Chinatown Amsterdam is centred around Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk, a central neighbourhood you can explore on foot from Hotel Schroder. Its landmarks include the He Hua Temple, and Nieuwmarkt hosts a farmers’ market every Saturday.
- Where: Around Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk
- Notable landmark: Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple, at Zeedijk 106–118
- Regular market: Nieuwmarkt’s farmers’ market is held every Saturday
- Street detail: Chinese translations appear beneath Dutch street names
Finding Amsterdam’s Chinatown
Amsterdam’s Chinatown is described as the area around Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk, rather than a neighbourhood with a formal boundary. You can use these streets and the square as your bearings while walking through the area.
The neighbourhood’s Chinese community dates back to around 1911, when the first Chinese settlers in Amsterdam favoured Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk. Since 2005, street signs in the Chinese neighbourhood have included Chinese translations beneath Dutch street names.
The area also changed through local property investment: NV Zeedijk, a collaboration involving the municipality and other parties, began buying, refurbishing and renting properties there in the mid-1980s.
How do you get from Hotel Schroder to Chinatown?
Chinatown is a central Amsterdam neighbourhood that makes a walking outing from Hotel Schroder. The facts here place it around Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk but don’t establish a specific walking route or travel time from the hotel, so plan your route to those landmarks before setting out. A one-day Amsterdam walking route can help structure a longer day on foot.
Use Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk as your bearings while planning how to reach the area from the hotel.
Hotel Schroder is a one-star hotel in Amsterdam.
What can you see and do in the area?
The He Hua Temple is a distinctive landmark on Zeedijk. Its full name is Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple, and it stands at Zeedijk 106–118. I amsterdam describes it as the largest temple built in the traditional Chinese palace style in Europe. Queen Beatrix opened it in 2000, and visitors can go inside.
For a regular market stop, head to Nieuwmarkt on Saturday, when the square hosts a farmers’ market. The area’s commercial history also includes Toko Dun Yong, one of the first Chinese companies to settle in the Netherlands, in the late 1950s.
Opening hours and visitor etiquette
The He Hua Temple’s visitor hours aren’t stated in the cited Chinatown guide, so check the official site before you go. Take note of the street’s everyday mix of shops, businesses and places of worship as you walk through the neighbourhood.
FAQs
Where is Amsterdam’s Chinatown?
It is around Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk. The area is described by those landmarks rather than a formal boundary.
Can you visit the He Hua Temple?
Yes, visitors can go inside Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple.
When is the Nieuwmarkt farmers’ market?
The farmers’ market is held every Saturday at Nieuwmarkt.
What marks the Chinese neighbourhood’s streets?
Since 2005, street signs in the neighbourhood have included Chinese translations beneath the Dutch street names.