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Amsterdam Neighborhoods Guide

The most well-known Amsterdam neighborhoods are the Jordaan, the Canals, the Pijp, the Jewish quarter, the Old Centre and the Museum Quarter.

Every neighborhood has his own style, architecture, population, feeling and history. It is fun and interesting to learn about the differences and then go see for yourself.

Learn about Amsterdam before you go, so you will know where to go and what to do. Find the best Amsterdam neighborhoods for the finest art, the most interesting museums, the best hotels, the funniest nightlife, good shopping and more entertainment!


The Old Centre

The Old Centre is the core of Amsterdam. From this area the city expanded into the other directions. Here you can find the oldest buildings like the Old Church and the Waag (old weighing house) and the smallest houses. But also the city's meeting point and central square called Dam Square, close to the Royal Palace.

The Old Centre is packed with a diversity of things to see. The main shopping streets are right in the middle and very close to that is the very famous Red Light District, with sex shops and coffee shops close by.

This area is close to the Central Station and a perfect starting point to walk around a see a great deal of diversity in buildings, streets and people from the city of Amsterdam.


The Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter can be found on the east side of the Old Centre. Before World War II, this area was a thriving Jewish community. After the war a lot of houses became empty and were broken down to build a more modern Amsterdam neighborhood. The area is now a mixture of old and new architectural styles.

The most famous things of this area are the Music Theatre, the biggest flea market, the Museum of Dutch Resistance and the Hollandse Schouwburg (Exhibition and memorial for the Dutch Jews).


The Canals

No one goes to Amsterdam without visiting the canals. That's just not possible. Amsterdam is called "the Venice of the North" because of its 165 canals with a length of 47 miles and more than 1400 bridges crossing over. Alongside these beautiful canals you can see the typical architecture of the 17th Century canal houses with their typical gables. The three main canals (Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht) line the Old Centre on the west and south side.

The canals are one of the most typical Amsterdam neighborhoods with lots of different interesting features for the people. On the west side you will find the Anne Frank House and the Westerkerk. In the middle part you will find a section called "the nine streets", this is a famous stretch full of shops with antiques, curiosities and small galleries. And on the far south end you will find the best nightlife, restaurants and places to sit, drink something and watch the street performers and people.
So there is something for everyone here.


The Jordaan

The Jordaan is known as an interesting neighborhood, where lots of artists and intellectuals reside. Here you can find many big and small art galleries with contemporary art and little boutiques. The streets are romantic with small canals and bridges and this is also an area where you can visit the hidden courtyards called "hofjes".

These little courtyards are well worth a visit. Find them, enter and be surprised by the oasis of tranquility, right in the middle of such a vibrant city. This Amsterdam neighborhood is the perfect place for an afternoon stroll and visit some galleries, hofjes and end your walk with a drink alongside the canals.


The Museum Quarter

The Museum Quarter is an area build early 1900s and was intended to be the place for the rich people. Nice mansions, large squares and the main city park (Vondelpark) can be found here. As the name says, the most well known and biggest museums are found here too. This is on the south side of Amsterdam, just below the Canals, so you have to take a bike or tram to get there.

The city largest square is called Museumplein and here you can find the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Musuem all together in the center of the Museum Quarter.


The Pijp

The Pijp is the last area we describe on this page of Amsterdam Neighborhoods. It's located on the south side of the Amsterdam center, just below the Canals and on the east side of the Museum Quarter. The main attraction of this area is the Heineken Experience and the Albert Cuypmarkt.

This is the most multicultural area of Amsterdam. The apartments are small and relatively cheap, which attracts a lot of students, young couples and immigrants. The upside of this is that you can find all kinds of exotic shops, bars and restaurants. Here you can eat from places all over the world for a very attractive price!

Hurray ! Now you know the different neighborhoods and what to do or see there...

But how do I get there? Check out our page about GETTING AROUND!

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