Amsterdam Centraal DIY Walking Tour

[These are very thorough walking directions – you shouldn’t be getting lost in Amsterdam when following this guide. However, I definitely recommend that you follow the Google Streetview route of the entire Amsterdam Centraal DIY Walking Tour first, from the comfort of your own home before you head to Amsterdam, as this will allow you to better visualise the entire route before you arrive].

START – Amsterdam Centraal Station [MAP]: The walk starts from the main Amsterdam Centraal Station (which is THE public transport hub in central Amsterdam). With your back to the main station building, turn LEFT and head along Stationsplein;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP – reverse view]:

This first part of your Amsterdam Centraal DIY Walking Tour is the trickiest part (after getting on the right route, it’s all pretty straightforward though). After crossing here (via the little island which has the tram lines diverging in either direction around it), you will arrive at a “bike park”. Follow the pedestrian path through it, with the bikes on either side of you, until you reach the first proper (light-controlled) pedestrian crossing (just after crossing the pedestrian bridge that crosses the water that passes beneath the Amsterdam Centraal train tracks) [MAP];

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

After crossing the road here, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD. The Hilton Doubletree building will be on your LEFT, and the water of the Oosterdok will be in your RIGHT;

Sea Palace (Floating Chinese Restaurant) [MAP]:

About halfway along Oosterdokskade, you will see the “Sea Palace” (a floating Chinese Restaurant) on your right. Remember this place for later (the main restaurant is on the lower level, and is wheelchair accessible);

Mr. J.J. van der Veldebrug (pedestrian/cycle bridge) [MAP]:

Cross over to the NEMO Science Centre, using the Mr. J.J. van der Veldebrug. At the end of the bridge, turn RIGHT (towards the lower part of the striking NEMO Science Centre building);

NEMO Science Centre [MAP]:

The main entrance is at the lowet side of the sloping building. However, to reach the entrance, you need to climb six steps (by the Het Waterwiel waterclock sculpture). Don’t worry though. A few metres further along, there is a ramp which bypasses the steps [MAP];

When you leave the NEMO Science Centre exit,and with the building at your back, turn LEFT. Again, there are 6 steps to descend. However, to the RIGHT of the steps, there is a ramp that zig-zags down to the dockside [MAP]. At the foot of the ramp, turn RIGHT, and continue along Oosterdok (with the NEMO Science Centre building behind you now);

ARCAM Architecture Centre Amsterdam [MAP]:

Follow the Oosterdok as it turns to the left around the water. Just after the turn, you will see the striking ARCAM (Architecture Centre Amsterdam) building in front of you. Behind the building (on your RIGHT), a ramp rises to street-level. You will definitely need some assistance to get a wheelchair up this slope. At the top of the ramp, turn LEFT along Prins Hendrikkade. It’s fairly obvious where to walk now – you are heading for the National Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum);

National Maritime Museum [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT as you leave the National Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum), and retrace your steps to the padestrian crossing (that crosses Prins Hendrikkade). It is easy to identify this crossing, as it is right beside the round tower of the SWEETS hotel Kortjewantsbrug.

When you reach this point, you have a choice to make. I would definitely advise wheelchair users just to retrace your steps back to the starting point of this Amsterdam Centraal DIY Walking Tour at Amsterdam Centraal Station. So far, the going has been fairly easy (although the streets here are not real cobbles, the pavements have been paved using interlinked bricks – and the slight rumble does get tiring after a while). And, if you do decide to continue, there are a LOT more of these (plus some real cobbled streets to negotiate too – especially around Dam Square). For all other walkers though, follow on;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

After crossing Prins Hendrikkade here, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along Kadijksplein (the canal will be directly to your RIGHT. At the end of Kadijksplein, turn RIGHT and cross the Scharrebiersluis bridge [MAP];

At the end of the canal bridge, turn LEFT into Rapenburgerplein, which soon becomes Nieuwe Herengracht (same street, same direction – just a different street name). At the end of Nieuwe Herengracht , turn LEFT again onto the Latjesbrug bridge and continue straight along Anne Frankstraat;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

A tricky part of the route – as it uses a very pleasant shortcut that allows you to enter the Wertheimpark by the canalside entrance:

Just as Anne Frankstraat sweeps round to the right (into Plantage Parklaan), you will see tennis courts on your RIGHT. As the pedestrian crossing (not light-controlled, but with dropped kerbs) is located on the bend of the road, you will be able to see any traffic coming in either direction.

At the end of the crossing, you will see a gateway – that leads to a small path that surrounds the tennis courts [MAP]. Follow the path around until you see the entrance to the Wertheimpark (the canal will be on your RIGHT) [MAP];

Wertheimpark:

Turn LEFT onto the first smallish path as you enter Wertheimpark from this direction, and you will immediately arrive at the broken mirrors of the Auschwitzmonument (Spiegelmonument) / Auschwitz Monument (Mirror Monument) – a sobering memorial to the 100,000 Dutch Jews murdered by Nazi Germany in the Auschwitz and Sobibor concentration camps;

Wander through the rest of the park, eventually exiting the park via the main entrance (yes, a very back-to-front visit to the Wertheimpark);

Pedestrian Crossing (1 of 3) [MAP]:

Immediately outside the main entrance to the Wertheimpark, you will comt to the first of 3 pedestrian crossings that you must now use (none are light-controlled, but all have dropped kerbs where needed). This first crossing crosses Plantage Parklaan;

Pedestrian Crossing (2 of 3) [MAP]:

At the end of the first crossing, turn RIGHT, and you will see the start of the second pedestrian crossing here. This crosses Plantage Middenlaan;

Pedestrian Crossing (3 of 3) [MAP]:

Again, turn RIGHT at the end of the second crossing, and you will immediately arrive at the start of the third. This third crossing crosses a tiny sidestreet – and you will now end up opposite where you were when you left the Wertheimpark;

After the final crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along this pavement until you see the entrance to Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Gardens) on your left [MAP];

Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Gardens) [MAP]:

After visiting Hortus Botanicus, leave by the main exit (the same one that you arrived at), and turn LEFT, and continue across the Hortusbrug, and continue STRAIGHT along the left hand side of Muiderstraat until you reach the pedstrian crossing (on your RIGHT) just before the junction of Muiderstraat and Mr. Visserplein;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Cross the main Muiderstraat here, and turn LEFT at the end of the crossing and continue along the right hand side of Mr. Visserplein until you reach the junction with Valkenburgerstraat where you will see another pedestrian crossing;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

After crossing Valkenburgerstraat here you will immediately see yet another pedestrian crossing, this time crossing Jodenbreestraat. At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, and walk along the left hand side of Jodenbreestraat, until you reach the Museum Rembrandthuis (you will cross one side-street along the way – Houtkopersdwarsstraat [MAP]);

Museum Rembrandthuis [MAP]:

After visiting the Museum Rembrandthuis, turn LEFT as you exit, and continue across the Sint Antoniesluis bridge. After the bridge, the road is called Sint Antoniesbreestraat. Continue following it (on this same left hand side) until you reach the corner with Nieuwe Hoogstraat (on your LEFT) [MAP];

Nieuwe Hoogstraat [MAP]:

Turn LEFT into the narrow Nieuwe Hoogstraat, and continue along this same left hand side, for around 400m until you arrive at Rokin (and Dam Square). You will cross three canal bridges along the way: the Bushuissluis, the Paulusbroederssluis and the Varkenssluis canal bridges. There are some wonderful photograph opportunities along the way here;

Nationaal Monument [MAP]:

Just before you reach the pedestrain crossing at the end of the raod , which will allow you to cross the main Rokin street, to Dam Square and the Koninklijk Paleis (the Royal Palace in Amsterdam), you will see the Nationaal Monument on your RIGHT;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

After crossing Rokin here, you will arrive directly in front of Madame Tussauds Amsterdam. Turn immediately to your RIGHT and you will see yet another pedestrian crossing in front of you;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

This second crossing will take you across to Dam Square directly in front of the Koninklijk Paleis (the Royal Palace in Amsterdam);

Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis) [MAP]:

After visiting the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, and with the palace building behind you, walk STRAIGHT AHEAD (TO THE LEFT) across Dam Square until you reach Rokin again (just before the De Bijenkorf department store building – there is a restaurant/roof terrace in De Bijenkorf, which has amazing views over the rooftops of Amsterdam);

Damrak [MAP]:

When you reach Damrak, turn LEFT and continue down the left hand side, until you see the first pedestrian crossing on your RIGHT (to

Beursplein – after about 150m);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP];

This crossing is NOT light-controlled, and will take you across Damrak to Beursplein. At the end of the crossing, turn LEFT and continue walking down Damrak (but now on the right hand side). After about 200 metres, the water of the harbour at Damrak will appear on your RIGHT;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP];

At the end of Damrak, a pedestrain crossings will appear on your LEFT (this is actually the first of two crossings which enable you to cross the junction to the magnificent Centraal Station building – which you will be able to see clearly from here). This first crossing will take you back across Damrak. At the end of this first crossing, turn RIGHT – and you will immediately see the second pedestrian crossing directly in front of you;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP];

This second crossing crosses Prins Hendrikkade. At the end of he crossing, you should continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, returning to your starting point at Amsterdam’s Centraal Station.