5 Best Bars in Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam

Beware: the slant of this oldie-but-goodie may leave you a little unsteady on your feet after one too many beers on the patio. A quintessential Amsterdam view of the Oudeschans, however, has been bringing relief since 1695.

The speakeasy-esque HPS is a properly indie cocktail mecca whose infamous rum-based concoction, "The Walking Dead," has indeed left many locals limping away. Quality cocktails are always expensive in Amsterdam, but here high prices are compensated for by almost familial service standards.

Artists, students, and businesspeople unite in this popular café installed in a building from 1900 that used to be a waiting room for the horse-drawn trams. Much of the turn-of-the-20th-century interior, including the tile-covered walls, remains. The (heated) terrace is a sun-trap from early in the morning until late in the afternoon.

This always-lively Nieuwmarkt mainstay serves relatively cheap cocktails and with a jazzy electronic sound track. On sunny days you can enjoy your drink on the terrace overlooking the square.

Indulge your senses in cocktails inspired by the rich Dutch history of trade, distilling and innovation in cozy-chic surroundings on the ground floor of an inn along one of the city's oldest canals. The makers and shakers here have a passion for jenever, korenwijn (old-style traditional jenever), and other local spirits and service is prompt and professional.