Escort Amsterdam West: Where the City PlaysLocal

The Westerpark runs along the northern edge, and inside it the Westergasfabriek turns a former gasworks into a cluster of venues, a cinema, restaurants and event halls, with lawns and ponds between the brick buildings. In Oud-West, De Hallen occupies a former tram depot, now home to an indoor food market, an independent cinema and design shops. The Ten Katemarkt spills out beside it, the Bilderdijkstraat hums with trams and shops, and the Overtoom leads straight to the Vondelpark. Further out, the Rembrandtpark and the Erasmuspark offer long evening walks, and the Kostverlorenvaart draws a quiet line of water along the edge of De Baarsjes.

With companions based in the Jordaan and the centre, Oud-West and the Westerpark are practically home ground, and an hour's notice usually does the job. Sloterdijk is a longer run along the ring road, so allow a little more there, and a bit extra again during the evening rush on the A10. Residential streets in West are long and often one way, which makes a precise house number and a description of the entrance more useful than usual. Every arrival window is confirmed on WhatsApp before your companion heads out, so you know the time to expect her.

Two tips. First, the Westergasfabriek hosts festivals and large events on many summer weekends, when the Haarlemmerweg and nearby streets fill fast, so book ahead if your dates overlap. Second, the Sloterdijk hotels are big and several stand close together, so the full name and street, rather than just the station, gets her to the right lobby on the first attempt.