Westergasfabriek

On the sprawling terrain of the city's former gas works, the Westergasfabriek reopened in 2003 with much fanfare after years of renovation, asbestos removal and soil detoxification. With a wild variety of industrial buildings being re-invented as performance, event and exhibition spaces, the Westergasfabriek is quickly evolving into one of the city's premier cultural hubs; as it was through the 1990s, in fact, when it was a happening underground squat village. It's the new home for Cosmic (606 5050, www.cosmictheater.nl), a theatre troupe that has long been addressing the multicultural realities of the modern world, and Made in da Shade (606 5050, www.shade.nl), a group who make 'theatre for new times in old cities'. Now complete with acres of water and cypress-accented landscaping, the grounds are a lovely place for wandering; a wide range of cafés, including one belonging to the Ketelhuis cinema, provide welcome sustenance for the strolling visitor. All in all, it's well worth a visit, whether you're in the market for a theatre performance, a club night, an art exhibition or just a lengthy walk in the park. One of modern-day Amsterdam's most valued asse