Page 99 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Amsterdam

Western Canal Ring ❮❮ 97

starting a love affair that is still going EXPLORING THE WESTERN
strong today. The museum tells the CANAL RING
story of the “world’s most dangerous Realeneiland Zandhoek
flower” through exhibits that
document tulip cultiva tion and Prinseneiland Bickerseiland
interactive displays that trace the
history of the modern flower from its Papeneiland Café
Dulac
wild beginnings. Visitors can have De Groene
bulbs shipped to the US or EU. Noordermarkt Lanteerne
De Star Hofje
Haarlemmerbuurt
9 Westerstraat Zon's Hofje
MAP D1
The bustling streets of this stalwart Westerkerk Anne Frank House
resident ial neighbour hood have seen MORNING
the arrival of all manner of shops,
mixing bric-a-brac with haute Beat the queues and be first to
couture, New Age with funky furniture arrive at the Anne Frank House
and specialist food with local (see pp38–9), which opens at 9am.
groceries. On Haarlemmer straat is Afterwards, you could take a
contemplative walk along
West-Indisch Huis, once headquarters Prinsengracht to the Western
of the Dutch West India Company (see Islands, perhaps first climbing
p47). To the west is Haarlemmerpoort, the tower of Westerkerk (see
peaceful Westerpark (see p61) and p95). On the way, drop in on two
Westergasfabriek, the former peaceful hofjes, Zon’s (Nos. 159–
gasworks-turned-arts-centre. 171) and De Star (Nos. 855–899).
For refreshment, visit Papeneiland,
a tiny brown café founded in 1642,
at the junction of Prinsengracht
and Brouwersgracht.
On the Western Islands, stroll
round Prinseneiland and along
Zandhoek on Realeneiland,
stopping for lunch at De Gouden
Reael (Zandhoek 14). Families
will enjoy Dieren capel, the
children’s farm on Bickerseiland.
AFTERNOON
En route to the Jordaan, hardened
Western Islands shoppers must first stop in
Haarlemmerbuurt, with its mix
Western Islands
0 of shops, both smart and tatty.
Don’t miss a peek at over-the-
MAP D1 • www.oawe.nl
The man-made Western Islands top Café Dulac (Haarlemmerstraat
have a remote, bracing quality. 118), and the world’s narrowest
restaurant, De Groene Lanteerne
Comprising Bickerseiland, (Haarlemmerstraat 43).
Prinseneiland and Realeneiland,
they were created in the early 17th Spend a couple of hours exploring
century to accommmodate shipyards the endlessly picturesque Jordaan,
then join today’s trendy young
and warehouses. Large-scale Jordaanese in one of the cafés
development has since taken place, around Noordermarkt, such as
and modern housing now co-exists Finch (see p98) or Proust (No. 4),
with white wooden drawbridges. The or the delightfully kitsch Café
area’s many artists work from Nol (Westerstraat 109). If you’re
warehouse studios, and open their looking for somewhere to have
doors to the public each May for the dinner, head for Boca’s (see p99).
Open Ateliers Westelijke Eilanden.
See map on p94

094-097_Top_10_Amsterdam.indd 97 06/05/2016 12:07