The house at Prinsengracht 263 needs no introduction. It is where Anne Frank, her family, and four others hid in a concealed annex behind a movable bookcase for more than two years during the Nazi occupation, and where thirteen-year-old Anne wrote the diary that would become one of the most widely read books in history. Visiting the Anne Frank House is a profound and sobering experience that every traveler to Amsterdam should prioritize.

The museum preserves the annex rooms in their unfurnished state — Otto Frank, the sole family survivor, wished them to remain empty — and the experience of climbing the steep stairs, passing through the bookcase entrance, and standing in the small rooms where the Frank family lived in silence during daylight hours is deeply moving. The exhibit concludes with Anne’s original diary pages and a reflection space that connects the wartime experience to contemporary issues of prejudice and persecution.

Practical tip: Tickets are EUR 16 for adults and must be booked online well in advance. They are released on a rolling basis approximately six weeks ahead and sell out rapidly. A limited number of tickets are released for same-day purchase at 09:00, but competition is fierce. We recommend setting a calendar reminder for the release date. Budget at least 75 minutes inside. Photography is not permitted.

Westerkerk — The Tower That Watches Over Everything

Directly adjacent to the Anne Frank House, the Westerkerk (Western Church) is the largest Protestant church in the Netherlands, designed by Hendrick de Keyser and completed in 1631. Its tower, topped by the imperial crown of Maximilian I, rises 85 meters and is the highest church tower in Amsterdam. Rembrandt was buried here in 1669, though the exact location of his grave remains unknown.

From April through October, you can climb the Westerkerk tower for EUR 9 — the 186 narrow steps reward you with the finest panoramic view in central Amsterdam, taking in the canal ring, the Jordaan rooftops, and the city stretching to the horizon. The tower is also the source of the carillon bells that ring every 15 minutes, a sound so woven into the fabric of Jordaan life that Anne Frank wrote about hearing them from the annex.

The Nine Streets — Boutique Shopping at Its Best

The Negen Straatjes form a grid of nine small cross-streets connecting Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht, and Singel between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsestraat. This is Amsterdam’s most enchanting shopping district — a concentrate of independent boutiques, vintage stores, specialty food shops, and tiny cafes that reward slow exploration.

For vintage fashion: Episode (Berenstraat 1) is a well-curated secondhand store with leather jackets, vintage denim, and retro dresses at fair prices. Laura Dols (Wolvenstraat 7) specializes in vintage eveningwear and has been dressing Amsterdam’s most stylish women since 1978.

For Dutch design: Restored (Hazenstraat 3) carries beautifully restored mid-century furniture and homewares. De Kaaskamer (Runstraat 7) is a cheese lover’s paradise — the staff will guide you through dozens of aged Gouda varieties, and a generous tasting plate costs EUR 14.

For specialty food: Het Oud-Hollandsch Snoepwinkeltje (candy shop) on Tweede Egelantiersdwarsstraat sells traditional Dutch sweets from glass jars, and the scent alone will pull you inside. Unlimited Delicious (Haarlemmerstraat 122, just north of the Nine Streets) bakes the best artisan bread in the Jordaan.

Noordermarkt — Where the Jordaan Comes Together

The Noordermarkt is a small square anchored by the Noorderkerk (Northern Church), built in 1623 in a Greek cross plan. On Saturday mornings from 09:00 to 16:00, it transforms into Amsterdam’s best farmers market — the Boerenmarkt — where organic producers from across the Netherlands sell their goods directly. You will find aged farmhouse cheeses that put supermarket Gouda to shame, crusty sourdough loaves, wild honey, heritage-variety apples, and the freshest produce in the city.

On Monday mornings, the same square hosts a flea market with vintage clothing, secondhand books, antiques, and the kind of random treasures that make flea markets irresistible. Arrive early — the best finds go quickly, and by noon the stalls are packing up.

The streets radiating from the Noordermarkt — Westerstraat, Lindengracht, Noorderkerksraat — are lined with some of the Jordaan’s best cafes and shops. The Lindengracht market, a general goods market running every Saturday along the full length of the street, is less famous than the Albert Cuyp in De Pijp but equally enjoyable and far less crowded.

Art and Galleries — The Jordaan’s Creative Pulse

The Jordaan has been an artist’s neighborhood for decades, and while rising rents have pushed many working artists to Amsterdam North and beyond, the gallery scene remains vibrant. Bloemgracht (the Flower Canal) and the streets around it host a concentration of small galleries showing contemporary Dutch and international art.

The Huis Marseille (Keizersgracht 401) is an outstanding photography museum housed in a 17th-century canal house, with exhibitions that rotate several times a year. Entry is EUR 10. The Amsterdam Tulip Museum (Prinsengracht 116), while small, tells the fascinating story of tulip mania and the flower’s journey from Central Asia to becoming the Netherlands’ national symbol — entry is EUR 5.

For street-level browsing, wander Eerste and Tweede Egelantiersdwarsstraat, where artist studios and micro-galleries display work ranging from abstract painting to ceramic sculpture. Many participate in gallery nights, typically held on the first Thursday of each month.

Where to Eat in the Jordaan

The Jordaan’s dining scene rewards the curious eater who ventures beyond the obvious canal-side restaurants.

Winkel 43 (Noordermarkt 43) is famous for one thing — their appeltaart (Dutch apple pie), widely considered the best in Amsterdam. A thick, buttery slice with whipped cream costs EUR 5.50. The Saturday market crowd makes it a madhouse on weekends, so arrive before 10:00 or visit on a weekday.

Cafe ‘t Smalle (Egelantiersgracht 12) is a distillery-turned-brown-cafe dating to 1786, with a canal-side terrace that is one of the most photographed spots in the Jordaan. A beer is EUR 4.50, and simple bar snacks like bitterballen (EUR 8) are perfect with a late afternoon drink.

Balthazar’s Keuken (Elandsgracht 108) serves a fixed three-course menu that changes weekly based on market availability, at EUR 38.50 per person. The tiny open kitchen produces dishes that punch well above their price point — think confit duck with seasonal vegetables or pan-seared cod with saffron broth. Reservations essential; open Wednesday through Saturday only.

Toscanini (Lindengracht 75) is one of the best Italian restaurants in Amsterdam — not your standard tourist-trap pasta place, but a serious kitchen turning out handmade pappardelle with wild boar ragu (EUR 22) and wood-fired meats that would hold their own in Tuscany. Mains range from EUR 19-28. Reserve ahead.

Small World Catering (Binnen Oranjestraat 14) is a sliver of a takeaway shop producing massive sandwiches, quiches, and salads using fresh ingredients — a full lunch for EUR 8-12, which is remarkable value for the Jordaan.

Where to Stay in the Jordaan

Budget: Shelter Jordan (Bloemstraat 179) is a clean, well-run Christian hostel in the heart of the neighborhood, with dorm beds from EUR 28 and a welcoming cafe. The Bulldog Hotel (Oudezijds Voorburgwal 220, just east in Centrum) offers simple private rooms from EUR 85.

Mid-range: Mr. Jordaan (Bloemgracht 102) is a boutique hotel on the neighborhood’s most beautiful canal, with artfully designed rooms from EUR 170 that blend Dutch heritage with contemporary comfort. Hotel Pulitzer (Prinsengracht 315-331) sprawls across 25 interconnected canal houses, with rooms from EUR 220 and a garden courtyard that is one of the loveliest hidden spaces in the city.

Luxury: The Dylan Amsterdam (Keizersgracht 384) occupies a 17th-century building that was once a theater and later an almshouse, with sumptuous rooms from EUR 380 and a Michelin-quality restaurant. Each room is individually designed, and the canal views from the upper floors are unforgettable.

Practical Tips for the Jordaan

Navigation: The Jordaan’s street grid can be disorienting because the canals curve. Use church towers as landmarks — Westerkerk’s crowned spire is visible from most of the neighborhood. The streets running parallel to the canals (north-south) have names ending in “-straat” or “-gracht,” while the cross-streets (east-west) use “-dwarsstraat.”

Cycling: This is one of the best neighborhoods to explore by bike. Rental shops along Centraal station area charge EUR 12-15 per day. The flat terrain and dedicated bike lanes make it safe even for inexperienced cyclists, though be warned — locals ride fast and expect you to signal turns and maintain a consistent line.

Hidden hofjes: Beyond the famous Begijnhof in Centrum, the Jordaan contains several hidden courtyard gardens. The Karthuizerhof (Karthuizerstraat 21-131) dates to 1650 and is free to enter quietly during daytime. These intimate spaces offer a glimpse of the community-oriented living that has always characterized the neighborhood.

The Jordaan sits at the western edge of the canal ring, bordered by Brouwersgracht to the north, Lijnbaansgracht to the west, Leidsegracht to the south, and Prinsengracht to the east. From here, Centrum is a five-minute walk east across Prinsengracht, the Vondelpark area is ten minutes south, and the ferry to Amsterdam North departs from behind Centraal station, a fifteen-minute walk north along the beautiful Brouwersgracht.