Last Updated on 6th May 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
If there’s one row of houses that nearly every visitor to Amsterdam makes it a priority to see, it’s the Damrak Canal Houses which date back centuries and appear as if they’re dancing thanks to their leaning statures. Here’s how to see the Damrak Gingerbread Houses, as well as what to know before you go.
In Dutch, Canal Houses are known as grachtenpanden.
If you’re planning a trip to the Netherlands, be sure to check out our suggested one day in Amsterdam, the best Amsterdam travel tips, and how to spend one week in the Netherlands.
The houses date all the way back to the 17th-century and are part of one of the oldest areas of the city. After all, during the Middle Ages, the canal outside of these waterside homes flowed straight into the Amstel River, which in turn emptied into a basin known as the IJ.
How to see the Damrak Canal Houses
I’ve been to Amsterdam more times than I can count and the Damrak Houses have always been a highlight for me (no matter how touristy they may be!) Unfortunately, on my penultimate trip to Amsterdam back in 2019, the houses were actually under scaffolding.
Therefore I was quite pleased to find that they’re once more completely visible as of 2023. It couldn’t be easier to see the Damrak Houses and they’ll actually likely be the first iconic Amsterdam sight that you see upon arrival in the city.
Once you’ve left Amsterdam Centraal and headed towards the city centre (not gone out of the back of the station towards the ferry docks), you need to walk directly ahead. The Damrak Houses are on the left hand side around 500 metres from the station.
You can either see them from Damrak street or head a little further down and admire them from a slightly different angle by heading onto the Oudebrugsteeg and snapping photos of them from there. The bridge view also offers a stunning vista onto the main train station.
Unfortunately you can’t see the interior of any of these houses. However, if you want to stay at Damrak for a little while longer, then you can grab a drink on the outdoor terrace of The Grasshopper (though you’ll pay quite high prices for the privelige).
Close by you’ll find star attractions like De Oude Kerk and Beurs van Belage (the old stock exchange). One of the most fun facts about Amsterdam is that canal houses are narrow because once upon a time they were taxed on how wide they were! Indeed, the narrowest house in the Dutch capital is just 2.2 metres wide!
