A walking tour of Amsterdam

Farther back along the canal, at nos. 85-133, is another former almshouse, the beautifully restored and immensely restful Van Brienen's Hofje, from 1804 (also known as De Star after the De Star Brewery foundation that took over the site in 1841). Merchant Jan van Brienen supposedly had it built in gratitude for his escape from a vault in which he had accidentally been locked. It has a lovely garden and benches where you can rest, but if you don't want to have to backtrack too far, and aren't much of a hofje enthusiast besides, you can let it alone.

Head down Prinsenstraat to Keizersgracht, named after the Austrian Emperor Maximilian, whose crown graces the summit of the Westertoren. A short detour to the left brings you to the:

5. Groenland Pakhuizen (Greenland Warehouses)

Built in 1621 to store whale oil, these are now chic apartments (nos. 40-44).

Cross the Keizersgracht bridge, noting the houseboats tied up on either side, to Herenstraat, and go right on Keizersgracht, to the:

6. Huis met de Hoofden (House with the Heads)

At no. 123, the heads in question on the facade from 1622 by Hendrick de Keyser represent, from left to right, Apollo, Ceres, Mars, Athena, Bacchus, and Diana.

Turn left along the pretty Leliegracht side canal, then, right onto Herengracht, the ultimate Amsterdam addresses for flourishing bankers and merchants in the 17th century. Pause for a moment at the:

7. Theatermuseum

This graceful house at no. 168 was built in 1638 for Michiel Pauw, who established a short-lived trading colony in America at Hoboken, facing Nieuw Amsterdam (New York), and named it Pavonia after his august self. Note the classical neck gable, the first example of this style in the city. The museum extends into the flamboyant Bartolotti House at nos. 170-172, built in 1617 for Guillielmo Bartolotti, who began life as homey old Willem van den Heuvel and switched to the fancy moniker after he made his bundle in brewing and banking.

Backtrack to Leliegracht, and cross over Keizersgracht on the bridge, noting on the corner, at Keizersgracht 176, a rare Amsterdam Art Nouveau house (1905), designed by architect Gerrit van Arkel, which houses Greenpeace International headquarters. Continue up Leliegracht onto Prinsengracht and take a left, to the:

8. Anne Frankhuis

This house at no. 263 is where the young Jewish girl Anne Frank (1929-45) hid from the Nazis and wrote her imperishable diary. The earlier you get here the better, because the line to get in grows as the day progresses.

Afterward, with miles and miles to go before you sleep, you may be tempted to stow away on a water bike from the Canal Bikes dock outside the Anne Frankhuis. But at this point, you may be more in need of a break for lunch, so cross over Prinsengracht by the canal bridge and pop into:

Take A Break -- Cafe-restaurant De Prins, Prinsengracht 124 (tel. 020/624-9382), which is my Best Value restaurant recommendation, and a great spot for a leisurely meal.

A little further along on this bank, at no. 170, is a great store, the Galleria d'Arte Rinascimento, which sells both old and new hand-painted Delftware from Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles. Continue a few steps to Rozengracht and turn left (east) to Westermarkt and its:

9. Westerkerk

The Dutch Renaissance church by Hendrick de Keyser was begun in 1620. Hendrick's son Pieter took over after his father's death, and the church opened in 1631. Should you be passing between June and mid-September, from Wednesday to Saturday, you can climb to near the summit of the Westertoren, 85m (277 ft.) high, nicknamed "Lange Jan" (Long John).

Westermarkt 6 is the house where the French philosopher René Descartes lived in 1634, writing his Treatise on the Passions of the Soul. Descartes evidently thought he was in need of some additional passion -- therefore he was -- so he had an affair with his maid, which produced a child whose reality could scarcely be doubted. Also on Westermarkt are a somber bronze sculpture of Anne Frank and the pink marble triangles of the Homomonument, dedicated to persecuted gays and lesbians.