Shopping · Amsterdam · Netherlands
Shopping in Amsterdam
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 14:43, 17 October 2006, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Amsterdam shopping is strongest in small independent stores: the Nine Streets, Haarlemmerdijk and the Jordaan are full of vintage, Dutch design and specialist food shops. Most central shops also open on Sundays, usually from around midday. Best souvenirs: Aged Gouda, Delftware and Tulip bulbs.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 5
- Top souvenir
- Aged Gouda
Where to shop
The Nine Streets
Independent boutiques, vintage and specialist shops on the lanes crossing the canal ring.
Kalverstraat
The main high street for chain stores, running from Dam Square to Muntplein.
P.C. Hooftstraat
Luxury fashion brands near the Museum Quarter.
Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk
A long street of independent food shops, design stores and cafés west of Centraal Station.
Utrechtsestraat
Delis, wine shops and design boutiques south of Rembrandtplein.
Markets
Albert Cuyp Market
The biggest street market in the city, in De Pijp, with food, clothes and fabric.
Noordermarkt
An organic farmers' market on Saturdays and a flea market on Monday mornings in the Jordaan.
Waterlooplein market
A flea market for second-hand clothes and bric-a-brac beside the city's opera house.
Bloemenmarkt
Flower stalls on barges along the Singel selling bulbs and souvenirs; buy bulbs certified for export.
IJ-Hallen
A huge flea market in a former shipyard hangar at NDSM in Noord, held on scheduled weekends.
What to buy
Aged Gouda
Hard, crystalline old Gouda keeps well, and cheese shops vacuum-pack it for travel.
Delftware
Blue-and-white pottery; genuine hand-painted Royal Delft is marked and costs far more than copies.
Tulip bulbs
Buy certified bulbs packed for export, and check your home country's import rules.
Stroopwafels
Packs from markets and supermarkets travel well.
Jenever
Old (oude) or young (jonge) jenever in traditional stone bottles from tasting rooms.
Dutch design
Homeware, prints and gifts from design shops in the Nine Streets and on Haarlemmerdijk.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Neighbourhood · Jordaan
The Jordaan
The Jordaan's narrow canals, flower-filled lanes and hidden almshouse courtyards (hofjes) such as the Karthuizerhof reward slow wandering.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Couples
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Street · Canal Ring
The Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes)
Nine short streets cross the canal ring between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsegracht, packed with independent boutiques, vintage shops, cheese shops and cafés.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Food
Market · De Pijp
Albert Cuyp Market
Running along Albert Cuypstraat most days of the week, the city's biggest street market sells cheese, fish, flowers, clothes and fabric.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Neighbourhood · Amsterdam-Noord
NDSM Wharf
A former shipyard in Amsterdam-Noord, NDSM is now a creative district of street art, studios, waterfront restaurants and festivals.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Shopping
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Stroopwafel, Bitterballen, Poffertjes and Dutch apple pie. Market stalls at the Albert Cuyp and Lindengracht markets make them to order. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) | $$$$ | Gabled merchants' houses along the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht |
| Jordaan | $$$ | Narrow streets, brown cafés and Saturday markets west of the canals |
| Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam) | $$$ | Medieval core around Dam Square, the Oude Kerk and the Red Light District |
| De Pijp | $$$ | Albert Cuyp market, global food and terrace cafés south of the centre |
| Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier) | $$$$ | Grand villas, Museumplein and the Vondelpark |
| Plantage and Oost | $$ | Leafy streets around Artis zoo and the Hortus Botanicus |
| Amsterdam-Noord | $$ | Converted shipyards, creative spaces and free ferries across the IJ |
| Oud-West | $$ | Residential streets, De Hallen food hall and local shopping |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is included in prices. Rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good table service is appreciated but not expected, and nobody tips for drinks at the bar.
- Smoking cannabis on the street in the Red Light District has been banned since 2023; licensed coffeeshops are where it is sold.
- The I amsterdam City Card pays off only if you visit several included museums and use transport every day.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February and November; the busiest months are April and June–August.
- January: Amsterdam Light Festival — artworks along the canals (late November to January)
- April: King's Day — citywide street party and flea markets (27 April, or 26 April when the 27th is a Sunday)
- May: Remembrance Day two-minute silence (4 May) and Liberation Day festivals (5 May)
- June: Holland Festival of performing arts (usually June)
- July: Julidans contemporary dance festival (July)
- August: Grachtenfestival classical music on the canals (usually mid-August)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, quiet stays and shopping
Jordaan
Narrow streets, brown cafés and Saturday markets west of the canals
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Amsterdam?
Aged Gouda, Delftware, Tulip bulbs and Stroopwafels.
+Where is the best shopping in Amsterdam?
The Nine Streets: Independent boutiques, vintage and specialist shops on the lanes crossing the canal ring.
+What are the best markets in Amsterdam?
Albert Cuyp Market, Noordermarkt, Waterlooplein market, Bloemenmarkt and IJ-Hallen.