The Golden Age. 🏛️
Built during the Dutch Golden Age, the three main canals (Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht) form concentric horseshoes around the medieval center.
Herengracht
The "Gentlemen's Canal." This is where the wealthiest merchants lived. The houses are double-width palaces. Look for the Golden Bend (Gouden Bocht).
The Hooks
Look up at the gables. Every house has a hook. Stairs were too narrow, so furniture was (and still is) hoisted up from the street through the windows.
Floating Homes. 🚤
After WWII, there was a housing shortage, so people moved onto old cargo ships. Today, these 2,500 houseboats are prime real estate with sewage, gas, and electricity.
Houseboat Museum
Step aboard the "Hendrika Maria" on the Prinsengracht. It shows you exactly what it's like to live in a floating home from 1914. It is surprisingly spacious.
The Cats
Look for "De Poezenboot" (The Cat Boat). It is the world's only floating animal sanctuary, filled with stray cats who have learned to tolerate water.
Rent One
Don't just look; stay in one. Many houseboats are available for short-term rental. Waking up eye-level with a swan is the ultimate Amsterdam experience.
Working Class Roots
Now Gentrified
The Jordaan. 🏘️
Once a poor working-class slum famous for its folk singers and riots. Now, it is the most desirable neighborhood in the city, full of "hofjes" (hidden courtyards) and cafes.
9 Streets (De Negen Straatjes):
A micro-neighborhood of quirky boutiques, vintage stores, and artisan chocolatiers bridging the main canals. It is the best shopping in the city.
Magere Brug. 🌉
Spanning the Amstel River. It is a traditional double-leaf Dutch drawbridge painted in white.
The Legend
Legend says it was built for two sisters who lived on opposite sides of the river and were too lazy (or weak) to walk to the main bridge. They wanted a bridge as skinny as they were.
Night Illumination
Come at night. The bridge is lined with 1,200 light bulbs that reflect perfectly in the dark water of the Amstel. It is the most romantic spot in Amsterdam.