Westergas, the gasworks that became a culture park

The heart of it is Westergas, a former gasworks that is now a sprawl of venues, terraces and event halls. The Gashouder inside it is one of the city's great big rooms, the kind of cavernous space that hosts the headline nights during ADE. On any given weekend you might find a market, a film, a live show and a club night all happening within a few hundred metres. I love it because you can arrive with no plan and still end up dancing.

Thuishaven, a festival that never quite ends

A little further out on Contactweg sits Thuishaven, and it is unlike anywhere else I go. It is a festival ground that runs as an indoor and outdoor club, all greenery, fire pits and open air floors, with house and techno day parties that feel closer to a summer festival than a night out. Come here when the sun is up and you want it to stay up in spirit for the next twelve hours. Check the programme first, because it runs on event nights rather than fixed hours.

The neighbourhood side of West

West is not only warehouses and festival grounds. Around De Hallen and the Jan Evertsenstraat there is a proper local bar scene, the kind of relaxed spots where you start with food and a drink before deciding where the night goes. This is the calmer face of the district, and it balances out the big industrial rooms nicely. Some of my best west nights have started with a quiet beer here and ended somewhere much louder.

Making the most of a west night

Timing matters more here than anywhere. The day parties are the whole point, so check start times and go early rather than late, because these events sell out and open in daylight. Bikes are the way to move around, since the district is spread out and the best spots sit on its edges. Bring layers for the open air floors, and clear your whole day, because the west does not do short nights.

Come west when the sun is out

Amsterdam West is my pick for anyone who wants a night that starts in the afternoon and keeps building. It has the festival grounds, the gasworks, the day parties and the neighbourhood bars to bring it all back down again. Browse every venue in Amsterdam West on NightFind, check what is on this weekend, and give yourself the whole day for it.