Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Built around 1480 as part of the city’s defences, this tower is where Henry Hudson set sail for the New World in 1609; a plaque outside marks the spot. It…
Must-see attractions in Amsterdam
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Contained within the Begijnhof and dating from 1671, this is a 'clandestine' chapel where the Beguines were forced to worship after the Calvinists took…
Amsterdam
Cheesy but fun: here you undertake an hour's self-guided tour through this jenever (Dutch gin) museum. In the 'Hall of Taste' you'll try to differentiate…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
On Oudezijds Achterburgwal a distinctive gateway with spectacles over the pedestal rises up and marks the entrance to the Oudemanhuispoort, a 17th-century…
Amsterdam
The creamy confection of the Kleine Trippenhuis, just 2.44m wide, looks as if the builders made the most of the infill between two normal-sized canal…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
The Sexmuseum is good for a giggle. You’ll find replicas of pornographic Pompeian plates, erotic 14th-century Viennese bronzes, some of the world’s…
Amsterdam
A dome tops this neoclassical arch, which was built in 1770 as a gateway to the city. On the south side you'll see the Amsterdam emblem of three St…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Sure, Madame Tussauds wax museum is overpriced and cheesy, but its focus on local culture makes it fun: 'meet' the Dutch royals, politicians, painters and…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
This nonprofit centre offers visitors tips and tricks for having a positive smoking experience and provides the low-down on local cannabis laws. There are…
Amsterdam
Boats are still repaired at the 18th-century wharf on the outer side of the dyke, and this is a 'working' museum in the eastern hall, devoted to…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
The obelisk on the Dam's eastern side was built in 1956 to commemorate WWII's fallen. Fronted by two lions, its pedestal has a number of symbolic statues:…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
This is one of Amsterdam's oldest streets. Initially a shipping district, it was a respectable place to be until the 17th century. Then the rich folk…
Amsterdam
St Antoniesbreestraat was once a busy street, but it lost many of its old buildings during the metro's construction. The Pintohuis remains, however. It…
Amsterdam
These lovely, landscaped gardens are the grounds of a former country estate; the mansion, Frankendael House, is still standing and there are walking paths…
De Pijp
Following the key Housing Act of 1901, which forced the city to rethink neighbourhood planning and condemn slums, De Dageraad housing estate was developed…
Amsterdam
A private house, the 1904 Villa Alsberg has been converted into the 'Modern Contemporary' (Moco) museum by a couple who are private collectors and…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Inside a former brothel in a 17th-century canal house, this museum fills a gap by showing curious visitors what a Red Light room looks like and answering…
Amsterdam Noord
Soviet Project 611 submarine B-80, dating from 1952, was built in Severodvinsk, Russia, and previously moored in the Dutch Navy port of Den Helder in…
Amsterdam
Built from the lucrative profits of arms dealing, this elaborate grey stone mansion was designed by young Dutch architect Justus Vingboons in 1660 for the…
Amsterdam
Formerly a Jewish cemetery, this area was bought by the city in 1956, when it was turned into a park. It has a wilder, more rambling feel than Amsterdam's…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Inviting cafés (pubs) and high-brow bookshops ring the Spui, a favoured haunt of academics, students and journalists. On Friday (weather permitting) a…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
An unexpected oasis in the sea of consumerism on Kalverstraat, the curious Petrus en Pauluskerk, aka Papegaai, is a Catholic church from the 17th century…
Amsterdam
This 18th-century grain mill is the sole survivor of five windmills that once stood in this part of town. It was moved to its current spot in 1814, fully…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
You're sure to end up on this crowded street at some point. Named after the livestock markets held here in the 17th century, Kalverstraat is now a place…
Amsterdam
Property in Amsterdam used to be taxed on frontage. So the narrower your facade, the less you paid. The slender house at Oude Hoogstraat 22 must have…
Amsterdam
A cut above regular park statuary is Picasso's soaring, approximately 6m-high abstract work Figure découpée l’Oiseau (Bird Cut Out), better known locally…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
This cool gallery fosters experimental art and sculptural work that fits in with its Red Light District surroundings. It's also a performance space for…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Directly opposite Voetboogstraat on Heiligeweg is the Rasphuis Gate, which led to a correctional institute in medieval times. The pedestal bears the…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Guides lead intriguing tours up into the 67m-high tower of the Oude Kerk. Tours last 30 minutes and depart every half hour. Prepare for lots of narrow…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Amsterdam's earliest canals grew out from the IJ River like the roots of a tree, and Warmoesstraat was one of the first streets to follow. Its historical…
Amsterdam
Vondelpark took its name from this 1867 statue of poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel (1587–1679), created by sculptor Louis Royer. It was originally…
Amsterdam
In the port area between the NEMO Science Museum and the Het Scheepvaartmuseum, you'll find an open-air museum of around 20 historical ships docked,…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
An intriguing place to view the Red Light action is Trompettersteeg, a teeny alley where the women in the windows charge some of the highest prices…
Amsterdam Noord
'Craneway' is an extraordinary piece of architecture, built above a repurposed (you've guessed it) craneway, by OTH Architecten in 2007. The glass box…
Amsterdam
This artificial beach is a fantastic escape on a sunny day, with a water-sports centre, Surfcenter IJburg, for hiring SUPs and windsurfers. It's the only…
Amsterdam
This tranquil square sits on the edge of 17th-century canals at the point before they widen out to the docklands. It has several laid-back cafés (pubs and…
Amsterdam
Slavery was abolished in the Dutch colonies of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles in 1863, and Surinamese sculptor Erwin de Vries was commissioned to…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
It's often said that this house – which at 1.1m appears to be no wider than its door – has the narrowest facade in the city. But don't be deceived: the…
Prostitution Information Centre
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Established by a former sex worker, the PIC provides frank information about the industry to those in the trade, their customers and curious tourists. It…
Amsterdam
A wavy profile shouting into the sky, this tall silver sculpture in Oosterpark honours free speech – it's also a tribute to controversial filmmaker Theo…
