Sarphatipark

Tucked into the middle of De Pijp, Sarphatipark is a small English-style park that the neighbourhood treats as its back garden. It sits just a block behind the Albert Cuyp Market.

The park

Winding paths, a pond and big shady trees surround lawns that fill with picnickers on sunny days. At its centre is an ornamental monument and fountain honouring Samuel Sarphati, the 19th-century doctor and city planner the park is named after.

The vibe

There are no big attractions here — just a genuine, leafy slice of De Pijp life, and a welcome breather from the market crowds a street away.

Getting there

It's in the heart of De Pijp, an easy combine with the Albert Cuyp Market and the neighbourhood's many cafés.

Sarphati’s legacy reaches well beyond the park’s boundaries. A physician and philanthropist, he helped improve Amsterdam’s public health by establishing a refuse-collection service, while his ambitions for the city also extended to projects such as the Amstel Hotel. Seen in that context, the park’s dedication is about more than a name: it honours someone whose work connected everyday living conditions with a broader vision for Amsterdam’s development. It adds a social-history angle to an otherwise leisurely stop.

The park also carries a less visible wartime history. During the occupation, its name was changed and Sarphati’s bust was removed; both were restored after the war. The fountain’s stylised Star of David offers another connection to his Jewish heritage. Take a closer look at these details before continuing through De Pijp’s residential streets: the transition from a commemorative public space to the surrounding neighbourhood gives this short walk more depth than a simple stop for fresh air.