Active Pursuits

Should a steady diet of Indonesian rijsttafels, brown-cafe beers and jenevers, and exotic smokes in "coffeeshops" begin to take its toll, don't despair. Amsterdam has ways of making you work up some healthy sweat -- or at least of watching other people sweat. 

Bicycling

South of the city is Amsterdamse Bos, where you can rent bikes (tel. 020/644-5473; www.amsterdamsebos.nl; bus: 166, 170, or 172) for touring the woodland's paths. Of course, you can always do as Amsterdammers do and explore all those city bridges and canals by bicycle.

Bowling

If you find you just have to knock down a few pins, head to Knijn Bowling, Scheldeplein 3 (tel. 020/664-2211; www.knijnbowling.nl; tram: 12 or 25).

Fishing

Anglers should try the Bosbaan artificial lake (it's actually an Olympic rowing course) in Amsterdamse Bos, south of the city. You can get a license from AHV, Beethovenstraat 178 (tel. 020/626-4988; www.ahv.nl; tram: 5), open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 1pm, and Friday from 1 to 5pm.

Fitness Centers

If you don't want to neglect your exercise routine, there are many available centers. Good ones belong to the minichain Splash (www.splashhealthclubs.nl), with branches at Looiersgracht 26-30 (tel. 020/624-8404; tram: 7, 10, or 17) and Lijnbaansgracht 241 (tel. 020/422-0280; tram: 7 or 10).

Golf

There are public golf courses in or near Amsterdam at 9-hole Golfbaan Sloten, Sloterweg 1045 (tel. 020/614-2402; www.golfbaansloten.nl; bus: 145); 18-hole Waterlandse Golf Club, Buikslotermeerdijk 141 (tel. 020/636-1010; www.waterlandsegolfclub.nl; bus: 31, 33, or 38); and Golfbaan Spaarnwoude, Het Hoge Land 2, Spaarnwoude (tel. 020/538-5599; www.golfbaanspaarnwoude.nl; bus: 82). Call ahead for greens fees and tee times.

Horseback Riding

From the comfort of its upper-floor cafe, watch horses being put through their paces in a sawdust-strewn arena at the regal De Hollandsche Manege, Vondelstraat 140 (tel. 020/618-0942; www.dehollandschemanege.nl; tram: 1). Opened in 1882, this fusion of plaster, marble, and gilded mirrors was designed by Concertgebouw architect Adolf Leonard van Gendt and inspired by Vienna's Spanish Riding School. In addition to being a spectator, you can ride. Trot along to edge-of-town Hippisch Centrum Sonnenburgh, Nieuwe Kalfjeslaan 25 (tel. 020/643-1342; bus: 142, 166, 170, 171, or 172); or to nearby Manege Nieuw Amstelland, Jan Tooropplantsoen 17 (tel. 020/643-2468; www.nieuwamstelland.nl; bus: 142, 166, 170, 171, or 172).

Ice-Skating

All those Dutch paintings of people skating and sledding -- not to mention the story of Hans Brinker and his silver skates -- will surely get you thinking about skating on Amsterdam's ponds and canals. However, doing this won't be easy unless you're willing to shell out for a new pair of skates, since very few places rent them. One that does is Jaap Eden IJsbanen, Radioweg 64 (tel. 0900/724-2287; www.jaapeden.nl; tram: 9), from November to February, and they even allow you to take skates out of their marvelous outdoor rink, which is popular in wintertime. Unless you're highly competent, watch out for the long lines of speed skaters practicing for the next Eleven Cities Race in Friesland.

Blades on Ice -- In winter, when the temperature drops low enough for long enough, Amsterdam's canals become sparkling highways through the city. Skating to the strains of classical music is a memorable experience. Little kiosks are set up on the ice to dispense heart-warming liqueurs. Go cautiously when skating under bridges, where the ice is usually thinner, and don't go anywhere the Dutch don't. Few sounds generate more adrenaline than a sudden crackling of ice below, but the Dutch seem to know instinctively if it's just the natural rhythm of things or time to light the afterburners and be gone.

In-Line Skating

De Vondeltuin Rent A Skate has a rent shop for in-line skates in Vondelpark, at the Amstelveenseweg entrance (tel. 06/2157-2885; www.skatedokter.nl; tram: 2).

Get Your Skates On -- Strap on in-line skates for the regular Friday Night Skate (www.fridaynightskate.com). In summer, this attracts thousands of skaters. It begins at 8pm from the Vondelpark and takes a 15-km (9-mile) route through the city.

Jogging

The two main jogging areas are Vondelpark in the Center and Amsterdamse Bos on the city's southern edge. You can also run along the Amstel River. If you choose to run along the canals, as many do, watch out for uneven cobbles, loose paving stones, and dog poop.

Sailing & Boating

Sailboats, kayaks, and canoes can be rented on the Sloterplas Lake from Watersportcentrum De Duikelaar, Noordzijde 41 (tel. 020/613-8855; www.deduikelaar.nl; tram: 7, 13, or 14). From March 15 to October 15, you can go to the Loosdrecht lakes, southeast of Amsterdam, to rent sailing equipment from Ottenhome, Zuwe 20, Kortenhoef (tel. 035/582-3331; www.ottenhome.nl; bus: 106 from Weesp). Canoes can be rented in Amsterdamse Bos , south of the city, for use in the park lakes only.

Snooker & Pool

Locals guzzle beer and get snookered at carambole, a devilishly complicated game played on pool tables without pockets. Billiards-type games are an obsession among the brown-cafe contingent; it's as easy to pick up a game as a flea. Try your hand at carambole, and delve deep into billiards, snooker, and pool at the Pool Centrum Boven 't IJ, Buikslotermeerplein 145 (tel. 020/634-1792; www.boventij.com; bus: 30, 36, 37, 38, or 46), across the IJ waterway in Amsterdam-Noord. Sharps bring their own cues and call ahead to reserve a table. For pickup games, you'd better be good. It's open daily from 10am to 1am (Fri-Sat until 3am).

Squash

Squash courts and far more are at chic Squash City, Ketelmakerstraat 6 (tel. 020/626-7883; www.squashcity.nl; bus: 18, 21, or 22), west of Centraal Station.

Swimming

Amsterdam's state-of-the-art swimming facility is centrally located Het Marnix, Marnixplein 1 (tel. 020/524-6000; www.hetmarnix.nl; tram: 3 or 10). It has two heated pools along with a fitness center and spa, and a cafe-restaurant. The Zuiderbad, Hobbemastraat 26 (tel. 020/252-1390; tram: 2 or 5), a handsome, refurbished place dating from 1911 near the Rijksmuseum, sets time aside for those who like to swim in their birthday suits. De Mirandabad, De Mirandalaan 9 (tel. 020/546-4444; tram: 25), in Amsterdam-Zuid features an indoor pool with wave machines, slides, and other amusements, and an outdoor pool that's open May to September. Other decent public pools are the Floraparkbad, Sneeuwbalweg 5 (tel. 020/636-8121; bus: 38), in Amsterdam-Noord, and the Sloterparkbad, President Allendelaan 3 (tel. 020/506-3506; tram: 7 or 14), in Amsterdam-West. In 2010 and for the first time in the Netherlands, a floating pool opened in Amsterdam. Currently moored by the Karte Ouderkerkerdijk, it will remain open during summertimes until autumn 2013.

Tennis

Find indoor courts at Frans Otten Stadion, IJsbaanpad 43 (tel. 020/662-8767; www.fransottenstadion.nl; tram: 16), close to the Olympic Stadium. For indoor and outdoor courts, try Sportcentrum Amstelpark, Koenenkade 8, Amsterdamse Bos (tel. 020/301-0700; www.amstelpark.nl; bus: 166, 170, 171, or 172), which has 36 courts.

Wellness Activities

The Body Tuning Clinic, Jan Luijkenstraat 40 (tel. 020/662-0909; www.bodytuningclinic.nl; tram: 2 or 5), will take excellent care of the outer you. At Sauna Deco, Herengracht 115 (tel. 020/623-8215; www.saunadeco.nl; tram: 1, 2, 5, 13, or 17), in Dutch style, you sweat together in mixed facilities. Soothe away a hard day's stress at Koan Float, Herengracht 321 (tel. 020/555-0333; www.koanfloat.nl; tram: 1, 2, or 5), while floating in warm saline water in a soundproof fiberglass capsule with light switches, ambient music, and a two-way intercom.