Amsterdam/Zuidoost

With no shared borders with Amsterdam, Zuidoost is a separate entity. It was built up in the 1960s and 70s as a residential utopia of sorts with apartment blocks separated by tracts of green. Also known as ‘De Bijlmer’, Zuidoost is a vibrant multicultural district renowned as the home of the Ajax football team.

• 🌍 Bijlmermonument, Nellesteinplad (Kraaiennest  53 ). In 1992 a Boeing 747F jumbo freighter crashed into two flats in the Bijlmer. This is a monument to the people on the ground who died or lost their houses in the disaster. 39 residents are known to have died, but due to many unregistered illegal immigrants living in the cellars of the flats at the time, which were completely incinerated in the crash, it is possible that more died than could be accounted for. The monument was designed by architect Herman Hertzberger and is built around a tree that survived the crash, with the names of the known victims and mosaics laid by survivors. The foundations of the destroyed buildings are also still visible. 
• 🌍 Amsterdam ArenA, ArenA Boulevard 1 (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), ☏ +31 203 111 333. The Amsterdam ArenA, built from 1993 to 1996, has a capacity of 51,628 seats during sports matches. It's the home ground of AFC Ajax, who play in Eredivisie, the top tier of football in the Netherlands; the Dutch national team also play here. The arena can hold up to 68,000 people during concerts and regularly holds popular music events. Ajax offers multiple daily tours through the Amsterdam ArenA stadium. (updated Sep 2018)
• 🌍 OSCAM - Open Space Contemporary Art Museum, Bijlmerplein 110-111 (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), info@oscam.nl. Tu-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-17:00. OSCAM is the museological platform for art, fashion, design, craftsmanship and development in Amsterdam. It has a rich background in curating art, fashion and design exhibitions with a speciality in young (sub)cultures. By involving known and unknown creative talents in our exhibitions and programs, OSCAM inspires and fulfils the need for a connection platform with other social art institutes in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and beyond. Free. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Bijlmermuseum, Grubbehoeve 38 (Ganzenhoef  53 Kraaiennest  53 ), ☏ +31 20 699 4203, bijlmermuseum@gmail.com. By appointment. Protected monument to the original 1960s urban vision of the modernist Bijlmermeer expansion of Amsterdam. It consists of the high-rise flats Gooioord, Groeneveen, Grubbehoeve, Kikkenstein, Kleiburg and Kruitberg, the brutalist metro viaduct running between them and the parks they are all located in. You can get a tour of parts of the Grubbehoeve flat by appointment, but if the weather's good just grab supplies for a picnic at the Ganzenhoef or Kraainest shopping centers and walk underneath the metro line. (updated Sep 2021)

• 🌍 AFAS Live (Heineken Music Hall), ArenA Boulevard 590 (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), ☏ +31 900 687 42 42 (Dutch phones only). Large-scale music venue with plenty of international stars having performed here. More "headliners" are booked in Amsterdam for the Heineken Music Hall than any other venue. Best reached by train or metro (station Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA). (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Ziggo Dome, De Passage 100 (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), ☏ +31 900 2353663, info@ziggodome.nl. Indoor music venue. (updated Oct 2020)
• 🌍 Pathé Arena, ArenA Boulevard 600 (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), ☏ +31 885 152 000. One of the largest cinemas in the country, and it also has IMAX movies. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Gaasperpark (Gaasperplas  53 ). Recreational area and nature reserve with a lake and water-sports centre. The centre offers facilities for canoeing, swimming, rowing, sailing and a surfing school. Explore the park (5 km around the lake) by foot, bicycle or horseback. On the edge of the park is the Gaasper Camping campsite. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Kraaiennest Outdoor Gym, Kleiburg 52 (Kraaiennest  53 ). 24 hr. A well-equipped outdoor gym with permanent workout stations, made out of green plastic & metal. If you spend some time in Bijlmer, this is a good spot to workout for free during the daytime, and talk to locals. Just beside the running tracks and tennis court which you will see from the metro station and the Kraaiennest Winkelcentrum. Free. (updated Aug 2018)
• Skateboarding. There are a plethora of spots to go skateboarding in Amsterdam Zuidoost. The biggest attraction is the new skatepark in Bijlmer Park with two large bowls. 

As this is a new part of Amsterdam, shopping malls are generally modern and large. From Bijlmer Station, west of the railroad you can find large retail stores, such as IKEA, MediaMarkt and others. The area east of the railroad could be called "downtown Bijlmer", where you can find a more relaxed atmosphere with smaller stores and quick dining facilities.

• 🌍 Amsterdamse Poort, Bijlmerplein (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), info@amsterdamsepoort.nl. Largest shopping centre in Zuidoost and indeed one of the largest in Amsterdam. All the usual big chain shops, but toward the eastern end, particularly in the "Shopper Hal" a lot of local/Caribbean/African places. Be sure to try the sausage or tripe from one of the vending cards, but beware the 'pepper' is very spicy. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Johan Cruijff Boulevard (ArenA Boulevard), Johan Cruijff Boulevard (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ). On the west side of the railway so caters less to locals than people from elsewhere in town or indeed the country, consisting of a number of very large stores. Could be useful if in need of electronics or sporting equipment. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Winkelcentrum Reigersbos, Reigersbos 92 (Reigersbos   50  54 ). One of the larger local shopping centers. The main attraction is the metro line, which passes over the shopping street and disappears through a building on the eastern side. You'll also be sure to spot the herons (reigers) the area is named after. (updated Sep 2021)

• 🌍 Kam Yin Chinees Surinaams restaurant, Bijlmerplein 525, ☏ +31 20 - 4095888. Surinamese and Indonesian cuisine. Very good Moksi Meti (marinated pork and sausages with noodles). Popular with the locals. Take-away. €7. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Lebkov & Sons, Hoekenrode 6, 1102BR Amsterdam, ☏ +31 20 - 3650037. Sandwich bar. Mainly caters to office workers in surrounding buildings. Try the hummus & sun-dried tomato. €3. 
• 🌍 Lomnava Kenkey House, Karspeldreef, 1102BX Amsterdam (no house number visible, look for the shack with prominent Ghanaian flag in front of the Hogevecht flats). One of the few Ghanaian snack bars in Amsterdam. Specializes in Kenkey (a sort of sourdough dumpling), but has a wide range of West-African cuisine at very reasonable prices. €7. 
• 🌍 Marmaris Grill & Pizza, Hoekenrode 5, 1102BR Amsterdam, ☏ +31 20 - 6973641. Relatively up-market Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant in the fancy new building opposite station Bijlmer-Arena. Great food, presentation and service - definitely worth the price. On cold days, avoid sitting anywhere near the door as it frequently fails to close properly. €14. 
• 🌍 Oma Ietje, Heesterveld 3, 1102SB Amsterdam (Bullewijk   50  54 ), ☏ +31 20 - 2338150, info@omaietje.nl. Sa-W 08:00–17:00, Th F 08:00-20:00. Inevitably, hipsters have even found their way into the Bijlmer. Part-funded by crowdfunding. Very worthy 'Swedish style' coffee house. Coffee, biological lemonade and cakes. Also showcases art by local artists. €5. 
• 🌍 Elixer (2 Chefs Circular Restaurant), Egeldonk, 1103AK Amsterdam (Geldershoofd bus 66 or a 5-minute walk from Gaasperplas  53 ), ☏ +316 21966195, post@restaurantelixer.com. W-Su 12:00-23:00. Restaurant dedicated to circular economy. Occupies a formerly derelict building, all furnishings are second-hand, and as much food as possible is home-grown or locally sourced. Profits are invested in local community initiatives, and the whole restaurant functions as a low-key gallery for local artists. Also, the food (surprisingly traditional French/European fare) is delicious. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Yemayá’s Vegan Corner, Reigersbos 3A (Reigersbos   50  54 ), ☏ +316 87618106. Tu-Sa 12:00-18:30. Surinamese Caribbean vegan food made by a local collective. Also delivers within Zuidoost and Diemen. (updated Sep 2021)

In part due to its bad reputation, Bijlmer suffers from an acute shortage of legal drinking premises. There are few bars and many close early (18:00). Thirsty locals either drink in the park, or in the past at various social clubs in the basements of the huge flats - where theoretically no alcohol may be drunk, but in practice it was brought, bought and sold. As these places were illegal and uncontrolled, tended to be in the worst parts of the neighbourhood, and were frequently the scene of drug dealing and violence, tourists should steer well clear of them unless in the company of a trusted local. However, things are changing, with fewer illegal dives and more legal alternatives.

Local bars are very lively and colourful places and have a quite different feel to anything in the center of town or indeed anywhere else in the Netherlands, and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

• 🌍 De Proefzaak, Hullenbergweg 6, ☏ +31 6 13941438, reserveren@deproefzaak.nl. Tu 11:30-17:00, W 11:30-22:00, Th-Sa 11:30-00:00, closed Su M. In 2015 the first monastery - the Kleiklooster - opened in the Bijlmer, and as good monks do, they started brewing beer. Good beer, if somewhat eccentric. This is their tasting hall where you can sample the current Kleiburg brews. Avoid late afternoons, particularly on Fridays, as it can get very busy when nearby offices are empty. Clientele consists more of office workers and tourists than locals. You can frequently spot a tall grey-haired man with a large beard - the monastery's preacher - buzzing around. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Brasserie Hoekenrode, Hoekenrode 2 (Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA  IC   SPR   50  54 ), ☏ +3120 6960322, info@hoekenrode.nl. M-F 10:00-23:30, Sa Su 12:00-23:30. Large cafe under the Hampton/Hilton hotel. During the day mainly caters to the nearby office crowd, but in the evenings it gets more local. (updated Sep 2021)

As this used to be the most crime-ridden area of Amsterdam (and the Netherlands as a whole), it is important to always be cautious and stay within the well-populated areas. Do not walk around alone in the dark and avoid groups of youth standing around. Generally speaking, the area around Bijlmer ArenA station and along the Bijlmerdreef is quite safe, while the further off you get from there, the unsafer it gets. The area around Holendrecht is probably the worst. It must be said though that in the last 20 years crime has lessened considerably and the area can be visited safely during daylight.

Non-residents who never actually go there will tell horror-stories about Bijlmer, but not only are they generally out-of-date, but they also need some perspective: even though populist Dutch politicians claim otherwise, the Netherlands is one of the safest countries on earth, and Amsterdam one of the safest large cities. If you live in a city, chances are that it has neighbourhoods much less safe than Bijlmer. Even within Amsterdam, there are much worse neighbourhoods, such as the western suburbs of Slotermeer/Slotervaart.

Objectively Bijlmer may even be safer for tourists than the centre of town - pickpocketing is by far the commonest crime tourists suffer in Amsterdam and it is endemic in the center and on the trains to and from the airport. As there are almost no tourists in Bijlmer, there are hardly any pick-pockets either!

From Gaasperplas, you can cycle to Weesp, Muiden, or deeper into the Gooi en Vechtstreek. Another option is to go south into the Vecht en Plassen region of Utrecht.