You have now come to Leidseplein, where once stood a city gate. This gate once marked the beginning of the road to Leiden and this square was the first thing travellers saw of the canal ring and of Amsterdam when they entered the city. Even then, there was plenty of hustle and bustle, with travellers, street vendors and market traders coming to the city from all over.

As you can see, Leidseplein is still a very busy, energetic spot, but for other reasons: at present, it is the heart of entertainment on Amsterdam’s canal ring. Many cafés, shops, restaurants and theatres are located around the square, such as the New De La Mar Theatre, pop venues Paradiso and Melkweg and the city theatre, the red-brick building on the opposite side of the square.