Concertgebouw

The Concertgebouw is Amsterdam's principal concert hall and one of the best-known in the world of classical music. Designed by Adolf Leonard van Gendt, it opened on 11 April 1888 at what was then the edge of the city, and it has been the home of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra since the orchestra's founding. The neoclassical building, topped by a golden lyre, stands at the southern end of Museumplein.

The Main Hall seats 1,974 and is admired by musicians and audiences alike for its warm, clear acoustics. Its walls carry the names of composers, and the orchestra sits on a steep stage with a staircase that soloists and conductors descend in full view of the audience. The smaller Recital Hall is used for chamber music and song recitals, and together the two halls host hundreds of concerts a year.

The programme centres on orchestral and chamber music, with performances by the resident orchestra, visiting international orchestras and soloists, but it also includes jazz, world music and family concerts. The Sunday Morning Concert series offers an hour of music at a more relaxed time of day, and it is a good way to experience the hall if evening tickets are hard to come by.

A concert here suits music lovers, couples looking for a special evening, and visitors who want something different from the museums. There is no formal dress code for most concerts; smart casual clothing is typical. Tickets are sold online and through the box office, and the ticket line answers phone enquiries daily from 10am to 5pm. Popular concerts sell out, so book as soon as you know your dates, and check the website for any guided tours of the building.

The Concertgebouw is a few minutes' walk from the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk, so it is easy to combine an afternoon of art with an evening concert. Trams stop on Van Baerlestraat beside the building. Restaurants and cafés around Museumplein and in Oud-Zuid are within walking distance for dinner before a performance, and Vondelpark is just to the north-west. Arrive in good time before a concert, as the foyers fill up quickly in the half hour before the music starts.