There is one question I get every time friends/acquaintances visit Amsterdam, and it’s which areas are OK to search for a place to stay. I see people only looking for a place to stay in the city centre, because they think it’s the only safe or interesting place in the city. I realise that mainly visiting the centre and other well known areas is a very common practice amongst tourists, but I always recommend exploring other neighbourhoods, both in Amsterdam or anywhere else. That’s why I have decided to start a series of posts about different neighbourhoods. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I enjoy visiting these places!

Staatsliedenbuurt (State Leaders Neighbourhood) is a lovely neighbourhood located in the West of Amsterdam, just on the edge of the Jordaan neighbourhood and next to Westerpark. It’s close to the area where I moved to last year and I visit it quite often, for groceries or just passing by on my way further West of Amsterdam. Having a typical nineteenth century architecture, it’s a pretty residential area, not as spectacular as the old city centre, but quiet and cosy. This is despite the fact that a few years ago it experienced some troubled times, when many of the buildings were occupied by squatters.

Today, the neighbourhood is safe and green, with a network of leafy streets that feel like a village inside the city (like most of Amsterdam residential areas). There are a few restaurants and cafés with a very local feel (like Café Nassau), playgrounds and small squares here and there.

For a visual impression, here are some photos: