Westerpark and Spaarndammerbuurt: Amsterdam neighbourhood guide

The neighbourhood at a glance

Westerpark, in the broad sense, corresponds to the former borough of the same name, now part of Amsterdam-West. For visitors, it is organised around three hubs:

• The park and the Westergasfabriek, between the Haarlemmerweg and the railway line, north-west of Haarlemmerplein;
• the Spaarndammerbuurt, on the other side of the railway, north of the park, a district of workers' housing built mostly in the early 20th century;
• the Houthavens, on the IJ, where new apartment blocks have replaced the quays of the old timber port.

You reach the area from the centre via the Haarlemmerstraat and the Haarlemmerdijk, two shopping streets that continue on from the Brouwersgracht. At the end of the Haarlemmerdijk, the Haarlemmerpoort marks the entrance to the neighbourhood. This neoclassical city gate was inaugurated on 27 November 1840: King William II passed through it on the eve of his inauguration, hence its official name of Willemspoort, which Amsterdammers never adopted.

The Westerpark and the Westergasfabriek

The heart of the area is the Westerpark. Its eastern part, laid out from 1890 onwards, keeps its fountain ponds and tall trees. To the west, the site of the former Westergasfabriek gasworks, closed in 1967 and then decontaminated, was transformed into a landscaped park that reopened in 2003. Seventeen late 19th-century brick buildings have been preserved there and now house a cinema, restaurants, a craft brewery, the Fabrique des Lumières digital exhibition centre, and the Gashouder, a former gasholder from 1903 turned concert hall.

The park is open day and night and entry is free. At weekends, the lawns fill up with families; children will find a free children's farm, the Boerderij Westerpark, and a youth theatre on site.

The Sunday market

The Sunday Market is held on the first Sunday of the month, from 12 pm to 6 pm, in the grounds of the Westergasfabriek and in one of its halls: designers, vintage clothing, art and street food, with an extra edition before Christmas. Entry is free.

Dates checked in October 2026 on the market's official website.

Festivals and major events

The Westergasfabriek is one of the city's main event venues. In spring, on Ascension weekend, the Rollende Keukens street food festival sets up in the park; in summer, several music festivals take over the big lawn. In October, the Gashouder hosts Amsterdam Dance Event nights. The full summer calendar is in our guide to summer festivals in Amsterdam. On festival days, part of the park is closed: check the Westergas calendar before you come.

The Spaarndammerbuurt and the Amsterdam School

North of the park, you pass under the railway line to enter the Spaarndammerbuurt. Once home to dock workers, this compact red-brick district owes its fame to the 1901 Housing Act, which allowed workers' associations to build healthy homes and gave Amsterdam School architects the chance to try out their ideas here.

• Het Schip (1917-1920): the complex designed by Michel de Klerk for the Eigen Haard association, with its homes, former school, former post office and slender tower, is the movement's manifesto. The Het Schip museum tells the story of social housing there and shows visitors the former post office and a 1920s workers' flat.
• Spaarndammerplantsoen: opposite Het Schip, this square is lined with other housing blocks by Michel de Klerk, with undulating facades and sculpted brick details, freely visible from the street.
• Zaanhof: a large garden courtyard surrounded by homes with steep roofs and turrets, designed by Herman Walenkamp in the 1920s, a few minutes' walk from Het Schip.
• Zaandammerplein: a square enclosed by buildings by K. P. C. de Bazel, from the same period.

These homes are lived in: admire the facades from the street and do not go into the stairwells. To place these buildings in the city's history, read our guide to Amsterdam architecture.

Prices checked in October 2026. At the Het Schip museum, entry is free with the Museumkaart and the I amsterdam City Card; guided tours leave at 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm (in English) and 4 pm.

The Houthavens and the Western Islands

North-east of the Spaarndammerbuurt, the Houthavens occupy the city's former timber port. Since the 2010s, apartment buildings, including the Pontsteiger tower, have risen here along the IJ, with wine bars and restaurants at the foot of the new buildings; the Breugem brewery serves its own beers brewed on site.

Heading back towards the centre, the Western Islands, Prinseneiland, Realeneiland and Bickerseiland, form a small district of 17th-century warehouses and shipyards linked by white drawbridges. It is one of the quietest corners of the city, ten minutes' walk from Haarlemmerplein.

Where to eat and drink

Places to eat cluster around the Westergasfabriek and on the Spaarndammerstraat, the Spaarndammerbuurt's shopping street.

• In the park: the Cantine brasserie, in the former Machinegebouw; De Bakkerswinkel, a bakery and tearoom in the Regulateurshuis, popular for breakfast; Mossel & Gin, which specialises in mussels; the Troost craft brewery, which brews on site; and the De Parkwachter café, in the middle of the lawns.
• Café-Restaurant Amsterdam: south of the park (Watertorenplein 6), in the engine hall of a 19th-century drinking water pumping station, with a vast high-ceilinged dining room.
• Spaarndammerstraat: bakeries, cafés and the Compartir wine bar, frequented mainly by locals.

For Sunday brunch before the market, book ahead: the park's terraces are packed from midday. Our brunch and breakfast in Amsterdam selection has more addresses.

A half-day walk

This route of about 5 kilometres takes 3 hours with breaks, not counting the museum visit.

1. Start from the Brouwersgracht, 10 minutes' walk from Central Station. On Saturday mornings, make a detour to the nearby Noordermarkt market.
2. Walk up the Haarlemmerstraat and then the Haarlemmerdijk, with their shops, to the Haarlemmerpoort.
3. Make a detour to the Western Islands: cross the Westerdok towards Prinseneiland and Realeneiland, then head back to Haarlemmerplein.
4. Enter the Westerpark from the east, walk along the ponds and continue to the Westergasfabriek: the Gashouder, the water lily pond, and the market if it is the first Sunday of the month.
5. Pass under the railway line into the Spaarndammerbuurt: Het Schip and its guided tour, the Spaarndammerplantsoen, then the Zaanhof.
6. Finish on the Spaarndammerstraat or in the Houthavens; bus 22 takes you back to Central Station.

Getting to the neighbourhood

Tram 5 also serves the Van Hallstraat/Westergasfabriek stop from Leidseplein and Amsterdam Zuid station. By bike, the Westergasfabriek is about 10 minutes from Central Station. Our guide to getting around Amsterdam covers tickets and lines in detail. Parking is paid throughout the neighbourhood, including on Sundays.

Further reading

The Westerpark area pairs naturally with the Jordaan, just south of Haarlemmerplein, the Westerkerk and the canal ring. For more green spaces, our guide to Amsterdam's parks and gardens compares the Westerpark with the city's other parks, and our guide to where to stay in Amsterdam helps you choose a neighbourhood.