Walking Amsterdam, one neighbourhood at a time
Go on a Tuesday morning. The little courtyards (hofjes) are quiet, the bakeries just opened, and you can actually hear the bikes instead of the tour groups. A loop that takes about two hours with coffee stops.
There are over a thousand of them here, but a handful are worth standing on for a while. My short list, mostly away from the centre, where locals still lean on the railing and chat.
Everyone hides indoors, the canals go glassy, and the whole city softens. Bring waterproof shoes, skip the umbrella, and walk anyway. Some of my favourite photos happened in drizzle.