Amsterdam Noord is a neighborhood in the Netherlands, which gets its name courtesy of being north of the IJ River. The Dutch word “Noord” translates to north. It is a place rich in personality. Once thought of as an up-and-coming neighborhood, Noord has turned into a thriving and quaint hub of activity and culture. Noord is often described by those on Amsterdam private city tours as a village in a city, and it is green, family-friendly, and beautiful. Here are five things to do when you are in Noord as part of your Amsterdam trip.
Go to A’DAM Toren and See Amsterdam under Your Feet
A’DAM Toren has the highest swing in Europe. If you are not afraid of heights, swinging back and forth over the edge of this tower with the city under your feet will be an exciting experience for you. However, if that sounds scary to you, then worry not, you can soak in the views from the observation deck of the tower.
There are some restaurants in the edifice. On the 19th level, there is “Moon” which serves up locally-sourced menus for lunch and dinner, thanks to the awesome chefs, and it provides a 360-degree panorama. A level up, there is “Madam” which serves its chef’s modern interpretations of Mediterranean and French cuisine.
Have Some Green Coffee and Learn about Sustainability at De Ceuvel
If getting a short course in sustainability and excellent coffee sounds like a good way to spend an evening out, plan a visit to De Ceuvel. It is an urban development built as a clean technology experiment, over a once polluted harbor. In addition to the excellent coffee and food, you will find an interesting aquaponics greenhouse, and many showcases of cleantech that the compound uses to stay green. De Ceuvel uses heat exchangers and clean energy in a creative way, and reuses the bulk of its toilet and kitchen waste by means of treatment and composting and filtration.
Take a Bicycle Ride through Stunning Scenery to a Dutch Village
The Netherlands is home to a network of bicycle paths, and many routes provided with a signpost to help riders on a private bike tour Amsterdam advance. It is recommended that you try riding to the Durgerdam village; take the passenger ferry north from the Centraal Station, and cycle along Ijsselmeer coast. You have lots of places to refuel and rest en route: the authentic and beautiful Café ‘t Sluisje at Niewendammerdijk serves up delicious food, desserts and drink.
If you have not tried a Dutch pie made with apples yet, then your first stop should be that. Durgerdam itself is more stunning; it is home to a lot of places to soak in the views and have a coffee. The protected status makes the village as fine a glimpse of the Netherlands history as you will get outside a European museum. When you are steeped in enough culture, head back to Amsterdam Centraal via the polders, and have a brief stop at the Landmarkt for the perfect organic picnic you could just put together.
Find Some Good Stuff and Lose Yourself in a Dutch Street Market
The Dutch encourage small ventures, and for that reason, create thriving and beautiful places such as Pekmarkt. The smells, colors and buzz alone will make your trip worthwhile, but you will wish to shop something when you are here. You can get everything from clothing to street food, which often includes great organic oils and breads, on the main street. Off the main Dutch street, you will also find many things to keep yourself busy; places such as Café Keppler and Fashion & Tea are worth your time. If you want to have the tastiest ice cream in Amsterdam Noord, then head to the “IJssalon IJskoud de Beste” shop.
Spend Your Day at a Park
You can have a rather quiet day at a Dutch park, but the more prominent parks such as Noorderpark are hubs of family-friendly and cultural activities. Noorderpark also has a monthly schedule of events, which you must check out, in addition to some must-watch landmarks. Take for instance the Roze Tanker and De Gele Pomp, two past gas stations which became useless when Holland updated its road network; in typical fashion, the Dutch turned these stations into brightly-colored community centers where you will find everything from cultural workshops to pop-up cafes.
Noorderpark is home to an award-winning pool complex, named Noorderparkbad, which is just as fun to see as to dive in and swim. Child-friendly locations, diving boards, and tubes mean people, both young and old alike, can take part in the activity. Even if you are here on a private tour, swimming is an absolutely rejuvenating thing to do, so try it as well.