French
DeutschZuid (Dutch for South) is one of Amsterdam's seven boroughs. It is an affluent area and a popular place among foreign visitors. It has some of the country's best museums, fine dining, and lots of opportunities for shopping. It's also where many visitors sleep, as it has a plethora of affordable accommodation options relatively close to the city centre.
Understand
[edit | edit source]During the 1860s, when the Dutch economy grew rapidly, the Canal District became too small for the city's wealthy residents. Development of the Museum Quarter started, named that way because the upper classes of that time found this new area the perfect place for a grand national museum, the Rijksmuseum. The Museum Quarter is Amsterdam's equivalent of Paris' 1st arrondissement. With the later construction of the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum, the area now has three top-class museums side by side. The Rijksmuseum, affectionately nicknamed "Rijks" by the locals, is largely similar to the British Museum or the Louvre, and houses a treasure of Dutch Golden Age paintings from Rembrandt, Vermeer, and others. The Van Gogh Museum is the largest collection of paintings and drawings from the post-Impressionist master, while the Stedelijk Museum has an impressive display of modern art. Surrounding the museums are the Vondelpark and the P.C. Hooftstraat, where you can spot Dutch celebrities buying designer shoes and gold watches.
De Pijp was developed around the same time, and city planner Van Niftrik had grand plans for the area. Then known as "neighbourhood YY", it was planned to become the new city centre of Amsterdam. A railway line was supposed to cut the district in half, and Amsterdam Centraal, the city's main railway station, was planned here. The neighbourhood was envisioned with large residential blocks and grand avenues, and it was supposed to have a grandeur that equalled that of Paris. However, the city council struck the plan down, as required land purchases made it too costly, and large tenements were needed to house a growing working class. In 1876, urban planner Kalff came up with a new plan, which was accepted, and turned the neighbourhood into an example of revolutiebouw, a late-19th-century architectural movement dedicated to building as much cheap housing as possible for a booming population. Nowadays, De Pijp has gentrified, and blue-collar workers are slowly making way for students, yuppies and foreign-born residents. The Albert Cuyp Market, a large working-class street market, is a nationally famous attraction, and the area around the Heinekenplein is Amsterdam's equivalent of Paris' Quartier Latin, a going-out area for students and beer lovers.
The Museum Quarter and De Pijp are known together as Oud-Zuid ("Old South"). Between 1917 and 1927, the middle and upper-class neighbourhoods of Nieuw-Zuid ("New South") were built, designed by urban planner Berlage in the Amsterdam School style, a movement of functionalist architecture. The 1928 Olympic Games took place here, as can still be seen by the Olympic Stadium and the Greek names of the streets. In the following decades, Amsterdam kept expanding southwards gobbling up surrounding municipalities with neighbourhoods like Buitenveldert. Since the late 1990s, a large construction project has been taking place in an area known as the Zuidas (or "Financial Mile"). It's Amsterdam's central business district, inspired by La Défense in Paris. Yes, Paris again. While some of Zuid's urban planning may have been inspired by that grand city, it has a unique atmosphere and completely stands on its own.
Get in
[edit | edit source]
By car
[edit | edit source]If you are arriving by car, the best advice is to park it at the Olympisch Stadion (Olympic Stadium) park and ride and use public transport to get around. The P+R costs €6 for 24 hours if you arrive after 10:00 on weekdays (or anytime at weekends). Otherwise, it costs €13 for the first 24 hours (2026 prices).
By train
[edit | edit source]- 1 Amsterdam Zuid. The district's main transportation hub. It is on the strategic railway line between the Schiphol Airport and Utrecht (with another branch going to Almere), which connects to pretty much all major Dutch cities in provinces other than North and South Holland. EuroCity Direct also connects the city with Brussels in Belgium. Metro lines 50, 51, 52, tram line 5, 6, 25 and numerous bus lines stop at Amsterdam Zuid allowing easy access to both the district and the rest of Amsterdam. Metro 51 and 52 (with 52 taking a shorter route) run all the way north to Amsterdam Centraal.
Trains from Schiphol to Amsterdam Zuid take only 6 to 7 minutes and cost a third less of what trains to Amsterdam Centraal do, so if Zuid is on your list, you may want to begin there and make your way to the north.
By tram
[edit | edit source]Zuid is a vast district and just looking at a map of all the tram lines that go through it can make you dazzle. But it's not that complicated if you know the few lines that are interesting for visitors.
- Tram 2 from Amsterdam Centraal serves the Museum Quarter with the stop Museumplein for Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum.
- Tram 4 from Amsterdam Centraal, serves De Pijp at stop Albert Cuypstraat, which is near the west side of the Albert Cuyp Market.
- Tram 5 from Leidseplein, serves the Museum Quarter with stops at Museumplein and Concertgebouw. This line continues to Station Zuid (Zuidas).
- Tram 12 from Frederik Hendrikplantsoen serves the Museum Quarter with stops at Museumplein and Concertgebouw. It also serves De Pijp at Ferdinand Bolstraat near the east side of the Albert Cuyp Market before terminating at Amstelstation.
- Tram 24 from Amsterdam Centraal, serves the Museum Quarter with stops at Museumplein and Concertgebouw. It continues south serving the Olympic Stadium (stop Olympisch Stadion).
By metro
[edit | edit source]From Amsterdam Centraal you can take metro 52 direct to Zuid station via De Pijp and Europaplein, alternatively, you can take metro 51 which goes past RAI and Zuid.
See
[edit | edit source]Museums
[edit | edit source]
The Museum Quarter has some of the best museums in the world, and especially the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum stand out. A trip to Amsterdam is not complete if you haven't been to at least one of these museums. Catering to its wealthy demographic, there are also two diamond museums here.
- 1 Royal Coster (Coster Diamonds), Paulus Potterstraat 2 (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein), ☏ +31 20 305 5555, [email protected]. 09:00–17:00 daily. This stately building is one of Amsterdam's two diamond factories. Guided tours are given showcasing the complicated diamond production process. It looks like just an ordinary jewellery shop, and of course it is, but there is a lot more to it. If you want to purchase diamonds, ask for the tax refund form so you can get up to 12% of the asking price back at the airport.
- 2 Diamant Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 6 (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein), ☏ +31 20 305 5300. Temporarily closed, will reopen in 2026. This exhibition is about the history of the diamond trade in Amsterdam.
- 3 Heineken Experience (former Heineken Brewery), Stadhouderskade 78 (metro 52 or tram 1, 7, 19 to Vijzelgracht). Su–W 10:30-19:30, last entry 17:15, Th F 10:30-21:00, last entry 18:45. Do not expect a beer museum, but rather to be flooded with Heineken advertisements. Starting from €24,95.
- 4 Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat 1 (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein, tram 1, 7, 19 to Rijksmuseum), ☏ +31 20 6747 000, [email protected]. 09:00–17:00 daily. The largest and most prestigious museum for art and history in the Netherlands: works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and other Dutch masters. Its garden has a curious collection of architecture and has free entrance during museum opening times. Recommend getting there early to avoid long queues and crowds, then head first for the second floor to see the Rembrandt classics and others such as Avercamp's Winter Landscape with Skaters. €25 adults, €12.50 European Youth Card, children free, no student discounts.
- 5 Stedelijk Museum, Museumplein 10 (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein), ☏ +31 20 573-2911, [email protected]. Daily 10:00-18:00. The Stedelijk Museum is the municipal museum of modern art. It has a long history, as it first opened in 1874 and has been at its current location since 1895. It was reopened in 2012 after a renovation that took four years: the new building is now locally referred to as the "bath tub" due to its unique shape. The "bath tub" will host newly acquired film and video expositions, while the highlights remain in the old part of the building. Adults €18.50; students €10.00; Under 18 free.
- 6 Van Gogh Museum, Museumplein 6 (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein), ☏ +31 20 570 52 00, [email protected]. Generally 09:00-18:00, but varies, check website. This museum is dedicated to Vincent van Gogh, a late 19th-century Post-Impressionist Dutch painter. Tickets are available online only, and can be booked out weeks in advance during busy periods. In the museum are many, but not all, of Van Gogh's works. The museum contains some famous paintings like Sunflowers and Potato Eaters, but lacks others such as Starry Night. Also, there are selected works of Monet exhibited there. The audio tour at €3.75 for adults, €2 for children aged 13 to 17, in the language of your choice, will give you a much better understanding of Van Gogh's life and his paintings. Adults €25, students €15, under 18 free.
- 7 Moco Museum, Honthorststraat 20 (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein), ☏ +31 203701997. Su-Th 10:00-19:00; F Sa 10:00-21:00. Moco is a private museum of modern and contemporary art. Adult €19.50, Youth (13-17) and student €16.50, children (0-12) free.
Parks
[edit | edit source]
- 8 Museumplein (tram 2, 5 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Museumplein or tram 5, 12 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Concertgebouw). Not exactly a park, but a large grassed open space. Around its edges are the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Concertgebouw. On a sunny summer day, many locals chill on the grass lawn on top of the Albert Heijn supermarket.
- 9 Sarphatipark. Situated in De Pijp, this is a place where people sunbathe and have picnics in the summer.
- 10 Vondelpark. The only large park that is close to the Binnenstad, and definitely the most popular one. Especially in the summer, it is lively and crowded, many locals sit on the grass and enjoy a cold beer or wine. It's a lovely place to just hang out, sit in the sun and meet the locals. Open-air theaters are running in the summer on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays.
Notable buildings
[edit | edit source]- 11 Huis met de Kabouters (House with the Gnomes), Ceintuurbaan 251 (just east of the Amstel). Named after two gnomes decorating its facade, this building is in a mix of Gothic and Rennaissance Revival and includes gargoyles and narrow lancet windows. Built in 1884, it became a rijksmonument in 1984.
- 12 Riekermolen (1636) (on the bank of the Amstel river at Kalfjeslaan).
Beaches
[edit | edit source]- 13 Strandzuid, Europaplein 22 (Tram 4 or metro 52 to Europaplein or metro 50 and 51 to Station RAI), ☏ +31 20 639 2589, [email protected]. 10:00–20:00 daily. With bar and restaurant
Other sites
[edit | edit source]- 14 Frans Hals, Frans Halsstraat (south of Stadhouderskade). Those interested in urban renewal may wish to visit Frans Hals, a 19th-century, residential area along the narrow Frans Halsstraat (straat means street). By 2019, the city had removed on-street parking and replaced it with greenery, benches, picnic tables and some playground equipment. There are several restaurants along the street.
- 15 Lady Solid (Waternet Pompstation), Amstelveenseweg 594 (at De Boelelaan). Lady Solid is a life-size statue of a woman in a striking pose standing with arms and feet spread. The statue has a water feature making the artwork controversial as it appears the lady has an incontinence problem. The pumping station features the artwork perhaps as it was "promoting the importance of well-functioning waterways", as suggested by a website on public art. The statue/fountain can be seen from the public sidewalk.
- 16 Lomanstraat. A charming photogenic street known for its curiously crooked trees, that form a kind of a tunnel.
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 Electrische Museumtramlijn Amsterdam (Electric Tram Museum Amsterdam), Amstelveenseweg 264 (at Havenstraat, tram 2 to Amstelveenseweg then walk 240 metres south), ☏ +31 20 673 7538. Sundays, April-November, plus Easter & Pentecost Monday, 11:00-17:00. On operating days, the museum runs various vintage trams on two routes. Line 30 runs every 30 minutes along on a 7-km museum rail line to Amstelveen with stops along the route. Station Amstelveen is perhaps the most interesting stop as it is near an attractive small-town area with restaurants. Line 20 runs two trips only around Amsterdam. If you buy a day pass, you can travel both routes. Adult fares vary from €3.50 to €12.50 with reduced rates for seniors (65+) and children (4-11).
- 2 Concertgebouw, Concertgebouwplein 6 (tram 5, 12 or 24 and bus 357 or 397 to Concertgebouw), ☏ +31 900 671 83 45 (Dutch phones only). Famous for its orchestra and its acoustics (among the top ten in the world), this is one of the world's most frequently visited concert halls. Classical music is the main fare, but they also bring other kinds of music on stage. They have a free "lunch concert" on Wednesday from 12:30 till 13:00. In the same building is the "Kleine Zaal" ("Small Hall") for more intimate performances, often top-notch as well. It's worth a visit if only for its architecture.
- 3 Friday Night Skate, Vondelpark 3. Put on your skates, and join the popular weekly skate tour (since 1997), a different route every week. Starts every Friday at 20:30 from the Vondelpark (near the former Filmmuseum).
- 4 Rialto, Ceintuurbaan 338 (tram 25 to Tweede van der Helststraat, metro 52 or tram 12 to De Pijp), ☏ +31 20 676-8700, [email protected]. For all art-house cinema lovers. All films are shown in their original language with Dutch subtitles. They have late-night and classic showings too. Just a short walk from the Albert Cuyp Market/Heineken Brouwerij, in the nice non-touristy neighborhood De Pijp. M–Th €9, F–Su €10.
- ICE* Amsterdam (Ice Rink Amsterdam), 5, Museumplein, 1071 DJ Amsterdam, ☏ +31 202623255. Daily 10:00-21:00. During winter time there is an amazing ice rink in Amsterdam at the Museumplein. The open-air ice skating rink that covers 1400 m2 can be found at its usual spot in the heart of Amsterdam and is open daily for all visitors. €6.50.
Buy
[edit | edit source]The population of Zuid is mixed and that becomes most apparent when you're going shopping.
- 1 Albert Cuyp Market. M-Sa 09:00-17:00. Largest street market in Amsterdam, and the best-known street market in the country. It is iconic for the "De Pijp" neighborhood and its working-class inhabitants. There is something for everyone here, whether you're looking for delicious Dutch treats, clothing or second-hand cameras. There's also a wide array of stores that cater to the city's Surinamese, Antillean, Turkish and Moroccan inhabitants, giving the market and neighborhood a strong multicultural feel. Can get very crowded, so watch out for pickpockets.
- 2 Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat (P.C. Hooftstraat). Probably the wealthiest street in the country where Dutch celebrities go for a new pair of designer shoes. Better bring a filled wallet if you're planning to buy something here.
Eat
[edit | edit source]De Pijp is an excellent area for getting ethnic food that belongs to former Dutch colonies, such as Indonesian or Surinamese cuisine. Koreans have congregated in the area known as Buitenveldert, so that's an excellent location for Korean cuisine.
Budget
[edit | edit source]- 1 Albina, Albert Cuypstraat 69. It's cheap and very good. If you arrive around dinnertime you probably have to wait for a table. The surroundings are depressing but the food is so good you will come back anyway. €6.
- 2 Tjin's Gelderlandplein (Tijn's Exotische Broodjes), Willem van Weldammelaan 9B (Gelderlandplein Shopping Mall), ☏ +31 20 404 2175. M–F 11:30–19:30, Sa 11:30–19:00, Su 13:00–19:00. Tasty, great value Surinamese take-out. Sandwiches. Located a short walk from the Zuidas area hotels. A few tables are also available to eat in.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- 3 CTaste, Amsteldijk 55, 1074 HX Amsterdam, ☏ +31 20 675 2831. Dining in the dark. All waiters are blind, and serve you dinner in a completely dark restaurant. A very weird, but actually quite fun experience.
- 4 FRNZY, Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 27 H, ☏ +31 6 506 332 21. Small restaurant with indoor and street seating. Serves good noodle salads and sandwiches with a Vietnamese influence.
Splurge
[edit | edit source]Drink
[edit | edit source]
Nightclubs
[edit | edit source]- OCCII, Amstelveenseweg 134 (Tram Amstelveenseweg). A rock venue for cutting-edge music (punk, noise, riot grrrl, etc.)
Coffeeshops
[edit | edit source]- Club Media. Completely organic menu, fair selection, good prices, lovely staff, free fruit!
- Katsu. Just around the corner from Media, good prices + nice atmosphere.
Bars and beer gardens
[edit | edit source]- 1 't Blauwe Theehuis, Vondelpark 5. Basic bar and beer garden
Cafes
[edit | edit source]- 2 De Roos, Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat 183 (on the edge of Vondelpark). Quite tea house with a small garden.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under €80 |
| Mid-range | €80 to €150 |
| Splurge | Over €150 |
Due to the area being cheaper than the center, Zuid has become the most popular location for budget and mid-range hotels.
Budget
[edit | edit source]- 1 Flying Pig Uptown, Vossiusstraat 46 (tram 2 or 5 to Rijksmuseum), ☏ +31 20 400-4187, [email protected]. A bit loud and boisterous for travellers looking to relax, but good for those looking to meet people from all over the world and get the true "Amsterdam Experience". Lockers require lockpads, which are not available for rent, only buy for €5. dorms €16, room €33.
- 2 Hostel Cosmos, Frans van Mierisstraat 69a (tram 5 to Museumplein), ☏ +31 20 625-2438. Friendly youth hostel. dorm €24 per person.
- 3 Sphinx Hotel, Weteringschans 82, De Weteringschans, ☏ +31 20 6273680, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00 - 23:00, check-out: Until 11:00. From single rooms to five people sharing, steep stairs and no lift, shared or private bathrooms (quite small), very close to the museums.
- 4 Van Ostade Bicycle Hotel, Van Ostadestraat 123 (Tram Tweede van der Helststraat), ☏ +31 20 679 3452, [email protected]. Surrounded by fantastic architecture with reasonable rates, even at peak. Rooms from single to quadruple and optional en suite. Comes with free coffee, breakfast and wireless internet access. Doubles €50-85, doubles ensuite €80-120.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- 5 ibis Styles Amsterdam City, Stadhouderskade 135, ☏ +31 20 675 05 53. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. 3-star hotel. All the floors are reachable by elevator. All rooms have their own private bathrooms.
- 6 Hotel Flipper, Borssenburgstraat 5, ☏ +31 20 676 19 32, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Attractive, in a peaceful location in a quiet residential area.
- 7 Hotel City Garden, P.C. Hooftstraat 162, ☏ +31 20 672 79 19. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. The hotel has 70 rooms with stylish interiors and a beautiful view.
- 8 citizenM (Amsterdam City), Prinses Irenestraat 30 (on Beethovenstraat in Oud-Zuid), ☏ +31 20 8117 090. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Second property by citizenM hotels, opened in 2009. Rooms include free WiFi and movies, a rainshower, and an XL kingsize bed with luxury linens. From €69 - €120.
- 9 Gresham Memphis Hotel, De Lairessestraat 87, ☏ +31 20 673 31 41. Singles from €70 and doubles from €90.
- 10 Holiday Inn Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 2 (near the RAI conference centre, 15 minutes by tram #4 from city centre), ☏ +31 20 646 2300. Ticks all the main boxes for facilities but about due for a refurbishment.
- 11 Park Plaza, Koninginneweg 34-36 (down the block from Vondelpark), ☏ +31 20 664 61 11, fax: +31 20 573 7130, [email protected]. Free Wi-Fi in public areas. from €69-120.
Splurge
[edit | edit source]- 12 Bilderberg Garden Hotel, Dijsselhofplantsoen 7, ☏ +31 20 - 570 56 00, fax: +31 20 - 570 56 54, [email protected]. Five-star hotel just off the Apollolaan.
- 13 Hilton Amsterdam, Apollolaan 138 (in Oud-Zuid), ☏ +31 20 710 60 00, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Internationally famous as the site of John Lennon's and Yoko Ono's bed-in. Nationally famous for being where Dutch artist Herman Brood killed himself. From €200.
- 14 Hotel Okura, Ferdinand Bolstraat 333, ☏ +31 20 6788 300. Five-star Japanese-owned and -operated hotel with an excellent range of Japanese food, clothing, and book shops in the basement, and wireless internet in the lobby, bar, and conference rooms. The only drawback is that it's relatively distant from the central station (15 minutes by tram), but worth considering if work is paying and you don't mind taking cabs. €275.
- 15 Park Hotel Amsterdam, Stadhouderskade 25, ☏ +31 20 671 12 22. Bang in the middle of Amsterdam between Leidseplein, Rijksmuseum and P.C. Hooftstraat. Four-star hotel spread over several historical buildings. Parking. Very friendly staff. From €149.
- 16 Conservatorium Hotel, Van Baerlestraat 27, ☏ +31 20 570 00 00. Five-star hotel offers 129 guest suites spread throughout 8 floors.
- Hotel JL No76, Jan Luijkenstraat 76, ☏ +31 20 3485 555, [email protected]. Hotel JL No76 is a luxury boutique hotel 2½ blocks from Vondelpark.
Connect
[edit | edit source]The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum have free Wi-Fi throughout the museum, and the Stedelijk Museum has Wi-Fi and laptop connections available in the reading room of its library. Bagels & Beans branches also offer unlimited free Wi-Fi access, and can be found in the Ferdinand Bolstraat (near the Albert Cuyp Market and Heinekenplein), Van Baerlestraat (near the P.C. Hooftstraat and Vondelpark) and the Parnassusweg (near the Zuidas).
Go next
[edit | edit source]If you haven't had enough of the museums, go to the H'ART in Plantage and the Anne Frank House in the Canal District. The Canal District also has some quality dining and shopping options.
If you want to go completely off the beaten track, visit the urban forest Amsterdamse Bos in Amstelveen. It's three times the size of New York's Central Park and is visited by 4.5 million visitors annually (mostly locals). You can take a walk, hire a bicycle or go rowing or riding. If you're with children, visit the pancake restaurant or the petting zoo.
| Routes through Zuid |
| West ← Canal District ← | W  S | → Amstelveen |
| Binnenstad ← Canal District ← | N  S | → END |
| West ← | W  E | → Oost → Zuidoost |
| Binnenstad ← Oost ← | N  W | → West |