Street art, industrial sheds and a free ferry: north of the IJ, NDSM is the ideal starting point for visiting Amsterdam without ruining yourself on parking. And frankly, the area deserves far more than a quick stop.

NDSM, on the north bank of the IJ

01The parking trick for Amsterdam

Parking in central Amsterdam is expensive and complicated. My solution: leave the car at NDSM, north of the city. I booked my space ahead through the ParkBee app, and paid €19 for seven hours. Simple, quick, and far cheaper than the centre.

02The free ferry to Centraal

From the car park, a few minutes on foot take you to the NDSM-werf jetty. The ferry links NDSM to the central station free of charge, and the crossing takes just a quarter of an hour. A boat trip before the visit has even begun.

The ferry across the IJ

03A quarter still off the radar

I was expecting a car park and found something I loved. What strikes you at NDSM is the contrast: sharply modern buildings standing next to walls entirely covered in graffiti. A former shipyard, the site has kept its industrial soul while turning into a creative hideout.

At the heart of it, the vast NDSM Loods shed houses Art City, the Kunststad: around eighty studios where some two hundred and fifty artists, designers and makers work. It's one of the largest creative spaces in Amsterdam. The rest of the shed hosts exhibitions, film shoots and events. You wander freely among the works, and all of it is free.

The Kunststad

04A photographer's playground

As someone who loves photography, I was more than happy. Every corner offers a new composition: rusted textures, bright murals, the geometry of the buildings. On the day I visited, a group was even taking part in a street art workshop, painting the outside walls. Watching the work appear in front of me was a real bonus.

Street art workshop

05The STRAAT Museum, for next time

One regret: I didn't manage to visit the STRAAT Museum, devoted to street art and graffiti. Its hours didn't fit my plan, and I'd already arranged to head to the World Press Photo exhibition at the Nieuwe Kerk. Another time.

STRAAT Museum

+If you land on the right weekend

Once a month, the two enormous sheds on the wharf host the IJ-Hallen, billed as the largest flea market in Europe: around seven hundred and fifty stalls of clothes, furniture, books and bric-a-brac, indoors and across the yard outside.

+In short

NDSM is far more than a parking trick. It's a living, creative, free quarter that shows a side of Amsterdam well away from the postcards. Next time you visit the city, start here.