In my last guide to Amsterdam Noord – 5 Things to do in Amsterdam Noord – I declared that:
“Amsterdam Noord is the new Amsterdam”
And while researching this article during my most recent stay at ClinkNOORD Hostel, I was reminded of just how cool and diverse the district is.
The previous article focused a lot on the growth of independent and local businesses in Noord. But this one will focus a bit more on the combination of the new and old worlds of the district, and how they intertwine.
5 More Things To Do in Amsterdam Noord
1.
A’DAM Lookout
With 22-stories, the A’DAM Toren (‘tower’ in Dutch) is a skyscraper that towers over Amsterdam and offers the best skyline views in the city! A’DAM actually stands for ‘Amsterdam, Dance And Music’ which reflects the tower’s unique focus on the arts. Something that, in my opinion, flourishes in Amsterdam Noord and is celebrated at the A’DAM Lookout experience!
Originally built as the Shell Oil headquarters, the tower is now home to a stunning hotel, two stunning restaurants (Ma’dam and Moon), as well a club and arts school.
But it’s the Lookout that is the biggest attraction! With tickets from €12.50, visitors will have access to the 360° Sky Deck viewing platform, as well as an interactive museum that tells the tale of Amsterdam’s development and the stories behind some of the city’s most famous residents.
Looking for something a bit more adventurous? The Lookout has that too, in the form of their 100 metre high swing! The ‘Over the Edge’ swing is the highest in Europe, and only costs an extra €5 on top of the A’DAM Lookout entry fee. It gave me butterflies, but I know I’ll be repeating the experience on my next trip to Amsterdam Noord!
Of all the things to do in Amsterdam Noord this should be top of your list!
Website: www.adamlookout.com
Address: A’DAM Lookout, Overhoeksplein 5, 1031 KS Amsterdam
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 10:30 – 21:00
Follow the A’DAM Lookout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2.
Buiksloterdijk
While I was researching more things to do in Amsterdam Noord, I was also writing an article for Clink Hostels: 24 Hours in Amsterdam Noord by Bike.
And it was during one of these cycling sessions that I stumbled upon the Buiksloterdijk.
One of the things I love most about Amsterdam Noord is how beautifully the district has embraced its industrial past to create an artistic and eclectic present.
But to see Buiksloterdijk emerging from the shores of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal as you cycle through Noorderpark gives you the impression of stepping back in time.
And not just a few decades back in time either. The first mention of Buiksloot, the name of the village that sits on Buiksloterdijk, was in 1275 (according to these guys)… over seven centuries ago! Obviously, the houses that still stand today aren’t that old, but theyhave been standing for over a century.
Address: Buiksloterdijk, 1025 WD Amsterdam
3.
Art City
Hemingway had Paris, Raphael had Rome, Van Gogh had Amsterdam, and the emerging community in Amsterdam today has Noord.
Tucked away behind bright blue steel doors in an abandoned warehouse that once belonged to Amsterdam’s large shipping industry now lies Art City. Known by locals as the Kunststad, Art City began as a steel framework and now flourishes as the creative space in the city for artists and entrepreneurs.
Each workshop space has been crafted around the initial steel framework by the artist who owns the space, which makes each workshop extra special in my opinion!
Colours mix here just as freely as creativity. And the most beautiful thing about the space is that the NDSM Wharf and the creators within it actively encourage visitors.
So don’t be daunted by having to walk through the wide entrance into what seems like nothing more than an old warehouse. In some ways the warehouse has more life now than it did in the heyday of Amsterdam’s shipping industry. But if you’re unsure, there’s also a welcome centre who will be more than happy to help you out!
Website: www.artcityndsm.nl
Address: Tt. Neveritaweg 15, 1033 WB Amsterdam
Follow NDSM Art City on Facebook.
4.
Pllek
When I first walked through the entrance to Pllek, I walked straight out again. Entering into the narrow end of a shipping container without being entirely sure that I was in the right place seemed particularly daunting.
But once I double-checked the name painted on the outside of the container and got myself together enough to walk through the dimmed entrance, I walked into one of the cosiest and warmest restaurants I’d been in for a long time!
Pllek has a roaring fireplace, flowers on every table and despite the fact that I was there on a weekday lunchtime it was full of people eating with friends, kids or just working solo on their laptops. But what really made the atmosphere warm inside was the staff.
Hanging around at the bar like a bit of a loser at first, I grabbed the attention of the bartender who told me to take a seat and someone would be over to take my order. I did as I was told and couldn’t have been better looked after than I was by Daan!
To top it off their food was incredible (seriously, try the ravioli!) and while I wasn’t able to make one on my last trip they have a long list of events that run each week! So whether I go back for dinner, drinks in the evening or an event… I will definitely be back!
Website: www.pllek.nl
Address: Tt. Neveritaweg 59, 1033 WB Amsterdam
Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs: 9.30 – 01.00; Fri – Sat: 9.30 – 03.00
Follow Pllek on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
5.
Bbrood
If you’re not up for a full meal and drinks, but you could go for a coffee and a slice of baked goodness, then just around the corner from Pllek and directly in front of the ferry to Amsterdam Centraal Station is Café Bbrood.
Despite the fact that there are a handful of Bbrood cafés in Amsterdam, this one doesn’t have the coffee chain feel at all.
With a huge selection of sweet and savoury goods baked directly on site, plus great coffee(!), Bbrood is the perfect place to sit and watch local commuters pass by on their way to and from the ferry.
The staff are super friendly, and the way they welcome you inside and offer you to check the view from their seating area upstairs, is more like a friend would be when opening up their home than baristas just running a café.
Oh, and they make a mean saucijzenbroodje!
Website: www.pllek.nl
Address: Ms. van Riemsdijkweg 301, 1033 RD Amsterdam
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 7.30 – 18.00; Sat – Sun: 8.30 – 18.00
Follow Bbrood on Facebook.
So there you have it – hopefully more proof that there are more than enough things to do in Amsterdam Noord to keep you busy exploring this relatively unexplored local area of Amsterdam!
Also, big shout to the awesome team ClinkNOORD Hostel for providing me with a base while I researched this article. You can read my full review of ClinkNOORD here and read my original list of 5 things to do in Amsterdam Noord here!