A walking tour of Amsterdam

13. The Vanderbilt Mansion

Well, it's not the elaborate Loire-château-style Fifth Avenue mansion built for U.S. tycoon William H. Vanderbilt in New York, but a replica (the original no longer exists, the only example) constructed in 1890 for Dutch tobacco merchant Jacob Nienhuys. It now houses the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation. Across the canal, on the facade of Herengracht 395 (but not easy to see unless you cross over for a close-up look), a stone cat stalks its prey -- a carved mouse on the facade of the neighboring house, no. 397, on the other side of the tiny Beulingsluis canal.

Cross elegant Leidsegracht, dug in 1664 for barge traffic to and from Leiden, to busy Leidsestraat. Since this has been a long tour, I suggest you go along Leidsestraat to its junction with Keizersgracht, and turn right to the:

Take A Break -- Het Land van Walem, Keizersgracht 449 (tel. 020/625-3544), a cafe that has just about hung on to its once undisputed trendy rep, and that (more importantly) serves up some good food.

Retrace your steps back to Herengracht, and turn right to the:

14. Gouden Bocht (Golden Bend)

You can trace the development of the rich folk's wealth and tastes as you progress up the house numbers on Herengracht, and this section (on both sides of the canal), so named because of its opulent palaces, is the top of the heap. Built with old money around the 1670s, in the fading afterglow of the Golden Age, when French-influenced neoclassicism was all the rage, they are in the main built of sandstone, rather than brick, on double lots with double steps and central entrances. Compare the sober baroque facades here with the exuberant gabled houses from half a century earlier, back along the canal. Look across the water to no. 475, for a particularly fine example of the later style.

Turn right onto Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, a street lined with expensive antiques stores (at its end you can see the Rijksmuseum). Go left on the far bank of Keizersgracht to the:

15. Museum Van Loon

This museum (at no. 672) gives you a rare glimpse behind the gables at a patrician house of the post-Golden Age.

Cross Reguliersgracht and return to Herengracht -- from the bridge over Reguliersgracht at Herengracht, you can see no fewer than 15 bridges (including the one you're standing on) -- skim the edge of neat little Thorbeckeplein, and go right along the canal, across Utrechtsestraat, which is a cornucopia of good restaurants and variegated stores, to the:

16. Museum Willet-Holthuysen

At Herengracht 605, this patrician canal house dating from 1687, is richly decorated in Louis XIV style. The table, under a big chandelier in the dining salon, is set for a meal being served more than 300 years late.

Stroll to the end of Herengracht and finish your trek at the:

17. Amstel River

At this point, the river is thick with houseboats and canal barges. To your left is the refurbished Blauwbrug (Blue Bridge) over the river, built in 1884 on the lines of Paris's Pont Alexandre III; to your right is the famous Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) double drawbridge. Step out onto either one of these for great views on the comings and goings on the water.

Walking the short distance along the river to Waterlooplein, or backtracking to Utrechtsestraat, puts you on the tram net for return to your hotel. Maybe you're footsore and hungry, though, and want to eat and drink right now. You can do no better than to hobble the short distance to Rembrandtplein, to:

Winding Down -- Café Schiller, Rembrandtplein 36 (tel. 020/624-9864), where you can take the weight off your feet amid Art Deco surroundings, or on the glassed-in terrace next to the square.

Frommer’s is America’s bestselling travel guide series. Visit Frommers.com to find great deals, get information on over 3,500 destinations, and book your trip. © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Republication or redistribution of Frommer's content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Wiley.

For more on what to see and do in Amsterdam, visit our complete guide online at http://www.frommers.com/destinations/amsterdam/.

MORE FROM 24-HOUR LAYOVER: AMSTERDAM

24-Hour Layover: Amsterdam Section Front

City of surprises A walking tour of Amsterdam Best bets for dining in Amsterdam Favorite experiences in Amsterdam Best bets for a place to stay in Amsterdam 24-Hour Layover: Amsterdam Section Front   Add 24-Hour Layover: Amsterdam headlines to your news reader: