Olympic Stadium
The start and finish of the marathon take place in front of the grandstand in the Olympic Stadium. This splendidly renovated, over 85-year-old stadium will leave a memorable impression at the end of the race. Supporters and other spectators have free access to the grandstand and the bleachers.
Rijksmuseum
The TCS Amsterdam Marathon will lead marathon runners through the heart of the Rijksmuseum, the famous passage which connects Amsterdam city centre with the south of Amsterdam. This promises to be a unique experience for the many thousands of entrants from the Netherlands and other countries. The monumental building contains some of the most world famous works of art by celebrated Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer.
Vondelpark
Vondelpark is the largest city park in Amsterdam, and certainly the most famous park in the Netherlands, which welcomes about 10 million visitors every year. The Vondelpark is centrally placed south of Leidseplein and near Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum. The Vondelpark is loved by Amsterdammers as well as by tourists, and is full of people - enjoying a sunny day, dog-walking, jogging, roller-skating, listening to music, people-watching, or just lazing about in grass. During the marathon the runners will cross the Vondelpark twice.
Amstel River
The route of the marathon follows part of the Olympic route along the Amstel River, past stately mansions and several windmills. This rural part of the course has splendid panoramic views and gives an impression of the busy activity dominating the Amstel every day. In the distance the Arena is visible–the home stadium of the local Ajax football team. The meandering route along the Amstel is not only interesting for its range of scenery but also for—more importantly—the sight of other participants running on the other side.
Zuidas Business District
For the third year in a row, the marathon will go through the Zuidas area of Amsterdam. This ‘new part’ of Amsterdam is characterized by its impressive architecture of highrise offices and apartment buildings. The image of Zuidas changes constantly, and provides both from the helicopter as on streetlevel a spectacular background to experience the event and support the runners. The route through Zuidas has the shape of a small circle, making it a perfect spot to watch the runners go by several times.
For more tourist information about Amsterdam, go to
www.iamsterdam.com
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