Upon your arrival on NDSM werf, you wouldn’t believe what it used to be: a place where cargo ships, bulk carriers, and war ships for the Dutch Navy were built. NDSM stands for Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (Netherlands Dock and Shipbuilding Company). Today, it has become the place to go for locals for art, festivals, and beer by the water. Located across the IJ and only a 15-minute ferry ride away from Amsterdam Centraal, NDSM isn't a place where you’d have the classic brick apartments and many tourists in sight.

Things to See & Do

IJ-Hallen Flea Market

This is the biggest flea market in Europe and happens twice in the summer. Spend hours and hours going through trunks of curiosities and score yourself a new outfit and something for your living room. Check when the nearest date is here.

The many, many festivals at NDSM

Of various genres! There’s the three-day DGTL Festival with underground electronica and the Wicked Jazz Sounds Festival’s pretty well known too.

Party at Sexyland

I was drawn to the place by its huge neon “SEXYLAND” sign in the colors of the rainbow. “That place seems like a good time,” I thought. This ‘club’ isn’t any regular club, every day of the year someone ‘owns’ the club so you have the opportunity to organize your own events or parties. It varies from a typical wild night, poetry jam, to a CD release. Why not start your own party while you’re here?

Art Exhibitions and other weird things

There’s usually always temporary art exhibitions here. My personal favorites include A Place Beyond Belief (2013) by Nathan Coley and Focus (2016) by Michiel Voet en Jeroen Bisscheroux.

There’s also a skate park, many graffiti artists working their magic, musicians practicing in containers, an old abandoned Russian submarine, and many other gems you’ll come across yourself. When I was there, there was also a random carnival complete with a little ferris wheel and a haunted house.

Where to Eat & Drink

Pllek

In true Dutch fashion, Pllek simply translates as “Place”, and indeed it is the place to be. Pllek is often filled with cool locals both indoors and outdoors. They have their own little beach complete with lounge chairs, a photoautomat on the second floor, and very attractive waiters and waitresses that my friend believed that it’s the qualification to be one here. They hold many events, including parties, open air cinemas, yoga sessions, you name it. Grab some beers and order the gegrild flatbread & hangop, have it by the water, and take silly photos in the photoautomat to remember it all.

Noorderlicht Cafe

The cafe is housed in a big half-pipe greenhouse and offers sustainable and organic dishes with plenty of vegetarian options. It’s a nice place to go in the late afternoon for some tea or beer, and hang out by the bonfire when it gets cold. Noorderlicht, meaning Northern Light, also hosts concerts and performances sometimes.

Chill out in a Sky-High Hot-Tub, Bungee Jump, and Stay at…

Crane Hotel Faralda Amsterdam. This isn’t your typical hotel. For one, it’s attached to a crane. It also only has three luxury suites with rooms named “Free Spirit”, “Mystique” and “Secret” at about $750 a night. Make a reservation here.

If you’re not ready to shell out $750, remember that NDSM despite how it looks has residential areas. There are plans for 2,100 residences at NDSM in all shapes and sizes. A quick Airbnb search shows more budget friendly options, including a city-view apartment and a boat house. Also, you don’t have to stay at NDSM to enjoy it. Stay anywhere in Amsterdam and just spend half or a whole day here.

How to Get There

From Amsterdam Centraal, take the free (!) ferry to NDSM. Take the NDSM-Werfveer (the dotted red line on the ferry map below). It takes about 15 minutes and you can bring your bike on board.