarkable city.

The Venice of the North is no doubt a special place on the jazz map of the world. Below is our selection of a couple of local venues to visit, drawn up to show you that even a short stay in Amsterdam is enough to get a quality experience of live trumpets, drums, keys, bass, and all that jazz…

If you are on a short stay in Amsterdam between 5 -9 March 2014 and you have a soft spot for a good party then you will enjoy the 5 Days Off music festival which is a yearly event with performances, club nights, cultural arts events and workshops at Melkweg, Paradiso and De Balie.

Do the Lovedance! One of the most important events in Amsterdam, surely not exclusively for the gay community, as part of the Wereld AIDS Nacht (the World AIDS Night). A must if you are visiting the city this year towards the last days of November.

Amsterdam’s China Town is well known for its impressive offer of exotic eateries and for being home to an incredibly beautiful Buddhist temple, but its fame is also given by the presence, in the suggestive Zeedijk, of a number of gay and gay-friendly venues.

The Amstel’s gay scene is surprisingly entertaining and surely an enjoyable alternative to the more mainstream gay areas of Amsterdam. And a wonderful sight on the city river will certainly touch the more romantic ones.

Enough about museums, canals, boat-trips and parks. It’s getting dark and it’s time for some drinks and 4/4 beats. Put on your heels and dive into Amsterdam’s fervent nightlife. The Reguliersdwarsstraat is the heart of the Dutch GLBT community, with an enviable history of its very own.

Located inside the mystical walls of a majestic 18th century old church building just off the famous Leidse Square, the Paradiso Club provides you with the ultimate music experience for a lovely evening adventure in central Amsterdam. The venue is hosting some of the biggest names in club music, as well bringing in indie and local artists while providing a diverse events genre for everyone's taste. Do not forget to check out the cultural activities that take place each week ranging from theatre performances to poetry or film productions.

This former newspaper office turned into a cultural highlight of Amsterdam is an absolute must visit during your stay in the Dutch Capital. The grand building used to serve as a publishing factory for one of the most leading newspapers in the Netherlands. This fact will strike you as obvious when entering Trouw; in the basement you still find some old newspaper presses left behind and the industrial atmosphere of the building is exquisitely combined with stylish decoration.