Local private tour guide in Amsterdam North in front of the self-build homes in Buiksloterham. Picture by Claudia, 2024. Press to enlarge.
A guided tour in Amsterdam-North (or simply “Noord”) offers a raw, surprising and adventurous experience — still unlike most other parts of the city. Noord is diverse, and everything is accessible.
Your Lex and the City local private guide is eager to explore this side of Amsterdam with you!
Start location for tours of Amsterdam North: Tour or pick-up can start at your hotel, your local company, restaurant or a high-end bike rental point in “Noord”.
Many of our tours are part of team outings, and we also create tailor-made routes for the people of organisations based in “Noord”.
Explore Amsterdam-North by bike, on foot, on a scooter/footbike (steppen), or even on inline skates. (private lessons also possible). Active, authentic, surprising — the leX-factor.
Contact Lex and the City for a tailored tour.
–> Naar deze pagina over rondleidingen in Amsterdam-Noord in het Nederlands<–
Time Out Magazine ranks Amsterdam-North among the 40 coolest neighbourhoods worldwide.
And you’ll immediately feel why: “Noord” combines dike villages, garden villages, street art, cutting-edge towers and a bold sense of creativity.
Being specialist for good, appealing stories in Amsterdam North for both groups (offline) AND locally based hotels (online stories), we herewith present our “Noord” – page in English.
Enjoy the ride!
Why explore Amsterdam North with Lex and the City?
Because suburban Amsterdam is exciting and full of contrasts. Across the IJ River you’ll find:
- Street art, hidden corners and industrial heritage at the NDSM Wharf.
- Eco-projects like De Ceuvel and Schoonschip.
- Modern hotspots: A’DAM Tower, EYE Film Museum, Overhoeks
- Historic (partly wooden) dike houses on Buiksloterdijk and in Nieuwendam
- Emerging and raw neighborhoods like Hamerkwartier.
- The picturesque (and unusual) Garden Villages (9 in total!) Like 108 year old Van der Pekbuurt.
- Tranquil countryside: Ransdorp, Holysloot, Durgerdam and Ransdorp.
Our private tours in “Noord” mix hidden gems with famous sights — surprising, social, sustainable, and always tailor-made. And in the case of Amsterdam-North you can choose between “urban north” and “rural north”.
At Lex and the City, you and your tour advisor choose the “Noord-tour” that suits your group. …. There is something nice to choose for every group or family.
A review about the introductory outing for locally based educational organization “Innoord.
The well-known Garden Village Oostzaan with a rainbow – Picture by Lex and City “Noord” tours
Bicycle tour “unexplored urban Amsterdam North”
2 hours and 14 unusual highlights (As just an example of local urban biking with us.)
Places we can enjoy during the private tour in Amsterdam-North: 14 highlights and hidden gems:
- Chalk mill d’Admiraal. Chalk was mainly used as a basis for masonry mortar in construction. web page. It is also part of our hidden gem restaurants Amsterdam page.
- Bridgekeeper’s house as a hotel room on the Buiksloterdijk revolving bridge. (And 2 others along the North Holland channel) More info about Bridgekeeper’s house as a hotel room
- Buiksloterdijk. forgotten wood. Captain’s canopy. ⇓ more highlights below the photo ⇓
Former coffee house on the Buiksloterdijk. - Floradorp
- Noorderpark
- The 2 abandoned pumping stations (Make sure it will be included in your private tour in Amsterdam-North.)
- Friendly Fire artwork at former Ritakerk (Rita church) (now BUNK hotel-restaurant)
- Van der Pekbuurt: see below. ⇓ more highlights below the photo ⇓
Van der Pek neighborhood (1st Tuindorp (garden village), 1918) - The new Amsterdam-North: Yvie, EYE, swings and Overhoeks.
- Disteldorp: A neighborhood that was actually built temporarily. (And now monumental)
- The hidden gem the Lightship.
- Schoonschip; the most sustainable houseboat project in Europe.
- Buiksloterham; looking for the self-build plots or houses.
- NDSM wharf, including the NDSM Loods, the Crane hotel, Anne Frank street art (front of the Street museum), the Veronica ship and Kraanspoor.
PS: We now realize that an important one is missing: the place where Ajax started in 1900 on a soccer field…in “Noord”! :p
Of course we will also see the famous A’DAM tower. (Yeah, the one with those swings on the roof.). And that spot of architecture next to it; EYE film museum. A so-called crea playground where we also provide private inline skate lessons.
And maybe we’ll also take the ferry with your group.
English-Language countryside Tour – Rural Amsterdam North
A relaxing 4-hour private guided tour through the Waterland countryside. Starting from your hotel (or the bike rental near the ferry to “Noord”), we will follow the dike houses and two garden villages in the urban part of North Amsterdam to the rural north. In the picture, we can see ourselves cycling past dike houses on the Nieuwendammerdijk.
On our way to rural northern Amsterdam! We pass dreamy villages such as Holysloot, Ransdorp (including the ancient tower) and Durgerdam. We cycle on the new IJsselmeer dike pavement (partly ready since 2025), have lake views and then continue to the East Windmill.
We will finish at Oosterdok Island (again), at the e-bike rental near Amsterdam Central Station.
Appr. 25-30K and 4 hours; relaxed (relexed) pace.
By the way: This private countryside tour “Rural Amsterdam North” is unusual. (And that is what we are and how we create and act.)
Cost of the off the beaten track private guided tours.
Prices for customized Amsterdam North tours (bike, foot, scooter, or countryside) can be found here:
Rates for tailor-made tours in Amsterdam
Contact with us about an unexpected private tour in Amsterdam-North
Tell us your wishes and we’ll design your Noord Lexperience.
Call, Signal, Facetime or App Lex and the City for a guided tour by bike, on foot, on inline skates or scooter through Amsterdam-North: +31655337726. Or [email protected] ; Easy does it.
Lex has been touring Amsterdam with groups since 2004. It is his mission to enthuse people to explore the city in a sporty and healthy way . In “unexpected Amsterdam”. In addition, he is one of the few Amsterdammers who scooters almost every day as a hobby, for fun, and also to get from A to B. However he likes to walk as well with groups during a private tour in Amsterdam-North.
Finally: Lex van Buuren is a active and if you wish even a sporty tourist local guide in Amsterdam .
So on the scooter, but also on the skate and as a private and unusual Amsterdam bike guide and tour creator .
Local private guide on the scooter with the group “Kopklas” in Amsterdam-Noord. Click on the photo for their customer review.
Unusual guided tour in Amsterdam North: The 9 Garden Villages by bike
A street experience for lovers of architecture, diversity and Amsterdam’s social history. This colorful and photogenic area north of the IJ features nine unique “Garden Villages”. Our private tour in Amsgttedam-North explores all of them (approximately 21 km by bike).
21 km bicycle tour with an “out of the box bicycle guide” including breaks in various garden villages. We call it “the unLexpected”.
The 9 Garden Villages
- Vogeldorp (Bird Villages)
- Vogelbuurt
- Van der Pekbuurt
- Disteldorp
- Tuindorp Oostzaan
- Floradorp
- Bloemenbuurt
- ’t Blauwe Zand (Tuindorp Buiksloot)
- Nieuwendam
Each has its own fascinating evolution — from working-class neighborhoods to revitalized creative hubs. Expect colorful houses, quiet lanes, lively squares and many Dutch architectural styles.
We also explore:
- NDSM Wharf: Kraanhotel, Tube Hotel, graffiti, Anne Frank mural, Veronica ship
- Buiksloterham: The Lightship, Schoonschip sustainable district
- De Kadoelen: chic and upcoming
This tour combines history, sustainability, architecture, diversity, and surprising stories of the urban North.
It is refreshing to discover 9 garden villages in town, north of river IJ. We think the van der Pekbuurt is really beautiful! Disteldorp has something cosy, and we navigate like a snake through the small streets. Tuindorp Oostzaan is the largest and perhaps also best known of the 9 garden villages. It includes a museum model home. Floradorp is playful and cuddly with her colors (see above). The Bloemenbuurt is much tighter and also borders the Noorderpark. We think ’t Blauwe Zand (Tuindorp Buiksloot) is cool and Tuindorp Nieuwendam has class.
In between you will also visit the NDSM wharf with your Lex and the City guide. That is still an Amsterdam hidden gem for many people. But it is not for nothing that well-known names such as Greenpeace, Hilton, Red bull, Nickelodeon, Hema and Loetje are to be found over-there.
There are also attractive places for drinks on the NDSM wharf, such as Noorderlicht, IJver and the IJ canteen. During your private “North tour”, you can also discover the Kraanspoor, the Tube, the Veronica ship, the Anne Frank drawing (street art), the NDSM warehouse, flea market… Very nice place!
During the 9 garden villages tour we will also look for the other reasons that Amsterdam-North is becoming increasingly popular. Such as Buiksloterham with the eye-catcher the lightship and on the other side the energy-neutral houseboats of “Schoonschip”.
We also pass the chic district “De Kadoelen”. Which is not a garden village, but does provide even more variety along the way.
This village bike ride in the city will come as a surprise to many people in your group.
The 9 Garden Villages Tour (9 Tuindorpentocht in dutch) is a typical example of an active and healthy “Unknown Amsterdam tour” by Lex and the City. This tour is quite an EYE opener. (And it’s just not on that track. ;) )
Scooter / Footbike tours in urban Amsterdam-North
Active with sustainable highlights | 7.5 to 10 km. (In dutch: “steppen”.)
When cycling, the focus is on the so-called sights & sounds (the content) on the scooter is a bit more sporty. Scooters with 1-2 bicycles, for example for a pregnant woman, is also possible.)
All signals seem to be green for this tour! Because the theme is green, people want (see) this, it’s in our genes and we are ready for it. (also for you)
(We can also do this North Amsterdam tour for you by bicycle.)
Highlights of the private tour in Noord on the scooter: “ Unexpected Amsterdam ”.
- The A’DAM tower with Madam, Sir Adam and the swing on the roof, EYE Film-museum, This is Holland, the Friends concept building and De Tolhuistuin are the start of the tour through Amsterdam North.
- IJ view
- Van der Pek neighborhood (100+ years old)
- De Papaverhoek: Amsterdam School architecture building. Circular construction project with a (successful) mission from a former school to a place to live. (From the Eigen Haard housing association) All homes in the building have their own air source heat pump . (photo from Lex and the City guide from December 2021 directly below.)
- De Ceuvel (a mini eco-tour inside.)
- Buiksloterdijk: beautiful dike houses, including wooden houses.
- Noorderpark (With its curious abandoned gas stations.)
- Nieuwendammerdijk
- fly forest
- North/South line
- Base: 7.5 km
- Including Vogelbuurt: 9 km
- Including Nieuwendammerdijk, Vliegenbos and part of the Vogelbuurt: 9.5 km.
- Pace: enjoy the always cool city.
On the road with your group in Noord! (start description of the private tour with Lex and the City)
The start of the guided tour through Amsterdam-North is near Café Polly Goudvisch. So in the corner where the Tolhuistuin is located and also the A’DAM Toren, This is Holland, EYE Filmuseum and the new chic neighborhood Overhoeks.
Here is the former Overhoeks Shell tower , which is now the A’DAM tower, and of which the Amsterdam Look Out is part.
Next door is EYE, the film museum.
Club Paradiso Noord is also nearby.
You could possibly can have lunch in the morning next to EYE in the Tolhuistuin.
We have also eaten upstairs with a group at EYE with a view of the IJ.
(To a Flemish group customer:) If you want proof that we Ollanders can also bake fries, then the fries place “Pont Neuf” is just around the corner.
We first scooter along the IJ, with a view of the already new Westerdok district and the Pontsteiger with its famous $$ million penthouse. (Across the water that is!)
Footbiking (“steppen” in Dutch) towards the Garden Villages. Visiting the van der Pekbuurt and the Ceuvel.
The Van der Pek neighborhood is located above Overhoeks. This garden village has rapidly become more popular in recent years. With its low-rise buildings, it also gives a village feeling in the city.
A popular (Italian) restaurant is Il Pecorino , which was founded by the well-known entrepreneur Mick Sonnenfeld. ( Our ex-tour guide of us in skatecity Paris; in the end-90’s .)
Then we continue the tour in Amsterdam-North to the Ceuvel on the scooter!
De Ceuvel is a sustainable hotspot for creative and social entrepreneurs on the former shipyard Ceuvel-Volharding in Amsterdam-Noord. You will be amazed with all kinds of recycled houseboats that are now on dry land. And that looking around; that’s what we’re going to do there too; on a special way.
The scooter tour continues through the Noorderpark, over the North-South line and over the Nieuwendammerdijk
The Noorderpark is a merger of 2 existing parks and even contains 2 former gas stations with a new mission.
Then along the Buiksloterdijk, which used to be on the IJ.
Daan and Lisa are the enthusiastic team of the Pink Panther; one of the 2 former gas stations that now serve as a cultural center, place for workshops and other creative excesses. Children are also a target group.
Then we turn onto the Nieuwendammerdijk. Enjoy the history here in the form of beautiful houses; including the inspiring story of your local scooter / footbike North guide.
After this we go footbiking through the Vliegenbos.
Via the station of the North/South line, the Vogelbuurt, De Willem-I lock (with a view of the De Six Haven and the Mandela house) we scooter back to Overhoeks, where the Pont to Amsterdam Central is also located.
That was the Unexpected Amsterdam Tour you might have been hoping for.
The route on the scooter in Amsterdam-Noord: (For example, for a company trip.) | Duration: 2 hours and length: 9.5 km, at a “reLexed” pace.
The North Lexperience .
Other touring options are also negotiable.
Footbiking in Amsterdam “Noord” as a staff outing: an example of a quote to a large organization.
Hello dear tour buyer,
You have submitted the following quote request:
Dear Lex,
I would like information about the possibilities for a possible staff outing. Is it possible to tour Amsterdam North
with about 50 people with scooters ?
What would be the cost and what is the duration of the tour?
It would be {date} upcoming.
Sincerely,
{name}
The central place where we start at ?? hour* is your location.
*: the start time is needed to take an option for you.
Your participants or members can choose from various inspiring Amsterdam-North themes during the active staff outing in Amsterdam-North.
Duration of the active tour: 2 hours. We make story stops in between and take two bottles of water or something in your backpack and a bar. (Drinking alcohol before or during the tour is not allowed.)
The fine print ; the general terms and conditions of the Lex and the City active private tours in Amsterdam
4 photos of scooters in Amsterdam-Noord for your internal promotion in the attachment.
Nice day,
Lex
Photo on Instagram of the “Amsterdam Lexplorer” of a guided tour in Amsterdam North: a company outing for 12 people. (October 2019)
Private skate teacher in Amsterdam North as well.
We are specialized in teaching people inline skating as well on 2 spots in “Noord”.
- The location on the picture: “between EYE and IJ”.
- Noorderpark
Click on the picture for more information and how to book a skate lesson in North Amsterdam.
Free touristic bike track for a tour in Amsterdam North. (including NDSM Wharf)
Feel free to try and use it, in case that is what you are looking for. (It’s got an app too.)
Or cycle from the A’DAM Tower and EYE film museum to the beautiful houses on the Buiksloterdijk.
