Whoever said that a cloudy or a rainy day was not good for a walk in the park? Well, actually, I did. But on my way to the “great attraction” of the neighbourhood, the Albert Cuyp market, I thought I could take the scenic route and cross the Sarphatipark. I spent an hour there, taking photos of trees, ducks and some other strange birds… There were few people around and it was very relaxing.

Sarphatipark is a small park with a beautiful lake and a lot of friendly birds; it also has a large space for dogs to run in.

The name of the park sounded strange to me the first time I heard it — I thought of something Indian. But it turns out it was named after a Jewish doctor, city builder and philanthropist: Samuel Sarphati (1813-1866) whose 19th century monument is situated in the park’s center.

Sarphatipark is not a must see if you only spend a few days in Amsterdam; but if you stay in Amsterdam for a longer period, or if you live in De Pijp neighbourhood (Oud Zuid) you have to know it’s a great oasis to escape to for a few moments. There are also a lot of restaurants and cafes nearby.

You can get there using tram lines 4 or 12 or metro 52.

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