The main canal of the old city — a wide, straight waterway running from Centraal Station toward the university. The canal has two faces: the southern stretch is lined with window prostitution and sex shops; the northern end, near the Oude Kerk and the university buildings, is quieter and architecturally exceptional. Worth walking the full length to see both.
Oudezijds Voorburgwal
Amsterdam's oldest canal, from red lights to university calm