This is the Jordaan, the West, Vondelpark & Around chapters from Lonely Planet’s Amsterdam guidebook.

A former workers’ quarter, the Jordaan teems with cosy pubs, cafes and galleries squashed into a grid of tiny lanes. It’s short on conventional sights, yes, but there’s no better place to lose yourself for an afternoon’s stroll.

Amsterdam’s equivalent of New York City’s Central Park, Vondelpark unfurls ponds, lawns, thickets and winding footpaths. A festive atmosphere prevails, with picnickers, dope smokers, kissing couples and frolicking children all in on the action.

• for a quintessentially Amsterdam experience, get lost in the Jordaan, as you wander the cosy labyrinth of streets and canals in Holland’s most beloved neighbourhood
• head to Johnny Jordaanplein to find the epicentre of the Queen’s Day party
• cruise the Jordaan’s weekly outdoor markets, including the Noordermarkt, for organic food, bargain clothes and funky flea market treasures
• find your bliss in the Vondelpark, where joggers, picnickers, dope smokers, kissing couples, accordion players and frolicking children all cheerfully coexist
• maps
• get cultured under the stars with some modern dance or classical music at the Openluchttheater
• transport
• restaurants & bars
• watch as horses are put through their paces in the grand 1882 Hollandsche Manege

Coverage includes: Neighbourhood Top Five, Local Life, Getting There & Away, Walking Tour, Sights, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping and Sleeping.