Amsterdam is a small city and eminently walkable, but if you only have a short time, take advantage of the tram system, which can transport you efficiently to all the most important attractions. Perhaps the most disconcerting thing for newcomers is how to find their way around. The centre of Amsterdam can seem at first like a maze of tiny streets and canals with no overall plan. But think of it as a large spider’s web, and once you understand the structure of the town, it is relatively easy to get around. The central core, around the square called the Dam, is horseshoe-shaped, and consists of a series of wide streets (the main one is Damrak/Rokin, which cuts right through the centre) and narrow alleys. It also has some of the oldest waterways, once so important for the delivery of goods from around the Dutch trading world.
Traditional canalside architecture
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This area is ringed by a girdle of canals (grachten), the major ones running outward in ever-larger circles. Singel was once the outer barrier for medieval Amstelredamme, but as the city expanded, Herengracht (Gentlemen’s Canal), Keizersgracht (Emperor’s Canal) and Prinsengracht (Princes’ Canal) enlarged the web. If you ever feel confused when strolling around town, remember that these three canals spread outwards in alphabetical order: H, K and P.
I amsterdam Card
The VVV (tourist information centre, for more information, click here) sells the I amsterdam Card, giving free entrance to over 40 museums and attractions, unlimited access to city public transport and a free canal cruise. (Note that Rijksmuseum is excluded, although there is a small reduction.) You’ll also get discounts on bike hire and some bars and restaurants. A one-day card costs €42, a two-day card €52 and a three-day card €62 (2013 rates). Cards can also be purchased online at www.iamsterdamcard.com.
Small streets (straatjes) radiate out from the centre, crossing the canals by means of the thousand-plus bridges, which are such a distinctive part of the city landscape. To the north of the city centre, the IJ waterway joins the IJsselmeer (a former inlet of the North Sea, now dammed); west of the IJ is the Noordzeekanaal, Amsterdam’s present-day route to the open sea.
This guide divides the city into four sections that are easy to follow on foot. We start in the centre of the city, where you will be able to get your bearings, obtain whatever information you need from the VVV tourist information office (for more information, click here or click here) and take a canal boat tour – one of the best ways to get an overview of historic Amsterdam and to admire the city’s true beauty (for more information, click here).
Just a few of Amsterdam’s half a million bicycles
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
The Centre
Central Amsterdam – once the medieval city – is very small indeed. The port was the lifeblood of the city at that time and ships would sail right into the heart of Amstelredamme, as it was known. Only a few architectural gems are left to remind us of this era, but the tangle of narrow alleyways gives a feel of the hustle and bustle that must have surrounded the traders.
Lean Times
As you stroll along the canalsides you will notice that there are very few houses standing absolutely upright – in fact, some seem to lean at a precarious angle. Don’t assume that this is because of subsidence; most were designed to tilt towards the canal so that goods could be winched to the upper floors without crashing into the side of the house. Unfortunately, some of them tilted too much, resulting in the 1565 building code, which limited the inclination to 1 in 25.
Stationsplein to Damrak
The decision to locate Centraal Station 1 [map] on the site of the old harbour wall was the final death-knell of maritime trade for the city. It stopped large cargo ships from landing their cargoes and diminished the importance of the canal systems.
The station, opened in 1889, dominates the view up Damrak. The grand building was designed by P.J.H. Cuypers, who was also responsible for the design of the Rijksmuseum, and sits on three artificial islands supported by 8,687 wooden piles. The station is currently undergoing extensive redevelopment, due for completion in 2015, but work on the controversial North-South metro link (for more information, click here) is likely to continue until 2017.
East of the station, on the redeveloped waterfront north of Piet Heinkade, stands the landmark Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (literally Music Building on the IJ), focusing on contemporary classical music. Another prominent modern building, close to the station, is the Centrale Bibliotheek (built in 2007), the largest public library in Europe; with internet terminals galore, study pods and superb views from its excellent 7th floor cafeteria.
Back at Stationsplein, in front of Centraal Station, is the VVV Amsterdam Tourist Office (for more information, click here). It is housed in the Noord-Zuid Hollands Koffiehuis, dating from 1919, which was rebuilt in 1981 from the preserved pieces of the original, having been dismantled when the metro was constructed in 1972. You will also find canal tour boats moored here.
Walk across the square towards the city and, on the canal bridge, you will see on your left the distinctive spires of Sint-Nicolaaskerk (St Nicholas Church; www.nicolaas-parochie.nl; normally Tue–Fri 11am–4pm, Mon and Sat noon–3pm; free). This Catholic church, completed in 1887, replaced many of the secret chapels that were built for worship during the period of Catholic persecution. Once over the bridge you will be on Damrak. Plans are afoot to smarten up this gateway to the city and replace massage parlours and tourist tat with high-end restaurants, hotels and entertainment. At the head of Damrak is the Beurs van Berlage 2 [map] (Berlage Stock Exchange; www.beursvanberlage.nl), the old stock exchange. Its refined modern lines were a revelation when it opened in 1903. Unfortunately, it didn’t excite traders and is now used for conferences and events.
Sint-Nicolaaskerk
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The warren of streets to the left of the Beurs building is what Amsterdammers call the Oude Zijde (Old Side). This was the old warehouse district in medieval times. The narrow alleyways are darker than in the modern parts of the city and the houses are even narrower and taller. Dominating the streets is the imposing Gothic Oude Kerk 3 [map] (Old Church; Mon–Sat 11am–5.30pm, Sun 1–5pm; tower: Sat–Sun 1–5pm; charge).
The Gothic Oude Kerk
Dreamstime
The Oude Kerk is the oldest parish church in Amsterdam; work began in the early 13th century when Amstelredamme was a new trading town. Over the next three centuries, the church underwent several extensions until it took on the unusual shape it has today, with several chapels adding gables to the original structure. In the early days it acted as a marketplace and a hostel for the poor. Today it hosts concerts and exhibitions.
Inside, the scale of the church is impressive. Commemorative tombstones, including that of Saskia, Rembrandt’s wife, cover the floor. The stained-glass windows are glorious. One, commemorating the Peace of Münster, shows a Spanish official handing over the charter recognising the independent Dutch state. Opposite the Oude Kerk, is a step-gabled, Baroque Dutch Renaissance house, De Gecroonde Raep (The Crowned Turnip), dating from 1615.
The Red Light District
The northern reaches of the canalside streets Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal, southwest of the Oude Kerk, are home to Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District, known as the Wallen (Walls). As in any large port, prostitution has always been rife and, although some Calvinists tried to stamp it out, it still thrives today.
The Red Light District is one of the liveliest areas after dark
Dreamstime
The area is safe (except perhaps in the early hours of the morning) and usually busy with tourists. The tree-lined canals and old, narrow iron bridges are some of the prettiest in the city, and most prostitutes ply their trade behind relatively discreet windows, not on the streets.
Amsterdam has been cleaning up its act, clamping down on brothels and cannabis coffee shops and replacing them with higher-end cafés, restaurants, shops and galleries. Project 1012, launched by the city authorities in 2008, is aiming at reducing organised crime, drug-dealing and sex trafficking. But Amsterdam would not be Amsterdam without the bordellos and cannabis cafés so well over half the former and a third of the latter are being retained. Plans are afoot to banish all the bordellos around the incongruously located Oude Kerk (Old Church). Currently it is still overlooked by prostitutes bathed in the light of red lamps but also by the windows of new initiatives such as Red Light Radio, an online radio station where DJs broadcast from a former bordello.
At ground level, there are shops – seedy, eye-catching or amusing, depending on your point of view – selling sex wares and attracting customers. But don’t get too distracted, or you will miss the rows of dainty gables, quirky wall plaques and window boxes brimming with flowers, which give the whole area a cheery feel. Don’t be surprised to find offices, shops and restaurants side by side with the brothels here – it’s all part of Amsterdam life. At night the streets come alive with bars, clubs and adult shows and it becomes one of the liveliest parts of the city. Make sure you stay on the busier, well-lit thoroughfares on your way back to your hotel.
Museum Het Amstelkring
You will find several historical gems as you wander the Wallen. One of the narrow houses on Oudezijds Voorburgwal (No. 40) has a wonderful secret to share. Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder 4 [map] (Our Lord in the Attic; www.opsolder.nl; Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun and holidays 1–5pm; charge) was a merchant’s house bought by the Catholic Jan Hartman in 1661. Following the ‘Alteration’ in 1578, Catholics were not permitted to practise their religion, so Hartman, along with a number of other wealthy Catholics of the time, had a secret chapel built for family worship. Although they were common at the time, this is now the only complete secret chapel left in the city. Three additional houses were added to create extra space, and several of the other rooms are furnished in 18th-century style. It is a fascinating glimpse of a difficult time in Amsterdam’s history, but it’s not just a museum piece – it is still used for weddings. A few doors along from the Amstelkring is the Dutch Renaissance D’Leeuwenburg Huis, a restored step-gabled house dating from 1605.
D’Leeuwenburg Huis
Dreamstime
De Waag
Southeast of the Oude Kerk you can walk through the small Chinese Quarter to reach De Waag 5 [map] (Weigh House). One of the oldest buildings in the city, it opened in 1488 as a city gate to mark the eastern boundary of the city along the new wall built after the disastrous fire in the 1450s. The numerous turrets and rounded tower give it the look of a fairy-tale castle but it has had a more gruesome history. Public executions were held here in the 16th century, with the condemned being kept in a small cell on the ground floor before they met their fate.
De Waag is one of the city’s oldest buildings
Dreamstime
From the early 17th century it became the weigh house (waaggebouw) for cargoes entering or leaving the city down the Geldersekade canal to the north. The upper floors were used by trades’ guilds for meetings and by the Guild of Surgeons for practical medical research, including experiments with cadavers. Two of Rembrandt’s most celebrated paintings, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Deijman and The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp were commissioned by the Guild of Surgeons and originally hung in the Waag.
In the early 19th century the weigh house closed, and the Waag had a number of less illustrious tenants. It now houses a superb café-restaurant, called In de Waag (for more information, click here), so you can stop for refreshment and admire the Gothic interior at the same time.
Nieuwmarkt and Zuiderkerk
Despite the name, Nieuwmarkt (New Market) celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2015. It surrounds the Waag and is home to several different types of market throughout the week. If you walk to the north side of the Waag and look along Geldersekade you will see a tower dominating the skyline. This is the Schreierstoren, which is also part of the new city wall that was constructed in 1480. The tower’s name is thought to derive from the word schreien, which means ‘weeping’, as it was a place where sailors’ wives came to wave their men off to sea, fearing for their safety. The tower now houses the VOC Café, an attractive old-style bar.
The Schreierstoren
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From the Waag, walk down Sint-Antoniesbreestraat, past modern apartment blocks built in the 1970s. Look out for the magnificent De Pintohuis at No. 69, a mansion bought by wealthy Jewish merchant Isaäc de Pinto in 1651, and rebuilt in 1686 by his son David Emanuel, who gave it more or less its present ornate appearance.
Off the right side of Sint-Antoniesbreestraat is the ornate tower of the Zuiderkerk 6 [map] (South Church; Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat noon–4pm; free; tower: Apr–Sept Tue–Sun 1–5pm; charge). Begun in 1603, this was the city’s first Protestant place of worship to be built after the Reformation. Designed by Hendrick de Keyser, it was deconsecrated in 1929.
At the end of Sint-Antoniesbreestraat is a tiny square with a wonderful view along Oude Schans canal to your left. You will find a crooked little house, dating from the 17th century. Formerly a lockkeeper’s house, it is now a small bar/café, De Sluyswacht, set against the backdrop of the canal and Montelbaanstoren behind. Built as part of a new outer defensive wall in 1512, the tower originally had a flat roof – the ornate peak that gives it such panache was added by Hendrick de Keyser in 1606.
Rembrandt van Rijn had a passion for collecting rare or precious objects. This desire played a part in his downfall, but his collection at the Rembrandthuis (for more information, click here) tells us much about Dutch society in the 1600s. Beautiful man-made items from the Dutch colonies sit beside Roman and Greek sculptures from the Classical era. There are a number of globes, indicating the expansion of the known world in Rembrandt’s time, seashells and strange stuffed beasts from far-off lands, and etchings by Raphael, Titian and Holbein, kept in heavy leather-bound books, showing new visual styles in form and colour. Inspiration was rich indeed in 17th-century Amsterdam.
Rembrandt’s House
After pausing to take a photo, cross the street to Jodenbreestraat (Jewish Broad Street) and the three-storey brick building with red shutters. This is the Museum Het Rembrandthuis 7 [map] (Rembrandt House Museum; www.rembrandthuis.nl; daily 10am–6pm; charge, tickets can be purchased online), which was home to the great artist from 1639 to 1660. Rembrandt bought the house as he rose in prestige and wealth. He created a studio on the top floor, where there was abundant natural light to illuminate his subjects, and sufficient space for him to teach his numerous pupils. The painter lived with his wife, Saskia, and their young son on the first floor. Unfortunately, he was not able to live out his life in his home. His lack of financial acumen and love of expensive objects brought him to bankruptcy in 1656 and he had to sell all his possessions, including the house, in 1660.
The whole house was restored in the late 1990s, including the studio and the painter’s kunstkamer or art cabinet (for more information, click here), to re-create the early 1600s as faithfully as possible. The artist’s studio, north facing and flooded with light, is wonderfully atmospheric, and the kitchen, with its open fireplace, is always popular with visitors. More than 250 of the artist’s etchings are beautifully presented around the upper floors of the house.
The Polders
Some 6,500 sq km (2,500 sq miles) of the Netherlands has been reclaimed from the sea. This was achieved by building dykes along the coast, rivers and canals, and pumping the ground water to the far side of the dyke to dry out the land. The reclaimed tracts of land between the dykes are called polders. Many areas of Amsterdam, such as Vondelpark, are 2m (6.7ft) below sea level, and Schiphol Airport is 4.5m (15ft) below sea level.
The Southeast
Waterlooplein
Parallel to Jodenbreestraat, on its left-hand side, is Waterlooplein 8 [map], named after the famous battle and home to a sprawling flea market of the same name. Every day (except Sunday) you’ll find an eclectic mix of second-hand crockery, curios and electrical goods on sale, along with ethnic and vintage clothes.
The flea market at Waterlooplein is the oldest in Amsterdam
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
The eastern end of the market square is dominated by the twin spires of Mozes en Aäronkerk (Moses and Aaron Church), a Catholic church built in 1840 on the site of a secret chapel. The Old Testament figures of Moses and Aaron were found depicted on gable stones in the original building and were set into the wall of the new edifice. The fine towers are actually wood rather than stone. They were painted to match the sandstone walls in a 1990 restoration.
Waterlooplein, and its market, used to be much larger, but a massive building project, begun in the early 1980s, reduced its size considerably. Protesters deplored the loss of several old canal houses fringing the square, which constituted much of what was left of the old Jewish Quarter. In the 1980s squatters battled against riot police and water cannons. Nevertheless, the construction went ahead, and the result of this labour is the conjoined Muziektheater (www.hetmuziektheater.nl) and Stadhuis (Town Hall), sitting majestically on the River Amstel. Opened in 1986, the attractive glass-fronted Muziektheater is home to the Netherlands Opera and the National Ballet and hosts a range of travelling companies in the largest auditorium in the country.
At one end of Waterlooplein is the Joods Verzetmonument, a black marble memorial commemorating Jewish Resistance fighters from World War II.
Towards Magere Brug
The River Amstel has always been a major artery through the city and even today you will see a large amount of commercial traffic passing along the waterway. From the terrace and walkway around the Muziektheater there are wonderful views of the boats and the canal houses bordering the water. The bridge in front of the Muziektheater provides a wonderful view down the river and is also one of the most interesting bridges in Amsterdam. The Blauwbrug (Blue Bridge) is named after the colour of the previous bridge that occupied the site. The present one, dating from 1880, is based on Pont Alexandre III in Paris and is ornamented with carvings of ships and other maritime themes.
A block upstream from the Blauwbrug on the east (right) bank is the huge neoclassical Amstelhof (1681), a former almshouse for the elderly that is now the site of the Hermitage Amsterdam 9 [map] (www.hermitage.nl; daily 10am–5pm, Wed until 8pm; charge), a branch of St Petersburg’s State Hermitage Museum. Spacious modern galleries are the setting for two blockbusters a year, both lasting six months.
Although the Blauwbrug is the most ornate bridge in the city, Amsterdammers and visitors alike have a soft spot for its neighbour a little way south up the Amstel, the Magere Brug or ‘Skinny Bridge’. This white, wooden drawbridge is picture-perfect and one of the most enduring symbols of the city. It is even prettier at dusk when the lights on its arches and spars are switched on. There has been a bridge here since the 1670s but the present one was erected only in 1969.
The picturesque Magere Brug
Pete Bennett/Apa Publications
Along the river on either side of the Magere Brug are a number of old barges moored along the banks. The large craft, which would once have carried heavy cargoes such as grain and coal, now make surprisingly large, comfortable, quirky and very expensive homes. Beyond, on the east bank of the Amstel, you will see the facade of the Koninklijk Theater Carré (http://web.carre.nl). Traditionally the site of the Carré Circus, this was where the Carré family had a wooden building erected to house their shows. Later the authorities deemed this structure to be a fire hazard and so the Carrés had this beautiful stone building designed for them. It opened for performances in 1887 and now hosts many different types of performance throughout the year, but a circus always appears here at Christmas time.
The Skinny Sisters
How did the Magere Brug get its name? Mager means ‘skinny’ in Dutch, and it would be simple to assume that its name refers to the narrowness of the bridge. Not so, say Amsterdammers, who will regale you with stories of two sisters called Mager who each had a house on opposite sides of the bridge and who paid for the original bridge to be built. By amazing coincidence, these two sisters were also thin, which prompts comments about the ‘mager Mager sisters’.
Herengracht
Cross the river via the Magere Brug then travel one block north and take a left along the northern bank of Herengracht. Here, you will get your first look at the canal system that was built during Amsterdam’s 17th-century Golden Age, revolutionising the city. During its time, this was probably the most sought-after, expensive real estate in the world.
The Golden Age kitchen in the Museum Willet-Holthuysen
Pete Bennett/Apa Publications
Herengracht has numerous beautiful houses, which can only really be appreciated by strolling past them. This part of town is still mostly residential, and many houses have been converted into apartments for wealthy and successful Amsterdammers. It is fascinating to peek inside at the ultramodern interiors, which give a feel of the flair the Dutch have for interior design.
Watch your step!
Wear comfortable shoes when you explore the city: uneven surfaces can be hard on the feet – especially the cobbled canalside roads, which are made even more irregular by tree roots.
Museum Willet-Holthuysen
At No. 605 Herengracht, the Museum Willet-Holthuysen ) [map] (www.willetholthuysen.nl; Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun and holidays 11am–5pm; charge) gives you the opportunity to look behind the facade of a genuine Golden Age house. It was completed in 1687 and structurally has changed very little since that time, although it has been altered cosmetically several times as fashions changed.
In 1855 it came into the possession of Gerard Holthuysen, a successful trader in glass and English coal. His daughter married Abraham Willet, a founding member of the Dutch Royal Antiquarian Society, whose aim was to promote national art and history.
On her death in 1895, Louisa bequeathed the house and its contents to the city of Amsterdam on the one condition that it would be opened as a museum. This it duly was in 1896, and today visitors can examine in detail the furniture, porcelain and numerous artworks that had been collected by the Willet-Holthuysen family over many years.
Continue along Herengracht for the Tassenmuseum (Museum of Bags and Purses, www.tassenmuseum.nl; daily 10am-5pm, charge), an exquisite collection on three floors of the distinguished canalside home of Amsterdam’s mayor in the 1660s. Follow 500 years of bags and purses, from 17th century silver framed pouches, gaming bags and chatelaines through to Art Deco and stylish contemporary designs. A pretty garden café offers tempting teas.
Reguliersgracht and Museum Van Loon
A short walk brings you to the bridge at Reguliersgracht with one of the most fascinating views of the canal ring. From here it is possible to see 14 other bridges by looking up and down Herengracht and ahead down adjoining Reguliersgracht (this view is even better at water level, so take a canal cruise – and your camera –for more information, click here). Reguliersgracht has some very pretty houses and is quieter than the main three ‘girdle’ canals, which were built at the same time. Go south along Reguliersgracht and turn right on the far side of Kiezersgracht. At No. 672 you will find a canalside residence dating from 1672 that houses the Museum Van Loon ! [map] (www.museumvanloon.nl; Wed–Mon 11am–5pm; charge). One of the city’s finest canalside mansions it was acquired by descendants of Willem Van Loon, co-founder of the East India Company. The elegant if slightly faded interior includes antiques, rich wallpaper and portraits from generations of the influential Van Loon family. In the ornamental garden (rarely open to the public) there is a coach house in the style of a Greek temple. On the opposite side of the canal the trendy Foam Fotografiemuseum (Foam Photography Museum; www.foam.org; daily 10am–6pm, Thu and Fri until 9pm; charge) has regularly changing exhibitions featuring famous names as well as emerging young talent.
An opulent bed at the Museum Van Loon
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
Thorbeckeplein and Rembrandtplein
Back at the bridge with the views, the small square to the north is the rather touristy Thorbeckeplein, where you will see a sombre statue of Johan Rudolf Thorbecke who designed the Dutch Constitution in 1848. Wander through the square, which is the scene of an art market on Sunday, to reach Rembrandtplein @ [map], one of the city’s most vibrant social centres. This square was formerly called Botermarkt (a butter market was held here in the 19th century), but it was renamed when the large statue of Rembrandt was sited here in 1878.
One wonders what the artist would have made of the square, since it is now busy with theatres, cinemas, clubs, show halls, bars and restaurants – and dominated by vibrant neon signs. On a summer evening, however, it is a wonderful place to sit with a drink and watch the world go by.
The Jewish Quarter
Beyond the eastern end of Waterlooplein you will see the Mr Visserplein, busy with several lanes of traffic. Head across the square to Weesperstraat and Jonas Daniël Meijerplein to find the Joods Historisch Museum £ [map] (Jewish Historical Museum; www.jhm.nl; daily 11am–5pm; charge), which documents the history of the once large and influential Jewish community in the city. Jewish history in Amsterdam dates back to the late 16th century, but was cut short by the Nazi occupation of the city that began in 1940.
Explore Jewish culture at the Joods Historisch Museum
Glyn Genin/Apa Publications
The systematic deportation of the Jewish population to concentration camps tore the community apart, and after the war only a handful returned to their homes. The museum, which opened in 1987, was created by the amalgamation of four old Ashkenazi synagogue buildings. The exhibitions reveal the history of Amsterdam’s Jewish community, explain the philosophies of Judaism and examine the wider issues of Jewish identity.
Across busy Weesperstraat are two other reminders of the once thriving Jewish community. In a stark, exposed position near the road in Jonas Daniël Meijerplein, is the Dokwerker Statue by Mari Andriessen. This figure commemorates the day in February 1941 when the dockworkers rose up in protest against the Nazi deportation of the Jews. Behind the statue is the Portugese Synagoge $ [map] (www.portugesesynagoge.nl; Apr–Oct Sun–Fri 10am–4pm, Nov–Mar Sun–Thur 10am–4pm, Fri 10am–2pm; charge), inaugurated in 1675 for the Spanish and Portuguese Sephardic Jews who settled in the city. Its design is said to be based on that of King Solomon’s Temple.
The 17th-century Portugese Synagoge
Glyn Genin/Apa Publications
The Plantage
From Jonas Daniël Meijerplein look southeast to the glasshouses of the Hortus Botanicus % [map] (Botanical Garden; www.dehortus.nl; July–Aug Mon–Fri 9am–9pm, Sat–Sun 10am–9pm, Feb–June and Sept–Nov Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm, Dec–Jan daily until 4pm; charge), easily seen just across Nieuwe Herengracht. Cross the canal by walking left along its banks to the nearby bridge. Once across, you have entered the Plantage area of the city, formerly an area of parkland but developed from the mid-19th century into one of the first of Amsterdam’s suburbs.
The Botanical Garden has a long and illustrious history. It began as a small medicinal garden in 1682, but soon became the depository for many of the new plant species brought from Dutch colonies in the Golden Age, and was responsible for developing each genus for cultivation, propagation and commercial exploitation. The distinctive glasshouses were added in 1912, and today the gardens have one of the largest collections in the world.
Exploring the Hortus Botanicus
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
A two-minute walk down Plantage Middenlaan leads you to Artis ^ [map] (www.artis.nl; March–Oct daily 9am–6pm, Sat Jun–Aug until sunset, Nov–Feb daily 9am–5pm; charge), a fascinating complex of zoo, aquarium, planetarium and geological museum, which aims to increase visitors’ knowledge of the physical world. The zoo was one of the first in Europe when it opened its doors in 1838, and it has continued as a groundbreaking institution, now acting as a centre for efforts to save several endangered species. The Planetarium and other areas of Artis offer many fun ways to learn about the world around us.
Amsterdam Street Addresses
A formal system of addresses with street names and numbers was only introduced to the city by the French in 1795. Before this, gable stones and wall plaques were used as a way of indicating either the purpose of a commercial building or of explaining the precise site of a home. Directions might have been something like ‘three doors down from the Red Fox’. Some of these plaques have been left in place – look out for them as you stroll the banks of the canals.
Southeast of Artis, across two canals and busy roads, is Oosterpark, an open green area with a lake and play areas (take tram No. 9 or 14 rather than walking here from the city centre). In the northern corner of the park is the Tropenmuseum & [map] (Tropical Museum: www. tropenmuseum.nl; Tue–Sun 10am–5pm, Mon during public and school holidays 10am–5pm; charge), once the home of the Dutch Colonial Institute. The building was constructed in 1926 to house the institute’s collection of artefacts from the tropics. Today, the aim of the museum is to improve our knowledge of the world’s tropical areas and promote an understanding of the peoples in these developing parts of the world. A vast collection of artefacts from the former Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) was the starting point for the displays, which range from tribal masks to tools and utensils. Recreations of a Bombay street and Arab souk, among other locales, bring home the reality of life in different societies. The museum also has an award-winning Tropenmuseum Junior (Children’s Museum) offering six to 13 year-olds a chance to explore the collection and interact with the exhibits.
Exhibits in the Tropenmuseum
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
Entrepotdok
North of Artis is Entrepotdok, which, in the 19th century, was the warehouse region of the city, with carefully designed canals forming one of the busiest port areas in Europe. The warehouses fell into disrepair in the 20th century and lay empty for many years before they became a centre for the 1960s’ and 1970s’ squatter revolution that overtook the city. Since the 1980s, the area has been totally renovated and the warehouses gutted to create spacious modern housing, offices, and bars and restaurants without changing the basic design of the buildings.
Heading north, you will reach the main street, Prins Hendrikkade, which takes you back to Centraal Station, to the left. As you cross over the Nieuwe Vaart canal, look left for a glimpse of the only windmill left in the city’s central area. The De Gooyer windmill was built in the early 18th century to grind corn. It sits next to a small brewery, Brouwerij’t IJ, which has guided tours and tastings, and a bar with an outdoor terrace.
The Het Scheepvaartmuseum
Across the bridge, walk towards Kattenburgerplein and a large square building housing the Het Scheepvaartmuseum * [map] (Maritime Museum; www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl; daily 9am–5pm, charge). This building was constructed in 1656 for the Navy, and its strong walls safeguarded a vast arsenal that once protected Dutch interests around the world. The museum, which was closed for four years, has been beautifully renovated and a fine glass ceiling installed over its central courtyard. Interactive exhibitions have been added to the collection of model ships, marine art, globes, maps and booty from far-flung lands – all of which document the long, illustrious history of maritime achievement of the Dutch. Visitors can explore the full-size re-creation of the Dutch East India company ship Amsterdam, docked outside. The ship left for Asia in 1749 but was wrecked off the English coast near Hastings – where it still lies.
The unmissable, ship-shaped NEMO
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Next to the museum, and recognisable by its vast ship-like bulk and huge green outer walls, is the Science Center NEMO ( [map] (www.e-nemo.nl; Tue–Sun 10am–5pm, also Mon from May–Aug and during Dutch school holidays; charge). Designed by architect Renzo Piano, and opened in 1997, the centre was created to bring the latest science and technology into the hands of visitors, whatever their age.
The location of NEMO itself is a technological marvel. It sits high above the entrance to the IJ tunnel, which takes six lanes of traffic under the IJ waterway to Amsterdam’s northern suburbs and beyond. Inside there are five floors of activities and hosts of interactive, hands-on experiments for all ages. You can take a DNA journey, fit inside a soap bubble or see how lightning works. NEMO’s huge roof terrace provides great views of the city.
The Southwest
The southwest section takes on a fan shape from the centre of the city, widening as it travels out and encompassing the major art museums.
Muntplein
Our starting point is Muntplein, at the junction of the River Amstel and the Singel canal. Although only a small square, and cut by numerous tramlines, it has a particularly beautiful tower – Munttoren , [map] (Mint Tower), originally a medieval gate guarding the entrance to the city. It was damaged by fire in 1619, and the clock tower was added by Hendrick de Keyser during the renovations. In 1699 the carillon was installed, and this still fills the air with its tinkling sounds. During the war with France in 1672, when Amsterdam’s supply of money was cut off, the tower became the city mint, and the name has stuck.
In the shadow of the tower and partly floating on the Singel (the medieval protective moat for the city) is the Bloemenmarkt ⁄ [map] (Flower Market). The daily market has been held for centuries, when the flower sellers would arrive by canal with boats laden with blooms. Today the stalls (selling clogs and delftware as well as flowers) still float on barges permanently attached to the canal wall. The blooms they sell bring a splash of colour to even the dullest Amsterdam day.
Fresh flowers for sale at the Bloemenmarkt
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Stroll along the market until you reach Koningsplein and turn left down Leidsestraat. This major shopping street is always busy because it links one of the largest squares in the city to the central area.
Leidseplein
At the end of Leidsestraat is Leidseplein ¤ [map], the busiest square in the city, with tourist bars and cafés spilling onto it; it’s a major nightlife focus, too. Look out for a small grassy area, with sculptures of life-size iguanas and other large lizards. The narrow streets leading off the square are full of cinemas, concert halls and intimate live venues.
Café culture at Leidseplein
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
In summer you will find several different street performers vying for your euros. It’s a place where talented music students play classical pieces, or musicians from around the world play their traditional tunes, taking their turn with jugglers, mime artists and magicians. Whatever the time of year, as the sun sets, the neon lights are switched on, and people flock to enjoy the restaurants and nightclubs that keep the square buzzing until the early hours of the morning.
On the western side of Leidseplein you will find the Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre), built in 1894. Once the premier opera house in the city, it has been usurped by the Muziektheater, but still hosts regular performances. Across the square is the American Hotel, an Art Nouveau treasure and national monument completed in 1902. Non-residents can visit the Café Américain on the ground floor to enjoy the sumptuous surroundings.
Vondelpark
Turn left after Leidseplein and across the Singel you will find the Holland Casino Amsterdam and the Lido Club on your left. On your right, across Stadhouderskade, is a narrow gate into Vondelpark ‹ [map], a park that has been called ‘the lungs of Amsterdam’. It was founded in 1865 after a number of philanthropic city fathers decided there was a need for a genteel recreation area for the city’s population, many of whom lived in overcrowded slums. The park was named after the Netherlands’ premier poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel and designed in the English fashion of the times. It originally served as a private park, paid for by the wealthy families who lived around it. Today its 46 hectares (120 acres) have ponds, farm animals, flocks of parakeets, jogging tracks and cycle paths.
Vondelpark, ‘the lungs of Amsterdam’
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
Museumplein
Only five minutes to the south of Leidseplein is the Museum Quarter, for many visitors the main reason for their visit to Amsterdam. Here, three of the most important art collections in Europe sit side by side, allowing visitors to walk from one to the next in a matter of moments. Although all very different in appearance, they are brought together by an open space, which is called, not surprisingly, Museumplein.
The highlight of any art lover’s trip to Amsterdam is the Rijksmuseum › [map] (State Museum; www.rijksmuseum.nl; daily 9am–6pm; charge, free for 18 years of age and under, tickets bookable online), which is home to the greatest collection of Dutch art in the world. Following a €375 million, decade-long restoration and extension, the museum reopened its doors in 2013. The transformation is remarkable, both for the building and the presentation of the collection. The elegance of Pierre Cuypers’ original Victorian Gothic buildings has been restored, and the galleries have been redesigned so that visitors can follow a chronological journey through the collection. For the first time the decorative and historic exhibits are shown alongside the artistic treasures, giving a real sense of time. The former gloomy entrance has been transformed by a soaring light-filled atrium, with a stylish café, book and souvenir shops. New galleries include the Asian pavilion, surrounded by water, the 20th century galleries, the Special Collections (fascinating objets d’art from the museum’s rich holding) and newly opened gardens with sculpture. But the real magnet still remains the Gallery of Honour, hung with Rembrandts, Vermeers and other jewels of the Dutch Golden Age.
Rebirth of the Rijksmuseum
The reopening of the Rijksmuseum after a 10-year closure was a lavish affair with processions, bands, dramatic fireworks engulfing the building and great crowds flocking to see Queen Beatrix. The opening was the Queen’s last official duty before abdication when she turned the throne over to her son, Willem-Alexander, declaring that the future of the nation ‘lies with the next generation’. Interestingly, her gala abdication dinner was held, not in the Royal Palace, but in the Gallery of Honour in the newly restored Rijksmuseum.
Restoration took 10 years instead of the intended five, due largely to the lengthy battle with the powerful Dutch cycling lobby who objected to the proposed closure of the cycle thoroughfare which runs smack through the museum, separating the two courtyards. The cyclists triumphed, their route was retained and the architects came up with an ingenious solution of digging down five metres, using boats and divers, to create the atrium, finally linking the two courtyards.
Cuypers’ original building was designed around Rembrandt’s Night Watch; and this masterpiece still retains pride of place at the head of the Gallery of Honour – the only work among 8,000 exhibits to be returned after restoration to its original location.
The painting – one of 20 works by the artist in the collection – is properly entitled The Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch. The work, which was commissioned by the company for its barracks, is remarkable for its lack of formality and very different from the accepted style of the day. Its size is impressive, yet it was originally even larger. It had to be trimmed to make it fit into the Town Hall where it was moved in 1715.
The new glass-roofed atrium at the Rijksmuseum
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Johannes Vermeer is well represented, and his effective use of light can be seen in The Milkmaid, (c.1658–60) and Woman Reading a Letter (c.1663) two of the gallery’s best-loved pieces. There are paintings by Frans Hals, the founding artist of the Dutch School, along with a collection of Dutch artists who were influenced or schooled by the masters. Rembrandt was a prolific teacher and his pupils produced work so similar to his that many were mistaken for the great artist’s work.
The Rijksmuseum after its decade-long facelift
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Look out also for the painting by a lesser-known artist, Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde, of Herengracht in 1672, when its grand houses were being completed. The scene has no trees and shows the ‘Gentlemen’s Canal’ in pristine condition.
Visible just behind the Rijksmuseum are the modern lines of the Van Gogh Museum fi [map] (www.vangoghmuseum.nl; daily 9am–5pm, Fri until 10pm; charge), devoted to the work of the Dutch master. The main building, by Gerrit Rietveld, opened in 1973; a separate circular wing, by Kisho Kurokawa, hosts temporary exhibitions. The museum reopened in 2013, its gallery walls newly painted in stormy greys, blues and yellows, reflecting the canvasses they display. There are over 200 paintings and 500 drawings by the painter, covering all periods of his troubled career. Vincent’s brother Theo van Gogh, who also kept more than 800 letters written by his brother, collated the bulk of the collection.
The strikingly modern Van Gogh Museum
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Vincent’s working life was short but frenetic, interspersed with periods of manic depression, and his paintings reflect his moods. His 1885 work The Potato Eaters shows the hard lives endured by the rural poor among whom he lived at this time. Contrast this with the superb vibrant colours of The Bedroom in Arles and Vase with Sunflowers, both painted after Vincent moved to Provence in 1888.
Dutch Masters Old and New
The Golden Age of the Netherlands (roughly speaking, the 17th century) produced a number of brilliant artists who left a rich legacy of work. In the years since, there have been further shining lights.
Frans Hals (c.1580–1666) is considered the founder of the Dutch School of realistic painting. He introduced ‘the captured moment’ to fine art – the glance or casual expression not formerly seen in formal portraits. His celebrated portrait The Laughing Cavalier is in the Rijksmuseum.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–69). Today, the best-known artist of the Dutch School, Rembrandt revolutionised painting with his informal composition and use of light. He lived in Amsterdam for much of his life. Some of his best work is in the Rijksmuseum and a collection of his sketches at his house (Museum Het Rembrandthuis).
Johannes (Jan) Vermeer (1632–75) painted only around 30 works, but his attention to detail and sympathetic use of light later made his work famous. His painting of The Milkmaid is in the Rijksmuseum.
Jacob van Ruisdael (c.1628–82). Master of the landscape, he had the ability to create an almost photographic realism. A number of his works are in the Rijksmuseum.
Vincent van Gogh (1853–90) developed his strong use of form and colour after he settled in Provence. Suffering from mental illness, he died after shooting himself just before his revolutionary work was recognised. The Van Gogh Museum has more than 200 of his paintings.
Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) brought painting down to its essence, with stark abstract lines and blocks created using primary colours. Examples of his work can be viewed at the Stedelijk Museum.
Stedelijk Museum and Surrounding Area
Next door to the Van Gogh Museum is the city’s collection of modern and contemporary art and design, the Stedelijk Museum fl [map] (Municipal Museum; www.stedelijk.nl; daily 10am–6pm, Thur until 10pm; charge). The museum reopened in 2012 after eight years of renovation and extension. The famous 1895 facade is neoclassical, with figures such as the architect and sculptor Hendrick de Keyser (1565–1621) gazing down on the passing crowds. It was built specifically to house the private art collection of Sophia de Bruyn, who then bequeathed it to the city in 1890. A striking white extension has been added to the stately facade, nicknamed The Bathtub, for reasons that will become apparent if you view it from Museumplein. This provides a lobby, shop, restaurant and a large space for temporary exhibitions. The museum’s permanent collection includes pieces by Marc Chagall, Picasso, Monet, Cézanne and Matisse. There is also a comprehensive examination of the art and design movement known as De Stijl (The Style), which swept through the Netherlands just after World War I.
Along the Golden Bend
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Diamond Territory
If you feel culturally exhausted after your ‘museum-fest’, the streets around Museumplein offer some exciting retail therapy. Walk across Paulus Potterstraat from the Van Gogh Museum and you will find Coster Diamonds (daily 9am–5pm, free guided tours), one of the oldest ‘houses’ in the city, where you can watch diamonds being polished and maybe buy a carat or two. For the most upmarket shopping street of the Netherlands, head for P.C. Hoofstraat, running parallel to Paulus Potterstraat; or for art and antiques explore the Spiegelkwartier across the bridge from the Rijksmuseum. For culture of a more musical nature go to the world-famous Royal Concertgebouw on Van Baerlstraat, home to the orchestra of the same name. The concert hall celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2013 and was awarded royal status. The acoustics are almost perfect, even though the designer of the building, Adolf Leonard van Gendt, had no experience in this specialised area. During the season from mid-September to late June there are free half-hour concerts on Wednesdays at 12.30pm.
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat and the Golden Bend
If you want to stroll back to town after your visit to the museums, then walk through the open courtyard that cuts through the centre of the Rijksmuseum, across Stadhouderskade and on to narrow Spiegelgracht and its continuation Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. This centre of antiques and art galleries has some wonderful windows to gaze into.
Walk north along the length of Nieuwe Spiegelstraat and you will eventually reach Herengracht at its most spectacular point. When it was first dug, and the lots of land sold, it was soon realised that this section of the canal (between Vijzelstraat and Leidsestraat) would have the largest houses inhabited by the richest families in the city. For this reason it has become known as the Gouden Bocht (Golden Bend). Many of these grand old buildings now house banks and financial institutions.
The Northwest
The northwest section abuts the centre, beginning at Kalverstraat, the rather brash, shopping street that cuts the centre of Amsterdam from north to south. In a small square called Spui you will find a book market on Friday. Off the north side of the square, a narrow alleyway, Gedempte Begijnensloot, leads to the entrance of the Begijnhof ‡ [map] (www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl; daily 9am–5pm; free), a haven of tranquillity in the centre of the city.
Stained-glass windows in the English Reformed Church
Guglielmo Galvin/Apa Publications
The cluster of buildings around a garden was set aside in 1346 for the benefit of the Beguines, members of a lay Catholic sisterhood. They lived simple lives and in return for their lodgings undertook to care for the sick and educate the poor. Although nothing remains of the 14th-century houses, No. 34 is Het Houten Huys, Amsterdam’s oldest house, dating from around 1425.
The Catholic chapel dates from 1671 when it was built in a style designed to disguise its purpose. The spectacular stained-glass windows depict the Miracle of Amsterdam. In the centre of the courtyard is the English Reformed Church, where the Pilgrim Fathers worshipped before setting off to the New World (they came here from England before leaving for America).
The last Beguine died in 1971 and today, although the houses are still offered only to single women of the Christian faith, the women are not expected to undertake lay work.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed in public buildings or on public transport, and only in the Rookzone (Smoking Area) on station platforms. Nor is it allowed in hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars, except in separate enclosed areas in which no food or drinks are served, and in small bars operated only by the owner. Smoking coffee shops are permitted to sell up to 5 grams of cannabis to those over-18 but not products containing tobacco.
Amsterdam Museum
Behind the Begijnhof is the old Sint-Luciënklooster (Convent of St Lucy), which became the city orphanage after the Alteration, although it was open only to well-to-do orphans; the poor had to fend for themselves. It was extended several times, including a wing designed by Hendrick de Keyser, and opened in 1975 as the Amsterdam Museum ° [map] (www.amsterdammuseum.nl; Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun 11am–5pm; charge). Its rooms reveal details of the development of this fascinating city through plans, paintings, archaeological finds and a multimedia DNA exhibition that breaks down a thousand years of history into seven periods.
The Golden Age is brought to life in rooms 5–12, but there is also an interesting section on 20th- and 21st-century Amsterdam, covering the Nazi occupation, and efforts to protect and preserve the city. Tiny details, such as a relief above the Kalverstraat entrance, asking people to support the upkeep of the orphanage, point to the building’s original purpose.
Once out of the museum, walk north. Take Kalverstraat or, if you find it a little too busy for comfort, take Rokin, which runs parallel to Kalverstraat to the right. This wide street was once a canal, part of which was drained and filled in to allow better access for modern forms of transport. On the far side of the canal is the elegant Georgian facade of the Allard Pierson Museum (www.allardpiersonmuseum.nl; Tue–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun 1–5pm; charge), the archaeological collection of the University of Amsterdam, which has superb temporary exhibitions. Another couple of minutes will bring you to the Dam · [map], the symbolic heart of the city.
Rembrandt’s ruins
The medieval Stadhuis (Town Hall) burnt down in 1652 while the building that is now Koninklijk Paleis was being built to replace it. Rembrandt provided a record of the scene when, curiously, he drew the old building in ruins, rather than the new one rising beside it.
Koninklijk Paleis
The Dam is a wide cobbled square dominated by the ornate Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace; www.paleisamsterdam.nl; open most days, see website; charge), which was completed in 1655. It was originally built as the Town Hall, facing the landing wharfs along Damrak, which at that time would have been busy with ships. The classical design by Jacob van Campen gives some indication of the confidence of the city in the Golden Age – a statue of Atlas carrying the world on his shoulders sits astride the rear of the building, and in the sumptuous interior, only the best materials were used.
When Louis Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, became king of Holland in 1806, he demanded a palace suitable for his position and in 1808 requisitioned the Town Hall. He furnished it with the finest pieces of the time and left them all behind only two years later when he was forced out of power. It has remained a royal palace ever since, used for ceremonial occasions only. As long as the palace is not in use for ceremonies, you can visit the grand interior with its wealth of reliefs, chandeliers, marble sculptures and paintings by pupils of Rembrandt.
The magnificent Koninklijk Paleis
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Nieuwe Kerk, Nationaal Monument and Waxworks
Beside the palace is the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church; www. nieuwekerk.nl; daily Mar–Sept 10am–6pm, Oct–Feb 10am–5pm, but hours may vary; free when no exhibition), built before the palace, but not the oldest church in the city, hence its name. The church has suffered several fires during the course of its history and was stripped of all its treasures during the Alteration. The pulpit is notable for being extremely ornate for a Protestant place of worship. The church is now used as a cultural centre.
Across the Dam is the stark, white Nationaal Monument commemorating the role of the Dutch in World War II.
On the Dam’s south side stands Madame Tussauds (www.madametussauds.com; daily 10am–between 4.30 and 8.30pm; charge), with a panorama recreating Amsterdam’s Golden Age, as well as wax models of celebrities.
Make your way behind the Royal Palace to Raadhuisstraat, which leads to the northern canal ring (Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht). Immediately behind the palace is Magna Plaza, built in 1899 as the main post office, although its Gothic architecture was considered far too ornate for a civil service department. It is now home to the city’s premier shopping mall.
Bicycles for hire, for more information, click here
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Around Raadhuisstraat
Raadhuisstraat is the main thoroughfare to the northwestern canal ring and is busy with trams and buses. It will take you quickly to the main attractions of the area but it is not the prettiest or quietest route. Wandering the smaller alleys and lanes to the north and south is much more fulfilling.
Just off Raadhuisstraat, Herengracht 168, is a superb 17th-century residence. The grey sandstone house was built in neoclassical style by architect Philips Vingboons and sports the city’s first neck gable. The red-brick Huis Bartolotti at Nos 170–2 is an ornate Dutch Renaissance mansion built in 1617 by Hendrick de Keyser and his son Pieter, with illuminated 18th-century ceilings by Jacob de Wit.
The Nationaal Monument
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Westerkerk
Follow Raadhuisstraat until you reach the Westerkerk º [map] (www.westerkerk.nl; Apr–Sept Mon–Sat 11am–3pm; free), set in its own square on the left and overlooking Prinsengracht. Hendrick de Keyser designed this church, one of his last commissions, in 1619. It is reputed to be the burial place of Rembrandt, but no one knows the exact location of the grave (which may no longer exist). One of his pupils, Gerard de Lairesse, painted the organ panels, added in 1686. In summer you can climb the Westerkerk’s tower (Apr–Oct Mon–Sat 10am–5.30pm; charge), the tallest in the city at 83m (273ft), offering incomparable views. The crown on top is a replica of one presented to the city in 1489 by Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor.
Turn left beyond the church to Prinsengracht 263, just an ordinary canal house-cum-office but made famous worldwide by events here in World War II. During the Nazi occupation a young girl, her family and a small group of others hid for two years here in an attempt to avoid deportation. It is, of course, Anne Frank Huis ¡ [map] (Anne Frank House; www.annefrank.org; daily Apr–June, Sept and Oct 9am–9pm (Sat until 10pm), July and Aug 9am–10pm, Nov–Mar 9am–7pm (Sat until 9pm); closed Yom Kippur; charge; book ahead online to avoid seriously long queues).
Anne wrote a diary that paints a clear and terrifying picture of the life the family lived. It comes to an eerie stop only a few days before the family was betrayed and sent to concentration camps. Of the eight people in hiding, only Anne’s father survived – Anne died of typhus only weeks before the war ended – and after the war, in 1947, he published the diary, which became a symbol for the oppression of humankind.
Looking down from the Westerkerk tower
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
The house, built in 1635, has been left much as it was at the time Anne hid here. It opened as a museum in 1960. The secret rooms upstairs, where the family spent the daylight hours, are stark and bleak. A couple of magazine pin-ups still adorn one wall. The wooden bookcase, which hid the doorway to their refuge, is still in situ, propped open for visitors to climb the few stairs. Downstairs were the offices and warehouses of Mr Frank’s business, which were recreated in a multimillion-dollar development. Two adjacent buildings have been acquired and refurbished, adding exhibition and audiovisual space, without compromising No. 263 itself. You can see videos of Anne’s story and of Amsterdam under occupation, along with photos and artefacts.
Anne Frank Huis
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The Anne Frank Huis also acts as an education centre and resource for political and philosophical groups fighting oppression in the present day. The museum is always busy in the afternoon: try to visit in the morning if possible, or in late evening during extended openings.
The Jordaan
Cross Prinsengracht to reach the area of the city known as the Jordaan ™ [map]. Built as housing for workers and artisans in the early 17th century, it extends roughly from the far bank of Prinsengracht to Lijnbaansgracht and from Brouwersgracht (Brewers Canal) south to Leidseplein. Many of the streets were named after fragrant flowers but this was not the prettiest or sweetest smelling area of Amsterdam in its heyday. Overcrowding was rife and with industries such as fabric-dyeing carried out on the ground floors, it was an unsanitary place to live.
Its name is said to derive from the French word jardin, since a large contingent of French Huguenots came to live here to escape political persecution. Today, the Jordaan has been revived and become a fashionable residential location. You’ll find many bars, restaurants, galleries and boutiques in the area. It’s a good place to browse for an unusual souvenir.
Rozengracht, a hectic street, marks a Jordaan dividing line. The section to the north of here, and more particularly above Westerstraat, is a maze of alleys, quiet restaurants and thriving workshops, and retains many of its working-class roots. It has many true Jordaaners – traditionally, those who live close enough to the Westertoren to be able to hear the tinkling of its bells – independent-minded students, crafts- and tradespeople born and bred in the quarter. The section below Rozengracht is more gentrified, with individualistic shops on lovely side streets adjacent to the larger canals, and numerous brown cafés.
Saving the Jordaan
In the 1970s, parts of the Jordaan were earmarked for demolition, but thanks to widespread protests, the narrow streets were preserved, complete with period features such as these antique street lamps.
Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam
A point of interest for fans of cutting-edge art is the Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam (www.smba.nl; Wed–Sun 11am–5pm; free), at Rozenstraat 59. This offshoot of the city’s modern art museum (for more information, click here) hosts frequently-changing exhibitions of contemporary art reflecting Amsterdam culture.
The rowing lake in Amsterdamse Bos
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Amsterdamse Bos
The Netherlands suffered economic stagnation during the late 1920s and 1930s, as did the majority of other developed countries. One of the methods used to relieve the problems of unemployment was to organise large government-funded community projects, such as the Amsterdamse Bos # [map] (Amsterdam Wood; www.amsterdamsebos.nl), which created the largest recreation area in the city. The park is on the southern fringes of the city and can be reached by bus 170 or 172 from Centraal Station.
In 1967, it was enlarged to its present 800 hectares (2,000 acres). The trees and plants are now well established, and the wood has become an important habitat for birds, small mammals and insects, making this an ecological centre as well as a park. It has meadows, woodland and a huge lake for rowing, sailing and hourly rowing-boat hire. It features nature reserves, animal enclosures and a botanical garden. With around 48km (30 miles) of bicycle paths and close to 160km (100 miles) of footpaths, there is room for everybody. The stables at Amsterdamse Bos offer woodland horse rides, a perfect way to clear the city air from your system (contact Amsterdamse Manege; tel: 020-643 1342). There is also an open-air theatre, which holds performances in the summer.
Clogs
Clogs, the native footwear of the Netherlands, are still worn by some Dutch in rural areas and they find them as practical as they ever were. Clogs are traditionally made from poplar or willow – two trees that are commonly planted on the river and polder banks because they can soak up as much as 1,000 litres (265 gallons) of water per tree per day, keeping water levels under control. The shoes are carved from freshly felled wood and after being shaped are left to dry and harden.
Clogs are traditionally worn two sizes larger than a person’s shoe size, with thick socks to fit loosely to avoid rubbing the skin. Only ceremonial clogs (and those for tourists) are painted; everyday pairs are simple and unadorned. You often see farmers and sailors wearing them. Some road workers and deliverymen also find them more comfortable than standard protective boots.
Clogs make popular souvenirs
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Excursions
There are plenty of places within easy day-trip range of Amsterdam, a selection of which we cover in this chapter. Heading out of the city for a day (or two) will enable you to discover the Netherlands on a different level, whether climbing inside a windmill, walking along an historic canal that inspired the young Rembrandt, or eating pancakes in a pastoral village.
Some of the excursions covered below are served by coach tours (ask for details at the tourist office, for more information, click here), although you can also find your own way by bus, train, bicycle or rented car.
Villages to the North
To the north of Amsterdam are several small towns that not only provide a contrast to the city landscape, they also take you to the heart of agricultural North Holland.
Zaanse Schans
One such village is Zaanse Schans ¢ [map] (www.zaanseschans.nl), a patch of archetypal Dutch landscape just a few kilometres north of Amsterdam centre, near the town of Zaandam. This is a living museum created in 1960, which has brought together a number of farmhouses, windmills, dairies and barns – agricultural buildings that would have been demolished had they not been relocated here. Zaanse Schans has working mills, craft shops, cheese-making factories and a clog workshop on a canalside. You are free to explore at your own pace and maybe enjoy a pannenkoek (pancake) while you’re there.
Windmills
After the invention of the first sawmill in 1592, more than 1,000 windmills were built in the Zaan region, many to provide power for sawing timber for the Zaan shipyards. Eight mills can be seen at Zaanse Schans today, and a ninth is being rebuilt.
Broek in Waterland and Monnickendam
Broek in Waterland is a village situated just north of the city environs. A small collection of quaint wooden houses, it is surrounded by canals and streams.
Further north is Monnickendam ∞ [map], once a large fishing port on the Zuiderzee which lost its raison d’être when the Afsluitdijk was completed in 1932, creating the freshwater lake called the IJsselmeer. The pretty, gabled buildings that line the main street were once cottages for fisherfolk, and the small port still has a fleet of ships. Many are now in private hands, or serve as pleasure boats in the summer season. There is also a large, private marina filled with sailing boats that head out onto the open water on any sunny weekend. Walk around the old port to find vestiges of the traditional lifestyle. A few families still fish for eels and process them in small ‘factories’ along the quayside (although most ‘IJsselmeer’ eels are now imported). In summer you can buy them from stalls in the town. There are also some good fish restaurants around the harbour.
Traditional windmills at Zaanse Schans
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Marken
Just 5km (3 miles) beyond Monnickendam is Marken § [map], one of the most beautiful villages in the Netherlands and home to a community of Calvinist Dutch whose traditions reach back hundreds of years. Situated on an island, Marken had no vehicle access until 1957, when a causeway was opened, linking the village to the mainland. Today the community welcomes visitors but not their cars, which must be left in a large car park on the outskirts.
A few of the older inhabitants of this close-knit community still wear traditional Dutch costume. You can walk through the village with its pretty painted wooden houses to the picture-perfect harbour. Between Monnickendam and Marken, the causeway leads into open water that is home to thousands of birds in summer. The native herons, ducks and moorhens see many species of migratory birds that fly north for the summer and return south as winter approaches. Head out on the smooth flat road towards the old lighthouse on a lonely promontory at the far end of Marken island.
The road to Marken’s old lighthouse
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Volendam and Edam
North of Marken and Monnickendam is Volendam, a Catholic counterpart to Protestant Marken. It is the village most changed by tourism, with cafés and souvenir shops lining the harbour. Volendam is still noted for its fish (there are several good restaurants and herring stands) and for distinctive local dress, especially the women’s winged lace caps.
The town of Edam ¶ [map], famed for its red- or yellow-rinded cheese, has a pretty Kaaswaag (Cheese Weigh House) dating from 1592. Look out for the Kwakelbrug, wide enough only for single-file pedestrian traffic. The centre of town has an unusual paved overlock, the Damsluis, just below the Captain’s House (1540). Despite its world renown, Edam is still unspoiled and there are some pretty restaurants where you can enjoy lunch before heading back to the city.
Haarlem
Haarlem • [map], just 19km (12 miles) west of Amsterdam, was the home of Antwerp-born Frans Hals, father of the Dutch School of painting. The centre of town is a maze of narrow streets full of historic buildings, which fall under the shadow of the 15th-century Sint-Bavokerk (St Bavo’s Church; Mon–Sat 10am–4pm, 5pm in summer; charge), an enormous Gothic edifice – also known as the Grote Kerk (Great Church) – which contains one of the finest organs in Europe. Handel and Mozart both played the instrument, and you can hear it on summer Tuesday evenings and Thursday afternoons when free recitals fill the church with music. Across Lepelstraat from the church is the 1603 Vleeshal (meat market).
Traditional boats moored in Monnickendam
Guglielmo Galvin/Apa Publications
On Groot Heiligland to the south, the Frans Hals Museum (www.franshalsmuseum.nl; Tue–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun noon–6pm; charge) is a suitable testimony to the town’s most famous son, who was still painting in his eighties. The museum was opened in 1913 at the site of a home for old men.
On the banks of the River Spaarne is the Teylers Museum (www.teylersmuseum.eu; Tue–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm; charge), founded by silk merchant Pieter Teyler van der Hulst in 1778 and said to be the Netherlands’ oldest public collection. Teyler, having no heir, bequeathed his fortune to the advancement of the arts and sciences, and there is an interesting collection of scientific instruments, fossils, minerals and paintings and drawings by old masters including Rembrandt.
Riverside Teylers Museum
Bigstock
Floral Glory
Every spring, from early April to the end of May, the fields south of Haarlem and Amsterdam erupt in a rainbow of colour, which stretches as far as the eye can see. Dutch tulips attract thousands of visitors for these few weeks of beauty.
Another attraction for flower lovers is Keukenhof ª [map] (www.keukenhof.nl; late Mar–late May daily 8am–7.30pm; charge), a 28-hectare (69-acre) showpiece garden near the town of Lisse, that welcomes the public. You’ll find a host of spectacular crocus, hyacinth and narcissus blooms along with the tulips. The gardens are planted with stately beech and oak trees, enhanced by pretty windmills that add to the authentic Dutch feel. There is also a restaurant and gift shop where you can buy bulbs, blooms and souvenirs.
In Aalsmeer q [map] you can visit the vast Flora Holland (Flower Auction; www.floraholland.com; Mon–Wed and Fri 7am–11am, Thu 7am–9am: charge) at Legmeerdijk. The earlier you arrive the better. Millions of blooms are auctioned, then dispatched around the world within hours. It’s fascinating to watch the action, as miniature trains carry the flowers through the auction hall for the buyers to assess, and a large electronic bid-taker on the wall reflects the current bidding price. The sheer size of the auction house is what gives pause for thought – the walkway for spectators is 1.6km (1 mile) long and workers cross the area by bike.
Flowers in Keukenhof
Pete Bennett/Apa Publications
Leiden
The rich history and university atmosphere makes Leiden w [map] an interesting place to visit. Just a half-hour by train from Amsterdam, this medieval city, famous for cloth-making and brewing industries, joined the Dutch Revolt against Spain and was besieged. It eventually rallied after the dykes were broken and the land was flooded, enabling a rescue fleet to sail directly across the countryside and save the city.
Rembrandt was born in Leiden, as were other Dutch Masters such as Gerrit Dou, Jan Steen, Gabriel Metsu and Jan van Gooyen. This is also where the Pilgrim Fathers formed a community in 1608, seeking refuge from religious persecution in England. Leiden University is the oldest and probably the most prestigious in the Netherlands, with alumni including René Descartes and the 17th-century lawyer, Hugo Grotius.
Visit the Molen Museum De Valk (De Valk Windmill Museum; Tue–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 1–5pm; charge) on Tweede Binnenvestgracht, and the Museum De Lakenhal Leiden (Tue–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun noon–5pm; charge) on Oude Singel, with rooms illuminating Leiden’s history. Two concentric canals ring the inner city, so a stretch of water is never far away, and there are many bridges to cross. Make your way to the marketplace where the old and new branches of the Rhine meet and open markets are held on Wednesday and Saturday. Then cross the bridge to Oude Rijn and turn right towards the Burcht, Leiden’s 12th-century castle. Have a drink or a meal at the Koetshuis brasserie-restaurant in the courtyard. The Hortus Botanicus (Leiden Botanical Garden; www.hortusleiden.nl; Apr–Oct daily 10am–6pm, Nov–Mar Tue–Sun 10am–4pm; charge) at Rapenburg 73 are also worth a visit.
Make Love Not War
Alkmaar’s municipal museum, Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar (Tue–Sun 10am–5pm; charge) on Canadaplein, is housed in a Renaissance guild house. It contains the 16th-century Siege of Alkmaar; bizarrely, the painting shows a couple making love while the battle rages.
Alkmaar
Dutch cheeses are world renowned, and the small red and yellow Edam and Gouda rounds can be found in supermarkets and grocery stores in just about every country of the Western world. However, in the Netherlands, cheese isn’t so much an industry as a way of life, and tradition still has a part to play in the production and distribution of the product.
Alkmaar e [map] is a small town 30km (19 miles) north of Amsterdam. It has been the centre of cheese production for many centuries and is now the only town that still has a cheese market, held every Friday morning (10am-12.30pm) from early April until early September. There is also another busy market in town on Friday, selling goods and produce other than cheese.
The 14th-century Waaggebouw was a chapel before being converted into a weigh house. On Friday the square in front of it becomes a showcase of cheese, when rounds of cheese are piled there waiting to be weighed. Porters, dressed in white trousers, white shirts and coloured hats, transport them on wooden sleds with shoulder harnesses and playfully attempt to be the fastest, much to the amusement of the crowds.
Alkmaar cheese porters
Dreamstime
Nearby, the Grote Kerk (Great Church; www.grotekerk-alkmaar.nl; Tue–Sun 10am–5pm; charge) contains the tomb of the count of Holland, Floris V, who granted Amsterdam its rights to carry goods toll-free in the 13th century. In a sense he started the economic life of the city and could be said to be its founding father.