The Jordaan in Amsterdam: what to see, where to eat, where to stroll

The Jordaan at a glance

The Jordaan covers the west of the city centre, between the Prinsengracht to the east, the Lijnbaansgracht to the west, the Brouwersgracht to the north and the Leidsegracht to the south. It was born of the city expansion launched in 1612, at the same time as the canal ring. But while the grand neighbouring canals were home to wealthy merchants, the Jordaan was laid out for workers, craftsmen and refugees, in more modest houses.

Its streets and canals follow the line of the old drainage ditches across the meadows, hence their angle to the Prinsengracht. Many are named after flowers and plants: Bloemgracht, Rozengracht, Lauriergracht, Egelantiersgracht, Anjeliersstraat. Several canals were filled in during the 19th century to become streets, such as the Westerstraat, the Lindengracht and the Rozengracht.

Long a crowded working-class area, the Jordaan was renovated from the 1970s onwards. It remains very residential: keep your voice down in the evening and do not block bridges or cycle paths for a photo.

Canals and streets to explore

The heart of the neighbourhood lies between the Rozengracht and the Brouwersgracht. A few streets are enough to get a feel for it:

• Egelantiersgracht: the narrowest and quietest canal, with low bridges and gabled facades. The small cross streets linking it to the Bloemgracht, the "dwarsstraten", are packed with shops, galleries and cafés.
• Bloemgracht: a canal lined with old houses with stepped gables, often described as the most elegant in the neighbourhood.
• Brouwersgracht: the northern edge of the Jordaan, lined with former brewers' warehouses turned into homes and with lived-in houseboats.
• Westerstraat and Lindengracht: two former canals turned into wide streets, where the Monday and Saturday markets are held.
• Johnny Jordaanplein: a small square on the Prinsengracht, at the corner of the Elandsgracht, with statues of the neighbourhood's popular singers.

The Prinsengracht, to the east, is part of the World Heritage-listed canal ring. To the south-east, between the Prinsengracht and the Singel, the shops of the Nine Streets extend the walk.

The hofjes, the Jordaan's hidden courtyards

The Jordaan has several hofjes, former almshouses built around an inner garden to house elderly or poor people. Behind a discreet door lies a quiet courtyard surrounded by small houses. The Sint-Andrieshofje, on the Egelantiersgracht, founded in the early 17th century, stands out for its corridor lined with blue earthenware tiles. The Karthuizerhof, on the Karthuizersstraat, is another example.

These courtyards are lived in: entry is free but only possible when the door is open, usually during the day on weekdays. Speak quietly, do not photograph residents or the inside of their homes, and come in small groups.

The Jordaan's markets

The markets are the best reason to come on a Monday morning or a Saturday. They are held a few steps from each other, around the Noorderkerk.

Opening hours checked in October 2026 on the official websites of the markets and of I amsterdam.

The Noordermarkt has hosted a market since 1623. On Mondays, the Noordermarkt flea market and the Westerstraat fabric market are held side by side: come before 11 am to browse the stalls before the crowds. On Saturdays, the Noordermarkt market and the Lindenmarkt almost merge, making it the busiest morning of the week.

Sights in the neighbourhood

The Jordaan has few museums, but two of Amsterdam's most visited sights stand on its eastern edge, on the Westermarkt.

• Anne Frank House: the Frank family's hiding place, at Prinsengracht 263. Tickets are sold only online, on the official website, every Tuesday for visits six weeks later.
• Westerkerk: the Protestant church where Rembrandt was buried, next to the Anne Frank House. Free admission on weekdays from 11 am to 3 pm; the tower is currently closed to visitors.
• Noorderkerk: the church on the Noordermarkt, built from 1620 to 1623 to a design by Hendrick de Keyser. It opens free of charge on Mondays and Saturdays from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, from September to May, during market hours.
• Houseboat Museum (Woonbootmuseum): the barge Hendrika Maria, built in 1914 and converted into a home in 1967, moored at Prinsengracht 296 K. It shows what living on the water in Amsterdam is like.

Prices checked in October 2026. At the Houseboat Museum, admission costs €5 for ages 5-12 and is free for under-5s and with the I amsterdam City Card; the museum is closed on 1 January, 27 April, the first Saturday of August and 25 December.

Where to eat and drink

The Jordaan is the land of the bruine cafés, the "brown cafés" with time-worn walls and dark woodwork, where you can have a beer or a coffee at any hour. Several have a small terrace by the water, including café 't Smalle on the Egelantiersgracht.

For something sweet, café Winkel 43, on the corner of the Noordermarkt, is known for its apple pie served with whipped cream; the queue grows on market days. The Saturday stalls on the Noordermarkt and the Lindengracht also let you snack as you walk: fish, Dutch cheeses, fruit.

For a proper meal, the best-stocked streets are the Westerstraat, the small cross streets between the Bloemgracht and the Egelantiersgracht, and the Haarlemmerstraat, just north of the Brouwersgracht. Book for dinner, especially at weekends: the dining rooms are small.

A half-day walk through the Jordaan

This route of about 3 kilometres takes 2 to 3 hours with breaks, not counting a visit to the Anne Frank House.

1. Start at the Westermarkt, in front of the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House. If you have a ticket, fit your time slot in at the start of the walk.
2. Follow the Prinsengracht north, then enter the neighbourhood via the Bloemgracht.
3. Head up through the small cross streets to the Egelantiersgracht and push the door of the Sint-Andrieshofje if it is open.
4. Continue to the Westerstraat and the Noordermarkt: market on Monday and Saturday, apple pie at any time.
5. Cross the Lindengracht to the Brouwersgracht, then head back east along the canal.
6. Finish on the Haarlemmerstraat or carry on to Centraal station, a 10-minute walk away.

If you only have one day in Amsterdam, this walk fits into our itinerary what to do in Amsterdam in one day.

Getting to the Jordaan

The Jordaan is within walking distance of Amsterdam Centraal station: about 10 minutes to the Brouwersgracht and 20 minutes to the Westermarkt. Because of roadworks on the Raadhuisstraat and the Rozengracht, no tram serves the Westermarkt stop: get off at the Dam tram stop, a 10-minute walk from the Anne Frank House. The nearest metro station is Rokin (line 52). Our guide to public transport in Amsterdam explains tickets and lines.

Cycling is the most practical way to get between the Jordaan and the rest of the centre, but the streets are narrow and busy: stay on the cycle paths and do not stop in the middle of bridges. To stay in or near the neighbourhood, see our guide where to stay in Amsterdam.

Further reading

The Jordaan combines easily with the canal ring and Dam Square, a 10-minute walk away. For another lively neighbourhood with a large daily market, read our guide to De Pijp. And to carry on without spending anything, our selection of free things to do in Amsterdam lists more ideas in the centre.