Amsterdam: An overview - Part 14

SHOPPING

Shopping in Amsterdam offers a lot of choices. It does matter if you are just looking for the perfect souvenir, a unique piece of clothing or the latest designer item; Amsterdam has the perfect shop for it. There are shops of every type and if you cannot find what you want here then it probably does not exist. Some types of shop are located in specific areas but other a scattered throughout the city.

Shops in Amsterdam are normally open for every day of the week but of course hours can vary depending on the type of shop. Also some opening times may differ slightly by district. However here are some general guidelines on what to expect. During the week Monday to Friday most shops will be open from 09:00 - 18:00, the only exception to this is that on a Thursday most will stay open until 21:00. At the weekend you should expect 09:00 - 17:00 on a Saturday and 12:00 - 17:00 on Sunday.

The Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat are the main shopping streets and are home to all the shops you would expect to find in a large European city. In some respects it is becoming harder to know where you are in the world with all the same shops in every major city. Amsterdam has a lot to offer if you are looking for luxury items. Some of the best spots for this type of item are the department store DeBijenkorf, the street P. C. Hooftstraat with is lined with luxury boutiques and designer stores or the Magna Plaza exclusive shopping centre. If you like finding local antiques then make sure you visit the Spiegelkwartier, which is only a short distance from the Rijksmuseum. If you are looking for a bargain then seek out one of the many local neighbourhood markets as you will be surprised at everything they have to offer.

Diamonds have been a part of the historical heart of Amsterdam for over 400 years. Rough diamonds are traded and are then transformed into dazzling jewels. You can get a view of the world of diamond cutting and see every step of the process first-hand at Gassan Diamonds. A visit to Gassan Diamonds also provides a chance to purchase world class diamonds. There are also goldsmiths on hand so that you can have your chosen diamond set into a piece of jewellery. On the other hand you could just choose one of the many pieces that are already made up. The cutting and polishing is done at Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 173-175

Coster Diamonds is another place that people go for diamond tours and each year there are about 340 thousand visitors who go to see their craftsmen at work. The guided tours demonstrating the process of cutting and polishing diamonds are free and are presented by knowledgeable staff. The tours are available in more than 24 languages and of course after the tour you can browse in the showroom at Paulus Potterstraat 2-8

Continued in part 15