Amsterdam
De Pijp
De Pijp is where Amsterdam does its daily shopping and lingers over coffee. The Albert Cuypmarkt runs along the next street, six days a week, the longest street market in the country. Around it are the cafes, bakeries and small kitchens that make this the neighbourhood people move to Amsterdam for.
Five minutes to the museums
The Museumplein is five minutes away on the tram: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk and the Moco, all on one lawn. Book ahead in season, and go early or late if you would rather look at the paintings than at the backs of heads.
The canal ring
The canal ring begins just north of here. Walk up through the Weteringschans and you are on the Prinsengracht in a quarter of an hour, with the Jordaan on the far side. The centre proper, the Dam and the station, is about fifteen minutes further.
Getting around
Almost nothing here needs a car. The tram stops at the end of the street, and the city is flat enough to cycle across in half an hour if you hire one from any of the rental shops in the neighbourhood.
