Jordaan

Jordaan has the prettiest canals and most authentic Amsterdam feel, though it's getting touristy. Safe to walk around with good markets and traditional brown cafes. Watch for bikes on the narrow streets.

This is the Amsterdam locals want you to see - narrow streets with tilted houses and traditional brown cafes where people nurse one beer for hours. Saturday's Noordermarkt gets packed with organic food stalls and antique vendors, while Monday brings book dealers and vintage clothing. The old hoisting beams on top of houses are still used to lift furniture through windows since the staircases are impossibly narrow. Café 't Smalle draws crowds of tourists now, but places like De Reiger still feel authentically local. You'll hear more Dutch than English here, and locals can be a bit standoffish if you're obviously touristy. The canals are beautiful but watch for bikes coming around blind corners.