Amsterdam-Noord

A two-minute ride on the free NDSM ferry behind Centraal Station will get you to a revitalized waterfront area north of the IJ. Once a bleak industrial no-man's land, the former shipyard, Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NDSM), now buzzes with activity. There are a handful of interesting restaurants and hotels as well as the EYE Film Institute Netherlands—you can't miss the huge, white swanlike structure. Amsterdam-Noord will soon be connected with the rest of the city via the Noord/Zuid subway line (construction is almost complete at this writing). You can also take a cab here from Centraal Station for about €20.