13/10/2026
Welcome to Amsterdam, where even the map is trying to get you lost!
Amsterdam is a surprisingly difficult city to navigate. With all the canals winding around, the city map looks like a giant spiderweb, or an onion cut in half. It took me several years to learn the main routes and streets, and even now I sometimes go the wrong way.
When I first started exploring Amsterdam by bike, I used to play my own version of Pac-Man: instead of taking the shortest route, I'd zigzag through the streets, turning left and right, exploring different paths to reach the same destination. It was a fun way to discover the city and slowly build up a mental map.
Now I've come across a whole collection of AI-generated maps, or mAIps of Amsterdam, and honestly, the quality is terrible. Streets that don't connect, canals in the wrong places and routes that simply make no sense. They might look convincing, but if you use one as a tourist in Amsterdam, there's a good chance you'll get lost. AI can create something that looks like a map without actually understanding how a city works.
Getting lost can be part of the fun of travelling, but there's a difference between discovering a hidden street and following a map that's completely wrong.
What do you think about these mAIps? Harmless experiments, or a real problem when tourists start relying on them? Have you come across any particularly ridiculous examples? Share them below!
And if you want to see the hidden gems of the city without getting lost? Book a private guide with us and we will show you our beautiful city.
