Shopping in Amsterdam: The Complete Guide to Where to Shop

Shopping in Amsterdam is less about big-name chains and more about what you find in between: canal-side boutiques, vintage racks, concept stores and centuries-old markets. This guide covers the best areas to shop — from the famous Nine Streets to the luxury of P.C. Hooftstraat — what to buy, when the shops are actually open, and how to claim your tax-free VAT refund on the way home.

Last updated: July 2026.

Where to shop in Amsterdam: the main areas

Amsterdam’s best shopping is compact and walkable, clustered in and around the 17th-century canal ring. In short:

• Boutiques, vintage & concept stores — the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes) and Haarlemmerstraat/Haarlemmerdijk.
• High-street chains — Kalverstraat and its continuation Nieuwendijk, from Dam Square to Muntplein.
• Luxury & designer — P.C. Hooftstraat in the Museum Quarter.
• Antiques & art — the Spiegelkwartier around Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.
• Markets & local food — the Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp and the Jordaan’s Saturday markets.

Most of these are within a 15–20 minute walk of one another. Our map of Amsterdam helps you place them.

De 9 Straatjes (The Nine Streets): Amsterdam’s boutique heart

If you only shop in one area, make it the Nine Streets. This is a grid of nine small, pretty streets woven through the canal belt just behind the Royal Palace, in the area framed by the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht canals. (Guides often lump it in with the Jordaan; strictly it sits in the historic canal district next to the Jordaan, which begins west of the Prinsengracht.)

The nine streets are Reestraat, Hartenstraat, Gasthuismolensteeg, Berenstraat, Wolvenstraat, Oude Spiegelstraat, Runstraat, Huidenstraat and Wijde Heisteeg — three sets of three, each crossing the three main canals. Packed into them are some 200-plus independent shops, galleries and cafés: designer boutiques, one-off concept stores, gift shops and one of Europe’s best concentrations of vintage clothing (names to look for include Laura Dols, Episode and Zipper). You will not find many chains here — that is exactly the point.

Our tip: treat it as a wander rather than a mission. Duck down each little street, stop for coffee or apple pie on a canal corner, and browse as you go — it is as much about the setting as the shopping.

Kalverstraat & the high street

For familiar high-street names, head to Kalverstraat, the busiest shopping street in the Netherlands. This pedestrian stretch runs from Dam Square south to Muntplein (its northern continuation, Nieuwendijk, adds more of the same). Here you will find the usual chains — H&M, Zara, Pull&Bear, UNIQLO and the like — along with the grand De Bijenkorf department store on Dam Square, an Apple Store and plenty of shoe and cosmetics shops. It is efficient and central, if not especially charming; expect crowds, particularly at weekends. Just off Dam Square, the Magna Plaza shopping centre fills a spectacular former main post office with dozens of shops under one monumental roof.

P.C. Hooftstraat: luxury shopping

Amsterdam’s designer flagship street is P.C. Hooftstraat, in leafy Oud-Zuid a short walk from the Rijksmuseum and Vondelpark. This is the home of the big luxury houses — Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Mulberry among them — with more high-end and Dutch designer labels spilling onto the neighbouring Van Baerlestraat and Cornelis Schuytstraat. Even if you are only window-shopping, it makes a pleasant loop with a museum visit.

Haarlemmerstraat, Utrechtsestraat & other local streets

For a more local, less touristy feel, seek out:

• Haarlemmerstraat & Haarlemmerdijk — one long street running west from near Central Station, repeatedly voted a favourite by locals for its independent labels, vintage, interiors and specialty food shops.
• Utrechtsestraat — a canal-belt street from Rembrandtplein lined with concept stores, boutiques, delis and record shops.
• Leidsestraat — a busy central street of mid-to-upscale fashion and shoe brands linking Koningsplein to Leidseplein.
• Spiegelkwartier (Nieuwe Spiegelstraat) — Amsterdam’s antiques and fine-art quarter, running toward the Rijksmuseum, with 70-plus antique shops and galleries.

Amsterdam’s markets

Markets are half the fun of shopping in Amsterdam:

• Albert Cuypmarkt (De Pijp) — the country’s largest street market, with around 260 stalls of fresh produce, cheese, fish, clothing and souvenirs, plus freshly baked stroopwafels. Roughly Monday to Saturday, daytime; closed Sunday.
• Waterlooplein flea market (city centre) — Amsterdam’s iconic flea market for second-hand and vintage clothing, records, books and curios. Monday to Saturday.
• Bloemenmarkt (on the Singel) — the famous “floating” flower market, open daily, selling flowers, plants, seeds and tulip bulbs (see the take-it-home notes below before buying bulbs).
• Jordaan markets — the Saturday Noordermarkt (organic farmers’ market) and Lindengracht general market, plus the Monday Westermarkt for fabrics and textiles.

What to buy in Amsterdam

The most rewarding souvenirs are the ones you can actually use or eat:

• Dutch cheese — aged Gouda and Edam; vacuum-packed wheels travel well within the EU and to the US (check limits for other countries).
• Stroopwafels — the classic edible gift, freshest from a market stall rather than the airport.
• Delftware (Delft Blue) — hand-painted blue-and-white ceramics; genuine pieces carry a maker’s hallmark, so check before you pay premium prices for what may be a printed imitation.
• Tulip bulbs — a national symbol, sold at the Bloemenmarkt. Buy only sealed, clearly certified export-ready bulbs, and check your own country’s rules first: many destinations (including the UK post-Brexit and the US and Canada) require phytosanitary certification, and uncertified bulbs can be confiscated at the border.
• Dutch design & vintage — homeware and one-off pieces from the concept stores of the Nine Streets and Haarlemmerdijk.
• Jenever — the Dutch juniper spirit that gave us gin; buy from a specialist shop (and pack it in your checked luggage if you are flying).

Shopping hours & paying: what to expect

A few practical realities for first-timers (hours vary by shop, so treat these as typical rather than guaranteed):

• Tuesday to Saturday: most shops open around 10:00 and close about 18:00.
• Monday: many shops open late — often not before 11:00 or noon, and a few smaller independents stay closed all day.
• Thursday: late-night shopping (koopavond) in the centre, with shops open until around 21:00.
• Sunday: Sunday shopping is normal in the centre — most high-street and central shops open, typically from around midday until 17:00 or 18:00, though smaller boutiques may close.
• Paying: the Netherlands is very card- and contactless-friendly, but there is a local quirk — some shops and market stalls are card-only (they take no cash), while a few older or smaller spots are cash-only, and not every place takes non-European credit cards. Carry a little cash for the markets just in case.

Tax-free shopping & VAT refunds (2026)

This is where many international visitors leave money on the table. If you live outside the EU — which now includes UK residents after Brexit — you can reclaim the Dutch VAT of 21% on goods you take home unused. After the refund operator’s fees you typically get back around 11–15% of the price. The essentials:

• Who qualifies: non-EU residents aged 18+ (holding an EU residence permit disqualifies you). Goods must leave the EU unused, generally within three months.
• Minimum spend: around €50 per shop, per day — ask the shop for a tax-free form and have your passport ready.
• New for 2026 — it is fully digital. The Netherlands has moved to a paperless system: the shop issues a digital tax-free form, and you validate it before departure using the free “NL Customs VAT” app (there is also a Customs desk at Schiphol, in Departure Hall 3, as a backup). The refund is paid to your card or bank account, or in cash at the airport for a higher fee.

Tax rules change and the digital system is new, so confirm the current process on the official Dutch Customs and Schiphol websites before you rely on it. For more on budgeting your trip, see our guide to money and costs in Amsterdam.

Best area by what you want to buy

Plan the rest of your day

Shopping in Amsterdam pairs naturally with the rest of the centre — the Nine Streets flow straight into the canals and the Jordaan, while the markets sit among some of the city’s best food. For more ideas, see our round-up of the best things to do in Amsterdam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Amsterdam known for shopping?

Amsterdam is known for independent boutiques, vintage and concept stores and antiques rather than just chains — best seen in the canal-district Nine Streets. It also has a mainstream high street (Kalverstraat), a luxury street (P.C. Hooftstraat) and famous markets like the Albert Cuypmarkt. Typical buys include Dutch cheese, stroopwafels, Delft Blue pottery, tulip bulbs and jenever.

What are the Nine Streets in Amsterdam?

De 9 Straatjes (“the Nine Streets”) are nine small connecting streets in Amsterdam’s 17th-century canal belt, set among the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht canals behind the Royal Palace. They are packed with more than 200 independent boutiques, vintage shops, galleries and cafés. The nine are Reestraat, Hartenstraat, Gasthuismolensteeg, Berenstraat, Wolvenstraat, Oude Spiegelstraat, Runstraat, Huidenstraat and Wijde Heisteeg.

Where is the best shopping in Amsterdam?

It depends what you want: the Nine Streets for boutiques and vintage, Kalverstraat for high-street chains, P.C. Hooftstraat for luxury designers, the Spiegelkwartier for antiques and art, and Haarlemmerstraat or the Albert Cuypmarkt for local and food shopping. Most areas are within walking distance in and around the canal ring.

Can tourists claim tax back on shopping in Amsterdam?

Yes. Non-EU residents, including UK visitors post-Brexit, can reclaim the 21% Dutch VAT on goods taken home unused, with a minimum spend of about €50 per shop per day. From 2026 the process is fully digital: the shop issues a digital tax-free form and you validate it via the free “NL Customs VAT” app (or the Customs desk in Schiphol Departure Hall 3) before you leave. After fees you typically get back around 11–15% of the price.

Are shops in Amsterdam open on Sundays?

Yes. Sunday shopping is normal in central Amsterdam, with most high-street and central shops open from around midday until 17:00 or 18:00. Smaller independent boutiques may close, and on Mondays many shops open late (often not before 11:00 or noon).