VivaSync

It doesn’t appear on many bucketlists, but Sloterpark, in the west of Amsterdam, hits the right notes with its pools, zoo, frisbee golf and numerous festivals

My favourite place in Amsterdam has to be the Sloterpark, one of the largest in Amsterdam, at around 90 hectares. I love riding round it on my bike but you can easily see it all on foot. There are lots of fun things to do there, too – like the disc golf course, which is laid out a little like a normal golf course, but you play with frisbees.

Joggers run round its winding paths, and there is also an Olympic size swimming pool and an outdoor pool, too. Since they opened back in 2001, the pools have been regarded as among the best in the Netherlands. There are also gym facilities, and sailing and watersports clubs.

The thing I love about it is the way it brings the city together: young families like the small zoo, and older ones and tourists enjoy the festivals here, such as June’s Mystic Garden, Loveland in August and September’s West Beach film festival.

In the north-west corner of the park a piece of land that has been left to its own devices since the park was created has become the Het Ruige Riet (Rough Reeds) nature reserve.

The park is west of the city centre, slightly off the beaten track, but easy to get to on the number 14 tram from Dam Square.

Tania Davison is organiser of the DockYard Festival, taking place on Saturday 17 October at Amsterdam’s NDSM Wharf

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKyilsOmuI5rZ2ptX6SwtXuQb2aspJ%2BpsrO8wKuiZqiRp7hurcysq56qlJa6brrErZ%2BeqpyWu6W%2F