Amsterdam
- Will Gerson
- Aug 31, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 18
Overview
Famous around the world for its picturesque canals and open, tolerant attitude, Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most charming cities. Home to Rembrandt, van Gogh, Spinoza, and Anne Frank, the city progressed from its humble origins as a small fishing village to become one of the world’s foremost centers of commerce and trade during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century.
Today, it remains an important financial center but is also one of the most visited cities in Europe, well-known for its nightlife, its red-light district, and its cannabis coffeeshops. Amsterdam has a little something for everyone: rich artistic heritage, quaint canals lined with independent businesses and tall, narrow houses, a vibrant nightlife and food scene, and friendly and diverse locals.
The defining feature of Amsterdam’s cityscape is without a doubt its iconic canals, which cover more than 100 kilometers (62 miles). The canals were the result of fine hydraulic engineering and deliberate city planning during the 17th century, when immigrants from around Holland came to Amsterdam seeking to share in the riches of the golden age. The purpose of the canals was threefold: defense from outside intruders, transport of goods around the city, and as a means of water management for the rapidly growing population. The original canals take the shape of four concentric half-circles feeding from the IJ river, with many more added over time.
Today, Amsterdam’s unique layout makes it much more navigable on foot or on a bicycle than by car; in fact, the number of bikes in the city is larger than the population. However, be warned that biking in Amsterdam is serious business: the bikes function akin to cars, with defined rules of the road as well as dedicated lanes on most streets, so be sure to watch your step if you rent one or even when crossing the street.
One of the great joys of Amsterdam is wandering its streets and losing yourself in the maze of canals; you will find something beautiful or unexpected around every corner. Here are some points to guide your journey, but I would encourage any visitor to lose themselves in the city’s charm.
The Neighborhoods
De Dam
Originally the site of the dam in the Amstel river around which the original settlement was created, this is Amsterdam’s main square. Here you will find the 17th-century Royal Palace, originally city hall, as well as the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk (New Church).
De Wallen
This neighborhood comprises the medieval core of Amsterdam, with its name referencing the city walls that surrounded it. Today, however, it is best known as the Red Light District, center of Amsterdam’s legalized prostitution scene.
The history of prostitution here is over 800 years long, originating as a harborside location for traveling sailors to contract sex workers before returning to sea. Today, a nighttime walk through this area is somewhat of a surreal experience: its alleys are lined with storefronts of women offering sexual services, almost like mannequins behind a red-lit shop window, while the main streets along the canals are full of revelers enjoying the nightlife or couples strolling serenely. Here you will also find many sex theaters, sex shops, and peep shows, as well as coffee shops and bars.
However, De Wallen is not merely a playground of vice; as Amsterdam’s historic center, it is also home to the city’s oldest building, the magnificent Oude Kerk (Old Church), built in 1213. The neighborhood is also one of the city’s prime spots for nightlife; enjoy a lively atmosphere at Café Old Sailor, a traditional Dutch bruine kroeg (brown bar, named for their wooden interiors and tobacco smoke-stained walls), and satisfy your late night munchies at FEBO, the iconic fast food chain known for its hot food served using vending machines. You will find the normal burgers and fries as well as traditional Dutch fare like krokets, frikandellen, and kaassoufflés.
Even for those who think they will be repulsed by the vices on display in the Red Light District, I still highly recommend a visit, as the spectacle is something that is truly unique to Amsterdam.
Begijnhof
Just a stone’s throw from the bustling shopping street Kalverstraat you will find the serenity of the Begijnhof, an idyllic inner courtyard dating to the 14th century. It was founded as a place to house beguines, members of a medieval female lay religious order who differed from nuns in that they neither had to take nows nor retire from the outside world; today, the area is comprised mostly of private homes. The Houten Huys (Wooden House) is the oldest house in the city, while most of the other buildings on the courtyard are the quintessential Amsterdam townhouses: tall, narrow, and brick, with gabled roofs and large windows. The centerpiece of the courtyard is the English Reformed Church, another of the city’s oldest buildings, which was rebuilt in brick and stone in the late 15th century after the original wooden structure burned to the ground in a great fire, leaving only its tower unscathed.
As mentioned above, the Begijnhof is in a busy shopping area. If you find yourself in need of a bit of sustenance, stop in for a drink and a bite to eat at Hoppe or Café De Koningshut, two classic brown bars. If you need another kind of pick-me-up, try the Original Dampkring Coffeeshop, one of the finest in the city.
De Negen Straatjes
The area known as the ‘Nine Little Streets’ is one of the most quaint in Amsterdam. The neighborhood is made up of just nine side streets spanning out from the city’s first four canals, between the Singel and the Prinsengracht, but it is chock full of small independent shops and cute cafes and restaurants, capturing the essence of the city.
Just a little farther north along the Prinsengracht are two of Amsterdam’s most notable monuments: the Westerkerk, one of the city’s first purpose-built Protestant churches that is recognizable for its large bell tower adorned with the imperial Habsburg crown and three crosses of St. Andrew (which were later incorporated into the city’s coat of arms and flag), and the Anne Frank House, where the young girl hid with her family for two years from Nazi persecution and where she wrote her famous diary. In fact, the church’s tower and clock-face were visible from the family’s hiding spot and are mentioned frequently in the diary, with the girl describing the ringing of the bells as a source of comfort. The Anne Frank House is among the most visited places in Amsterdam and tickets sell out fast, so it would be a good idea to purchase them well in advance of your trip.
Jordaan
Located just across the Prinsengracht to the west is Jordaan, a lovely neighborhood that makes for a perfect place to stay during your time in Amsterdam. It is centrally located but is slightly removed from the tourist hubs of the center; this is an area with tons to see and do, but you will still see locals running errands or out for a stroll with friends and family. Though today it is home to some of the city’s priciest real estate, Jordaan was originally a working-class neighborhood; today, this legacy can be seen in the gable stones above the entryways to many of the houses, which are sometimes adorned with a carving representing the occupation of the original inhabitants, such as a pair of scissors for a tailor or a pig for a butcher. The streets are dotted with modern art galleries, independent shops, and cafes; I highly recommend stopping at Winkel 43, a locals’ favorite that is famous for their appeltaart met slagroom, a healthy serving of apple pie topped with whipped cream.
De Pijp
South of the main historic district is De Pijp, an area originally developed to house working-class families as a way of easing the overpopulation of Jordaan. Today, De Pijp is one of Amsterdam’s more bohemian neighborhoods, with a diverse population made up primarily of students, artists, and immigrants. The area is home to a wide array of restaurants run by this latter group, notably Surinamese, Moroccans, and Syrians, but the neighborhood’s principal attraction is the Albert Cuypmarkt, a century-old street market that is one of the largest and busiest in Europe. The market spans several blocks on the pedestrian Albert Cuypstraat and attracts locals and tourists alike; this is a great place to try stroopwafels, a classic Dutch treat, at one of the many stalls where they are prepared fresh.
Another notable attraction in De Pijp is the Heineken Experience, a museum housed in the original Heineken brewery where the world-famous beer was produced from its inception in the 1860s until a more modern facility was built outside the city in the 1980s. Just across the canal from the brewery you will find the incredible De Carrousel Pannenkoeken, one of my favorite places in the whole city. A specialty here are the sweet poffertjes, small pancakes served with Nutella, fruit, whipped cream, or a combination, but I highly recommend trying one of their savory pancakes as well––the bacon, egg, and cheese is to die for.
Rembrandtplein
One of Amsterdam’s prime nightlife districts can also be found in the south of the city at the Rembrandtplein, a large square named in honor of local resident Rembrandt van Rijn, who lived nearby. Just down the block is the Royal Theater Tuschinski, a palatial Art Deco movie theater that is one of the most beautiful places to see a movie anywhere in the world.