For visitors in search of scenic walking routes, the province of North Holland may not be the most obvious choice. The landscape is famously flat, lacking picturesque mountains, forests, or waterfalls. However, the countryside south of Amsterdam offers charming walking routes through quintessentially Dutch scenery, with green fields, windmills, and waterways. Walking along the Amstel River, which flows north into Amsterdam, provides an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of a great artist. Rembrandt van Rijn lived much of his life near the river, often walked its banks, and created some of his most beautiful works here. With Amsterdam celebrating its 750th anniversary, it is the perfect time to experience the city from this unique perspective.
The journey begins in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, a small town a few miles south of Amsterdam. This picturesque settlement is characterized by narrow brick streets cradled by the river and a tall church tower at its center. Nearby lies the Beth Haim Jewish cemetery, where centuries-old gravestones lean in the soft grass. Streets filled with diggers and sandbags serve as reminders that this land was reclaimed from water over the centuries and remains below sea level today.
Leaving Ouderkerk, the path follows the Amstel along a narrow gravel footpath. On a sunny day, birds flit through the tall rushes, rowers glide across the water, and yet the river remains as tranquil as a mill pond. At first, the banks are lined with terrace houses, but soon the view opens up to fields and historic homes. During Amsterdam’s Golden Age, wealthy merchants built weekend retreats along the Amstel. Though many older homes have been replaced with modern mansions, the 18th-century Oostermeer estate still stands, its sweeping gravel drive evoking a bygone era.
Further along, a stone obelisk marks the historic boundary of Amsterdam, a point beyond which banished criminals were forbidden to pass. A short distance away, a windmill stands beside a statue of Rembrandt, sketching on a pad while kneeling on the grass. Looking south, the view remains much as he captured it in an etching from 1641—a meadow, a church tower, and a boat on the river.
As the walk continues, the peaceful countryside gives way to the energy of the city. The riverside trail transforms into broad streets lined with houseboats, trams, and bustling cafes. The area known as the Omval, once depicted by Rembrandt with a massive tree standing sentinel by the river, is now filled with busy terraces where people enjoy midday meals. The nearby H’ART Museum will soon host a Rembrandt exhibition, and the Blauwbrug, or blue bridge, offers a stately crossing over the river. From here, one can see the former home of Rembrandt’s patron, Jan Six, whose portrait by the artist still hangs inside.
Venturing away from the river, the route leads to the Nieuwmarkt, a square dominated by the turreted Waag building, where Rembrandt created his renowned painting, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. Not far away, the Nieuwe Doelenstraat marks the spot where The Night Watch was first unveiled.
The final stop is a five-story brick mansion with red shutters, the house where Rembrandt lived for nearly two decades. Now a museum, its interior is a reconstruction, but the studio where the master worked still evokes a powerful connection to his legacy.
As the day concludes, a visit to the Sluyswacht, a pub in a historic lockkeeper’s cottage, offers a chance to reflect. Sitting by the canal with a beer and a plate of cheese, one cannot help but appreciate the timeless beauty that inspired Rembrandt centuries ago.
