Best Amsterdam areas for your stay

Details on Amsterdam areas, helping you find the best place to stay in Amsterdam

Amsterdam in Netherlands is broken up into pretty large areas, these are then segmented into smaller neighbourhoods. So, it can be quite confusing when deciding on the best area to base yourself. Most areas of Amsterdam though do have a recognisable bias towards cool, quiet, nightlife, green spaces and so on.

On this page we have outlined the main areas of Amsterdam and some of their neighbourhoods. We have also noted the key attractions you can find nearby and who staying in that area might be suitable for. Use our overview map to get a feel for the way Amsterdam is broken up and then look at each area individually, to find the best place to stay in Amsterdam for you.

We also have a dedicated Amsterdam map page that you can use to see the key areas of Amsterdam in close up and all the major attractions locations on the map. It also has useful links to other links like public transport maps.

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Eight main Amsterdam areas

When you look at the map, you will see the eight distinct areas of Amsterdam. Each of these has its own neighbourhoods. The main areas to focus upon are Centrum, Nieuw-West, Noord, Oost, West, West Port, Zuid and Zuidoost.

You can click on the map overview below to open up a google map of the Amsterdam areas for interactive exploration.

Amsterdam Centrum

This is the historical city centre of Amsterdam. It is where you will most likely arrive into the city via the Centraal Station and contains the UNESCO listed Amsterdam canal belt. Inside Centrum there are fourteen smaller neighbourhoods. This is a popular and busy area for visitors and residents alike. With plentiful hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and attractions.

Amsterdam Nieuw-West

This is a much more residential area with the central attraction being the Sloterpas Lake and Park. There is also an urban beach, popular in the summer months. This area is popular for visitors who want some space and time away from the vibrant centre of Amsterdam, perhaps to have a day out in the park and boat on the lake. There are nightlife hotspots centred around former business parks and countless urban renewal projects, giving the clue that this is a more residential area, rather than tourist catered for accommodation.

Amsterdam Noord

Noord is separated from the rest of Amsterdam by the River IJ. through this separation the area was much less developed or visited until more recent times. With the free ferries that connect Noord with central Amsterdam, (these hail from the back of Centraal Station), getting across to Noord is now easy. With that ease, people are discovering the hidden gems in Noord. Less hidden are the attractions of A’DAM Lookout and EYE Film Institute offering wonderful views across Amsterdam. Culture seekers need only visit NDSM Wharf to discover a buzzing creative scene, with art galleries, trendy restaurants, bars and theatres. The amazing Straat Museum is located here.

But one of the real hidden gems can be found by simply taking a bike with you on the free ferry. Upon landing you can cycle your way into Waterland and explore a very different looking part of Amsterdam. There is a long sea dyke, charming villages, meadows, farmhouses and many small garden villages to explore.

Amsterdam Oost

Oost is a natural draw for culture lovers and families. It has many museums including the National Maritime Museum, the world culture focussed Tropenmuseum and NEMO Science Museum. It is also home to the popular Artis Royal Zoo, one of Europe’s oldest zoos and the Hortus Botanical Gardens, located within the De Plantage neighbourhood. Oost has a wide range of hotel types available and offers a more spacious and relaxed experience compared with the busier Centrum.

Amsterdam West

The West is a popular place for residents and visitors alike. It is slightly more upmarket with some really pretty architecture and is full of bars, restaurants and cafes. Westerpark is a large green space that hosts a multitude of events and festivals throughout the year, drawing in visitors from the surrounding areas. Westergadfabriek is a series of buildings that also host some of the most famous events in Amsterdam such as the Amsterdam Fashion Week. Oud West, one of the neighbourhoods within the West district is a popular place to explore with street markets, trendy cafes and unusual stores.

The Amsterdam West area has a mixture of high-end and trendy hotels suiting most budgets, the further West you go the more budget options become available. Hotels in Oud West reflect the vibrant nature of the neighbourhood.

Amsterdam West Poort

This is, in essence, the industrial and business district of Amsterdam. Encapsulating a large part of the port of Amsterdam within its confines. The West Poort area is a place of business, with corporate offices and high-rise hotels serving the vast majority of visitors who are commuters. This is not to say the area is not a place you can decide to base yourself.

You can get to Amsterdam Centraal by train within 5 minutes and bargains can be had on well-equipped hotels, especially during weekends and off-season, but don’t expect too many major visitor attractions in the vicinity of your hotel.

Amsterdam Zuid

Outside of Centrum, Amsterdam Zuid is one of the most popular places to stay for visitors to Amsterdam. The area contains the Museumplein which features the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum among others. Oud-Zuid is one of the Zuid districts neighbourhoods and hosts designer shopping streets and the beautiful Vondelpark. De Pijp is more independent-minded for shopping, with boutiques and the Albert Cuyp market which showcases local produce, antiques, collectables and flowers.

There is the full range of hotel accommodation in Zuid, from the budget and eco-friendly to high-end luxury. With a host of attractions on your doorstep, plenty of green spaces and shopping, many visitors will choose this area over Centrum.

Amsterdam Zuidoost

Zuidoost is not what you’ll see in the postcards depicting Amsterdam, when you start planning your visit. Although it is the South East of Amsterdam it is not to be confused with Zuid (south) for the visitor, as it should be considered a more residential, entertainment and shopping district, in the largest sense of the word.

Formerly, Zuidoost was separated from Amsterdam, like a satellite, but with the influx of large multinational firms and entertainment venues, the area now brings in visitors all year round.

ArenA Boulevard is the home of Ajak Football Club, the Johan Cruijff ArenA, AFAS Live, Ziggo Dome and the Pathe ArenA. The area is now known for providing some of the best large scale entertainment in Amsterdam.

The Zuidoost area is a genuine melting pot of nationalities and outside the main entertainment draw, is much more residential and business-driven, with high rise buildings and regeneration projects aplenty. It is unlikely to be a choice for a visitor to Amsterdam interested in architecture, canals and history to base themselves, although there are plenty of hotels available for those coming for one of the major events.

Booking a hotel in Amsterdam

As Amsterdam is a major city there are a plethora of options available to you. There are excellent budget hotels and Amsterdam hostels that cater more for those on a budget, young travellers, single travellers and perhaps the party goers. You’ll find a whole host of mid-range hotels, Airbnb’s and apartments, right the way through to top of the range luxury hotels.

You can explore a variety of luxury hotels in Amsterdam, as who doesn’t want to stay in a fantastic city and experience some luxury at the same time. And there are always good deals to be found. You can also choose from multiple unique boutique hotels for something a bit different.

However, we also appreciate the beautiful chain hotels in Amsterdam, that allow you to be flexible with your budget, but also give you a little peace of mind if you have stayed with the chain before or are a member of their rewards scheme.

Holiday in Amsterdam

Most people think of a short city break when thinking about visiting Amsterdam. But Amsterdam is a very popular holiday destination too.

What’s the difference? Well, often a holiday will be for longer and because of that, costs can actually end up cheaper. It is quite possible (with a bit of research) to stay in Amsterdam for 7 nights for the same price as staying for 3/4 nights.

Often, visitors will book flights, train and hotel separately. But by using a holiday company, everything is included and costs can be saved.

It is certainly another option to consider when visiting Amsterdam, the amount of time you stay can be adaptable too.

Love Holidays offers excellent deals to Amsterdam in very nice hotels across the city. You can stay longer and explore more of the surrounding area at your leisure. There is more than enough to do in and around Amsterdam to consider it as a fabulous destination for far more than just a short city break.

Check out Love Holidays Amsterdam deals.