Shopping streets

Amsterdam is an old city. Most of the city’s center dates from the 17th century. Centuries ago, cities were much smaller, and even Europe’s biggest capitals like Paris and London had no more than a million inhabitants. Amsterdam retained its original size and is now one of the smaller metropolises. Some people like to call Amsterdam the smallest of the big cities. This makes Amsterdam a wonderful place to shop, because everything can be reached by foot. Amsterdam is also home to many small shops, each with their own foreign traders. The range of products available is much bigger than in many other big cities. Here are some of the best shopping streets Amsterdam has to offer.

Kalverstraat

Probably Amsterdam’s most crowded shopping street. The Kalverstraat runs straight through the city center. There are many stores that offer products at affordable prices. As is often the case in Europe, there are no cars allowed in this street, it is only accessible for shoppers. There are two large shopping malls in and near the Kalverstraat – Kalvertoren and Magna Plaza – and a number of large department stores – Bonneterie, V&D and not far from the Kalverstraat, near the Dam, the Bijenkorf.

The north-eastern part of Amsterdam’s popular shopping area continues in the direction of the Dam, where the name of the street changes to Nieuwendijk. This street takes a sharp turn to the left, and following an intersection you can continue shopping in yet another shopping street – the Haarlemmerstraat.

P.C. Hooftstraat

This shopping street has modest architecture yet some of the best shops in the city. This short street is located in the same part as the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum, parallel to the Paulus Potterstraat where the latter two are found. You shouldn’t miss this one. Everything is fancy and expensive, but the range of products offered is incredible: some of the best brands in the world, luxury fashion, shoes and cosmetics. Nowhere else in Europe will you find so many expensive cars parked in a row in such a small street. The P.C. Hooftstraat also has its own website: http://www.pchooftstraat.nl/.

Cornelis Schuytstraat

At a short distance from the P.C. Hooftstraat, in a side street behind the Concert Hall, you’ll find the Cornelis Schuytstraat – home to a shopping mall for the people living in this wealthy part of the city. You’ll find everything you could possibly need: high-quality food, cosmetics, wines, some of Amsterdam’s best florists, various design and accessories and an excellent café where you can have a wonderful lunch. Christy’s Auction House is also found nearby, as is Amsterdam’s Hilton Hotel where celebrities like Yoko Ono and John Lennon once stayed. All this is just a few hundred meters down the road – it seems John and Yoko made the wrong choice staying in bed the whole time, because Amsterdam is a city filled with adventure.

Utrechtsestraat

A crowded street found near the Rembrandtplein. Home to several stores that have specialized so well that shopping there is an absolute delight. If you’re shopping for design products, accessories, shoes and fashion this is the place for you. This street also probably has some of Amsterdam’s best record stores. The street has narrow sidewalks, with loud traffic and trolley cars passing through the center of the street, but the stores are quiet, fun to walk into and they are located close together. Some great restaurants and an excellent wine store are also found here.

Beethovenstraat

An elegant street in South Amsterdam. This part of the city, built in the 1930s, is more modern than Amsterdam’s older streets, which makes it more accessible. There are wide sidewalks and large store-front windows. It’s a great shopping street if you’re looking for fashion, wine and chocolate. There are several places to have lunch, like the authentically Japanese deli-shop Medi-Ya which is known to sell the best sushi in the city. There is also a wonderful Dutch cheese store that sells delicious sandwiches.

Haarlemmerstraat

This is probably the youngest of the city’s trendy shopping streets. It is more affordable but offers the same wide range of stores. Many stores are new and use a new shopping formula to sell their innovative products. The average shopping audience here is also fairly young and trendy. The Haarlemmerstraat may seem very long, especially if you’ve already visited the Kalverstraat and the Nieuwendijk, but it is definitely worth the walk. Fashion, designs, cosmetics but also curiosa shops will amaze you with their products. There are also many cute cafes and eateries where you can take a break from shopping every now and then.