Zuidoost is Amsterdam’s most multicultural district. More than 130 nationalities live here and these diverse cultural backgrounds are reflected in its many festivals with foreign roots like the Summer Festival, which is spread across five weekends in July and August, and the Southeast Jazz Festival in August. And despite its many modern skyscrapers, Zuidoost, or de Bijlmer as the locals call it, can often feel like a small village. It boasts several parks and green spaces including the Gaasper Park, the crown jewel of them all. It’s also a fairly new area, its first houses having been built as recent as 1968. Recent development around Ajax’s stadium, the Amsterdam Arena, has led to a cultural renaissance, not to mention an economic boom. Amsterdam’s biggest shopping centres and megastores are almost all located here and the Heineken Music Hall and the brand new Ziggo Dome are both state of the art concert halls attracting world renowned talent from around the globe. Take in a concert, spend the day shopping or just walk around and experience the diversity of this vibrant area that most tourists never see.