Amsterdam - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 196

Amsterdam's Top Shopping Zones
Jordaan —The colorful, old, working-class district of the
Jordaan and its main drag, Westerstraat, are a veritable won-
derland of funky, artsy shops. On Mondays, you'll find the busy
Noordermarkt market at the end of Westerstraat and spilling onto
the neighboring street, Lindengracht.
Leidsestraat —This bustling shopping street has elegant and
trendy shops, along with the Metz & Co. department store.
The Nine Little Streets —De Negen Straatjes is home to 190
diverse shops mixing festive, creative, nostalgic, practical, and
artistic items. The cross streets make a tic-tac-toe with a couple
of canals and bicycle-friendly canalside streets just west of
Kalverstraat. (Look for the zone where Hartenstraat, Wolvenstraat,
and Huidenstraat cross the Keizersgracht and Herengracht
canals—see the color map at the beginning of this topic.)
Kalverstraat-Heiligeweg-Spui —his is the busiest shopping
corridor in town. Kalverstraat, a pedestrian street, is a human traf-
fic jam of low-end shoppers. It feels soulless, but if you explore the
fringes, there are some interesting places.
Spiegelkwartier —Located between the Rijksmuseum and the
city center, this is the place for art and antiques. You'll find 70
dealers offering 17th-century furniture, old Delftware, Oriental
art, clocks, jewelry, and Art Nouveau doodads. Wander down
Spiegelgracht and Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.
Prinsheerlijk —Along Herenstraat and Prinsenstraat, you'll find
top-end fashion, interior design, and gift shops. If you're looking
for jewelry, accessories, trendy clothing, and fancy delicatessens,
this may be an expensive but rewarding stroll.
Magna Plaza Shopping Center —Formerly the main post office,
this grand 19th-century building has been transformed into a styl-
ish mall with 40 boutiques. You'll find fashion, luxury goods, and
gift shops galore. It's just behind the Royal Palace a block off Dam
Square (see page 103).
P. C. Hooftstraat —The most expensive shopping street is
between Museumplein and Vondelpark.
Albert Cuyp Market —Amsterdam's biggest open-air market,
stretching for several blocks along Albert Cuypstraat, bustles daily
(roughly 9:00-17:00) except Sunday. You'll find fish, exotic vegeta-
bles, bolts of fabric, pantyhose, bargain clothes, native Dutch and
ethnic food stands (especially stroopwafels and Surinamese rotis ),
and great people-watching. It's located a 10-minute walk east of
Museumplein and a block south of the Heineken Experience (tram
#16 or #24).