East with Nico

When Nico visited a couple of weeks ago, she did not want to leave Amsterdam East. That was very convenient for me, as this is the part of town I live in. For her, it was a chance to see a lesser known side of Amsterdam, including some places she had never been to before.

We only had one day to walk around, so we did not waste any time.

We started with brunch at Bar Botanique, at one end of the Javastraat. The greenery inside asked for plenty of photos.
We continued to Eerste Van Swindenstraat, attracted by the hip boutique shops specialised in vintage or artisanal clothing and accessories.
We passed by the Oosterpark and headed straight to Beukenplein. It was time for a coffee break. We had one on the terrace at Coffee Bru, sheltered from the rain, at the same time enjoying the warmth of the summer day.


With newly acquired energy, we went on exploring random back streets around Linnaeustraat.Once in Oostpoort, we went shopping at Het Faire Oosten, then walked around this green neighbourhood, gazing at the new residential buildings along the Oranje-Freijstaatkade and at the more classical ones on Linnaeusparkweg.



By the time we reached Park Frankendael, it started raining, yet the air was warm and humid. We opened the umbrella and walked along misty alleys and gardens in one of the most beautiful parks in the city.




Indische Buurt, Oosterparkbuurt, Oostpoort, Watergraafsmeer – one could say we’ve seen most of the East. Yet something was missing. A visit to the East would not be complete without a stop in the Eastern Docklands, where bohemian, houseboat living coexists with living in former warehouses or in modern houses built by some of the most respected Dutch architects.

We had dinner at BAUT Paradijs later that evening, back to Oostpoort, and decided our eastern tour was a success. My only regret was not having enough time to include the Eastern Islands and Plantage in this itinerary. I guess we’ll leave it for the next time.