Amstel River walking route

Route

This walking route takes you south along the Amstel River, beginning in the Jewish Cultural Quarter and the National Opera and Ballet and ending at the high-rise Amstel Station, where bridge views and waterside terraces await.

• Time: 30 minutes (without stops). Start mid-morning and end late afternoon.
• Distance: 2.2km
• Good to know: How to walk in Amsterdam (because bikes are everywhere).

• Jewish Museum, Portuguese Synagogue, National Holocaust Museum
• Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum)
• H'ART Museum
• Amsterdam Museum on the Amstel

1. Jewish Cultural Quarter

• Begin your walk in the Jewish Cultural Quarter, home to the Jewish Museum and Portuguese Synagogue, as well as the National Holocaust Museum and Verzetmuseum (Resistance Museum), both of which are within a few minutes wander (included in the I amsterdam City Card). Pick one of these based on your interests but know that book lovers note, the Portugeuse Synagogue also houses Ets Haim, the oldest active Jewish library in the world.

2. National Holocaust Memorial of Names

• Next up and right on the quarter's southern fringes is the National Holocaust Memorial of Names, a tribute consisting of 102,000 bricks with the names, dates of birth and deaths of those who were deported from the Netherlands and murdered during the Holocaust in World War II. A sombre and poignant marker of loss, it’s a reminder of Amsterdam’s wounds – and the ones it’s still trying to heal. 

3. Dignita + H’ART Museum

• By this point, you'll want to sit down (and you'll have earned it too). Dignita Hoftuin is just behind the monument, complete with a glass conservatory and a sun-speckled courtyard when the weather's out. Stop here for a coffee and cake or even brunch if the day calls for it.
• You'll also be perfectly placed to explore H'ART Museum afterwards if you still need a museum fix. It's right next door and often home to a number of classical Old Masters exhibitions, plus it neighbours the Amsterdam Museum on the Amstel and Museum van de Geest | Outsider Art (all included in the I amsterdam City Card).

4. Magere Brug

• Some say Magere Brug is Amsterdam's prettiest bridge, but that's up to you to decide. A short stroll along the riverfront from H'ART Museum, and you'll be greeted by the Magere Brug (skinny bridge), which takes its name from its status as a wooden drawbridge that was once so narrow that it was hard for two pedestrians to pass each other. To cope with increasing traffic on the Amstel, a wider bridge replaced the narrow original in 1871. Still, it is a great spot to snap a picture of the river and the National Opera House. If you're doing the walk at night, the bridge is illuminated with thousands of lights for a pretty spectacular sight.

5. Royal Theatre Carré

• You can glimpse Carré from the Magere Brug, which is probably the best spot for photo opportunities too. This historic venue has attracted massive stars from internationally acclaimed comedians and musicians to some of the country’s most noteworthy cabaret acts and variety shows for over a century. While it's more of an evening spot, it remains a gorgeous building etched into Amsterdam's history and a worthy architectural stop on your walk.

6. De Ysbreeker

• A café that's endured, De Ysbreeker has been around since 1702, so you can count on it still being there when lunchtime comes around. An Art Deco space that's a go-to people-watching spot for locals, it's also a tea house, lunchroom, pub, lounge area, games café and restaurant. Tuck into a club sandwich or burger in the cafe's grand setting, one of the few places you can enjoy eating out without background music.

7. Nieuwe Amstelbrug

• By this point, you'll be well acquainted with the Amstel, but the Nieuwe Amstelbrug provides a glimpse of its southern side. With views of the skyscraping Amstel Quarter – home to businesses like Phillips – and boats bobbing on the water, this bridge leads the way to the buzzy De Pijp neighbourhood.

8. Café Hesp

• Wander down one of the city's leafiest boulevards before finishing your route on the (hopefully) sunny terrace of Hesp, where crisp beers and crisper views are a welcome respite from a long day out.

Follow the route on your phone

Keen to head out on this walk? Follow the route on Google Maps where you'll find all the stops condensed into one tidy package. If you're curious about other routes, we've got some for every neighbourhood.