Where to stay in Amsterdam: the best neighbourhoods explained

This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, Picolo earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are made independently by our editors.

At eight in the morning on Prinsengracht the only sounds are bicycle bells and a barge mooring by the quay. Two hours later the same bridges are crowded with people heading for the Anne Frank House. Where you stay in Amsterdam decides whether you get that first quiet hour.

Central Amsterdam is shaped like a horseshoe of canals around Dam Square, and almost everything you want to see is within half an hour on foot, so the choice is about atmosphere more than distance. We have picked the neighbourhoods we would stay in and explain who they suit. For the hotels themselves, see our guide to the best hotels in Amsterdam.

Short answer: where should you stay in Amsterdam?

For a first visit, the canal ring (Grachtengordel) and the Jordaan are best: you sleep by the water and walk to most things. For food and a more local feel, choose De Pijp, and with children or museum plans the Museum Quarter works well.

• Best for a first visit: the canal ring

• Best for atmosphere: the Jordaan

• Best for food: De Pijp

• Best for museums: the Museum Quarter

• Best for a short break: the centre around Dam

The canal ring: the Amsterdam of the postcards

The Grachtengordel is made up of three main canals, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, lined with narrow seventeenth-century merchants' houses. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the Anne Frank House and most of the city's finest hotels.

It suits first-time visitors and couples who want water outside the window. The catch is price, and stairs: many hotels occupy old houses with steep staircases and small rooms.

Pulitzer: 25 canal houses between Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht

Pulitzer is made of 25 old canal houses linked by courtyards and staircases, and many rooms look over the water. From the front door you reach the Anne Frank House and the Jordaan in a few minutes.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pulitzer Amsterdam

Ambassade Hotel: books and canal views on Herengracht

Ambassade Hotel fills a row of canal houses on Herengracht and is known for its library of books signed by authors who have stayed. The flower market on the Singel is a few minutes away, and many rooms overlook the canal.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Ambassade Hotel

The Jordaan: narrow streets and brown cafés

The Jordaan lies west of Prinsengracht and was originally a working-class district. Today it is narrow streets of galleries, small shops and traditional brown cafés, and the Saturday market at Noordermarkt draws people from across the city.

It suits travellers who want a calm base close to everything. The catch: there are few large hotels here, so most visitors stay in the canal ring and walk over.

The centre around Dam: practical for a short trip

Around Dam Square and Centraal Station you are closest to the trains for Schiphol and have the shortest walk to most things. These are also the busiest streets in the city, and the area around the Red Light District is crowded with visitors at night.

Choose the centre for a long weekend where time matters more than calm. The catch is noise and crowds, so ask for a room at the back.

Hotel V Nesplein: the theatre street by Dam

Hotel V sits on Nes, a narrow street of theatres right by Dam, with a warm, informal lobby where you will happily linger in the evening. You are in the centre, yet the street is calmer than the main shopping streets nearby.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel V Nesplein

De Pijp: the market and the food

De Pijp lies south of the canal ring and is built around the Albert Cuyp Market, one of the largest street markets in the Netherlands. The surrounding streets hold many of the city's best cafés and restaurants, and Sarphatipark is the neighbourhood's garden.

It suits food lovers and repeat visitors. The catch is a slightly longer trip to the canals, though it is only a short tram ride or ten minutes by bike.

Sir Albert: the diamond factory in De Pijp

Sir Albert occupies a former diamond factory with tall windows and plenty of light, with the Albert Cuyp Market around the corner. The Museum Quarter is a few minutes' walk away.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Sir Albert

The Museum Quarter and Oost: space and calm

Around Museumplein stand the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk, with Vondelpark next door. The area is wider and greener than the centre and suits families and anyone planning their days around museums. Oost, east of the centre, has parks, new restaurants and often lower prices.

Good to know before you book

• Steep stairs: many canal-house hotels have no lift. Check before you plan to carry your case.

• High tourist tax: Amsterdam charges one of Europe's highest tourist taxes on hotel stays, often added on top of the price shown.

• King's Day and summer weekends: prices jump around King's Day on 27 April and at summer weekends.

• Bikes everywhere: look both ways before crossing cycle lanes. In practice, bikes have priority.

Where to stay in Amsterdam: frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Amsterdam for first-timers?

The canal ring and the Jordaan are the best areas for a first visit, as you can walk to most sights and stay by the water.

Should I stay near the Red Light District?

Only if you want to be right in the centre. The streets are busy and noisy at night, so most visitors are happier in the canal ring or De Pijp.

Where is cheaper to stay in Amsterdam?

Prices are often lower in Oost and in neighbourhoods outside the canal ring, and trams reach the centre quickly.

Where should families stay in Amsterdam?

The Museum Quarter suits families well, with Vondelpark, the museums and wider streets than the centre.

Read next

• The best hotels in Amsterdam

• Italian restaurants in Amsterdam

• Amsterdam

• The best city breaks in Europe