Amsterdam Local Tips & Stories

Behind the Jordaan’s plain doors hide hofjes: serene 17th-century courtyards once built for widows and the poor. Here’s how to find these secret gardens hiding in plain sight.

Amsterdam’s crooked canal houses lean and tilt for surprising reasons, some by design, some by sinking soil. Meet 7 of the city’s most captivating leaning houses and the stories behind their tilt.

Amsterdam’s canals get the glory, but its statues tell the city’s real stories of resistance, creativity, and a famously liberal spirit. Here are 15 of the most captivating, and where to find them.

Worried Amsterdam will drain your wallet? You can experience the city’s real magic on a tight budget. Here are 8 insider tips from a local for saving big without missing out.

Each August, Amsterdam’s UNESCO canal belt becomes a city-wide concert hall. Here’s your guide to Grachtenfestival, the Netherlands’ largest classical-music festival, from the free Prinsengrachtconcert to waterside stages citywide.

Every five years, Amsterdam’s waterfront fills with majestic tall ships. SAIL returns for a triple jubilee. Here’s your ultimate guide to the free quayside views, optional cruises, and the full program.

Amsterdam Pride turns the canals into the Dutch calendar’s biggest celebration of love and diversity. Here’s your guide to the Canal Parade, Saturday’s street parties, and how to make the most of the day.

Think Amsterdam is a city of only concrete and bridges? With millions of trees and water abound, wildlife is everywhere.

For Amsterdam’s 750th birthday, the notorious A10 ring road becomes a 15-kilometer, car-free street party. Here’s your visitor guide to Op de Ring: what to expect and how to do it like a local.

Not all pints are poured equal. From historic brown cafes to lively terraces, here are 11 of the best places in Amsterdam to drink a perfectly poured, authentic Heineken on draft, picked by a local.