Noord, Amsterdam

Friday, 6pm

After a free cruise across the water from Central Station on the shuttle ferry to Noord, check in at Clink NOORD (Badhuiskade 3; tel: 00 31 20 2149 730; clinkhostels.com), a hip hostel with dorm beds or en-suite rooms. An en-suite double or single room costs around £100.

7pm

Head for Café-restaurant THT (Tolhuistuin, Tolhuisweg 3; tel: 020 7630 650; tolhuistuin.nl), a former factory canteen that is a perfect intro to Noord’s post-industrial vibe.

Saturday, 9am

Rent a bike (from Clink) to cycle to Pekmarkt (Van der Pekstraat; tel: 020 7371 412; pekmarkt.nl) and browse for vintage clothing, accessories, arts and crafts and street food nibbles.

11am

Spend an hour or so in the cavernous Ij-hallen (TT Neveritaweg 15; fortnightly, see website for dates; ijhallen.nl). In summer (April-sept), Europe’s largest flea market sprawls outside this vast former warehouse.

Midday

Lunch at Café Noorderlicht (NDSM Plein 102; tel: 020 4922 770; noorderlicht cafe. nl) where the menu celebrates street food from the former Dutch empire, from Surinam to Surabaya. Broodjes (filled rolls) cost around €9 and there’s live music in summer.

2pm

Take a guided tour of NDSM (TT Neveritaweg 61; ndsm.nl), the repurposed factory that is now the core of the vibrant Noord cultural quarter, then visit the world’s largest street art museum in the former Lasloods welding hall, with its giant, rainbow-coloured Anne Frank mural.

7pm

Take in the sunset view of Noord and Amsterdam from A’DAM Lookout, the cocktail bar on the 21st floor of the 22-storey A’DAM Toren (adamtoren.nl)), then dine at Moon, the tower’s revolving restaurant (Overhoeksplein 3; tel: 020 2376 311; restaurantmoon.nl).

Sunday, 10am

Visit EYE Filmmuseum to trace the history of movies from the dawn of cinema to the present day, with archive clips, screenings, exhibitions and a terrace-café with harbour views. (Ijpromenade 1; eyefilm.nl).

1pm

Lunch at Restaurant Pllek, where Noord’s post-industrial zeitgeist is evident – it’s made from upcycled freight containers. The menu here pleases veggies and hunter-gatherers alike, with lots of meat-free options but also an array of ‘meat from the wild’ choices. Hard to spend more than €15-€20 a head here. (Neveritaweg 59; tel: 020 2900 020; pllek. nl).

4pm

Catch the ferry back to Amsterdam Central Station, then board the train to Amsterdam-schiphol Airport. ■