The Jordaan is the neighbourhood immediately west of the Prinsengracht, bounded by the Brouwersgracht in the north, the Leidsegracht in the south and the Singelgracht in the west. It was laid out from 1612 as Het Nieuwe Werck, a working district built for labourers and immigrants, and its streets still follow the ditches and paths that were already there — which is why they run at an angle to the neat canal belt across the water. Today it is known for its markets, its hidden courtyards and its galleries.
The Jordaan at a glance
| Where | West of the Prinsengracht, between the Brouwersgracht (north), the Leidsegracht (south) and the Singelgracht (west) |
| Built | From 1612, as Het Nieuwe Werck, for workers and immigrants |
| From Centraal Station | About 15 minutes on foot, or tram 2 to the Prinsengracht stop and cross the canal |
| Tram | Line 2, stop Prinsengracht |
| On the water | The Prinsengracht and the Brouwersgracht form two of its borders; most canal cruises pass along both |
| What it costs | Nothing to walk. The markets are free to browse |
| Best time to go | Saturday morning for the markets, weekday evenings for the brown cafés |
The markets, and which day they are on
The Jordaan is a market neighbourhood more than a museum neighbourhood. Three squares and streets carry markets on fixed days, and they are the single best reason to time your visit.
| Market | Day | What you find |
|---|---|---|
| Noordermarkt | Saturday | Organic farmers’ market around the Noorderkerk |
| Noordermarkt | Monday | Flea market — second-hand, textiles, odds and ends |
| Lindengracht | Saturday | General street market, food and household goods |
| Westerstraat | Monday | The Lapjesmarkt, fabrics and textiles |
Why the streets run at an angle
Look at a map and the Jordaan does not line up with anything around it. The canal belt across the Prinsengracht was drawn on a plan; the Jordaan was not. When the city expanded in 1612 the land west of the Prinsengracht was already crossed by drainage ditches and cart tracks running towards the IJ, and the new streets simply followed them. That single decision is why the Jordaan feels different the moment you cross the bridge: narrower, more irregular, and laid out for people who worked rather than for merchants who wanted a view.
Hofjes and stone tablets
Two things reward slow walking here. The hofjes are almshouse courtyards built behind the street front, often through an unmarked door, with a garden inside; several are still lived in and open to quiet visitors during the day. And above the doors you will find gevelstenen, carved and painted stone tablets that showed what the occupant did for a living, from before houses had numbers.
Is the Jordaan Festival still on?
Short answer: not at the moment. The Jordaan Festival had run on and around the Appeltjesmarkt since 1975, and its last edition was held from 29 September to 1 October 2023.
The 2024 edition was cancelled for two reasons at once. The Appeltjesmarkt was taken up by a temporary fire station while the Kazerne Hendrik on the Rozengracht was being renovated, and the city rule that festivals in the centre must be free of charge left the organisers without a way to cover the costs. As organiser Stijn Jesse put it at the time, being allowed to charge admission would already have helped.
The renovated Kazerne Hendrik opened on 6 November 2025 and the crew moved back, so the square is free again. No new edition had been announced when this page was last checked. Treat any guide that lists dates for a 2026 edition with suspicion — none of them cite the organisers.
The neighbourhood works perfectly well without it. The markets above run all year, the hofjes are open on weekdays, and the cafés on the Noordermarkt and the Lindengracht do not need a stage to be worth the walk.
What to book from the Jordaan
The Jordaan itself is mostly free to wander. What you book here sits on its edges — along the Prinsengracht that forms its eastern border.
- Anne Frank House — on the far side of the Prinsengracht, just outside the Jordaan itself. Book well ahead; tickets are timed.
- Lovers canal cruise from Central Station — the classic one-hour loop, leaving every 15 minutes, with an audio guide in 19 languages.
- Evening canal cruise — along the Prinsengracht past the Jordaan waterfront.
- Rent a boat yourself — the Brouwersgracht and the smaller Jordaan canals are best seen from a low boat.
Staying here
Booking.com currently lists 40 places to stay in this district. Staying inside the neighbourhood you came for saves you the two tram rides a day that eat into a short trip.
- Browse hotels in this district — Count from Booking.com, August 2026. The link carries our partner code and costs you nothing extra.
West of the Prinsengracht, bounded by the Brouwersgracht in the north, the Leidsegracht in the south and the Singelgracht in the west. It is a fifteen-minute walk from Centraal Station, or tram 2 to the Prinsengracht stop.
No. The Anne Frank House stands on the east side of the Prinsengracht, just across the water from the Jordaan. It is often described as being in the Jordaan, but the canal is the border.
The Noordermarkt has an organic farmers’ market on Saturday and a flea market on Monday. The Lindengracht market is on Saturday and the Westerstraat fabric market on Monday.
Because they follow the drainage ditches and paths that were already on the land when the district was laid out in 1612. The canal belt on the other side of the Prinsengracht was designed from scratch; the Jordaan was built on what was there.
Almshouse courtyards hidden behind the street front, usually reached through a plain door and containing a garden. Several in the Jordaan are still occupied and can be visited quietly during the day.
Half a day is enough to walk the main streets, see a market and stop in a café. Combine it with the Nine Streets across the Prinsengracht for a full day on foot.
Around the Jordaan
- The Nine Streets — directly across the Prinsengracht, inside the canal belt.
- The canal district — the planned canal belt that the Jordaan was built against.
- Tram line 2 — stops at the Prinsengracht on the eastern edge.
- Map of the canal district — where the Jordaan sits in relation to the canals.
- Museumplein — the museum square with the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Stedelijk and Moco, fifteen minutes south by tram 2 or 5.
- The Kalverstraat — the main shopping street from Dam Square to the Munt, with the Begijnhof and a free hidden church opening off it.
Read more: our full guide to hotels in this district.
