Vondelpark

West of Leidseplein
Amsterdam, Netherlands

A quiet graceful space where Amsterdammers of all ages enjoy being outside.

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Why It Works

It's not the design that makes this park so special. Like so many parks in Europe, it's designed in 19th century fashion. What does make it special is it's fantastic location, adjacent to the city centre of Amsterdam. It must be the park that is most-used in the Netherlands. Apart from the everyday use to relax and breath some fresh air, it's also used for events, performances etc. On sunny weekends its winding pathways host thousands of skating, biking, walking, dog-walking people. The edges of the park have been built in, making the park a comfortably enclosed space.

What Makes Vondelpark a Great Place?

From the point of access it's very well connected to its surroundings, though not from all sides very visible. Access for people on foot and bike only. Used by people that live in the Amsterdam city-centre, tourists etc. Paths are mostly tarmac, offering good surface for active sports as skating and biking.

After entering through relatively narrow entrances, the park opens up in front of you. It's well maintained and always populated. There's lots of seating available, both in form of benches, mostly at interesting places like the pond, near entrances etc. as well as informal sitting space on the grass. The park is relatively safe though there's no special security presence. Vehicles are not allowed inside the park.

The park is highly used. Special events take place as well as performances. Activities range from relaxing, picnicking, strolling, and duck-feeding to skating, biking, running. You could meet anyone in the park, from bank managers to professors to tourists, icecream vendors, children, babies, elderly people. It's a cross-section of Dutch society.

Especially on a sunny day, the park teems with life. People meet, talk, smile, eat. All ages and all ethnicities are present.

User Comments:

02/19/02 Steve Davies said:: PPS staff stumbled on this great public space a week ago: a Sunday in February and the park was FULL of people. We particularly were impressed by the large cafes, especially one with at least 500 seats surrounding a playground full of kids and parents. We CONCUR!
02/19/02 Robert JS Ross said:: In contrast to Amsterdam's notorious honky tonk, this is a quiet graceful space. There are gates from surrounding residential neighborhoods, the East End is very near a large transportation/hotel hub, and street cars run along avenues paralleling the park - all of which make it easily accessible.
Overall, it is a clean well-kept park. Even if picnickers have to sometimes pile their trash along ample barrels, on a Sunday morn after a Saturday concert there is minor overflow. As a tourist I have limited insight to Amsterdammers' meeting habits, but indeed people smile in this place. However, as it is surrounded by rather upscale neighborhoods, the Park does not seem to have the ratio of non-European immigrants one sees elsewhere in the city.
05/08/02 larry beckhardt said:: Although my family and I enjoyed the playground with surrounding cafe (could that possibly work in New York?), in general we found Vondelpark to be dumpy - overcrowded on nice days, poorly maintained, filthy. It may be the best park Amsterdam has to offer, but that's not saying much since the City's true charms lie elsewhere.