Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Cheese on a stall in the Albert Cuypmarkt
Right
Tulips at Amsterdam's Bloemenmarkt
Shopping Tips
Areas
Each shopping area
has its own special
character. De Negen
Straatjes, the Jordaan and
Haarlemmerbuurt have
bric-a-brac and speciality
shops. The Spiegelkwartier
and Rokin are the places
for art and antiques. Most
chain stores are in
Kalverstraat and
Nieuwendijk. Leidsestraat
and Utrechtsestraat have
more upmarket boutiques,
and PC Hooftstraat is the
home of designer fashion.
Sales
January and July are
the traditional months for
end-of-season sales,
when you are likely to
find some great bargains.
Some shops have an
almost permanent sale
rail.
Korting
means
reductions are being
offered. The Dutch for
sale is
uitverkoop
.
shopping in Amsterdam
such a joy. Although they
crop up throughout the
city, they are thickest on
the ground in De Negen
Straatjes
(see p104)
.
Art and Antiques
The Spiegelkwartier
is the heart of the art and
antiques trade. Here, a
host of dealers specialize
in a variety of objects
from Delftware and glass
to icons and tribal art
(see p112)
.
What to Buy
Amsterdam shopping
is very cosmopolitan. It
spans designer fashion
and off-beat second-hand
clothes, valuable
antiques and colourful
Indonesian beads. For a
flavour of the city, you
might be tempted by
Dutch chocolate, cheese,
paling
(raw herring), beer
or
jenever
or, for some-
thing less ephemeral,
Delftware or diamonds.
Diamonds
The five members of
the Amsterdam Diamond
Foundation guarantee
quality.
d
Amsterdam
Diamond Center: Rokin 1.
Map N3. 020 624 5787
•
Coster Diamonds: Paulus
Potterstraat 2-6. Map C5.
020 305 5555
•
Gassan
Diamonds: Nieuwe Uilen-
burgerstraat 173-5. Map
Q4. 020 622 5333
•
Stoeltie
Diamonds: Wagenstraat
13-17. Map P6. 020 623
7601
•
Van Moppes
Diamonds: Albert Cuyp-
straat 2-6. Map D6. 020
676 1242
Hours
Shops are generally
open from 9am-6pm Tue,
Wed and Fri, from 9am-
9pm on Thu, from 9am-
5pm on Sat, and from
1-6pm on Mon (although
most department stores
open at 11am). Many
shops also open from
noon to 6pm on Sun. By
city law, shopkeepers
can trade between 7am
and 10pm daily.
Department
Stores and Malls
Compared to its speciality
shops, Amsterdam's
department stores seem
run-of-the-mill. On the
corner of Dam Square
and Damrak, De Bijenkorf
is the most famous. More
exclusive, however, are
Maison de Bonneterie
and Metz & Co. The city's
first mall, Magna Plaza,
has several floors of
boutiques and cafés in a
converted post office.
Tax-free Shopping
Most marked prices
include 19 per cent VAT.
Global Refund entitles
non-EU residents to a
percentage back over a
minimum figure of €137
(more you spend, the
higher the percentage),
bought at one shop on the
same day and exported
within 90 days. If the shop
has 'Tax-free' status, collect
a Global Refund Cheque,
have it stamped by
Customs on your depart-
ure, and claim your refund
when you leave the EU.
Bulbs and Flowers
The Dutch love
flowers. For the best
selection of cut flowers
and bulbs, go to the
Bloemenmarkt
(see
p113)
. Depending on the
harshness of the winter,
bulbs are usually avail-
able between June and
late December, but check
your own country's
import regulations before
exporting
(see p132)
.
Speciality Shops
It is these quirky little
shops devoted to specific
items - from candles to
toothbrushes - that make
For shops, markets and souvenirs
See pp62-3
138
