Hotels near A'DAM Lookout and Amsterdam Noord

Amsterdam Noord, across the IJ waterway from Centraal Station, has turned from shipyards into the city's creative district. The A'DAM Tower, a former Shell office building, has an observation deck about 100 metres up with a 360-degree view over the old city, the harbour and the flat polder beyond, plus Over The Edge, a swing that hangs visitors out over the rooftop edge.

Next door, the Eye Filmmuseum's angular white building holds film exhibitions and cinemas that make a good rainy-afternoon plan. Further west, the free ferry to NDSM Wharf reaches a vast former shipyard filled with street art, studios and waterfront cafés. The ferries are free, run around the clock and take bikes, which makes Noord easy to explore.

On a clear autumn evening, the lookout deck is the best place in Amsterdam to watch the sunset over the harbour.

Pro Tip: Book a lookout slot 45 minutes before sunset, around 18:45 in early October and 17:00 after 25 October, then catch the ferry back as the city lights come on. Skip the swing on very windy days, when it may close.