I’m going to make a bold statement here. Amsterdam Noord is the new Amsterdam.

If you’ve never heard of the Noord district of Amsterdam, then don’t worry. Most people haven’t and it’s incredible to think how many people live in Amsterdam and still don’t visit Noord. Unless it’s to visit the Eye Film Institute.

But thanks to my recent stay at ClinkNOORD I got to see a whole new side of a city I had never experienced whilst living there. And now I’m going to share some of the best kept secrets of Amsterdam with you!

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What is Amsterdam Noord?

Noord is Dutch for North, which is a subtle hint at where the district might be illustrated if it was included in maps of Amsterdam – even though often it isn’t included at all despite officially becoming a part of the city as far back as 1393!

For years Noord was primarily an industrial district, and the villages that still stand were once homes to the families of industrial workers and boarding schools for the city’s poor youth.

Now industry in the area has diminished, residents havetaken inspiration from the abandoned warehouses, factories and land.

What exists now is a district rife with community collectives, innovative artist studios, pop-up cinemas, skateparks, music festivals, urban beaches and so much more!

How to get to Amsterdam Noord

There are three ferries that run from the back of Amsterdam Centraal station to Amsterdam Noord and they all run at intervals of 5-15 minutes – although it’s good to note that the Buiksloterweg ferry (in the direction of the Eye Film Institute and ClinkNOORD hostel) is the only ferry to run 24 hours!

The ILoveNoord website offers a great overview of all the ferry timetables.

5 Things to do in Amsterdam Noord

1.

Oedipus Brewing

Tucked away in an old abandoned warehouse close to the water that separates Amsterdam Noord from Amsterdam is the local brewery and taproom of Oedipus Brewing. So called because the boys that run the brewery just really love their mothers…!

The boys in charge began experimenting with craft beers in their kitchens, perfecting their skills of fermentation through hours of watching Youtube how-to videos, and even more hours of practice.

Now their speciality beers can be found at most of Amsterdam’s most popular festivals and local bars, but the best place to try them is in the taproom itself!

Only open Fridays (from 15:00-21:00), Saturdays and Sundays (from 14:00-21:00) the taproom is well worth a visit with 12 beers on tap!

It’s also worth checking their events page and making a trip to the taproom for a special occasion… keep an eye out for the next Burger Beer Battle!

Address
Oedipus Brewing B.V.
Gedempt Hamerkanaal 85
1021 KP Amsterdam

Email
info@oedipus.com

Follow Oedipus on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

2.

Studio XYZ AMS

Growing up I have been lucky to have parents who constantly push me to do the things I love most in life.

This is why I am such a fan of local artist collectives – spaces and organisations that encourage young artists to practice their painting or photography and give them the space to do so. 

XYZ AMS do just this, tucked away in an old repurposed warehouse in Amsterdam Noord. Above you can see one of the artists Euge, who now has items of his artwork displayed in the new ClinkNOORD hostel.

Below left is Jason, the leader of the collective and the man kind enough to guide a few of us around his studio.

And above right is Rein Kooyman, a wonderfully talented photographer who, thanks to the support of XYZ AMS, is currently running his first ever exhibition at the Fashion Hotel in Amsterdam!

Locals to Noord are able to get in touch with the collective and rent studio space, but if you’re just visiting make sure to check out their projects page to keep an eye on upcoming events!

Address
Zamenhofstraat 150 – 10
1022 AG Amsterdam

Phone
+31 (0)6 – 33 68 44 72

Email
info@xyzams.com

Follow XYZ AMS on Instagram and Facebook.

3.

De Ceuvel

De Ceuvel is a fantastic example of how an experiment in self-sufficiency can work wonders for the local community!

Situated on the water in a former shipyard, where you can sip tea and watch the wildlife, De Ceuvel was created entirely from recyclable materials found in the local area.

Unfortunately, our time there was spent under the cover of traditional Dutch weather (i.e. rain!) so whilst we didn’t get to rest our toes on the terrace and taste the creation of the Café which uses ingredients from its own vegetable garden, we could still witness the beauty of a community shared space made from the scraps of others…

You can find out more about the mission behind De Ceuvel on their website.

Address
Korte Papaverweg 2 T/M 6
1032 KB Amsterdam

Phone
(020) 229 62 10

Email
info@deceuvel.nl

Follow De Ceuvel on Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.

4.

Rolling Rock Kitchen

If you don’t fancy eating at Café De Ceuvel, my suggestion would definitely be the Rolling Rock Kitchen!

Established by Ron Tetteroo, the famous Dutch fashion photographer, the restaurant is achingly hip but even better… the food is incredible!

I can highly recommend the pulled pork burger in the photo above! But if you want more than food, the Rolling Rock Kitchen also hosts live music nights and special culinary events… more of which you can see on their agenda!

Address
Distelweg 113
1031 HD Amsterdam

Phone
06 28 440060

Email
info@rollingrockkitchen.com

Follow De Ceuvel on Facebook.

5.

Street Art Today at NDSM Wharf

I’ve decided to leave the best until last here… because the street art exhibition in the NDSM Wharf is probably one of the best kept secrets of Amsterdam!

NDSM stands for Nederlands Dok en Scheepsgebouw Maatschappij (Dutch Dock and Shipbuilding Company) which, before it went bankrupt in 1980, was one of the largest shipyards in Europe!

After going bankrupt, the abandoned warehouses fell into a serious state of disrepair which can still be seen today. That is until you venture into one particular old boathouse full of life, colour, and art thanks to the contributions of street artists from across the globe.

Run by Street Art Today, the exhibitions at NDSM Wharf are large and striking, portraying the best of street art talent and, like De Ceuvel is an incredible example of how new life can be breathed into spaces that others believed to be useless.

Address
Tt. Neveritaweg 61
1033 WB Amsterdam

Email
StreetArtToday@gmail.com

Follow Street Art Today on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As you can see – there is so much more to Amsterdam once you step off the tourist trail and begin to experience the city through the eyes of local artists and communities!

Let me know if you’ve ever been to Noord… or have decided to plan a visit after reading this!

Lots of love,

P.s. for an even closer insight into the five secrets above, make sure to check out the video I made detailing a tour of Noord I took during the opening weekend of ClinkNOORD!