Amsterdam, home of pot heads, prostitutes and pancakes. Well that’s not entirely true, there’s this great misconception that Amsterdam is a seedy place. In fact it’s one of the most laid back picturesque cities you are likely to encounter in western Europe. It’s built around canals which means you are always guaranteed a nice drink overlooking some guys on a barge, or ducks quietly passing by. We say follow our quick guide, stay away from the flashing lights and everything will be just perfect.

Getting there – It’s only 200 miles away. If you go by plane you land just after take off, it’s a bit bizarre. Trains add a touch of romance, but go in a car and you get the joy of going by ferry and ferries are the most fun way to travel, not only is there a casino, a café and a duty free shop, you can sit and have the wind in your hair for a few peaceful hours.

Travel - Get a bike. It truly is the only way to experience the Dam. You can hire bikes from about 10 euros per day and be wizzing from A to B to C and right across to H in no time at all. I suggest one with a basket at the front. The girlier the better.

Sleeping – If you do intend to sleep then the place is teeming with half decent youth hostels. Try the StayOK for a nice relaxed atmosphere or the Flying Pig for the parties. If you are feeling frivolous with your cash try the Park Hotel on Stadhouderskade where they combine weird unintentional retro foyer with super modern living spaces, they also serve the finest chips anywhere I’ve ever been.

Drinking in Amsterdam is easy to do, you sit down at a bar and you drink, tables are usually waited upon. Beers come in at about 2 euros, but bear in mind they are smaller than over here, however, they are certainly nicer. If you wander the canals you can find an abundance of decent places to sit and relax with a Heineken. For something authentic and rather splendid try Café Krom (Utrechtsestraat 76) A beautiful bar with juke box an’ all.

It seems that the place to be at the moment is Club 11 (Oosterdokkade 3-5). There are few better places to gaze out over the city than the 11th floor of a converted post office. Massive screens hang down from the walls with a constant flow of music video and animations. The views are panoramic and the drinks beautifully concocted. 

If you fancy something different head over to Odessa (Veemkade 259) a 70s Russian merchant ship now converted into a bar, nightclub and restaurant. The ship has four floors with a restaurant, a café, a bar and a sundeck. After 10pm the lower deck is cleared of tables and parties break out. Open til 3am Fri and Sat.

Get Away for the day. Saturday 30 August

Bands include Mystery Jets, I am Kloot, The Cribs plus loads more. 

We’ve teamed up with Eurolines (www.eurolines.co.uk) - the leading European coach service operator to offer return tickets for you and a friend to Utrecht or Amsterdam. Plus we’ve also got a pair of tickets to the festival to throw into the prize too! Enter now by leaving a post on the bulletin board at  www.theothersidemag.co.uk/the_alternative_festival 

Un billet pour la jour

This should get you the equivalent of a travelcard and comes in at 5E 60

Paris is split into 20 districts, known as arrondissements which are arranged in a clockwise spiral starting with the 1st on the north bank of the Seine and finishing at the top in Montmarte. (Contrary to what most Americans think Montmarte is not a pleasure. I suggest a trip up the steps late at night when the caricature artists have left and the bars charging 12 euros for a glass of wine have closed.)

A little tip

Unless you really must don’t order a cab. Hail one from the street. They turn the meter on when they receive the call and by the time they arrive may have reached 8-10 Euros

Museum Pass

Gives you access to Paris’ main museums and attractions. It is also a queue jump and saves you loads of time. Top Brass. 30E for 2 days.

Try this.

Choquette – little hollow brioche balls covered with chunks of sugar. Perfect. Enjoy them from Boulangerie Kayser, Rue Monge 5th

Eat Here.

If you want a truly authentic Parisian dining experience then look no further than Café du Commerce, Rue de Commerce 15th. Three floors of hustle and bustle hidden behind the façade of an oyster salesmen and a small dimly lit corridor. There’s a set menu for 28E. The starter of terraine of pork and rabbit served with soft prunes was outstanding and is a must.

Café Angelina, Rue de Rivoli 1st

Housed in a rather touristy area over the road from the Louvre sits Café Angelina. Don’t be fooled by the queue, it moves pretty quickly and is well worth a five minute wait. Once you are in you will enjoy one of the most unbelievable hot chocolates possible. It’s almost like drinking a bar of Green & Blacks and er..comes with a bowl of thick whipped cream. It comes with (if you can handle it) cakes like you wouldn’t believe, we chomped our way through a macaroon packed with raspberries, jelly and yep, you guessed it...more cream.

The Palais de Tokyo, Place de Tokyo 16th

On the west side of Paris next door to the Museum of Modern Art and just over the river from the Eiffel Tower is the Palais de Tokyo. Here you can check out what’s hot in Parisian art, enjoy a beverage and some food n the superbly designed bar and best of all shop for some brilliant Basquait inspired t-shirts, retro trainers and other bizarre bits and pieces.

Pompidou Centre, Rue Beaubourg 2nd

A full on modern art excursion. If you like alligators on the wall and Yves Klein blue then this should be your first port of call. Sail up the escalators for a view over the city from the east and then relax with a drink on the terrace.

Le Marais

The Jewish/gay/trendy part of the city. Situated behind the Pompidou centre and full of bars, boutiques and little restaurants. There’s also a market and the whole place comes to life on a Sunday and in the evenings. If you can tear yourself away from the classics this is a must.

Eat Here – both in the 3rd

L’as Fallafel (it’s their spelling) – Rue de s Rossiers As authentic as a day-glo hoody in Hoxton. Once you’ve had your fair share of French cuisine, a falafel is the perfect antidote and features more salad than Fresh and Wild.

Bar du Marche – Rue Vieille du Temple You need brunch here on Sunday.  Eat as much as you like for 22E includes; coffee, juice, cold meats, fresh salads, scrambled egg, bacon, cake, fresh fruit,  roast chicken, roast beef, cous cous, chocolate mouse..need I go on?

There is something unaccountably joyous about a last minute road trip. The nightmare drive soundtracked by soft rock and “did we just miss the turning” washed away by the thrill of arriving. Sam Lassman Watts sticks a pin in the map…

Naturally, this is when it started to rain. No matter, there are enough pubs and bars to keep most people happy. Wanting more we headed for the car and took the coastal route to Croyde Bay, another haven for surfers and during the summer months packed with a buzz of wave one-upmanship. A little up the road you’ll find Georgeham where there is a Post Office (although not for much longer) a mini store and the rather nice Rock Inn (01271 890 322). Here you can have a game of pool and five tracks on the juke box for £1 while supping some countryside beer. The food’s not too bad either and rings in around £8-£10 a head. It’s general country fare with the bonus of lots of locally sourced meat.

We settled for a drink and then lunch at Squires – Braunton’s beloved fish and chip shop. For £5 you can have a great piece of cod and some truly delicious chips. Woolacombe is not renowned for its food; people are more interested in the surf but there is plenty of choice when the sun goes down. We particularly enjoyed Sophias’ tapas bar and bistro (01271 870 771). Gordon Ramsey would have a field day with the five pages of menus but tapas for two was plentiful (£20-£27). For more refined dining visit Damien Hirst’s restaurant 11 The Quay (0271 868 090). A short drive away in Ilfracombe Hirst’s harbourside restaurant is dressed like a pharmacy and the food is very good, main courses come in about £15-£20 a head.

A little North of Ilfracombe in the moors is a hidden gem. The Heddon Valley is situated inland near the West Exmoor Coast and offers one of the most fantastical drives to a pub you will ever take. Situated at the bottom of the Valley is the Hunters Inn (01598 763 230), the perfect end to a long walk through forests and past rivers. From the Inn you can walk about a mile down to Heddon’s Mouth Beach and you will be rewarded with an absolutely stunning vista. Nearby are Lynton and Lynmouth. The former sits atop a cliff and boasts a quaint charm, while Lynmouth is situated at the bottom of the cliff and is a stark contrast – a fishing village, with a love for Cargo ship spotting. The two are joined by a cliff railway that runs on water power (go in at your own risk) and shuttles tourists up and down throughout the day. At Lynton we had one of our two cream teas, homemade scones came in ginger, fruit or plain with lashings of clotted cream and strawberry jam. Our first was in Morthoe, a little further west from Woolacombe. The village shop had two tables and an old lady serving delightful cream teas, she even went so far as to explain how she makes her clotted cream. A short drive back to Woolacombe along the front at sunset is a must. There are benches situated right along the front to watch the sun go down over Lundy Island.

At the other end of the beach is Baggy Point, another National Trust gem. You can either walk all the way around or follow the designated paths. The whole way around is about a two-hour walk and you face a battle of strength to defy the wind. At the peak only the bravest make the 50-yard walk to the end to watch over the daring rock climbers and to fully appreciate the force of the Atlantic Ocean.

If you can, avoid the summer holidays to steer clear of the crowd. Either way, you’ll be in for a treat