Discover Amsterdam’s Secret Gems: Insider Tips from Local Guide(s).

The best-kept secret places in Amsterdam. (What you need to know to avoid missing out.)
The lesser-known spots in the capital, which has celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2025, are off the beaten track.

These hidden gems might give you that special feeling of being a discoverer in tempting Amsterdam.

Explore Amsterdam like never before with these unique and exciting tours! Join us as we uncover the secrets behind the city’s nickname, “Mokum”.

This article about hidden gems in Amsterdam in 3 other languages:
Cet article en français | Dieser Artikel auf Deutsch | Lees dit artikel in het Nederlands

The hidden gem specialist of Amsterdam shares why a secret spot can also be a relaxed experience.

Not only is it nice to be surprised by the city, but exploring also takes you to much less touristy places.

Your tailor made tour becomes “reLexed in the city”. Most of the locals, the people of Amsterdam in those parts of the city, also love that you come. They might have a story for you about the hidden gem of Amsterdam where you are located.
A lot of the best kept secrets on this tour guide page are to be found in the emerging quarters of this compelling town: the East and the North.

For example: the first picture of our new Amsterdam’s best kept secrets Instagram account ⇓ contains a cool house in Amsterdam North, on the so-called Nieuwendammerdijk. (Please pronounce the name in your room. ;)

So: Uncover local hidden pearls while having that laidback holiday feeling!

---

⇓ To those 28 42 hidden gems of Amsterdam ⇓

Recommandation about the Lex and the City “surprise me” biketour

---

The best kept secret places of Amsterdam | 42 picks from the local private guide. (and his team)

• Museum ’t Schip. (and the Amsterdam school houses behind Zaanstraat, Spaarndammerbuurt )
• The tram stop of Johan Cruijff between hip and happening Timorplein and Javaplein. (photo beneath with your (?) local guide.) Of course it is along tram line 14, his back number. (Ajax, football from the 70’s, total football..) Rent A bike to get there, recommended by the writer of this blogpost & guide.
• The mystical forth of Sjako in the famous quartier “Jordaan”. (Second picture on my Instagram account “Best kept secret places of Amsterdam”. Beneath⇓) Sjako was called the Robin Hood of the Jordaan. But was this actually true?
  
• Rembrandt Nightwatch street art in the hipster quarter “De Pijp” (the pipe)  Picture by your local private tour guide Amsterdam on the Albert Cuyp market. Even this street art Nightwatch is a hidden gem. Chk above. ⇑
• Barcelona Square (on KNSM Island) (You see it below, third photo on Amsterdam’s hidden treasures Instagram account “on ⇓ this page. ⇓)
• Martin Garrix’s studio, the famous DJ. In an area no tourist has come yet. (Or was it you as an exception?)
• The smallest museum in the world. (Even on 111 meters distance you’d miss it.)
• The inside of the Amrath Hotel, the former shipping house, picture 2 of my new Instagram best kept secrets of Amsterdam account.⇒ This is often part of Lex and the City Amsterdam unusual tours.
• Oudemanspoort, the best kept secret of the red light district. (No, s*x involved) 
• (behind the) Oranje Nassau barracks, to the east.
• Restaurant, hidden between the so well known Nieuwmarkt and Central Station. It looks like only locals know Captein & Co. Good food, cheap, and facing Amsterdam’s largest canal + an Amsterdam-School-bridge. More unusual and partly unknown places to eat in Amsterdam.
• Claesz Claesz court (in dutch: “hofje”), Quarter “Jordaan”. One of Amsterdam’s treasures “very hidden”;).
• The room where the current Manhattan was created by Peter Stuyvesant and companions, on the design table: “somehere” in The West-Indian House (picture of its closed patio.) A true hidden treasure of Amsterdam. One of the guide’s favorites in Mokum. (=nickname of Amsterdam) ⇓

  

• The winding jetty of De Ceuvel; an unusual and sustainable place in hip and happening North.
• The courtyard of the Maritime Museum (Look below, second photo of the Instagram site on this page. ⇓)
• Outersdorp and Oetewaler Mill (Flevopark, one of the favorites of the storyteller of Amsterdam East.) Scenic location.
• Jerusalem in Amsterdam (A neighborhood with cute houses still unknown, looking like Jerusalem

  

  .)

• The amazing inside & outside of Bartolotti House (From Amsterdam’s richest man in the so-called Golden Age.)
• Boat & breakfast on KNSM-island, maritime place full of history, who has been their already? ;) (Picture beneath on Instagram Amsterdam_Lexperience.)
• The “Otter” Mill, hidden behind the houses of an unknown district to the West. (Look below, 1st photo by Instagram on this page. ⇓)
• The largest skate park in the Netherlands (Hidden behind the Manhattan-style facades of Zeeburgereiland.) Tip on hidden gems of Amsterdam from fellow local tour guide Tomas Merkies.
  

  

   

• The hidden path along old Houthaven, with the so-called “Veem-building“. (“Houthaven” translates into English: The wooden port.)
• The cool cycle, skate and footbike tunnel under Amsterdam Central Station. (CS) 
• Galgenstraat. (A narrow and hidden street with a scary story, that is on the western islands, even for most of the Dutchies a neighborhood to be discovered.)
• The “Indië 1” district in the Indische Buurt. (The roots of Eigen Haard ) This is an “Lexcellent Lexample” of best kept secret places of Amsterdam.
• Van Gogh plaque in front of the Marine Terrein. (We didn’t even see a photo of it in the van Gogh museum.; go-go-go.)
• Place of the former head office of VOC; the home of the East Indies.⇓

  

• Adventure trail in Amsterdam East
• A brewery, bar and cafe, hidden towards river IJ, called “Lowlands”. The opinion of the storyteller of Amsterdam-North.
• The Cruyff store in the famous Jordaan quarter. (opposite “the forth of Sjako, who was called by some the Robin Hood of the area)
• DJ School Amsterdam, attracting people from all over.
• Scheepstimmermanstraat: everyone chose it’s own design by the end of the 90’s!  I promise you a nice photo of this colorful street on my Instagram. ⇓

• The windmill of Sloten
• Arcam, architecture centre
• The giraffes from Artis. (Which you can secretly see from outside. Ssssttt)
• The courtyard of the Amsterdam Museum.
• The courtyard of the Artis plantation
• Elthetokerk: it looks like a house, but it is a church. In the Javastraat, East Amsterdam
• End of the World is a hidden gem restaurant on Java Island. The canals from 2002 too.

Hidden gems of Amsterdam news by your local tour creator.

Hidden gem since July, 2021 a high tech bridge in the red light district, made by a 3D printer. You have got to know it, otherwise you might just pass by. Unusual spot in usual street. ;) Latest news 2024: temporary unavailable.

Reviews about Lex and the City customer service.

(Click on this one ⇓ for more of them.)

 

 

Discover Amsterdam’s secret spots on a private bike tour with your local guide.

Lexplore the hidden treasure of the capital with Lex and the City; the local hidden gem bike guide:

Private bike tours in Amsterdam with this unusual local guide who will be happy to show you hidden gems. 

 

We are (f)Lexy and we know it.

 

 

Subscribe to my unknown Amsterdam account on Instagram: Amsterdam_Lexperience

 

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

 

Een bericht gedeeld door Lex van Buuren (@amsterdam_lexperience)

Unknown spots in Amsterdam during a best kept secrets private skating tour in Amsterdam

This an example of a private Amsterdam tour, focussing on hidden gems. They can contain even special stores like the Johan Cruyff store in “De Jordaan” and the skate dokter in “De Baarsjes”.
Moreover some unknown gems are to be found in the Vondelpark, like the (totally hidden behind trees) most expensive house of the capital.

The great track along river IJ contains some best kept secrets as well. (Especially when you include the view on the northern part of Amsterdam.)

Lex and the City acts unusual.
As usual.

 

---

This is the end of the article about Amsterdam secret sights. Thank you for your attention. Hope to see you in “Mokum”(= nickname of Amsterdam.)
Lex, creator, organizer and local guide of private and customized tours in Amsterdam