Curated list

4 Best Hidden Gems in Amsterdam

Hidden gems is the whole premise of Amsterdam Local Gems — the venues that don't show up on the first three pages of a generic guidebook but reward the effort it takes to find them. This list collects our top hidden-gem picks across the city: the Embassy of the Free Mind on Keizersgracht (a working library of esoteric thought built around the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica collection), the Houten Huis on Begijnhof (one of only two surviving wooden houses in central Amsterdam, ca. 1528), the Spinhuis on Spinhuissteeg, the National Holocaust Names Memorial on Weesperstraat, the lighthouse-island day trip to Vuurtoreneiland, and the medieval Café Chris on Bloemstraat (in operation since 1624). Each listing covers the backstory and the practical detail of getting there.

This is a growing list — more places coming soon.

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#1

Café Chris

4.7

The Jordaan's oldest café dating to 1624, a traditional brown bar on Bloemstraat where Westerkerk builders once collected wages, featuring authentic period interior and local character.

Bloemstraat 42, 1016 LC Amsterdam

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#2

Majoor Bosshardtbrug

4.2

The Majoor Bosshardtbrug, located in Amsterdam, is a modern bridge named after Alida Margaretha Bosshardt, a prominent figure in the Salvation Army known for her work in Amsterdam's Red Light District.

Majoor Bosshardtbrug, Amsterdam

#3

Best Bench in Town

4.3

The Best Bench in Town, located in Amsterdam's Jordaan neighborhood, is an ornate wooden bench crafted in the 17th century and situated along the Prinsengracht canal.

Bloemgracht 108I, 1015 TN Amsterdam