Leidseplein and the South Canal Belt

Leidseplein sits at the south-west corner of Amsterdam’s Grachten Gordel (Canal Belt) and is one of the main central locations and entrances into the city. Here you have so many things to do. There are live music bars, restaurants, nightclubs, comedy clubs and Leidseplein is home to the Stadsschouwburg theatre, the City cinema complex and the American Hotel.  Right next to Leisdeplein is Max Euweplein named after a famous Dutch chess player and home to a giant chess board, the Holland Casino Amsterdam and lots more food and entertainment establishments. 
 
Most people will probably get to Leidseplein by heading down Leidsestraat, the main shopping street going south. This street is car free but you need to watch out for the speedy trams that have been known to fatally catch out tourists. Leidsestraat crosses the four main canals and is the dividing point of the West Canal Belt and South Canal Belt.
 
The area on the map directly below central Amsterdam is the Grachtengordel-Zuid (South Canal Belt) and is the place to see impressive views of Amsterdam’s most expensive canal houses. No more so then on the famous Gouden Boucht (Golden bend) where the houses double in size and stature. Heading east you will reach Speigelstraat (Mirror Street), a beautiful shopping street full of antiques and artwork. Then as you follow the canals around you can visit the Museum Willet-Holthuysen close to Rembrandtplein and the Van Loon Museum, two 17th Century stately homes with quite different histories.  
 
If you want a different perspective of these beautiful canals then there is no better way than on one of the many canal boat tours that operate around the city.