Places

Nine places that show you Amsterdam

Canals, museums, bridges and windmills: short stories, practical facts and the best time to see each one.

Damrak and the canal houses

Damrak leads from Central Station to Dam Square, and along its water the narrow gabled houses lean gently against each other. Their tall windows and hoisting beams were designed for merchants who stored goods in the attic.

Walk it early, before the crowds, when the water is calm and the facades are mirrored perfectly in the canal. A few steps to either side and you are in quieter streets.

Best time: Golden hour or first thing in the morning
Getting there: Straight ahead from Amsterdam Central Station
Nearby: Dam Square, the Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk

Herengracht and the Golden Bend

The Herengracht is the most elegant of the three main canals. Its central stretch, known as the Golden Bend, has some of the widest and most richly decorated houses in the city, built for the richest merchants of the seventeenth century.

Look up at the gables: bell, neck, step and spout gables each mark a different period. The best way to see them is on foot along the canal, crossing a bridge whenever you feel like a change of view.

Best time: A calm morning, when the houses reflect in the water
Getting there: Tram or a ten-minute walk from Dam Square
Tip: Cross over at a bridge to see the house fronts from the opposite bank

Cycling in the Jordaan

The Jordaan began as a district for workers and craftsmen and today is a maze of narrow streets, tiny galleries, cafes and hidden courtyards. Bicycles lean on every bridge and railing, and people move at exactly the right speed.

Leave the map in your pocket. Follow the smaller canals, stop for coffee at a corner cafe and look for the courtyards called hofjes behind unassuming doors.

Best time: Weekday mornings, or Saturday for the farmers' market
Getting there: Fifteen minutes on foot or by bicycle from the Central Station
Tip: Always lock your bicycle with two locks, and one of them to a fixed object

The Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum reopened in 2013 after a decade of renovation, with a glass-roofed atrium that makes the entrance hall one of the most beautiful public spaces in the city. Its collections tell the story of Dutch art and history in a few hours.

Rembrandt's The Night Watch is the star, but do not skip the small rooms: Vermeer's quiet interiors, delft pottery and ship models reward slow looking. The gardens outside are free to enter.

Best time: The first hour after opening, or a weekday afternoon
Getting there: Tram to Rijksmuseum, or a ten-minute walk from the Leidseplein
Tip: Book a timed ticket online in high season

Canals at night

When the sun sets the bridges are outlined with small lights and the houses glow behind their uncurtained windows. Dutch homes traditionally keep the curtains open, so an evening walk becomes a slow tour of ordinary life.

In winter the canals host the Amsterdam Light Festival, with illuminated artworks on the water and along the banks. A boat trip or a slow walk at dusk is the best way to see it.

Best time: Blue hour, about half an hour after sunset
Getting there: Any canal in the centre; try the Reguliersgracht for a sequence of seven bridges
Tip: Wrap up warmly, even in summer

De Gooyer windmill

De Gooyer stands at the edge of the old Eastern Docklands and is the tallest wooden windmill in the Netherlands. It was moved to its present position in 1814 and is still a landmark of the neighbourhood.

The windmill now sits next to a well-known local brewery, and its tasting room is a good place to end a walk. The surrounding streets are calm and full of old warehouses.

Best time: Late afternoon, when the sails catch the light
Getting there: Tram or a twenty-minute walk from the Central Station
Nearby: The Funen quays and the Eastern Docklands

The Skinny Bridge (Magere Brug)

A bridge stood here as early as 1691, and the present one dates from 1934. It is a double-leaf drawbridge that still opens for boats, and at night it is outlined by about twelve hundred small lights.

Stand on the nearby bank for the classic view across the river, or walk over the bridge itself. The Amstel is wide and calm here, and the riverside walk is one of the loveliest in the city.

Best time: Evening, after the lights come on
Getting there: Ten minutes on foot from Waterlooplein or Rembrandtplein
Tip: Watch it open for a boat, which happens several times a day

Prinsengracht

The Prinsengracht is the longest of the canal-ring canals and has the most relaxed atmosphere. Houseboats line the water, cafes spill onto the pavement and the tall tower of the Westerkerk watches over the neighbourhood.

This is where many visitors come to see Anne Frank's house, so book ahead if you want to visit. Otherwise simply walk along the water and find a bench in the sun.

Best time: A weekday morning, before the crowds
Getting there: Tram to Westermarkt, then walk along the canal
Tip: Take a small electric boat for a quiet view from the water

NEMO Science Museum

NEMO rises from the water like the bow of a ship. The building was designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 1997, and the copper skin has weathered to a rich green over the years.

Inside the exhibits are hands-on and aimed at families, but the roof terrace is the surprise: wide steps lead up to a public plaza with a broad view of the harbour and the old city.

Best time: A clear afternoon, for the harbour views from the roof
Getting there: Ten minutes on foot from the Central Station
Tip: Combine it with a walk around the nearby Eastern Docklands