We’ve mentioned the River Amstel in another section but let’s not forget the other river, the Ij. It’s a major waterway separating Amsterdam Noord from the rest of the city. Noord (literally meaning ‘north’) offers a decidedly different aesthetic to the rest of the city having once been home to Amsterdam’s shipping industry but which is now the focus of some major cultural and architectural regeneration.

Several new venues are already open or opening in the coming years but thankfully the area keeps its impressive industrial heritage in the form of huge warehouses and factories. Meanwhile access to Noord’s urban charm is pretty simple thanks to regular free ferry services connecting both banks of the Ij at various points.