Walk Amsterdam’s Science Park & Indische Buurt

Amsterdam Oost is home to some of the city’s most diverse, innovative and enjoyable neighborhoods, and Indische Buurt is no exception! Discover science and art that lie side by side, as we explore the science park, with a history in the science community that extends to innovative and emerging startups and educational facilities, and various artistic sculptures in the area’s public spaces. Experience the close-knit village feel of this multicultural neighborhood, which showcases an eclectic mix of old stores and new hot spots, and is home to many entrepreneurs who thrive off the small town energy and innovative spirit.

Enjoy your walk!

📐 Distance: 5 km
🍴 Calories: 341
⏱️ Total Walking Time: 58 min
🧭 Directions: Hit this link, then click the top right corner of the map to open full screen in Google Maps

FYI: the technology behind Google Maps is sometimes a bit shaky, so sometimes you need to click the link more than once, or zoom in to get the route view. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Route Highlights

☕ Best Roast en Route: Superette Cafe

Inspired by old school eateries, but with a colorful, contemporary twist, Superette Cafe is a popular local spot on Javaplein that offers delicious breakfast, lunch, ‘borrel’ and dinner menus. Think fresh, tastily topped bagels, well brewed coffee and refreshing juices! Sit out on the terrace and enjoy the energetic Molukkenstraat and the bustling Javaplein. Superette Cafe is also open for takeaway, so you can just drop by to order a coffee or lunch for take-away at our doorstep, every day from 09:00-16:00!

Highlight A: Badhuis Javaplein

The Badhuis Javaplein was one of the last municipal bathhouses to be built in 1941, and since its closure in 1982 has been home to a fantastic range of occupants! This space has encompassed everything from a seaside resort, to Hindu temple, to thrift store. Most recently the Badhuis has been used as a hospitality space, taking full advantage of its large outside terrace that is very well suited to people watching! Since December 2019, the restaurant has been permanently closed. The Oedipus brewers are the new owners, currently keeping their new venue on the down low! Keep an eye on the spot for what might just be the hottest venue in Amsterdam East!

Highlight B: Celtic heritage

Artist Wim Tap is known for his work built from rocks from various quarries in Europe, such as Brittany and the Ardennes. The base for this collection of stone structures is constructed from granite from Breton. Tap’s intention with this sculptural artwork was to inspire a sense of its Celtic heritage, and bring the organic shapes of nature into the city. Tap’s motto is ‘Natura Artis Magistra’: nature as the teacher of art. This a guiding principle that Tap believes extends to life too, especially as our climate crisis becomes increasingly pressing: ‘we must all realize again what we are destroying’.

Highlight C: Tasting Room ‘t Nieuwe Diep

You’re not a real Amsterdammer until you’ve tried some of the finest jenever from the Distilleerderij ‘t Nieuwe Diep! It might feel a little off the beaten track, but the trip, especially in the summer months, is an absolute must for all Dutch city dwellers. Housed in a former water pumping station that drained the area’s waterlogged land during the early 20th century, this unique lakeside distillery produces a wide range of jenever blends. Find a spot on the quaint bank and enjoy your poison of choice. Proost!

Highlight D: Angsty Rabbit

Each year, Appelsap hosts a hip-hop festival in Flevopark. Its organizers, in recognition of the relatively little space and funding for visual art in Amsterdam’s public spaces, raised money, alongside the Mondriaan Fund and WeTransfer, for Piet Parra’s sculpture that stands before you! As an artist with strong links to Amsterdam’s hip-hop, art and fashion scene, Parra was an obvious choice for Applesap. During the festival’s 18th edition, this 3 meter high statue was erected, and has since remained following the success of a local petition. The Anxious Rabbit is said to be a representation of youth and street culture. Its production was quite a feat: four people worked on the 400kg sculpture for six weeks!

Highlight E: Science park

Welcome to Amsterdam’s Science Park, one of four campuses of the University of Amsterdam. Though the cluster of buildings and waterways may initially look unremarkable, the opposite is true. Covering a space of 70 hectares, Amsterdam’s science park is one of Europe’s largest concentrated areas for research, education and start ups. It is a hub for curiosity, progress and innovation, home to the best minds and pioneers in science since the 20th century, and with a rich history of connecting academic institutions with research programs and emerging companies. The land it stands on, Watergraafsmeer, is itself a reminder of Dutch ingenuity: the area was reclaimed in 1629!
Especially on the warmer spring and summer days, this place is full of life, especially in front of the student cafe ‘Oerknal’. If you fancy something a bit more chique, yet exciting, walk over towards the train tracks until you find an old building. Here you’ll find Cafe Restaurant Polder with its easy-going staff and lounge terrace.

Highlight F: Startup Village

This striking collection of workspaces housed inside colorful shipping containers exhibits the trendy, industrial style often encountered throughout the city. In typical Amsterdam fashion, Startup Village has become a strong community that was born out of the desire to support the many entrepreneurial spirits who flock to the city. This visionary initiative was realized by the University of Amsterdam. For obvious reasons companies here have a strong focus on science, and almost all have a connection to the university. The startups that work from here range from working on biodiversity to sustainability to Artificial Intelligence. The vibe is really vibrant so if you take time to pass by here, you won’t regret it.

Highlight G: Dyke at Valentijnkade

The Indische Buurt borders the greater area of Watergraafsmeer, which is itself a polder: a drained, former body of water. At about five meters below sea level, it’s still one of the lowest parts of Amsterdam! Until 1921, Watergraafsmeer was an independent municipality with about 10,000 residents, but now encompasses 11 different neighborhoods. In 1651, a violent storm tide broke a number of the dykes that were protecting the east of Amsterdam, flooding the Watergraafsmeer polder and much of the city. Reinforcing the dykes is a crucial strategy against the flooding in the city. Indeed, new, innovative stabilizing dyke technology was implemented in the Watergraafsmeer dykes in 2018 for the first time! Want to play Chinese whispers? There was a rumor going around the University about this dyke being forged to protect the supercomputers at Science Park! Unfortunately, this fun ‘fact’ has never quite made it past the status of campus rumor.

Your Fav Hidden Gems

The above highlights are just some of our favorite spots along the way. If something catches your eye while en route, share a picture with us so we can share with the group next week.Emailis the best.

Interested in more Walks?

Explore the city via short, curated routes brought to you by our professional tour guides of Amsterdam Experiences. Receive a new route in Amsterdam every week into your inbox.