A series of city walks, available from VVV Amsterdam Tourist Office

Amsterdam is an ideal city to discover on foot. Nowhere else will you find as many places of interest per square metre. Almost all tourist attractions are located within walking distance of each other; on your way from one sight to the next you will see many special, beautiful and crazy things to feast your eyes on. While walking along you will make your own trip of discovery.

VVV Amsterdam Tourist Office has mapped out a number of interesting walking routes through various quarters of the city. The booklets all have handy street maps on which the route has been indicated by a dotted line.

The walks are available from the four information offices of the VVV Amsterdam (Stationsplein, opposite Central Station; Leidseplein/corner Leidsestraat; Stadionplein and on Platform 2 at Central Station), from the Holland Tourist Information desk at Schiphol Plaza and from various book shops in Amsterdam. The prices range from NLG 4 to NLG 9.90.

Amsterdam City Walks
Walk through the Jordaan
Countless songs have been written about the Jordaan, the Amsterdam quarter renowned for its facades, many small pubs and shops, but especially for its atmosphere. This district with its cosy streets and narrow canals was built in the 17th century for the lower middle classes. After 1960 the Jordaan flourished anew and became popular with students and artists.

The quarter is bordered by four canals: Prinsengracht, Brouwersgracht, Lijnbaansgracht and Looiersgracht. This walk takes you through the northern part of the Jordaan. Along the way you will come across centuries-old almshouses and, of course, the Wester Tower.

A walk through the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam
This walk takes you along many reminders of the former Jewish quarter. Amsterdam, sometimes called the "Jerusalem of the West", was one of the main centres of Judaism in Western Europe from the 17th century until the middle of this century. Reminiscent of this period are, for instance, the Portuguese Synagogue, once the largest in the world, the synagogue complex of the German Jews (in which the Jewish Historical Museum is now located) and monumental private houses, such as the one belonging to Isaac de Pinto.

Unfortunately, hardly anything has been preserved of the narrow streets and alleyways in the Jewish quarter, which often knew abject poverty. The Jewish Quarter which came into being during the 17th century was by no means completely Jewish. Around 1900, for instance, the district counted some 100,000 inhabitants, 60 per cent of which was Jewish.