Noorderpark
Two former parks separated by a canal and a major road became one in 2014, stitched together by bike and foot bridges after the Nieuwe Leeuwarderweg was sunk six metres underground to make way for Metro Line 52. The result is a long, loosely connected green corridor running through Amsterdam-Noord — part rosarium, part barbecue ground, part open-air architecture gallery.
The swimming pool alone is worth the detour. Noorderparkbad, which won the Amsterdam Architecture Prize in 2016, has its pale-blue tiled surfaces decorated with lettering by artist Hugo Kaagman. Nearby, two abandoned petrol stations — now called Roze Tanker and Gele Pomp — glow with LED installations and host small cultural events.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to time it around the Noorderparkfestival, when the central field fills with theatre, music and food. The Noorderparkbar — an 18-square-metre café built entirely from second-hand materials sourced on Marktplaats — is a good anchor point. Find it, sit down, and let the afternoon organise itself from there.
The story behind Noorderpark
Noorderpark was created in 2014 by merging two older green spaces — Florapark and Volewijkspark — that had long sat on opposite banks of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal. The trigger was infrastructural: expanding the Nieuwe Leeuwarderweg to accommodate the new North–South metro line required burying the road six metres below grade, which freed up the surface to connect the two parks into one.
West 8 landscape architects won a European competition to design the unified park. The years following brought a wave of architectural commissions: Branimir Medić designed Noorderparkbad; Sophie Valla Architects transformed the derelict petrol stations into the Roze Tanker and Gele Pomp pavilions; Bureau SLA and Overtreders W built the Noorderparkbar. BenthemCrouwel Architects designed the elevated metro station, which opened on 22 July 2018.
Good to know
Metro Line 52 drops you at Noorderpark station, six minutes' walk from the park; trains run every six minutes. Ferries and several bus lines also serve the area. The park itself is free; Noorderparkbad charges entry. Spring through early autumn is the most rewarding time to visit.
Spring and summer bring the park to life — the rosarium peaks, the splash pool fills with children, and the barbecue areas get claimed early on warm evenings. Early autumn keeps things lush and considerably quieter. Winter is grey and often wet, though the park remains open and walkable.
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What travellers say about Noorderpark
Such a wonderful park in the northern district. It was super calm and lush green even in the beginning of fall season, so it was really nice to spend a relaxed afternoon walking around and touching some grass after a long time. Must visit if you’re in the northern part of the city!
Nice park close to public transport. Very empty on a Tuesday morning in April. Some parts of the greenery tended towards a wilder growth but the paths were in great condition for meandering around. The bridge was temporarily closed, so it highlighted that some parts of the park are a bit featureless and out of the way. Cafe and facilities were very welcome for a space to sit and relax.
Beautiful park with a small cafe and playgrounds for kids. Also nice for dogs
This seems really nice from other reviews (the pictures) but on closer inspection the grass is scruffy and knobbly. It's certainly not as lush as you would like from a park. I managed to find a fairly private spot where I was able to sleep under the glourious sun, listen to music, read and then meditate for a while. It's what you make it but on a purely visual front this is not a park for high standard beauty seekers!
Always a beautiful park, especially during the Spring time.
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