Amsterdamse Bos

The Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) is the city's great green escape: a man-made woodland on the southern edge, around three times the size of New York's Central Park. Entry is free, and you could easily spend a whole day here.

A forest built by hand

The Bos was planted between 1934 and 1940 as a Depression-era work-relief project that gave jobs to more than 20,000 people, who dug and planted the whole forest largely with shovels and wheelbarrows.

What to do

Walk or cycle the trails; row or paddle on the Bosbaan and the Grote Vijver lake, with boats, canoes and pedaloes for hire; meet the animals at the Ridammerhoeve goat farm; send the kids up the Fun Forest high-ropes course; or catch a summer show at the open-air Bostheater. There are cafés, a pancake farm and even Scottish Highland cattle.

Getting there

It lies on the Amstelveen edge of the city, about a 30-minute cycle from the centre on dedicated paths, or reachable by bus. On weekends from April to October a historic museum tram runs out to the forest. The De Boswinkel visitor centre (Tue–Sun, 10:00–17:00) has maps and a nature exhibition.

Despite its name, the Amsterdamse Bos was designed as much as a landscape park as a forest. Urban planners Cornelis van Eesteren and Jakoba Mulder helped shape a setting inspired by English landscape parks, where open meadows, water and woodland alternate rather than forming an uninterrupted canopy. That contrast is part of the pleasure of exploring: a sheltered path can suddenly open onto a broad stretch of grass, with long views that make the landscape feel surprisingly spacious.

For a quieter visit, leave the main recreation areas behind and follow the smaller woodland paths. The character of the Bos changes with the seasons, from fresh spring foliage to autumn colour, while its wetter corners offer opportunities for birdwatching. You can also pair your visit with the nearby Nieuwe Meer, the lake along the forest’s northern side. Continuing towards its shores gives a different perspective on this green edge of Amsterdam, with open water replacing the enclosed woodland.