Amsterdam’s shopping splits cleanly in two. The Kalverstraat and the Nieuwendijk hold the international chains you can find in any European city. One canal west, the Nine Streets and the Jordaan hold the shops you cannot — small, owner-run, and mostly closed on Monday morning. The markets are a third category again, and the best of them opens at half past nine six days a week.
Where to shop, and what for
| Area | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| The Nine Streets | Nine short streets crossing four canals, 10 minutes west | Independent fashion, vintage, design and small cafes |
| The Kalverstraat | 750 metres of pedestrianised chains, starting at Dam Square | High-street brands, department stores and the Kalvertoren |
| The Jordaan | West of the Prinsengracht, 15 minutes | Galleries, antiques and the Saturday markets |
| Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk | North-west of the centre, 12 minutes | Food shops, delis and independents, quieter than the Nine Streets |
| P.C. Hooftstraat | Beside the Museumplein, 25 minutes or tram 2 | Luxury and designer labels |
| The Bloemenmarkt | On the Singel at the Muntplein, 8 minutes | Bulbs, seeds and souvenirs, floating on the canal |
| Magna Plaza | Behind the Royal Palace, 2 minutes | An 1899 post office turned indoor shopping centre |
Amsterdam has a market almost every day of the week, and they are not interchangeable. Our guide to the markets of Amsterdam sets out which one is on which day, the opening hours, and how to get between them.
Opening hours across the city
| Day | Most shops |
|---|---|
| Monday | 11:00–18:00 |
| Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday | 10:00–18:00 |
| Thursday (late-night shopping) | 10:00–21:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00–18:00 |
| Sunday | 12:00–18:00 |
The markets
| Market | Days | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Cuypmarkt | Monday to Saturday, 09:30–17:00 | De Pijp, metro 52 to De Pijp |
| Bloemenmarkt | Daily | The Singel at the Muntplein |
| Noordermarkt | Saturday (farmers), Monday (flea) | The Jordaan, at the Noorderkerk |
| Lindengracht market | Saturday | The Jordaan |
| Waterlooplein flea market | Monday to Saturday | Waterlooplein, east of De Wallen |
| Dappermarkt | Monday to Saturday | Oost, 20 minutes from the centre |
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Neighbourhood | What you find there |
|---|---|
| The Red Light District | The oldest part of the city, built around two canals, five minutes from Centraal Station |
| The Nine Streets | Nine short streets crossing four canals: independent shops, cafes and 140 listed buildings |
| The Jordaan | The former workers’ quarter west of the Prinsengracht, with markets and hidden courtyards |
| Museumplein | The museum square: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Stedelijk, Moco and the Concertgebouw |
| The Kalverstraat | The main shopping street, from Dam Square to the Munttoren |
Getting there
| Route | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tram line 2 | Centraal Station to the Museumplein across the canal belt in fifteen minutes |
| Metro line 52 | The blue line, under the old city from Noord to Zuid, with a free archaeological display at Rokin |
| Map of the canal district | How the four canals, the neighbourhoods and the tram routes fit together |
Worth having in your pocket
None of the shopping needs booking. The two cards below are worth it only if you are combining a shopping day with museums and transport.
- GVB day ticket — useful if you are combining the Nine Streets with the P.C. Hooftstraat and a market.
- I amsterdam City Card — transport plus museums, for a day that is not only shopping.
For independent shops, the Nine Streets in the canal belt. For international chains, the Kalverstraat between Dam Square and the Munttoren. For markets, the Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp, open Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 17:00.
Most shops open at 10:00 from Tuesday to Saturday, at 11:00 on Monday and at 12:00 on Sunday, and close at 18:00. Thursday is late-night shopping, when they stay open until 21:00. Small independent shops often skip Monday morning altogether.
Yes. Almost all shops in the centre open on Sunday, usually from 12:00 to 18:00. Amsterdam is unusual in the Netherlands in this respect; smaller Dutch towns are far more restricted.
The Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp is the biggest daily market and the most useful if you want food. On Saturday the Noordermarkt and Lindengracht markets in the Jordaan are better for produce and browsing. The Bloemenmarkt on the Singel is the one that floats.
For shopping, only if you want the chains. It is worth the ten-minute walk for what opens off it: the Begijnhof courtyard and the hidden church De Papegaai, both free. For anything independent, walk one canal west to the Nine Streets.
More to do
- Everything to do — the full index.
- Nightlife — what happens after the shops close.
- Walking — routes that pass most of these streets.
