Ferry Route Walk: From NDSM to Silodam
Join us on a walk along the IJ and witness Amsterdam’s spectacular transformation from a harbor and industrial zone into a high-density residential landscape.
This architectural walking tour takes you on board several ferries as we explore the city’s evolving waterfront. It’s a route that blends architecture, history, and mobility—connecting the north and south banks of the IJ.
NOTE: ONLY THE 3PM TOUR IS IN ENGLISH
We begin at the NDSM wharf, where the area’s industrial legacy remains visible in monumental warehouses—now repurposed as creative hubs, restaurants, and housing. Your guide will explain the development of the NDSM area and show key projects like Pontkade, designed by de Architekten CIE. Amsterdam Noord is rapidly growing into a vibrant urban district with its own skyline.
We’ll then take the ferry across the IJ to the Houthavens, where luxury housing blocks and schools rise from the water. This area showcases how urban planning and contemporary architecture are revitalizing the city’s edges. From here, we continue to the Pontsteiger, an iconic 90-meter-tall residential building that acts as a symbolic gateway to the city.
The tour ends at the Silodam, a striking, colorful housing complex by MVRDV, built atop a former grain silo. A resident will welcome us inside for a guided tour—offering a rare chance to see this iconic building from the inside and hear firsthand what it’s like to live where history and innovation meet.
Visitor information
NOTE: ONLY THE 3PM TOUR IS IN ENGLISH
Tour Dates: Sunday, 7 September and 5 October 2025
Start Times: 13:00 (Dutch) and 15:00 (English)
Meeting Point: Calisthenics Park, ks. Ibisplantsoen 4, 1033 NR Amsterdam
Tickets: €18 (includes €3 surcharge for the guided Silodam tour)
Ticket holders will receive an email with final details and a reminder of the meeting location on the Friday before the walk.
Please note: Tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged.
Check the full Arcam agenda for more summer walks and upcoming specials.
