Begijnhof is one of the most unique places in Amsterdam, a
former convent built in 1346 where, for many years, lived the
beguines, "women who did not belong to a church order, but had decided to dedicate their lives to helping the needy. They renounced a private life, promising chastity and joining this kind of community, but they could renounce the Beguinage at any time". A place with great charm: you go from being in the busy Spuistraat to a quiet and peaceful space where, although it has undergone some reform, everything is as it was centuries ago. Saving the distances, it is as if you had gone through a magical portal straight to the Middle Ages.

Curiosity: Right here is the oldest house in Amsterdam - Het Houten Huis - at number 34 exactly. It dates back to 1420 and, with its peculiar black facade, is one of only two Amsterdam houses that are still made of wood, despite the ban of 1521.