CANALS, Canal Ring

Leidsestraat leads to the Herengracht, the most sumptuous of the canals in Amsterdam Old Town. Almost all the houses flanking it, on both sides, date to the 17th century.

The most beautiful stretch of the canal is slightly curved, and is known as the “golden elbow”, thanks to the uninterrupted array of elegant buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, each of which occupies two plots of land.

A little further on, at number 605, you’ll find the Willet-Holthuisen Museum, an outstanding example of a splendidly furnished seventeenth-century mansion. The interior, with rooms on several floors, is open to visitors.

The nine side streets that branch off Leidsestraat make up the neighborhood known as De 9 Straatjes, or “Nine Streets”, where you’ll find most of the city’s fashion stores, including several boutiques selling vintage clothing.  ...