paroolOct 10, 2026, 01:00

The year of young internet pioneers, bagels and coffee to go: was 1996 the year Amsterdam became a metropolis?

The year 1996 is highlighted as a transformative period for Amsterdam, marked by significant infrastructure projects like the Amsterdam Arena and the initial planning for the Noord/Zuidlijn. This era also saw the launch of the Canal Parade and the rise of new cultural trends that helped shift the city toward a more metropolitan status.

Culture Lifestyle Amsterdam Netherlands

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Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

The Bear has nothing on this: inside the kitchen of the award-winning Cradam

Café-Restaurant Amsterdam is celebrating its anniversary while managing a high-volume service that sees around six hundred reservations on weekend days. The kitchen staff maintains a fast-paced environment to handle the constant influx of food orders.

'The worst part? That the whole street watched as they followed me and called me names': this is what everyday violence against queer people in Amsterdam looks like

Five queer residents of Amsterdam have shared personal testimonies describing a rising climate of hate, intimidation, and violence against the LGBTQ+ community. These individuals report that anti-queer sentiment is becoming increasingly normalized among both youth and adults throughout the Netherlands.

Devanshu (34) from Mumbai left Amsterdam twice but kept coming back: 'I was welcomed here with open arms'

Devanshu Dalmia, a 34-year-old from Mumbai, has moved to Amsterdam twice for work and chose to return both times because he felt welcomed. He is now focused on raising awareness about the high levels of stress and burnout affecting people in the city.

ADE 2026: these are the best free parties

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) 2026 features a wide array of free events across the city, including pop-up parties, art exhibitions, and industry mixers. The diverse program offers music and cultural experiences at various unique locations from Tuesday through Sunday.

Kluun (62) finds Amsterdam too tidy and well-behaved: ‘If you compare the Amsterdam of today to the city of twenty years ago, you think: what happened?!’

Author Kluun expresses disappointment with the changing, overly polite nature of modern Amsterdam, contrasting it with the grittier city of twenty years ago. He also advocates for linguistic evolution, criticizing those who reject modern street slang while having previously supported earlier forms of language innovation.