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Red Lights, Rad City: Packages to Amsterdam

While Amsterdam's legal trade in illicit goods lends an intriguing edginess, this charming, friendly city has much more to offer than coffee shops and a red light district. Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Anne Frank; lovely canals and the houses lining them, a fascinating array of architectural styles, and thousands of bicyclists add up to an enchanting, picture-perfect city that everyone should visit at least once.

With a convenient, central-Europe location, Amsterdam has long been used by airlines as a gateway to the rest of the continent. As a result, flights are inexpensive and accommodations readily available. Paris is a seven-hour drive from Amsterdam through Belgium and such World War I battlefields as Verdun. London is a quick ferry ride away, and Germany and the Czech Republic can be reached via a glorious train ride along the Rhine.

If you're on a budget and don't mind a little nip in the air, fall and winter are wonderful times to visit. For the one-stop package shopper, Fly Amsterdam (www.flyamsterdam.com) offers an all-inclusive "Price Breaker" package starting at the low, low price of $389 out of New York City. (Other gateways available for an additional fee.) The 5-day, 4-night trip good for travel between September and March, includes round trip airfare, accommodations (even at that price) at a choice of hotels, and daily breakfast. The travel broker for this deal, Gate 1 Travel www.gate1travel.com has an excellent reputation for bargain-basement prices on overseas travel.

Intratours (www.intratours.com) offers fall and winter air specials at good prices. Round trip from New York City (on a host of major carriers) costs $324 if you travel from November 1 to Dec 14, 2004. It's $410 dollars if you travel from now until October 31, 2004. The site lists Winter Special prices from other major U.S. cities, including Atlanta, that go for $371.

If you want to get out and see the countryside on your own time, Hertz (www.hertz.com) is offering compact cars (no one drives gas guzzlers in Europe) for $225 to $250 dollars a week or $44 to $50 per day all over Western Europe.

While in Amsterdam, you may want to stay as close as possible to the train station and main thoroughfares. The Swissotel is offering a discount rate on standard rooms through the fall. This large hotel features modern amenities like high-speed Internet connections, and if you stay more than two nights, you'll save 20% per night. Prices, normally in the $240 to $280 range are cut down to $203.00 dollars. Availability is limited, so go to www.travelnow.com for details.

Should you wish to experience all that Amsterdam has to offer, including those substances that are illegal within United States borders, try the 7th Heaven Coffee Shop at Spuistraat 7, a short distance from the train station but in the opposite direction of the Red Light district. This quiet place serves up good space cakes. The world-famous Bulldog Café offers similar fare and fresh Heineken, which happens to be brewed in Amsterdam. Visit the Heineken Brewery (www.heinekenexperience.com) for the freshest beer available without fermenting the oats on your own.

You don't need a visa to enter The Netherlands, but be warned, airport and security taxes can climb as high as $200.


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