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With its reputation as an island of tolerance and progressive social policy, Amsterdam draws global fascination. This Amsterdam city walk explores the myths and realities of the so-called Model City, taking in topics from the red light district and thriving LGBT culture to the squatting movement and social housing.
The walk engages critically with Amsterdam's image as a pioneering metropolis that has supposedly been a model for other cities throughout history. By exploring fragments of the urban fabric of the city center and close-by eastern neighborhoods, we delve into the city's history, urban and architectural development and contemporary urban life.
Start at the of Hotel Prins Hendrik, with its plaque commemorating Chet Baker, who regularly spent time in Amsterdam from the mid-1970s, recording and performing, often inconspicuously and without any publicity, in dark jazz bars. From there you wind through De Wallen, the red light district, exploring issues of leniency, as well as the accompanying criminal underside.
In the company of an insider expert, you’ll make your way far from the crowds of the centre to Plantage Dok, a hub of the influential squatting movement of the 1980s and 90s. Then cross the mighty River IJ to explore islands of reclaimed land that are today considered by some the flagship of Amsterdam's urban renewal success story.
Throughout the walk, you’ll discover how progressive urban policies and traditions have often been contested, have fluctuated over time and contrast strongly with some dark episodes of the city's history.
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