The Leidseplein Review

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The Leidseplein

  • Address: Main entrances: Leidsestraat, Weteringschans, and Marnixstraat, Museum District, Amsterdam

Fodor's Review:

The Leidseplein (Leidse Square) was once a medieval parking lot for horse-drawn carts that used to be banned from the city center—an enlightened policy that modern city planners might learn from. Today, crowds park their behinds on Leidseplein's many terraces in order to people watch. Frequented by kids out on the town, coffee-shop tourists, and late-night clubbers, the square used to be a hot spot for artists and intellectuals; communists and fascists clashed here between the wars. Cafés like Reijnders (Leidseplein 6), Eijlders (Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 47), and the authentic Art Deco American Hotel still retain something of that old atmosphere. Much of the rest has fallen prey to prefab pubs and fast-food outlets. The adjoining Leidsestraat is a busy pedestrian artery lined with funky shops and designer-brand outlets.

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