Jordaan Tours

Once a working-class neighborhood, Jordaan in central Amsterdam has become an upscale enclave favored by artists and designers. Grand 17th-century houses, art galleries, speciality shops, music venues, cafes, and restaurants line the leafy canals in this quintessential Amsterdam neighborhood, which attracts tourists and locals alike.
The Basics
The Amsterdam neighborhood of Jordaan attracts travelers looking to experience authentic Dutch culture while visiting essential landmarks and street markets. Travelers have many options to explore Jordaan on a half-day or full-day group tour, or on a walking or biking tour. Stops usually include essential attractions such as the Anne Frank Museum and Woonbootmuseum, a museum inside a 1914 freighter converted into a houseboat. Jordaan is also a great place to stroll, eat, and drink.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Jordaan is suitable for travelers of all ages.
• The neighborhood is perfect for exploring like a local, which means by bicycle. Choose a guided cycling tour for ease or rent a bike to explore on your own.
• When walking through Jordaan, be mindful of the bike paths; do not walk on the paths marked for bikes only.

How to Get There
Jordaan is accessible by taxi, bicycle, and public transportation. Take tram No. 13 or No. 17 to the Westermarkt stop at the center of the district.

When to Get There
For smaller crowds, the best time to visit Amsterdam is between April and May or September and November—before or after the summer high season. On Saturdays, go early to beat the crowds at Lindengracht market to shop for cheese, fresh fish, flowers, and handcrafted items. On Monday mornings, Westerstraat market features food stalls and all manner of clothing, from up-market brands to vintage.

Statue Spotting
As you stroll the picturesque canals, in between jaunts to coffee shops and markets, pay attention to the statues scattered throughout the neighborhood. They commemorate various local heroes such as Dutch patriot Johnny Jordaan and folk singers who helped to make Jordaan the Greenwich Village of Amsterdam—people such as Tante Leen and Manke Nelis whose likenesses stand at the corner of Prinsengracht and Elandsgracht.