Days Out

Have you ever wanted to take a look behind the scenes of the Amsterdam ArenA and Ajax?

The Amsterdam ArenA home base is the focal point for a fantastic day filled with impressions, interesting information and unforgettable moments from the Ajax football club's rich history. World of Ajax Tours is the collective name for all tours that the Amsterdam ArenA organises for you and your guests.

The Amsterdam ArenA offers daily walk-in tours. You do not need to make reservations. Professional and enthusiastic guides will let you look behind the scenes of the Amsterdam ArenA, and explain everything about the stadium and the Ajax football club.

This tour spoken in Dutch and English lasts about an hour and consists of a short tour of the stadium by an experienced guide. You are welcome to visit the Ajax Museum on your own, either before or after the tour. Walk in tours are suitable for walk-in visitors, and are held several times a day, no reservations are necessary.

Car: The Amsterdam Arena is located close to the A1, A2, A9 & A10. Follow the signs 'transferium' (= parking under the Arena).

Bus: Line 29, 158, 174, 177 & 178.

Train: Station Bijlmer (app. 2 minutes walk ) or station Duivendrecht (app. 15 minutes walk).

Metro: Line 50 & 54. Leave at Strandvliet/ArenA or Bijlmer (app. 2 minutes walk).

Nearest airport: Schiphol (18 km)

Save 20% on your tickets - print the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to 6 people with each voucher code)! Alternatively you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have Internet access.

Amsterdam has been one of Europe’s greatest port cities for many centuries, and during that time it won a reputation as a magnet for all sorts of ne’er do wells, from buccaneers and brigands, to ladies of the night, and dealers in exotic and illicit substances from all four corners of the globe.

No surprise then that the Amsterdam Dungeon saw more than their fair share of business from the medieval era onwards, and its dark, dank subterranean chambers were witness to ghastly scenes of torture and death. Today, a day out in Amsterdam would not be complete without a visit to the city’s most chilling tourist attraction. For the Amsterdam Dungeon contain a number of hair-raising true-to-life exhibits and cutting-edge rides that re-create the tense atmosphere that pervaded the city’s cells and kept those incarcerated within them in thrall and fear.

Within Amsterdam Dungeon it’s not hard to imagine the awful fate of those awaiting interrogation and possibly a confrontation with the Grim Reaper himself, whose origins in Europe’s Dark Ages are outlined in the half-light of this spine-tingling netherworld.

And while you may not expect them in Amsterdam, the blood-soaked clerics of the Spanish Inquisition are nonetheless present and ready to correct. For the bloody clerics held sway for many decades when the Low Countries were an imperial province of the Spanish Netherlands. Preparing to extract information by whatever means necessary in the name of the Holy See, they are just one of the many merciless real-life horrors awaiting those who dare to venture into the Amsterdam Dungeon.

Just make sure that you know your way out again, so that your trip into the dark side does not become your last day out in Amsterdam!   

To get to the Amsterdam Dungeons, which are to be found in the city centre, take a five minute walk from the central rail station down Damrak to the Damsquare, or take a tram to Rokin/Spui - 4, 9, 16 or 24. There’s also car parking for a fee at Bijenkorf.

Save 20% on your tickets by printing the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to six people with each voucher code)! Alternately, you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have internet access.
 

The Story of Amsterdam, your guide to the city’s history.

Amsterdam long ago was a small settlement on the river Amstel and later the centre of 17th-century world trade. Today, a colourful international city, with its special appearance and independently minded inhabitants. The Amsterdam Historical Museum tells the compelling story of this unique city. Go on a fascinating journey of discovery down seven centuries of the city’s history.

The rich collection of art, objects and archaeological finds brings to life the fortunes of Amsterdammers from days gone by to today. From a mediaeval child’s shoe and the map of Cornelis Antonisz from 1538, giving a bird’s-eye view of the city, to the impressive Civic Guard paintings from the Golden Age. In stunning multimedia the happy times as well as the drama of the modern city’s inhabitants is shown. You’ll witness the poverty in the Jordaan neighbourhood in the 19th century but also the idealism as the capital of freedom.

A lively, international city like Amsterdam deserves an exciting museum. Discover this surprising museum that makes the past seem real. One moment you’ll be hoisting a horse out of the canal, the next you’ll be riding a bike. Or ring the doorbell of one of the flats in the Bijlmer, in the southeast of the city, and hear all about how great it is to live there. The museum has something for everyone. There’s a grand tour for those with plenty of time or, if you’re in a hurry, follow the tour of the highlights of the museum or hire an audio tour.

Save 20% on your tickets - print the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to 6 people with each voucher code)! Alternatively you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have Internet access.

The story of Holland's most famous flower

Experience the history of the tulip, from its origin on the windswept mountains in Central Asia to the worldwide phenomenon it is today. Greed, desire, anguish and dedication all played their part in the development of the tulip. From a place of honour in the gardens of the Sultans in Istanbul the tulip became the object of unprecedented speculation in 17th century Holland. It was the period known as Tulipmania, when tulip bulbs changed hands for the price of a house, leading eventually to a disastrous financial collapse.

After this period the cultivation of tulips did not stop. On the contrary, stripped of all its excessiveness the tulip trade now developed into a normal business. Your visit to the museum ends with a film which not only allows you a view of the Dutch tulip fields but which also takes you on a visit to a modern tulip farm.

Save 20% on your tickets - print the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to 6 people with each voucher code)! Alternatively you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have Internet access.

Apsley House, also known as Number One London, is one of the most interesting visitor attractions in London as well as a superb idea for a weekend outing. Close to Wellington Arch, south-east of Hyde Park Corner, Apsely House offers the perfect blend between a fun filled family day out as well as a wonderful educational experience. The attraction has been home to the Duke of Wellington since his victory over Napoleon at Waterloo and is today one of the few visitor attractions that have not encountered many changes since it was built in 1778.  Another incredible fact about this attraction is that it is still being used by the family as a private property, something not that many family attractions can boast about.

As a visitor you will get to view 10 spectacular rooms, the sumptuous Inner Hall and outstanding porcelain and silver collections. It would not be home of the Duke of Wellington if it wasn’t to commemorate the all so important victory in the battle of Waterloo, which is why a naked 11-foot high Napoleon by Canova can be seen guarding the staircase at Apsley House. In addition to this, the family attraction contains exhibits of paintings by Goya, Caravaggio, Rubens just to name a few, which were given to the Duke by following his military victories over Napoleon.

Save 20% on your tickets - print the Apsely House voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to 6 people with each voucher code)! Alternatively you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have Internet access.

While Germany doesn’t have the biggest coastline in the world, that doesn’t mean that you can’t experience one of the best sea life centre experiences anywhere in the world when visiting Germany’s magnificent capital city. For the Berlin Aquarium, known as AquaDom & SEA LIFE Berlin, is among the premier league of sea life centres in Europe.

Indeed, sea life tickets for the Berlin Aquarium grant visitors access to an amazing voyage of discovery beneath the waves, taking in over 30 amazing custom-built state of the art tanks, both large and larger, that contain some of the most fascinating underwater flora and fauna that can be found anywhere that sea life tickets can be bought.

The Berlin Aquarium experience involves a breathtaking journey that is usually only available to scuba divers, as it traverses the length of the river Spree, from its inland source in the German heartland all the way to the coast on the North Sea, and thence the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors to the sea life centre are then treated to the amazing sights of both freshwater and seawater aquarium environments, with re-created water worlds such as the historic Lake Wannsee, the mighty rivers Havel and Elbe, and the impressive Hamburg Harbour.

En route to the sea, those with sea life tickets will be able to view over 4000 waterborne creatures, from shellfish like mussels, to fishes such as tope, and a whole lot more exotic and unusual species. What’s more the Berlin Aquarium boasts the only AquaDom on the planet, which comprises a jaw-dropping cylindrical aquarium some 25 metres in height with an uber-cool glass lift that takes sea life centre voyagers through the centre of the tank, which contains a million litres of water and a myriad of tropical fishes and other creatures.

Furthermore, one of the most exciting features of Berlin Aquarium is Neptune’s Mirror Labyrinth, an exhibition of mirrors housed over 100 square metres that produces some weird and wonderful optical tricks, so that the shoals swimming about the maze of mirrors appears to be  almost infinite. You won’t see that at your average sea life centre, and you’ll be amazed at the value of sea life prices for Berlin Aquarium, which offers a fascinating and fun family day out whatever the weather at prices that won’t leave you feeling washed out!

The Berlin Aquarium is a must-see for anyone interested in our planet’s ecosystem and the role that the rivers, seas and lakes and their amazing variety of inhabitants play in it. Berlin Aquarium is a truly riveting experience, and one enhanced by expert guides who will be happy to answer your questions as you journey around the sea life centre. So what are you waiting for? Book your sea life tickets and hop on board for an amazing aqua-trip that you’ll never forget.

Save 20% on your tickets by printing the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to six people with each voucher code)! Alternately, you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have internet access.


 

Paris is world renowned for its wonderful architecture, from the Notre Dame cathedral and Sacre Couer church in Montmartres, to the colossal Eiffel Tower, Hotel De Ville, Luxembourg palaces and Pantheon. The River Seine winds its way through this magnificent tableau, and any trip to the city of lovers would be incomplete without checking out Paris’ art heritage in the Louvre. Yet one of the best European attractions to be seen on a trip to the French capital often passes people by. The Cinéaqua Paris Aquarium, the largest aquarium in France, is one of the most impressive facilities of its kind on the Continent, and one that any visitor to Paris would do well to take in. 

As you’d expect from any cutting-edge building in Paris, which is the home to some of Europe’s most stunning modern architecture, the entrance to the Cinéaqua Paris Aquarium houses a coloured water jet through which visitors pass, setting the scene for a mesmerising journey through the underwater world situated centrally in the city’s famed Trocadero gardens.

For those who purchase tickets or have tourist vouchers to gain entry to Cinéaqua Paris Aquarium, what lies ahead is a treat for all the senses, as three cinemas with 10 giant screens provide visitors with sumptuous views of the underwater kingdoms normally out of reach to anyone except divers, while 43 underwater exhibits are laid out to include mighty sharks and exotic marine species like clownfish and sea urchins, as well as divers doing their very own version of Jacques Cousteau’s undersea world!

Among Cinéaqua’s other state of the art features are a showroom where those with tickets or tourist vouchers can come up close and personal with some of the many exotic species housed at the aquarium, while a touch pool with a rolling programme of different activities allows visitors to get even better acquainted with some of the Cinéaqua Paris Aquarium’s residents.

What’s more, the The Movieum of Paris borrows from its London counterpart and offers visitors the chance to partake in interactive film-making using uber-cool new technologies, while learning all about other aspects of movie production, from the staging of props and sets, to movie equipment, special effects and animation.

And once you’ve enjoyed all the many facets of one of this most hip and understated of European attractions, you can indulge in some fine dining at the OZU Japanese restaurant, making a trip to Cinéaqua Paris Aquarium a fun, enlightening and memorable day out for all the family, whatever the time of year, whatever the weather.

Save 20% on your tickets by printing the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to six people with each voucher code)! Alternately, you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have internet access.


 

Edinburgh's scariest underground ghost tours, as acclaimed by Most Haunted Live to be the most "paranormally active" location they have ever filmed! Tours include a medieval torture museum, working witchcraft temple, cursed stone circle vault and the legendary "Haunted Vault", home to our misogynistic poltergeist. Evening tours end in Scotland’s most haunted pub. (Open till 3am)

New Tours 2009:

Starting from the 10th of April, every Friday night Auld Reekie Tours will be running "Ghost Hunts/underground vigils". Our "Ghost Hunts" will run between midnight and 6am. This is held in our paranormally active, underground vaults dating back to the 1700's. The area you will spend the night in, is built on property dating back to the 1400's. This location is just above where the world's worst witch trials and tortures took place. During the evening you will:

Learn how to use EMF, EVP and temperature meters. take part in a seance and Ouija board sitting. Have a walk around with a psychic and find out what they pick up on. a tour with a professional guide. There are also free tarot readings available. On our ghost hunts you will also meet Scotland's highest qualified Grand Master, White Witch and his high priestess.

Hot beverages will be supplied.

Please note:

The Underground Tour includes Free Whisky + Shortbread

Ghost & Torture Tours includes the Underground Tour

Terror Tour is for over 18s only and includes the Underground Tour & free Vodka mixer)

Save 20% on your tickets - print the voucher code at the top of this page and present at the till to get 20% off your entry cost (valid for up to 6 people with each voucher code)! Alternatively you can display the voucher code using your mobile, if you have Internet access.

You don’t have to be a Beatles fan to appreciate their talent, but if you are here’s your chance to take a walk through some of the roads of British rock history and learn even more about the Fab Four. As part of the exclusive Beatles Walking Tour of London you will get to visit the studios where the famous group recorded “Hey Jude” and “Dear Prudence, pubs, cafes, film locations, the art gallery where John Lennon met Yoko Ono for the first time as well as the house Paul McCartney lived in since the 1960s.  You will also get the chance to discover the venues which inspired the famous four and other great musicians such as The Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix.

You will get to walk the lovely back streets of Soho and make your way towards Carnaby Street and feature in your very own zebra crossing cover shot and explore the world famous Abbey Road studios and maybe get a bit of inspiration yourself. 

Save 20% for up to 6 people on this great attraction when you phone 0844 2471 007 and quote the SmartSave code from the top of the page and book your tour. All you then need is to take your email confirmation and enjoy the magical world of Beatles.

 

 As a home to the great Benjamin Franklin, the landmark has a definitive appeal, as the only remaining Benjamin Franklin home in the world, it suddenly becomes priceless.  Known for many things but most importantly for being the founding father of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin spent 16 years of his life behind these doors and today the home pays homage to the great historical figure.

A visit to this great landmark will not only entertain you and captivate your imagination but it will also prove to be a highly educational experience. Learn about the great life Franklin through an array of dynamic displays and sound projections. Become a scientist at the Student Science Centre and observe some of Benjamin Franklin’s writing in the Scholarship Centre.

Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to get to know Benjamin Franklin’s work outside of the American context and gain a better understanding of the intricate nature of this great man’s life and work.  You can now get 20% off entry price with our Benjamin Franklin discounts by printing the Benjamin Franklin voucher code at the top of this page. Present this and get 20% off entry price (valid for up to 6 people with each voucher code). Alternatively, you can display the voucher on your mobile phone if you have Internet access.