Jordaan neighbourhood guide: Amsterdam's most beautiful district

Inside Amsterdam’s most beloved neighbourhood

No neighbourhood in Amsterdam has been photographed more times than the Jordaan, and yet it still surprises you. The tourist centre around Dam Square is 600 metres to the east, but the Jordaan moves at a different pace: slower, warmer, more local. On a weekday morning, when the tour groups have not yet arrived, it is possible to walk the length of Bloemgracht — arguably the most beautiful canal in Amsterdam — and have it almost to yourself.

The Jordaan occupies the area west of Prinsengracht, bounded roughly by Brouwersgracht to the north and Leidsegracht to the south. Its name may derive from the French word for garden (jardin) — when French Huguenot refugees settled here in the seventeenth century, they apparently missed the sound of their own language enough to name their streets after flowers and trees. Rozengracht, Bloemgracht, Tuinstraat: the pattern continues today.

This guide covers how to explore the Jordaan on foot, which brown cafés to choose, where to eat, and what to look for in the hidden hofjes that most visitors walk straight past.

Walking the Jordaan: the essential route

Start at Brouwersgracht, the northern boundary. This is widely considered the most beautiful street in Amsterdam — a wide canal lined with converted warehouses and houseboats, particularly photogenic in the early morning light. Walk south along Prinsengracht and turn west into Bloemgracht. The step-gabled houses here date to the 1640s and were built for prosperous merchants and artists; look for the façade stones above the doors that indicate the original owner’s trade.

Continue south through the grid of cross-streets — Egelantiersgracht, Elandsgracht, Looiersgracht — each slightly different in character. Egelantiersgracht is quieter and more residential; Café ‘t Smalle at number 12 has been here since 1786 and is famous for its small floating terrace. A beer in the afternoon sun here is one of Amsterdam’s defining experiences.

Head east to Prinsengracht 263 to see the Anne Frank House entrance queue — it typically stretches back significantly, even for ticket holders. The house is genuinely moving and worth visiting if you book in advance online; same-day tickets are rarely available.

The Jordaan also connects naturally to the broader Canal Ring, which is worth exploring on the same day.

The Jordaan’s hofjes: hidden courtyards

Amsterdam has about 47 hofjes — medieval almshouse complexes built around enclosed courtyards — and the Jordaan contains the highest concentration. They are free to enter during the day and offer a moment of extraordinary quiet in the middle of the city.

The three most accessible:

Claes Claeszhofje (1e Egelantiersdwarsstraat 3): The oldest in the Jordaan, built in 1616. Seven interconnected courtyards with original seventeenth-century architecture. The pump in the central courtyard is original.

Karthuizerhof (Karthuizerstraat 89–171): A large, tranquil space popular with locals eating lunch on the grass. You enter through an arched passage from the street.

De Star (Prinsengracht 89–133): Built in 1804, with a pleasant garden and an organic feel. The entrance is easy to miss — look for the small gate.

The Begijnhof, often mentioned alongside the hofjes, is technically in the historic centre rather than the Jordaan, but it is a five-minute walk east across Keizersgracht.

Brown cafés in the Jordaan

Amsterdam’s bruine kroegen (brown cafés) take their name from the tobacco-stained walls and dark wood interiors that characterise bars operating for a century or more. The Jordaan has the greatest concentration in the city, and several are genuinely historic.

Café Papeneiland (Prinsengracht 2): The most famous brown café in Amsterdam, operating since 1642. The Delft-blue tiled interior is original, and the bar still has a secret tunnel that allegedly allowed Catholic priests to escape during the Reformation. Apple pie (€4.50) is excellent.

Café ‘t Smalle (Egelantiersgracht 12): Opened as a jenever distillery in 1786 and later became a café. The original spirit barrels are still behind the bar. The floating terrace is small and fills up quickly in summer — arrive before noon if you want a seat.

De Twee Zwaantjes (Prinsengracht 114): An old-fashioned Jordaan singing café. On weekend evenings, locals gather around the piano for Dutch volksmuziek, a tradition so particular to the Jordaan that it barely exists elsewhere in the city. Prices: draft beer €4–5, jenever €3–4.

Café de Reiger (Nieuwe Leliestraat 34): Slightly younger (1970s revival) but with a long menu and a genuinely mixed local crowd. Better food than most brown cafés — the stamppot (mashed potato with greens and smoked sausage) is proper Dutch winter fare for around €16.

Where to eat in the Jordaan

The Jordaan has the best density of quality restaurants in Amsterdam for its size. Several are booked weeks in advance; a phone reservation on the day is often your only option for a table.

Toscanini (Lindengracht 75): The most-loved Italian restaurant in Amsterdam. No bookings for smaller parties until the day — arrive at 6pm and add your name to the list. Pasta €18–22, mains €24–30.

Moeder’s (Rozengracht 251): The name means “mothers,” and the concept is Dutch home cooking with a sentimental edge — guests donate a photo of their mother to the growing wall collection. Stamppot, erwtensoep (pea soup), and classic uitsmijters (eggs on toast). Mains €15–22.

Paradox (Jordaan, Lindengracht area): A long-running breakfast and lunch spot that was one of the Jordaan’s original coffeeshop-adjacent cafés and has since become a proper neighbourhood café. Excellent pancakes and fresh juices. Good value for brunch under €15.

The Saturday Lindengracht market (8am–4pm) is the best street market in the Jordaan — cheese, bread, stroopwafels, fish, and Indonesian snacks. The Monday Noordermarkt sells organic produce and vintage clothing.

The Jordaan food tour experience

To discover the neighbourhood’s food culture in depth — including producers and spots that are not obvious to first-time visitors — a food tour through Spui and the Jordaan is an efficient way to cover the ground and eat well in the same session. Another well-regarded option is the dedicated Jordaan food tour , which focuses more tightly on the neighbourhood itself and includes local producers and market stalls.

Both tours run two to three hours and typically include six to eight tastings with local context from a knowledgeable guide.

Shopping in the Jordaan

The Jordaan has the best independent shopping in Amsterdam outside the Nine Streets area, which actually borders the Jordaan to the east. Antique shops cluster around Elandsgracht and Looiersgracht; the Antiekcentrum Amsterdam at Elandsgracht 109 is a large covered market with over 100 dealers under one roof.

For contemporary design and clothing, Westerstraat and its side streets have a good selection of Dutch designers. Frozen Fountain (Prinsengracht 645) has been the city’s most interesting furniture and design shop for over 30 years.

Read the Nine Streets shopping guide for the boutique streets that run east from the Jordaan.

Practical information

Getting there: The Jordaan is walkable from Centraal Station in 15 minutes (south along Prinsengracht) or a short tram ride (lines 13, 17 to Westermarkt). No metro.

Best time to visit: Weekday mornings (before 10am) for the canals without crowds. Saturday morning for the Lindengracht market. Sunday afternoon for the Noordermarkt antiques.

Avoid: Sunday and Monday evenings for restaurant hunting — many good places are closed. Arriving at the Anne Frank House without a pre-booked ticket.

For broader context on all six Amsterdam neighbourhoods, see the best neighbourhoods in Amsterdam hub, and for transport logistics, the getting around Amsterdam guide.

Frequently asked questions about the Jordaan

Is the Jordaan worth visiting in Amsterdam?

Yes — it is consistently rated the most atmospheric neighbourhood in the city. The combination of historic canals, hidden hofjes, and genuine brown cafés is unique in Amsterdam and, for many visitors, in Europe. Even a 90-minute walk through the core streets gives a very different impression of Amsterdam than the tourist centre.

How do I get to the Jordaan from Centraal Station?

Walk south along Damrak to Dam Square, then west along Raadhuisstraat, then cross Prinsengracht into the Jordaan. Total walk: about 15 minutes. Alternatively, take tram 13 or 17 to Westermarkt (4 minutes), which drops you right on the Jordaan boundary.

What are the best brown cafés in the Jordaan?

Café Papeneiland and Café ‘t Smalle are the most historic. De Twee Zwaantjes is the best for experiencing the Jordaan singing tradition on weekend evenings. Café de Reiger has the best food. A draft beer costs €4–5 at all of them.

Is the Anne Frank House in the Jordaan?

The Anne Frank House (Prinsengracht 263) sits exactly on the Jordaan’s eastern edge, along Prinsengracht. It is effectively part of the Jordaan visit for most travellers. Tickets must be booked online well in advance — same-day availability is extremely rare.

What is the Lindengracht market?

The Lindengracht market runs every Saturday from 8am to approximately 4pm along Lindengracht, a canal street in the northern Jordaan. It is a general food and goods market with strong representation of Dutch cheeses, fresh bread, raw herring, and street food. Far less crowded than the Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp.