The Jordaan

I always find it surprising how few tourists make it out to this once working class but now gentrified district, immediately to the west of the canal ring. The reason why is that there are no major sights here. Pleasures come from just nosing around the sleepy, narrow backstreets. Hunting down one of the number of hofjes - secret courtyards, invisible from the street, surrounded by almshouses - is fun. With its white-fenced lawns and water pumps, Karthuizershof, at 89-171 Karthuizerssraat, is my favourite. You might want to coincide with a market on the Noordermarkt - a farmers' market packed with mouthwatering stalls takes place here on Saturdays, and one devoted to bric-à-brac appears on Monday mornings.

 Eating and drinking

A major selling point of the Jordaan is its host of very enticing places to eat and drink. I strongly recommend Winkel and La Oliva Pintxos y Vinos - and one of my favourite brown cafés in all Amsterdam, 't Smalle, is in the Jordaan, at Egelantiersgracht 12.