Sports in Amsterdam
Other than being known as one of the major European city hubs for business, tourism, and culture, Amsterdam is also known as the “City of Sports”. Sports in Amsterdam is a big part of the city culture as it has dedicated venues for athletic activities such as indoor and outdoor swimming pools for water sports, ice skating rinks, multiple cycling routes and a plethora of fitness health centers and gyms. The popular sports in Amsterdam include football, basketball, cycling and ice skating among others. The city is also home to famous athletes such as football player, Johan Cruijif; cyclist Gerrie Kneteman; and basketball coach and player, Ton Boot.
Amsterdam Sports Scene
Like many of its brother European countries, Amsterdam boasts of its passion for football in the presence of Ajax Amsterdam. This famous football sports club stationed in the city were declared national champions 27 times and even won the World cup once or twice. At present, the club has made the Ultra modern ArenA Zuid-Oost it's home, a sports stadium in Amsterdam that can seat over 50,000 football fans.
Cycling is also another popular sports in Amsterdam. The city has a lot of beautiful and challenging cycling routes that you could choose from. Some of the most popular of these are the Zandvoort route, which will take you to a picturesque road from a national park to a medieval town and ending in the coast; and Ouder Kerk ann de Amstel route, a one-hour cycling journey through green pastures and country towns near the city.
Other than the mainstream sports like football and cycling, other popular outdoor sports in Amsterdam include freerunning, outdoor fitness, rowing and canoeing, yoga, skating and ultimate frisbee.
Major Sports Events in Amsterdam
The Amsterdam Marathon has been hosted by the city annually in the third Sunday of October since 1975. The 42-kilometer event has been renowned as the fastest marathon in the world in 2018. The main highlights of the marathon are the opening and finish at the prestigious Olympic stadium. The Amsterdam marathon will also highlight along its way some of the most enchanting places in the city such as the monumental building of the Rijksmuseum, the Vondelpark which is the largest in the city, the Amstel River, and the Zuidas which is characterized as the newest part of the city with its high-rise offices and apartments. Another famous marathon in Amsterdam is the Mizuno Halve Marathon which is a 27-kilometer run around the city.
Other sporting events in Amsterdam include the Jumping Amsterdam equestrian event in January, Challenge Almere-Amsterdam for cycling and Amsterdam City Swim in September, and Amsterdam Sevens Rugby in May.
Popular Sports Bars in Amsterdam
The number one quoted and beloved sports bar in Amsterdam is Belushi’s. The bar is said to play at all hours of the day various top sporting events – from football, basketball, up to boxing and wrestling. The bar offers happy hour deals, group packages and a wonderful range of international beers to accompany you game sports binge watching.
Other frequented sports bars in Amsterdam are Coco’s Outback with its 26 televisions screens, the Satellite Sportscafe’s and its dozens of tv screens and unlimited ribs, and the great atmosphere and meat-lover’s menu of the Butcher Social Club.
