Amstel River short walk

1 mile / 1.5 kilometres

A lovely riverside walk in the heart of the city. Despite the short distance, it includes the essence of the city: canals, Theatre Carré, the Hermitage Museum, the upmarket Amstel Hotel, the Skinny Bridge (Magere Brug), the Stopera, and you'll cross the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht and Herengracht on your way and may glimpse the towers of the Rijksmuseum. It's only about a mile so should take no more than 30 minutes, however, being such a picturesque walk, you may be tempted to dawdle and gaze at the nice vistas.

All of the bridges on or around the Amstel are beautiful and mostly unique. Most of the buildings are residential, except for The Hermitage Museum obviously. All the homes are, of course, typically festooned in wisteria or roses or vines or virginia creeper, got to see it! 

Amstel River Short Walk (follow link to see in Google maps)

Elms grow all along the Amstel River and the combination is sublime. Whether it's the pale foliage (or seeds) in spring, or the luxuriant green in summer or the ochre tinged leaves in autumn, this walk is a delight in all seasons. So too in winter: we have battled our way to work in an icy wind with snow skidding over the frozen Amstel and the Skinny Bridge, but it was magnificent then too. Even when it's raining it is sensational, the light and the dark clouds, the great view you have of the north and western sky, and the rain belting down, everyone dashing for shelter of course.

You have this continuous panorama of beautiful buildings all around you on the Amstel and just the right amount of space to take it all in.

Simply standing on the Skinny Bridge (Magere Brug) or one of the other bridges gazing out at the trees, the light, the water, on a sunny morning or evening will give you back your ‘joie de vivre’ and will have you rearing to go and discover more of leafy Amsterdam.