If you love Amsterdam as much as we do then you might have heard of the A’DAM Lookout. This inconspicuously named attraction is actually an observation deck, set atop the A’DAM Tower in Amsterdam North. From this tower you have such splendiferous, breath-taking, inspirationally award-winning views of the city – that they went and built a swing on it.
That’s right: you don’t just get to look out over some of the most fabulous sights in the city of Amsterdam; you now get to swing out over it and enjoy it in 4D. Yes, the A’DAM Lookout and it’s once-in-a-lifetime “over the edge” swing literally swing you out over the edge are certainly not for the faint of heart. Thrill seekers? This one is for you…
The A’DAM Lookout is Not Just for Adrenalin Junkies
The A’Dam Lookout is marketed as Amsterdam in 360o and they’re not wrong. You get to see the city in a way that you just don’t have a chance to in any other place… Even if you don’t go on their swing! It’s not just for adrenalin junkies up there. They even have a restaurant with a panoramic view of the city. You can peruse the (well fenced) roof terrace in total safety even if you are scared of heights.
You might want to close your eyes for the ride up there though. That glass elevator is an attraction all in its own right. During the day it will provide you with a glimpse of a busy city, bustling to work in some of the cleanest city air in Europe. That clean, bicycle-fuelled air also gives you a fantastic view at night, when the twinkling lights of the city come to life to create something magical.
Wait… How Many Attractions Are Up There?
Yes, it might get a little confusion. At a glance, here are all the activities you can take part in when you visit the A’DAM Lookout and over-the-edge swing:
- You can find every type of meal at the Sky Bar, set just under the observation deck. This bar serves everything from coffee and cake to a full blown 7 courses.
- There are a number of other restaurants up there, with combined tickets available. One of our favourites is Moon. This is the revolving restaurant which gives you stunning views while you eat… and spin.
- The Elevator – as we said before; the elevator ride is a bit of an attraction in its own right. This artistic and creative elevator ride takes you up the full 20 floors, in only 20 seconds. If that isn’t enough to blow your socks off, they went and added an amazing light show that the little ones just love. They will want to do the ride over and over again while you are still trying to find your feet.
- There is an interactive exhibit up there that tells you all about Amsterdam, her people, and their culture. For any visiting tourist this is a must-see, and it is available in different languages to help you out. It is one thing to go to Amsterdam for a bit of a smoke up. It is another to be respectful and learn a little about the culture while you are there.
- The A’DAM Lookout has a digital photo booth. You can paste photos of you and your mates over backgrounds that make it look like you are falling off the tower. It’s actually hilarious. You could spend all day laughing your pants off while you play around with it. Of course, you can take the photo home with you, for a price. They are free to download if you don’t print them off though.
- The Observation Deck itself is known as the 360o Sky Deck. This will have you 100 metres in the air and able to spy some of the best-known locations in the city. We will go into some of the more amazing sights to see from above in a moment… but there is one last attraction in the A’DAM Tower to talk about… and it is the one you have all been waiting for.
- The Swing! The Over-the-Edge swing is only for the bravest, or the most insane, among you. Take a trip out over the ledges and get up-close-and-personal with the city, from above! This (perfectly safe) swing will make for some of the most amazing pictures you will ever take in your life. It also might make you puke, pass out, and have to be carried down from the tower… but we are assured this happens a lot less often than you might think. For those desperate to see the views without taking this particular nerve-wracking experience; you can view this YouTube vid.
So as you can see, there is a lot more to this place than just a swing out over the edge of a really high tower. Although, to be fair, that sounds tremendous for an Amsterdam attraction without any extra added bits.
When is it Open?
The A’DAM Tower is open every day from 10 am to 10 pm. We will caution you, however, that the last entries are taken at 9pm. It takes at least an hour to get up there, enjoy the sights, have a coffee and dessert in their world-class-restaurant-in-the-sky and come back down again. We recommend you leave much more time than that. Take an afternoon and enjoy the experience.
Where Can I Buy Tickets?
You an buy your own ticket to the A’DAM Lookout online, through their website. You will be able to book a ticket for the swing here too, if you should be so inclined. Nobody would blame you if you chickened out when you got there. That is 100 meters out above the city with nothing to catch your fall. Feeling lucky? We didn’t. We ate at the restaurant, admired the view, then touched back down to earth again gladly.
Tickets for the A’DAM Lookout observation deck are very affordable. As of the start of 2020, child tickets cost €6,50 and adults cost € 12,50. Remember that you won’t get to see the city like this from any other place outside of the plane! Besides anything else this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience – and we are serious about that. The A’DAM Lookout has the highest sing in Europe. You can find it up on the Sky Deck… Good luck!
What About Menus?
Oh hell no, you can look for those yourself. We will give you some links though, just because we are fabulous:
- Moon – the one that revolves (slowly, nobody wants you to bring your dinner back up).
- Madam Amsterdam – badly named but we’re told the food’s better.
- And of course they have their own Sky Bar up there, too. You can order coffee and cake from 10 am, lunch from 12 until 4.30, and the bar is open till six for burgers.
Between the three venues you can order almost everything to suit your needs. Still not convinced if the A’Dam Lookout and ‘Over-the-Edge’ swing is right for your Amsterdam Itinerary? Let’s talk about some of the sights you see from the sky…
What Amsterdam Sights Do You See from Above…?
When you visit the 360o Sky Deck you can see the whole city, provided you get a clear day. Even on an overcast one, you still get some special views. Nobody could miss those canals, for example. Once built to entertain wealthy merchant’s desires all the way back in the 16th century. Now, those same canals are a UNESCO World Heritage site, spectacular by day and lit like diamonds in the night, by evening. You can trace the ringed route from the A’DAM Tower Lookout on a nice summer’s day. Perhaps you might even learn about why it became the model for city building in future years at the interactive exhibit in the Lookout.
This is by far the best way to see the Red Light District, if you haven’t come to Amsterdam especially for that. If you want to see the world-famous, never-talked-about, openly exposed underbelly of the city – but are too prudish to face it for real – then this lets you do so. Might we just add that the Red-Light District is one of the most lit up places on Earth. From above, you can view the wonderful (yet accidental) light show they put on, for free, every evening.
What else can you catch a glimpse of from up there? You should be able to make out the Dam Square at any time of the day or night. On a clear day the open grounds of the Rijksmuseum should be easy enough to pick out, and the Nieuwe Kerk should be simply spied for the eagle-eyed. When you take the time to enjoy the views on the observation deck, you have all the time you need to drink it all in. You also have all the information on hand, should you want to map out what you are looking at.
Why Not Book Your Trip?
So why not book your trip to the A’DAM Tower and Over-the Edge Swing while you are in the city? Amsterdam is a spectacular place from above, but it truly is something you have to see for yourself.
(Oh and we forgot to mention. Don’t panic if you don’t like heights… there are stairs.)
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